WWE Raw 30th of September 2024

Our WWE Raw results for tonight include Bronson Reed colliding with Braun Strowman in a ‘Last Monster Standing’ match, Xavier Woods challenging the legendary Rey Mysterio, Zoey Stark vs. Lyria Valkyria, The LWO battles The Judgement Day in six-man tag team action! Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from Evansville, IL, at Ford Center.

Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore welcome the crowd to the show from the ring. Tessitore throws to a video package highlighting Jey Uso’s Intercontinental Championship victory last week on Raw.

In-Ring Segment: The New Intercontinental Champion Jey Uso
Jey talks to us as he walks through the corridor to enter the arena. Jey embraces his son before entering via the crowd. Before Jey can speak, the crowd drowns him out with “you deserve it” chants. Jey says he’s going to fight anyone who wants a shot. Jey does a call and responds, telling the crowd how much he loves them while they Yeet. The crowd continues their Yeeting while Jey notes that his family made it hard for him; Roman Reigns made it hard for him; his whole career, he was just a twin, and they didn’t know him.. but they know him now, YEET.
Jey says that he spoke to his mother before the title match, and she told him to show them who he is. Jey proclaims that he did it. Bron Breakker interupts. Breakker says he isn’t here to crash the party. He’s here because of the respect he has for that championship. After last week, Breakker respects Jey, too.
Breakker admits that the previous week, Jey was the better man. The crowd boos as Breakker tells Jey he’s not going to Spear him. Breakker wanted to be the first person to come here and congratulate Jey. Breakker offers Jey a handshake. Jey cautiously accepts. Breakker starts to leave. Jey tells Breakker that there are some dogs here. Breakker smiles and walks away.
Grade: C+
Jey lost himself a few times during this, which is understandable since he still feels the effects of his emotional title win. Considering the subject matter of his promo, that actually added to the emotional weight of the segment, whereas in other situations, it would completely tank the promo. With WarGames approaching, seeing how Jey gets back in The Bloodline’s crosshairs will be interesting. It’s inevitable, and it will likely lead to Jey losing the IC title. Breakker showed a shocking amount of restraint by not attacking Jey. Unless Breakker attacks Jey later, this writer has no idea what direction they are taking him.

Rey Mysterio vs. Xavier Woods
Mysterio takes control early on, sending Woods out of the ring with a rana. Mysterio dives off the apron and crashes into Woods with a seated senton. After the break, Mysterio continues working over Woods, landing another seated senton and a springboard crossbody. Woods ducks a 619 and tries a slam. Mysterio slips down into a Beast Choker. Woods frantically tries to escape. Woods … accidentally… pulls off Mysterio’s mask! Mysterio covers his face. Woods rolls up Mysterio for the win!
Winner- Xavier Woods
Grade: C
HA! Are we getting heel Xavier Woods? Is this going to lead to heel New Day??? This writer was ready to dump all over this match, but if you look at how we got to this match, the finish was perfect. The match is self was essentially just Mysterio’s greatest hits, which makes sense since the point here was to show Woods being outmatch and squeaking out a tainted victory. Mysterio has a gripe, Woods has plausible deniability, and everyone wins. Can’t wait to see what happens with this story next.

Lyria Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark w/Shayna Baszler and Sonya Deville
Valkyria starts hot with a flurry of offense, capped with a dropkick through the ropes. After the break, Stark is working over Valkyria. Valkyria fires up and sends Stark flying with a rana. Stark surprises Valkyria with a beautiful springboard dropkick. Valkyria counters the Z360. Deville and Baszler distract the referee while Valkyria has a pin. Deville blasts Valkyria with a running knee to the face. Stark lands the Z360 for the win. After the match, Pure Fusion Collective attacks Valkyria. Kayden Carter and Kitana Chance (wearing a protective face mask) hit the ring and make the save. Carter and Chance flatten Deville and Baszler with a Keg Stand.
Winner- Zoey Stark
Grade: C+
This was a fun match, a short TV match that ended in a brawl. Seeing Chance and Carter back on Raw is nice since the tag division seems only to have four teams.

