WWE Raw Results 7/17 - Women's Tag Team Title Match, We Hear From Brock Lesnar
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE Raw" on July 17, 2023, coming to you live from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia!
Cody Rhodes called out Brock Lesnar during last week's edition of "Raw" and challenged him to a rubber match at WWE SummerSlam. Tonight, Lesnar will be making his return to WWE programming with a message of his own for Rhodes. The pair have taken issue with one another over the past several months, with Rhodes and Lesnar both holding a victory over one another at WWE Backlash and WWE Night of Champions respectively.
Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan will be putting the Women's Tag Team Championship will be on the line against Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green. Deville and Green secured their spot in the match after beating four other teams in a Number One Contenders Tag Team Turmoil Match a couple of weeks ago, and gained some momentum heading into tonight's competition last week when they overcame Kayden Carter and Katana Chance.
After joining forces with World Heavyweight Champion Seth "Freakin" Rollins and coming up short against Judgment Day in a Six-Man Tag Team match, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have a shot at redemption as they square off with Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio in non-title action. Dominik (on behalf of his teammates) put the Undisputed Tag Team Champions on notice via Twitter and made it clear that the group was coming for Owens and Zayn's title.
Another non-title match is slated for tonight, as Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER faces former multi-time tag team champion Matt Riddle with GUNTHER's Imperium teammates Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci barred from ringside. The two men have been at odds with one another over the past several weeks, with Riddle and Drew McIntyre scoring a win over Kaiser and Vinci last week.
Additionally, The Viking Raiders' Erik and Ivar are set to take on Alpha Academy's Chad Gable and Otis in a Viking Rules match as the two groups look to put their issues to rest.
We are live! Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick greet audiences at home as Cody Rhodes makes his way down to the ring.
Cody Rhodes Calls Brock Lesnar Out To The Ring
Rhodes asks Atlanta what they want to talk about, then says they really don't have to talk because there's one shadow looming over every arena WWE goes to: Brock Lesnar. He says one thing for sure is that when Lesnar shows up when he's called to the ring, and tells Lesnar he should do just that right now.
Lesnar doesn't appear, and Rhodes says Lesnar is supposed to be here tonight. He asks if Lesnar's plan is to be fashionably late, but he'll be in the ring waiting for him no matter what time he shows up. He gives a shout out to his mother in the front row, and says she was the one who made him into the fighter he is today. He says his relationship with Lesnar can be summed up in two words: hard times. Rhodes says it won't be hard times for him when Lesnar shows up.
As Rhodes goes over to greet his family, Lesnar's music hits. Rhodes readies himself to fight him, but Lesnar doesn't appear. His music hits once more, but before he even has the chance to appear, Rhodes heads to the back and looks to waste no time.
Lesnar then appears with a chair in hand and attacks Rhodes with it. He sends Rhodes into the ring apron and ring post, then delivers an F5 to him on the floor right in front of his family. Lesnar cinches in the Kimura Lock on Rhodes, but decides to relinquish it and tosses him inside the ring. He follows him inside and cinches in the Kimura Lock once more before he lets go. He then tells Rhodes he'll see him at SummerSlam and heads to the back.
Back from the break, Matt Riddle heads down to the ring. GUNTHER follows.
GUNTHER vs. Matt Riddle
The bell rings and the two lock up. GUNTHER delivers a pair of chops to Riddle in the corner, then locks in a Sleeper. Riddle quickly escapes and looks to lock in an Arm Bar, but GUNTHER counters into a roll up. Riddle kicks out and sends GUNTHER crashing to the outside. He looks to go flying off the ring steps, but GUNTHER catches him mid-air with a chop and follows it up with a bodyslam.
Back from the break, Riddle fires off chops on GUNTHER. GUNTHER responds with one of his own, and the pair go back and forth. Riddle gains the upper hand and delivers a kick to GUNTHER's head, then follows it up with a pair of forearms. He then lands an Exploder and a kick to his spine. GUNTHER fires back with a German suplex and plants him before Riddle lands a pair of ripcord knees and ascends to the top. He looks for the Floating Bro, but GUNTHER gets his knees up. He then delivers a dropkick and The Last Symphony for the win.
