Pro wrestling occasionally proves immune to this logic, but some things just make too much sense to not happen. Tonight’s episode of WWE Raw from Milwaukee is proof of that.
CM Punk has been trying to get his revenge on Seth Rollins for weeks, a quest that got more complicated when WWE inserted Rollins’ wife Becky Lynch into the proceedings. If only Punk had a wrestler wife of his own …
That’s right, he does! After showing up on the most recent episode of SmackDown to even the odds, Lee will make her first appearance on Raw in more than a decade. Just a hunch, but the guess here is that it will be a well-received return.
Punk and Lee aren’t the only ones fighting the good fight against The Vision. The Usos are doing their part, and will be on hand tonight to have their say. And in non-Vision action, we’ll see Lyra Valkyria vs. Raquel Rodriguez and AJ Styles trying to get some revenge against EL Grande Americano.
And despite Raw shifting times a lot as of late, it all goes down at the normal 8 p.m. start time. Let’s get into it.
We kick off with a look back at how AJ Lee got involved in the current drama starring her husband, and unless my ears deceive me, that is Joe Tessitore on the call tonight alongside Corey Graves.
The Usos are reunited, and LA Knight wants a piece of the Brons as well
Yeeting ain’t easy, or at least it can occasionally make it look like you are in danger of stumbling down the steps like it almost trips up Jey Uso tonight. Fans and announcers alike are excited to see them, and Graves makes a humorous comment about “the internet” deciding that Wade Barrett was exiled to a faraway island.
“The Usos are now in your city,” says Jey, and the fans haven’t forgotten the words. Jey says The Vision has screwed up, but Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed arrive for an immediate rebuttal. Breakker wonders if Big Jim is lost and remains pressed about what “your family” did to Paul Heyman. Reed calms him down and says all he wants is for Roman’s family to acknowledge their Tribal Thief. That only brings a wave of “OTC” chants in response.
“We already dealt with him,” insists Reed as the fans continue to chant for Roman. Jimmy also reminds us he’s a little more natural on the mic than his brother before delivering the punchline, which is a tag team match between them … though Reed says it won’t be until Wrestlepalooza.
You know who won’t wait? LA Knight, who appears out of nowhere to assault the Brons. That doesn’t go well, but the Usos’ tandem dive turns the tide and the faces eventually clear the ring, though not without a moment of drama between LA and Jey.
Knight stays mad after that segment, both at the fact that The Usos have a shot at the Brons and what happened between him and Jey. He wants to fight any Bron, including LeBron James or Charles Bronson. We’ll see if Adam Pearce complies.
AJ Styles vs. El Grande Americano
Certainly no lack of motivation for Styles, who is super aggressive even before the bell rings. He looks for an early Phenomenal Forearm but is halted by the second El Grande Americano and then sells being whipped into the steel steps in more dynamic fashion than just about anyone I’ve ever seen.
Grande has some tricks up his sleeve that don’t involve the numbers game, but when Dos Grande tries to get involved again, Dragon Lee hustles down to lend a hand. AJ pulls off a cool reversal sequence into the Styles Clash, impressing both announcers in the process.
Winner: AJ Styles by pinfall
Pearce has some bad news for Iyo Sky, saying he needs to cancel her contract signing, though he believes Stephanie Vaquer will be ready to go in time for Wrestlepalooza. Nikki Bella wants to speak with Iyo but is rudely interrupted by Asuka, who offers to beat the respect out of Nikki tonight and leaves Kairi Sane in an awkward position once again.
An AJ Lee highlight package takes us back through some of her best moments from yesteryear. People still use that word, right?
Lyra Valkyria vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Man, Raquel didn’t even get a televised entrance for this match. Lame. Almost missed that Roxanne Perez was lurking by ringside, but of course she is, and Tessitore reminds us that Lyra needs to keep one eye on her.
Rodriguez might have caught more people trying aerial moves than anyone else in WWE this year, and there should be a Slammy for that. She also pulls Valkyria’s hair around the post and gets Tessitore to cringe a bit at the damage she is doing to Lyra’s back.
Valkyria mounts an impressive rally that shows off her diverse moveset and excellent cardio. Another impressive spot sees Valkyria have to strain while upside down to execute a sunset flip powerbomb on her much larger foe.
Alas, when Lyra goes up top again, Raquel is able to rip her off her perch with one arm for a Tejana Bomb, which is enough to win the match. Good win for Rodriguez, honestly.
Winner: Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall
Penta gets best wishes from the War Raiders before both he and Rusev hit up Pearce for title opportunities. The lightbulb goes off in Pearce’s head as he says they should face each other for the first time tonight in Milwaukee. See? Booking isn’t always that hard.
Jimmy Uso stops by to see Styles and Dragon Lee before finally running into Jey. The brothers are not on the same page about having Knight’s back, getting Jimmy to say he doesn’t sound like himself but more like Roman. “Maybe sounding like myself ain’t working,” Jey says ominously before apparently leaving the arena.
