Acero’s WWE RAW Review 6.12.23

Then.
Now.
Forever.
Whenever. Wherever. We’re meant to be together. I’ll be there and you’ll be near, and that’s the deal my d—

Oh…sorry.

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.

RAW! IS! RHEA!!!

We start with Rhea Ripley in the ring with Pearce to unveil her new title. Pearce is quick to leave Rhea and Dominik Mysterio in the ring alone. Dom pisses the crowd off long enough for the music of Cody Rhodes to hit, and here comes The American Nightmare.

Cody takes in the cheers then asks Kansas what they’d like to talk about. They could talk about this beautiful legacy Rhea is starting here wit this title. He respects her. But he wants to talk about last week, when Dom called him a bad father then cheap shotted him with a slap to the face.

Dom and Rhea both smile at this replay, but Cody is not too happy. He says he’d love to hear that Brock has the balls to face him again, but Dom just slapped him across the face and thought he’d get away with it? How about Dom vs Cody. Money in the Bank.

Dom tries to answer, but gets showered with boos. He says he is not afraid of anyone in the world. He took Cody Rhodes and embarrassed him in the middle of the ring, like he would anyone else. Cody feels he needs to make it a bit more clear – is what Dome saying yes or no?

Rhea holds Dom back, says he is more of a man than anyone in the arena, and certainly more than Cody.

The Miz tries to cheap shot Cody from behind, but Cody hits him with a right, and another sends Miz out of the ring. This distraction allows Dom to hit another surprise attack then leaves the ring.

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The Miz vs Cody Rhodes

We come to the match already goin down. Cody has Miz on the outside, and he hops to the top rope, but Miz circles the ring. Cody hits the ropes, suicde dive and Cody sends Miz into the ring. Miz kicks, Cody catches. Dragon screw to Miz! Stomps from Cody. Cody whips out of the corner, wraps the arm around the ropes then sends mIz into the opposte corner head first. Kick to te gut, stomps to the mid section. Coy rushes the orner, Miz lifts him to the apron, slides under the legs and sends Cody into the steps face first. Into the atble now, and Cody rolls into the ring. Miz follows. Kick to Cody. Miz with a right hand. Another right directly to the dome. Cody attacks the forehead. He tries to hit a shoulder in the corner, but Miz moves and Cody eats post. Miz sends Cody into the steps.

Cody goes for a sit down Rock Bottom type move. He hits the ropes. Right hand. Hops over Miz in the corner. Powerslam. Disaster Kick! Cover! 1..2..NO!!! We get a rollup for 1..2.NO!!! Miz with some kicks! Kick to the arm!

DDT FROM MIZ!!! Miz tries for Skull Crushing Finale, Cody escapes! Cody Cutter! Cody locks it up. CROSS RHODES!! Cover! 1….2….3!!!

Winner: Cody Rhodes
A nice win for Cody who will likely continue to pick them up until the inevitable Brock faceoff.
Total Rating: **1/2
Match Time: N/A

When we return, Becky Lynch vs Chelsea Green

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Becky Lynch has a few words before her match. She talks about doing a lot of things in her career, but she has never won the briefcase. She has a good feeling about this year, though. Winning the briefcase will cause fear, and when people get scared, people do dangerous things.

Zoey Stark has heard enough. She says with all the things Becky has accomplished, the one thing she’ll never get to do is beat Trish Stratus, and she can add on not being able to beat Zoey Stark.

Becky says she has failed many times, but she has learned from every single one of them. This is what makes her great. Speaking of learning, we don’t know much about Zoey. Becky knows she is special in this ring, Zoey is built like a pitbull, but she lacks a personality.

Zoey wonders if Becky owns a mirror. Becky became relevant off of someone breaking her face. Now she’s trying to hold onto that fame. Off of that, she’s holding on to Trish. At MitB, she will break Becky’s face again, and make her famous.

Becky offers a fight right now, but Chelsea Green is here with her buddy Sonya Deville.

