[intro music playing]
[Triple H] Then.
Now.
Forever.
Together.
[Joe] Not far from the majestic Rockies,
we're live in dynamic downtown Denver
with another pulsing, packed venue.
Welcome inside Ball Arena this Monday Night Raw.
So many jaw dropping moments that happened this weekend.
And now, a primed and ready
Mile High City is set for more of that.
Hot off the heels of Bash in Berlin.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Monday Night Raw.
[crowd cheering]
And what a thrill it is for me to be back at the desk on Raw.
But joining me is a man who has broadcast pretty much every major sport there is.
We at WWE are thrilled to have them on board.
Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Joe Tessitore.
My man, Wade Barrett.
Hello, Denver.
Hey, I am thrilled to be your partner.
Let's get that straight.
I'm thrilled to be part of the WWE broadcast family
with Corey Graves and Pat McAfee.
And of course, you were with the incomparable Michael Cole,
Bash in Berlin this weekend.
Forty eight hours ago,
the history that you guys were able to capture,
tag titles that changed,
legacies that were further developed,
and these European PLE crowds,
it reminds me of, well, a Denver Broncos crowd.
[crowd cheering]
Because over there at Bash in Berlin,
they never stop roaring.
[Michael] You are looking live at the sold out Uber Arena
in the capital city of Germany for Bash in Berlin.
The undisputed WWE Championship is on the line.
Cody Rhodes defends against Kevin Owens.
["RATATATA" by Baby Metal playing]
[Michael] Cody's knee buckled.
[Wade] What are you doing, KO?
[Michael] Kevin couldn't pull the trigger.
♪ I will push it to the limit ♪
[Michael] Cody Rhodes retains the title.
[Michael] Women's tag team titles are on the line.
♪ Together, we will crash the morning light ♪
[sings in Japanese]
♪ Bun-bun-bun, moving ♪
♪ Bun-bun-bun-bun-bun Bun-bun-bun, shaking ♪
♪ Bun-bun-bun-bun-bun ♪
[Michael] Belair and Cargill are once again
on top of the women's tag team division.
[Wade] WWE's most heated rivalry comes to a head
in a brutally unforgiving Strap Match.
♪ Here for the beat ♪
♪ Here for the love… ♪
[Michael] GTS!
[Michael] Another GTS!
[Michael] Completes the Strap Match.
♪ Ra-ta-ta-ta ♪
[Michael] The terror twins
finally get their hands on Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio.
[Michael] Dom Dom is in deep trouble!
-[Wade] The Judgement Day. -[Michael] And now Damian Priest!
[Michael] Finally revenge.
♪ I will push it to the limit ♪
♪ And everybody's feeling the sound of the night ♪
[Michael] In Gunther's adopted hometown,
Gunther defending the World Heavyweight Championship
against Randy Orton.
♪ Bun-bun-bun, moving ♪
♪ Bun-bun-bun-bun-bun ♪
[Michael] One of the most physical matchups you'll witness.
♪ Bun-bun-bun, jumping ♪
♪ Bun-bun-bun-bun-bun Bun-bun-bun, stomping ♪
♪ Bun-bun-bun-bun-bun ♪
[Michael] Sweeper locked into Randy.
[Michael] Randy Orton has passed out.
Gunther retains the title.
[Joe] The World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther is here.
The last time we heard from The Ring General,
he was celebrating on the post show in Berlin, saying,
"My focus now is Schnitzel and a beer."
Well, the party's over and a new challenger is needed.
We will hear from the Heavyweight Champion.
[Joe] And at long last,
CM Punk knows what a massive win on a WWE premium event feels like.
It was the scarring Strap Match.
Now what's life after Drew look like for Punk?
[Joe] Boss. They've got their gold back.
Look at those on the shoulder.
Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill.
They've returned stateside as the women's tag champions.
[crowd cheering]
♪ This is my brutality! ♪
[crowd cheering]
["Demon In Your Dreams" playing]
♪ I eat, sleep, bleed ♪
♪ The demons in your dreams ♪
♪ I eat, sleep, bleed ♪
[thud]
[crowd cheering]
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome
Rhea Ripley!