Adam Pearce is in the ring, flanked by security. The Hell in a Cell lowers. Pearce notes that Drew McIntyre and CM Punk are not allowed to fight tonight, but he will give them a final chance to speak before the match.
Pearce asks if Punk or McIntyre has any last words. Punk shakes his head to say he’s all set. McIntyre notes he is wearing a black tux, not out of respect for Punk; he hates Punk, it’s out of respect for Punk’s wife. It’s a tux because, for him and the rest of the world, the end of Punk will be a celebration. Punk scowls at McIntyre. McIntyre says his hate will die with Punk at Hell in a Cell. McIntyre starts to leave. Pearce tosses Punk the mic.
Punk says people have called him many things over the years, including the ‘voice of the voiceless. Tonight, he’s voiceless. Punk is too filled with rage being this close to a piece of crap like McIntyre. Punk has so much rage he can’t see straight. It’s to the point where Punk has been living in a hotel for the past four weeks because he refuses to subject his wife to the man all of this has turned him into. Punk calls McIntyre an SOB and blames him for turning Punk into the fictitious boogieman that all of his harsh critics claim he is.
Punk will be the boogieman when he sends McIntyre back to Scotland in a box. McIntyre gets back in the ring. Punk says he’s going to beat McIntyre to the point where when McIntyre is crawling on his hands and knees at Bad Blood, Punk will wipe the blood off of McIntyre’s face so he can see. Punk wants McIntyre to see that he isn’t praying to god or the devil; he’s praying to CM Punk. McIntyre stares daggers through Punk. Punk tells McIntyre that he’ll see him in hell.
Grade: A
This writer has been watching professional wrestling for over 35 years and, for a split second tonight, allows himself to wonder: is someone actually going to get murdered in Hell in a Cell at Bad Blood? Punk literally looked like he was going to explode in rage at the mere sight of McIntyre. McIntyre and Punk are operating on a different level right now, and at this point, words can’t adequately describe how real all of this feels. It’s only September, but this is the feud of the year.

Backstage, Sami Zayn says Gunther saying he won’t give him a title match because he isn’t on Gunther’s level bothers him. Zayn says it doesn’t matter, he will achieve his goal and challenge Gunther for the World Championship.

The LWO vs. The Judgement Day
The LWO takes control early. Dragon Lee, Wilde, and Del Torro all land dives. McDonagh, Dominik, and Carlito take turns working over Wilde. Wilde manages to tag in Lee. Lee clears the ring. Lee stacks all three members of Judgement Day in the corner. Del Torro tags in and goes coast-to-coast with a dropkick. Liv Morgan distracts the referee. Finn Bálor appears out of nowhere and knocks Wilde off the top. McDonagh hits Devil Inside for the win.
Winners- The Judgement Day
Grade: B
As always, the LWO showed up and showed out during the time they were given. Wildes’ slingshot dives and Del Torro’s sandwich coast-to-coast dropkick were definite highlights of the match. The outcome of this match was never in any doubt (not a knock at the LWO). Storyline-wise, a loss here for Judgement Day wouldn’t have made any sense. This match gets an extra bump because it ended with JD McDonagh getting the pin with Devil Inside. I don’t make the rules.

Bálor notes that Damian Priest promised to rip out Bálor’s heart at Bad Blood. Bálor says he doesn’t have a heart. He’s going to destroy Priest at Bad Blood and prove that it was Priest who needed The Judgement Day. It was Priest who needed Bálor. Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan adds that she is going to continue to prove her dominance over Rhea Ripley at Bad Blood. Rhea Ripley interrupts. Ripley has the shark cage rolls out on the stage. Ripley tells us that she knows all of Dominik’s little secrets, including he is clostopobic.
Ripley exclaims that when Dominik is trapped in the shark cage at Bad Blood, Ripley is going to prove that Morgan can’t compare to her. Damian Priest hops the barricade and attacks everyone in the ring. Ripley drops Morgan with a headbutt. Ripley beats down Dominik. Morgan tries to make the save, but Ripley chases her off. Ripley tries to lock Dominik in the cage but Morgan attacks from behind. Back in the ring, Priest fights valiendtly but eventually falls victim to the numbers game. Bálor crushes Priest with multiple Coup de Gras.
Grade: B
Has there ever been this many deeply personal angles headed into a PLE? They didn’t belabor any point here. After a few very quick statements, we get the meat of the matter: Morgan and Bálor’s continued destruction of Ripley and Priest. Morgan and Dominik are so hateable even this writer would pay to see them finally get their tails kicked.

Kofi Kingston w/Xavier Woods vs. Chad Gable w/ American Made
Gable and Kingston trade takedowns and pin attempts. After a distraction, the fight spills out of the ring. Gable German suplexes Kingston out on the floor. After the break, Gable and Kingston rapidly trade pins again. Kingston tries a dive, but Gable awkwardly rolls Kingsont into an ankle lock. Kingston escapes and tries Trouble in Paradise. Gable reversed it into an ankle lock. Kingston escapes. As Kingston sets up Trouble in Paradise, Woods tries to trip Gable as he hits the ropes. Kingston misses. Gable takes advantage of the confusion and lands the Chaos Theory for the win.
Winner- Chad Gable
Grade: B
That German suplex on the floor by Gable was nasty. Gable and Kingston have good chemistry and had nicley paced match. The key thing here is the finish. Heel Woods was feeling himself a bit too much tonight after “accidentally” pulling off Mysterio’s mask and getting a shocking win. It’s still not clear which direction this Woods/Kingston thing will go, but the way its playing out, it’s hard not to be intrigued.