Green says she is so sorry to interrupt, but it’s time to address the disrespect from last week. Green was attacked unprovoked, and the only reason Becky won is because Sonya was tending to Chelsea.

Becky tells Green to get in,

Becky Lynch vs Chelsea Green

We get just a little back and forth before the break and come back to Green in control. She has a cravat on Becky from behind while Zoey watches at the top of the ramp, atop a ladder. Becky rolls Green away, then hits a right to the face, a spinning kick is stopped and Green sends Becky down face first. Green kicks Becky’s face into the bottom buckle. Becky is up, is able to whip Green to the corner, gets tossed to the apron. Becky to the top. Green follows. Attacks the back, but Becky knocks her off the corner. Becky flies with a dropkick. Green to the outside, Becky follows, sends her into the barricade, back into the ring, enziguri from Green.

Green spins, Becky shoves her, locks up for a Manhandle Slam, but Green turns that into a rollup for 1..2.NO!!!! Becky with a disarmer, and Green taps!

Winner: Becky Lynch
A nice little sprint. Obviously, the commercial pretty much cut this thing in half, but similar to Cody, just another win for Becky to get her to where she’s going.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 7:02

Remember last week when Seth faced Priest? Well boy do we got a video package for you.

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Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Matt Riddle vs Damien Priest

Priest with the rights to the back of Matt. He kicks, kicks again, and Riddle gets an Ankle Lock in. Priest to the ropes. Matt breaks the hold, He hops onto Priest and grabs the arm, but Priest is scrong. He tries for a suple, Matt slinks on his back with a sleeper. Priest backs him into the corner. Priest sends Riddle into the corner hard, Riddle with a right, another, a slap, whip is stopped and Priest misses a right, another, kick to the chest from Riddle. Riddle kips up. Right to the face. Priest spins and misses a kick, Riddle hits his own. Priest with a right, blocked. Riddle hits his own. Priest tries for a right, Riddle holds the ropes, Priest flies to the outside. Riddle tries for a punt kick, but Priest grabs the foot and swings Riddle into the apron fce first. Priest rushes and Riddle sends him flying onto the announce booth. Riddle send Priest int othe ring. He rolls in and rushes the corner. Splash in the corner, right hand to Priest, another. A third! High kick, but Priest catrches him! Flatliner from Priest! Priest fights riddle down in the corner until the ref holds him back. Riddle fights into the clutches of Priest, and Priest drops him onto the knees. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Priest drives the knee into the back and pulls the arms back. Riddle monkey flips Priest off of him then locks the legs for a pin and gets 1..2..NO!!!! Riddle kicks! Priest punches and misses, Riddle kicks, right hand, left, kick to the ropes, Priest comes back. Pele kick to Priest! Capture suplex! Running senton! Priest to the outside. Riddle to the top rope, to the paron, running kick! Floating Bro! Nearly misses! Riddle sends Priest into the ring, follows, goes for a piledriver, but Priest reverses. Riddle with a waistlock. GERMAN! PIN! 1..2…NO!!!Right hand from Riddle. Priest gives one of his own. Riddle with some slaps. Punch to the chest, blocks a right, tries for a pele kick, Priest grabs his foot and stands Riddle up then hits a right, another, cocks it, blocked by a knee! Riddle locks up, but Priest is able to reverse it into a Broken Arrow toss!

Back from a break and Priest is on his back, kicking high towards Riddle. Priest stands, Riddle hops on the back! Sleeper! PRIEST TO his feet! He falls back onto Riddle! Riddle releases, then holds right back on again! Priest stands! Riddle hits the ropes, huge lariat from Priest! Riddle to the ropes, Priest is there. Riddle with a triangle!!! He breaks it at 4. Riddle tries to springboard, but Priest punches him! He grabs the head of Riddle and slams him down hard into the ring! Cover for 1..2.NO!!! Riddle to the top rope! Priest clubs the back! Priest locks the arms for a Razor’s Edge OFF THE TOP! But idlee flips over the back onto the mat. Priest kicks him! Riddle climbs up! Locks the leg! SUPLEX OFF THE TOP! Cover for 1.2…N!O!!