Winner: GUNTHER
After the match, GUNTHER hops up on the announce desk and grabs a mic. He says tonight is the greatest night of the WWE Universe because everyone came to see the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time. He says Riddle is done, and he's building a legacy. He says if Drew McIntyre wants to ride his coattails, he's welcome to but he will eventually fall victim to him.
We then head backstage and see a confrontation between Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez, which turns physical and results in Rodriguez suffering an apparent knee injury.
Back at ringside, Judgment Day heads down to the ring.
We Hear From Judgment Day
Rhea Ripley says Judgment Day is stronger than ever and asks if anyone really thought they'd break up. She says now that no one can stop them, not only do they run "Raw", but they dominate the show. She says Raquel Rodriguez found that out earlier, and calls herself the most dominant Women's Champion in history. She says not only will Finn Balor and Damian Priest become World Champions, but Dominik Mysterio will become North American Champion tomorrow night on "WWE NXT".
Priest says despite holding the Money In The Bank briefcase, Balor gets first crack at Seth "Freakin" Rollins' World Heavyweight Championship. Balor then puts him on notice and tells him he will dethrone him.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens then make their way down to the ring. Zayn says he feels like he has a pretty good relationship with the WWE Universe and knows what they both like and dislike. He asks Atlanta if they paid to hear Dominik talk, and they boo him. He then asks if they paid to see someone beat him up, and the crowd cheers. Zayn says Atlanta is in luck, and so are himself and Zayn because they get a chance to get their hands on Dominik later tonight in their tag team match against him and Priest. Priest challenges Zayn and Owens to put their Undisputed Tag Team Championship on the line, and Zayn asks Owens for his opinion. An irate Owens agrees to do so as long as he gets to put his hands on Priest and Dominik.
We then head backstage and see Raquel Rodriguez being checked on in the medical office as Liv Morgan and Adam Pearce. Rodriguez insists she's still fit to compete in the Women's Tag Team Championship match, and Pearce allows her to do so.
Back from the break, Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green head down to the ring. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez follow.
Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan (c) vs. Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green for the Women's Tag Team Championship
Morgan and Deville begin the action. The bell rings and Deville wastes no time. She delivers a kick, then tags in Green. Green and Deville deliver a double vertical suplex before Green sends Morgan into the middle turnbuckle and tags in Deville. Deville fires off right hands in the corner, but Morgan fights back and delivers a kick.
Rodriguez tags in and levels Deviile, then sends her face first into the corner. She plants her with a Fallaway Slam, but Deville sends her crashing into the ring post shoulder first. She locks in a Half Boston Crab, but Morgan breaks the hold. Rodriguez tags her in as Deville tags in Green. Morgan catches her with a pair of shoulder tackles and a step-up knee, then delivers a Codebreaker off the middle rope and follows it up with ObLIVion. She goes for a pin, but Deville breaks the fall with a knee. Deville then pulls Rodriguez off the apron and executes a chop block. She rakes Morgan's eyes, allowing Green to hit Unprettier. She goes for a pin, but Morgan kicks out.
Deville tags in, and Green hits a second Unprettier. Deville follows it up with a running knee for the win.
Winners (and new): Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green
Back from the break, we head over to a video of what happened in the next chapter of The Bloodline's civil war this past Friday on "WWE SmackDown".
Finn Balor Crashes Seth Rollins' Sit Down Interview With Byron Saxton
We then head over to a video of Byron Saxton sitting down with Seth "Freakin" Rollins. Saxton asks Rollins what his plans are for defending his World Heavyweight Championship, and Rollins says there is no better place for a marque title match than SummerSlam. He says that several men have earned his place on his short list, including Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Drew McIntyre and GUNTHER. Balor then walks in and takes Saxton's seat before demanding a rematch at SummerSlam. He says the line starts with him and the issues are far from over. He tells him to do what he has to do to make things official.
Rollins tells Balor he has to stop living in the past, and Balor says he's living in chaos. He promises to get his retribution and do to Rollins what he did to him. Rollins tells Balor that his title is more than his personal vendetta against him, and says they don't need a match to settle the score. He says they can deal with things right here, right now and tells him to either take his shot or leave. Balor stands up, and opts to walk away. He suddenly returns and rains down right hands on Rollins. He tells him to make the match official.
