WWE Raw Results (05/22) - Cody Rhodes And Brock Lesnar Come Face To Face, Six-Man Tag Team Match And More

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "WWE Raw" on May 22, 2023, coming to you live from the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania!

Before they square off at WWE Night of Champions on May 27, Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes will come face-to-face one last time during the go-home episode of "Raw". Issues between the two have remained no secret over the past few months, with tensions stemming from Lesnar's betrayal of Rhodes on the April 3 episode of "Raw". The last time the two encountered one another, "The Beast Incarnate" cost "The American Nightmare" his spot in the World Heavyweight Championship Tournament. 

Speaking of Night of Champions, Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus will make their match for the upcoming Premium Live Event official tonight as they sign the contract. Lynch has been vying for a chance to get her hands on Stratus ever since Stratus turned her back on her last month following an unsuccessful defense of the Women's Tag Team Championship.

Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Matt Riddle joined forces in a losing effort to The Bloodline at WWE Backlash. Tonight, the trio will team up again as they face GUNTHER and his Imperium teammates Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci. The Undisputed Tag Team Champions found themselves in hot water with the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of the modern era as result of comments they made a couple of weeks ago.

Additionally, Shinsuke Nakamura will take on Finn Balor in singles competition for the first time since meeting for the Intercontinental Championship during the Extreme Rules Kickoff Show in 2019.

We are live! Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick greet audiences at home as we see Cody Rhodes walking around backstage. Brock Lesnar appears out of nowhere and attacks him, tossing him into road cases, several barrels and a garage door. He picks up one of the barrels and sandwiches Rhodes' arm between it and the garage door as Rhodes writhes out in pain.

We then head to the ring, where Paul Heyman is waiting inside.

Heyman introduces himself and says he had nothing to do with Lesnar attacking Rhodes. He says what just happened is an example of what Lesnar will do to Rhodes at Night of Champions, then says since his appearance on last week's "Raw" was so well received, he was invited back. He promotes the three main events on May 27 and the Undisputed Tag Team Championship match between The Bloodline and Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. He gloats about how Reigns and Sikoa will win, then welcomes fans to "Raw".

Kevin Owens' music hits, and himself and Sami Zayn appear as Heyman heads out of the ring

Zayn makes fun of Heyman leaving, then mocks him for being afraid. He says himself and Owens are feeling pretty good, then says the Undisputed Tag Team Match is personal to him. He says he has nothing left to say because he said it all to Roman Reigns on this past Friday's edition of "WWE SmackDown".

Owens says Reigns dedicated the Undisputed Tag Team title match to The Wild Samoans on Friday, then says he was inspired to do the same. He then dedicates the match to The Usos.

Zayn says they have business to take care of tonight and addresses their Six-Man Tag Team Match with Imperium. Before he can continue, Imperium's music hits. GUNTHER, Ludwig Kaiser, and Giovanni Vinci march their way down to the ring.

Imperium surrounds the ring, but Matt Riddle runs down to even the odds and joins Owens and Zayn in the ring which causes Imperium to back down. Riddle begins chatting with Owens and Zayn in the ring before Imperium tries to blindside them. Riddle, Owens, and Zayn gain the upper hand and dump the trio out of the ring.

Ricochet then heads down to the ring. 

Back from the break, Byron Saxton is waiting outside the medical room for an update on Cody Rhodes. Adam Pearce emerges and Saxton asks Pearce for any information. Pearce says he has none at this time, and Saxton addresses rumors that Rhodes has a broken arm. Pearce reiterates his point. 

Back at ringside, Bronson Reed heads down. 

The bell rings and Ricochet fires off several kicks and right hands. Reed catches one of his kicks, but this doesn't stop Ricochet. He delivers a pair of low dropkicks to Reed's knee, then lands an enziguri. Reed responds with an elbow drop before the action spills to the outside and Reed delivers a running shoulder tackle off the apron.