AJ Lee is back, just in time to lure Becky Lynch into a trap that also involves their husbands
The crowd explodes as AJ Lee hits the ring sporting Becky Lynch’s Intercontinental Championship. She introduces herself for the benefit of people who might not have been watching a decade ago, calling herself “your favorite wrestler’s favorite wrestler.” AJ says she retired because she felt she accomplished everything she had set out to do and was sure she was never going to step back in the ring.
Along with pursuing other dreams, AJ says she went on a mental health journey and worked on getting right, even sparking a “therapy” chant. She notes that while watching her husband battle Drew McIntyre or John Cena is one thing, it’s another altogether to see him in the ring with Becky Lynch. AJ says she wanted to like Becky and thinks there was a world where they could have been friends … but then Lynch put her hands on Punk.
“This has nothing to do with your stank ass husband,” insists Lynch as she walks out and berates the fans. She’s mostly upset about AJ wearing her title, though Lee insists she forgot she was even wearing it. AJ challenges Becky to come and get it, with the fans calling her “chicken” when she appears hesitant to comply.
The Man responds by instead declaring she will show the world a proper husband, and Rollins arrives to try to calm Lynch down. Seth says if AJ just gives the title back they can all leave Milwaukee, but AJ has some better ideas. One is for Becky to get in the ring and take it, risking a second black eye. Or she will return it if they agree to a mixed tag match.
Rollins explains that she is not the shot-caller, he is, and says he will just take the belt back. That proves difficult when AJ physically blocks his way, soon to be joined by Punk. An enraged Rollins agrees to the tag team match, much to the dismay of Lynch, but at least Lee tosses her belt back out to her.
Bayley does her latest confessional video and appears to be slipping a little more each time. She questions how Lyra can forgive her when she can’t even forgive herself. The voices in her head certainly aren’t in agreement on what to do next, but Bayley vows “I’ll make it right.”
Penta vs. Rusev
Tessitore and Graves put over the brutality that went down during Rusev’s most recent match with Sheamus, some of which he is trying to duplicate here. Penta is of course no slouch in that department either, but he soon finds himself distracted by the arrival of The New Day, or at least Kofi Kingston and Grayson Waller.
Graves educates Tessitore on the difference between a Code Red and a Mexican Destroyer, which can’t keep Rusev down for three no matter how you call it. Xavier Woods is now a factor as well, distracting Penta just long enough that he leaps from the top rope right into a kick from Rusev, which wins it for the Bulgarian.
Winner: Rusev by pinfall
A highlight package takes us back through Cena’s last appearance on SmackDown and his battle with Sami Zayn. Brock Lesnar stuck his nose into that match, the better to set up even more anticipation for his showdown with Cena at Wrestlepalooza.
In the locker room, Jimmy tries to convince LA to get on the same page to fight The Vision, but Knight says “if you want to help … don’t help, I’ma do this my damn self. YEAH!”
Nikki Bella vs. Asuka
The fans are divided early on, something that Asuka seems to be encouraging. And these two seem as eager to keep trading verbal barbs as they do blows.
Asuka has a lengthy run of offense before missing a senton off the ropes, and the fans chant (mildly) to will Nikki back into it. Both wrestlers have their opportunities to win it as Sane rides the emotional roller coaster on the outside.
Eventually, the Empress of Tomorrow gets the Asuka Lock applied, and Bella taps out after fighting it for a bit. Not sure what the point of having Bella put over a veteran star like Asuka is, but hey.
Winner: Asuka by submission
The Judgment Day celebrates Raquel’s win, but the mood changes when Dominik Mysterio arrives and faces questioning about his friendship with El Grande Americano. He says it’s a lucha thing that the others wouldn’t understand, and Roxanne volunteers to go talk to Dom after he storms out.
A frustrated Bella gets taunted by Asuka until someone steps in who can finally stop this: Rhea Ripley. Asuka looks like she wants to challenge both of them on behalf of herself and Sane, though it’s unclear by the end of their convo if that’s actually the case.
LA Knight vs. Bronson Reed
Parts of this show have been a commercial-filled slog, but we have arrived at the main event. The drama here should be whether one or both Usos get involved, as well as Breakker. We shall see, and at the very least Bron is on the outside supporting his … well, fellow Bron.
Reed barely needs any help as he is controlling the middle portion of the match, but Breakker also sneaks in and gives Knight the business with the ref otherwise occupied. The Megastar is able to rally when they fight goes to the timekeeper’s area, though his attempt at a jumping neckbreaker goes for naught.
Knight does better with a top rope elbow, yet Reed is able to kick out at two. Breakker ends up taking a shot from Knight when he hops on the apron, but the monetary lapse in concentration allows Reed to capitalize and hit the Jagged Edge for the win.
Winner: Bronson Reed by pinfall
We aren’t done yet, Milwaukee. The Brons try to press their attack on Knight after the bell, and even Jimmy Uso’s arrival isn’t enough to make a difference. How about Jey Uso, then? I’d say it’s time for a superkick party, except someone else has that trademarked I believe. The Vision starts to gain the upper hand until Knight returns with a steel chair, the ultimate equalizer. LA and Big Jim shake hands, but Jey, conveniently off camera, flattens Knight with a huge spear. Maybe Jey’s comments about not being himself were more than just frustration. See you next week, an hour earlier!