World Heavyweight Champion Gunther is in the ring. Gunther loves being champion but hates having to deal with Sami Zayn every week. Zayn interrupts and tells Gunther he can end all f this by just giving him the championship match he’s been asking for. Gunther tells Zayn he isn’t on his level. Zayn ask how he beat him at WrestleMania. Zayn tells Gunther he’s scared.
Gunther says Zayn is right. He is afraid, not Zayn of Zayn, but of his legacy. Losing to a better man would be one thing, losing to Zayn is a stain on his legacy. Gunther’s family was at WrestleMania, too. He just didn’t parade them around like Zayn did for sympathy. Gunther had to explain to his father why he lost to a bum like Zayn.
Gunther proclaims he is special and something Zayn will never be: the world heavyweight champion. Zayn tells Gunther that he’s showing is dad that he is also a coward. Gunther clocks Zayn. Zayn fires back and lands an exploder in the corner. Gunther reverses the Helluva Kick with a sleeper. Gunther transition into a powerbomb. Gunther grabs a mic and tells Zayn he’s got his match.
Grade: B+
Again, anyone who says Gunther doesn’t have charisma, you need your eyes and ears checked. Gunther is as vicious on the mic as he is in the ring. Gunther broke Zayn down mentally, then physically. Zayn cuts a hell of a underdog promo. He’s essentially WWE’s version of Optimus Prime; when he gives a speech it’s hard not to be ready to defend the earth against the Decepticons.

Awesome Truth vs. The Authors of Pain w/the Final Testament
Truth works most of the match, until he tags in Miz. Miz turns around and lightly boots Truth in the face. Miz walks away while ripping off his Awesome Truth shirt. Akam and Rezar hit their finish on Truth for the win.
Winners- The Authors of Pain
Grade: C-
It’s great seeing R-Truth back in the ring… but this wasn’t it. Truth worked hard for the few minutes they were given and the crowd was into it, but Miz’s turn didn’t hit like you would think. It wasn’t a matter of it being telegrphed (it was), but Miz’s kick to Truth barely grazed him. It’s hard for a turn to have impact if it doesn’t… well have impact. Shoutout to Karion Kross who was losing his mind at ringside when Miz hit Truth. Someone should make that a gif ASAP.

Last Monster Standing: Bronson Reed vs. Bron Strowman
Strowman clotheslines Reed before the bell rings. Reed catches Strowman w. tha crossbody. The fight spills out of the ring. Reed charges in, but Strowman moves and Reed eats the steps. Strowman hits Reed with the steps, repeatedly. Strowman takes Reed up the steps and chokeslams him through the commentary desk. Reed breaks the count. After the break, Reed lands a DVD off a road case through a few tables.
Both men get to their feet. Reed sends Strowman through the barricade, which sandwiches a bunch of fans. The referee and officials try to fix the barricade. Back in the ring, Reed lands a Tsunami. Reed goes back up and lands another. Reed yells fo the referee to get back in the ring. The referee is distracted. Reed rolls out and attacks the security at ringside. Reed pushes the referee. Raw GM Adam Pearce gets in Reed’s face. Reed grabs Pearce by the shirt.
Everyone swarms and tries to pull Reed off of Pearce. While everyone is tied up at ringside, Strowman dives off the top and lands a splash on everyone. Strowman goes up top. Reed cuts Strowman off with a flying chair to the head. Reed hits a superplex that collapses the ring. Strowman and Reed both start to stir. Seth Rollins runs down to ringside as Reed is using the ringsteps to try to get to his feet. Rollins lands a Stomp on the step to Reed. Strowman gets to his feet as the referee gets to the 10-count.
Winner- Braun Strowman
Grade: B+
Are you not sports entertained? This match was a live action version of Rampage… wait, are you all old enough to remember that one? Arcade game with big monster destroying stuff? How about the awful movie starring The Rock? Actually, forget I mentioned that and don’t look it up. Reed and Strowman destroyed everything they came in contact with. This was a live action demolition derby. We knew this was heading to Rollins vs. Reed, but I think I speak for everyone when I say we need ONE more match between Reed and Strowman.

Review:
This was a solid go-home edition of Raw heading into the aptly named Bad Blood PLE. There was a good amount of solid in-ring action, with the highlight surprisingly being the Last Monster Standing Match between Bron Strowman. That match featured more collateral damage than an Avengers movie. You can’t talk about tonight’s Raw and not mention Intercontinental Champion Jey Uso. Is there a more over person on Monday Night Raw than Jey? The crowds eat up every YEET. There was a bit of backlash last week on the web over Jey’s win. If the reaction of the crowd last week and this week is any measure, it further proves that social media isn’t a real place.
Anyone worried about the former champion Bron Breakker needs to take a seat and realize Breakker will be fine. Breakker has a long future of championships in his future. Also, there is a strong possibility this reign will be shorter than Zelina Vega’s in flats. Tonight’s show gave all of the Bad Blood angles space to breathe and build even more anticipation for this weekend’s show. Can SmackDown build on the momentum created tonight? Will there actually be a murder at Bad Blood? Tell us what you think in the comments!
Rating: B-

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— JJA Sport Studio (@jjasportstudio) October 1, 2024