WWE has announced a new match for this Monday’s episode of Raw.

WWE has confirmed New Day vs. Viking Raiders in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the show. The company confirmed the match booking on its website Saturday morning.

This comes after the two teams feuding as of late with each of them holding a win over each other. Now, they will look to settle the score.

They first worked on the August 7th Raw, where New Day went over The Viking Raiders, who followed up a few weeks later on the August 28th episode of Raw with a win of their own.

Here is the updated card for the show that is being held from Salt Lake City:

Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre

New Day vs. Viking Raiders in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ricochet

Cody Rhodes vs. WWE NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio in a non-title match

Height has proven not to be an obstacle when it comes down to the shortest wrestlers to hold a WWE Women’s Championship.

WWE has traditionally been seen as the land of the giants for their taller talent, but WWE has had some fantastic shorter female wrestlers on their roster. Throughout history, there have been several variations of the WWE Women’s Championship. The original Women’s Championship from 1956-2010, the Divas Championship, the WWE Women’s Championship was reintroduced at WrestleMania 32 with a new lineage and the Women’s World Championship

The likes of Michelle McCool and Chyna are some of the tallest female wrestlers in WWE history and they have held the WWE Women’s Championship among other tall wrestlers. Furthermore, some of the shortest Women’s Champions in history have had superb runs as Women’s Champions and others had forgettable runs. Finally, women who have won a singles Women’s Championship on the main roster will be included in this list.

10Gail Kim – 5’4″

Gail Kim’s WWE career never panned out the way it should have done. Nevertheless, on the June 30, 2003 edition of Raw, Kim won the WWE Women’s Championship in a Battle Royal on her debut which is a phenomenal achievement.

Kim was one of the shortest women on the roster at 5’4″ but her Women’s Championship reign wasn’t memorable. She dropped the gold to Molly Holly a month after she won the Women’s Championship.

9The Kat – 5’3″

The Kat wasn’t a trained wrestler but winning the WWE Women’s Championship summed up the state of women’s wrestling in the Attitude Era. At Armageddon 1999, The Kat defeated Ivory, Jacqueline, and B.B. in a fatal-4-way Evening Gown Pool match for the WWE Women’s Championship.

The Kat was allied with Chyna at the time, and she stood at 5’3″. Her Women’s Championship reign wasn’t memorable, and she dropped the title to Harvey Wippleman in a Lumberjill Snowbunny match on the January 31, 2000 taping of Raw.

8Liv Morgan – 5’3″

Liv Morgan’s popularity grew in late 2021 and early 2022 when she challenged Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship but came up short. Morgan won the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match and she cashed in the briefcase on the same night and she beat Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Morgan’s SmackDown Women’s Championship run wasn’t the best but she beat Rousey at SummerSlam 2022 and Shayna Baszler at Clash at the Castle 2022. Morgan is one of the shortest and youngest women on WWE’s main roster, and she dropped the title back to Rousey at Extreme Rules 2022. Morgan has won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship with Raquel Rodriguez twice in 2023.

7Asuka – 5’3″

“The Empress of Tomorrow” Asuka is one of the greatest in-ring performers to grace a WWE ring. Asuka stands at 5 feet 3 inches tall but she packs a punch inside the squared circle. She’s a submission specialist with the debilitating Asuka Lock as her finisher.

Asuka is a Grand Slam Champion as she is a three-time WWE Women’s Champion, a former SmackDown Women’s Champion and she has won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship three times with three different partners. Asuka’s Women’s Championship feuds with the likes of Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Bianca Belair have seen Asuka perform in some elite-level matches.

6Jacqueline – 5’3″

WWE Hall of Famer Jacqueline is a trailblazer and she’s a history-maker as she’s the first black woman to win the WWE Women’s Championship. Jacqueline was the first WWE Women’s Champion in three years after Jacqueline defeated Sable for the vacant Women’s Championship in September 1998.

Jacqueline and Sable’s feud spilled over to Survivor Series 1998 where Sable ended her two-month Women’s Championship reign. However, Jacqueline had to wait 14 months to win the WWE Women’s Championship again as she beat Harvey Wippleman for the title on the February 3, 2000 edition of SmackDown. Jacqueline only stood at 5 feet 3 inches tall, but she’s one of the strongest women in WWE history.

5Layla – 5’2″

Layla made history on the May 14, 2010, edition of SmackDown as alongside Michelle McCool, she pinned Beth Phoenix in a handicap to become the WWE Women’s Champion for the first time. With the victory, Layla became the first British-born WWE Women’s Champion and she became the final woman to hold the Women’s Championship.

Layla and McCool were the co-holders of the WWE Women’s Championship and McCool sometimes defended the title on McCool’s behalf. The title was retired when McCool beat Melina to unify the Women’s and Divas Championships at Night of Champions 2010. Furthermore, at Extreme Rules 2012, Layla defeated Nikki Bella for the Divas Championship. Layla joined the small group of wrestlers that held both the original WWE Women’s and Divas Championships.

4AJ Lee – 5’2″

AJ Lee is arguably the greatest Divas Champion in WWE history. AJ defeated Kaitlyn for the Divas Championship at Payback 2013. She held the title for 296 days which was a record until Nikki Bella broke her record in 2015 by holding the championship for 301 days.

AJ won the Divas Championship three times which is a joint-record with Eve Torres. AJ retired at the prime of her career, and she was way ahead of her time as women’s wrestling in the PG era wasn’t always the greatest.

