Cook’s WWE Raw Review 10.21.24

Hey kids! Steve Cook here filling in for Tony Acero on tonight’s Raw Review. It’s been almost two years since the last time I filled in here for Tony. Since then the show has gotten higher in quality and an hour shorter. I’m excited to be here, folks! Tonight we’ve got Jey Uso defending the Intercontinental Championship against Bron Breakker, Seth Rollins meeting with Bronson Reed, and much more. Let’s go!

Cook’s WWE Raw Review 10.21.24

Then. Now. Forever. Together!

Raw is live in Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center! Jey Uso walks backstage with his Championship. Bron Breakker walks down some steps wearing headphones. People with white gloves tote the Crown Jewel Championship around in a casket. American Made walks into Otis & Akira Tozawa. Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee walk by a semi.

Seth Freakin Rollins attacks Bronson Reed! Seth says they’re just getting started, and makes his way through Gorilla to the ring. Cut his music! Seth says he’ll make Bronson Reed’s ass famous, and tells him to get down here. Adam Pearce and security try to keep Reed from getting into the ring, then Rollins does a tope suicida onto the mass of humanity! Reed rolls Rollins into the ring and shoulderblocks him in the corner. Security comes in and tries to separate him, but don’t have much luck. Death Valley Driver by Reed, he goes up top for the Tsunami…Rollins rolls outside but Reed dives onto him! Reed clears the announce table and places Rollins on it. Reed tosses a security guard onto the other ones and goes for the splash, but Rollins moves and Reed destroys the announce table! Rollins gets sent backstage by security while Reed leaves through the crowd.

The crowd sings while Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett discuss the situation. They then recap the events surrounding the Women’s Tag Team Championship.

Jackie Redmond (who I’m a big fan of because of hockey TV coverage) is with Damage CTRL and wants to know if they have anything to say to their opponents tomorrow night on NXT. Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez show up and send Redmond off. Liv talks about how jealous Nia Jax is of her. Io & Kairi are offended at their interview being interrupted. Liv says she & Raquel could be tag team champions any time they want. Io issues a challenge for tonight, Liv accepts while Raquel stares them down. Raquel looks mighty tall next to Damage CTRL (and most women in wrestling, to be honest).

Bron Breakker talks about how he showed Jey Uso respect, but he threw it back in his face. Jey wants to do things on his own, so he’ll take this ass kicking on his own. Jey’s been around a lot longer than Bron and will dog-walk his ass.

WWE World Tag Team Championship Contenders Tournament: The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) w/Paul Ellering, Karrion Kross & Scarlett: Lilian Garcia is tonight’s Raw ring announcer, as Samantha Irvin has departed WWE for other endeavors. Woods starts the match with a headlock, some evasiveness and a tag to Kofi. Rocker dropper by Kofi gets 1 on Akam. Woods tags back in, some double teaming leads to a 2 count. Woods works the arm and tags Kofi back in, who comes off the top onto said arm. Into the corner, chop by Kofi. Tag to Xavier, he axehandles the arm. Akam takes Woods down, knocks Kingston off the apron and Kross & Scarlett wander over to the New Day corner. The Miz appears in front of the announce table. AOP takes the upper hand as we go to commercial.

Woods is in a bearhug when we return. Kross, Miz & Scarlett are deep in conversation while Woods reaches for a tag. Rezar temporarily blocks, but Kofi gets that tag and a dropkick. Kofi slips out of a suplex and hits a Shadows over Heck. Akam gets a shot too. Kofi up top, an axehandle to Rezar. Boom Drop! The fans clap and chant as Kofi sets up…Trouble in Paradise is blocked and Rezar tosses him across the ring. R-Truth attacks Miz on the floor! Kross gets a kick! Rezar is distracted, Kofi takes advantage and rolls him up for three!

Winners: The New Day (5:13 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/4

R-Truth eats a beatdown from Kross, Miz & AOP while Xavier keeps Kofi from intervening. He says they have other things to worry about and it’s not their problem!

The lights go out, and the Wyatt Sicks are here! Nikki Cross splashes Scarlett. A fight breaks out between them & the Final Testament while Miz turtles up in the middle of the ring. The two groups brawl into the crowd…Miz thinks he’s safe, but Uncle Howdy comes from behind! Ellering tries to save Miz and gets a mandible claw for his trouble.

The match itself wasn’t long enough to go anywhere, but I liked the post-match drama with Xavier still walking a line where you can see him sympathizing with the Final Testament. I hope the mandible claw isn’t Ellering’s exit for now, but you can never tell with that guy. Opinions around the Wyatt Sicks vary, but I’m fine enough with their random appearances.

