WWE Raw 23rd of September 2024

Our WWE Raw results for tonight include the young upstart Bron Breakker defending the Intercontinental Championship against “Main Event” Jey Uso, Sami Zayn seeking revenge when he battles IMPERIUM’s Ludwig Kaiser. Drew McIntyre has words for CM Punk and the WWE Universe ahead of their clash at WWE Bad Blood. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from Ontario, CA, at Toyota Arena.

“Dirty” Dominik Mysterio and the Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan pull up in a low rider to the arena. As the duo walk into the arena, Braun Strowman and Bronson Reed channel the WWE Universe by fighting forever, continuing their battle from last week.
Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio are in the ring. Morgan explains to the crowd that what they just did was a victory lap. The WWE Universe has no idea what that is because they are all losers! The Liv Morgan revenge tour is in full effect. Morgan gloats about taking everything from Rhea Ripley. The Women’s World Title? Hers. The Judgement Day? Hers. And the most beautiful man in the world, Dominik Mysterio. The crowd boos. Rhea Ripley’s music hits.
Ripley walks to the ring and notes that she needs to tell Morgan something. Morgan has nothing to worry about because Ripley promises not to attack her. Dominik steps in front of Morgan. Ripley mocks Dominik for finally finding his balls but tells him to step off, or she will end him. Morgan notes that if Ripley cared half as much about Dominik as she does Damian Preist, Ripley wouldn’t have lost him.
Morgan tells Ripley she will beat her because she’s smarter than her. Ripley notes she’s fully cleared for Bad Blood. Since Dominik keeps sticking his nose in Women’s Championship business, Adam Pearce has decided Dominik will be hanging from a shark cage at Bad Blood. Morgan and Dominik are livid. Ripley vows to win back her championship. Ripley chuckles as she tells Morgan that she lied about what she said earlier. Morgan looks puzzled. Ripley obliterates Morgan with a headbutt.
Grade: B
This was a solid opening segment. From the chaos backstage between Bronson Reed and Braun Strowman to Rhea Ripley scrambling Liv Morgan’s omelet with a vicious headbutt, you can’t ask for more from the show’s start. It’s interesting that after a decade or so, we are finally getting a match in which Dominik Mysterio is suspended from the ring—look it up; that was one of the ideas before they landed on a ladder match for the custody of a pre-mullet Dominik Mysterio. Hopefully, Eddie Guerrero is somewhere smiling at the thought.

Sami Zayn vs. Ludwig Kaiser
This match starts hot, with Zayn forcing Kaiser into the corner and stomping a mud hole through him. Not shockingly, Kaiser rolls out of the ring to stop Zayn’s momentum. Zayn follows but gets sent into the ring steps. Kaiser works over Zayn. The fight spills out of the ring. Kaiser sends Zayn to the barricade. Zayn hops on the barricade for a moonsault, but Kaiser pushes him off the barricade into the timekeeper’s area. After the break, Zayn fires up and sends Kaiser into the corner with an exploder.
Kaiser avoids the Helluva Kick and sends Zayn into the ring steps. Zayn ends up sitting against the steps. Kaiser crushes Zayn with a running dropkick. Zayn is almost counted out. Kaiser gets caught trying to pin Zayn with his feet on the ropes. Kaiser argues with the referee. Zayn surprises Kaiser with another exploder in the corner. Kaiser counters the Helluva Kick with an enziguri. Zayn kicks out. Kaiser picks up Zayn. Zayn counters with a German suplex. Kaiser stumbles into the corner. Helluva Kick by Zayn. Zayn pins Kaiser.
Winner- Sami Zayn
After the match, Gunther storms down to the ring and grabs a mic. Gunther says Zayn has been begging for a title shot for weeks. After what Gunther just witnessed, here and now is the time and place to tell Zayn that the answer to his challenge… is no. Gunther laughs and walks away.
Grade: C
YIKES. It looks like Gunther is working to add the negging championship to his collection. Zayn needs to take a page out of Batista’s book and beat up Gunther’s mentor while screaming, “Give me what I want!” Anyone who thinks Gunther doesn’t have personality hasn’t been paying attention the past few months; with his brutal jabs at Zayn and Bret Hart, he’s becoming one of the most entertaining bad guys on the mic. Notice that most of that was about the promo after the match, not the match itself. The match was fine. Zayn and Kaiser always bring it, and that’s part of the problem.
If the story here is that Gunther doesn’t think Zayn is on his level, having Zayn struggle to beat Gunther’s underling just gives further credence to Gunther’s point. Kaiser is phenomenal, but this wasn’t the time to showcase him. This match needed to be quick, and it was NOT… don’t get me started on Zayn getting up from what should have been a hospitalization angle. Seriously, getting your head kicked into the ring steps should mean your night is over.

