SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE RAW TV REPORT
AUGUST 28, 2023
MEMPHIS, TENN. AT FEDEXFORUM
AIRED LIVE ON USA
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
[HOUR ONE]
– The show opened with an in memoriam graphic for Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt.
– A recap of Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens defeating the Judgment Day was shown, as it was confirmed that the Judgment Day would challenge for the tag titles at Payback.
(1) SAMI ZAYN vs. DAMIAN PRIEST
Priest knocked Sami down with a leaping clothesline, only for Sami to respond with an arm drag. Sami avoided a forearm strike and pummeled Sami down with a series of chops and strikes. Sami took Priest down with a diving elbow strike, followed by a dropkick through the ropes and an Arabian moonsault.
Priest avoided an arm drag and turned Sami inside out with a lariat. Priest stomped Sami down and laid him out with a Broken Arrow for a two count. Sami sent Priest out of the ring, but Priest blocked his attempt at a Tope con Hilo. Sami smashed Priest’s head into the ring post, only for Priest to counter a Pescado with a flatliner into the announce table, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Sami floored Priest with a sunset flip powerbomb for a close two count. Sami clotheslined Priest out of the ring, setting him up for a Tope con Hilo. Sami avoided the South of Heaven and nailed Priest with the Blue Thunderbomb for a nearfall. Priest caught Sami with a roundhouse kick, but couldn’t follow it up with the Razor’s Edge. Sami drove Priest into the corner with a Xploder, preparing for the Helluva Kick. JD McDonagh grabbed Sami’s leg behind the referee’s back, allowing Priest to get the win with the South of Heaven.
WINNER: Damian Priest at 11:44
(Pomares’s Analysis: Pretty good match to open the show. After so many weeks of Judgment Day promos, it was refreshing to jump right into the action. Not very enthused by another Judgment Day vs. Kevin & Sami match, but it should finally lead to some major story development regarding JD McDonagh.)
– After the match, Damian Priest refused to celebrate with JD McDonagh, shoved him down and left the ring. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn appeared behind JD to hit him with a Stunner and a Helluva Kick.
– Backstage, the New Day and the Viking Raiders prepared for their upcoming tag match.
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Matt Riddle tried to convince Drew McIntyre to wear matching gear with him. Drew wasn’t interested in new gear, but agreed to watch the Viking Raiders’ tag match with him.
– A video package hyping up the title match between Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez was shown.
[Commercial Break]
– The Miz made his way to the ring dressed like L.A. Knight. Miz mocked the way Knight talks and how he constantly says “Yeah”. Miz pulled out a bag full of shirts and teased throwing them into the crowd, only to drop it on the ground. He took off the Knight costume, called the fans pathetic and said that Knight is generic. Miz said that the crowd doesn’t cheer winners and at Payback he would show Knight whose game it is.
(Pomares’s Analysis: On paper, The Miz making fun of L.A. Knight by dressing up as him and mimicking his promo style is a solid segment. However, Miz’s promo never fully clicked with me. It wasn’t bad or anything, it just felt a bit lacking for a go-home show.)
– A recap of Shinsuke Nakamura revealing what he whispered to Seth Rollins was shown.
– The New Day made their way to the ring, ahead of their match against the Viking Raiders.
[Commercial Break]
– Matt Riddle & Drew McIntyre joined the commentary table to watch the upcoming match.
(2) NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. VIKING RAIDERS (Erik & Ivar w/Valhalla)
Woods nailed Erik with a shoulder tackle and a series of chops. Erik dropped Woods with a sideslam, followed by a knee to the midsection from Ivar. Woods tried to make a comeback with a barrage of forearms, but Ivar shut him down with a knee strike. Ivar missed a clothesline, allowing Woods to give Kofi the hot tag. Kofi knocked Erik off the apron and clocked Ivar with a thrust kick, followed by the Pendulum kicks and a high crossbody for a nearfall. Woods knocked Erik down with a dropkick through the ropes while Kofi crashed into Ivar with a Tope con Hilo, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Ivar pummeled Kofi with a series of back elbows, only for Kofi to shut him down with a missile dropkick. Valhalla distracted Woods, allowing Ivar to knock him off the apron. Erik put Kofi down with a lariat, followed by a strike to the back from Ivar. The Raiders pummeled Kofi down before getting distracted by staring at Drew and Riddle. Kofi cracked Erik with a back elbow, but Ivar quickly shut him down with a kick to the head. Kofi caught Ivar with a jawbreaker and evaded a seated senton, reaching Woods for the hot tag.
