WWE Raw Results 10/16 - Two Title Matches, Falls Count Anywhere Bout, Ripley Vs. Baszler
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE Raw" on October 16, 2023, coming to you live from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma!
The season premiere of "Raw" will see Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes put their Undisputed Tag Team Championship on the line against Judgment Day's Finn Balor and Damian Priest, as the latter duo look to regain the titles they lost at WWE Fastlane earlier this month. Jey and Rhodes are coming off two successful defenses last week, having retained over Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on Monday's edition of "Raw", and Grayson Waller and Austin Theory on Friday's episode of "WWE SmackDown".
Another champion will be in action tonight, as Rhea Ripley goes one-on-one with former multi-time champion Shayna Baszler in a non-title bout. The reigning Women's World Champion was blindsided by "The Queen of Spades" last week after she caused a disqualification in the match between Raquel Rodriguez and Nia Jax.
Elsewhere in the women's division, Natalya will be going head-to-head with one half of the current Women's Tag Team Champions, Piper Niven. The pair found themselves at odds last week as they were both involved in a backstage confrontation.
Bronson Reed looks to put an end to GUNTHER's historic 494 day Intercontinental Championship reign as the pair square off with the title on the line. Reed secured his spot in tonight's bout after defeating Chad Gable and Ricochet in a Triple Threat Number One Contenders Match last week, landing the Tsunami on the latter competitor to get the three count.
Speaking of Ricochet, he will be competing in a Falls Count Anywhere Match against longtime rival Shinsuke Nakamura. Tensions between the two reached a boiling point last week, with the pair finding themselves involved in a backstage altercation before Nakamura hit Ricochet with a GTS on the ramp ahead of his aforementioned Triple Threat Match.
We are live! Kevin Patrick and Wade Barrett greet audiences at home as Sami Zayn heads down to the ring.
We Hear From Sami Zayn
Zayn welcomes fans to the season premiere of "Raw", then says it feels weird for him to be out in the ring by himself after it was announced on Friday that Kevin Owens was the person traded to "SmackDown" for Jey Uso. He says he's sad their partnership ended the way it did, but he's also excited for Owens and himself. He says he is able to stand on his own two feet now and show to the world that he's a World Heavyweight Champion level Superstar.
Zayn points out that Jey is the reason for Owens not being on "Raw" any longer and confesses that while no one was happier to see him move brands, he's struggling a little bit with it now. He says their Undisputed Tag Team Championship reign was tainted by dealing with Judgment Day, and he has mixed emotions about Finn Balor and Damian Priest getting a rematch tonight. He says the last year of his career has by far been the best one, and that's all thanks to the fans.
Judgment Day's music hits, and Balor, Priest, Rhea Ripley, and Dominik Mysterio make their way down to the ring. Balor (mockingly) points out that Zayn is alone, and Priest says one thorn in the side of Judgment Day has now been removed. He gets heated, but Ripley calms him down and tells him he needs to focus on tonight. Dominik puts her over and says she will defeat Shayna Baszler, and Ripley then says Priest and Balor will regain the Undisputed Tag Team Championship. She points out that Zayn looks lost, and while they used to recruit the lost, they have a different plan for him. She says they want to get rid of him permanently before they surround the ring.
Jey Uso's music hits, and he runs down to the ring with two chairs in hand. He gives one to Zayn and the pair stand in the middle of the ring, which leads to Balor telling his teammates to back down. Zayn then hops out of the ring, leaving Jey standing alone.
Ricochet then heads down to the ring.
Back from the break, we see Jey approach Zayn and ask if the two of them are good. Zayn says that Owens should be the one who has his back rather than Jey, and while he wants to be happy for him, Jey has everything going for him while he has nothing because of him. Jey says he didn't realize Zayn felt that way, but assures him that he's still in his corner. Jey walks off, and Zayn pushes over a ladder before chasing after him. He apologizes for what he said, explaining that it's a tough week. He says he's happy for Jey, then offers him his hand. Jey opts to hug him instead, and the pair continue chatting.
