Raw: Gunther and Cody Rhodes set for battle

Joseph Casciaro

Raw: Gunther and Cody Rhodes set for battle
The Crown Jewel main event is set. Credit: WWE

Happy Monday everyone! For the first time since 2012, Raw will be 2 hours only starting tonight until the end of the year. WWE is coming off of Bad Blood this past Saturday to kick off this new era of Raw.

The show opens with a special appearance from Sexxy Red, St. Louis’ own. She gave the fans a rundown from Bad Blood. After watching a recap of the event, CM Punk made his way to the ring. On Saturday he concluded his war with Drew McIntyre in triumph following a brutal Hell in a Cell match.

Punk let us know that he is not even in good enough shape to walk to the ring, but he needed to see the fans. He said he is a winner, but it doesn’t feel like he won, the way he feels after Hell in a Cell leaves him questioning his future. He is banged up worse than he has ever been and as much as he loves the fans, he just doesn’t know what’s next.

He had three groups of people to thank: his fans for their constant support, his peers whether behind or in front of the camera and the people who don’t like him at all because there is a thin line between love and hate.

Rollins sends a message. Credit: WWE

Punk says he must now go home to see his wife and he wants to tell the fans he’ll see them soon, but he just doesn’t know. He turned to leave the arena when Seth Rollins’ music hit and he walked by Punk, brushing him along the way. Interesting promo from Punk here and not what I expected at all.

Seth Rollins made his return to Raw last week attacking Bronson Reed and costing him the Last Monster Standing match. He began by telling CM Punk to get well soon because the sooner he gets back, the sooner he can kick his ass and retire him for good. Rollins has been gone for a couple of months and things have been getting crazy while he’s been away, but he is back to destroy Bronson Reed.

Reed is not at Raw tonight, but Rollins wants him to listen closely. Two months ago Reed ambushed him trying to make a name for himself, well good for him because six Tsunami later Rollins knows his name. Reed wants to be famous, well Rollins will give him his 15 minutes so he can name the place and they’ll go one-on-one whenever he wants. Except this time, Rollins will be ready.

Intercontinental Championship Match: Jey Uso (c) vs. Xavier Woods w/Kofi Kingston

It is time for Jey Uso’s first title defence and the match began with a back elbow and enzigiri from Uso to Woods. The battle quickly spilled to the ring apron where Woods kneed Uso to the floor and then drove him into the floor with a Death Valley driver. As the fight returned to the ring, both men were trading stiff forearms. Woods was able to knock Uso down and attempted to fly across the ring with his diving elbow, but Uso caught him in mid-air with a Superkick. Uso followed that kick with the Uso Splash to retain his championship.

Winner: Still Intercontinental Champion, Jey Uso

Following the match, Uso and Kingston shared respect and Uso offered his hand to Woods. However, Woods with his new attitude refused to shake Uso’s hands and stormed off.

Uso then continued his celebration, but he turned into a brutal Spear from the former Intercontinental Champion, Bron Breakker. He was then beating Uso down and Kingston was trying to go help, but Woods wanted none of it so Kingston went in alone. He also ran into a Spear from Breakker and he then ran down Woods to give him one as well. Breakker finished this brutal attack with one more Spear to Uso before holding up the IC title. Last week, Breakker was showing his respect to Uso and this week we saw something very different.

Rhea Ripley aired a video with a message to Raquel Rodriguez, who returned at Bad Blood to screw Ripley out of the Women’s Championship and hand Liv Morgan the victory. Ripley told Morgan this proved she cannot win on her own and both Morgan and Rodriguez just earned themselves the beating of a lifetime.

Another vignette aired showcasing an incoming wrestler, who could this be?

Karrion Kross met with The Miz backstage to discuss Miz’s actions last week attacking R-Truth. Miz let Kross know that there is no Miz and The Final Testament, he did what he had to do for himself. Truth then joined Miz in the locker room questioning why he attacked him and he thought Miz might’ve been confused. Miz cleared things up quickly and challenged Truth to a match next week on Raw.

It is also interesting to note a message from The Wyatt Sicks seemed to appear over the screen during this interaction. The message simply read, “There you are.”

Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook Match: Sheamus vs. Pete Dunne

This match has been much anticipated as these two have been feuding for weeks now and it now all comes down to this battle. Sheamus began the match by tackling Dunne and choking him with a shillelagh before dropping him with an Alabama slam. The brawl then spilled to the outside where Dunne spiked Sheamus into the floor with a tornado DDT.