[Joe] Well, Wade, you were there in Germany with Rhea Ripley,
seemingly gotten what she wanted in Berlin.
She turned it that long, sustained quote,
"Pretzel Pin" of Liv Morgan.
[Wade] That was quite the sight for the whole world.
But finally, Mami is back on top,
and that must feel like the ultimate catharsis
after the past few months of her life,
her love life, her career, going upside down.
Finally, Mami reigns supreme once again.
♪…Deadly disease ♪
♪ I'll put that soul to sleep ♪
♪ I'll leave you six feet deep ♪
[Wade] And there's just a certain glow about Rhea Ripley
that has been missing for far too long.
It's back, baby.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Mami! Mami! Mami! Mami! Mami! Mami!
Welcome to Monday Night Mami.
[laughs]
[crowd cheering]
Ah.
It feels so good to be able to say that again.
But, you know what actually feels better than that?
What happened at Bash in Berlin,
when myself and my terror twin, Damian Priest,
we absolutely brutalized Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio.
[crowd cheering]
But…
[crowd chanting] Mami! Mami! Mami! Mami! Mami!
[laughs]
And we're not done destroying The Judgment Day, no.
We're just getting started.
[crowd cheering]
At Bash in Berlin, I pinned the Women's World Champion.
[crowd cheering]
So I think it's about time that I get back the one thing that I never actually lost.
So Liv Morgan, if you're as tough as you pretend to be…
["It Is My Time" playing]
[crowd booing]
[Joe] And look who decides to show his face at this time.
[Wade] Oh yeah, it's Mr. Champagne Super Casanova himself.
[crowd booing]
Liv is not gonna--
[crowd continues booing]
[speaks in Spanish]
Dom, no one wants to hear your voice.
So why don't you go back there and get your little girlfriend
before I give you another black eye?
[crowd cheering]
[Wade] Look at that.
Liv is not--
[crowd booing]
[speaks in Spanish]
Liv is still recovering
from what you did to her at Bash in Berlin.
You and Priest.
[crowd booing]
[crowd chanting] You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck!
[yells in Spanish]
You and Priest took advantage of me and Liv.
We were jet lagged.
We didn't get any sleep.
For multiple reasons.
[Wade chuckles]
But I'm here to let you know
that Liv will accept your challenge.
[crowd chanting] You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck!
Just because she's a little banged up,
she's not afraid of you.
[yells in Spanish]
She's beat you before.
[crowd booing]
She'll beat you again.
And after I win the IC title [speaks in Spanish] both have gold.
Dom, Dom.
Let me put this in a way that you understand.
Coyote Stupido.
[Joe] Hah!
[crowd cheering]
Now if your little courageous Liv doesn't want to come out here to face me,
then I want you to relay this message.
I'll face her anytime, anyplace.
[crowd cheering]
Anytime.
[crowd booing]
Anyplace.
[crowd booing]
Mate, you don't want me to repeat myself.
[Joe] Oh, no!
I guess anytime, anyplace, Liv decided it's now, Wade.
[Wade] Liv Morgan perhaps not quite as banged up
as Dominik claimed.
-[Wade] But-- Ooh. -Oh. Oh.
-[Joe] Rhea's tied up. -Oh. That's ugly.
[Joe] Oh, her leg has caught the rope. That's a dangerous compromised position.
She cannot defend herself.
[Joe] And Liv Morgan, the women's champ, is beating away at that left knee.
[Wade] Fortuitous landing there for Liv.
[Joe] This is--
[Joe] She cannot possibly defend herself in that position.
[Wade] That's called adding insult to injury.
[Joe] Oh, the other half of the terror twin, Damian Priest.
[Wade] As the two lovebirds scamper.
But how much damage has been done to that ankle of Rhea Ripley?
[Joe] Her entire body weight is hanging down,
suspended just from that left leg.
A completely compromised position that Rhea Ripley was put on
from the sneak attack of Lynn Morgan here in Denver,
and she is wincing, writhing in pain now.
