Top 10 Moments from Raw
Rhea Ripley vacated her title to open the show, and Sami Zayn closed it out with a thrilling defense of the IC title
Here are the Top 10 moments from a very eventful week of Raw:
10.) Rhea Ripley vacates her title
Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley kicked off the show, entering with her arm in a sling and a devastated look on her face.
Ripley announced that she was injured during her altercation with Liv Morgan last week. As a result, she will be out of action for quite some time–and she is forced to relinquish her title.
Rhea Ripley
Courtesy WWE
Morgan attacked Ripley last Monday as part of her revenge tour, seeking retribution after Ripley put her on the injured list for the better part of a year. Ripley called out Morgan for injuring her, dubbing her a coward. She vowed to return once her shoulder healed, and seek her own revenge.
Morgan then made her entrance while security tried to stop her. Security also held Ripley back as she tried to meet Morgan where she stood, but in retaliation she knocked one of them out with a headbutt. Later on backstage, Morgan told Cathy Kelley that this injury was not the end of her revenge tour, which would not conclude until she held the Women’s World Championship.
9.) Sheamus returns
Sheamus had his first match back in over eight months, returning to wrestle Ivar on Raw.
Sheamus
Courtesy WWE
The Celtic Warrior didn’t miss a step, and looked absolutely elated to be back in action. The Montreal crowd was on their feet as he delivered a dominant performance and picked up the win.
Sheamus celebrated his victory by hugging commentators Pat McAfee and Michael Cole, spilling the beverages on their desk in his excitement.
8.) Tag team titles get a face lift
Paul “Triple H” Levesque joined Raw GM Adam Pearce in the ring to announce a change to the Raw Tag Team Championships. They invited the current champions, R-Truth and The Miz, to present them with the new titles.
New tag titles were unveiled on Raw
Courtesy WWE
The titles received new designs and a new name–now called the World Tag Team Championships. R-Truth was ecstatic when Triple H lifted the black cloth to reveal the new designs, working a comedy bit where he thought a magic trick was performed to make the belts appear out of thin air. When The Miz explained to him in French what was happening, R-Truth finally understood.
With the new titles revealed, Adam Pearce announced the next step–determining Awesome Truth’s first challengers.
7.) Triple Threat determines tag team contenders
The number-one contenders to the newly re-named World Tag Team Championships were determined in a triple threat match between DIY, the Creed Brothers, and The New Day.
DIY moved one step closer to the tag titles
Courtesy WWE
The three teams were evenly matched throughout the match. After some chaotic, fast-paced tag team action, DIY won the match and the title opportunity. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa have become friends and allies to Awesome Truth, making for an interesting dynamic in their upcoming match.
6.) Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae get on the same page
Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae once again faced Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri. In their first matchup, LeRae and Hartwell won after LeRae bullied Dupri, reducing her to tears.
In more recent matches, Hartwell has had less success as she refused to stoop to LeRae’s level and use underhanded tactics to secure victory. Last night, however, Hartwell seemed to have gotten over any moral qualms she had.
Candice LeRae celebrates her victory
Courtesy WWE
When a worn-down Dupri made a desperately needed tag to Nile, Hartwell distracted the referee so that he could not see the tag, and it was never made official. LeRae was able to continue beating down Dupri, and pinned her for a controversial victory.
5.) Dominik Mysterio seeks retribution
Dominik Mysterio, accompanied by JD McDonagh, sought revenge on Andrade after being double-crossed by him just before WrestleMania.
Andrade defeats Dom Mysterio
Courtesy WWE
Mysterio had tried to recruit Andrade to The Judgment Day, before Andrade revealed that he was on the side of Dom’s estranged father, Rey Mysterio. Damian Priest ordered the two to take care of the Andrade problem. Even with McDonagh by his side, Mysterio failed once again to get the job done. Though they lost the match, they still had to take care of Andrade–so The Judgment Day ganged up on him for a post-match beatdown. Ricochet, another rival that McDonagh and Mysterio have been unable to one-up, came out to assist Andrade and chase off Judgment Day.
Ricochet and Andrade
Courtesy WWE
4.) Chelsea Green and Piper Niven defeat Kayden Carter and Katana Chance
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven took on Kayden Carter and Katana Chance.
Chelsea Green ad Piper Niven
Courtesy WWE
Both teams are former Women’s Tag Team Champions and sought to gain momentum towards regaining the titles. Though Carter and Chance looked pretty strong during the match, it was not enough to put away Green and Niven, who won the match in Green’s home country of Canada.
3.) Cody Rhodes responds to The Rock
Cody Rhodes greeted the Montreal crowd in French to discuss the road ahead after becoming the new Undisputed WWE Champion. He thanked Seth Rollins for being his shield at WrestleMania, and addressed comments made by The Rock on Instagram over the weekend.
Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso
Courtesy WWE
In the video, The Rock said that he had one more match in him, but Rhodes said that Rock has more than one match left in him. The Rock also promised to make Rhodes bleed again, and Rhodes responded by saying that if The Rock fulfilled that promise, he would make sure The Rock bled too.
Rhodes also reminded us of the events of last week’s SmackDown, in which Solo Sikoa and brand-new Bloodline member Tama Tonga savagely attacked Jimmy Uso, blaming him for Roman Reigns losing his title at WrestleMania. In light of this, Rhodes invited Jey Uso to join him in the ring. He offered to help Uso during his match against Finn Balor later in the night, much like Uso helped Rhodes finish his story at WrestleMania.
Uso declined Rhodes’ offer, saying he needs to accomplish the task by himself.
2.) Jey Uso gains momentum towards Backlash match
Last Monday, Jey Uso became the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. He will face Damian Priest at Backlash next month. This week, he faced Priest’s Judgment Day teammate Finn Balor.
Jey Uso and Finn Balor
Courtesy WWE
Balor was a formidable opponent, but Uso won the bout in just under seven minutes. After the conclusion of the match, Priest arrived to stare down his Backlash challenger, distracting Uso while Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh snuck up on him and attacked.
The Judgment Day attacks Jey Uso
Courtesy WWE
Balor seemed unhappy with Priest, and got in his face before joining in beating up Uso. After rolling out of harm's way, Uso escaped and exited through the crowd, walking all the way to the outside of the arena.
Here, he found his friend Sami Zayn looking up at the building. Zayn explained that 25 years ago, he attended his first wrestling show in that very arena, where he was about to defend the Intercontinental Championship. Zayn entered the arena the same way that Uso exited, through the front door and then through the audience.
1.) Chad Gable turns on Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn entered the arena the same way that Uso exited, making his way through the audience of adoring fans.
The hometown hero defended his Intercontinental title against the man who coached him to win it, Chad Gable.
Sami Zayn headlined Raw in a bout against Chad Gable
Courtesy WWE
The chemistry in the match was clear. Gable was especially adept at predicting Zayn’s next moves, and was able to counter many of them. Zayn was not lacking in his ability to read Gable, however.
The bou was incredibly close, but in the end, Zayn’s tenacity and support from the crowd helped him pull through with a victory. In Zayn’s hometown, he was able to celebrate once more with his family in the front row.
Chad Gable responded poorly to losing
Courtesy WWE
As Zayn reached over the barricade and hugged his wife, Gable grabbed him from behind and delivered a devastating German suplex. After coming so close to victory so many times and still coming up short, Gable snapped.
Gable beat Zayn mercilessly in front of his family as Raw concluded.
