The first RAW after Crown Jewel 2023 started off with a recap of the PLE in Saudi Arabia. Wrestling fans at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, PA, US, were treated to Seth Rollins opening the show just like the first match at Crown Jewel. The arena was buzzing with electricity for this episode of Monday Night RAW.
Monday Night RAW 07/11/2023 recap
Seth Rollins opened up the show as he addressed the fans about the events at Crown Jewel. He thanked Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn, the latter of whom he called out to the ring. After explaining why he helped Rollins when Damian Priest wanted to cash in his MITB briefcase, Rollins gave him a title shot. This was the main event for the night.
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Backstage promo: Damian Priest talks to the Judgment Day after getting his MITB briefcase back. Priest and Balor have a tag team match with The New Day.
Finn Balor and Damian Priest vs Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
Winner: Finn Balor and Damian Priest won the tag team match, showcasing their great teamwork. Despite a great start by Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, The New Day was crushed by Judgment Day. A high-octane ending saw Priest hit South of Heaven, followed by Balor’s Coup de Graces for the win.
Backstage promo: We got a backstage segment where Drew McIntyre refused to say anything during the interview with Jackie Redmond.
Akira Tozawa vs. Shinsuke NakamuraWinner: Shinsuke Nakamura picked up the win in a quick match against Akira Tozawa. Despite a great effort by Tozawa, a swift Kinshasa ended the match and gave Nakamura the victory. Post-match, Otis and Nakamura had a stare-down in the ring, which Nakamura didn’t want to be part of.Backstage promo: Backstage Adam Pearce asked Rollins if he was 100% sure he wanted to have his title match tonight. Rollins said he was, despite having defended the title at Crown Jewel.The Miz, Bronson Reed, Ivar, vs. Ricochet, Fatal Four-Way Match for #1 contender for Intercontinental ChampionshipWinner: The Miz won in this action-packed Fatal Four-Way match for the #1 contender for Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship. After near-falls throughout the match, Ivar and Bronson took to the skies for the win. However, Ivar connected with Ricochet, but The Miz moved out of Bronson’s way. Ivar pinned Ricochet, while The Miz pinned Bronson simultaneously. The Miz won as Ricochet kicked out at two. The result ensured that he will face Gunther at Survivor Series for the Intercontinental Championship.Backstage promo: Alpha Academy was seen hyping up Tozawa after his match and Maxxine Dupri for her upcoming Battle Royal match.Backstage promo: Prior to their match, The Creed Brothers and DIY meet each other backstage with Adam Pearce and talked about their upcoming match.DIY vs. The Creed BrothersWinner: The Creed Brothers (Brutus and Julius Creed) picked up the win against DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) after Ludwig Kaiser knocked out Johnny Gargano. The match was a great showcase of the two factions’ in-ring skills. Despite fighting fair, the attack by Kaiser led to The Creed Brothers winning.Backstage segment: Jey Uso hyped up Sami Zayn for his match with Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title.Backstage promo: We got a backstage segment with Jackie Redmond and The Man Becky Lynch, which was interrupted by Nia Jax.
Backstage segment: Bryon Saxton interviewed the tag team champions Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark interrupted the interview.
The Women’s Battle Royal for the #1 contender at Survivor Series
Winner: Zoey Stark fought off the entire women’s locker room to win the battle royale match. Despite participating in the Battle Royale, Xia Li took Becky Lynch out at the start before entering the ring. The match was a highlight of the night, with all participants showing off their insane skills. The final two were Shayna Baszler and Stark. Stark will face Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s Championship at Survivor Series War Games on November 25.Backstage promo: Jackie Redmond interviewed Rhea Ripley about her upcoming title defense which got interrupted by her opponent, Stark.READ MORE: Sami Zayn Suffers Major Downfall as He Travels From Main-Eventing WrestleMania to Kickoff at Crown Jewel 2023Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship titleWinner: Seth Rollins retained his title after a grueling match. The match underwent a slow pace with both men showing their wear and tear from Crown Jewel. Both men had matches at the PLE, with Zayn’s being the first, followed by Rollins. The match had fans on the edge of their seats, with the intensity building with each passing minute.Post Match: Both men showed their respect to each other by shaking hands. However, The Judgment Day put an end to the merry moment as they attacked both superstars. As the heel stable initiated a beatdown on both Zayn and Rollins, Jey Uso came to the rescue. Once the numbers game favored Judgment Day, Cody Rhodes also came out. This led to complete chaos, with security coming out to stop them. This led the RAW General Manager to issue a War Game match between the two groups.What did you think about this Monday Night RAW episode? Did it live up to the hype? Tell us down below.
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