[Wade] In clear distress,
and Rhea Ripley started the evening
claiming she was not done destroying The Judgment Day.
In fact, it may be the ankle of Rhea Ripley
that is now destroyed.
They're just looking over here, and she's reaching for that left leg.
Hey a week ago,
there was so much anticipation for the in-ring debut of Uncle Howdy,
and he came up with a very impressive win against Chad Gable,
but it took the support of the Wyatt Sicks, Wade.
[Wade] Yeah, it was a great back and forth match-up.
But at the right moment for Chad Gable,
just when things were going south,
American Made showed up to the scene, trying to swing the match in his favor.
And it was working so well, of course,
until the Wyatt Sicks arrived
and completely decimated their foes.
Fighting all over the arena,
and just when Chad Gable thought he had victory in sight,
it was in fact Uncle Howdy
with one Sister Abigail, shades of Bray Wyatt himself.
And Uncle Howdy and his true team rate supreme
as Raw went off air.
[crowd booing]
I'm sick and tired of this crap.
I'm sick and tired of losing to the Wyatt Sicks.
Last week did not represent who we are as a team.
You got Alpha Academy back here laughing,
making jokes at our expense,
and we will not be put in that position again.
We're not here to mess around this week.
You three are the best athletes to walk through those doors in 10 years.
I want you to see that you're sick and tired of it, too.
You're American Made.
Now go out and show 'em!
[yells and grunts]
[Joe] Ooh. Oh.
[drums beating]
[Joe] Was it me, or was there a little extra something on that slap?
[Wade] That is one way to give your crew a pep talk,
wouldn't work for many,
but this American Made group are built a little different.
They have higher expectations,
and they have their own way of achieving them.
[Joe] It's gonna be interesting to see how Julius, Brutus, Ivy,
take to that style of coaching American Made.
And they will be up against Gable's old teammates.
-A 16 tag team. -[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following contest is a six person mixed tag team match
scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first,
accompanied by Chad Gable,
representing American Made,
Ivy Nile and the Creed brothers!
[Joe] A six person tag match coming up next.
American Made going up against Otis, Tozawa, and Maxxine Dupri.
That is next on Monday Night Raw.
-Let me check that. -Get off me!
-Let me check that. -No!
-Guys, guys, give her some space. -Stop. Stop. Stop!
Give her some space. Hey.
[groans]
I get it. I--
Rhea, I get it.
[speaks in Spanish]
But you've gotta let them do their work, all right? You gotta listen.
I'm gonna go to Pearce
and see if he could be a match against one of these fools, 'cause,
yeah, pain needs to come, all right?
While I do that, let them do their work.
All right? I need you healthy.
-Cool? -Cool.
All right. Take care of her, please.
[man] Thank you.
Careful. Careful!
[Joe] Rhea Ripley in so much pain after the attack that she just suffered,
as American Made after Chad Gable tried to inspire his troops to step up
after what he didn't like last week.
And now he goes up against his former brethren
in this six person mixed tag team.
["Shoooosh" playing]
[announcer] And their opponents,
the team of Maxxine Dupri, Akira Tozawa and Otis,
the Alpha Academy!
[Joe] Of course, Wade, for most of this year
it was really boiling up
with these three taking so much abuse.
And then finally,
it was the July 17th edition of Monday Night Raw
when Chad Gable was finally on the outs.
Otis, Tozawa and Maxxine,
they have really found themselves in recent months.
[Wade] Yeah, you could not get two more polar opposite families
if we call it that for Chad Gable.
In Chad Gable's opinion,
he's had a massive upgrade In the form of American Made.
They share his training philosophy, his combat philosophy,
his philosophy to life in a way that Alpha Academy certainly did not.
And the brawl is on from the off.
[Joe] Not wasting any time as they size each other up.
[Wade] And for me, this has to be a must win match-up for American Made.
They've been humiliated several times in a row now
by the Wyatt Sicks.
Wins have got to start coming
for Chad Gable.
I see it, the whole world sees it, Chad Gable, real athletes.