Backstage, Xavier Woods is pondering… something. Kofi Kingston walks in and tries to get Woods pumped about their 10th anniversary as a team in November. Kingston broke out their old Booty ‘Os cereal and Wood’s trombone. Woods says all that stuff was fine when they were on top. Kingston agrees and admits he’s been making bad choices the last few weeks.
Kingston tells Woods he calls the plays for the New Day moving forward. Woods is pleased. American Made interrupts, which leads to Woods challenging the Creeds to a tag team match. Woods and Kingston embrace. A guy holding a plate of pancakes walks up. Kingston tells him to go away before Woods turns around.
Grade: C+
The New Day hasn’t been more interesting since they started teasing tension between Woods and Kingston. NO ONE wants New Day to break up, but that doesn’t mean the dynamics can’t change. Familiarity breeds contempt, but with that, this segment was humming until American Made interrupted. This isn’t a knock on Gable, Nile, and the Creeds, but it’s hard to invest in this New Day storyline when the main antagonists have been The Final Testament and are now American Made.

Backstage, Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio complain to Raw GM about the shark cage at Bad Blood. Elsewhere, JD McDonagh gets into an argument with Ilja Dragunov.

Dragon Lee w/LWO vs. Carlito w/The Judgement Day
Lee immediately sends Carlito out of the ring with a dropkick. Lee lands a dive. Carlito cuts Lee off with a stiff clothesline. Lee sends Carlito into the corner. Basement dropkick by Lee. McDonaugh hops up on the apron. Dominik and McDonagh take out the LWO at ringside. As Dominik and McDonaugh celebrate, Rey Mysterio appears out of nowhere and takes Dominik out with a West Coast Pop or the barricade. Back in the ring, Lee hits the Destino for the win.
Winner- Dragon Lee
Grade C-
This match was short and to the point, and that’s part of the problem. Both factions have been at war for a month of Sundays, and Lee absolutely hates Carlito. Carlito stole Lee’s WrestleMania moment. Giving this match so little time and a rushed finish did a disservice to everyone involved. The extra time that went to Zayn vs. Kaiser should have been given to this match since this feud needs time and investment to get the WWE Universe to care beyond just being happy to cheer whenever Rey Mysterio breathes.

Bronson Reed vs. The Miz
As Reed approaches the ring, Braun Strowman leaps off the barricade (yes, you read that correctly) and clotheslines Reed. Strowman tosses Reed. Miz gets in Strowman’s face. Reed lands a dive, taking out both men. Security hits the ring to break this up. Reed flattens two security guards with a double Tsunami. Strowman chokeslams two security guards at once.
Reed and Strowman clothesline each other at the same time. More security hits the ring. Reed and Strowman clear them all. Reed goes up top. Strowman and Reed brawl. Strowman sets up a superplex. Security finally separates both men. Strowman dropkicks Reed out of the ring. Strowmans powerslams a few security guards. Strowman goes up top for a dive outside the ring. Reed smartly runs away.
No Contest
Grade: A
Say it with me now, big, meaty men, slapping meat! Big E. is somewhere, doing something weird, with a smile on his face. It was obvious that this match was just a setup to continue the chaos from earlier, and that’s ok. Seeing Reed vs. The Miz is irrelevant (sorry, Miz); the only thing that matters is finding as many ways as possible to have Reed and Strowman crash out as hard as possible. Strowman and Reed are the second coming of Peter and the Giant Chicken, and we are all better off because of it.

Drew McIntyre looks pensive as the crowd boos his presence. McIntyre noted CM Punk’s words last week. McIntyre keeps thinking about the look in Punk’s eyes. He can see that Punk meant every word he said last week. McIntyre says he’s always been honest, so allow him to continue to be so: McIntyre admits he doesn’t want to step inside Hell in a Cell again. Punk’s family has begged him not to have this match.
McIntyre’s family has done the same. McIntyre’s wife has begged him to get away from Punk. She can see how much this situation has changed her husband. McIntyre says it doesn’t matter what their families think. McIntyre promises to make Punk bleed. A lot. Punk has always seen himself as godlike, but he’s just a man. Punk is a man that McIntyre has broken in the past, and he will do it again at Hell in a Cell.
Grade: A
Another god-level promo from Drew McIntyre. Both McIntyre and CM Punk have worked magic on the mic, selling this feud while keeping the physicality to a minimum in recent weeks. It’s hard to understand how a feud primarily about a friendship bracelet is the hottest one in the company, but here we are. Considering the lengths both men have gone to get their hands on each other (Punk is still the reigning Hater of the Year by flying across the world to prove he’s the biggest hater), it’s totally plausible that these two may murder each other at Bad Blood.

Damage CTRL (Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane) vs. The Unholy Union (Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn)
Dawn takes control early, but Sky tags Sane, leading to a double team by Damage CTRL. Sane lands a flurry of offense, including a double spear in the corner. Sane can’t hold Dawn down after a diving elbow from Sane. Dawn stuns Sane’s previously injured eye on the top rope. Sky checks on Sane, but Fyre surprises her with a suicide dive. Sane manages to tag in Sky, who clears the ring. Sane lands an elbow out of the ring as Sky hits the Over the Moonsault for the win.
Winners- Damage CTRL
Grade: C+
This match was given more time than most women’s tag matches as of late. All four women have good chemistry, and there were a few fun spots (anything after Sky’s hot tag), but the crowd took a bit to get into this one. Once Sane tagged in Sky, the crowd woke up and was electric for the double dive finish. This match should put Damage CTRL in pole position for a tag title shot. At first glance, you wouldn’t think it, but Sky and Sane are probably the biggest threat to Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill’s tag titles. The experience advantage Damage CTRl has will come into play, just as it did last week when Sky pinned Belair.