Priest gets Riddle off the rebound from the ropes with a quick Razor’s Edge and a pin! 1…2…3!!!

Winner: Damien Priest
Potential threesome jokes aside, these two have amazing chemistry. They were given time and in a rare feat, a commercial break did not hurt them. Solid outing.
Total Rating: ***1/2
Match Time: 14:22

Priest is given no time to celebrate, because Imperium is here. Gunther side steps Priest and enters the ring to attack Riddle. The rest of Imperium help with the attack. Gunther with a huge chop to the chest.

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After a recap of what happened an hour ago, Cody Rhodes is backstage to talk to Cathy about Dominik. Cody talks about Rhea speaking on Dom’s behalf. The Judgment Day has been gassing up Dom, but Dom is going to get hurt. He has a problem. Brock wont show up, Dom won’t go away. He is not naïve, the day he lost in April. Every eye on him. Will he quit, walk away? He loses his mind when we lose our mind, singing his song, because every second on this path to finishing this story, so Brock, Dominik, they will not knock him off the path. Good luck, Dom Dom.

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We return to the show with Byron backstage standing by with Natalya who claims she may never be the same.

In come infinitely more interesting Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens to talk about the tough loss against Gunther. Kevin says it was tough, because he was *this close* but its ok, because they get some payback.

Here comes Ludwig Kaiser and Gunther who says payback is what happened to Riddle, and if he recalls, KO lost against Gunther already. Sami says they cant brag, because it took three of them. Speaking of Riddle, didn’t he take out one of their guys? Wheres baldy?

Here comes Pearce to ask what the problem is. Gunther calls Sami overconfident and asks for a title shot. KO goes postal, then says he’s down.

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Indus Sher gets some promo time in the back to offer a proper match against Shelton and Cedric. Ok.

Ricochet vs Bronson Reed

Ric with a kick, Reed with the Goozle! Ric breaks it, chops Reed. Reed grabs Ric by the head and tosses him in the corner, then stuffs him with a hard as fuck right. Like I legit think he knocked Ricochet out for a bit. Lol.

Here is Shinsuke walking down the ramp. Ricochet is still alive, gits the ropes, a right to Reed. Another. He locks the head for a choke, but Reed lifts him for a suplex and drops him on the top rope. Reed flips Ricoxhet off the top rope with momentum. POUNCE to Ricochet! He stares Shinsuke down as we go to break.

WE ARE BACK and Ricochet dropkicks Reed to the outside. He then flies with a suicide dive, sending Reed into the table. Reed rolls into the ring on his own. Ricochet to the top. Springboard crossbody, then a moonsault off the ropes! Cover for 1….NO!!! Reed is on the apron. Hits a back elbow. Ricochet with. Kick off the corner. He moonsaults off the apron into the clutches of Reed who just tosses Ricochet directly into Shinsuke!

Shinsuke int having it and he heads into the ring to attack Reed!!!

Winner: Bronson Reed via DQ
Always fun to see a little man bounce off a big man like nothing.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 7:29

Bronson Reed is shown smiling while Ricochet gets mad at shinuske for interrupting. He hits a pounce, hitting both men, then drags Shinuske oer to the corner. Reed tote top rope, but here comes Ricochet to hit him with a high kick. Reed pushes him away, so Shinsuke runs up and hits him with a kick then some rights. He hooks the leg. Here comes Ricochet to help. They grab Reed, and we get a suplex off the top to Reed!!!

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We got Finn Balor who has some words for Seth. He knows Seth is here. They need to talk. No jokes, zingers, or sing-alongs. Just facts. So get out ohere.

And out Seth Rollins comes.

The crowd is loud and proud tonight, singing it long and hard.