That's what Chad Gable is telling the world.
[Joe] Creed brothers getting after Tozawa right away.
[Wade] Tozawa once upon a time the prized student of Chad Gable,
clearly did not learn fast enough.
The acquisitions of the Creeds and Ivy Nile could be huge for this man.
[Joe] It seems like years ago,
when he first joined Alpha Academy as a junior member.
[Joe] Julius throws Tozawa down to the ground.
Tozawa all that time as the Cruiserweight Champion.
[Wade] Tozawa is zany, off kilter, highly unpredictable.
[Joe] Now here comes Otis.
[Wade] Promptly getting out of dodge is Julius Creed.
-Oh! -[Joe] Big clothesline by Otis.
[Joe] Julius with a running knee.
[Joe] And a big knee right to the chin.
[Joe] Otis is laid out just to our right.
[Wade] Chad Gable loving what he's seeing from Julius Creed.
This is the savage side of American Made
that Chad Gable had tried to instill in the Alpha Academy and failed.
[Wade] And I'll tell you this.
You upgrade your family like Chad Gable did,
you tell the world,
no, these new guys I've got, way better than the last crew,
they better back those words up with a victory tonight.
[Joe] Julius, the former All-American at Duke with a crossbody.
But Otis catches him and slams him down.
I mean, the power, the strength it takes to do that, Wade.
[Wade] The man is just a tree trunk,
and the kind of offense that works-- Oh.
Anyone else won't work on Otis.
[Joe] Five foot two Ivy Nile, The Pit Bull.
[Joe] And Maxxine comes right after her.
[Joe] Remember, it was on August 12th when Ivy attacked Maxxine
and then joined forces with American Made.
[Wade] That has brought out a very different side of Maxxine
over recent weeks,
far more aggressive than we've ever seen from her in the past.
I don't care how aggressive you get with Otis,
it probably isn't gonna work.
[Joe] Otis taking out both Creed brothers.
[Joe] And now utilizing Tozawa
with the Airplane Spin,
and taking each Creed brother down.
[Wade] I don't care how many All-Americans you've got in your group,
simply no defense for this bizarre offense
of Otis and Tozawa.
You know what's gonna happen right now.
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Maxxine Dupree is going up top.
My, oh my!
[Joe] Maxxine took out American Made.
[Joe] Alpha Academy in control.
Look at her fly, folks.
[Joe] Brutus and Tozawa in the ring right now
in our six person mixed tag match,
as Tozawa has been struggling while we were away at break.
[Joe] And he's looking for the tag.
And it's Julius who comes over and tears down Otis
while Ivy got the best of Maxxine.
So instead of a tag,
more brutality being handed out onto Tozawa.
[Wade] This is really, really smart.
And the ideas, the tactics of Chad Gable coming to the fore.
[Joe] Wow! Look at the athleticism!
[Joe] Julius Creed.
[Wade] Brutus Creed is an absolute hulk of a man,
and pulling off springboard moonsaults like that should not be possible.
I told you what the kind of athletes, competitors, these guys are.
What a massive upgrade for Chad Gable, he wasn't lying.
[Joe] An opportunity for Tozawa.
[Wade] Cannot write off Tozawa despite the battering he's received
from these in-ring savages, as they call themselves.
He needs a tag in the worst way.
[Joe] He put himself in position,
and he gets it.
Here comes Otis.
Meets up with Brutus and puts him down.
[Joe] And a back spinning elbow.
And now Julius, as he rolls away.
And he gets some of his own.
[Wade] Otis is a big boy, but man, he's got some tricks.
[Wade] And just throwing Brutus Creed around like never before.
[Joe] The backdrop nearly halfway across the ring,
as Big Otis changes the complexion
of this six person mix tag.
[Wade] Oh, no.
Oh no, Joe, you might have to cover your eyes here.
[Wade] No!
[Joe] He's going for it.
[Joe] Caterpillar, baby.
[Joe] Here it comes.
Oh, and the elbow.
[Wade] You like that? You're worse than Michael Cole.