Back at ringside, Alpha Academy heads down. The Viking Raiders and Valhalla (with Maxxine Dupri's stolen letterman jacket in hand) follow as Titus O'Neil joins commentary.
The Viking Raiders (w/ Valhalla) vs. Alpha Academy (w/ Maxxine Dupri) in a Viking Rules Match
Otis tosses Gable over the top rope and onto both Raiders on the long boat. The bell rings and Ivar sends Otis crashing into the ring post. Erik levels Gable on top of the long boat, but Gable cinches in an Ankle Lock. He relinquished it and goes flying to level Ivar on the floor, then sends Erik crashing into one of the shields. Otis calls for a table, and Gable gets it, but Erik blindsides him from behind. Ivar levels Otis with a boot and sandwiches him between himself and the side of the long boat. The Raiders get Gable back in the ring and look to level him, but Otis intervenes and takes out Ivar.
Back from the break, Erik delivers a knee to Gable's head in the middle of the ring. Ivar then ascends to the top and delivers a moonsault to Otis and pins him, but Gable goes flying off the top with a moonsault of his own to break the fall. He takes out Ivar with a German suplex and goes for a pin of his own, but Erik breaks the fall.
Erik and Gable then go back and forth with forearms before Gable gains the uppercut and delivers a kick to Erik's midsection. He looks to run the ropes, but Erik catches him with a vicious right hand. Gable responds with a suplex and ascends to the top, then delivers a diving headbutt. He goes for a pin, but Valhalla breaks the fall. Dupri levels her with a crossbody off the top and takes back her stolen letterman jacket. Valhalla spears Dupri through a table set up in the corner, allowing The Raiders to attack a distracted Gable and send him crashing into a shield set up in the corner. Otis then levels both The Raiders and delivers a powerbomb to Erik before delivering The Caterpillar to Ivar. He ascends to the top, but Valhalla clocks him. The Raiders then plant him with a double powerbomb for the win.
Winners: The Viking Raiders
Shayna Baszler then makes her way down to the ring. Nikki Cross follows.
Shayna Baszler vs. Nikki Cross
The bell rings and Cross wastes no time. She rains down right hands on Baszler, but Baszler locks in the Kirifuda Clutch for the win.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
After the match, Ronda Rousey appears in the crowd and asks Baszler if the front door working on the indies is faster than the backdoor with her MMA background. She says she took her opportunity and a fraction of the time to get where she is, then calls Baszler a knock off version of her. Baszler tells Rousey it's easy for her to say those from afar, and says Rousey knows that she's better in the ring than she is like everyone else does. She challenges Rousey to meet her in the ring, but Rousey refuses and Baszler hops the barricade before making her way up the stairs. Security stops her, and Rousey tells her she'll get her booked for SummerSlam. She then challenges her to a one-on-one match.
Back from the break, The Miz is waiting inside the ring.
The Miz Hosts Becky Lynch (and two other surprise guests) on Miz TV
Miz welcomes fans to "Miz TV" and says he's back. He says he beat Tommaso Ciampa last week in the middle of the ring and he is a winner. He calls himself the biggest star in all of WWE before introducing Becky Lynch.
Lynch makes her way down to the ring, and Miz says it must me nice for Lynch to sit next to a winner. Miz asks Lynch about her recent losses at WWE Money In The Bank, to Trish Stratus, and Zoey Stark. Miz asks if she's lost a step, and Lynch becomes irate. She tosses their chairs out of the ring, then gets in Miz's face and tells him she's lost titles but not a step. She says he knows Miz has other guests coming out. She demands he bring them out, and Miz agrees. He then introduces Trish Stratus and Zoey Stark, and the pair appear.
Lynch demands a one-on-one rematch with Stratus, and Stratus tells her to settle down. She says Lynch is acting like her daughter, and Lynch tells Stratus to keep her daughter's name out of her mouth. Stratus asks Lynch why she's so obsessed with her and says she won't fight her again. She says herself and Stark are done with Lynch, but before they do, she needs one thing: a thank you from Lynch. Lynch says Stratus wants to feel better than everyone and says Stratus hit her when she knew she was at her weakest because she knew she never stood a chance when she was stronger. She says she's accomplished more than Stratus ever has, and tells Stratus to prove she's as good at her in the ring one-on-one.