Finn has been waiting seven years to say this, and he’s not waiting another second. Seven years ago, Finn was a first round draft pick. He beat Reigns on his first night. Three weeks later, he beat Seth to become the first ever Universal Champion.

Seth smiles as the crowd continues to sing.

Finn calls this serious, says what should haave been the highest of high for him became the lowest of lows because of Seth. Torn bicep, torn pec, fractured eye socket. He’s not mad about the injury, this is a tough business. Seth took everything from Finn. Took his momentum, took years off his career, took it all. But guess what…it’s his turn to take it all away from Seth. He is going to take his momentum, his title, and years off his career at Money in the Bank.

Seth laughs this off loudly as the crowd STILL sings.

Seth is laughing because this is the Finn he’s been waiting to see for the past seven years. The first title match, Brooklyn, Seth vs Finn, sent them on career trajectories that were different, and why? Because one of them got bitter and the other got better. Seth has done some bad things over the past seven years, but he’s also made memories, history, and moments that we people will never forget. He did this because he changed, adapted, rolled with punches, got better every day and now he is the greatest version of Seth Freakin Rollins. Want the proof? It’s right here, this belt, and if Finn wants a shot at it, he’s on. He is curious, though…what version of Finn Balor will fight for this title, because this bitter shell of a champion doesn’t stand a chance. But the Finn Balor that beat Seth to become the first ever Universal Champion, with his arm hanging off his body – he’s got a shot. So will he bring that Finn to MitB, or the guy who has been acting like a little bitch the past seven years?

Seth drops his mic and heads out to the tune of his music.

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Raquel Rodriguez vs Shayna Baszler

Rodriguez starts with the power, hitting a fallaway slam. She tries for a bomb in the corner but Shayna slinks out of the ring. Raquel sends her backin, misses a boot, gets kicked in te leg from behind. Shayna works the same leg, driving a knee into the inner thigh. Rodriguez breaks out, hita a clothealine, but there’s quite a bit of dmage to the leg. That is, until Rodriguez has to kick Shayna a few times. She steps on the stomach of Shayna then goes to the top rope and drops an elbow. She grabs the head, sets up for a lift, but Ronda is on the apron.

Rodriguez lifts Ronda up, here comes Shayna to roll her up, and Ronda puts a boot to the ass to help secure the pin at 1..2…3!!!

Winner: Shayna Baszler
Lol.
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: 1:49

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Video package for The Iron Sheik

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Chad Gable is out and Maxxine has some new gear.

Erik vs Chad Gable

A shoosh to start. Arm drag from Gable into a whip that is reversed. Hard right from Erik. Knee to Gable, right to the face. H sits Gable on the top rope. Erik climbs, Gable with a right, throat thrust. Gable flies with a headbutt that appears to hurt both him and Erik.

On the outside, Valhalla runs towards Maxxine only for Maxxine to hit her with an arm drag!

IN the ring, Gable rolls up Erik for a 1..2…3!!!

Winner: Chad Gable
Welp…
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: 1:42

After a Rhea Ripley video package, we see Finn Balor talking to JD McDonagh. He gives him some advice about friendship when Damien Priest comes in. Finn congratulates him, and Priest does the same for Finn. Finn wonders if Priest would cash in on him after Money in the Bank, and Priest says he wouldn’t lie to Finn like he lied to Priest. He warns Finn to finish the job at MitB, because Seth is in his head, and it’s causing issues for the group.

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Before the main event, Seth Rollins talks to Cathy about his match with Finn. He says he’s feelin spry and like we need to blow the whole thing up. Next week, let’s do an open challenge.

Also, totally unrelated, Logan Paul returns.

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser vs Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn

Sami and Gunther to start. Lockup! Gunther backs Sami into the corner, tries for a big chop, but Sami ducks under and hits a few of his own. Gunther shoves Sami in the face, uppercut from Gunther. Side headlock takedown. Sami gets to his knees then his feet. Knee from Gunther. Right to Sami. Whip to the ropes, Sami holds the ropes and Gunther tumbles outside. Sami to the ropes, dives over the top onto Gunther!