[Joe] Listen to the crowd here, Wade.
Everybody likes it except for you.
[Wade] They're out of their damn minds.
[Joe] Otis on a tear, with the cover.
[crowd] One, two--
[Joe] Save coming in from Julius.
[Wade] Hooking the leg there,
but Julius Creed taking no risk whatsoever.
This is must-win for American Made.
I don't want to see Chad Gable after this match
if they don't get the victory.
[crowd chanting] Otis! Otis! Otis!
[Joe] Denver trying to rally support now for the big man.
[Joe] Tozawa with the German suplex.
[Wade] Julius Creed feeling the the power of Tozawa.
-[Joe] See ya, Brutus. -And now, Brutus' turn.
[Joe] Taxing for takeoff.
[Joe] And Tazawa wants more.
[Wade] Tozawa has gone supersonic,
but it didn't work against the power
of Julius Creed.
[Joe] Otis sends him flying right into the barrier.
[Wade] Second in landing, Brutus might have to do this on his own.
[Joe] From the top rope.
Brutus Ball.
[Wade] How much has been taken out of Otis at this point?
And now the least experienced member of the entire roster
has to bring this home for Alpha Academy, Maxxine.
[Joe] Running knee was successful from Maxxine.
[Joe] And she snaps Ivy over and kicks up with confidence.
[Wade] This is a very different version of Maxxine.
Something has snapped inside her after the betrayal by Ivy Nile.
[Wade] Oh, my word.
[Joe] And now she's playing the role as well.
[Wade] It's getting a little toasty in here, Joe.
[Wade] I like this Caterpillar.
[Joe] The reverse Caterpillar, Chad Gable's up on the apron.
[crowd booing]
[Joe] Maxxine's had enough of him!
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Ivy, big kick.
[Wade] You do not turn your back on Ivy Nile.
[Wade] And now--
[Joe] Oh, that Sleeper's in.
-Dragon's-- -[Joe] That Dragon Sleeper's in.
[bell dinging]
[Joe] And the tap out and the victory as the Dragon Sleeper of Ivy Nile.
[announcer] Winner by submission,
American Made!
[Joe] American Made victorious over Alpha Academy.
Let's hear a big round of applause
for the greatest fighting family
in all of WWE, American Made.
[crowd booing]
[crowd chanting] You suck! You suck! You suck!
No, no, I don't suck. The Wyatt Sicks suck!
Last week, it was supposed to be a classic one-on-one match
between me and Howdy,
but of course, he had to get his freakshow of a family involved.
But that's his fault,
because now I've seen what it's gonna take to beat him,
and you're looking at it right here.
[crowd booing]
So I'm calling you out, Howdy.
Next week, right here in this ring, we want an eight man tag team match.
And in true, good old American fashion,
I'm gonna make sure this is the end of all of this crap,
because it's not just any tag match,
we're gonna have ourselves a street fight.
[Joe] Wow.
And we're not just gonna get rid of the Wyatts
for you guys and for the locker room,
we're gonna get rid of the Wyatts for America!
[crowd booing]
So pick whatever four freaks you want, get them ready for--
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Well, you may get your answer, Chad.
[Wade] You might get more than an answer.
These Wyatt Sicks are not right in the head.
This is dangerous ground for American Made.
[crowd cheering]
Three hundred and 75 days.
My sanity
crumbled.
My path
is in the void now.
The silence
is deafening.
But I--
I can still hear it.
[crowd cheering]
My life
is no longer mine.
So if this is the path that you've chosen, who am I to neglect you?
And your undoing.
You gamble your very being.
And we will collect the debt.
[laughs]
Now Wade, the challenge is accepted,
as Uncle Howdy comes out
and says we will take it on, eight man street fight.
But I want to go back to what we said,
Bo Dallas, AKA Uncle Howdy.
He has accepted plenty of challenges in his life.
His family, especially his sister.
So beautifully put it this past week when he had his ring return,
and celebrating his path to return to the ring, Wade.
Not just the emotional toll of grief that he touched upon right there
when you heard him speak from the heart,
but career setbacks, injury setbacks.