Jackie is with Adam Pearce, and wants to know how he’ll get things under control. He won’t, as Rollins & Reed continue their violent interaction and break up the interview.

We see clips of the Wyatt Sicks & Final Testament’s meeting. Wade & Joe throw us over to some clips of Friday’s SmackDown, which saw Jey Uso show up and confront the New Bloodline. Roman later said he was proud of Jey. No yeet, though.

Cathy Kelley is with Jey to talk about Friday night. Jey has no love for his brothers right now, tonight it’s all about the Intercontinental Championship. He’ll still be the champion after tonight. Yeet!

Raquel Rodriguez says that Rhea Ripley will never get the Women’s Championship back as long as she’s around. The only reason Rhea rose to the top to begin with was because Raquel was gone. Rhea should leave, but if she won’t, Raquel will make her.

Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez vs. Damage CTRL (Io Sky & Kairi Sane): Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend are at ringside to scout their opponents tomorrow night. Lilian announces that Dirty Dom Mysterio is with Liv & Raquel, but that plan seems to have changed as he’s nowhere to be seen just yet. Io attacks Liv right away, so Liv tags Raquel in as quickly as possible. Raquel blocks a rana, then tosses Io off of her back. Io slips out of a suplex, tags Kairi. They take Raquel down and double dropkick her. Kairi up top, Raquel evades. Kairi sends Raquel into the corner, another tag to Io. Raquel lifts up both women, but can’t capitalize. Referee allowing a lot of latitude here. Raquel punches Io & Kairi down. Liv poses with the Crown Jewel Championship at ringside. We go to commercial!

Raquel lifts Kairi into a Argentinean backbreaker as we return. Kairi gets out, punches Raquel and goes for a tag. Can’t get it, hits a backfist and gets the tag to Io. Liv tags in as well, it’s Io on the advantage. Raquel tries to hit a boot, but Io dragonscrews her on the ropes. Missile dropkick from Io to Liv. Meteroa in the corner by Io, it gets a two count on Liv. Bodyslam on Liv, tag to Kairi. Io drops Kairi onto Liv with an elbow, Raquel breaks up the count. Raquel misses a shoulderblock and hits the ringpost. Liv with a knee in the corner on Io. She jumps into an uppercut from Io. Liv then gets sent into the barricade with a missile dropkick, which puts the action right in front of Jackson & Legend. The NXTers attack Io and that’s a disqualification.

Winners: Damage CTRL (6:19 shown via disqualification)
Match Rating: **

Jackson & Legend hit their finishers on io & Kairi in the ring. Liv & Raquel wander in for the staredown…but Rhea Ripley’s music hits! Raquel tells Liv that she’ll handle this, and gets headbutted by Rhea. No sale! Raquel ends up flying over the top rope though. Liv tries to run away, but she & Rhea end up exchanging strikes. Rhea locks in the Prisim Trap! Raquel manages to stop the hold but gets kicked to the outside. Rhea headbutts Liv down and goes for the Riptide, but there’s Dirty Dom to break it up! Rhea pulls Dom into the ring and locks the Prisim Trap on him! Raquel & Liv save Dom and they back up the ramp. Rhea stands tall in the ring.

Another instance where the post-match shenanigans mean more than the match itself, which was ok but a little sloppy & didn’t get a chance to hit another gear. It did a good job of putting the NXT match over though, so we’ll see if that helps their viewership tomorrow night.

Backstage, Adam Pearce’s phone call is interrupted by another Reed/Rollins fight. Pearce has had enough, and says they can wrestle at Crown Jewel.

The War Raiders look back to their Viking ancestors’ experience for inspiration.

Rhea Ripley’s feats of strength and popping her shoulder in top their Insta reels history.

Judgment Day discuss issues backstage. Finn Balor thinks they should be focused on the World Championship. Dom suggests he could be a World Champion, and people laugh. Carlito says he brings the cool factor and is also the fixer around here.

WWE World Tag Team Championship Contenders Tournament: Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee (w/Zelina Vega) vs. Brutus & Julius Creed (w/Chad Gable & Ivy Nile): Lilian announces the other LWO members as well. Is this a rib? Dragon Lee starts with Julius, and Lee does some cartwheels and fancy arm work. Sunset flip gets two. Tag to Rey, they hit several kicks on Julius for two. Julius lifts Rey up in a vertical suplex position from the mat and slams him down. Brutus tags in and whips Rey sternum first into the turnbuckle. The Creeds try to double team Rey, but he fights out and sends them both outside. Lee hits a tope suicida onto the Creeds and we see a replay as we go to commercial.