There was a wooden bar set up at ringside and Dunne stomped Sheamus’ finger into the bar, but he then leaped off the bar and Sheamus caught him in the air. Sheamus then power slammed Dunne onto the announce table and then smashed a shillelagh into his ribs. He continued with an Irish curse backbreaker and a power slam. Sheamus then went to the top rope, but Dunne met him up there with a shillelagh to the skull and a superplex to the mat.

They now went back to the outside and Dunne climbed to the top of the whiskey barrels, but Sheamus joined him up there. He hit him with the shillelagh and the 10 Beats of the Bohdran before lifting Dunne and diving through two tables with a brutal White Noise! Sheamus now got Dunne back in the ring for a bicycle knee and The Irish Cross, but Dunne somehow kicked out at two. Dunne got himself back into the match with some joint manipulation and drilling Sheamus with a cricket bat.

He continued to beat down Sheamus with the drawers from the wooden bar and he then ziptied Sheamus’ hands behind his back. With Sheamus unable to defend himself, Dunne tried to hit him with the cricket bat, but Sheamus used his legs to knee Dunne in the face. Finally, with his arms still tied Sheamus hit Dunne with a Brogue Kick to earn the victory. What a match.

Winner: Sheamus

Cathy Kelly was joined backstage by Smackdown superstar and the WWE Undisputed Champion, Cody Rhodes. He said he was at Raw to see what it would take to become the first-ever Crown Jewel Champion. At Bad Blood, Triple H announced the Crown Jewel Championship which will be a battle between the two World Champions.

Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio have arrived at Raw and Morgan was sending a message to Rhea Ripley. She told her that she still has the championship, she has Dirty Dom and now she has Raquel too. Morgan also said she is done with Ripley and is now turning her attention to the Crown Jewel Championship and her battle with Nia Jax. They also refused to comment on whether Rodriguez is an official member of The Judgement Day.

Raw getting All Ego? Credit: WWE

Adam Pearce was joined backstage by NXT General Manager, Ava when he was greeted by the former NXT Champion, Ethan Page. He was looking to talk business because a Raw superstar, CM Punk cost him his title last week on NXT. However, Pearce said it was not his decision to make Punk the referee last week, it was Avas and since she is off the clock this could be chatted about tomorrow.

The Unholy Union (Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn) & Pure Fusion Collective (Sonya Deville, Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark) vs. Natalya, Lyra Valkyria, Zelina Vega, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance

This match was mayhem from the opening bell with all 10 women brawling in the ring, it eventually spilled to the outside too. Chance, Carter and Vega all flew through the air, but Deville then launched Natalya into the steel steps. Natalya struggled for some time until getting Vega into the match to showcase her skills against Stark. She caught her with a hurricanrana, a stunner and a moonsault, but Deville sneakily tagged herself in. All 10 women then took some time to get some offence in, but it was Valkyria getting the win for her team with a leg drop to the back of Deville’s head.

Winner: Natalya, Lyra Valkyria, Zelina Vega, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn

Zayn has been dying for this match for weeks now and he finally gets his opportunity tonight. Gunther began the match by wrestling Zayn down to the mat with a headlock, but Zayn then tripped him to the outside of the ring. He continued with some slaps to Gunther, however, he then caught him in mid-air before lying him on the top rope to choke him with his boot.

He then chopped Zayn down, twisted his neck and drilled with some very stiff uppercuts that dropped Zayn to the mat. Gunther continued with more strikes and locked in a sleeper, but Zayn fought out and dropped him with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Both men were now trading chops and Zayn somehow got the better of Gunther spilling the fight to the floor. Zayn sent Gunther flying with an exploder into the barricade followed by a Helluva Kick with Gunther leaning on the barricade.

Zayn carried Gunther back into the ring and hit him with another Helluva Kick, but he made the mistake of going for a third. As he was running up Gunther drilled him with a clothesline sending him inside out, a missile dropkick and a powerbomb. However, Zayn wouldn’t stay down and somehow kicked out at two. So, Gunther drilled him with another lariat and powerbomb, but to the delight of the crowd, Zayn kicked out at one! Gunther knew Zayn was not staying down for a three-count, so he locked him into a sleeper and even after putting up a fight Zayn passed out. Gunther is still the champ, but Zayn did not get pinned and he did not tap out. What a main event.

Winner: Still World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther

As Gunther celebrated his win, he was greeted on the stage by the WWE Undisputed Champion, Cody Rhodes. These two will battle for the Crown Jewel Championship in Saudi Arabia.

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