And next week we're gonna see something very special with these two.
Wade, let's turn our attention now
to the tournament that we're in the midst of,
for the Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contender's.
[Wade] Yes, indeed, because it continues this week,
another first round Triple Threat Match.
Now "Big" Bronson Reed was supposed to be competing.
He's not medically cleared, however, due to illness.
So the "Celtic Warrior" Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser
will compete against an as yet unknown third competitor
later on tonight for an opportunity to get into next week's Fatal 4-Way Final.
[Joe] "Big" Bronson Reed, not medically cleared to compete,
so Pearce is working on finding a replacement.
Hey, Dragon Lee, Ilja Dragunov, and Dirty Dom.
One of the final precious spots for next week's Fatal 4-Way.
That's tonight.
["VEGA" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Wade] Man, it is so good to see Zelina Vega back in WWE.
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
introducing first from Queens, New York,
representing the LWO,
Zelina Vega!
[Joe] She's sign hunting, Wade.
[Wade] I wish somebody would make signs for me.
I literally entered the building,
not one sign for me,
there was already signs for Joe Tessitore.
[Joe] We'll see if we can fix that next week for you, Wade.
[Wade] Yeah, that's some real BS.
But of course, there's about a million signs
for Zelina Vega in here, understandably.
It's the Joe Tessitore that really hurt me.
[Joe] There she is, Zelina Vega, she's had a wild summer.
Fought for the world title, then ambushed and out of action,
return for a little revenge last week,
and now gets an official match.
[Wade] Very emotional from the off shades.
Perhaps a backlash in Puerto Rico a couple of years ago.
[Joe] And the official match comes against the target she wants,
the Queen of Spades.
["A Common Cause" playing]
[announcer] And her opponent,
accompanied by Zoey Stark and Sonya Deville,
from Sioux Falls, South Dakota,
representing Pure Fusion Collective,
Shayna Baszler!
[Joe] Pure Fusion Collective,
a group that has taken out Dakota Kai,
Kayden Carter, Katana Chance and then the other name on that list.
Well, there it is.
This is what happened backstage, Wade.
[Wade] This was last month,
prior to Pure Fusion Collective
doing a number on Zelina Vega
and later on.
Well, this was last week on Raw, Zelina Vega returning,
getting a little payback on the Pure Fusion Collective,
who then ultimately, thanks to that distraction,
lost their tag match to Damage CTRL.
They're out with some vengeance tonight.
[Joe] And Vega's been dealing with that badly injured arm
after the attack, but she had to get some revenge.
Last thing she's saying, there's the arm right there
now deal with it while I slap you.
[Wade] And I get it from Vega.
She's a little hotheaded at times,
but you've got three dangerous women from Pure Fusion Collective out here.
I don't know how wise it is to be out there with this trio.
[Joe] By the way, to see the scene, what they did backstage,
to have the arm up against the wood wall,
and then kicking it, brutalizing that arm.
[Wade] Well, that's part of the tactics of the Pure Fusion Collective.
Half their battle is intimidation and instilling fear on everyone.
Oh!
Zelina Vega looking to return the favor to the arm of Shayna Baszler.
[Wade] Baszler really is just a torture machine in there.
And Vega needs to be as nimble as she's ever been to stay out of trouble.
[Joe] It's interesting to listen to Zelina Vega
in the lead up to this match on social media the other day
she said, "Don't think I don't think about that,
"what happened for three weeks. Well, I had to sit home and watch."
[Wade] Zelina Vega with that fire and intensity she had.
It's just been building and building for weeks now.
And now is her opportunity to get the ultimate payback
against Shayna Baszler.
[Joe] Yeah, the 619 to the shin.
She said, "Promise you this. You say my name three times,
"and I'm gonna show you the monster that I've been suppressing."
As you say, it's been building up.
As she takes control early on here.
So much to settle with Shayna Baszler.
More to come after the short break.
[Sonya] Come on.