Julius tosses Lee high into the air as we return. Julius hits a deadlift superplex for two. Chinlock! Julius gorilla presses Lee, but Lee reverses with a rana into the corner! Rey & Brutus tag in and it doesn’t go well for Brutus. Rey keeps hitting headscissors and kicks. West Coast Pop! Forearm for Julius! Tornado DDT to Brutus gets two. Rey with a kick, Brutus catches him on the moonsault attempt and slams him down. Moonsaults by Brutus & Julius on Rey get two thanks to Lee. Julius gets stomped in the corner by Lee. Chad Gable distracts Rey from the 619 attempt. Julius with a knee to Rey. Zelina stares down Chad & Ivy…Ivy gets ranaed near the hydration station. Julius sent into the ropes, and Rey hits the 619! Lee up top, hits the splash and wins it for the LWO!

Winners: Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee (7:42 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***
Fun little match here that I’d like to see more of! People have been impressed with the Creeds for awhile now and I can see why. Lee is one of the best young high flyers out there, and of course Rey is still Rey and is very valuable in this position teaming with a youngster.

Pearce promises Damage CTRL he’ll come up with a solution for their issue from earlier. Carlito walks in and tells Pearce he has the perfect idea for a challenger for Gunther: Dirty Dom. Pearce laughs and says Dom doesn’t deserve it. If Dom can beat a former World Champion next week, he’ll consider giving him a title shot.

Jackie is with Bron Breakker and wants to know if he feels confident heading into this match considering Jey’s distractions. Bron doesn’t care about Jey’s distractions, he only cares about the Intercontinental Championship. He’s a badass, and it’s time to do what badasses do. Do we have any dogs barking in Philly? Sounds like it!

Cathy is with Gunther, and she wants to know if he’ll accept Cody’s invitation to SmackDown this Friday. Gunther puts Cody over, but puts himself over as being one of one. He’ll be in Brooklyn on Friday. Damian Priest walks in and states his desire for a title shot. Damian says he’ll earn it, and will see Gunther after Crown Jewel.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Jey Uso (c) vs. Bron Breakker: The Yeeters are out in full force! Jey & Lilian fistbump during his introduction. Punches are exchanged early on. Jey with an up and over, and a big strike. He sends Bron over the top rope and we go to commercial.

Bron chokes Jey on the ropes as we return. He goes for a suplex on the apron, but Jey blocks. Bron rams Jey into the ringpost twice and sends him to the floor. Back into the ring, hard whip into the corner by Breakker. Jey fights back with some rights, whip reversed, Bron catches Jey on the crossbody and slams him down for two. Pushups by Breakker! Another near-fall after a standing moonsault by Breakker. Jey back up, hits some Yeet punches to knock Breakker down. Jey with a kick from the apron, goes up top but Bron follows him. Bron jumps up top and hits a Frankensteiner for two! We go to commercial.

We return and Bron has Jey set up for a superplex. Jey knocks Bron off, jumps down and hits a spear for two! We look outside the ring, and there’s Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu with tickets! They’re showing up awful late. Jey goes outside and asks Solo what he’s doing here. Solo says he’s trying to help. Bron ends up taking advantage of all this, but Jey sends Bron headfirst into the ringpost. Tonga Loa is on the other side of ringside, as is Tama Tonga! They both eat superkicks from Jey. Solo goes over the barrier and tells Jey he needs to listen to him. Bron sets up the Super Spear, but Solo pushes Jey out of the way and takes it! Now Jacob & Bron face off, and the people are pretty excited. Jey flies into both of them and Jacob goes over the announce table. Craziness has ensued. Jey goes for the top rope splash but Bron blocks with his knees. Superkicks and a spear from Jey! He goes up top, hits the splash! It only gets two! The Tongans are up on the apron, and Adam Pearce and security come down to get rid of them. Jey runs into a superkick from Jacob! Jacob Samoan Drops Jey on the announce table! The referee isn’t seeing any of this since he’s with the Tongans. Bron drags Jey back into the ring. Super spear! History has been made in Philadelphia!

Winner: Bron Breakker (13:29 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***3/4
Some good action here, and I actually liked the somewhat overbooked Bloodline interference, as it was pulled off very well. It was nice to see Jey with a title for a minute, but Bron needs it more at the moment.

Bron celebrates as we go off the air.

7.7

The final score: review Good

The 411

This week's Raw wasn't exactly what I would call a great in-ring show, but it moved a bunch of stories along and kept things moving towards the next PLE in an entertaining fashion. I wanted to see more of what these Superstars had to offer, which as we all know, is a good thing. I really enjoyed Bron vs. Jey, if you can get over the whole interference thing you will as well...I will say that we probably saw a little too much of that tonight as three out of four matches ended in a similar fashion. A little repetitive, but still a good show from Raw this week.