WWE Raw live results: CM Punk & Jey Uso face-to-face
With their title match at Saturday Night’s Main Event approaching, CM Punk and Jey Uso will meet on WWE Raw tonight for a face-to-face confrontation.
A new World Heavyweight Champion will be crowned this Saturday when Punk and Uso face off at SNME. The championship — which Punk had already earned a shot at — was vacated by Seth Rollins due to a shoulder injury. Uso claimed the spot opposite Punk at SNME by winning a battle royal last week.
The next challenger for Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio will be determined tonight in a matchup between Penta and Rusev. The past few weeks have seen Penta and Rusev interfere in each other’s title bouts looking to get their hands on Dominik.
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella is set for action tonight, taking on Roxanne Perez after recently saving Stephanie Vaquer from a Judgment Day attack.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.
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Live in front of a sell-out crowd in Anaheim, California.
CM Punk & Jey Uso Face to Face.
The vacant World Championship belt was on a podium in the ring. Can I make the bold suggestion that while the crowd really digs the entrance, it’s kind of death for the viewer at home with nothing happening. As I typed that, Jey “ran it back” so between the recaps to start the show and Jey’s entrance, nothing really happened for almost ten minutes. Jey finally welcomed us to “Mon-Jey Night Raw.” Jey complained about having “everybody in my ear:” Jimmy, Roman, his mama, your mama. But he’s only listening to himself now and focused on winning the World Title.
Cue “Cult of Personality” and CM Punk came out to talk. Punk and Uso circled the ring with the World Championship belt between them. Punk asked the fans if they wanted him to run his music back, and it actually started to, but was cut off after only a few bars. “Sorry for stealing your stuff… four letters, one word, PUNK.” Punk’s happy that Jey is finally listening to himself. It’s no secret Punk and Jey are friends (I literally did not know that) and that makes it harder for Punk to face Jey.
When Punk mentioned Jey tossing Jimmy out of the battle royal, the crowd boos and Punk admonished them for booing since that was well within the rules. Punk asked Uso how far he’s willing to go to be champion, because Punk needs to be champion “like he needs air in his lungs.” How far is Uso willing to go, Punk asks, when Punk has knocked Uso’s grill out of his mouth and he’s “in a situation [he] can’t Yeet [his] way out of?”
“Screw you, Punk!” Punk is trying to turn things around to make Uso the bad guy, but Uso will show Punk who the best in the world is on Saturday Night. Uso left, and Punk looked longingly at the championship belt.
— In the back, Dominik Mysterio complained about Adam Pearce setting up a contender’s match for his Intercontinental title. Dom wanted some help, but Finn Balor and JD McDonough were going to try and get their tag team titles back. Roxanne Perez wanted to help, but Raquel Rodriguez wanted her to focus on Nikki Bella. Dom walked off talking on his phone, alluding to getting help from someone else.
— O’Shea Jackson and members of the LA Galaxy were shown in the Anaheim crowd.
Penta v. Rusev in a #1 Contender’s Match for the Intercontinental Championship
Winner gets a title match with Dominik at Saturday Night’s Main event. I feel like the chances of a disputed finishes leading to a three-way are quite high. Penta knocked Rusev to the floor and hit a tope con hilo. Back in the ring, Penta hit a springboard tornado DDT for a near fall. Rusev dropped to the floor to regroup, and caught Penta with a right hand when he followed him out.
Back in the ring, Rusev squashed Penta in the corner with an avalanche. Penta came back with a back stabber for another near fall. A sliding dropkick sent Rusev to the floor. Penta followed again, but this time Rusev flap-jacked him into the post.
After a commercial, Rusev went after Penta’s mask. Penta jumped into a bearhug, but fought his way out of it. Penta dodged a charge in the corner and caught him with the “corner handstand kick” for a third near fall. Penta kicked at Rusev who was out on his knees. The crowd was solidly behind Penta.
Penta dove into a superkick from Rusev for a near fall. Rusev went for the Accolade, but Penta countered with the Penta Diver for a near fall. The crowd screamed “ref you suck!” As Rusev and Penta fought, Rayo and Bravo Americano, along with El Grande Americano, ran in and attacked both Rusev and Penta. The match ended in a no-contest. After the match, Rusev dumped Rayo and Bravo. Penta went after El Grande, but he got away.
Match Result: Rusev and Penta ends in a no-contest (10:01).
— Jackie Redmond interviewed LA Knight in the back, and he wants whoever wins the world title belt on Saturday.
— Bron Breakker still doesn’t understand why he and Bronson Reed didn’t just go destroy everyone in the battle royal, since that’s the clearest path to the world title. Paul Heyman’s answer was that 20 is less than one. If Bron takes out the one guy who is in the way of getting the next title shot, Bron’s path to the world title is clear. And so tonight, it’s LA Knight and Bron Breakker, YEAH.
— A video package on a decade of Asuka in WWE. Highlights of Asuka tearing through NXT and WWE, highlighting her undefeated streak, Royal Rumble win, Money in the Bank win, Elimination Chamber win and other wins were shown.