Backstage, Adam Pearce announces Braun Strowman will face Bronson Reed in a Last Monster Standing Match.

Backstage, Sami Zayn gives Jey Uso a pep talk for his IC title match tonight.

The New Day vs. American Made w/Chad Gable and Ivy Nile
Both teams traded big shots. Brutus lights Woods up with chops. Woods gets angry and fires back. Woods hits a superplex on one side of the ring while Julius lands one on the other side of the ring. After a break, Julius and Brutus are working over Woods. Kingston gets a tag, but the referee doesn’t see it. As Kingston and the referee argue, Gable and Brutus attack Woods. Woods manages to tag in Kingston. Kingston clears the ring. Julius eats Trouble in Paradise. Woods sets up the Limit Break Elbow, but Gable gets on the apron. Woods loses it, pulls Gable into the ring, and unloads on him with an unicorn stomp. Julius attacks from behind. Brutus and Julius hit the Doomsday Brutus Ball for the win.
Winners- American Made
Grade: B-
The Creed wrestled this match in new gear, best described as Kurt Angle singlets from Temu. Anyway, this match was what you would expect. The New Day did New Day things (unicorn stomps and trust falls), and the Creeds did Creed things (tossing people all over the ring). It was a nice touch that they used what seemed to be a throwaway match to further Xavier Woods’ progression from your friendly neighborhood Spider-man to Black Suit Spider-man. If you know, you know.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Bron Breakker (c) vs. Jey Uso
Breakker overpowers Jey early. Jey sends Breakker of the ring. Breakker tries to take a moment, but Jey surprises him with a dive. After the break, Jey tries a leapfrog and gets caught with a Steiner Slam. Breakker works over Jey. Breakker and Jey take turns trying to suplex each other, and Breakker eventually splits the difference by dropping Jey on the top rope, gut first. Breakker focuses his attack on Jey’s mid-section, most likely setting up for the Spear.
Breakker does a few push-ups, a’la Big Poppa Pump. Jey clotheslines Breakker over the top. Jey tries a dive but gets caught. Breakker slams Jey’s head into the commentary desk. Diving apron clothesline by Breakker. After the break, Jey fires up. Jey goes up top. Breakker hops up top and hits the Breakkensteiner. Jey kicks out. After a strike exchange, Breakker hits his gorilla powerslam. Jey kicks out again. Breakker is visibly frustrated.
Jey rolls out of the ring. Breakker lands a Spear out on the floor. Breakker sets up the Super Spear. Jey counters with a Spear of his own! Uso Splash by Jey Breakker kicks out at 2.9! Breakker tosses Jey out of the ring. Breakker tries another Spear out on the floor. Jey counters with a superkick. Jey Spears Breakker through the barricade. Jey sends Breakker back into the ring and hits the Uso Splash for the win!
Winner and NEW Intercontinental Champion, Jey Uso!
Grade: B-
Jey Uso is clearly one of the most popular superstars on the WWE roster; there is no denying that. Popularity aside, it’s unclear if the right person won here. Breakker is still establishing himself as a Bad Ass, but losing as many matches as he has on the main roster doesn’t exactly back that up. When it comes to Jey, you could make a case that he should have beaten Roman Reigns when challenged for the WWE Championship. It wouldn’t be that strong, but you could make it. With the assumed Bloodline WarGames Match looming, it’s slightly bizarre to put a single title on Jey unless that comes into play in the build to that match.

WWE Raw Review
Grade: B-
This was an unbalanced episode of Raw. When it came to the matches, they were solid. The standout match being the main event Intercontinental Championship match. We are rarely given title changes on Raw, let alone one as shocking as this one. They get extra points for sending the crowd home happy tonight. Leading into Bad Blood, the strange decision was made to have the potential World Championship challenger (Sami Zayn) have an overly competitive match with Gunther’s right-hand lackey Ludwig Kaiser. Having a good match should never trump telling the best story.
The placement and finish of the Dragon Lee/Carlito match left a bit to be desired, as WWE is working hard to sweep what could be a fun feud as far under the rug as possible. In what seemed to be a shaky follow-up to the drama between Xavier Woods and Kofi, Kingston has pivoted to what seems like a soft-heel reboot for both men, which could be the spark they need to reinvigorate the team. When the New Day Rocks, so does the entire WWE. Next week’s show is the go-home edition of Raw before the Bad Blood PLE. Can we continue with a solid build to the show? We’ll find out next week at 8 PM EST on the USA Network!