SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE RAW TV REPORT
AUGUST 21, 2023
QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC AT CENTRE VIDEOTRON
AIRED LIVE ON USA
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
[HOUR ONE]
– The show opened with a recap of the happenings around the Judgment Day and JD McDonagh from last week.
– Sami Zayn made his way to the ring to a thunderous reaction from the crowd. Sami tried to speak, but the crowd’s nonstop cheering didn’t let him. He finally welcomed the fans in French, but was immediately interrupted by the Judgment Day. They surrounded Sami, only for Sami to reveal that he wasn’t alone. A returning Kevin Owens showed up and assaulted Dominik Mysterio on the ramp. Kevin tossed Finn Bálor into the barricade and nailed Damian Priest with a Stunner. Kevin said that it has been too long since he had a match on Raw before challenging any two members of the Judgment Day to a tag match tonight.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Very simple opening segment with the crowd’s insane reaction taking center stage. Not that enthused to see yet another Judgment Day tag match, but happy to finally have Kevin Owens back.)
– The New Day made their way to the ring, ahead of their match against Drew McIntyre & Matt Riddle.
[Commercial Break]
(1) NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. DREW MCINTYRE & MATT RIDDLE
Woods avoided a clothesline and knocked Riddle down with a dropkick. The New Day crushed Riddle with a side slam and leaping splash combination, sending Riddle to his corner with a dropkick afterwards. Drew tagged himself in and put both members of the New Day with belly-to-belly suplexes. Riddle tried to hug Drew, only for Drew to launch him into the New Day with a belly-to-belly suplex, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Kofi hit Riddle with a Russian leg sweep, followed by a leaping splash and an elbow drop from Woods. Woods evaded an enzuigiri and put Riddle down with a flatliner, setting him up for a splash to the back from Kofi. Riddle caught a diving attack with a pump knee, but Woods stopped him from tagging out. Riddle stopped Woods atop the turnbuckle and laid him out with an avalanche fisherman suplex. Erik pulled Drew off the apron behind the referee’s back while Kofi knocked Riddle out with Trouble in Paradise.
WINNERS: New Day at 9:32
– After the match, the Viking Raiders assaulted the New Day before being taken out with a Glasgow Kiss and spinebuster from Drew McIntyre.
(Pomares’s Analysis: It was a fine match without a climactic third act as a result of the Viking Raiders’ interference. It makes sense in the storyline, but definitely hurt the overall match.)
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed JD McDonagh and Finn Bálor about what happened last week. Finn thanked JD for helping them stand tall last week, until Rhea Ripley interrupted to discuss their upcoming tag match. Finn left with the Judgment Day and Ripley stopped JD from following them.
[Commercial Break]
– A video package aired, showcasing Shayna Baszler who claimed that she would burn it all down.
– A recap of Chad Gable hitting Gunther with a German suplex last week was shown.
– Earlier today, Gunther said that the world would get to see the greatest Intercontinental champion. Gunther said that time was his friend because with everyday passing he keeps building his legacy. Gunther said that Chad Gable wouldn’t make a name for himself at his expense and his fairytale story would come to an end.
– Backstage, Byron Saxton interviewed the Alpha Academy ahead of Chad Gable’s title match. Otis and Maxxine Dupri put over Gable as a trainer and wrestler before Gable made his way to the ring.
[Commercial Break]
– A newsreel was shown, confirming that John Cena would wrestle at Superstar Spectacle in India.
(2) GUNTHER vs. CHAD GABLE – WWE Intercontinental Championship
Gunther took Gable down and hit him with a knee drop to the arm. Gable nailed Gunther with a chop and knocked him off his feet, only for Gunther to throw him out of the ring. After Gable returned to the ring, Gunther shut him down with a chop, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Gunther dropped Gable back-first on the apron with a back suplex. Gunther planted Gable with a delayed Butterfly suplex, but Gable kicked out at two. Gable kicked Gunther away and trapped him in an armbar using the top rope. Gunther blocked a diving attack with a huge chop before turning him inside out with a lariat for a nearfall. Gable caught Gunther with a dropkick, only for Gunther to blast him with another lariat for a two count.
Gable surprised Gunther with a takedown into a crucifix pinfall, only for Gunther to respond with a sleeper hold. Gunther let go of the hold after Gable got to his feet and nailed him with a chop. Gable nailed Gunther with a couple of forearm strikes and a Saito suplex. Gunther blocked a German suplex before receiving a dragon screw and being put in an Ankle Lock. Gunther kicked Gable away to break the hold, only for Gable to tackle him into the mat and pummel him down.