Woods took Ivar down with an elbow strike and Erik with a Russian leg sweep. Woods knocked Ivar off his feet with a flipping clothesline, but he kicked out at two. Erik hit Woods with a Full Nelson into a backbreaker for a two count. Woods tripped Ivar into the ropes, setting him up for a kick to the head, a flatliner and a diving splash to the back alongside Kofi. Woods took care of Erik with a Pescado while Kofi pulled Ivar out of the ring.
Ivar caught a splash from Kofi and planted him with Snake Eyes into the steps. Ivar grabbed Kofi’s body and rammed him into Drew and Riddle. Drew tossed an office chair into the ring before accidentally knocking Woods out with another office chair. Ivar took Drew down with a cannonball off the apron. Back in the ring, the Raiders nailed Kofi with a leg lariat and a double powerbomb for the win.
WINNERS: Viking Raiders at 17:09
(Pomares’s Analysis: That was a fun match that really didn’t need to go for so long. It makes sense to have the Viking Raiders win, but If the ending was always going to be interference-heavy, I think they should have cut the match short.)
– Backstage, Finn Bálor and Damian Priest about JD McDonagh. Priest said that he doesn’t care about JD and started telling Finn to leave. Rhea Ripley got in between both of them and told them to get things right at Payback or there would be some changes afterwards.
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR TWO]
– A video package highlighting Bray Wyatt’s life and career was shown.
– The lights in the arena turned off and a single spotlight pointed at a rocking chair in the ring while Bray Wyatt’s theme played.
[Commercial Break]
– A recap of the Viking Raiders defeating the New Day was shown.
– Backstage, Kofi Kingston accepted Drew McIntyre’s apology. Drew told Matt Riddle that they would deal with the Viking Raiders once and for all.
– A recap of Chad Gable defeating Gunther by Count Out last week was shown.
– Gunther made his way to the ring alongside Vinci and Kaiser and stood on the announce table. Gunther claimed that Gable didn’t win anything, as he still stands as the Intercontinental champion. He said that the only thing that Gable has achieved is pissing him off before screaming in Austrian. Gunther said that Gable would challenge for his title next week, only for Gable to interrupt. Gable reminded Gunther that he was the first one to defeat Gunther in nearly 2 years. Gable said that next week it wouldn’t take 10 seconds, but only three. He demanded Kaiser to enter the ring, so he could give him a beating Memphis style.
(Pomares’s Analysis: That was a solid promo segment to set up the expected Gable vs. Gunther rematch. However, I’m very disappointed that this match isn’t taking place at Payback where it could really reach its full potential.)
(3) CHAD GABLE (w/Otis & Maxxine Dupri) vs. LUDWIG KAISER (w/Gunther & Giovanni Vinci)
Gable sent Kaiser out of the ring with a hip toss before nailing him with a cannonball off the apron, as WWE Raw went to a commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Kaiser caught Gable with a back elbow before putting him in a shoulder lock. Kaiser nailed Gable with a kick to the abdomen and a shoulder tackle, only for Gable to hit him with a huge chop. Gable trapped Kaiser in an Ankle Lock, but Kaiser retorted with a rising kick and a discus clothesline. Gable launched Kaiser across the ring with a monkey flip, following it with an armbar using the top rope. Kaiser knocked Gable off the top turnbuckle with a forearm strike, followed by a running uppercut, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Gable planted Kaiser with a pair of belly-to-belly suplexes. Kaiser drove Gable into the ring post and blasted him away with a running dropkick. Gable avoided a clothesline, only for Kaiser to floor him with a tilt-a-whirl facebuster. Gable pummeled Kaiser down with a barrage of chops and a dragon screw. Kaiser caught Gable with a cartwheel Death Valley Driver and a Penalty Kick for a close two count. Gable pulled Kaiser out of the ring before dropping him with a flipping neckbreaker.
