wrestling / TV Reports
Acero’s WWE RAW Review 6.19.23
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...I dunno WHAT was goin on with Xfinity last week, but the entire show was without audio, and I had to find some creative ways that I cannot share to get audio on my phone whilst watching the show live on my iPad and finally recapping on my Mac. Thankfully, we got sound today.
Let’s go!
As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.
Seth Freakin Rollins is here to start the show!!
He soaks in the song of his people, then…
GETS ATTACKED FROM BEHIND BY FINN BALOR!! They tussle outside! Finn gets him on the announce desk then whips him into the ringpost. Finn mounts with some right hands. Refs and agents come to hold back our Lucky Charm man. Hey Jason Jordan, whats’ up, man! Finn escapes them, runs up the steps, and hops off with a stomp to the chest of Seth! Another one off the table!!! Deeeyum, Finn. You mad, bro?
Refs and agents walk Finn to the ramp, and FINN RUNS AROUND THE RING ONTO THE STEPS AND ONTO SETH FOR ANOTHER COUP DE GRACE!!!!!
We return from break and get a recap of what just happened. You know, in case you missed it.
Seth is walking backstage with Adam Pearce. Pearce is holding his title and Seth is grabbing at his waist. From behind, Finn comes flying with a forearm to the back. He sends Seth flying over some gear, then puts his boot to Seth’s neck. He grabs the title, says he’s been waiting for seven years for it, and it’s coming to him at MitB. Pearce yells at Finn that he has done enough, and we head to commentary.
The Miz is already in the ring, unbeknownst to us TV Viewers. He has an issue with Seth. He was going to accept the opene challenge and become champion, but now he cant. He is a God in this hellhole, and he was going to give Cleveland an opportunity to give them a champion worth having, so he will issue his own open challenge so this crowd of losers can have someone to be proud of.
Tommaso Ciampa is here!!!! Nice swerve, as I assumed Logan was coming out.
Ciampa smiles at Miz, tells him it’s been a long time! He enters the ring and decks Miz in the chin! Miz is shocked! Utterly shocked! He asks for a bell to be rang.
The Miz vs Tommaso Ciampa
Ciampa stomps Miz in the corner then sends him outside. He grabs the table top and drops Miz on it. You hear Ciampa say, “Not one text message,” then he tosses Miz into the ring. Clothesline to The Miz. Ciampa exposes his knee, runs for a knee to the face, but Miz duks and hits a DDT! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Miz mounts Ciampa and hits a few rights, then pulls him up for a boot to the face. Miz lifts Ciampa up by the chin. Right hand from Miz, Ciampa hits the ropes, a kick from Miz drops Ciampa down hard. Miz corners Ciampa then hits some kicks in the corner. Miz chops, it’s blocked. Right hand from Ciampa. Another, chop to the chest, another chop, whip to the corner, reversed, Miz with the running clothesline.
Miz to the top, he flies. DROPKICK TO THE CHIN!!! Ciampa grabs Miz, double underhook, FAIRY TALE ENDING! Cover for 1..2…3!!!
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa
Yay! Ciampa is back! Let’s get him away from The Miz quickly, though.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 4:16
The Judgment Day is out to have a little chat, but they’ll have to wait as we hear some words from some sponsors.
When we return, Finn Balor is in full scowl. He says, Seth’s little open challenge is cancelled because of him. Finn is the only one who will take that title away from Seth. As for us lot, the ones who like singing his song so much, we’ll all be singing it at Seth’s funeral.
Rhea Ripley tells us all to sit down, shut up, and respect our Mami. At MitB, the WWE Universe will be bowing at their feet. Finn Balor will bring the title home to The Judgment Day, and she’s got the Women’s Division on lockdown as the most dominant. Priest will win the MitB briefcase.
Lol. Dom can’t even get a word out.
MitB Qualifying Match
Katana Chance and Kayden Carter vs Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green
Deville and Chance to start, and Sonya just kicks her in the face. She corners Chance and tags in Chelsea. Chance with a rana off the back of Carter. Tag to Carter. Whip to Green INTO Sonya. Carter with a dropkick/splash combo then a tag to Chance. They double team Sonya and Chance covers for 1.2..NO!!!! Clothesline in the corner.
Tag from Katana. Tag back to Chance. Neckbreaker and Chance hits a 450. Cover for 1….2….3!!!
Winners: Katana Chance and Kayden Carter
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: 2:02
Ladies and gentlemen…welcome Cody Rhodes.
He comes out to meet Cathy on the side of the ramp. Cleveland loves him, and he loves them. He has a match with Judgment Day tonight, and his partners are not yet known.
Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander vs Indus Sher
Shelton starts with a dropkick to the apron, and Cedric is with Veer. He drops sloppily, Cedric dropkicks the knee. Shelton with another knee to Sanga. Sanga falls and Cedric exits and gets lifted onto the barricade.
In the ring, Shelton gets attacked in the throat. Veer tags in his partner, and they double team Shelton with a huge boot to the ribs.
Kick from Sanga. Veer gets a tag. He flies off with an elbow. Cover for 1.2…3!!!
Winner: Indus Sher
Another squash…?
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: 2:20
Logan Paul is here, sitting atop a ladder, and his hometown loves him! He is entering the Money in the Bank match, and he is going to win the briefcase, and he is taking the title.
Out comes Ricochet with a mic. Uh oh. Ricochet wants to congratulate him for not earning his spot. He understands the media presence that Paul has, but understand that everyone in this arena knows that the moment they had went viral. Ricochet is walking out the winner.
Shinsuke is out next! He hardly gets a word out before LA Knight comes out followed by Santos Escobar. Up next is BUTCH who has no words, and just goes straight for Logan. He punches him, then everyone gets into it. Logan is left standing atll. He grabs a ladder and sets it up in the middle of the ring. He grabs the briefcase with a smile.
Matt Riddle vs Ludwig Kaiser
LOCKUP! Riddle gets backed inot the corner. Ref stops the hold, Riddle slinks under and kicks once, twice, Ludwig catches a third, but Riddle rolls into an ankle lock. Kaiser grabs the roeps, ducks under a eight, right hand from Riddle out of the corner. Right from Kaiser, slapping the ear. Ouch. Kaiser sends Riddle into the top buckle, again. He hangs Riddle upside down in the ropes then hits the ropes and a dropkick to the chest of the prone Riddle. Riddle with a right forearm, Kaiser hits his own. They go back and forth. Kick from Kaiser, drops an elbow, gutwrench suplex from Riddle. He holds on, another over the head toss. Broton! Riddle to the apron, Ludwig outside. Riddle with a punt kick to the arm! Gunther distracts and Ludwig clips the knee. Suplex off the apron to the mat by Kaiser.
WE ARE BACK from the break, and both men are on the top buckle. Riddle with a Fisherman’s Superplex off the top! Back and forth rights in the center. Riddle kicks Kaiser to the ropes, pele kick from Riddle. He kips up, elbow in the corner, another. Suplex out the corner! Hits the ropes, misses a kick, moonsault, lands on his feet, tries again, but Kaiser has the knees up. Riddle locks the head and takes Kaiser over the top rope to the outside! Riddle with a Floating Bro off the springboard! He sends kaiser into the ring, locks the head, hooks the leg, suplex! Cover! Hooks the leg with his leg. 1..2….NO!!! Riddle lifts Kaiser to his shoulders, Kaiser floats off, hits an uppercut. Enziguri. Locks the head. Riddle escapes, kicks the back of the head, Kaiser off the ropes, high knee from Riddle, springboard into a…I’m not sure. Kaiser drops Riddle on his head then covers for 1..2..NO!!!! Chop in the corner, high kick, double underhook from Kaiser. Suplex! Kaiser to the top rope, he flies,
INTO THE ARMS OF RIDDLE AND HE HITS A GERMAN!!!!! Bro Derek! Cover! 1…2….3!!!!
Winner: Matt Riddle
Riddle is a joy to watch, and Kiser held up his own end well.
Total Rating: ***
Match Time: 9:16
Gunther tries for a sneak attack, but Riddle is ready. He hits some kicks, but Gunther drops him. Kaiser attacks Riddle, mounting and hitting a bunch of righs, then locking his arms up, allowing Gunther to drop a knee to the inside of the ankle.
Matt Riddle is being helped backstage by producers.
We head over to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn who are interrupted by Ludwig Kaiser and Gunther. Ludwig wonders if they saw what happened to Riddle, because that will happen to them soon. Sami has something on his phone they need to take care of. KO agrees, and they head out of frame.
To the ring and The Alpha Academy are making their entrance.
Earlier today, Gable showed Maxxine how to properly suplex someone. Cute.
The Alpha Academy vs The Viking Raiders
Erik and Gable to start. They tango a bit then the big men want in. Tag to Otis off the tag from Ivar. The big guys go at it, Otis blocks a right, to the ropes, tackle from Otis sends Ivar flying. Splash in the corner. Ivar drops, Otis is about to wiggle, but Erik is on the apron. Otis with aclothesline, ivar up, he hits a spinning leg lariat. Tag to Erik. Erik backs Otis in the corner. Tag to Ivar, who comes in with a righthand. He locks the head of Otis, preventing a tag. Otis backs him up into the corner step by step, but Ivar hits a knee to stop him, then a right to the back. He lfits Otis, hooks t he head, but Otis with a surprise suplex! Tag to Erik. Tag to Gable! Uppercut, kick, rolling neckbreaker, all from Gable. In comes Ivar, and Gable almost suplexes him, but Ivar drops him, so Gable hit a clothesline instead. Capture exploder to Erk! Gable drops the straps! Gable to te top rope! MOONSAULT!!!! Gable sends Erik into the ring, heads to the top rope, he flies! HEADUBTT to Erik! Cover for 1.2…NO!!! Valhalla on the apron to distract.
Here comes Maxxine! She hits a suplex! Gable is so proud! Otis is happy! But Erik hits a sick ass knee to the back of the head of Gable and covers for 1.2…3!!!!
Winners: The Viking Raiders
Gable is a gem.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 4:08
The Judgment Day talk about whether they are cool or not. Finn and Priest say they have issues with each other to work out, but the team is still intact. Rhea says she has some shit to handle in the ring.
At Gorilla, Natalya is asked how she has prepared for tonight. Natalya says she is just trying to figure out where she fits in all of this. Tonight is a second chance to prove that she belongs.
The bell hasn’t even rang yet, but Rhea attacks Natalya while she stands on the apron. She rolls out and tosses Natalya against the barricade back first then into the steps. Rhea lifts Nattie, headbutts her, then tosses Natalya int othe ring.
The ref calls for some help as Rhea hits Rip Tide to Natalya.
Backstage, Raquel Rodriguez says what she just saw is not ok. She will win the briefcase, and after that she will show Rhea what’s up.
Here comes Rhea into Gorilla to question Raquel, but Rodriguez doesn’t back down and tells Rhea she better hope she doesn’t win the briefcase.
Backstage, Akira Tozawa tells Cody Rhodes if he is looking for a partner, he is Cody’s man.
Here come KO and Sami. Sami got the text. He says he’s got them. Cody then says Tozawa just offered. KO says they’re too late?!! He’s just wanted to punch someone! Lol.
Cody says he couldn’t ask for better partners. It’s set.
Poor Tozawa.
MitB Qualifying Match
Trish Stratus vs Raquel Rodriguez
Trish with the rights, beating Raquel down on her back. A Kick rises her face and she is angry. She catches Trish, preventing a Thesz Press, then just rag dolls Trish and slams her down. Raquel with a slam. Another slam near the corner. Raquel locks the waist. Right elbow from trish, then a slap. Rodriguez, again, is angry. She corners Trish with a shoulder. Hits a few more shoulders. Whip to the corner, Raquel tries for another shoulder. Trish moves. She hits the top rope, tornado DDT to Raquel! Cover for 1..2.NO!!!! Another cover for 1..2.NO!!!! trish slams her head down, then runs with a kick to the face. Trish chokes up Raquel in the corner, lifting from an elevated positon. Raquel walks with her a bit then baks into the corner. She misses a kick, Trish with a shoulder. Right hand! Trish mounts! Trish rolls up out of the corner for 1..2.NO!!! Trish with a Camel Clutch!!! She hooks the lips. Raquel stands and hits a side slam. SNAKE EYES! Raquel miss aes a right, but hits a hard left! She lfits Trish, Fallaway Slam! Trish rolls to the outside. Raquel heads out, sends Trish in, Zoey trips her on the apron! Trish sends her shoulder first into the post and covers for 1..2.NO!!!
HERE COMES BECKY!!! She attacks Zoey! Sends her into the barricade. Trish is outside and Becky sends her into the barricade as well! This causes the DQ, and Trish is officially in the Money in t he Bank Match!
Winner: Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus. In a Money in the Bank Ladder Match. In 2023. Wow. Sign me up.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 5:56
Bron Breakker is backstage. He says Seth will use what happened tonight as some sort of excuse. Seth talks a big game, being a workhorse and all that .He’s been waiting for this opportunity, and if you think what Finn did was bad, you have not seein anything yet. He’s going to hurt Seth really bad. He says to get used to his face, because he’s becoming the new champ.
Backstage, Byron runs up on Becky Lynch to ask what happened. Becky says she screwed herself..or did she? Now she gets a match with Trish and ladders. She is not friends with anyone during this match, so either she overcomes this giant mountain she has created, or she goes down in a blaze of glory, and take Trish and Zoey with her.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Bronson Reed
Shin corners Reed, hits him with a bunch of kicks. He tries for a snapmare, doesn’t get it, hits a knee, gets the snapmare. Knee drop and a cover for 1.NO! Knees from Sinsuke. He hits the ropes, POUNCE FROM REED! Elbow drop! Cover! 1..2NO!!! Shinsuke stands up fighting but Reed chops him down! Headbutt to the back of the head. Enziguri from Shin. He runs to the corner, sets Reed up, runs for the sliding German and hits it!
Here’s Ricochet to interrupt. Shin gets upset, then turns his attention back towards the match.
We are back and Reed gets a cover on Shinsuke that nearly ends it. Ricochet is watching at ringside. Reed wants to end it. He sends Shinsuke to the outside. He’s on the apron, and flies off of it with a battering ram of a shoulder. Reed sends Shin into the ring, then grabs Ricochet and sends him into the steps. Lol.
Reed rolls into the ring, Shin kicks him, ready to end it, but Ricochet is on the apron. Reed side steps, Nakamura hits Ricochet, and Reed flattens Shin! TSUNAMI! Cover! 1..2..3!!!
Winner: Bronson Reed
These two just have that chemistry that makes shit look good.
Total Rating: ***
Match Time: 8:31
Seth Rollins is in a medical room, says he doesn’t care what the doctors tell him. He doesn’t stop or make excuses, so Mr. Bad Ass Bron Breakker, he’ll be at NXT tomorrow, title on the line. As for Finn…there’s the guy that beat him seven years ago. Welcome back. Money in the Bank can’t come soon enough.
Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens vs The Judgment Day
Dom wants to start with Cody, so Dom tags him in. He gets some boos, then tags in Finn. Lockup. Side headlock from Finn. Cody shoves him to the ropes, tackle from Finn. Cover for 1.NO! Finn works the left arm, the damaged arm. Cody cartwheels out of it, works Finn’s arm, side headlock. Rope work and Finn gets caught on the shoulders. Cody drops to his knees, then locks the head. Finn corners him, hits some shoulders. Tag to Dom. Dom slaps the back of Cody like a little punk. Dom leaves the ring and scampers behind Rhea. Dom slides back in and tags in Priest. Tag to Sami.
Sami locks up as we get a DOMS A PU**Y chant. Lol. Nice.
Priest kicks Sami into the corner and stomps him out. Priest with a whip t othe corner, back elbow from Sami. Sami flies with an elbow to the forehead. Cvoer for 1. NO! Front face lock. Tag from Dom. Dom with a kick in the corner, right is blocked, Sami fights him into the center, kick from Dom. A right. Locks the head and calls for the Three Amigos. He doesn’t even get one as Sami hits his own. He grabs the head of Dom, whip to the ropes, reversed, kick from Sami. Rhea on the apron. Clothesline to Sami!
We are BACK and Priest hgas Sami hurting. KO wants to fight, so Priest hits him with a right hand. Sami is up in the corner, Priest splashes, misses, hits the post. Sami reaches for a tag. Priest tags in Dom. Dom stops the tag by clocking cody with a right and pulling Sami to the heel corner. Tag to Finn. Finn sends Smai into the coner. Chop. Whip to the corner. Chop! Whip again, this time Sami hits a clothesline! Crowd wants Owens bad! Sami with the tag!
Tag to Dom! KO with a chop, back fist, rights, knees, stomps over and over and over to Dom! KO gives Priest a receipt then chases Dom up the ramp. He sends Dom bak into the ring, KO follows, Dom misses a right, Superkick to Dom! CANNONBALL!!! Finn gets a tag. Slingblade drops KO! KO in the corner, SUPERKICK!!! TAG TO RHODES! Tag to Priest! Rhodes with a fist to the head another, drop and an uppercut. He flies over Preist, powerslam! Disaster Kick! Cover! 1..2…NO!!!! Cody tries for a cutter, but Rhea is on the apron. Cody turns into a GOOZLE!! South of Heaven! Cover for 1..2….NO!!! Sami stops the pin! In comes Dom to attack! Dom sends Sami—no! Sami sends Dom to the apron! Huge right drops Dom into the arms of Rhea. Rhea to the apron. Sami is annoyed. Crowd wants Sami to hit her. Sami hits the ropes, Sami flies over the top rope AND Rhea onto Dom!
CODY CUTTER TO PRIEST! Cover! 1…2…NO!!!!! Finn pulls kEvin off the apron. They go at it till KO hits a knee, then sends Finn into the barricade chest first. Priest rolls Cody up for 1..2.NO!!! Hard right from Priest. Springboard, but Cody stops it! Cover for 1..2nO!! Dom flies in to attack and punch Cody’s head a few times. In comes Kevin to get sent right back out by Dom. Dom calls for 619, hits the ropes, but Sami is back in and hits a clothesline!
HELLUVA KICK TO DOM!!! STUNNER TO DOM!!! CROSS RHODES TO PRIEST! Cover! 1..2…3!!!
Winners: Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn
Yo, Sami is over like Rover, and people love to hate Dom. Great main event to an episode that took a bit to find its footing.
Total Rating: ***1/2
Match Time: 13:35
End Show