We are back and Sami and Kaiser are goin at it. Sami hits a deep arm drag. Kaiser grabs the head and corners Sami then hits a right to the mid section. Whip is reversed, Sami rushes the corner, Kaiser sits Sami up on the top, and high kicks. Sami blocks and drives an elbow to the forehead. Cover for 1…2..NO!!! Sami corners Kaiser, tag to KO. Drop toe hold from Sami, and KO hits a running senton. KO Stares at Gunther then stomps the chest of Kaiser. Moonsault. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! KO attacks the face, hits some elbows, whip is stopped, right hand from Kaiser. He hits the ropes, and KO hits him hard with a right. Running senton. Cover for 1..2.NO!! KO backs into the corner. Tag from Sami. Elbow to the back. He locks the head. Kaiser backs him into the corner and Gunther get a tag! Sami fights out of the corner. Whip to the ropes, Hops over Kaiser, sends him outside, and turns right into. Huge boot. Boot to KO! Splash from Gunther! Cover for 1..2.NO!!! Gunther lifts Sami in the corner and chops him hard. Another chop. Tag to Kaiser. Kaiser is in, stops a tag with a chin lock. Sami turns into the hold. Kaiser hangs Sami uside down in the ropes then dropkicks him out of the ring. Gunther grabs Sami and drops him back first onto the apron.

We are back just in time for the hot tag. KO and Gunther. KO hits a coltheline, but the big man doesnt go down. Another is met with a kick, but KO eats it and hits a clothesline then a senton to Gunther. He hits a side suplex that looked great, then waits oin the corner. Right hand to Kaiser on the apron, superkick to Gunther! Cannonball! KO to the top rope! SWANTON! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Kaiser with the distraction, again, so Gunther rolls K) up for 1..2.NO!!! KO tries for a stunner, Gunther pushes and hits a kick to the face! Tag to Kaiser. Tag to Sami! Exploder! Sami looking to end it, Gunther pulls him out, he runs back in, tries for a Blue Thunder but Kaiser with a death valley driver! Tag to Gunther! Runnning knee to Sami! Kaiser sends KO off the apron, Gunther with a powerbomb into an uppercut from Kaiser! Kaiser with a suicide dive! GUNTHER WITH A CLOTHESLINE! COVER! 1..2……NO!!! SO CLOSE! Gunther lifts Sami, hard right, a clothesline! Cover for 1..2…..NO!!!! Tag to Kaiser! Gunther gets Sami on his shoulders, Kaiser with an uppercut! Cover! 1.2….NO!!! KO in! He shoves Gunther into the pin! Gunther slides out of the ring. KO and him meet outside and they go back and forth! Gunther sends KO into the ringpost.

HERE COMES MATT RIDDLE!!! Agents are holding him back, Riddle tries to roll around them, but Gunther kicks him! DDT FROM OWENS TO GUNTHER!!

IN the ring, Sami ducks a clothesline. Blue Thunder Bomb! Cover! 1..2……3!!!!

Winners: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens
Great match, nice defense, and a solid way to close out the show. RAW was great tonight.
Total Rating: ***1/2
Match Time: 18:02

End Show

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Tonight was a chore for me due to technical issues, but I will not hold that against an otherwise pretty good episode of RAW. Often times, the three hours are a big part of the reason why an episode is rated so low – the show just gets bogged down with its own bloated self, but tonight was relatively well balanced with the short matches being short for the sake of story and the longer ones of a higher quality. Trul, it’s not that I hate squash matches, it's just that for so long, RAW was full of less-than-five-minute matches with a commercial in between and just gave us nothing entertaining otherwise. Tonight, everything had reason and drive and determination, which makes it all the more easier to forgive when stories perhaps don’t go the way I might want them to. Tonight was one of those episodes. Solid 8.