Kaiser evaded a moonsault, only for Gable to lay him out with a cliffhanger DDT. Kaiser blocked the Chaos Theory German Suplex, but Gable still took him down with a Xploder and a crossbody over the ropes. Gable crushed Kaiser and Vinci with an Orihara moonsault before putting Kaiser in an Ankle Lock. Kaiser managed to kick Gable away and clock him with an uppercut, only for Gable to hit him with the Chaos Theory German Suplex. Vinci entered the ring to break the pin, ending the match in a disqualification.
WINNER: Chad Gable via DQ at 18:20
– After the match, Otis attacked Giovanni Vinci, only for Vinci and Kaiser to drive him into the ring post. Gunther tried to plant Gable with a powerbomb, but Gable countered it with an Ankle Lock. Vinci and Kaiser stomped Gable down, until Gunther shoved them away to hit Gable with a powerbomb.
(Pomares’s Analysis: I was really enjoying Gable vs. Kaiser, until the sudden DQ ending. They seem to be protecting Ludwig Kaiser, but I really think they should have just let Gable get a clean win when he’s still the next title challenger. At least the post-match angle was entertaining and was a solid final build to the title match.)
[Commercial Break]
– A recap of Bob Barker hosting WWE Raw in 2009 was shown as a tribute to the recently passed game show host.
– Seth Rollins made his way to the ring to loud singing from the crowd. Rollins called Shinsuke Nakamura out, so he could say whatever he had to say to his face. After waiting for a minute, Rollins started leading the crowd into singing his song again. A video package of Nakamura training appeared on screen while Nakamura said that he wanted to dismantle Seth Rollins, the man. Nakamura said that he wants to be the reason Rollins’ wife has to help him get up and the reason he wouldn’t be able to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding.
– Nakamura said that he would put Rollins out of his misery because he has no code or future. Rollins called out the fact that Nakamura didn’t actually show up and questioned what happened to the Nakamura that lit the world on fire when he arrived at NXT. Rollins said that at Payback he would maul Nakamura, until someone had to stop him. Nakamura attacked Rollins from behind with a Kinshasa and a roundhouse kick to the head.
(Pomares’s Analysis: That was a really good go-home segment for the Rollins-Nakamura feud. These video packages have done a great job in elevating Nakamura’s presentation and make him feel like a legit threat.)
– Backstage, Sami Zayn said that he was tired of having to face the Judgment Day and dealing with the numbers game. Kevin Owens said that after speaking with Adam Pearce, they would face each other in a Steel City Street Fight.
– Tommaso Ciampa made his way to the ring for his upcoming match, only for Bronson Reed to attack him from behind. Ciampa sent Reed out of the ring, setting him up for a pump knee and a knee strike off the apron, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[HOUR THREE]
(4) TOMMASO CIAMPA vs. BRONSON REED
Back from break, Reed caught Ciampa with a running crossbody. Ciampa blocked a vertical suplex and tripped Reed into the turnbuckle with a dropkick to the knee. Ciampa managed to hit Reed with an Air Raid Crash for a close two count. Reed took Ciampa down with a clothesline, followed by a sitout powerbomb for a nearfall. Reed tossed Ciampa into the steel steps, following it with a shoulder tackle off the apron. Ciampa evaded a powerslam and spiked Reed with the Willow’s Bell, setting him up for a pump knee and a two count. They traded chops and kicks, until Ciampa surprised him with a Crucifix Bomb for the win.
WINNER: Tommaso Ciampa at 4:31
(Pomares’s Analysis: A good match while it lasted, but it feels like Ciampa and Reed are just spinning their wheels until something more meaningful is available.)