Back at ringside, Shinsuke Nakamura heads down.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ricochet in a Falls Count Anywhere Match
The bell rings and the pair begin brawling on the outside. Ricochet tosses Nakamura back inside the ring, but Nakamura delivers a kick to Ricochet's head. He follows it up with a knee to his midsection and a back suplex, but Ricochet fires back with a Codebreaker and a kick off the ropes that sends him tumbling to the outside. He goes flying over the top and pins Nakamura on the outside, but Nakamura kicks out and sends Ricochet crashing into the Titan Tron spine first. The pair continue brawling into the Gorilla position, but Ricochet delivers a knee off the back of the referee. Nakamura and Ricochet end up back in the ringside area, but Ricochet delivers a standing moonsault. He follows it up with a Dragon Screw and a Shooting Star Press.
Back from the break, Ricochet delivers a moonsault off one of the entrances into the arena. Nakamura throws some popcorn onto him and sends him crashing into the barricade spine first, then pulls a table and two pairs of nunchucks out from under the ring. He cracks them across Ricochet's spine, then sets up the table and clears the announce desk. Ricochet sets him up on the table, then ascends to the top. Nakamura rolls off the table and lands the GTS on Ricochet back inside the ring. Ricochet delivers a 450 Splash to Nakamura from off the apron, and the two teeter on the top rope before Nakamura pushes Ricochet off and onto the table on the outside. He then pins him for the win.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Piper Niven and Chelsea Green then head down to the ring. Natalya follows.
Natalya vs. Piper Niven (w/ Chelsea Green)
The bell rings and the two lock up. Niven lands a shoulder tackle, but Natalya slaps her and fires off several right hands on her head. She follows it up with a hurricanrana and pins her, but Niven reverses the fall. Natalya kicks out and lands a dropkick across her face. Niven responds with a kick to her face, but Natalya sends her crashing into opposite turnbuckles face first. Niven sends Natalya crashing to the outside.
Back from the break, Niven looks for a senton but Natalya rolls out of the way. She then looks for a crossbody, but Natalya once again moves out of the way and rolls Niven up. Niven kicks out and Natalya lands a Discus Lariat before looking to lock in the Sharpshooter. Green hops up on the apron, but Natalya is accidentally sent crashing into her. This opens the door for Niven to deliver a hair whip and a low crossbody for the win.
Winner: Piper Niven
After the match, Niven and Green beat down Natalya, but Tegan Nox runs down to the ring to provide Natalya with a hand.
We then head backstage and see Judgment Day talking strategy for their respective matches tonight. Rhea Ripley walks in, and Damian Priest asks where she's been. Ripley gives him a vague answer, and Dominik asks her if she needs him at ringside for her upcoming match with Shayna Baszler. Ripley assures him that she'll be fine handling things alone.
Back at ringside, Seth "Freakin" Rollins heads down.
Seth Rollins Calls Out Drew McIntyre
Rollins welcomes fans to Monday Night Rollins, then addresses his confrontation with Drew McIntyre last week and what occurred when Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio showed up. He explains that he was confused by McIntyre's actions, then calls him out to the ring to get some answers.
McIntyre's music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He explains that wanting Rollins at 100% for Crown Jewel doesn't mean he'll be babysitting Rollins for the next couple weeks, and Rollins says he can handle his business on his own. He questions if the same can be said for McIntyre, and McIntyre invites him to elaborate.
Rollins calls for a video to be played of Adam Pearce chatting with Ricochet, pointing out McIntyre conversing with Rhea Ripley in the background. McIntyre claims that Ripley approached him, and what they discussed is none of Rollins' business. He says Rollins should be worried about losing his World Heavyweight Championship.