Gable hit Gunther with a deadlift German suplex for a close two count. Gunther shoved Gable off the top turnbuckle, making him crash into the barricade at ringside. Gunther blasted Gable with a barrage of chops, but missed a chop into the ring post. Gable drove Gunther into the ring post and launched him over the barricade with a release German suplex. Gable returned to the ring, as the referee officially counted Gunther out.
WINNER: Chad Gable via Count Out at 13:29 (Gunther is still Intercontinental Champion)
(Pomares’s Analysis: I’m not usually a fan of DQs or Count Outs, but this one absolutely ruled. Chad Gable and Gunther have top-notch in-ring chemistry and the work here legitimized Gable as a top contender to the title. I’m assuming we get Gable vs. Gunther in a rematch at Payback.)
– Backstage, the Judgment Day discusses who should wrestle in their tag match tonight, but couldn’t get on the same page. Rhea Ripley left with Dominik Mysterio and told Finn Bálor and Damian Priest to figure it out or else she would.
– Backstage, Cody Rhodes was shown speaking with Byron Saxton.
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR TWO]
– Backstage, Byron Saxton interviewed Cody Rhodes about the ending of last week’s match. Cody dragged Saxton to the entrance stage, so the fans could see the interview live. Cody said that the Judgment Day wouldn’t have the numbers advantage in the place where Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn grew. He said that tonight was about Kevin & Sami as the Judgment Day rises and falls.
– Backstage, Shinsuke Nakamura talked about what he whispered in Seth Rollins’ ear last week. Nakamura claimed that he knew Rollins’ weakness and that he told him: “I know about your back.” Nakamura said that Rollins is constantly living in pain with a broken back that fell under the pressure of his vanity. He asked Rollins if he was satisfied with his life choices before saying that he wouldn’t be satisfied until he won the World Heavyweight championship.
– It was confirmed that Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura would battle for the World Heavyweight title at Payback.
– Rhea Ripley made her way to the ring, ahead of her match against Candice LeRae.
[Commercial Break]
– It was confirmed that John Cena would return to SmackDown next week.
(3) RHEA RIPLEY (w/Dominik Mysterio) vs. CANDICE LERAE (w/Indi Hartwell)
LeRae tripped Ripley into the turnbuckle, but was distracted by Dominik. Hartwell pulled Dominik off the apron, as Ripley caught a high crossbody. LeRae countered the Riptide with a DDT, followed by a springboard moonsault for a two count. Ripley trapped LeRae in an inverted Cloverleaf, forcing her to tap out.
WINNER: Rhea Ripley at 1:20
– After the match, Raquel Rodriguez showed up walking with a crutch, only to use it to attack Rhea Ripley. Raquel nailed Ripley with a clothesline and launched her away with a Fallaway Slam. Raquel confirmed that she was cleared to wrestle and that they would face off at Payback.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Sucks that Candice LeRae got so little time against Rhea Ripley. The post-match stuff was just okay. It was clear we would eventually get Ripley vs. Raquel, so this was no surprise.)
– A recap of The Miz costing LA Knight his match against Austin Theory on SmackDown was shown.
– The Miz made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against an unknown opponent..
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Tommaso Ciampa talked about returning to WWE Raw nine months ago and coming up short against Chad Gable and Shinsuke Nakamura. Ciampa said that he would be the change that he wants to be and he would do it himself.
– The Miz called out LA Knight for losing a title shot and the fans blaming him. Miz said that in a few years people would remember LA as a blip in history. Miz said that he talked with Adam Pearce to give him a match against a tough opponent to prove himself, only to reveal Akira Tozawa. Tozawa mocked Miz’s questions by simply saying “Yeah” numerous times. Miz took Tozawa down with a cheap kick to the face, as a referee checked if the match would still take place.
(4) THE MIZ vs. AKIRA TOZAWA
LA Knight showed up to distract Miz immediately, allowing Tozawa to hit him with a dropkick. Tozawa low-bridged Miz and sent him onto the announce table with a suicide dive, as WWE Raw went to a commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Miz hit Tozawa with a diving axe handle and a kick to the head. Tozawa caught Miz with a couple of kicks and a hurracarrana, setting him up for a Shining Wizard. Miz knocked Tozawa off the apron and took him down with a dropkick through the ropes. Tozawa avoided being thrown into LA Knight and sent Miz into the steel steps with a hurracarrana. Back in the ring, Miz blocked the diving senton with his knees, only for Tozawa to counter the Skull Crushing Finale with a roll-through for the win.