[Joe] While we were away,
Shayna Baszler has been dominating the action against Zelina Vega,
the two-time NXT Women's Champion,
the three-time WWE Women's Tag Champion is Baszler.
[Wade] Just the rugged nature of Shayna Baszler,
who rode through that early storm from Zelina Vega
and has completely reset the balance in this match-up.
[Joe] Now Vega with a spinning elbow.
[Wade] Vega's a woman who's never gonna give up
despite the pain, despite the overwhelming odds against her.
[Joe] Cross body denied, suplex applied.
Baszler vertical,
and then all of a sudden, Vega able to find a way out.
And a clothesline slingshot.
[Wade] Jawbreaker move.
Perhaps desperation, but you've got that momentum,
you have to use it against Pure Fusion Collective.
[Joe] DDT, Zelina Vega.
[Wade] Keep 'em guessing. Keep 'em wobbling.
[crowd cheering]
[Wade] Keep the focus
and never forget about the likes of Zoey Stark
and Sonya Deville on the outside.
[Joe] She's going up top.
Moonsault Vega!
[Joe] The cover.
[Joe] And a kick out by Shayna Baszler.
[Wade] Late late kick out.
[Wade] And that's frustration now from Zelina Vega.
That second attempt after a beautiful moonsault
despite the amount of abuse
that small body of Vega
has already had to absorb in this match-up.
[Wade] Vega trying to figure out how exactly do you put away?
Zoey Stark gets a kick for good measure, trying to get involved in the match.
[Joe] Zoey coming down on Sonya Deville,
and just a moment of distraction to clean up PFC,
and it cost her because it gave Shayna time to recover.
And the knee was applied.
-[bell dings] -And the pinfall win. Shayna Baszler.
Vega's attention went elsewhere.
[announcer] Here is your winner, Shayna Baszler!
[Waded] What a savvy and evil trio this is,
but my word, are they devastating.
What a force in the women's division,
and now Zelina Vega three-on-one is about to commence.
[Joe] This is so unnecessary,
and you see it time and again with this group.
Their hit list a mile long.
["Triumph" playing]
[Joe] And now here comes Lyra Valkyria.
[Wade] The former NXT Women's Champion,
who has had her own issues with the Pure Fusion Collective,
as have the majority of the women's locker room.
[Joe] Ground and pound against Zoey.
But now Baszler tries to lock her up in the clutch.
[Wade] Well, it's two against three,
and the three are winning.
[Wade] It was brave of Valkyria, but perhaps foolhardy.
[Wade] Oh.
[Joe] Right onto the knee.
[Sonya] Listen to me.
Sit down, shut up, and show me some damn respect!
[crowd booing]
Do you know what it feels like to stand here
and watch them lay on the ground?
It's a reminder of just how pathetic everyone is.
And when I say everyone,
I mean every single one of you.
There's not a man in this audience that can take us home,
and there's not a woman in the locker room
that can take us, period.
But you wanna step up?
Shoot your shot.
[Joe] Sonya Deville with a message.
["A Common Ground" playing]
[Wade] I don't think there's gonna be too many people
looking to take her up on that offer.
Not if they're smart.
Too much risk.
It's not a want, it's a need.
I need to get my hands on them.
I get it.
So it's nothing serious.
It's just a precaution. I'll be fine.
Awesome.
-How'd the thing with Pearce go? -Ah.
My part was fine.
But Finn Bálor, being the coward that he is,
says he'll only face me in a tag team match.
You can't be my partner,
I got no friends around here,
so it looks like I can't have a match.
[Joe] Okay.
No.
Tell Pearce it's still on.
-Yeah? -I think I got someone in mind.
All right.
Let me know what he says.
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Rhea may have the answer.
[Wade laughs]
[Joe] It is CM Punk.
He hunted down his beloved family bracelet
by way of beating down Drew McIntyre
in a classic Strap Match at Bash in Berlin.
CM Punk joins us live, next!
[Joe] Oh, it's gonna be a time in Atlanta.
Jade Cargill, one half of your women's tag team champs,
It's gonna be a Bad Blood pre-show hospitality,
only with On Location.