Back from the break, Reed looks to land a delayed vertical suplex on Ricochet. Ricochet escapes and Reed catches him with a Fallaway Slam before Ricochet delivers a jawbreaker off the top rope. He delivers a knee to Reed's head, then follows it up with a kick to his head and a standing Shooting Star Press. He goes for a pin, but Reed quickly kicks out. Ricochet then delivers a springboard moonsault, but Reed clotheslines him to the outside and looks to go flying off the apron. Ricochet catches him with a kick mid-air, then gets him back in the ring and delivers an enziguri. He looks to fly back inside, but Reed trips him. He then lands a powerslam and Tsunami for the win.

Winner: Bronson Reed

We then head backstage to Cathy Kelley and Apollo Crews. Crews expresses his excitement for being on "Raw", but before he can continue, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley walk in. Dominik says this is supposed to be Ripley's time, and Kelley explains she was supposed to speak with Ripley after Crews. Dominik and Crews exchange words before Dominik says Crews' interview with Kelley is over. Ripley then grabs the microphone and looks to challenge Natalya to a match at Night of Champions for the "SmackDown" Women's Champions. Crews cuts her off and says this is his time, and asks Dominik what he's going to do about it. Ripley says Dominik will show Crews who runs "Raw", and Crews says he can't wait to see him try.

Back from the break, we head to part three of Seth "Freakin" Rollins' sit down interview with Corey Graves (a continuation from last week). Graves asks Rollins for his thoughts on Roman Reigns' run as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, and Rollins says while he loves Reigns, he doesn't like him. He says he will always love Reigns because he was always there for him, but he has no respect for the person and champion he's become. He says Reigns has taken opportunities away from everyone else, and says he wants to become World Heavyweight Champion so everyone forgets about Reigns. He says as titleholder, he wants to help push the industry forward. Graves then asks Rollins about facing AJ Styles, and Rollins says Styles is one of the greatest in-ring performers. He brings up their match in April 2006 and says Night of Champions will be no different.

Back at ringside, Candice LeRae heads down. Zoey Stark follows. 

The bell rings and Stark wastes no time. She fires off several stomps on LeRae in the corner, then delivers an uppercut and an enziguri. She follows it up with a suplex and a dropkick as we see Nikki Cross cheering LeRae on from outside. LeRae delivers a step-up senton and a dropkick, then delivers a crossbody off the apron before the action spills to the outside. She tosses Stark back in the ring and looks to follow her, but Cross pulls her down and hugs her. This allows Stark to knock both women to the floor, then get LeRae back in the ring and deliver Z360 for the win.

Winner: Zoey Stark

Back from the break, we head backstage to Byron Saxton and Mustafa Ali in Gorilla position. Saxton asks Ali about his upcoming Intercontinental Championship match with GUNTHER on May 27, and Ali says he's been dreaming about wrestling since he was a kid. He says his career hasn't been what he's expected, but before he can continue, Brock Lesnar shoulder checks him and heads down to the ring as fans rain down boos on him.

Lesnar mocks Cody Rhodes by asking Hershey what they want to talk about, then says Rhodes will not be out at ringside tonight or at Night of Champions. He says he will not let fans down and issues an open challenge for anyone in the back to face him on May 27.

Rhodes appears at ringside with his arm in a sling as Adam Pearce and other officials try to talk him out of facing Lesnar. Rhodes doesn't listen and gets inside the ring, then pulls off his sling. Lesnar then sends him crashing into the corner and cinches in the Kimura Lock before relinquishing it. He stomps on Rhodes' arm, then grabs his cowboy hat and heads to the back as other officials run down to check on Rhodes.

Back from the break, Alpha Academy and Maxxine Dupri head down. The Viking Raiders and Valhalla follow.

Erik and Gable begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Gable looks to trip Erik, but Erik stays standing. Gable then manages to send him crashing into the mat before Ivar tags in and continues to wear down Gable. Erik tags in and delivers a shoulder to Gable's midsection, then tags Ivar back in.

Ivar and Otis tag in. Otis delivers a pair of shoulder tackles and a body slam to Ivar, then executes The Caterpillar on an interfering Erik. He charges at Ivar, but Ivar ducks out of the way. Gable and Erik tag in. Erik delivers a kick to Gable as Dupri gets in Valhalla's face. Valhalla scares off Dupri, which captures the attention of The Raiders. This allows Gable to roll up Ivar for the win.