Stratus agrees to fight Lynch, but under a few conditions. She says Lynch has to face Stark once again and beat her, get on her knees and thank her, and tattoo "Thank You Trish" across her chest. Lynch agrees to all of the above.
Stratus and Stark blindside Lynch, but Lynch levels both of them and takes off Stratus' protective face mask. He headbutts Stratus, then puts on Stratus's face mask and headbutts Stark with it.
Shinsuke Nakamura then makes his way down to the ring. Bronson Reed follows.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Bronson Reed
The bell rings and the two lock up. Nakamura delivers a knee, but Reed runs over him and stomps on his neck. Nakamura responds with a vicious elbow and a running knee, then delivers a kick to Reed's head and looks for the double knees on the back of his neck. Reed ducks out of the way and delivers a shoulder tackle off the apron as the action spills to the outside.
Back from the break, Nakamura delivers a series of kicks to Reed's midsection. He follows it up with a Dragon Screw and goes for a pin, but Reed kicks out. Nakamura locks in a Sleeper, but Reed escapes and plants him with a running Death Valley Driver. He drags him over to the corner, then ascends to the top. Nakamura rocks him with an enziguri, then delivers a knee to his midsection and lands a knee off the middle rope. He sets up for the Kinshasa, but Reed catches him with a crossbody. Tommaso Ciampa then blindsides Reed, causing a disqualification.
Winner (as the result of a disqualification): Bronson Reed
After the match, a frustrated Nakamura kicks Ciampa.
Back from the break, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn head down to the ring. Judgment Day follows.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (c) vs. Judgment Day (w/ Rhea Ripley) for the Undisputed Tag Team Championship
Seth "Freakin" Rollins appears out of nowhere and blindsides Finn Balor on the outside before the pair brawl to the back. The bell rings and Owens and Zayn follow suit, blindsiding Judgment Day. Priest manages to eventually gain the upperhand and delivers a vicious right hand to Zayn, then sends him into the top turnbuckle face first. He fires off stomps on him in the corner, then tags in Dominik. Zayn lands a right hand on Domninik's head, then tags Owens in.
Owens executes a pair of sentons on Dominik, then fires off stomps on him in the corner. He delivers a corkscrew elbow out of the corner, then tags Zayn back in. Dominik shoves Zayn into the corner, then tags in Priest. Priest delivers a right hand, then tags Dominik back in. Zayn catches him with a back body drop, but Dominik rolls out of the ring to regroup. Zayn follows him and sends him into the announce desk face first, then dumps him back inside the ring. Rhea Ripley gets in his face, allowing Dominik to deliver a baseball dropkick. Priest then chokeslams him onto the apron.
Back from the break, Priest fires off right hands on Zayn in the middle of the ring. Priest sends him crashing into the corner, but Zayn manages to make his way over to his corner and tags in Owens. Owens rains down right hands, then clotheslines him out of the ring. He delivers a senton to Priest on the outside, then executes a Frog Splash off the apron on Dominik.
Owens tosses Priest back inside the ring, then sends him into the ring post shoulder first. He follows it up with a cannonball and looks for a Swanton Bomb, but Priest gets his knees up. Dominik tags in and delivers a Frog Splash off the top to Owens, then goes for a pin but Zayn breaks the fall. Dominik dumps Zayn out of the ring before Owens catches him with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. He goes for a pin, but Priest breaks the fall.
Zayn and Priest tag in. Zayn delivers a chop, then follows it up with a Tornado DDT and goes for a pin. Priest kicks out and Zayn ascends to the top. Priest catches him with a right hand, then knocks Owens off the apron and delivers a spinning kick to his head. He executes a hurricanrana and a series of kicks, but Zayn catches him with a big boot. Dominik makes the blind tag and dropkicks Zayn into the ropes, then dials it up for the 619. Zayn delivers a back body drop that sends him crashing to the outside, then goes flying to level him and gets him back inside the ring.
Ripley gets in the referee's face, but Liv Morgan runs down and attacks her. She fires off right hands, then sends her crashing into the barricade and dumps her into the timekeeper's area. Priest looks for a double chokeslam on Owens and Zayn, but the pair escape and Owens catches him with a Stunner. Zayn then delivers a Helluva Kick to Dominik for the win.
Winners (and still): Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn