[intro music playing]
[Triple H] Then.
Now.
Forever.
Together.
♪ Born to be the greatest of all time ♪
♪ This is where I draw the line ♪
♪ Can't stop my shine they know it's my time ♪
[Cole] There is a big fight feel tonight.
We are live on the campus of The Ohio State University,
the Schottenstein Center in the capital city of Ohio, Columbus.
Two championships are on the line tonight.
♪ …boy famous, Mr. Amazing, blazing… ♪
Hello, everybody, I'm Michael Cole. He's Pat McAfee.
And welcome to Monday Night Raw.
[crowd cheering]
Last week, Rhea Ripley had to vacate her Women's World Championship due to injury,
But tonight, Pat, we are going to crown a brand new Women's World Champion.
That's right. In the majestic state of O-H
[crowd] I-O!
We have one of the biggest matches in the history of this company.
For the fourth time ever,
a Battle Royal will determine a new World Champion.
as nearly every woman on the roster will compete tonight.
You get tossed out of that top rope, you're not the champion.
You're the last one standing,
you're the brand new Women's World Champion.
[crowd cheering]
Right now, let's show you how we got to the point
to have this massive Main Event here live tonight.
[poignant music playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Rhea] So, obviously, you guys know what's going on right now, yeah?
After the attack last week from Liv Morgan,
-[crash] -[Rhea grunts]
[both grunting]
[yelling]
Get out of here.
I've now been told that I'm stuck on the bench for quite a few months.
[crowd exclaiming]
Because I have been told that I need to vacate
the one thing that means the most to me,
my Women's World championship.
[crowd booing]
[Rhea] This right here, this championship,
this means the most to me in my entire life.
To whoever wins my Women's World Championship,
when I come back, I'm coming back for blood.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Thank you, Mami! Thank you, Mami!
Thank you, Mami! Thank you, Mami!
[Cole] So tonight, tragedy presents opportunity.
A new Women's World Champion will be crowned.
The ring will be filled with superstars
eliminated over the top rope with both feet hitting the floor.
The last woman standing is the Women's World Champion.
And among the women involved,
the woman who injured Rhea Ripley as part of her revenge tour, Liv Morgan,
looking to win a second championship in her career tonight.
And the woman who battled Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania
looking for her seventh world championship tonight.
-The Man, Becky Lynch, -[cheering]
[Cole] wants to take over the world, tonight.
["Main Event Ish" playing]
[McAfee] Oh, yeah.
-♪ It's just me, Uce ♪ -♪ Okay ♪
♪ Day one it's just me, Uce ♪
[Cole chuckles] I hope you warmed up and stretched in the back.
[McAfee singing] ♪ Well, I walked from the ring here ♪
♪ Now I'm blown up, Yeet myself ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ♪
[Cole] He's the number one contender
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd chanting] Yeet! Yeet! Yeet!
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Oh, man.
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome,
Main Event,
Jey Uso!
-♪ Uso! ♪ -♪ It's just me, Uce! ♪
♪ Day one it's just me, Uce ♪
-[Cole] Uh, Pat McAfee, yeeting away -[McAfee] Oh, yeah.
[Cole] with the number one contender to the world title,
Main Event, Jey Uso.
What a scene at The Ohio State University tonight.
[McAfee singing] ♪ To the house, Yeet, Yeet! ♪
♪ To the house, Yeet, Yeet, dawg! ♪
[Cole] And ladies and gentlemen, a week from Saturday,
1:00 p.m. Eastern, a special start time, 10:00 a.m. Pacific.
Seven o'clock if you're watching live in Lyon, France.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] It is Backlash where Jey Uso takes on Damian Priest
for the world heavyweight title.
[McAfee] Yeet.
[man] Yeet!
[crowd] Yeet!
Main Event Jey Uso is not in your city!
[crowd cheering]
Hey!
I said, Backlash is in two weeks.
-I said, Backlash is in two weeks. -[crowd] Yeet!
-So, I got a lot to prove. -[crowd] Yeet!
-Prove to the world, -[crowd] Yeet!
-who I say I am. -[crowd] Yeet!
-Main Event. -[crowd] Yeet!
-Jey. -[crowd] Yeet!
-Uso. -[crowd] Yeet!
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Yeet! Yeet!
So, I have to beat Damian Priest.
To make sure everything I went through was worth it.
[crowd] Yeet!
Backlash was, I proved to myself--
["Rise For The Night" playing]
[McAfee] We were just getting yeeted.
Ugh, our champion, I guess, is allowed to come out whenever he wants.
[Cole] Only the second man in the history of WrestleMania
to cash in his Money in the Bank contract that night to win a title.
[McAfee] A lot of people thought he forgot
that he had the Money in the Bank contract opportunity.
[Cole] Drew McIntyre defeated Seth Rollins that night
and held the title for just over five minutes
-before Damian Priest would cash in -[McAfee] Brilliant cash in.
[Cole] to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
[McAfee] El Campeon, Damian Priest.
That's Spanish for "The Champion," I think.
[crowd cheering, booing]
Take it easy, Jey.
Whatever you think I'm out here for, you're wrong.
I just came to talk to you. I wanted to tell you, actually,
yo, your whole presentation,
-the Yeet, -[crowd] Yeet!
Main Event Jey Uso, the vibe,
[crowd] Yeet!
-it suits you, dawg. Congratulations. -[crowd] Yeet!
I know. I know. Y'all weren't expecting all that.
Yo.
You and I went to war last year, right?
[crowd] Yeet!
We did. We did.
But I want to talk about one specific night now.
Now, I've never talked about this publicly, but…
And you could tell 'em if I'm lying.
There was one night you whooped my ass so bad.
-[crowd cheering] -He did, he did.
That I went up to you in the locker room
and I told you to your face
that you earned all my respect.
That's why I wanted you in The Judgment Day.
And then I told you, we going out tonight and drinks are on me.
[crowd cheering]
I don't remember much, but I remember two things.
Number one, I know I paid the bill,
because you wanted that Bloodline good stuff.
We took an Uber.
-[crowd laughs] -[Cole chuckles]
But I don't know if you remember this part.
You said something to me that I am very proud of.
You said we were next.
[crowd cheering]
-You said, "We next, Uce." -[man] What?
Now I stand here in front of you,
proud to stand here with you. You were right.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
All right.
He was right.
If I'm being honest,
well, half right.
I was next.
[crowd booing]
Damn, man! You almost had me.
This right here,
shows why I was next, Uce.
This… shows why I'm now.
It's okay. Look,
you're just the first on a list of people
that the machine is gonna feed me to make sure this looks good on me.
[crowd cheering, booing]
Uh… nothing to be ashamed of.
There's nothing to be ashamed of. You're just…
You're gonna be the first to fall, yeah.
But then you get to be the first to lead all these people.
You get to be the first to lead all the fans all across the world
and making sure…
[man] You suck!
that all rise for El Campeon.
[crowd cheering, booing]
Como, como, como.
Take it easy, freeze.
Come back. Come back. Let me holler at you.
-Please. -Jey.
I mean, I don't know what you can say to me after I just said what I said.
But, go ahead.
That's all you see me as, bruh?
Just another tag team guy, right?
Just another Uso, right?
Some talk coming from the leader of The Judgment Day.
The only reason why you're leader of The Judgment Day
is 'cause Rhea Ripley got hurt.
[crowd exclaiming]
-[McAfee chuckles] -[Jey] By the way, how Mami doing?
Tell her I said, "Hi!"
[crowd cheering]
Hey, champ. Do you know what that make you to me right now?
-Dom Mysterio's bitch! -[crowd exclaiming]
Hold on, hold on. I got him. I got him. I got him. Look, look, look.
Hey, you did what you did.
Cash your briefcase in at WrestleMania.
Made yourself World Heavyweight Champ.
[crowd] Yeet!
And you think they're gonna feed me to you? Nah!
You getting fed to me?
'Cause I'm next.
In that Backlash, I'm gonna be the next World Heavyweight Champion.
And Columbus, Ohio, if you rocking with Jey Uso,
then lemme hear you say, "Yeet!"
[crowd] Yeet!
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] All right.
[Cole] A fired up Jey Uso tonight.
Toe-to-toe with a man who--
-Wait a minute. -[crowd exclaiming]
[Cole] That's JD McDonagh and a superkick to Priest.
Uh-oh.
Damn.
Hey, my bad, Priest. My bad, Priest.
-Oh, my bad, Priest. -Get out.
[McAfee] He was trying to fan him down.
-Tried to yeet on him. -["Main Event Ish" playing]
[Cole] Well, that sneak attack didn't work out too well for JD McDonagh.
And now McDonagh is begging for forgiveness.
♪ It's on me now ♪
-Yeah, come on, Uce. -[McAfee] He's gonna have to keep begging.
El Campeon just ate a boot to start Monday Night Raw.
♪ Yeah ♪ [laughing]
[Cole] Jose frustrated, embarrassed Chad Gable
after losing his opportunity
for the Intercontinental Championship to Sami Zayn last week.
He attacked Sami in front of Sami's wife and Sami's family
in his home town of Montreal.
And Chad Gable has been very vocal and defiant on social media all week long.
Gonna to be interesting to see what Chad has to say
about the attack tonight.
And The Ring General is back.
His 666-day reign as the longest reigning
Intercontinental Champion ever ended at WrestleMania.
Tonight, Gunther sets his sights on his next mission. Live on Raw.
-["It's Our Moment" playing] -♪ We are ♪
♪ We are ♪
[Cole] It's title night, tonight.
♪ DIY ♪
♪ Yeah, we're on top, Only way to live it ♪
♪ And we won't stop, Not until we get it ♪
♪ Livin' on top, That's the way we do it ♪
[Cole] Gargano and Ciampa.
DIY won a Triple Threat Match to earn this opportunity
at the Raw tag team title tonight.
But another opportunity to win the gold for DIY.
At some point, Pat, they've gotta get it done.
[McAfee] Yeah, you'd feel like tonight's title night
for all of the WWE universe,
but for DIY, it means a little bit more.
Might be the last opportunity ever.
[Cole] World tag titles up for grabs. Live, next.
The last Saturday in May and we will crown king and queen of the ring.
Meanwhile, the men in the ring, DIY,
looking to gain the World Tag Team Title tonight.
["The Awesome Truth" playing]
[The Miz] Ohio! Monday Night Raw!
Truth, tell 'em what we're gonna do.
Let's crank it up. Now here we go.
♪ People over there what's up? ♪
♪ If you feel me, stand up and say what's up? ♪
-[both] ♪ What's up? What's up? ♪ -[crowd] ♪ What's up? What's up? ♪
♪ Now you can get with this, Or you can get with that ♪
♪ Columbus, Ohio, 'Cause this is where it's at ♪
-[both] ♪ What's up? What's up? ♪ -[crowd] ♪ What's up? What's up? ♪
♪ See, we'd be skippin' and jumpin', Leavin' the competition ♪
♪ Make 'em disappear Like your favorite magician ♪
♪ It's like that, as a matter of fact ♪
♪ Y'all get that and that The Awesome Truth is back ♪
♪ Most of the time you see us Just being simple ♪
♪ Different times, We be busting 'em up like a pimple ♪
♪ Statin my claim to fame ♪
♪ To be two of the baddest OG's To step foot in this game ♪
♪ And we haven't even started yet ♪
♪ You can better believe, We takin' off a sure shot bet ♪
-[both] ♪ What's up? What's up? ♪ -[crowd] ♪ What's up? What's up? ♪
[McAfee] Okay. What a performance.
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Miz rocking the Solar Eclipse Ones
on his face. A little bit off beat.
But R-Truth just killed it.
[bell rings]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall
and it is for the World Tag Team Championships.
[crowd cheering]
Introducing the challengers.
Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano!
DIY!
-[crowd cheering, clapping] -Come on!
[announcer] And their opponents.
They are the World Tag Team Champions.
R-Truth and The Miz!
Awesome Truth!
[crowd cheering, clapping]
[Cole] The World Tag Team Title's on the line.
Awesome Truth winning the belts back in WrestleMania.
Part of the Six-Pack Challenge Ladder Match
to win those world titles.
They had the Raw tag team titles at the time last week.
Chief Content Officer, Triple H,
turning them into the world of tag team titles.
A-Town Down Under over on SmackDown, now the WWE Tag Team Champions.
[bell rings]
[McAfee] Aldis called them A-Clown Down Under
Got a good pop out of me, nonetheless, two new champs in.
Raw's got a couple OG's.
[crowd clapping]
[Cole] R-Truth starting things off. Former two-time United States champion.
Second time he's held the tag team gold.