Winners: Alpha Academy

We then head backstage to Byron Saxton waiting outside the medical room for a word with Cody Rhodes. Adam Pearce breezes past him and heads in, but Rhodes shouts at him to get out and Pearce does so.

Back at ringside, Shinsuke Nakamura heads down. Finn Balor and Damian Priest follow. 

The bell rings and the two lock up. They go back and forth with submission holds before Balor delivers a right hand to Nakamura's midsection. Nakamura fires back with a knee and an enziguri, then sends him crashing out of the ring. Nakamura tosses him back in, but before he can get back inside, Priest trips him and sends him crashing to the floor as Balor distracts the referee.

Back from the break, Balor fires off a pair of stomps. Nakamura then delivers a kick to his spine and trips him before landing an enziguri and planting him face first. Balor hits a Sling Blade, but Nakamura catches him with a kick and sets up for the Kinshasa. Balor catches him with a double stomp and ascends to the top. He looks for the Coup De Grace, but Nakamura rolls out of the way and delivers a knee to the back of his neck. He sets up for the Kinshasa once again, but Priest helps Balor out of the ring and checks on him. Nakamura then delivers a running knee off the apron to Priest before clotheslining him into the timekeeper's area. This allows Balor to deliver a dropkick to Nakamura, toss him inside the ring, and execute Coup De Grace for the win.

Winner: Finn Balor

Raquel Rodriguez then heads down to the ring. Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green follow. 

The bell rings and Green tosses Deville her sunglasses in the ring. Rodriguez stomps on them, and Deville takes advantage. She rains down right hands before landing a kick and ascending to the middle rope. She hits a jumping knee and fires off right hands, but Rodriguez fires back with a boot and the Texana Bomb for the win

Winner: Raquel Rodriguez

After the match, Green blindsides Deville and holds her in place. Deville lands a knee before Shotzi's music hits and she runs down to make the save as she returns to "Raw".

We then head backstage to an official providing an update on Adam Pearce. The official tells Pearce refuses to let anyone in before Trish Stratus walks in and asks Pearce to make a no-touch policy during her contract signing with Becky Lynch. Pearce says he doesn't see a need for one and walks off.

Back from the break, Becky Lynch heads to the ring as Corey Graves waits inside. 

Lynch says The Man has come around to Hershey, then takes a seat and calls Stratus to the ring to take care of business before she signs the contract.

Stratus' music hits and she heads down. She mocks Lynch for being eager and tells her she wasn't eager to return to "Raw" and have her head kicked in. She says this is a big moment for her, as it's her first contract signing. She expresses that she wants to savor the moment while Lynch wants to get things over with because she's had so many contract signings. Stratus says she's responsible for that and says she's number one. She says it's been that way since she walked through the door while it took Lynch a broken nose to get to the top. She continues to gloat and says she'll sign the contract, then points out the irony in her first contract signing being Lynch's last one.

Lynch tells Stratus she's scared, and says she won't hurt her tonight because she wants Stratus at full health for Night of Champions. She says while everyone got better, Stratus stayed the same and she's better than Stratus thinks she is. Lynch says this is all about Stratus wanting her flowers, then thanks her for being everything she hopes she never becomes. She says she will punch Stratus in the face every single time and says she can look back on a career while Stratus' career gives her nightmares. Stratus to the big time, which leads to an irate Stratus flipping over the desk and retreating.

We then head backstage and see Adam Pearce on the phone with someone explaining the situation with Cody Rhodes.

Back at ringside, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley head down. 

Back from the break, we head backstage to Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi. The two women express their admiration and respect for one another before Rodriguez says she's found her new tag team partner for next week. 

Back at ringside, Apollo Crews heads down. 

The bell rings and the two lock up. Crews delivers a shoulder tackle, then lands a back elbow and a delayed vertical suplex. Dominik fires back with a boot, but Crews gets him over his head and plants him. He then ascends to the top, but Dominik pulls him down and fires off several stomps. He delivers a knee to Crews' midsection, then looks for a crossbody. Crews catches him and plants him, then ascends to the top and lands a Blockbuster. He climbs back up to the top and delivers a crossbody, but Dominik delivers a dropkick to his spine.

The action spills to the outside, and Crews delivers a shoulder block. He looks to continue wearing down Dominik, but Ripley inserts herself between the two men. Dominik takes advantage and plants him face first before Ripley sends him crashing into the ring post while the referee is distracted. The referee then begins a ten count, but Crews beats it and gets back inside, where Dominik waits with a Frog Splash for the win.

Winner: Dominik Mysterio

We then head to a video hyping up AJ Styles ahead of his finals match in the World Heavyweight Championship Tournament against Seth "Freakin" Rollins.

Back from the break, we head to part four of the sit down interview between Rollins and Corey Graves. Graves asks why winning the World Heavyweight Championship is so special for him, and Rollins says it's time for change. Rollins says he worked hard to become the guy, and wrestling is his first love. He says he has been given a life beyond his wildest dreams, and says he wants to be the best he can be. He says the World Heavyweight Championship is his moment to do something special, and says he's going all in. He says he's putting everything he has into the finals to create something legendary, then says he wants to be someone the future can look to as the guy.

Graves and Kevin Patrick then run down the card for Night of Champions.

Back at ringside, Imperium heads down. Matt Riddle, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn follow. 

Zayn and Kaiser begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Kaiser fires off several stomps before Riddle tags in. Kaiser lands an uppercut, then tags in Vinci. Vinci lands several uppercuts, but Riddle catches him with a kick to his chest and a gut wrench suplex. GUNTHER tags in and Riddle fires off kicks, but GUNTHER catches one of them and trips him. He then lands a chop.

Back from the break, Kaiser plants Riddle with a suplex. GUNTHER tags in and delivers a right hand to Riddle's spine, but Riddle plants him and looks to tag in Zayn. Kaiser pulls Zayn off the apron before Riddle can make the tag. Riddle then lands a German suplex and tags in Owens as GUNTHER tags in Vinci. Owens fires off a series of stomps and a senton, then executes a German suplex and follows it up with a cannonball. He looks to ascend to the top, but Kaiser prevents him from doing so which allows Vinci to blindside him.

Back from another break, Owens ascends to the top and lands a Frog Splash. Zayn and Kaiser then tag in. Zayn delivers a back body drop and a Michinoku Driver, then sets up for the Helluva Kick. Kaiser ducks out of the way, and Zayn clotheslines him to the outside. GUNTHER tags in and fires off chops, but Zayn levels him with a Blue Thunder Bomb. He goes for a pin, but Vinci breaks the fall. Owens takes him down with a Stunner before Kaiser sends Owens crashing to the outside. Zayn clotheslines Kaiser out of the ring, then sets up for the Helluva Kick on GUNTHER. GUNTHER manages to lock in a Sleeper, but Riddle breaks the hold with a Floating Bro. Zayn then lands an Exploder and looks for the Helluva Kick on the legal Vinci, but GUNTHER grabs his ankle. Riddle then sends him crashing over the announce desk as Zayn lands a Helluva Kick and tags in Owens. Owens then delivers a Swanton Bomb for the win.

Winners: Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Matt Riddle

We then head backstage to Cody Rhodes in his dressing room. Someone knocks on the door and he tells them to go away. They don't listen, and Triple H appears. He sits down with Rhodes and tells him he knows he's angered, but he needs medical attention. Rhodes refuses to get help for his arm, and Triple H says they both know that his arm is broken. He says he knows Rhodes is afraid, and Rhodes questions what he has to be afraid of. Triple H explains that Rhodes is afraid of not being cleared and says he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. He says he's seen Rhodes wrestle with a torn pec, but this is different. He reminds Rhodes of the year he spent on the shelf, but Rhodes cuts him off. Rhodes asks Triple H what he would do and what he's done. He says he fought, and he will go to Night of Champions to fight Brock Lesnar.