3Iyo Sky – 5’1″

Iyo Sky’s potential has always been there as in NXT she won the NXT Women’s Championship once and the NXT Women’s Championship with Zoey Stark. She’s thrived in Damage CTRL and she won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship twice with Dakota Kai.

Sky moved on to bigger and better things as she won the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match, and she successfully cashed in her briefcase on Bianca Belair at SummerSlam 2023 to become WWE Women’s Champion for the first time. Sky only stands at 5 feet 1 inches tall, but she’s a tremendous athlete who should have a successful run as the WWE Women’s Champion.

2Alexa Bliss – 5’1″

Alexa Bliss may not be spoken in the same terms as the Four Horsewomen but she’s just as successful as them. The Goddess became the first woman to win both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships in 2017. Bliss deserves credit for the successful WWE career she has carved out for herself.

She’s a Triple Crown Winner in WWE as she’s had three runs as the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion to go alongside her multiple Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championship reigns. Bliss is currently on maternity leave as she is pregnant, and she is only 32. The Five Feet of Fury has plenty of time to achieve more things in her WWE career.

1Nikki Cross – 5’0″

Nikki Cross’ WWE career has been filled with ups and downs, but she has had a successful run. She’s the shortest woman in WWE history to clinch a main roster singles championship. Cross won the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match in 2021, and 24 hours later, she cashed it in and beat Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship.

Cross won the championship in her Nikki A.S.H. gimmick but she couldn’t be taken seriously. Cross won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship thrice, two times with Alexa Bliss and once with Rhea Ripley. Moreover, Cross won the 24/7 Championship 11 times and she was the final wrestler to hold the championship.

The Grizzled Young Veterans’ James Drake and Zack Gibson, also known as The Dyad’s Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler in NXT, are gone from WWE according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer. News broke back in April that the former NXT UK Tag Team Champions had requested their releases, only to be told no by the company. The pair then spent the summer feuding with The Creed Brothers, going so far as to force Julius and Brutus to “quit” the company in a loser leaves town match at one point (they’d come back). The two first joined forces as a tag team in Progress Wrestling in 2017 and would sign with WWE’s NXT UK brand the following year.

Gibson and Drake then made the jump to NXT proper in 2020 and would spend the next two years repeatedly coming up short in winning the NXT Tag Team Championships. They’d then get repackaged as members of Joe Gacy’s Schism faction in July 2022.

“The other two…Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid are gone. Their contract is up, and I thought there was going to be some kind of angle or something, but it’s just, they’re gone,” Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Shawn Michaels on The Dyad Staying With NXT After Requesting Their Releases

“Yeah, obviously I do. And look, they were guys that clearly I wanted to come over and bring over from the UK. I think they’re very talented, but again, I absolutely understand,” Shawn Michaels said in a media conference call in May after The Dyad’s release request was rejected. “It’s one of the things that I tell everybody here. Do I want it to be here in the WWE for you to have your success? Absolutely. I can’t lie about that, but really this is about wanting to help all, no matter who comes through these doors, help them to have success in this business as a whole.”

“I always tell everybody I feel so fortunate for the life that I have and my family that I have, and it’s because of this job. And now, there’s a real opportunity for everyone that is in this line of work to have that,” Michaels said. “I want that for them, so I understand absolutely the way that they feel, but as I mentioned to them, ‘While you’re here, man, I still want to put you in a prominent role.’ Again, there are no hard feelings in that respect. There’s too much talent there to waste or to leave on the table, and so, certainly, if they don’t mind working, I sure as heck don’t mind using them.”

NXT No Mercy 2023 Card

• NXT Championship: Carmelo Hayes vs. Ilja Dragunov
• NXT North American Championship: Dominik Mysterio vs. Mustafa Ali
• NXT Heritage Cup: Noam Dar vs. Global Heritage Invitational Winner
• Bron Breakker vs. Baron Corbin

Every AEW Star That Jumped Ship to WWE

Jade Cargill’s AEW days are in the rear view. Hours after her AEW Rampage match against AEW TBS Champion Kris Statlander was taped, reports circulated that Cargill had finished up in the company and was expected to be WWE bound. This development came just days after Cargill made her return to AEW on the September 9th edition of AEW Collision, as she had been absent from programming since AEW Double or Nothing in May. Before that, Cargill was a weekly competitor, defending the AEW TBS Championship for well over one year during her record-shattering 508-day run, the longest title reign in AEW history.

If internal beliefs come to fruition and Cargill does jump ship to WWE, she joins a select few that have made a similar transition.

Cody Rhodes spent just over three years in AEW before he returned to WWE. Largely recognized as a co-founder of All Elite Wrestling, Rhodes served as one of the company’s four Executive Vice Presidents alongside his tenure as an in-ring competitor. Inside the squared circle, Rhodes was a three-time AEW TNT Champion, including being that belt’s inaugural titleholder.

Rhodes left AEW in early 2022 before making his re-debut for WWE at WWE WrestleMania 38. Since then, he has gone on to win the Men’s Royal Rumble Match and headline WWE WrestleMania 39.

Brian Pillman Jr. competed at AEW’s first event, AEW Double or Nothing 2019, before becoming a recurring competitor the following year. He is most known for his time tagging with Griff Garrison in the unit known as The Varsity Blonds. Pillman Jr. officially signed with AEW in Summer 2021. In singles competition, Pillman Jr.’s most famous one-on-one contest came against MJF at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam in 2021, that match taking place in front of AEW’s largest crowd up to that point.

Pillman Jr. quietly left AEW earlier this year and signed with WWE. He has yet to make a televised appearance but is reportedly set to work with NXT.

William Regal made his shocking AEW debut at AEW Revolution 2022, separating a brawl between two of his former mentees, Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson. He forced the two men to shake hands, thus forming Blackpool Combat Club. Regal went on to manage Blackpool Combat Club for the rest of the year, adding the likes of Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli into the mix. In November 2022 at AEW Full Gear, Regal turned on Moxley by helping MJF win the AEW World Title. Weeks after aligning with him, MJF turned on Regal, writing him off of AEW TV permanently.

From there, Regal was granted his release from AEW so that he could return to WWE in a backstage capacity and work alongside his son, NXT’s Charlie Dempsey. He currently serves as Vice President of Global Talent Development.

Before she adopted the name Blair Davenport, Bea Priestley was one of the top prospects across the independent wrestling world. She got on the radar of AEW upon the company’s inception in January 2019 and went on to sign with the young promotion later that year. Priestley was involved in a singles feud against Dr. Britt Baker DMD which culminated in a match between the two at AEW Full Gear 2019. While Priestley began to wind up momentum the following spring, the global pandemic derailed her progress as she was unable to travel from her home in the United Kingdom to AEW TV tapings in the United States. She would exit AEW in August 2020.

Just under one year later, Priestley signed with WWE and started competing for NXT UK as Blair Davenport. Today, she competes on the US-based NXT and is regularly featured in and around the NXT Women’s Title picture.

Mercedes Martinez first wrestled for AEW at AEW All Out 2019. She went on to compete in an AEW Dark match later that fall.

Months later, Martinez signed with WWE and appeared in the Women’s Royal Rumble Match in January 2020. This began her second stint with WWE as she previously wrestled for the land of sports-entertainment from 2017 until 2018. Martinez’s most notable work during this run came in infamy as she was a member of the critically-panned RETRIBUTION faction. She quietly returned to NXT before that faction fizzled out.

Today, Martinez is back with AEW. She returned on a December 2021 edition of AEW Dynamite and has gone on to compete most regularly for Ring of Honor, where she is a former ROH Women’s Champion.

Wrestling as Ben Carter, Nathan Frazer made a big impression on the wrestling world when he competed in a couple of AEW Dark matches. This led to a small bidding war for his talents, which was ultimately won by WWE.

Frazer signed with WWE in December 2020. He spent most of his time in NXT UK before heading over to NXT, where he is a former holder of the NXT Heritage Cup.

Dragon Lee wrestled for AEW on the August 17th, 2022 edition of AEW Dynamite, teaming with brother Rush and Andrade El Idolo to represent La Facción Ingobernable in the AEW World Trios Championship Tournament. Following their defeat at the hands of Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks, Rush and Andrade attacked Lee, removing his mask and seemingly setting up an LFI in-fighting angle.

That storyline never materialized as Lee would return to Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide before ultimately signing with WWE. Now a regular member of the NXT roster, Lee has competed at numerous NXT premium live events and has worked alongside Rey Mysterio.

WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, in conjunction with the Tampa Bay Rays, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, announced that Tampa Bay will host the 37th Royal Rumble in 2024.

WWE will head to town for an entire weekend of events across St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Tampa, Fla., highlighted by the Royal Rumble on Saturday, Jan. 27 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. Two days later, Monday Night Raw will emanate from Amalie Arena in Tampa on Jan. 29. This marks the first time that Royal Rumble will be held in Tampa Bay in front of fans since 1995.

“Tampa Bay has long been a terrific market for WWE,” said WWE Executive Vice President of Live Events John Porco. “Thanks to our partners at the Tampa Bay Rays, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, we look forward to a fantastic schedule of events in January.”

“We are excited to welcome WWE back to Tropicana Field for the 2024 Royal Rumble,” said Tampa Bay Rays President Matt Silverman. “The Royal Rumble will provide first-class sports entertainment to both those seeing the action in person and watching as part of a worldwide television audience. This event will bring visitors from around the globe to experience the beauty of our area and all it has to offer.”

“As a leader in event production and promotion, we are thrilled to collaborate with WWE to bring Royal Rumble to our destination,” Caleb Peterson, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater Senior Business Development Manager. “We look forward to welcoming all of the WWE fans to our community, a community that will certainly match their energy and enthusiasm for sports entertainment. A special thank you to our community partners – the Tampa Bay Rays, City of St. Petersburg, and Tampa Bay Sports Commission – for their role in creating this unique opportunity for our destination.”

“Team Tampa Bay loved hosting WrestleMania 37 two years ago and we’re now beyond excited to have the opportunity to collaborate again with our longtime friends at WWE,” said Rob Higgins, Tampa Bay Sports Commission Executive Director. “Royal Rumble Weekend in January of 2024 will be a phenomenal regional effort that spans Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties including both Tropicana Field and Amalie Arena. Together, we’re focused on making sure that WWE Universe is treated to a weekend that’s filled with memories that last a lifetime.”

Royal Rumble will be headlined by the 30-Man and 30-Woman Royal Rumble matches, with the winners of both receiving a Championship Match opportunity at WrestleMania 40.

In addition, official Royal Rumble Priority Passes will soon be available through exclusive partner On Location, giving fans the opportunity to purchase ticket packages before they go on sale to the general public. Royal Rumble Priority Passes will offer fans the chance to be ringside for every exhilarating moment, including premium seating, all-inclusive pre-show hospitality with WWE Superstar appearances, ringside photo opportunities, exclusive merchandise, deluxe accommodations, and much more.

WWE always brings a huge audience of fans for their big events. The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s most important shows of the year, and 2024 will be a big time for Tampa.

WWE announced that Tampa Bay is set to host the 2024 Royal Rumble event. This show will go down on January 27th, 2024.

WWE plans to visit St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Tampa, Florida for a weekend of events. The Royal Rumble is scheduled to go down at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

Two days later, on January 29, Monday Night Raw will take place at Amalie Arena in Tampa. This will be the first time the Royal Rumble has been held in front of fans in Tampa Bay since 1995.

Ringside News exclusively reported that WWE has already determined who will win the 2024 Royal Rumble match. The plan is in place, and now the venue is booked

The Royal Rumble event is always a big deal for WWE fans. Only time will tell how the whole thing pans out, but we will be here to bring you all the updates right here at Sportnow.

Are you excited about the 2024 Royal Rumble? Are you planning on attending the event? Sound off in the comments to let us know what you think!

WWE Raw marked the end of a couple of eras.

First, tonight’s Raw is the end of the annual pre-football era. Monday night marked the return of Monday Night Football with a star-studded premiere featuring Aaron Rodgers and the new-look New York Jets vs. perennial contender Buffalo Bills. After a bounce back year for Raw ratings, Raw’s viewership will need to hold on for dear life.

Raw also marks the final broadcast under the Vince McMahon era as we know it. WWE’s merger with Endeavor is expected to finalize tomorrow, giving way to a new era where WWE and UFC will exist under the same umbrella as TKO Group Holdings. McMahon will still oversee WWE as its Chairman.

Earlier this year, Endeavor acquired WWE as part of a blockbuster $21 billion deal.

Matt Riddle knows something about working with both WWE and UFC, and the troubled Raw star once again finds himself mired in controversy. Riddle was reportedly pulled from tonight’s Raw after an incident at the JFK airport where the former United States and tag team champion claimed he was sexually assaulted by a Port Authority police officer. His absence, however, is said to be related to illness. Riddle’s claim triggered an investigation, and Riddle—who recently returned to WWE following a stint in rehab—will likely be off WWE television for the time being.

The Raw main event saw the return of Nia Jax, who helped Rhea Ripley retain the WWE Women’s World Championship. Jax also attacked Ripley for good measure.

Last week’s broadcast of Raw garnered 1.7 million viewers.

WWE Raw Results on September 11, 2023

• The Judgment Day def. Jey Uso and Kevin Owens
• The Miz def. Akira Tozawa
• Drew McIntyre def. Xavier Woods
• Shayna Baszler def. Chelsea Green
• Alpha Academy and Tommaso Ciampa def. IMPERIUM
• Rhea Ripley def. Raquel Rodriguez

The Judgment Day Def. Jey Uso And Kevin Owens

Jey Uso has new theme music, where he sings the lyrics, but it’s very similar to the Usos’ old theme music.

Main Event Jey received a hero’s welcome with fans waving their hands up and down, vibing to his music and entrance. LA Knight is the hottest star in the business right now, but Main Event Jey is the People’s Champion.

Dominik Mysterio was booed out of Norfolk, and when he gave the mic back to Damian Priest, they finally settled down.

In the latest version of “Can they co-exist,” Kevin Owens and Jey Uso teamed together in a (long) match against the Judgment Day. They did not, in fact, co-exist as Jey accidentally super kicked Owens, leading to a loss.

Judgment Day vs. Jey Uso and Kevin Owens Grade: B

The Miz Def. Akira Tozawa

Staunch LA Knight supporter Wade Barrett described Miz as being in the throes of a manic episode.

This was the rare Miz squash match, with Miz commanding all of the offense, including three Skull Crushing Finales.

GUNTHER IC Championship Celebration

IMPERIUM all had black suits, with GUNTHER going for the Men in Black look. GUNTHER received a podium and pyro as well.

Chad Gable received a loud pop when he interrupted GUNTHER. Hopefully WWE can make a new star in Chad Gable by having him dethrone GUNTHER, unlike how AEW returned to the status quo when Jon Moxley beat Orange Cassidy.

The segment ended with Chad Gable vowing to have his daughter leave with a smile on her face, only for IMPERIUM to maul Gable. Thankfully, Otis made the save. Surprisingly, Tommaso Ciampa evened the odds.

GUNTHER IC Title Celebration Grade: A

Drew McIntyre def. Xavier Woods

This was a soft launch of Drew McIntyre’s heel turn, though he did work the match as a babyface.

Drew McIntyre’s chop game is underappreciated. He had a series of loud chops on poor Woods.

After McIntyre’s inevitable win, Heel Drew milked the celebration by waiting extra long before the referee raised his hand.

McIntyre vs. Woods Grade: B+

Cody Rhodes Appears Live

Cody Rhodes opened his promo by saying he was going to talk about Main Event Jey Uso, only to be interrupted by Dominik Mysterio.

Mysterio was accompanied by Judgment Day member (?) JD McDonagh.

Even though this was the second time Dominik Mysterio appeared on WWE TV, fans maintained the same energy as the first segment while booing him to smitheens.

Nobody was happier to see Dominik Mysterio take Cross Rhodes than Michael Cole.

Cody Rhodes Segment Grade: B

Shayna Baszler Def. Chelsea Green

This was exactly what you thought it would be based on Shayna Baszler’s dominant character and Chelsea Green’s chicken heel character. Baszler ran through Chelsea Green.

Baszler’s new finisher is called the “Exterminatus,” (the Piper’s Pit) which is an ode to Ronda Rousey.

Zoey Stark came to Baszler’s aid, and that tag team just makes sense.

Shayna Baszler vs. Chelsea Green Grade: C

Seth Rollins Calls Out Shinsuke Nakamura

Seth Rollins said he used to not know whom he was. Now, he argues—while wearing a Randy Savage Halloween costume—he gets to be himself.

As Rollins waited for Nakamura, Shinsuke attacked Ricochet backstage.

Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: Rhea Ripley certainly doesn’t need help from Dominik Mysterio to win her matches. She’s proven that numerous times on her way to becoming Women’s World Championship. That said, it’s fair to wonder if it’ll get in her head looking ringside tonight during WWE Raw in Norfolk and not seeing Dirty Dom there to support her.

Ripley can use any edge she can get because Raquel Rodriguez has been a determined challenger who is a legit threat to dethrone her. Rodriguez is powerful enough to stand her ground against Ripley, and she’s motivated by what the champ did to both her and tag team partner Liv Morgan, so she’s not going to stop.

All we’re saying is that with Dom barred from ringside tonight for the title rematch, Ripley might not have the same comfort level she usually does. And given the way she’s put the rest of The Judgment Day on notice if they didn’t win gold, it would be ironic indeed if she loses hers first.

Cody Rhodes is going to talk about something on Raw this evening as well, and while we fully expect that he’ll ask us what we want to talk about, we feel just as sure that he already has something in mind. We’re just not exactly sure what that might be, and if it still has to do with recently arrived Jey Uso.

Plus, Imperium is going to throw a championship celebration for Gunther, which he deserves as the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time. But has he truly beaten everyone worth beating, or will someone new choose this occasion to declare themselves next in line to try to topple the Ring General?

These are the reasons we watch.

WWE Raw results from Norfolk:

(scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

• Jey Uso is caught between Kevin Owens saying do the work and The Judgment Day trying to recruit him, but offers to team with KO tonight
• The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. Jey Uso and Kevin Owens by pinfall, after an Uso superkick accidentally hits Owens and sets up their opponents’ victory
• Uso attempts to apologize to Owens, but KO angrily tells him to go join “your new Bloodline” and accept the Judgment Day’s offer to join
• A highlight package is shown of Gunther’s victory over Chad Gable last week that helped make him a record-holder; afterward, a car pulls up and Imperium gets out, dressed to the nines
• The Miz def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall
• Raquel Rodriguez tells Byron Saxton that Rhea Ripley might be the most dominant women’s champ ever, but she’s not like most challengers and Dom won’t be there to help Rhea tonight
• Chelsea Green makes the mistake of calling Shayna Baszler a peer, and besides, she doesn’t need a partner because Piper Niven is back
• Gunther is ready to celebrate his historic Intercontinental Championship reign, but Chad Gable isn’t done with him yet
• Xavier Woods wants to know why Drew McIntyre was trash talking Kofi Kingston and isn’t happy with the answer he gets, then goads the Scottish Warrior into a match
• Backstage, Ciampa explains why he came to Alpha Academy’s aid, and Otis suggests the three of them challenge Imperium tonight
• Drew McIntyre vs. Xavier Woods by pinfall
• Cody Rhodes wants to talk about Jey Uso but has to fight off Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh instead
• McIntyre tells Jey he doesn’t trust him, saying he doubts Uso can stand on his own two feet; Jey says he’ll prove he can by facing McIntyre next week, and Drew quickly accepts
• Shayna Baszler def. Chelsea Green by pinfall, then gets some help from Zoey Stark to avoid a post-match beating from Piper Niven
• Shinsuke Nakamura is still focused on taking Seth Rollins’ title and says he will challenge for it again when he feels like it
• Rollins comes to the ring and admits that he is all the bad things Nakamura claims he is, but he’s also some good things, and it simply took a long time to realize he just needed to be himself; he also offers the chance for Shinsuke to come get the World Heavyweight Championship right now, but Nak is busy beating up Ricochet backstage instead
• Balor approaches Jey and says The Judgment Day are his only fans on Raw, and the door is always open for him
• Alpha Academy and Tommaso Ciampa def. Imperium by submission
• The Judgment Day says the more Jey feels isolated, the better the chance that he joins them; Rhea tells Dom not to worry, as she always comes out on top
• Tiffany Stratton is upset that she’s been waiting for Becky Lynch, but The Man arrives to sign a contract for their title match on NXT; Lynch also says her problem with Stratton is that she only wants to be famous, while Tiffany says she doesn’t need Becky to be a big deal since she’s been doing that for herself
• Rhea Ripley def. Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship, thanks to a dramatic return by Nia Jax, who then assaults Ripley after the bell

One week after her return, Charlotte Flair teamed with Shotzi Friday night on SmackDown to battle Damage CTRL’s Bayley and WWE Women’s Champion Iyo Sky in tag team action.

The women’s division showdown was one of three matches announced ahead of time for the Fox broadcast, which also included a blockbuster main event pitting AJ Styles and Jimmy, and a rare blue brand appearance from Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Judgment Day.

What went down, who emerged victoriously and what did it mean for a brand building toward its Fastlane premium live event?

Announced in advance of Friday’s show were:

1. • AJ Styles vs. Jimmy Uso
   • The Brawling Brutes (Butch and Ridge Holland) vs. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor)
   • Shotzi and Charlotte Flair vs. Bayley and Iyo Sky

Shotzi and Charlotte Flair kicked off Friday’s episode of SmackDown with a big win over Bayley and Iyo Sky that enhanced the former’s recent push.