Against, uh, Johnny Gargano from Cleveland.
About two hours up the road from the capital city of Columbus here.
[McAfee] An Ohio boy back in OH.
[Cole] Gargano in--
-[McAfee] IO. -[Cole] Oh, I was supposed to say that.
-[Cole] Wanna try one more time? -[McAfee] No, we'll do it later.
[Cole] Oh! And a nice arm drag takedown Truth
and now into the armbar on Gargano.
We touched on this earlier, Pat. This is a big match for DIY.
They've had some opportunities over the past number of months
to win tag team gold,
haven't been able to pull it off.
[McAfee] They had success at NXT together.
They've had a lot of success, obviously, around the globe.
Here's a big night for 'em.
[Cole] NXT tag team champions.
[McAfee] See Johnny Wrestling look at R-Truth and say,
-"How are you still able to do that?" -[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Been wrestling for 30 plus years.
[Cole] Both Gargano and uh, Ciampa, former NXT champs as well.
Get on him.
[Cole] Gargano talked about the relationship
between DIY and The Awesome Truth.
He called it "unique." Truth somewhat delusional.
He seems to believe Gargano and, uh, Ciampa
are Triple H and Shawn Michaels of Degeneration X.
Double team by Truth and Miz.
Cover now by Miz. Hook on the leg, kick-out by Gargano at one.
[McAfee] I like Miz and R-Truth back together.
Yin-Yang here.
[grunting]
[McAfee] PB and J. They're perfect together.
[Cole] Gargano.
Miz rolled through, Gargano went for the kick
and Miz blocked.
Now Miz looking for a Figure Four
and Gargano able to counter.
Tag made, here comes Tommaso Ciampa.
[McAfee] He is also an Ohio folk.
[Cole] The Skull-Crushing Finale.
[McAfee] Oh, just got his tooth busted out of his mouth.
[crowd exclaiming]
[Cole] Miz said, "That's how we're gonna play?"
Ciampa goes, "You're in a fight. This is the tag team titles."
[crowd groaning]
[Cole] And a very well-documented mean streak for Ciampa.
Miz turns things around.
Look for a backslide and was able to connect.
Miz rolls through though.
Nice double leg takedown by Miz,
looking to inflict Figure Four on Ciampa now.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Center of the ring, Miz locks it in.
Will Ciampa tap out to the Figure Four?
And Gargano with a basement dropkick, breaking things up.
But here's R-Truth.
[McAfee] Nature Boy watching thought this tag team title match was over.
[grunting]
[Cole] Gargano sent out.
Ciampa from behind, scooping up Miz, looking to steal the gold.
Miz got a kick at two. Tag by Gargano.
Gargano legal-- There's a slingshot.
[McAfee] Spear with a knee to R-Truth on the backside from Tommaso.
Ciampa…
Left knee, uh, seems to be giving him some problems
as Gargano launches himself over the top rope right in front of us.
[McAfee] Springboard crossbody from Mr. Wrestling.
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] And now,
the self-parade.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] Back live on Monday Night Raw. This is for the World Tag Team Titles.
And R-Truth looking for rally.
Can he make a tag to his partner, Miz?
[crowd cheering, clapping]
[McAfee] Their first defense is becoming our champions at WrestleMania.
[Cole] Tag. Here comes Miz.
Ciampa back to his feet, Miz with a clothesline.
And another one to Ciampa.
[grunting]
[Cole] And Miz now on fire. Lighting up Ciampa.
-[crowd chanting] -[McAfee] Some awesome kicks.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Into the corner with a running clothesline. Classic Miz.
-[grunting] -[The Miz] Good night.
[Cole] Puts Gargano on the apron.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
-[grunts] -[McAfee] Look at The Miz, a champion.
[Cole] Off the top rope-- Oh! And runs into a boot from Ciampa,
-who looks to win the titles right here. -[crowd] One, two…
[Cole] Kick out at two and near fall.
[McAfee] Miz was rolling.
[Cole] And watch this.
-[McAfee] From 20 feet in his… Bang! -[crowd groaning]
Sheesh! Right on the jaw.
Pinpoint accuracy like his Luke Littler. Tommaso Ciampa with his knee.
[Cole] He was going for the Fairytale Ending.
Miz able to squirm through his legs.
Hands length away from R-Truth in the corner.
Creates space, tag made, here's Truth.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] A clothesline to Ciampa and one to Gargano.
And R-Truth now starting to roll. There's the shoulder tackle.
Emulating the man he had the opportunity to team with a couple of weeks ago.
-His childhood hero. -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] The GOAT, John Cena.
[crowd] You can't see me.
[Cole] Going for the Five Knuckle Shuffle.
Gargano with a superkick, intercepting Truth.
Ciampa says that's it.
Truth is down. Pedigree.
Cover, for the win.
-Over the legs. -[crowd] One, two…
-[Cole] And Truth stayed in it. -[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] I thought DIY were our new champions.
[Cole] Gargano can't believe it was just a two count.
-[grunts] -[crowd chanting] Truth! Truth! Truth!
[Cole] WWE fans trying to rally Truth.
Gargano with a suicide dive to take out Miz.
Now the two legal men.
R-Truth now, small pack control. Shoulders down. Is it enough? Kick at two.
-[grunts] -[McAfee] That's the savviness of R-Truth.
Inside cradle to slow this down.
[Cole] Scissor kick, Ciampa ducked away.
Caught him with a right on the jaw.
And the knee!
[McAfee] Exposed the knee. Took off the knee pad.
[Cole] Tag.
And looking for the Meet in the Middle.
Missed one in the Triple Threat Match.
Oh, and they connect on Truth
to win the tag team titles.
-Gargano, cover. Hook on the leg to win. -[crowd] One, two…
[Cole] And Miz pulls Gargano off the cover.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] That may have been DIY's best opportunity.
[McAfee] Awesome Truth. Security guy getting taken out
as Miz clears the arena.
[Cole] Sends Gargano back into the ring.
Up on the apron, tag made by Truth. The Miz.
Gargano off the ropes.
Couldn't connect. Miz does.
Oh, Gargano rolls him up, though.
-One, two… -[Cole] For gold. Another near fall.
[The Miz] Truth!
[Cole] Miz and Truth, there it is!
-The Truth Crushing Finale. TCF! -[crowd] One, two, three!
-[bell rings] -["The Awesome Truth" playing]
[announcer] Here are your winners.
And still the World Tag Team Champions!
Awesome Truth!
[Cole] A successful first title defense.
[McAfee] Goes without saying, the TCF, TCB for Awesome Truth.
First title defense is a victorious one.
[Cole] DIY came so close yet again.
But in the end, R-Truth and The Miz
retain the World Tag Team Titles.
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] I love the respect here from DIY to Awesome Truth
and in return.
-Tommaso Ciampa's not shaking their hand. -[Cole] Ah, he's frustrated.
[crowd booing]
[McAfee] Come on.
…because he was running his mouth about Rhea, about Dom, about you.
-I know it wasn't part of the plan. -There was no plan.
-Yo-- -I never asked for your help.
Not last week, not this weekend. But you failed both times, by the way.
And tonight, I got kicked in the face.
-I know and I'm sorry about that, okay? -I don't want--
-What is this? And what happened to you? -Jesus.
[Dominik sighs]
I was supposed to tag with JD against Andrade and Ricochet,
but, um, I'm a little banged up.
So, I figured I'd ask Santos to return the favor I did for him at main
and tag with JD tonight.
Don't worry, I talked to Aldis and Pearce. It's all good.
-Did you talk to me? -I texted.
Is that a problem?
Clearly, it's a problem.
But we don't have a choice, do we?
So do us a favor and handle this.
Like I said, you don't have to worry about me.
Oh.
Damian, I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do, man.
Stop!
Look, go out there and handle your business.
And while you're at it, stay out of mine.
Look, we're gonna go out there and we're gonna handle Judgment Day business.
All right?
Handle your business.
[Cole] The champ is, uh, not happy.
There's the former Intercontinental Champion.
Longest reigning of all time, flanked by Imperium.
Gunther is here. Live, next.
Hello, WWE Universe. The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels here.
I am proud to announce in partnership with UFC,
that NXT Battleground will head to UFC Apex on Sunday, June 9.
We're excited to bring NXT brand to Las Vegas
and to give our superstars the opportunity to perform
in the state of the art facility.
Get ready Las Vegas,
because NXT Battleground is heading your way.
[Cole] This announcement making headlines around the globe today.
In partnership with Dana White, the UFC NXT Battleground
heading to UFC Apex in June.
[McAfee] That's the power of TKO.
Being able to come together to create historic and electrifying events.
Stars have already been made in the Apex arena.
I cannot wait to see what Battleground brings to Las Vegas
in a beautiful venue.
["Prepare To Fight" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[crowd] Gunther!
[McAfee] He's back, Cole.
[announcer] Please welcome, Ludwig Kaiser,
Giovanni Vinci
and The Ring General, Gunther!
Imperium!
[Cole] The return of Gunther.
[McAfee] Gunther, actually,
[Cole] And tonight, Monday Night Raw
is brought to you by Men's Wearhouse.
-[McAfee] That suit looks fantastic. -[Cole] Pretty nice, right?
[McAfee] It's Men's Wearhouse suit.
[Cole] Got a look at it when we kicked off the show.
-[McAfee] Tailored. Did you pay for that? -[Cole] Yes, I did.
[McAfee] Supporting the business, as you should.
A suit wearers dream, if you will.
Speaking of a dream.
Gunther's back!
[crowd cheering, clapping]
I know what you expect me to say out here.
Talk about WrestleMania, take some shots at Sami Zayn.
But, I'm sorry to disappoint you.
That's not what I'm gonna do.
-See, -[crowd booing]
I took some time away to digest everything that happened.
and I want to say this.
For 666 days,
I elevated the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship
to heights never seen before.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
And in that the process,
I became the greatest champion in its illustrious history.
[crowd cheering]
My name, The Ring General, Gunther,
will forever be embedded in the history
of the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd cheering]
However,
that also means for almost two years I was walking around here
with a big target on my back.
With the pressure of living up to everybody's
and my own high expectations.
That weight has now been lifted off my shoulders.
So, to Sami Zayn,
thank you.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
Because now I'm not a target anymore.
I'm going from being the hunted,
to being the hunter.
I can do whatever I want.
This is a brand new era.
And no matter to which brand I will be drafted to,
I will make sure that my name will be embedded into this new era.
So, therefore,
I officially declare my participation
in the King of the Ring tournament.
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Okay.
And after that,
it's up to me to decide which championship to take next.
Whether it's Sami Zayn at my Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship,
or any other championship in WWE.
But,
fair warning,
as a champion in WWE,
you will be targeted,
you will be hunted,
by a challenger that is not only able of winning titles,
but is also able to hold on longer to them than anybody else.
[crowd cheering]
Already the general of the ring.
Soon to be the King of the Ring.
The Ring General,
Gunther!
["Prepare To Fight" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Gunther plotting his future here tonight on Monday Night Raw.
[man] It's a new day. Yes, it is!
-[crowd cheering] -["New Day, New Way" playing]
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.
Sound the alarm.
[Kofi mimicking an alarm]
Sound the alarm.
[mimicking an alarm]
Gunther!
You are correct.
It is indeed a new era.
But what better way to usher in this new era
than with your boys,
-[both] The New Day! -[crowd] New Day!
See, Gunther, what you're looking at
is the reigning, defending, King of the Ring!
[crowd cheering, clapping]
-So, you know what that makes you? -Tell him.
-That makes you a usurper… -Usurper!
[Xavier] to my throne.
-That makes you a pretender… -Pretender!
[Xavier] to my throne.
And you're not the only one thinking about legacy.
Because I plan on cementing my legacy
when I become two-time…
[crowd cheering]
[Xavier] King of the Ring.
[Kofi] Say it one more time, Woodsy.
Two-time King of the Ring.
Say it three times for emphasis and guarantee!
[crowd] Two…
Two-time King of the Ring.
All right, all right, all right. I think everybody got it, Clown King.
Everybody understands.
But let's be realistic here.
After I win the King of the Ring,
I'm gonna re-establish the image of the King of the Ring tournament.
And you?
You'll be remembered as that guy that's a little weird
and won by accident and covered himself in gold
and pretended to be a champion.
A champion. A champion, he says.
That's interesting you say champion
-because that's what you used to be. -Oh!
-[laughs] -[crowd exclaims]
He ain't got no gold 'cause he lost his championship title to Sam Zayn.
♪ Where your gold at, Gunther? Where your gold at? ♪
[both] ♪ Where your gold at, Gunther? Where your gold at? ♪
♪ Where your gold at, Gunther? Where your gold at? ♪
Enough!
[Kofi] Sorry, sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.
This is beneath me.
Gio, Kaiser,
-take care of this. -No, no!
-[Kofi] I swear to God. -We fought them so much already.
You know what? Fine.
We'll handle this at King of the Ring.
-So, if your two little bump boys -Bump boys.
want a match right here, right now,
tonight in Columbus, Ohio…
[crowd cheering]
I said, in Columbus, Ohio!
[crowd cheering louder]
Then we will gladly beat your cheeks.
BYC, that's what it means.
[high-pitched] Because…
-New Day Rocks. -Ay!
[crowd chanting] New Day Rocks. New Day Rocks.
-New Day Rocks. -[upbeat music playing]
[Cole] Make it happen, Pearce.
I want to see the renewal of this great rivalry.
Imperium and New Day.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Former tag team champions, Piper Niven, Chelsea Green.
They can work together tonight for a bit,
but in the end, it's every woman for herself
in the Battle Royal
to crown the brand new Women's World Champion.
Hey, good luck stopping her.
The Irresistible Force, Nia Jax.
Part of the Battle Royal, tonight.
She has put everyone on notice here on Monday Night Raw.
Rhea Ripley, forced to vacate the Women's World Championship last week.
Tonight we crown a new champion.
Who will be the last woman standing in the Battle Royal
for the world title, live on our Main Event, tonight.
This match-up made official during the commercial break.
-[bell rings] -[Cole] The New Day,
renewing their long-time rivalry with Imperium here in tag team action.
The Ring General, former Intercontinental Champion,
Gunther, has taken a seat here near Pat McAfee at ringside.
God, he looks so incredible on his return to Monday Night Raw.
Good to see you, Gunther.
[Cole] Tell him how you thought he became complacent
toward the end of his, uh, championship reign.
-[McAfee] No reason to point that out. -[Cole] Oh!
[McAfee] It's a new era.
[Cole] And Kofi Kingston.
Former WWE champion with a dropkick to Ludwig Kaiser,
who looks back at Gunther, perhaps for advice.
[McAfee] Yeah, these two teams know each other very well.
[Cole] Remember, Kaiser injured Kofi Kingston
when he delivered a dropkick to the steel steps.
It cost Kingston a month of his career.
-Nein! -[Cole] That was after Kofi Kingston
injured Giovanni Vinci.
[McAfee] Just gave him a nein drop. Nein means no in, uh, German.
[Cole] Imperium actually attacked Kofi Kingston
when he was dressed as Santa Claus,
Kofi Claus for Christmas.
His team's had a Street Fight as well.
And now tag made and here comes Vinci.
[McAfee] The Italian or Imperium.
[Cole] The equalizer of Imperium.
And you heard moments ago, Gunther declaring himself
to be a part of the King of the Ring.
The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments begin next month.
Tag made and here comes the latest King of the Ring,
back in 2021.
Xavier Woods became the 22nd King of the Ring of all time
by winning that tournament, knocking off Ricochet, Jinder Mahal and Finn Balor.
And now Xavier Woods goes to work on Vinci.
Tag made again and here comes Kofi Kingston.
[McAfee] Yeah, Vinci said…
Xavier Woods said that he's looking to become
-a two-time King of the Ring. -[Cole] Oh! What a crossbody!
Lateral press then a kick-out.
There's only been one two-time King of the Ring in the history of WWE.
-[McAfee] Who's that? -[Cole] Bret "The Hitman" Hart.
Xavier Woods looking to go into that rarefied air,
as Kofi sent into the corner.
[McAfee] He was the best there is and the best there was.
[Cole] And a double team by Imperium
and Kofi in deep trouble.
[McAfee] There ever will be.
Gunther's trying to cement his own legacy.
He said his name will be woven through the next era,
as it's been as the longest reigning Intercontinental Heavyweight Champ.
[Cole] He rewrote history at the Intercontinental Championship.
The King of the Ring, which began back in 1985.
Don Muraco, the first ever King of the Ring.
So many greats.
Hall of Famers and the like over the years,
winning that King of the Ring tournament.
[Xavier] Hurry!
[Cole] When Austin 3:16 was born.
[McAfee] What a night.
[Cole] Kaiser sent over the top and Vinci
ran right into Kofi Kingston, but…
Kaiser with a clothesline!
Now a cheap shot to Woods, knocking him off the apron.
-Imperium is in control. -[crowd booing]
[Cole] Cover. Kick-out by Kingston.
Well done.
[Cole] It has been all Imperium during the commercial break.
Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci, putting on a clinic here tonight
against The New Day.
[McAfee] Much to the delight of The Ring General
sitting ringside with us,
Gunther, who's back.
[Cole] Yeah, 666 days as the Intercontinental Champion,
before losing to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania.
-[grunting] -[Cole] He's moving on though.
Now focusing on the King of the Ring tournament,
which begins next month along with Queen of the Ring as well.
[groaning]
[McAfee] Gotta think Gunther, early favorite to win King of the Ring
even though Xavier Woods, our reigning--
[Cole] Oh! And Kofi
stumbled coming off the second rope but it was still very effective.
And now Gunther…
Walk!
[Cole] beginning to show, uh, some nerves, perhaps,
as New Day looks to rally.
New Day have been in this predicament many, many times.
They know how to come back. Xavier Woods in off the tag.
[McAfee] This is The New Day's game.
Deep water is where they're thriving.
-[grunts] -[Cole] Woods.
Vinci, knocked for a loop.
Woods now, off the reversal.
Giovanni Vinci caught by Xavier Woods.
Woods turns him around and Woods with a suplex.
[crowd cheering]
-[grunts] -[Cole] Kaiser, knocked off the apron.
Vinci, nice drop toe-hold by Woods.
And Xavier, up over the top and he caught both, Kaiser and Vinci.
[crowd cheering]
[Xavier grunts]
[Cole] Tornado DDT!
Cover by Woods.
-For the win. Hook on the leg. -[crowd] One, two…
[Cole] Kick-out at two!
[McAfee] Our King of the Ring was showcasing his crown.
[McAfee] Flying around, taking down Imperium!
All with Gunther watching it happen right in his face.
-[Vinci grunts] -[crowd] Whoo!
[Cole] I'd watch the tone a bit, as you're looking at him.
-Tag. -[McAfee] Just describing the situation.
[Cole] Here's Kofi, double team coming from New Day.
-[Woods grunts] -[crowd exclaims]
[Cole] Vinci, takes care of Woods [shouting] and a wicked clothesline!
Turns Kingston inside out, for the win!
Kofi stays in it!
[McAfee] The type of power that Giovanni Vinci possesses.
-Turning Kofi inside-- -[Cole] Bang!
…out!
-[referee argues indistinctly] -[Kaiser yelling indistinctly]
[referee] Hey! [continues indistinctly]
[Cole] Now, Imperium, doing what they do best, looking to…
Oh, look at that, Xavier Woods…
just knocked Kaiser off the top, then through Vinci!
[McAfee] So, hurricanrana from Kofi.
-Former World Champions for good reason. -[Woods grunts]
[Cole] Now, Xavier Woods, off the apron.
Kofi Kingston, with a foot to the face, tag made.
New Day now, Woods is legal.
[Vinci yelps]
[McAfee] Tell me if you've seen this before, Cole.
[crowd exclaiming]
-[Cole] Many, many times! -[Woods grunts]
-[crowd exclaims] -[Cole] Vinci!
-Down and out! Cover-- -[referee] One!
-…by Woods! -Two!
-[Cole] For the win! -[bell rings]
-[crowd cheering] -["New Day, New Way" playing]
[Samantha] Here are your winners!
The New Day!
[Cole] Great ring presence…
by Woods and Kingston.
-And Gunther is ticked off! -[crowd members yelling]
[Cole] Shattering the chair!
-[crowd boos] -[crowd jeering]
[Cole] And just glaring…
at a very upset and frustrated Ludwig Kaiser,
as Gunther marches away.
[McAfee] Gunther just…
[Cole] Ah, he's clearly disappointed.
[McAfee] Lashes out.
[Cole] And his Imperium teammates…
[inaudible conversation]
[crowd jeering]
[Cole] New Day pick up a… A win here, tonight on Monday Night Raw.
A much-needed win.
[crowd continuously jeering]
[McAfee] Gunther is bummed out with Ludwig and Giovanni Vinci for losing here,
embarrassing Imperium…
-[crowd jeering] -[crowd booing]
[McAfee] …on Monday Night Raw.
They got each other's back, though, Cole.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] Well, Ludwig Kaiser, uh,
telling Vinci, "We will get them next time." And again…
New Day with a big win tonight, Pat.
That helps Xavier Woods, as he looks to build momentum,
heading into next month.
[McAfee] In King of the Ring, obviously.
Gunther, bummed out about these two--
-[Cole yelling] Oh, no! -[crowd exclaiming]
[McAfee shouting] Ludwig just threw…
-[Vinci grunts] -[Cole] Oh! And a…
-A wicked kick to Vinci! -[Vinci groans]
[yelling in German]
[spits, continues yelling in German]
[yelling]
[berating in German]
[referee] Enough! No!
-[hollow clunk] -[crowd exclaims]
[yelling in German]
[Vinci yelps, screams in agony]
-[Kaiser yelling] Huh? -Argh!
[referee shouting] What are you doing? What are you doing?
-[yells in German] -Hey! Hey!
-[Vinci yells in agony] -[continues yelling in German]
-[yells] -[referee] Come on! Hey!
-[Vinci] Argh! -[yelling in German]
-Knock it off! What are you doing? -[yells] Huh?
-[McAfee] Can we have a German translator? -[referee] Hey!
[Cole] And now, Vinci, just sent over the--
onto the announce table.
[McAfee] He's just gone through the chair.
[yelling in German]
[yelling in English] How many years?
-[Vinci yelps] -[crowd exclaims]
[grunts in pain]
[hollow clunking]
-[crowd exclaims] -[Cole] Ludwig Kaiser…
-torturing Vinci! -[crowd boos]
[Cole] Pat, we talked for a number of months about the…
The cracks that seemed to be in… Forming in… In Imperium.
But it seems like that they've been repaired
over the past few weeks.
[McAfee] Once the title left Imperium…
Full chaos here!
[Cole] Now, officials coming down to separate these men,
as Kaiser had placed Vinci in a very prone
and vulnerable position on the steel steps.
[officials talking indistinctly]
[McAfee] Ludwig, like the German destroyer,
-taking out Giovanni Vinci. -[crowd booing continuously]
[Cole] Uh, Gunther was, was ticked off
at the fact that his team lost this match tonight.
He glared at Kaiser, almost, uh…
begging Ludwig Kaiser to…
To do something about it. Meanwhile, Kaiser's broken free!
Full head of speed. Oh, my God!
-No! -[crowd exclaiming loudly]
[McAfee, hoarsely] What is your problem?
[Cole, yelling] That's the same damn thing Kaiser did to Kofi Kingston,
and almost cost him his career!
[crowd chanting] Holy shit! Holy shit!
Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!
-[crowd jeering] -[indistinct yelling]
[referee speaking indistinctly] …you got to get out of here.
-[crowd clamoring] -You got to get out of here. Come on.
-[indistinctly talking] -[mixture of yelling and boos]
-[crowd boos] -[crowd jeers]
[referee] Go. Get out of here.
-[crowd continues booing] -[crowd continues jeering]
[referee] Move away. Come on.
-[crowd exclaims] -See that?
I told you I get it done.
[panting]
[crowd exclaiming faintly]
[Cole] Well, Gunther very pleased with what Ludwig Kaiser did moments ago.
-["Born To Be" playing] -[Cole] Still volatile, still bitter
after holding the World Title for just five minutes at WrestleMania.
Drew McIntyre is live, next.
♪ Watch me do what I got to do I'm too hot… ♪
[narrator reading]
WWE, like you've never seen before.
Three-minute time limits.
[Corey] This is a game-changer!
[narrator] Bracket-style competition.
[Corey] To crown the new…
[narrator] Bell-to-bell action.
[Corey] …WWE Speed Champion.
[narrator] WWE Speed.
[mysterious music playing]
[Andrade] Be careful.
When you hear about somebody,
you might be hearing it from the problem.
I am many things.
But the one thing…
I am not…
is someone's…
fool.
The Judgment Day runs Monday Night Raw.
So, we will be watching, uh, you.
[Dominik] If you take care of our little situation,
we'll make you a full member of the crew.
[crowd exclaims]
[Corey] Wait a minute!
-Andrade standing beside Rey Mysterio! -[crowd cheering]
I didn't betray them.
[narrating in Spanish]
[in English] They didn't want a business partner.
They wanted
a servant.
Nobody tells me…
what to do.
So now, they're right.
-[crowd cheers] -[bell rings]
I am now…
their biggest…
problem.
[Cole] Andrade and Ricochet has also been a major problem for Judgment Day.
Tonight, they team up to take on Santos Escobar,
filling in for Dominik Mysterio tonight, coming over from SmackDown.
And JD McDonagh, tag-team action live tonight, on Monday Night Raw.
Well, you know, WWE Superstars are back in the States today,
after an incredible record-setting tour of Europe.
We kicked things off with Birmingham, England, where the WWE fans
were raucous and rowdy as ever.
Sold out for the highest-grossing, highest-attended WWE show,
ever, in Birmingham.
We moved to Cardiff, Wales, next. Sold out yet again
with the highest-grossing, non-televised live event
in the history of Cardiff.
And we sped over to the glorious O2, in London.
One of the best arenas in the world,
where we were sold out, and the WWE fans were louder
than they've ever been in London.
And we wrapped up the tour in Belfast, Northern Ireland,
where Superstars performed to a fourth straight sellout.
It was the highest-grossing WWE event in the history of Belfast.
Congratulations to the over 42,000 WWE fans
who made the European tour an insane success!
[McAfee] Sláinte, Cole.
["Gallantry" playing]
[Cole] Well, ladies and gentlemen, combo-ticket presale opportunity
for Friday Night SmackDown,
Clash at the Castle, the OVO Hydro, in Glasgow, Scotland,
on Friday, June 14th. Saturday, June 15th.
Go to ticketmaster.com.uk this Wednesday, April 24 at 10:00 a.m. local.
And use the password, "castle," to get your tickets before anyone else.
And speaking of Scotland,
The Scottish Warrior.
["Gallantry" continues playing]
[Samantha] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
Drew McIntyre!
-[crowd cheers] -[crowd boos]
[Cole] Bitter.
Angry.
Upset.
Whining about it all, the fact that he was World Champion
for just over five minutes at WrestleMania.
Um, even found time to send a tweet out during the… The match-up,
and then was cashed in on by Damian Priest,
thanks, in part, to CM Punk.
[McAfee] Yeah, I think…
CM Punk certainly was an assist there.
He took his eye off the ball, but he is…
our former World Heavyweight Champion.
That's going to get forgotten in the storyline…
-[crowd cheers] -…because of how jaded he is.
Five minutes, this man was a champion in front of fans.
[Cole] Hey, five minutes can be considered a long time.
[McAfee] Yeah, I'd say.
[Cole chuckles] You could be my age.
[McAfee] Amen, brother.
I think I'm getting there quicker every day.
-[crowd booing] -[crowd cheering]
-[booing continues] -[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk!
-[indistinct chanting] -[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk!
CM Punk! CM Punk!
CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
-[crowd] CM Punk! -[crowd booing]
[crowd continues booing]
As usual,
don't shoot up my kilt, you perv.
-[crowd exclaims] -[crowd laughs]
Why do you insist on chanting his name every single time I come out?
-[crowd murmuring] -[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk!
[crowd chanting louder] CM Punk! CM Punk!
CM Punk! CM Punk!
The amount of evidence you've had through the years.
That man actually hates all of you.
[crowd murmuring]
The only person he hates more than the fans…
is himself.
You know, you ever love something so much it doesn't quite love you back as much?
[crowd chants faintly] What?
Well, that's my complex relationship with professional wrestling.
[crowd chants faintly] What?
Say "what?" if you French-kiss your cousins.
[crowd chants louder] What?
You're sick.
[crowd chants faintly] What?
You don't understand complex relationships
because half of you guys in here,
the most complex relationship you've ever had, is with your right hand.
-[crowd cheers] -[McAfee laughs]
-I think there are some southpaws that-- -Now, I could sit here
and I could complain all night, but I'm not going to do that.
Even though at WrestleMania, I was attacked from behind
by that coward, CM Punk.
Then Damian Priest, who could never beat me one-on-one,
used that briefcase
like a coward.
And then the next day on Raw, I didn't get my automatic rematch like everyone else.
No. Number-One Contender 4-Way.
Still competed like a real man.
Punk interferes again,
then Jey Uso takes advantage like a damn coward.
-[crowd jeers] -[crowd murmuring]
But I'm not going to complain now.
As usual, for Drew McIntyre, his back's against the wall.
I'm going to come out swinging, I'm going to target my next prize,
which is the King of the Ring.
When it comes to next week,
I don't give a damn about the Draft
-or where I am. -["Written In My Face" playing]
-[crowd cheering] -[McAfee exclaims]
♪ A careless man who could wind up dead… ♪
[McAfee] It's Sheamus!
♪… like it's some kind of prize ♪
-♪ Too many lies, too many lies… ♪ -[crowd continues cheering]
[McAfee] It appears as if it's…
[yelling boisterously] Fight… Night! Baby!
[faint cheers from crowd]
Drew, what's going on, man?
I don't get it.
You're sitting in the ring here, sulking.
Complaining about how…
everybody's a coward. Yeah?
How are you, by the way?
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Good to see you, Sheamus.
But let's be honest, man.
All I see is the only person here,
who's not going to take responsibility for his own mistakes.
-[McAfee softly] Whoa. -[Sheamus scoffs]
And some might say…
that makes you a coward.
[crowd exclaims faintly]
You know… Are you going to just sit there,
or are you going to stand up? Or…
Huh?
Come on.
After all this time, I think I've earned that respect.
I've known you 20 years.
Twenty years. And for the last four,
all I've heard you talk about is how you were robbed
of your career-defining WrestleMania moments.
And then at WrestleMania 40…
[breathily] you did it.
[audience member claps]
-You did it. -[mouthing] I did.
You got your moments.
You became the World Heavyweight Champion
in front of a live WrestleMania crowd.
Your brother, John Galloway, flew over from Scotland. He was there.
Your wife, Kaitlyn, was in the crowd. You saw her, you give her a kiss.
You gave her a big hug.
And then you blew it.
-[crowd exclaims softly] -You blew it…
over some stupid social media spat.
You should be standing here
with that World Heavyweight Championship around your waist.
I mean…
But over a meme and a T-shirt, you just threw it all away…
[snaps fingers]
like that.
I mean, am I supposed to keep wearing black
after that public humiliation?
That bleedin' burial at WrestleMania?
Listen.
I'm your friend.
We've traveled the world together.
We've had epic booze-ups together.
And we have had banger… after banger… after banger…
after banger-after banger match together.
So, as your friend, I'm here to tell you the hard truths.
[sighs]
A one-armed CM Punk kicked your arse.
[crowd exclaiming]
[crowd murmuring]
[crowd chanting faintly] CM Punk! CM Punk!
[chanting louder] CM Punk! CM Punk!
CM Punk! CM Punk!
I don't care what they think they know.
You know what that man did to me.
You know how he affected my career when I was a kid.
You know better than anybody.
This obsession, fella.
This obsession is taking down your career!
You've got to get it out of your head!
All right. You want to do this in front of the world?
This has been a conversation we've had backstage.
You want to tell the hard truths right now, fella?
That's what you want to do?
Okay. Before you were injured,
it was banger, after banger, after banger.
But since you've returned…
it looks to me like it's been…
-burger… after burger… after burger. -[crowd exclaiming]
[crowd continues exclaiming]
-[crowd jeers] -[crowd murmuring]
-[crowd boos faintly] -[crowd continues jeering]
[crowd quietens down]
[chuckles softly]
[laughs]
I'll tell you what, man. Since I've been off, I've been watching.
And you're getting really good at those one-liners, fella.
I'll tell ya. I'll give you that.
And I deserve that, right?
But the thing is, Drew,
I can lose the weight.
You can't lose stupid.
[crowd exclaiming]
[McAfee chortles]
So, stop blaming everybody else for your mistakes!
It is everybody else.
The "Burger After Burger," the "Ginger Pillsbury Doughboy,"
-"Flubber Man." -[McAfee] Geez.
That's not my words.
That is what those guys in the back were saying during your match last week,
and I was standing up for you!
I don't care. I can let them say what they want.
-It doesn't bother me. -[yelling] I care what they say!
Because I'm your friend. And whether you realize it or not,
or they realize that I tell the truth every single week.
And I'm your only friend here.
In the past, we'd throw fists,
and then we'd have some pints afterwards. I'm past that.
I only fight if it's worthwhile.
This right now, this isn't worthwhile.
But I'm still there for you.
I'm going to go ringside.
I'm going to stand by that table.
And I'm gonna…
watch your back.
["The Rising Sun" playing]
[McAfee] Hey. When he said, "Watch your back--"
[Cole] I have no idea. I don't even want to speculate.
[McAfee] Because he kind of said it in a threatening fashion.
But he said he was going to watch his back. What does he mean?
["The Rising Sun" continues playing]
[bell rings]
[Samantha] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making his way to the ring,
from Kyoto, Japan, weighing in at 220 pounds!
[boisterously] Shinsuke Nakamura!
[Cole] Uh, you better watch what you say. Drew's sitting on our table.
For the first time ever, it's McIntyre versus Sheamus, live next.
[Cole] Well, could tonight be the night
for the former two-time NXT Women's Champion, Shayna Baszler,
to win her first World Title?
It could happen if she wins the Battle Royal tonight.
Also this woman, the pit bull of WWE, Ivy Nile,
seeking her first singles championship ever.
Can she pull it off tonight?
It is a Battle Royal. Over the top rope,
both feet hit the floor, you're eliminated.
The last woman standing becomes the brand-new Women's World Champion.
And I… do admit, I mis-spoke before the commercial break.
This is actually Sheamus versus Shinsuke Nakamura
for the first time ever here on Monday Night Raw.
Drew McIntyre, with some very, uh, controversial things
to say towards Sheamus earlier on,
as, uh, sitting on our announce table, observing the match-up.
[McAfee] Yeah, he called Sheamus fat.
-He did. -[Cole] That is something,
Sheamus was attacked on social media.
As well, and apparently in the locker room, according to McIntyre,
over his, uh, his body, as he returned
to the ring for the first time in eight months.
[McAfee] And Drew McIntyre can say that because Drew McIntyre is built
-like a Greek god. -[Cole] But Sheamus looks great. I mean,
-don't get what the point is here. -[McAfee] Phenomenal. Powerful.
And then Drew McIntyre, looking on,
as Nakamura delivers a…
Oh, hurt his knee.
And what do you make of McIntyre and what he's been saying as of late?
And Sheamus seems to say he's blaming everybody but himself.
[McAfee] McIntyre is telling his truth.
Now, is that necessarily everybody's truth?
I guess that is to be determined.
But he is certainly telling his truth whenever he's speaking,
and he's speaking a lot.
[nervously] Drew, Drew… He's a large man.
You know I can hear you both right now?
Yeah, we… We were sitting real close. I don't want to offend you ever.
[Drew] Yeah. Why do I take more time to say positive things about Sheamus?
No one in the back has any respect for him,
even though he's given his literal body
for 16 years.
The success we're having now is built on guys
-like Sheamus, giving his legit neck! -[yelling loftily]
[Drew] They're gonna say that crap about him? He may not see it now,
but I'm gonna let him go see some frickin' truth…
[Cole] Uh, well, nonetheless, here's Nakamura now,
going to work on Seamus.
Both of these men are former…
-Ooh! -[McAfee] He just hijacked my microphone,
-kind of threw me. -[Cole] You did a good job protecting
your mic. That's the first thing you learn in this business, Pat.
You don't give up your mic to a Superstar when you're interviewing.
[McAfee] Obviously, if Drew McIntyre wants the microphone,
he's gonna be able to take that from you and me.
A monster of a man, as is Shinsuke.
Both of these men are former Royal Rumble winners.
Ooh! Sheamus has accomplished everything
-in his career. -[crowd cheering]
He's won every championship except the Intercontinental Title,
which is still on his wish list, as he glances down at Drew McIntyre.
Many… Many have said that McIntyre seemed hypocritical
about a lot of the things that he's, uh, been saying as of late.
[McAfee] Michael Cole just called you a hypocrite.
[Cole] I said some people have been saying that.
[McAfee] I'm saying it's not me.
Sheamus returned to action last week here on Monday Night Raw.
-Victory over Ivar. -[crowd chants] One!
[Cole] Sheamus, uh, last had wrestled back in August.
[crowd chanting] Four! Five! Six!
Seven! Eight! Nine!
-[crowd exclaiming in eagerness] -[Cole] And Sheamus--
-[crowd] Ten! -…10 Beats of the Bodhrán!
-[crowd cheering] -[applauds]
[Cole] And now, The Celtic Warrior.
Sheamus, looking for the kneecap.
-[Sheamus yells] -[Cole] …looking for the kneecap!
-[yells triumphantly] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Sheamus connected with a kneecap.
[McAfee] Knee to the dome! No one's home!
Shinsuke is outside the ring.
[Cole] Sheamus tossed Shinsuke in, who rolled out to the, uh, the floor.
-[McAfee] Smart decision. -[referee] One!
[Cole] Now, Sheamus, back on the attack again.
[referee] Get it back in here.
[McAfee] The "Banger Boys" stare at each other.
[Cole] Staring right at McIntyre.
And now, Sheamus, with Shinsuke up on his shoulders.
Shinsuke, though, kick to the back of the neck.
And Sheamus down, bounced off the announce table.
[referee] Two!
[Cole] Nakamura dribbling Sheamus.
-[referee] Three! -[McAfee] What's Shinsuke thinking here?
[Cole] From the barricade! Nakamura, on the back of Sheamus' neck!
The surgically-repaired neck of Sheamus!
Sheamus is in trouble!
-[crowd boos] -[crowd cheers]
[Cole] And we are back live, on Monday Night Raw.
Sheamus in a banger with Shinsuke Nakamura.
-Just Sheamus' second match… -[crowd exclaims]
…in the last eight months. Irish Curse Backbreaker.
And another one to Nakamura.
Nakamura, who's been working on Sheamus' neck
since before the commercial break.
Sheamus, of course, returning from a neck injury.
Drew McIntyre at ringside, looking on.
-[Sheamus yells] -[Cole] Sheamus, off the top rope.
-Cover by Sheamus on Nakamura. -[referee] One! Two!
[Cole] Kick-out at two by Shinsuke.
[McAfee] Sheamus, in his 1901th match,
-taken to the skies… -[crowd exclaims]
…with a top-rope lower lariat.
[Cole] You did your research.
Sheamus, lifting Nakamura up on his shoulders and Shinsuke,
fighting back.
-Ooh, big kick-- -[crowd exclaims softly]
…stunning Sheamus.
The Celtic Warrior, continuing to try to build momentum as he returns to WWE,
get back into the mix here.
[McAfee] The King of Strong Style.
[Cole] Ah, that's classic Nakamura right there.
-That sliding German suplex. -[McAfee] Look, Sheamus was able
to hold himself a little bit, so it wasn't as much impact as Shinsuke
-had been looking for… -[Cole] Again, the focal point, the neck.
[McAfee] …for the entire evening.
-Shinsuke knows. -[Cole] Nakamura,
-with that knee to Sheamus. -[referee] One!
[Cole] Into the cover. Is it enough to put him away?
The Celtic Warrior gets the shoulder up.
[McAfee] Shinsuke is testing his new nerve.
And Sheamus' neck. You can't blame him. It's a smart strategy.
[McIntyre] Come on!
[McAfee] The King of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura.
[McIntyre] Fight it!
[crowd rallying faintly]
[crowd continues rallying]
[Coe] Jam-packed here tonight at the Schottenstein Center
on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus,
Sheamus, looking to continue his winning ways since returning,
as he drives a number of elbows into the face of Nakamura.
-[crowd rallying] -[Cole] And Sheamus…
-[McAfee] What's he thinking here? -[Cole] He's got Shinsuke Nakamura
in position for White Noise, perhaps, as he climbs up the ropes.
Now, up to the second rope. Maybe? Yes!
[McAfee] Still strong as an ox, this Irishman.
-[crowd cheering] -[McAfee] Fella!
-[Cole] White Noise! -[crowd exclaiming]
-[Cole] Cover! -[crowd] One! Two! Three!
[Cole] Nakamura, somehow, barely got the shoulder up.
A near fall for Sheamus.
[McAfee] Eddie Orengo, the official. I thought that was one, two, three.
as Sheamus plants Shinsuke through the ring with a White Noise.
[Cole] The welts building on the body of Sheamus
[yelling indistinctly]
-[Nakamura yells] -[McAfee] Look, there's a chance--
[Cole] Oh!
[McAfee] He might not look as ripped because of how incredibly pale he is
-as well. -[Cole] Cover! By Nakamura.
Kick-out at two! Now,
Sheamus was a bit distracted by McIntyre moments ago.
Nakamura took advantage of the knee from behind.
And now Shinsuke, with Sheamus in position…
for a Kinshasa, perhaps. Sheamus, back to his feet.
There's the powerslam.
[McAfee] Drew slowed down Shinsuke.
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Gave Sheamus a moment.
[loud cheering]
-[crowd continues cheering] -[crowd applauding]
[crowd grunts in unison]
-[crowd grunts in unison] -[yelling] Fella!
[Cole] Went for the Brogue Kick. Shinsuke--
-[referee] One, two… -…roll-up, Sheamus. Kick-out by Sheamus
at two. Nakamura, missed with both kicks.
-Big knee by Sheamus! -[crowd exclaims]
-[Cole] Off the jaw. Cover! -[referee] One! Two…
-[Nakamura grunts in effort] -[Cole] Almost had him!
[McAfee] Feels like Sheamus thought he could steal one there
with a quick knee.
Fella loves to fight.
It's almost like he gets happier when Shinsuke kicks out,
because he can continue to fight a human being.
[Cole] Yeah, he loves to brawl.
-Uh, it's called Fight Night. -[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Sheamus, lifting Shinsuke up.
He was looking for the Celtic Cross, and Shinsuke, caught a knee of his own.
-[Nakamura yells] -[Sheamus grunts]
[Cole] Kick drives Sheamus into the second rope.
-And now, Nakamura-- -[Nakamura yells]
-…Brogue! From out of nowhere! -[crowd exclaiming]
-[Cole] Cover by Sheamus! -[crowd] One! Two!
-Three! -[Cole] And the win!
-[bell rings] -[crowd cheering]
["Written In My Face" playing]
[Samantha] Here is your winner!
[yelling boisterously] Sheamus!
[Cole] Sheamus, with the win here tonight.
[McAfee] The incredibly fit Sheamus,
with a massive dub in Columbus, Ohio.
♪ …and I'll make you believe ♪
-♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ -♪ Yeah, you fight for air ♪
♪ And struggle just to breathe… ♪
[Cole] Sheamus, celebrating his victory, glancing down to his…
His friend, Drew McIntyre,
who, uh, applauds Sheamus' win here tonight.
Well, Sheamus looks great.
He's won every championship in the WWE except the Intercontinental Title,
which, last week, was defended in a hell of a main event
between Sami Zayn and Chad Gable.
-[crowd cheering loudly] -[intense music playing]
[Cole] Sami Zayn,
defends the Intercontinental Title in his hometown!
And the man that many say is responsible
for the fact that Sami Zayn is champion today, Chad Gable.
You deserve a chance at this more than anybody.
It'll be my honor
to defend this Intercontinental Championship
against you.
I can't wait.
[Cole] Face-to-face, toe-to-toe, Chad and Sami, for the title!
[Gable grunts]
[McAfee] These two know each other very well.
-[Gable grunts] -[crowd exclaims]
[Cole] Something has to give tonight.
[crowd exclaiming]
[Cole] Oh, goodness!
[crowd exclaims]
[Cole] Ankle lock now!
-[Gable] Tap out! -[Cole] Gable's got it locked in!
If Sami taps, Gable wins the title.
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Sami, limping around in the ring.
Exploder!
Can Sami capitalize here?
Helluva Kick!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Shoulders down!
Sami retains!
-[bell rings] -What a fight!
[crowd cheering]
[Gable] This just… means… more.
[crowd booing]
[McAfee] What's he doing?
-[crowd booing] -[Cole] Gable snapped.
-[crowd continuously boos] -[Cole] The pressure's gotten to him.
Chad knows what it's like to see your family look on.
Sami sure didn't deserve this tonight.
Uh, Sami, we just saw what transpired last week in Montreal.
Have you been able to process everything that happened?
Oh, man, uh… You know, I don't know.
I've been…
angry, obviously. I'm hurt.
Uh, there's… [chuckles] There's a lot I'd really like to say right now.
But I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm biting my tongue.
Because I heard that Chad Gable is gonna go out there tonight
and address what he did.
So, I'll be listening, just like everybody else.
But I really don't see how, um…
how he could defend his actions from last week.
Never mind Chad Gable.
You've got bigger problems to deal with.
-This is what you want? -Yeah.
Anytime, anyplace.
-Okay. All right. -Yeah?
Excuse me, Sami. I was hoping you could expand on everything
-that happened-- Oh, my God! -[Bronson grunts]
[pipes clattering]
-[groans] -[Bronson yelling] Huh?
-[grunts in effort] -[Sami grunts in pain]
-[groans] -Told you, Sami.
-Argh. -If I want that championship,
I will take it!
-You're looking at the new-- -[groans, grunts]
-…Intercontinental Champion! -[officials yelling]
[man] Get out of here, Bronson!
-[man 1] Hey… Listen to me. Come on. -Stop! Stop! Stop!
-[man 2] Knock it off! -[man 1] Get out of here!
-[Sami groaning in pain] -[man 1] Come on…
-[man 2] Come on. I'll hold you up, okay? -Back to the locker room.
-Let's take him this way. -[man] Hey!
-[officials yelling indistinctly] -[man 1] Get out of here!
-Get out! Stop! Stop! -[man 2] Come on, man. Get out of here!
-[referee] Come on, Bronson. Come on. -[man] Get him out of here.
-[man] Get him out. -[grunting in pain]
-["Shoooosh" playing] -♪ Shoooosh ♪
[McAfee] That's life as a champion, Cole.
[Cole] Sami Zayn can't catch a break.
I know this dude doesn't seem to care.
Why did Chad Gable do what he did to Sami Zayn last week?
We'll find out live next,
on Monday Night Raw.
Chad Gable's about to explain himself that the world is talking about
what he did to Sami Zayn last week,
including NBA great, Charles Barkley,
on The Pat McAfee Show last week.
Sami Zayn. Did you see Sami's entrance last night?
I did. And, uh, you know what?
I was gonna fly up there and whoop Gable's ass,
when that man whooped his ass in front of his wife and parents, man.
I didn't like that at all. You can't… You can't…
You can't kick a man's ass in front of his wife and parents, man.
-I didn't like the ending. -[groans]
-[man] The disrespect. -That's a US Olympian, though. Remember,
he… He is… He is a US Olympian, much like you. Chad Gable.
You can't-- Hey, I know that. But you can't kick a man's ass
-at his house, man. That's bad karma. -Ah. You're right, you're right.
You're right. Hey, Gable is gonna have to answer the Universe
-and Sami Zayn, going forward. -[giggles]
We appreciate you so much. Good luck tonight, man.
["Shoooosh" continues playing]
[McAfee] The world's wondering.
Look.
[crowd booing]
[crowd booing loudly]
[boos fade]
Now, after what just happened
to Sami backstage, it's safe to say he's had a rough couple of weeks, right?
[crowd booing]
Hey. No, no. Look.
[booing continues]
At least what I did to Sami was justified. All right?
[crowd booing]
Let me paint the picture for you.
Capacity crowd in Montreal.
Intercontinental Championship Match,
Chad Gable versus hometown hero, Sami Zayn.
Now, we tear the house down, and Sami walks out as champion.
I mean, it's a great story, right? And one that…
I could even accept, even if I didn't want to.
But not Sami.
It wasn't good enough for him.
No, he had to rub it in. He found me weeping
in the back corner of the ring.
and he placed that championship right in front of my face.
-[man in audience] You suck! -[crowd jeers faintly]
But I took it on the chin.
I showed class. I got up.
I raised his hand right in the middle of this ring,
and gave him his moment.
But even that wasn't enough.
So, what did he do?
He found his wife…
in the front row,
and brought that championship down to celebrate with her
when he knew I was standing right there.
He knew that was my moment!
[McAfee] Oh…
[crowd murmurs disgruntledly]
That should have been me at WrestleMania!
[faint boos from crowd]
That should have been me
with my daughter,
celebrating in the front row with my championship.
But I was wasting my time training Sami Zayn.
I've been wasting my time training a bunch of freaking losers!
[crowd exclaiming loudly in shock]
[McAfee mockingly] Sounds like a flock of "wah-wahs,"
coming out of Chad Gable's mouth.
What, Tozawa?
You got a problem with that, huh?
Say something.
'Cause I got a problem or two myself, Mr. Funny Man.
All you do is come out here week after week, you do your little dance,
and you rack up loss after loss. It's pathetic!
-[McAfee softly] Geez. -[crowd booing faintly]
[booing continues]
And Maxxine…
Sweet Miss Maxxine.
Pretty as a princess, right?
But dumb as a box of rocks.
-[crowd exclaims] -[Cole, softly] Oh, no.
[McAfee] Aw.
[Gable] I mean, what else do I have to do?
I've given you everything, and got nothing in return.
It's pathetic!
[crowd complaining indistinctly]
And don't even get me started on you.
-[crowd exclaims] -[McAfee] "Don't"?
Otis.
[crowd chanting] Otis! Otis! Otis!
-My prized pupil. -[crowd chanting] Otis! Otis! Otis! Otis!
-Otis! Otis! Otis! -My number-one guy.
[chanting fades] Otis! Otis! Otis!
You have proven yourself, beyond a shadow of a doubt…
to be the biggest disappointment of them all.
[crowd booing]
Look, guys…
Back up a second. Hold on. But thi-- This, right here, is…
This is why you signed up for the Academy, right?
For feedback, honest feedback.
To show you how to get better. You…
You can't be upset with me for this, all right?
Just get on the same page. And know that from now on,
we're going to focus on Gable.
We're all going to win my Intercontinental Championship together.
And you're gonna help me…
no matter what.
Right?
[crowd exclaiming in disapproval]
[crowd chants faintly] No! No! No!
-No, no… -[faint chanting] No! No! No! No!
…I want to hear you say it.
Together.
"No matter what."
[crowd clamoring disgruntledly]
-[crowd muttering] -[crowd boos]
Oh! Oh, whoa! Otis?
Otis, I didn't hear you.
-[crowd chanting] No! No! No! No! No! No! -[crowd booing]
Now, Otis…
[menacingly] Say it.
[crowd grumbling]
-[crowd chanting] No, no, no, no, no! -[crowd booing]
-[chanting] No, no, no, no, no, no, no! -[crowd clamoring]
[regretfully] No matter what.
[crowd gasps]
-[McAfee moaning] Aw, Otis. Aw, Otis. -[crowd booing]
[booing fades]
Good.
[microphone thudding]
-[crowd murmuring disgruntledly] -[scattered boos]
["Shoooosh" playing]
[Cole] I've learned over the years that there are…
There are many different ways to attempt to motivate people.
Not quite sure how that way works.
[McAfee] Yeah, tear them down and make them pledge their loyalty.
This guy sucks.
[Dominik] Well, well, well…
-Ricochet. -[groans in frustration]
You're lucky I'm not cleared tonight, or else I would have shown you--
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…
You would have shown me what happens when you step to Judgment Day.
Is that what you were gonna say?
-Maybe. -[scoffs]
Listen, Dominik. I'm with you.
There's nobody on this entire roster who's more upset that you're not cleared
-for tonight than me. -I'm upset.
Mostly, because I was really looking forward
-to beating you specifically. -[scoffs softly]
But I guess, honestly, Andrade and I will now have to settle
for your little homeboys, Santos Escobar and JD McDonagh.
Speaking of JD… If you see that little bobblehead
-before me-- -Watch your mouth.
…please tell him that I'll see this this Wednesday for our Speed Match.
where I will then further embarrass him yet again,
because I am Ricochet, and I am…
like that.
Yeah. Keep walking,
[mockingly] Ricochet. [scoffs]
See you around.
-[crowd cheers] -[crowd exclaiming in excitement]
[Cole] Well, Pat, you're not the only one to call McDonagh a bobblehead.
-Nonetheless, coming up next-- -[McAfee] I never said that.
-I would like it to be clear. -[Cole] The stooges on your show did.
Meanwhile, Santos Escobar, JD McDonagh team up from The Judgment Day
to take on Ricochet and Andrade.
That match, presented by Men's Wearhouse.
And it's next.
So, let me get this straight.
We're having an all-star Women's Battle Royal
for the Women's World Championship?
Fourteen women.
That means there's 13 females…
and one monster.
[snickers softly]
And I'm that monster.
I'm going to terrorize each and every one of them.
And I'm going to eliminate them one…
by one…
until I'm the last woman standing,
and I become your Women's World Champion.
[Cole] Our main event, Battle Royal, coming up in just a few
here on Monday Night Raw.
Meanwhile, the highlight of the night, Ricochet,
who will be on stage, Wednesday, on X.
It's WWE Speed, 12:00 Eastern.
Ricochet, JD McDonagh, one-on-one.
The fastest three minutes you'll ever see.
["Conquistar" playing]
[bell rings]
[announcer] The following is a tag team match
scheduled for one fall!
Making his way to the ring,
from Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico,
Andrade!
[Cole] Well, Pat, we finally learned earlier on tonight
the reason that Andrade did not join forces with The Judgment Day.
He said, "I am many things,
I am not someone's fool."
[McAfee] He can see right through The Judgment Day's tricks.
[Cole] Andrade would join forces with the legendary Hall of Famer, Rey Mysterio,
to take on Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar at WrestleMania,
pick up the win.
[McAfee] And luchadores Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson
would come in and help.
It was a beautiful night…
["The Other Side" playing]
…in Philly.
-[fireworks exploding] -[crowd cheering]
[announcer] And their opponents,
first, accompanied by Dominik Mysterio,
representing The Judgment Day,
JD McDonagh!
[Cole] You know, Pat, Judgment day's got some problem.
Rhea Ripley is on the injured reserve list.
Dominik's got an elbow problem keeping him out of action.
JD McDonagh, trying to sneak attack Jey Uso earlier tonight,
Jey Uso ended up superkicking the World Heavyweight Champion,
Damian Priest in the face.
Priest was upset. He told JD and Dom,
"Take care of your business and stay out of mine!"
[McAfee] Yeah, but the worst entrepreneurs in history
haven't been able to handle business ever…
in this lifetime.
It's more like Judgment Disarray, am I right?
[Cole] Very much so. That was nice.
[McAfee] I'm a journalist.
It's a real shame to see this guy in a sling.
["Legacy Of The Ghost" playing]
[announcer] And his tag team partner,
representing Legado del Fantasma,
Santos Escobar!
[Cole] Santos Escobar from Friday Night SmackDown.
Although, remember, the Draft starts this coming Friday night,
concludes next Monday here on Raw.
Santos could find himself here on Monday nights permanently.
[McAfee] And, hopefully, Dom will get drafted into SmackDown,
so we never have to deal with… Get out of here, Dom! You bum! You bum!
[Cole] Yeah, Dom just stole your pencil.
I got two of 'em 'cause I'm smarter than a dumb Dom, of course.
There's one right here.
[Cole] I'm not sure why he would want a pencil.
I'm not sure he even knows how to write. But, nonetheless,
it's Escobar teaming up tonight with JD McDonagh against Andrade
and Ricochet.
[McAfee] Certainly can't read, which is always good for him,
because if he was to read a room, he would realize that everybody hates him.
And that is a bummer.
And, now, he's in a sling,
and Just Dumb McDonagh's teaming up with Escobar.
[Cole] And this tag-team match-up here tonight,
-sponsored by Men's Warehouse. -[bell rings]
-[McAfee] Great suits. -[Cole] Incredible suits.
So, Andrade…
the third-generation Superstar starts things off with JD McDonagh.
And we're underway in this tag-team match-up.
Andrade claims that Judgment Day never wanted to do business with him,
didn't wanna be loyal with him.
All they wanted Andrade to do was "be their servant."
[McAfee] As JD scurries out like a rat, tagging Escobar.
[Cole] And Andrade says, "Now, Judgment Day
has me as their biggest problem,"
while Ricochet has also been a Judgment Day problem.
He's knocked off McDonagh and Dominik a number of times in recent weeks.
Now, Andrade, over the top of Escobar. Two luchadores going at it.
Santos Escobar, second-generation star in Mexico, as well.
Calls himself The Emperor of Lucha Libre.
Tag made. Here comes the highlight of the night, Ricochet.
Been on a roll as of late.
Double leapfrogs. Double elbows!
[McAfee] Look at this. These two teaming up perfectly.
[Cole] For the first time in WWE. Cover now by Ricochet. And a kick-out.
[McAfee] Ricochet said earlier that he's like that.
He is like that, the highlight of the night every night.
[Cole] Just a joy to watch in the ring,
and the offensive innovation that he comes up with.
Snapmare takedown.
What's Ricochet gonna do next? Oh!
Cover now on Escobar.
-And a kick-out by Santos. -[McAfee] A little Ricoch-elbow there.
So many different offensive maneuvers.
He doesn't play by the same rules as everybody else
when it comes to defying gravity and physics.
Now, he's wearing down Escobar. Look at this little neck lock.
[Cole] Escobar's gonna wanna go back to Friday night.
And a kick-out by Escobar at two.
[McAfee] I promise you, Friday night, or any other night of the week,
does not have a Ricochet.
[Cole] Well, interesting situation on Fridays, too,
between Legado del Fantasma and the Latino World Order, the LWO.
Ricochet off the dropkick. Cover! Hook of the leg! Can he pull it off here?
And Escobar kicks out.
Escobar claiming that his group was not behind
-the attack of Dragon Lee… -[crowd chanting] Dom, you suck!
[Cole] …a couple of weeks ago. That's an interesting twist.
He said he's gonna prove who actually did it.
[McAfee] Dom not even getting his ass beat on this particular Monday,
but still getting told that he sucks by an entire arena.
-Some things will never change. -[Cole] They hate Dom more than Michigan.
[McAfee] I don't know about that.
-[Cole] McDonagh… -[McAfee] Michigan's won three here.
[Cole] …stomping away on Ricochet.
[McAfee] As Dom chirps with some Ohio folks.
JD McDonagh.
[Cole] Ooh! Big high elbow!
-[McAfee] JD has the power. -[Cole] Cover.
And a kick-out by Ricochet at two.
No doubt he's methodical, technical,
and he has a vicious, sadistic side.
We've seen that out of JD in the past.
And, remember, Damian Priest said, "Take care of business.
You have to handle things now."
[crowd chanting] Shave your mustache! Shave your mustache!
[Cole] Well, fans here asking Dominik to shave his mustache.
Maybe he should cut the mullet, too.
Clean himself up, take a bath.
Oh, and Ricochet misses wildly!
[McAfee] Any of those things would be better for society.
[Cole] Big right hand by Ricochet.
-[McAfee] Oh, and look at that. -[Cole] Oh, and Dominik gets involved.
And from behind, JD McDonagh with a dropkick outside the ring.
And, now, a cheap shot to Andrade.
And Dominik's turned things around here, and he shouldn't even be out here.
-[McAfee] This one-armed groundhog! -[Cole] Escobar! Hurricanrana!
Suddenly, Escobar, McDonagh in control.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] This tag-team match-up is brought to you by Men's Warehouse.
Dominik Mysterio, not even in the match, has already…
stuck his nose where it doesn't belong and has allowed Escobar and JD McDonagh
to take over against Ricochet and Andrade.
Dominik was supposed to be in the match. He's hurt. So, he brought Santos over,
his buddy from SmackDown, to participate.
And Escobar into the corner with a double knees. Tag made. Here's McDonagh.
[McAfee] Ricochet has been getting his ass beaten, flat out.
-Tag. -[Cole] Santos Escobar legal once again.
Cheap shot to Andrade by McDonagh.
And Escobar and McDonagh actually working very well together as a team tonight.
And a kick-out by Ricochet.
[McAfee] Really have been.
Fluid chemistry like they've been tagging for years.
[crowd clapping]
Maybe JD should've rethought his partner.
[McAfee] Yeah, you do think about the fact that you remove Dom
and, all of a sudden, JD looks better. But…
-you know he won't. -[Cole] Back elbow.
Fighting back against Escobar now.
JD missed.
Ooh!
That step-up caught him.
Tag. Here comes Andrade!
[McAfee] Through the legs, tag from Ricochet.
[Cole] A Shadow is cooking.
Dragon-screw. And, now, Andrade with another one!
Andrade!
He can fly, get physical, and mat-based, as well.
[crowd cheering]
Kip-up by Andrade.
[McAfee] Full package, this Andrade.
[crowd chanting]
[Cole] Santos in trouble!
[McAfee] See?
[Cole] Cover by Andrade.
For the win!
Kick-out by Escobar.
Dominik, look of concern on his face in the background.
[McAfee] You'd think the wrestling gods
would allow Andrade and Ricochet to put this away, but…
[Cole] Well, he was looking for La Sombra,
his finishing maneuver, but Escobar able to make his way out of it.
Ricochet, now, off the top rope. That springboard clothesline.
Now, Ricochet.
Oh! Connects. Cover!
Is it enough? Hook of the leg!
JD McDonagh breaking up that standing shooting star.
And, now, Andrade into the ring.
-Heabutt by McDonagh! -[McAfee] Oh, a bobble-headbutt!
Escobar! Oh, down goes Escobar!
Both men down, center of the ring!
[McAfee] I think that was a double crossbody there.
Reading from the same page of the book.
-Full speed! -[Cole] Watch this collision!
[McAfee] Neither man won.
[Cole] Critical moment of this tag-team match-up. Both men down.
[McAfee] There's the Joe Dirt-looking fella on the side. That's "Dirty" Dom.
He is despised by the entire WWE Universe.
Come on, JD!
[Cole] And by his own family, let's not forget that.
[McAfee] And in his own wedding.
[Cole] Ricochet trying to drag himself to the corner and make a tag to Andrade.
Almost there.
Andrade in. McDonagh in.
And Andrade and McDonagh hammering away, middle of the ring.
[McAfee] Andrade hammering away.
[Cole] McDonagh.
-Oh, nice move! Andrade! -[McAfee] Uno!
Dos!
[Cole] And Escobar, looking to save McDonagh.
And Andrade!
[McAfee] Third amigo went the other way.
[Cole] They're working very well together. Ricochet now, top rope!
Escobar caught him!
There are bodies everywhere!
[McAfee] Andrade stepping over Ricochet. Up to the top rope.
[Cole] Ricochet and Andrade, both placed on the top rope in different corners.
Escobar and McDonagh. What do they plan to do here?
McDonagh bounced off the…
the top rope.
Hurricanrana by Santos, right into his own partner!
Andrade with a back elbow!
[McAfee] Ricochet flipped the hurricanrana into a leg drop.
[Cole] There it is!
-[crowd] One! Two! Three! -[Cole] The Shadow!
[bell rings]
-[crowd cheering] -["Conquistar" playing]
[announcer] Here are your winners,
the team of Ricochet
and Andrade!
[Cole] Ricochet and Andrade get it done tonight.
Andrade hits The Shadow for the win!
And wait a minute! From behind, the World Heavyweight Champion
Damian Priest!
[McAfee] A Campeon coming out of the crowd!
Embarrassed once again by Judgment Day!
[Cole] Damian Priest handling business!
Razor's Edge!
South of Heaven chokeslam!
[crowd booing]
[speaking Spanish]
[JD] Hey, you can say it to me, as well, man. What did he say?
-What did he say? -It wasn't good.
You wanna know what I just said?
-[crowd chanting] Dom, you suck! -I don't need anybody.
You guys need me.
[Cole] Well, the dominant force of Judgment Day,
the World Heavyweight Champion, Damian Priest, showing JD and Dominik,
"I don't need you guys! Just like when I cashed in Money in the Bank,
I didn't need you then."
["Rise For The Night" playing]
[McAfee] JD McDonagh
couldn't find a win if his life depended on it!
[Cole] The former Tag Team Champions, the life of the party,
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance,
they may work together for a bit tonight, but it's every woman for herself
in the Women's Battle Royal.
And The BOAT, the self-proclaimed Best Of All Time, Natalya,
looks to win her third World Championship tonight.
It's the Women's Battle Royal for the World Title,
and it's next!
[Cole] A week from Saturday, we're in France at Backlash,
but we're coming to Scotland in June.
And the combo ticket pre-sale opportunity for Friday Night SmackDown
at Clash at the Castle at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on Friday, June 14th,
Saturday, June 15th.
Go to ticketmaster.co.uk this Wednesday, April 24th at 10:00 a.m. local,
and use password "CASTLE" to get your tickets before anyone else.
♪ I'll be fighting I'll be grinding ♪
[Stark] Well, ladies and gentlemen,
it has been one year since I have been drafted to Monday Night Raw.
And, boy, what a year it has been!
But when I first got here,
I was told to go in the corner, watch, learn,
stay humble, and be patient.
No.
See, instead…
Trish Stratus, hit her with a Z-360, and I sent her packing.
Becky Lynch, The Man,
I beat her, one, two, three.
Money in the Bank,
I was inches from that briefcase.
And, then, at Survivor Series, one-on-one against Rhea Ripley.
And I was this close to becoming Women's World Champ.
See, this last year has been a hell of a year.
[dramatic music playing]
The scariest part of it all
is that I'm just getting started.
Welcome back to Monday Night Raw.
Jackie Redmond backstage with Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
ahead of tonight's major main event.
Now, ladies, in recent weeks,
some would argue that you've used underhanded tactics to achieve success.
But in tonight's Battle Royal, it'll be every woman for herself. Can we--
-Uh, what are you implying right now? -I don't think it was underhanded.
I mean, you know the way that Candice does things--
You know, we're not here to defend our victories.
And that's what they are, they're victories.
And so, tonight, we have two women in there--
-[indistinct shouting] -Ladies, I am so sorry! Stu?
What the…
[indistinct shouting]
Well, Michael… Michael Cole.
As you can see, emotions are running by…
high back here.
Tensions are extreme ahead of this…
Becky.
You've got a lot to report on, and you were doing a bang-up job.
But The Man wears many hats. Mind if she tries out one more?
-Please. -Let me take this.
All right, it is chaos back here!
It is pure chaos. And it's about to get a whole lot more chaotic out there,
because we are about to have the biggest, most important Battle Royal
in the history of Raw!
[shouting continues in distance]
This is your first time fighting for a World Championship, right?
You go out there, you show everybody why it won't be your last.
Okay?
[crowd cheering]
Now, how we got here wasn't ideal.
But, Rhea Ripley,
when you're ready, I'll be here waiting.
Now that that's all said and done, The Man has come around to Columbus!
And she's come here looking for a fight.
[Cole] Well, Rhea Ripley was injured,
forced to vacate the Women's World Championship.
[Becky] Get that camera ready! We're gonna need all their attention!
[Cole] Hence the reason we have our main event,
the Women's Battle Royal to crown a new champion!
-["Celtic Invasion" playing] -[crowd cheering]
They're just about to meet their new Women's World Champion!
-[fireworks exploding] -[cheering continues]
[bell rings]
[announcer] The following is the Women's World Championship
Battle Royal!
Introducing first, from Dublin, Ireland,
"The Man" Becky Lynch!
[Cole] And a New York Times bestselling author!
For the third straight week,
The Man - Not Your Average Average Girl
on the New York Times bestseller list!
Pat, they may have to update the book, do another printing,
because a new chapter may be written here tonight.
[McAfee] Absolutely! She said,
"Get the cameraman, we're gonna need an updated photo!"
[Cole] Will Becky Lynch conquer the field,
or one of the other women go on to win the World Championship?
We find out live, next!
["Celtic Invasion" continues playing]
[presenter] Exclusively on X,
WWE like you've never seen before.
Three-minute time limits.
[Corey] This is a gamechanger!
[presenter] Bracket-style competition!
-[Corey] To crown the new… -[presenter] Bell-to-bell action!
[Corey] …WWE Speed Champion!
[presenter] WWE Speed!
[Cole] That's in Cincinnati, Friday.
And, then, we switch to Kansas City for Monday Night Raw next week.
And it's night two of the 2024 WWE Draft.
The two-night extravaganza, again, starts on Friday.
Also next week on Monday Night Raw, the United States Champion, Logan Paul,
comes to Monday Night Raw, live next week
in a Six-Man Tag Team Match-Up set up by what happened earlier on tonight.
"Main Event" Jey Uso teams with Ricochet and Andrade
against the World Heavyweight Champion, Damian Priest, JD McDonagh, and Finn Bálor
of The Judgment Day,
all live next week.
Meanwhile, the ring filling up with the participants
of the Women's Battle Royal for the World Title!
["Liv Gone Mad" playing]
[announcer] Making her way to the ring,
from Elmwood Park, New Jersey,
Liv Morgan!
[Cole] And the reason Rhea Ripley had to vacate the Championship last week,
an attack by Liv Morgan in the backstage area a couple of weeks ago.
[McAfee] Attacked her while she was walking through a hallway,
blindsided her.
[Cole] The Liv Morgan Revenge Tour.
♪ Five, Four, Three, Two, One ♪
-["Party All The Time" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[announcer] Next, Kayden Carter
and Katana Chance!
[Cole] Again, you can be a tag team.
We see Chelsea and Piper Niven in there, as well,
Candice and Indi Hartwell.
But at some point, it becomes every woman for herself.
[McAfee] Well, Chelsea and Piper were just yelling at me for not being
non-biased, as I danced to this banger!
from Katana and Kayden, former Tag Team Champions.
Lot of energy, lot of high flying.
I don't know how it bodes for a Battle Royal, but we shall see.
["Not Like Most Girls" playing]
Now, here is the odds-mover!
[announcer] And their opponent, from San Diego, California,
Nia Jax!
[Cole] So, which one of these women will be the Women's World Champion
when Monday Night Raw heads to Kansas City, Missouri, next week?
The final Monday Night Raw before Backlash.
So, again, over the top rope, both feet hit the floor, you're eliminated.
Last woman standing wins the World Championship.
Now, very unique here tonight,
because just for the fourth time in WWE history,
a traditional Battle Royal will determine a World Champion.
2003, the first time. Gail Kim won the Women's Championship.
2006, Kurt Angle would win the World Championship.
And then, in 2007, The Great Khali would win a World Title in a Battle Royal.
So, for the first time in 17 years,
a World Championship will be determined inside with this Battle Royal!
[McAfee] Attacking.
Going after the two favorites.
[Cole] Yeah, the two big women in this match-up, Nia Jax
and Piper Niven, the powerhouses!
And going right after one another.
Nia and Piper just cleaning house early on.
And, now, back on the attack.
You see Chelsea Green going to check on her partner, Piper.
[McAfee] Having a partner certainly helps, but at some point, it also might--
[Cole] Uh-oh, Natalya dropping Becky out to the apron.
Becky's gotta get back in the ring quickly.
Nia Jax now!
Sending Natalya out to the apron.
[McAfee] Becky Lynch back into the ring. A chokehold on Nia Jax.
Everybody's trying to kind of sort it out right now. "Who should I attack?
How do I leave Columbus, Ohio, as the new champion?"
[Cole] Indi Hartwell has Maxine in the corner.
Maxine who really got spoken to harshly
by Chad Gable earlier on tonight.
[McAfee] Basically calling everybody in the Alpha Academy a disappointment.
Kayden Carter sent out over the top rope out to the apron.
Chelsea and Piper working together as a team.
You saw them slapping hands moments ago.
Now, Shayna Baszler out to the apron.
She's looking to win her first Women's World Championship.
She's a two-time NXT World Champ.
[McAfee] I mean, I don't think we can stress enough
the opportunity that is available here.
[Cole] To win a World Title in a Battle Royal
in the main event on Monday Night Raw.
[McAfee] Your life is different, you walk out of here as champion.
[Cole] I mean, Nia's never won a singles championship.
She's out on the apron. Candice LeRae trying to fight back.
And "The Pitbull" Ivy Nile
with a right hand, who's had her problems with Candice in recent weeks.
Of course, an ally of Maxine.
[McAfee] These women are beating the hell out of each other.
[Cole] Oh, and look at this! Candace eliminated by Maxine!
[crowd booing]
Well, I guess the Alpha Academy training did do a bit of something for Maxine.
Indi Hartwell, though, with a boot to the face.
Saw a little change in attitude with Indi last week.
[McAfee] She started acting more like Candice, which we don't need in society!
[Cole] Wait a minute!
Indi eliminated by Maxine!
[crowd booing]
Incredible! The Battle Royal for the World Title continues!
[Cole] Becky Lynch is in trouble on the left side of the ring,
close to being eliminated in this Battle Royal
to determine the Women's World Champion here tonight on Monday Night Raw!
[McAfee] This is not for a contender spot.
This is to find out who our World Champion is going to be!
-Wait a minute. -[Cole] Oh!
Katana Chance with a dropkick to Ivy Nile.
Double team now from Chance and Carter!
[McAfee] Another one. Double shot!
In the club!
[Cole] Chance and Carter working well as a team in this match-up so far.
Uh-oh.
Shayna Baszler sent across the ring!
I mean, they're so much fun to watch.
[McAfee] Absolutely!
[Cole] And, now, Zoey Stark out to the apron.
Zoey trying to hang on. Kayden Carter out there, as well.
Headbutt by Zoey. Kick by Kayden Carter!
Zoey trying to hang in there.
Shayna Baszler looking to eliminate Chance!
Carter caught her!
Trying to hang on! Zoey Stark eliminates both.
[McAfee] Zoey and Shayna looking out for each other there,
as they eliminate the former Tag Team Champs.
[Cole] It's cool to do that now, but at some point, you're gonna have to
battle your partner, perhaps.
[McAfee] And Zoey and Shayna know that.
They both wanna get to the top of the mountain tonight.
[Cole] Nia Jax trying to overpower Ivy Nile.
-Ivy Nile trying to-- -[McAfee] Put a guillotine in.
[Cole] Yeah, put a submission on Nia Jax, who places her up on the top rope.
Maxine, who's eliminated Candice and Indi already in this match-up.
Now, Ivy Nile trying to somehow hang on.
Oh, my goodness!
What an elimination by "The Irresistible Force" Nia Jax,
swinging Nile like a baseball bat into the ring post!
And, now, Maxine, standing up for her friend, Ivy Nile.
Not sure how wise this is.
[McAfee] Good for Maxine, though.
You wanna fight? Let's go!
[Cole] Maxine ducks underneath. Kick to Nia Jax!
And another one by Maxine!
And Maxine looking great in this match-up!
Step-up enzuigiri! Nia's in trouble!
Maxine… Uh-oh.
Intercepted!
-And eliminated. -[McAfee] Thank God!
[Cole] A great showing, though. Great improvement shown by Maxine tonight.
[crowd booing]
But eliminated by Nia Jax.
And, now, squashed in the corner of Natalya.
And Shayna with a kidney punch.
[McAfee] Shayna able to avoid the splash.
Becky Lynch is not from Piper.
[Cole] Piper Niven and her tag partner, Chelsea Green, still in this match.
Shayna and Zoey.
-[McAfee] Eight women left. -[Cole] Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan,
Nia Jax, as well.
Natalya is in there.
[McAfee] You have one-eighth of a chance to become champion tonight.
[Cole] And the field, dwindling.
Looking to crown a Women's Champion!
Piper Niven now, over the top rope, hanging on, on the apron!
Becky Lynch driving Piper Niven down to a knee.
Piper's still in this!
Becky finally eliminates Piper Niven!
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] That's a huge upset here in a Battle Royal.
[Cole] And, now, Piper Niven dragging Becky Lynch out of the ring!
Becky went through the bottom rope, so she hasn't been eliminated!
But it may not matter.
Piper Niven driving Becky into the steps!
Oh, my goodness!
Cannonballing Becky!
[McAfee] Chelsea Green hammering fists down on Nia Jax!
[Cole] And I think we're about to lose our monitor and our entire desk
because Piper Niven's pissed off,
and she is tearing our announce table apart!
[McAfee] Yes, she…
-Yes, she is. -[Cole] Do you have your phone?
[McAfee] I have no idea. I think Piper just threw it.
Piper Niven now. And Chelsea and Nia going at it inside the ring.
Piper with a headbutt to Becky. And Becky Lynch's night may be over,
and she hasn't even been eliminated from the Royal…
from the Battle Royal!
Oh, and what a chop by Piper!
And, now, Nia looking to eliminate Chelsea.
Chelsea Green hanging on.
Piper Niven trying to drag Nia Jax out of the ring.
[McAfee] Just threw Chelsea--
[McAfee] Again, Nia's not eliminated! She didn't go over the top rope!
And, now, Piper and Nia going at it!
[McAfee] Piper keeps dragging women out from underneath!
[Cole] Oh, my God! Nia Jax now. What the hell is she thinking about here?
Nia Jax chokeslam!
Piper into Becky!
And Nia's not done!
-[McAfee] Oh! -[Cole] Nia trying to get Piper up,
-trying to power Piper up. And she does! -[McAfee] What?
[Cole] Samoan drop on to Becky on the table!
Becky!
Oh, wait a minute!
Wait…
Natalya just… She just eliminated Chelsea, Pat!
The officials didn't see it! They were over here dealing with Becky!
Becky's out! Becky can't move!
The Battle Royal continues!
Natalya, once again, taking the fight to Chelsea.
Who's gonna be the Women's World Champion?
[McAfee] What the hell is going on?
[Cole] We are back live on Monday Night Raw.
This is a critical situation for Becky Lynch.
The announce table is down because, during the commercial break,
Nia Jax put Becky Lynch through the announce table.
Our Battle Royal continues now for the World Championship.
That happened during the commercial break. And before that,
there was a chokeslam of Piper Niven into Becky
Then, there was the Samoan Drop of Piper Niven by Nia Jax into Becky.
Then, during the break, Becky through the table.
Becky Lynch has not been officially eliminated from this-match up,
but, Pat, there's no way she's getting back in the ring.
[McAfee] Yeah, she's been powerbombed and bodied by Nia Jax.
And Chelsea Green, who I'm not sure is still…
[Cole] Well, no, she is. She was eliminated,
but the officials never saw 'cause they were dealing with Becky.
[McAfee] Well, that's… Hey, if they don't see it, they can't call it.
You're still in it!
[Cole] Chelsea Green looking to eliminate Natalya,
who eliminated Chelsea earlier, although the refs didn't see that.
And, now, Zoey Stark sends Chelsea out of the ring!
Now, that's the official elimination.
[McAfee] Chelsea Green has been eliminated twice tonight,
and I think that's a first for Battle Royal, as well.
[Cole] And Natalya's eliminated, as well. We're down to Shayna,
and Zoey, and Nia, and Liv and, of course,
Becky, who's down and out outside the ring.
So, here we go.
Shayna Baszler running knee into the corner.
Long history with Nia Jax.
Zoey Stark now with that spinning heel kick to Liv Morgan.
One of these women could be the next Women's World Champion.
-[McAfee] Shayna told Zoey to feed her. -[Cole] Oh, and a big knee by Shayna.
You remember what happened a number of months ago?
Shayna Baszler, right before Survivor Series,
it came down to her and Zoey in a Battle Royal.
And Zoey eliminated Shayna
to get a Women's Championship opportunity against Rhea Ripley.
And, now, Zoey out on the apron. Nia Jax with a right hand!
Lightning will not strike twice tonight for Zoey Stark.
[McAfee] It's another Monday. Nia's catching people,
throwing 'em and, then, putting people through tables!
[Cole] Again, a devastating right hand by Nia Jax. Ask Becky all about that.
[McAfee] The power--
[Cole] And, now, Shayna Baszler eliminated!
Liv and Nia!
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Nia said tonight's the night for me to become World Champion!
[Cole] Meanwhile, Becky Lynch!
[crowd cheering]
And dragging herself back into the ring!
Becky's back into the fight!
[McAfee] Nia looks like she's seen a ghost!
[Cole] Becky, Liv, Nia, one of these three women,
gonna be the Women's World Champion!
Nia Jax, now, sent flying by Liv Morgan.
Liv, now, double kick to the back of the neck!
Liv Morgan, a former champion in her own right.
[McAfee] On a revenge tour!
And revenge can end with being a champion!
[Cole] Codebreaker. Becky Lynch with a neckbreaker,
helping Liv to…
deliver to Nia. Everybody's down!
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Everybody's down, but everybody in Columbus is on their feet.
Three women left!
Who's gonna be our World Champion?
[Cole] Watch this. The neckbreaker by Becky Lynch.
Nia Jax taken out, as well.
[crowd chanting] Becky! Becky! Becky!
[Cole] And, now, Becky Lynch fighting back.
[McAfee] That's a New York Times bestseller there.
[Cole] Oh!
Man, how much more punishment can Becky take?
Nia Jax wrecking her!
And a Samoan Drop to Morgan, as well!
And, now, The Irresistible Force starting to dominate!
[crowd booing]
[McAfee] I think she's starting to realize
that Women's World Championship is as good as hers!
[Cole] Becky Lynch, though, back to her feet,
still fighting back, Pat.
Man, the guts of this woman.
Liv Morgan sent over the top rope to the apron!
Liv's in trouble! Nia Jax trying to eliminate Becky Lynch!
Becky and Nia!
Nia Jax now!
Becky and Liv hanging Nia up on the top rope!
[McAfee] Teamwork, as they live dangerously.
[Cole] Becky Lynch back in.
And Liv Morgan working together on Nia Jax,
trying to eliminate The Irresistible Force!
[crowd cheering]
Looking for a double suplex.
Nia blocks.
-Nia blocks again. -[McAfee] You're gonna need a bigger boat!
[Cole] And a double suplex to Liv and Becky by Nia Jax!
a dominant performance tonight by Jax!
And, now, dragging the bodies of Morgan and Lynch to the corner.
[McAfee] Just bones wrapped in skin to Nia Jax!
[Cole] And Nia, looking for a Double Eradicator!
But both women to their feet!
Nia, top rope! Sent out to the apron!
In trouble! Still in it, at least momentarily!
Becky fighting! Nia fighting!
Morgan! Codebreaker!
Lynch, leg drop!
Nia eliminated! We're down to Becky and Morgan!
One of these two women will be World Champion!
[crowd cheering]
[McAfee] Like when USA beat Russia in hockey!
Do you believe in miracles?
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] And, now, Lynch and Morgan square off, face to face.
And the fighting starts!
Liv looking to eliminate Becky.
Becky out to the apron quickly, trying to hang on!
Will Liv Morgan be the Champion? Becky fighting back!
Kick, now, to the face of Liv! Becky taking a high risk here.
We saw what happened when Nia Jax went up on the ropes.
Becky Lynch, top rope.
Up over the top, has to roll through. Liv Morgan now!
Morgan sent out to the apron this time around!
[McAfee] Who wants it more, Cole?
And, now, Becky on the apron.
So close, both of these women!
Becky, kick to the midsection.
Got Liv Morgan right where she wants her!
Can Becky put her away?
Liv Morgan's still got some fight left!
High pressure moments here on Monday Night Raw!
The stakes can't get any higher!
[McAfee] Who's gonna be our champion?
Becky looking for a German off the apron.
That would be very high risk.
Liv hanging on. Couple of elbows.
Becky teetering.
Becky close!
Liv with a kick!
Oh, a Codebreaker caught her!
Becky backed up into the corner.
Here comes Morgan, looking for Oblivion!
Caught by Becky! Bounces her face first off the turnbuckle.
Becky Lynch, Manhandle Slam on the apron!
-Becky Lynch is the World Champion! -[bell rings]
-["Celtic Invasion" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[announcer] Here is your winner
and the new Women's World Champion,
"The Man"
Becky Lynch!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] For the seventh time in her career,
Becky Lynch is a World Champion!
And, Pat, think about what happened here.
At WrestleMania earlier this month,
Becky Lynch took Rhea Ripley to the limit,
but couldn't win the World Championship.
But here tonight, she perseveres!
She fights back through all the adversity,
including this!
[McAfee] Nia tried to wreck her!
A Samoan Drop to a powerbomb through the table!
Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch team up
and, somehow, eliminate "The Irresistible Force" Nia Jax!
[Cole] And, then, listen to this. Bang! Off the face of Liv Morgan.
-[McAfee] Boot to the kisser! -[Cole] Manhandle Slam!
-Becky wins the World Title. -[bell rings]
Obviously, a disappointed Liv Morgan tonight.
[McAfee] A New York Times bestseller,
-a mom, and our champion! -[Cole] I told you.
Becky Lynch is gonna have to write another chapter in her book.
For the seventh time in her career,
Becky Lynch is a World Champion.
-["Celtic Invasion" continues playing] -[crowd cheering]
I've not known Becky for a long time, Pat.
There's not a person on this planet that has more heart than Becky Lynch,
more perseverance…
[cheering continues]
…with everything that Becky has accomplished in her career.
And, now, celebrating with the WWE fans here tonight.
[McAfee] At WrestleMania…
she was fighting through an insane fever.
Almost won the championship there.
But instead, the story was to be told that, in Columbus, Ohio,
at the end of the fourth-ever Battle Royal for a World Championship,
The Man has come around as champion again!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] What a main event!
What a performance by all of the women in this Battle Royal tonight.
But in the end, it came down to Nia, Lynch, and Morgan.
They would work together to eliminate Nia Jax.
And, then, the Manhandle Slam by Becky Lynch to Liv Morgan.
And once again…
The Man rules
as the World Champion!
-["Celtic Invasion" continues playing] -[crowd cheering]
As the celebration continues,
we wanna remind everyone to join us Friday night on SmackDown.
The start of the two-night WWE Draft.
-And, of course, next Monday… -[fireworks exploding]
…it concludes.
Congratulations to Becky Lynch,
your new Women's World Champion! [fireworks exploding]