Rollins assures McIntyre that his title isn't going anywhere. He says McIntyre has had many big successes and many failures, with the latter causing him to recruit some help from Judgment Day. Rollins warns him not to get tangled up with the group, and McIntyre reiterates that he doesn't need anyone to fight his battles for him. He addresses Rollins' shortcomings with The Bloodline, and Rollins becomes fired up. He tells McIntyre to move on from that, and says unlike Rollins, he doesn't need a crutch like a song. He says his WWE WrestleMania moment came in an empty arena, and he stepped up when WWE needed somebody too. He says he captured lightning in a bottle at WWE Clash In The Castle only to be screwed over by The Bloodline, then says that will happen once more at WWE Crown Jewel when he becomes the new titleholder.
Rollins says he understands exactly how McIntyre feels, but all he's hearing is a bunch of excuses. He says that won't get McIntyre anywhere, and when he beats him at the upcoming Premium Live Event, it will be the best thing to happen to him because he will have no one to blame except for himself.
Imperium then heads down to the ring. Johnny Gargano follows.
Johnny Gargano vs. Ludwig Kaiser (w/ Giovanni Vinci)
The bell rings and Gargano wastes no time. He fires off right hands on Kaiser, then delivers a hurricanrana that sends him crashing out of the ring and follows it up with a tope suicida. Both men return to the ring, and Kaiser delivers a dropkick to Gargano's midsection. He delivers a clothesline on the apron, then follows it up with a running uppercut that sends Gargano crashing onto the floor.
Back from the break, Gargano lands a series of forearms, but Kaiser catches him with a knee. Gargano sends him crashing into the middle turnbuckle face first, then follows it up with an uppercut and an enzuigiri. He then delivers a Slingshot Spear and ascends to the middle rope before landing a Tornado DDT and a superkick to his knee. He delivers a Sunset Flip out of the corner, but Kaiser catches him with a Death Valley Driver. Gargano sends him crashing out of the ring, and Vinci checks on him. Kaiser gets in his face, allowing Gargano to hit a DDT using the ropes and one back into the ring. He goes for a pin, but Vinci rakes his eyes to break the fall. Gargano flattens him and sends his head repeatedly crashing into the announce desk. Vinci slides in the ring, but quickly hops out, which opens the door for Kaiser to land a kick and a DDT for the win.
Winner: Ludwig Kaiser
Back from the break, we head backstage and see Drew McIntyre chatting with Sami Zayn. McIntyre warns him about giving Jey Uso an instant second chance, and Zayn says they don't see eye-to-eye on him. He tells McIntyre it's time to let The Bloodline go, and he's the only one who thinks Jey hasn't changed. He says he knows how he feels and how hard it is to let The Bloodline go. McIntyre says Zayn can't truly know how he feels given he's ever been World Champion. Zayn then challenges him to a one-on-one match next week as a means of proving himself, and McIntyre accepts.
Back at ringside, Rhea Ripley heads down. She grabs a mic and addresses Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax, and Raquel Rodriguez. She makes it clear that the women's division is hers, and she will always be on top. Baszler then heads down to the ring.
Rhea Ripley (w/ Dominik Mysterio) vs. Shayna Baszler
The bell rings and the two lock up. Ripley fires off shoulders on Baszler's midsection in the corner, then delivers a kick across her chest and follows it up with a dropkick. She gets Baszler up on her shoulders, but Baszler slips out of her grasp. Baszler lands a forearm, but Ripley responds with a back elbow. Baslzer hits a German suplex and a running knee. Ripley looks for Riptide, but Baszler counters into a submission hold. Ripley powerbombs her to escape as Nia Jax marches down to the ring and looks to cause a disqualification. Raquel Rodriguez appears out of nowhere to neutralize Jax, and Zoey Stark goes flying off the barricade to level her. Rodriguez then sends Stark crashing into the barricade and dumps her inside the ring before landing a boot on Jax. Jax sends her crashing into the ring steps as Stark takes a shot at Ripley in the ring, causing the disqualification.
Winner: N/A (double disqualification due to outside interference)
Ripley sends Stark colliding with Baszler and dates Jax to get in the ring. Jax does just that, and Stark works with Ripley to level her. Stark then kicks Jax out of the ring.