It was the post-match staredown between Sky and the returning Asuka, who taunted The Goddess of the Sky with her own WWE Women’s Championship, that was the bigger story of the segment.

The Empress of Tomorrow lost the title at SummerSlam to Bianca Belair, who turned around and dropped it Sky by way of a Money in the Bank cash-in. Asuka never received a contractually obligated rematch and if the confrontation this week is any indication, that is likely to change.

Especially considering Sky issued a formal challenge to Asuka in a backstage promo after the match.

It was nice to see Shotzi score the pin and build on her win from last week, with a win in a solid tag team opener, and the added element of Asuka meant this segment carried more gravity than it otherwise may have.

Result

Shotzi and Flair defeated Bayley and Sky

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

1. • Graves asked what Shotzi would do to build on her momentum following her victory over Bayley last week. Ironically enough, fans have asked what WWE Creative is going to do to build on her momentum on a few different occasions since her main roster call-up.
   • Sky intercepted Shotzi, blocking her from making the tag to her partner. Instead of pulling her into the heels’ corner, she left her there, walked across the ring, and tagged in Bayley. Drag her over and make her work to get back to the ring instead of creating obvious logic gaps.
   • Asuka appeared at the conclusion of the match, distracting Sky and holding the WWE Women’s Championship. Shotzi took advantage, flattening Bayley for the win.
   • In an attempt to get in Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman’s good graces, Jimmy Uso attacked AJ Styles in a backstage segment.

LA Knight vs. Austin Theory

3 OF 6

 

Credit: WWE.com

A verbal back and forth between LA Knight, Austin Theory, and Grayson Waller gave way to a match between the latter two, which ended with the hottest star in professional wrestling scoring the win with Blunt Force Trauma and leaving the heels dismayed.

A good, solid pro wrestling match, it served its purpose of putting Knight over and introducing two new foils for him to spar with in the coming weeks.

Theory and Waller are great as mates and putting them opposite Knight will only help intensify the incredible popularity of The Megastar and in the process, earn them more heat and television time.

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Result

Knight defeated Theory

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Grade

B

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Top Moments and Takeaways

1. • “Soak all this in, enjoy your 15 minutes of fame because when I’m done with you, The Miz ain’t gonna waste his time,” Theory told Knight.
   • Theory and Waller have great on-screen chemistry and are going to be a hell of a fun heel act to watch in the coming weeks and months if the powers that be opt to keep them together.
   • Backstage, Knight interrupted Paul Heyman talking business with Adam Pearce. After receiving another match with The Miz on next week’s show, he was told by Heyman to make sure he knocks next time. “Yeah,” he said, toned down and deadly serious.

Butch and Ridge Holland vs. Damian Priest and Finn Balor

4 OF 6

 

Credit: WWE.com

The Judgment Day sought to continue its takeover of WWE, expanding to SmackDown where they battled Butch and Ridge Holland of The Brawling Brutes.

Priest and Balor earned the win, defeating their very game opponents decisively and fairly.

Midway through the match, cameras panned backstage, where Pretty Deadly watched Holland and Butch compete, their first appearance since Elton Prince was injured in a match with the babyfaces a few months back.

That feud is likely to resume once Prince is cleared for action. One we may not have to wait for, though, is Judgment Day vs. the rebooted Hurt Business.

Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits hit the ring after the match and warned the tag champions that it will be him and his teammates that dominate, not Judgment Day. In terms of a high-profile feud that helps Lashley, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins build momentum as a trio, there are far worse options to pain them with than the uber-over Judgment Day.

Great stuff with the tease of an upcoming program that fans can get excited about and anticipatory for.

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Result

Balor and Priest defeated Butch and Holland

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

1. • The crowd in Boston was so loudly booing Mysterio at one point that they drowned him out.
   • Cole put over Butch’s performance in the NXT Global Heritage Cup, calling his match with Axiom the best of the tournament.
   • Pretty Deadly made their return to SmackDown TV, watching the match from the back to the delight of Corey Graves, insinuating that the feud between them and the Brawling Brutes is not over.
   • “You’re right: The Bloodline is crumbling, but it’s not the Judgment Day that’s gonna be taking over. It’s gonna be us,” Lashley warned.

AJ Styles vs. Jimmy Uso

5 OF 6

 

Credit: WWE.com

Jimmy Uso cannot get out of his own way.

After expressing his desire to rejoin the Bloodline and promising to prove himself, he proceeded to lose to AJ Styles in Friday’s main event, succumbing to a Phenomenal Forearm as the former WWE champion earned a hard-fought victory.

While that thread will be a prominent one in the coming weeks, so too will be a burgeoning faction war between The Bloodline and The Judgment Day, as teased twice on the show.

After Styles’ victory, Damian Priest and Finn Balor attacked him, then offered him up on a silver platter for Solo Sikoa, who laid The Phenomenal One out to close out the show.

Could WWE be heading toward Priest, Balor, Dominik Mysterio, and Rhea Ripley battling The Bloodline? Or is it a thinly veiled cover for Priest ultimately cashing in on Roman Reigns?

Whatever the case, it was an intriguing way to end Friday’s show and one that should create some buzz among fans interested in what happens next.

Result

B

Grade

Styles defeated Uso

Top Moments and Takeaways

1. • Heyman and Solo Sikoa emerged from the backstage area, an interesting development since the former told Uso earlier in the night that his younger brother would not be there.
   • Uso wore his “We The Ones,” shirt, reiterating his desire to rejoin The Bloodline, something he communicated to Heyman earlier in the show.
   • Styles wiped out Sikoa at ringside, threatened Heyman and sent Uso into the ring post. Moments later, he delivered the Phenomenal Forearm for the win.
   • After the match, Judgment Day attacked Styles and rolled him into the ring, offering him up to Sikoa, who leveled The Phenomenal One to close out the show.

Overall Grade

6 OF 6

Friday’s show was an in-ring heavy episode, with three matches getting multiple segments of television time. All three of those matches were good-to-very-good, making the most of their minutes.

Throw in some key storyline developments and teases of new feuds, including your first look at LA Knight vs. The Bloodline, and you have a show that one the surface looked rather lethargic but may very well have sowed the seeds for programs that will carry the company into the new year and the all-important WrestleMania season.

Grade: B+

Jey Uso suffered the ultimate betrayal at SummerSlam as he nearly won the WWE undisputed universal title

The Bloodline story is one of family turmoil. Jey Uso suffered the ultimate blow at SummerSlam on Saturday night from Ford Field in Detroit. Jey Uso appeared to have the undisputed WWE universal championship and status as “Tribal Chief” secured before his twin brother Jimmy Uso delivered a treacherous blow.

“Main Event” Jey Uso certainly lived up to his moniker in the marquee bout of SummerSlam. He was on the verge of overcoming both Reigns, one of the most dominant champions in WWE history, and The Bloodline’s enforcer Solo Sikoa. But it was the surprising return and allegiance change of Jimmy Uso that cost him everything.

SummerSlam also played host to a match between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar fitting of their trilogy, the emergence of a couple fan favorites and much more.

CBS Sports was with you all night, providing updates, recaps and grades for all the action. Read on for our thoughts on each match from SummerSlam in Detroit.

2023 WWE SummerSlam match results, grades

Logan Paul vs. Ricochet: Ricochet exploited his experience edge in the early moments of the match but Paul leaned on his strength to turn the tide soon after. Paul was an arrogant punk from start to finish. The crossover star provoked ring announcer Samantha Irvin, who is also Ricochet’s fiancee, and ripped a power slam from Ricochet’s tag team partner Braun Strowman. The first highlight-reel moment of the match was a Spanish fly from the apron to ringside where both men landed on their feet. That was followed shortly after by Paul landing a buckshot lariat from inside the ring to the outside. The execution of both spots was shaky. Ricochet and Paul started finding their groove later on. Ricochet performed a tidy top rope hurricane neck breaker; afterward, Paul hit a stunning moonsault into a tornado DDT combination.

The superstars traded big moves and near falls in the closing stretch of the match. The final sequence started with Ricochet missing a 630 splash. A member of Paul’s entourage handed the influencer brass knuckles while the referee was checking on Ricochet. Paul clocked Ricochet with the hardware and pinned him. A solid entry into Paul’s unique WWE career but a notch below the rest. Obviously, the scale of the match was never going to compete with a main event title match with Roman Reigns. The more glaring issue was the complex high spots. Paul is supremely athletic and those feats pop when sprinkled into the format of a typical WWE match. But some of the spots with Ricochet — much like their near botch at Money in the Bank —  require a very refined skill set that Paul doesn’t have quite yet. It was a wise finish: Paul needed a win and Ricochet is padded in defeat. Paul def. Ricochet via pinfall. Grade: B

Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar: Rhodes wisely got the jump on Lesnar the moment the match started. Rhodes rattled off a pair of Disaster Kicks before Lesnar swatted him out of the sky. The start of the match was an atypically back-and-forth example of the modern Lesnar formula. It pointed to the familiarity between the two men. It still did not take Lesnar long to take over and deliver an extended beatdown on his opponent. The former UFC heavyweight champion flung Rhodes from one side of the ring to the next. The first close call of the match saw Rhodes drag his battered body into the ring on the count of nine after eating an F-5 ringside. Lesnar’s second F-5 was delivered violently onto the announcers’ table, which collapsed. Again, Rhodes scraped himself into the ring just before a decisive 10 count. Rhodes desperately clung onto a turnbuckle and ripped it off the corner as Lesnar executed another German suplex.

Rhodes finally turned the tide by side-stepping Lesnar ringside and hitting him with steel steps. It was Disaster Kicks and Cody Cutters galore as Rhodes tried and failed to fell the beast. Rhodes attempted his signature Cross Rhodes, but Lesnar countered with a kimura, the same move that caused Rhodes’ storyline broken arm months ago. Rhodes forced a rope break and snatched his own kimura after Lesnar collided with the padless turnbuckle. Rhodes finally conquered his foe by slipping out of an F-5 and landing a trio of Cross Rhodes.

Lesnar embraced Rhodes post-match, shook his hand, and raised it for the WWE universe to celebrate. This was arguably the best match of the Rhodes vs. Lesnar trilogy. It was believably competitive with Rhodes’ cleverness, unrelenting spirit and Lesnar’s ego bridging the strength and experience gap between the two. Lesnar would have likely won on two occasions had he pinned Rhodes but underestimated his foe’s determination by settling for count outs. The respect shown at the end of the match is a huge endorsement from Lesnar to Rhodes. Rhodes def. Lesnar. Grade: A

SummerSlam Battle Royal: The enormous Omos terrorized the field in the early portion of the 20-man match. Omos eliminated the first three superstars and shucked off a combined assault by six others. Tommaso Ciampa rattled off three consecutive eliminations as well before he was tossed by big Bronson Reed. Santos Escobar earned an important mental edge against Austin Theory, who he will challenge for the United States championship on SmackDown, by clotheslining him out of the ring. Omos continued to dominate the field with simultaneous eliminations of Butch and Matt Riddle, but his success spurred a union between his remaining opponents. Every superstar left in the ring struck Omos. The flurry was punctuated by a Phenomenal Forearm by AJ Styles, Omos’ former mentor.

The final three superstars in the field were former world champions AJ Styles and Sheamus, and battle royal frontrunner LA Knight. Kross interfered in the match to help eliminate his rival Styles. That left only Knight and Sheamus. Knight leapt from the ring to the top rope to intercept Sheamus and toss him overhead. It was a nice touch as Knight badly whiffed on that same sequence the previous night on SmackDown. A clothesline sent Sheamus to the floor as the crowd erupted in support of Knight. A very solid battle royal. The sequences involving Omos were fun to watch, a few underappreciated superstars — including Chad Gable — performed well, and the right man won. No complaints here. Knight def. Sheamus and 18 others. Grade: B

Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler (MMA Rules match): Rousey and Baszler competed in a match that evoked their experiences as mixed martial artists. The MMA Rules match could only be won via knockout, submission or referee stoppage. The estranged friends exchanged hip tosses and dominant positions on the ground early. Rousey fired off a number of body punches and unsuccessfully chased an armbar. Each superstar turned the tide with a dynamic strike. Baszler landed a very believable head kick on Rousey that sent her flying out of the ring. Rousey returned fire with a less pleasing flying knee. The ringside officials checked on Baszler after she suffered an apparent arm injury, which contradicts the nature of an “MMA Rules” match. Rousey tore the medical staff off of Baszler and the fight continued. The UFC alums traded submission attempts with Baszler ultimately choking out Rousey with the Kirifuda Clutch.

MMA-style matches are very hard to pull off and that’s especially visible as someone who regularly covers combat sports. This match was a mixed bag. Rousey and Baszler seemed willing to lay in their shots, which made moves like the head kick really pop. The format was also a change from the typical WWE formula. Unfortunately, there were a lot of disjointed scrambles. The medical intervention was a head-scratcher. That should have resulted in a stoppage victory. Baszler def. Rousey via technical submission. Grade: C

Intercontinental Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Expectations were that Gunther and McIntyre would beat each other black and blue. They did just that. The European superstars walloped on each other with thudding clotheslines and splintering chops that echoed through Ford Field in Detroit. The first near fall favored McIntyre. The Scottish superstar rolled through a powerbomb, landed one of his own and immediately followed with a Future Shock DDT. Gunther eventually struck with his signature powerbomb, but it was not enough to keep the challenger down. McIntyre laid into the intercontinental champion with a flurry of shots and a huge claymore kick that nearly scored him the win.

The final sequence saw Gunther and McIntyre fighting on the top ropes. Gunther shoved McIntyre and the challenger unluckily landed with the ropes between his legs. McIntyre was incapacitated and ripe for the picking. Gunther landed a top rope splash, followed through with a clothesline and powerbomb for the three-count. It won’t live up to the surreal quality of their triple-threat match at WrestleMania, but Gunther vs. McIntyre was a tidy affair. It was a clever finish too. McIntyre getting low-blowed by the ropes protects him in defeat while giving Gunther a tactical and technically clean victory. Gunther is approximately one month shy of breaking The Honky Tonk Man’s record for the longest intercontinental title reign in WWE history. Gunther def. McIntyre via pinfall to retain. Grade: A-

World Heavyweight Championship — Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor: The mind games began before the bell rang. Rollins entered the arena wearing the same vest he wore seven years ago at SummerSlam. On that night, Rollins legitimately injured Balor, which resulted in Balor relinquishing the inaugural universal championship one night after winning it. Balor reminded himself what he was fighting for by painting “seven” on the shoulder that was injured that fateful night.

The pendulum swung repeatedly in this bitter feud with a world title at stake. Balor repeatedly targeted Rollins’ arm and shoulder with submission holds in a measure of vengeance for the injury he suffered in 2016. His intentions were made abundantly clear when he tossed Rollins into the ringside barricade with a buckle bomb. It was the same move that Rollins legitimately injured Balor with at SummerSlam seven years ago. Rollins later returned the favor with a pair of buckle bombs inside the ring. The match’s first significant near fall saw Rollins dodge a Coup de Grace and land a Pedigree. That spurred Damian Priest — the Money in the Bank briefcase holder and Balor’s Judgement Day teammate — to walk down the aisle. Priest cracked Rollins with a hard punch that set Balor up for his own Pedigree and a near fall.

Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio also appeared to aid Balor but he insisted on winning by his own merit. Rollins landed a Curb Stomp and Balor hit Group de Grace amid the chaos but neither could put away the other. Priest tossed the briefcase into the ring much to Balor’s chagrin. As Balor went to retrieve the briefcase, Rollins curb stomped his head through it while Priest had the referee distracted. The segment ended with Priest staring down Rollins with little regard for Balor’s health. Rollins and Balor put together a much better match than their Money in the Bank meeting. The Judgement Day is more popular than ever so it’ll be interesting to see how WWE presses forward with the recent friction between Balor and Priest. The finish was a little convoluted but the callbacks to their universal title match seven years ago were well executed, the in-ring content was great and all parties can move in interesting directions. Rollins def. Balor to retain. Grade: A-