— JD McDonough and Finn Balor went to Adam Pearce looking for their tag team title rematch. Instead, JD got a match with Sheamus. Pearce also had some news for Dominik Mysterio, but that’s a plot thread to be resolved later.
Nikki Bella v. Roxanne Perez (w/ Raquel Rodriguez)
Perez mock-worshipped Bella, which earned her a slap. Perez then got caught with a shot that might have legit stunned her for a bit. Perez dropped to the floor after a face buster and Bella tossed her about the ringside area.
Back in the ring, Rodriguez snapped Bella’s neck against the ring rope while Perez distracted the ref. Bella gave Perez nothing during the opening few minutes.
After a break, Perez hit a running uppercut on Bella while she was against the ropes. Perez hit a double jump moonsault off the middle rope for a near fall. Perez cranked away at Bella’s neck with a neck vice. Perez went after the back of Bella’s neck with forearms, then did push-ups to taunt the former Diva’s champion.
Bella double-legged Perez and caught her with a running boot. Bella drove Perez’s face into the mat, which Perez sold liked crazy. After both women struggled back to the their feet, Bella hit a series of clotheslines and a dropkick. Bella hit a version of the Disaster Kick for a near fall.
Bella went for the Rack Attack 2.0, but Perez countered with a sleeper. Bella escaped, but Perez tripped her up into the ropes. Bella hit a spinebuster for a near fall. Rodriguez jumped up on the apron, so Bella knocked her down. Perez caught Bella with a cradle for two, Bella caught Perez with a cradle for two. Bella went for charge in the corner, but Perez ducked and Bella hit the middle buckle, jarring her neck. Perez hit the Pop Rocks out of the corner for the victory.
After the match, Rodriguez hit Bella, and Stephanie Vaquer ran in to make the save. Vaquer and Rodriguez had a bit of a stare down. Bella tried to interject herself into the stare down, but it didn’t really work. I think the message was supposed to be Nikki and Steph standing up to Rodriguez, but it came off more like Nikki seeking attention, literally sticking herself in where she didn’t belong.
Match Result: Roxanne Perez defeated Nikki Bella (11:16)
— In the back, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria psyched each other up for their title match. But the Kabuki Warriors think they’re the ones that deserve a title shot.
— Jimmy Uso yelled at Jey Uso for following the rules of the battle royal last week. Jimmy also suggested that Jey was afraid to find out what would happen if they went one-on-one again. The crowd will be bored again like at WrestleMania 41?
Bron Breakker (w/ Bronson Reed & Paul Heyman) v. LA Knight
Knight held up a fan’s sign: “We Want LA Knight not Jey.” Wade Barrett laid out the stakes for the match: “whoever loses will not be in line for a title shot.”
After giving Knight a little bit of offense, Bron ran through Knight with a clothesline. Bron legitimately looked like a blur while he ran the ropes. Knight came back with a crossbody, but Breakker buried a knee in his midsection. Knight caught Bron with some left handed jabs and stomped him in the corner. Knight caught Bron with a running knee and Breakker dropped down to the floor to regroup.
Knight hit Bron with a dropkick to the floor heading into a break. During the break, Reed distracted Knight which allowed Bron to press-slam Knight onto the table.
Bron was back in control after the break, hitting an avalanche knee in the corner and suplexing Knight over the ropes to the floor. Bron ran halfway around the ring and hit Knight on the floor with a flying tackle.
Back in the ring, Knight fought his way out of a chinlock and hit a flying clothesline of his own. Knight caught Breakker with a jumping neckbreaker, pop-up powerslam and a jumping elbow. Knight went for the BFT, but Breakker escaped and hit Knight with a knee. Breakker went for the top-rope Frankensteiner, but Knight slipped off the buckles and sent Breakker tumbling down to the mat in an ugly way.
Knight set up Breakker for a superplex. Bron pushed him down, so Knight ran up the ropes and superplexed Bron off the top rope for a near fall! Knight went for the BFT again, but Breakker escaped. Bronson Reed distracted Knight, giving Bron the opening for the spear. But Knight ducked and Bron went to the floor. Knight went after Reed on the floor, then sent Breakker headfirst into the commentator’s table.
Back in the ring, Breakker tried for a gorilla press, but Knight escaped and hit a reverse DDT. Knight went up top for an elbow, but Breakker kipped up as Knight jumped. Knight rolled through, jumped up and ran into a spear from Breakker, who got the pinfall. Honestly it felt like Bron gave Knight too much.
Math Result: Bron Breakker pinned LA Knight (13:32)
— Backstage, Adam Pearce found Dominik Mysterio talking to the Americano Familia. Pearce made Dom v. Rusev v. Penta for the Intercontinental title at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
— Jey confronted Jimmy about him winning about the battle royal, and they seemingly made amends.
JD McDonough (w/ Finn Balor) v. Sheamus
Sheamus brutalized McDonough in the opening. Sheamus backdropped JD so high I think his ears popped. McDonough clipped Sheamus’ leg and got a brief advantage, but JD turned his back on Sheamus and got clotheslined to the floor. On the floor, Sheamus and Balor had a staredown. Back in the ring, McDonough hit a slingshot spinning splash but barely got a one count. Sheamus set up McDonough for the forearms against the ropes, but Finn pulled JD to the floor. So Sheamus hit both Finn and JD with a clothesline off the apron to the floor.
