This week’s WWE Monday Night Raw featured a Cody Rhodes-Brock Lesnar showdown, plus Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens facing The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio.
Raw took place from a sold out State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Cody Rhodes did a show opening promo calling out Brock Lesnar. There was not an immediate interruption but when Cody tried going to the back, Lesnar attacked. Lesnar beat up Cody with chair shots and an F5 on the floor right in front of Cody’s mom, who was at ringside. Lesnar applied the Kimura Lock submission on Cody’s left arm as well. Lesnar accepted Cody’s challenge for a match at SummerSlam on August 5th in Detroit.
Match #1: Gunther defeated Matt Riddle by pinfall with a Powerbomb.
The Women’s Tag Team Champions Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan were interviewed backstage. Rhea Ripley, the Women’s World Champion, interrupted to get into a fight with Rodriguez. It was quickly broken up by WWE Officials, but Ripley kicked Rodriguez in the left knee so Raquel was down selling a left knee injury.
The Judgment Day foursome did an in-ring promo. Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens, the WWE Tag Team Champions, talked about facing Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio later in the show. Priest wanted them to put the Tag Team Titles on the line in that match. Zayn & Owens agreed with Owens getting really fired up about it.
Match #2: Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville defeated Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez to become the new Women’s Tag Team Champions. – Deville took out Raquel with a chop block on the floor since Raquel had an injured left knee. Green hit her Upretty-her and Deville hit a running knee to pin Morgan for the win.
Seth “Freakin” Rollins, the World Heavyweight Champion, did a sitdown interview with Byron Saxton. As Rollins named possible title challengers, Finn Balor showed up to tell Rollins to make the match between them. Rollins said if you want a fight we don’t need to have a title match. When Rollins thought it was done, Balor threw a chair at him and beat up Rollins with punches. Balor again told Rollins to make the match.
Match #3: Viking Raiders defeated Alpha Academy in a Viking Rules Match. No rules in the match. – Valhalla speared Maxxine Dupri through a table to take her out. Viking Raiders hit Ragnarok (double Powerbomb) on Otis for the pinfall win.
Match #4: Shayna Baszler defeated Nikki Cross in about ten seconds with Kirifuda Clutch submission.
After the match, Ronda Rousey was in a private box trashing Baszler and was booed. The fans cheered Baszler saying she was a better Ronda Rousey than Ronda is. Rousey challenged Baszler to a match at SummerSlam.
During a backstage interview, Ricochet said he wanted Logan Paul to meet him face to face next week on Raw.
Becky Lynch was a guest on Miz TV with The Miz bringing out Trish Stratus & Zoey Stark. Lynch wanted a match with Stratus, who said no, but then Lynch talked her into it. Trish said you had to beat Zoey first and after Zoey wins, Lynch has to say “Thank You Trish” and get it tattooed on her chest. Lynch agreed to it. Lynch cleaned house by beating up Stark and Trish easily.
Match #5: Bronson Reed defeated Shinsuke Nakamura by disqualification when Tommaso Ciampa attacked Reed. – After the match, Ciampa hit a running knee to knock Reed out of the ring. Nakamura wasn’t happy about what Ciampa did, so Nakamura kicked Ciampa in the chest.
Prior to the main event, Seth “Freakin” Rollins showed up at ringside and hit a suicide dive on Balor. Rollins chased Balor to the backstage area.
Match #6: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn defeated The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles. – Liv Morgan took out Rhea Ripley with a tackle over the barricade after Ripley interfered. Owens hit a Stunner on Priest while Zayn hit a Helluva Kick on Mysterio for the pinfall win. That was the end of Raw.
Next Week On Monday Night Raw:
* Becky Lynch faces Zoey Stark. If Lynch wins, she gets a rematch with Trish Stratus.
* Drew McIntyre goes face-to-face with Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.
* Logan Paul returns to Raw to face off with Ricochet.
Two matches are official for SummerSlam on August 5th in Detroit:
* Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes
* World Heavyweight Championship: Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor
There will obviously be more matches added to the card in the weeks ahead.