We then head backstage to Becky Lynch talking with Adam Pearce to make an "NXT" Women's Championship defense against Indi Hartwell official for next week's episode of "Raw". Xia Li then walks in and asks where her title shot is, making it clear that it will be on her time. Jade Cargill enters once she leaves and takes note of Lynch's title.
Back at ringside Bronson Reed heads down. GUNTHER follows.
GUNTHER (c) vs. Bronson Reed for the Intercontinental Championship
The bell rings and the two lock up. GUNTHER lands a boot on Reed, then follows it up with a pair of chops. Reed flattens him with a splash and a second one in the corner before the action spills out of the ring and GUNTHER catches Reed with a chop as he goes flying out of the ring. He gets him back inside the ring. Reed looks to ascend to the top, but GUNTHER levels him before he can and delivers a chop on the apron. He looks to plant him on it, but Reed counters into a back body drop and delivers a flying shoulder tackle off the apron.
Back from the break, GUNTHER and Reed go back and forth with chops on one another. Reed eventually lands a kick and a powerslam, then follows it up with a Death Valley Driver and looks for a senton. GUNTHER gets his knees up before both men wind up on the top rope and Reed executes a superplex. GUNTHER then delivers a dropkick and a clothesline, then ascends to the top and delivers a splash. He hits a powerbomb for the win.
Winner (and still): GUNTHER
Back from the break, we head backstage and see Adam Pearce inform Rhea Ripley that she will be defending her Women's World Championship against Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark, Raquel Rodriguez, and Nia Jax at WWE Crown Jewel.
We then see Alpha Academy training in the gym, where Maxxine Dupri is doing pilates with Otis as Akira Tozawa lifts some heavy two pound dumbbells. This eventually leads to an encounter with New Day, and a tag match between the two teams is created.
Back at ringside, Judgment Day heads down. Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes follow.
Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Judgment Day for the Undisputed Tag Team Championship
Rhodes and Balor begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Jey tags in and delivers a double ax handle off the top rope as Priest makes the blind tag and low bridges Jey to the outside from the apron. He dumps him back inside the ring and delivers a kick to his chest, then tags Balor back in. Balor tags out to Priest, and the pair delivers backbreaker-leg drop combination. Jey lands an enzuigiri and tags Rhodes back in. Rhodes fires off right hands on Priest, then delivers a scoop powerslam and executes one on an interfering Balor. He then delivers a Disaster Kick to Priest as Dominik Mysterio runs down and hops up on the apron.
Rhodes clocks him and looks for Cross-Rhodes. Balor counters and sets up for one of his own, but Jey levels him with a superkick. Priest gets caught with one and Rhodes follows it up with Cross-Rhodes. He goes for a pin, but Dominik places Priest's foot on the bottom rope to break the fall.
Back from the break, Rhodes fires off right hands on Priest in the center of the ring. He follows it up with a Pedigree and tags in Jey as Priest tags in Balor. Jey delivers a Samoan Drop to Balor before landing a crossbody off the top rope. Jey lands a superkick across his jaw, then delivers the Cody 1D with Rhodes. He goes for a pin, but Balor kicks out.
On the outside, Priest clears the announce desk while Jey ascends to the top. Dominik looks to push him off while the referee is distracted, but Jey fights him off and goes flying. Balor gets his knees up and goes for a pin but Jey kicks out. Sami Zayn then runs down to the ring to neutralize Dominik and sends him crashing into the ring post face first and ring steps shoulder first. Priest sends Zayn crashing into the ring post, but Rhodes dumps him into the crowd and looks to tag in. Balor knocks him off the apron before he can, and Priest then delivers Razor's Edge to him through the announce desk. Jey goes flying to level him, then gets back in the ring. Balor lands a Sling Blade and a missile dropkick, then ascends to the top and looks for Coup De Grace. Jey moves out of the way and lands a spear, then ascends to the top and looks for an Uso Splash. Priest goes after him, but gets caught by a spear from him. Jimmy Uso then appears out of nowhere and takes a shot at his brother, opening the door for Balor to ascend to the top and land the Coup De Grace for the win.
Winners (and new): Judgment Day