After a commercial, McDonough was in control with a chinlock. Sheamus got to his feet and managed to send both him and JD to the floor. McDonough caught Sheamus with an Asai Moonsault on the floor. Back in the ring, McDonough hit a 450 splash for a near fall.
McDonough tried kicking and slapping Sheamus, which only fired Sheamus back up. Sheamus floored JD with a pair of clotheslines and the Irish Curse backbreaker. McDonough escaped the Ten Beats again and caught Sheamus with a cradle for two. Sheamus finally gut JD tied up in the ropes and mauled him with multiple forearms.
Sheamus went for the Brougue Kick, but McDonough caught him with knee. Sheamus gave McDonough a crucifix powerbomb, but Finn put McDonough’s foot on the ropes to break the count. Sheamus dropped to the floor and gave Finn the big boot. McDonough dove through the ropes for the save, but Sheamus cut him off.
Back in the ring, Sheamus went to the top, but Balor hit Sheamus with his shillelagh, and Sheamus fell on the turnbuckles. McDonough then took Sheamus down to the mat with a Spanish Fly off the top rope, and got the pinfall! Wade Barrett sold this as the biggest singles win of McDonough’s career.
Match Result: JD McDonough pinned Sheamus (13:39)
— Adam Pearce offered Maxine Dupri a third match with Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Dupri isn’t ready for the match yet. “So it’s official, eventually.”
— Jackie Redmond interviewed the Women’s Tag Team Champions, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. Bliss said if you want a title shot, all you have to do is ask. Flair and Bliss are two successful title defenses away from having the most defenses in history! The Kabuki Warriors interrupted to say they’re the only ones who deserve to be tag team champions. Charlotte replied she would be honored to defend the titles against them.
— AJ Styles and Dragon Lee were asking Adam Pearce for worthy opponents for their tag team titles. Finn Balor and JD McDonough interrupted looking for their title rematch, and Dragon Lee agreed to the title match for next week.
Next week on Raw (so far):
- Nikki Bella & Stephanie Vaquer v. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez
- AJ Styles & Dragon Lee v. JD McDonough & Finn Balor for the WWE World Tag Team Championship
Lyra Valkyria & Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
This is the fifth defense for Flair and Bliss. Bliss and Bayley started out. Charlotte got a blind tag and caught Bayley with a clothesline. Bliss got the tag again and took Bayley down with a head scissors. Lyra and Charlotte tagged in. They exchanged arm-ringers and creative escapes from arm-ringers. The crowd did the fireflies thing with their phones. Valkyria sent Flair to the floor and followed her out with a dropkick through the ropes.
After a commercial, Valkyria was tying up Bliss with a submission hold, then transitioned into the seatbelt cradle for a near fall. Bayley got the tag and Bayley held Bliss up in a fireman’s carry so Lyra could hit a running blockbuster. Bliss came back with a double DDT on both Bayley and Lyra.
Flair got the hot tag and came off the top with a crossbody. Flair chopped away at Bayley and Valkyria. Flair hit a cartwheel clothesline. Flair dumped both Lyra and Bayley with fallaway slams, then hit them both with a moonsault. Charlotte went for the cover on Lyra, but she got a shoulder up at two.
Charlotte sent Bayley to the floor with a big boot, and Valkyria caught her with a leg lariat. Bayley fired up demanding a tag, got it, and ran in to give Charlotte a knee. Bayley hit an elbow off the middle ropes on Charlotte, dropkicked Bliss, and hit Charlotte with the belly to belly suplex for a near fall.
Charlotte caught Bayley with a boot, and Bliss got the blind tag. Lyra got the tag, and (not realizing who was legal) ran right into the Sister Abigail DDT from Bliss for two, but Bayley made the save. Bayley and Charlotte fought on the floor. Bliss came off the top with a crossbody on Lyra, but she caught her and turned it into the Night Wing for another near fall with Charlotte making the save.
Charlotte and Bayley got tagged in, and Bayley hit a Thez Press. Bayley and Charlotte brawled until Charlotte floored Bayley with a boot. Charlotte locked in the Figure Eight. Lyra kept Bayley from tapping out, and Bliss came off the top with a Twisted Bliss. Charlotte and Bliss gave each other a nod, then hit twin Natural Selections on their opponents. Charlotte then pinned Bayley to retain the titles. This was a fantastic TV match.
Match Result: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss beat Bayley & Lyra Valkyria to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles when Flair pinned Bayley (14:13)
After the match, the Kabuki Warriors ran in and attacked the tag champs. Asuka held Flair open for an Insane Elbow. The Warriors went after Lyra as well, but Bayley stood them down. The Kabuki Warriors backed away while Bayley tended to Lyra and the tag champs sold on the floor to end the show.
Coverage of AEW TV shows for the Wrestling Observer website. Also fills in on other shows when needed.