WINNER: Akira Tozawa at 7:18
(Pomares’s Analysis: Nothing particularly special about this match. Just a vehicle to continue the rivalry between The Miz and LA Knight. Hopefully, Akira Tozawa gets anything out of this rare win.)
– After the match, LA Knight spiked The Miz with the BFT before walking away.
– Backstage, the New Day tried to give Drew McIntyre & Matt Riddle advice as a team. They said that after they dealt with the Viking Raiders, they would be willing to give them a rematch. Riddle tried to convince Drew to do another tag match who simply walked away.
– Becky Lynch made her way to the ring.
[Commercial Break]
– It was confirmed that next week Becky Lynch would face Zoey Stark in a Falls Count Anywhere match and that Chad Gable would take on Ludwig Kaiser.
– Rhea Ripley forced Finn Bálor and Damian Priest to be the team that represents the Judgment Day tonight.
(6) KEVIN OWENS & SAMI ZAYN vs. JUDGMENT DAY (Damian Priest & Finn Bálor w/Dominik Mysterio & Rhea Ripley)
They started brawling out of the ring with Sami and Kevin getting the upper hand early on. Sami avoided a clothesline and sent Priest out of the ring with a clothesline. Sami smashed Finn’s head into the announce table before receiving a forearm strike from Priest. Finn tried to hit Sami with a suplex, but Sami turned it around, reaching Kevin for the tag.
Kevin knocked Priest off the apron and took him and Finn down with a pair of clotheslines. Kevin crushed Priest with a cannonball off the apron, followed by a Swanton Bomb on Finn. Finn caught Kevin with a sling blade while Sami knocked Priest down with a leaping clothesline. JD McDonagh showed up to grab the briefcase and throw it into the ring, only for Kevin to use it as a weapon.
WINNERS: Judgment Day via DQ at 2:36
(Pomares’s Analysis: Just an angle to add Cody Rhodes to the main event and waste some time. Really thought we would see how Finn Bálor and Damian Priest attempt to work as a team.)
– After the match, Damian Priest hit Kevin Owens with a clothesline while the rest of the Judgment Day assaulted Sami Zayn. Cody Rhodes ran down to make the save and demanded to face them in a six-man tag match. Adam Pearce showed up on the ramp to force the Judgment Day to take part in the match.
[Commercial Break]
(7) KEVIN OWENS & SAMI ZAYN & CODY RHODES vs. JUDGMENT DAY (Damian Priest & Finn Bálor & Dominik Mysterio w/Rhea Ripley)
Back from break, Cody nailed Dominik with a drop-down punch, followed by an axe handle from Sami. Sami dropped Dominik with a back body drop, setting him up for a Russian leg sweep and a senton from Kevin. Dominik nailed Kevin with a couple of right hands, only for Kevin to catch with a strike to the abdomen. Dominik pulled Kevin’s head into the ropes, allowing Priest to drive him into the barricade and Ripley to hit him with a bodyslam behind the referee’s back. Priest blasted Kevin with a clothesline, as WWE Raw went to its final commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Finn stomped Kevin down, only for Kevin to lay him out with a back suplex on the apron. Finn stopped Kevin from tagging out, but Kevin was able to shut him down with a thrust kick. Sami got the hot and pummeled Priest down with right hands, followed by a clothesline. Sami knocked Dominik and FInn off the apron, followed by a diving axe handle and a Tornado DDT on Priest. Ripley tripped Sami off the top turnbuckle behind the referee’s back, setting him up for Priest’s South of Heaven for a nearfall.
Priest nailed Kevin with a clothesline while Sami blocked a Frog Splash from Dominik with his knees. Cody got the hot tag to nail Dominik with the Disaster Kick and the Cody Cutter for a close two count. Cody hit Finn and Dominik with a pair of Cross Rhodes before giving Sami the hot tag. Sami cracked Dominik with the Helluva Kick, followed by Kevin’s Stunner for the victory.
WINNERS: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn & Cody Rhodes at 14:23
– After the match, Sami Zayn cut a promo in French while lifting the tag team titles.
(Pomares’s Analysis: A solid main event elevated by one of the best crowds we’ve seen all year. Once again, I’m happy to see Kevin Owens back in action, but it didn’t feel like any storyline progressed in any meaningful way.)
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