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Becky Lynch about her main event match against Zoey Stark. Lynch said that she was not taking the easy way out and would bring chaos with her.
– Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio made their way to the ring.
[Commercial Break]
– NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton was shown watching the show from the crowd.
– Rhea Ripley grabbed a mic and said that Raquel Rodriguez would never outsmart her again and that the championship around her waist proves everything. She said that Raquel thinking that she can beat her makes her stupid. Ripley said that Raquel might be big and strong, but she isn’t Rhea Ripley. Raquel showed up to brawl with Ripley and hit her with a Fallaway Slam. Dominik distracted Raquel, allowing Ripley to nail her with a headbutt. Raquel blocked the Riptide and laid her out with a lariat, forcing her to retreat.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez had an okay final build to their match at Payback. The feud has no real substance, but at least the match should be good.)
– Backstage, Zoey Stark told Trish Stratus that she wouldn’t have to worry about Lynch and would still leave enough for her at Payback.
[Commercial Break]
– The commentary team ran down the match card for Payback.
– A video package highlighting the career of the legendary Terry Funk was shown.
– Becky Lynch made her way to the ring, ahead of her match against Zoey Stark.
[Commercial Break]
– It was confirmed that next week Chad Gable would challenge for Gunther’s title and that Drew McIntyre, Matt Riddle & the Viking Raiders would have a Tornado tag match.
(5) BECKY LYNCH vs. ZOEY STARK (w/Trish Stratus) – Falls Count Anywhere Match
Lynch blasted Stark with a barrage of kendo stick shots to the back. Lynch put Stark in a crossface using a kendo stick, until Stark was able to roll out of the ring. Stratus attacked Lynch with a kendo stick to the back, only for Lynch to retaliate with a high crossbody on her and Stark. Stark stopped Lynch from grabbing a title and smashed her head into the steel steps. Stark put Lynch down with a springboard missile dropkick, but she kicked out at two. Stratus tossed a chair into the ring and accidentally hit Stark in the process, allowing Lynch to get a nearfall with a roll-up.
Stratus threw numerous chairs into the ring, but Stark couldn’t follow it up with a superplex. Lynch knocked Stratus off the apron and hit Stark with a leg drop for a two count. Stark broke the Dis-Arm-Her and nailed Lynch’s head into the chairs in the ring. Lynch countered the Z-360 with the Manhandle Slam, but Stratus broke the pinfall. Lynch chased Stratus around the ring and blocked a kendo shot, forcing Stratus to run away with several shots to the back. Stark blasted Lynch with a chair shot to the midsection and back, followed by a thrust kick for a nearfall, as WWE Raw went to its final commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Lynch drove Stark into the barricade with a Xploder for a two count. Stark caught Lynch with a sliding dropkick before she could pull out a table. Stark pummeled Lynch down with a series of chair shots to the back, followed by a corkscrew top rope Swanton Bomb for a two count. Lynch stopped Stark atop the turnbuckle and laid her out with a superplex into a pile of chairs for a nearfall. Stratus saved Lynch from a Manhandle Slam, allowing her to nail her with a basement dropkick.
Lynch shoved Stark off the barricade into the barricade and tossed Stratus’ body over the announce table. Stratus saved Stark from the Manhandle Slam and put her through a table with a Stratusfaction through a table for a close nearfall. Lynch shoved Stratus off a storage box, but couldn’t hit her with a Manhandle Slam. Stark accidentally sent Stratus through a table, allowing Lynch to beat her with a Manhandle Slam off a storage box through a table.
WINNER: Becky Lynch at 16:17
(Pomares’s Analysis: This was exactly the kind of hot match to resuscitate a cold feud. Becky Lynch and Zoey Stark had a top-notch main event with Trish Stratus being a constant presence throughout the match and even taking numerous bumps. While I think the feud should have still ended at SummerSlam, they have done a good enough job making it feel like a major match for Payback.)
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