So here's your chance to enjoy Bad Blood like never before.
WWE priority pass.
You can secure the exclusive experience with Jade Cargill and other superstars
along with premium seating and so much more.
Folks, find your package today at onlocationexp.com,
backslash WWE.
♪ Call it revenge ♪
♪ Tell all your friends ♪
♪ That boy at it again ♪
♪ Call me the greatest ♪
[speaks in Spanish] I'm so sick of this.
-Week after week after-- -We keep letting this happen.
They're running around taking out half the locker room,
interfering in our matches.
[exhales]
I think it's time we fight back.
Yeah. I mean, I know they have the numbers on their side,
but I will take my chances week after week until we put them down.
I think I've got an idea.
We're in Calgary next week, right?
Got an idea.
I like the way you think.
[Wade] Zelina Vega needs all the help she can get right now.
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] This crowd is anticipating something special.
-["Cult of Personality" playing] -And they just heard it.
[Joe] The best in the world.
Punks in Denver.
♪ Look in my eyes, what do you see? ♪
♪ The cult of personality ♪
♪ I know your anger, I know your dreams ♪
♪ I've been everything you wanna… ♪
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome
CM Punk!
[Joe] That smile's a little wider, Wade.
August first started with disappointment with SummerSlam,
but how it ended in Berlin,
serving up the three GTSes on Drew McIntyre
and that final push of the Strap Match.
And he comes home, he comes here a conquering hero.
[Wade] Yeah, you know CM Punk,
a guy the world either loves him or they hate him.
I may personally be in the latter category,
but I'll take nothing away from him.
On Saturday at Bash in Berlin, CM Punk looked back to his best, Joe.
[Joe] Hey, speaking of punk,
NXT is headed to Allstate Arena in Chicago,
featuring CM Punk on Tuesday, October 1st,
and Enterprise Center in St. Louis with Randy Orton on Tuesday, October 8th,
the highly anticipated broadcast television debut
of the CW network,
and tickets for both those events on sale now at ticketmaster.com.
Punk in Chicago and Randy in St. Louis?
Man, oh, man.
♪ I'm the smiling face on your TV… ♪
[song fades]
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
Real life, never get sick of it.
I always wonder, man, are they gonna--
Are they gonna care?
But I've got to ask,
is it great to be alive
on a Monday night in Denver, Colorado, or what?
[crowd cheering]
Come on, let me hear you.
[crowd cheering]
We're celebrating it.
I can't wait to get home
to my lovely wife and my beautiful dog to celebrate,
but I needed to make a pit stop here in Denver to celebrate with you.
[crowd cheering]
Show of hands, who saw Bash in Berlin?
[crowd cheering]
A Strap Match was held,
may be one of the toughest matches I've ever been to,
and I mean it when I say it is good to be alive,
and on the other side of something
that was a very ugly and personal issue for me.
And now that the personal is out of the way, guess what, Denver?
[crowd] What?
We get to get down to business.
[crowd cheering]
Because that's what I am.
I'm a business man.
When I came back to the WWE,
I said very famously, "I'm not here to make friends.
"I'm here to make money."
[crowd cheering]
I'll take that money however I can get it.
Cold hard cash, love from you,
direct deposit.
It's 1996, and I'm Patrick Roy.
I'll take it in gold.
[crowd cheering]
Speaking of Bash in Berlin,
there is one other person that went through hell.
Speaking of gold, there's one other person
who had a tough battle and came out on top.
That's right. I'm talking about you, Gunther.
This is what I mean when we're talking about business.
You put Randy Orton through hell.
You took Randy Orton,
one of the best to ever do it, to his limit,
and then you went past it.
Congratulations.
You're the champ.
Nothing can replace the chip on my shoulder
other than that belt.
I put Drew McIntyre to sleep,
and it's time CM Punk woke up as champion.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
So, Gunther, congratulations, champ.
Enjoy it.
Because we're gonna enjoy taking it off of you.
[crowd cheering]
The goal is gold.
The target is Gunther.
My name is…
[crowd] CM Punk!
And we're gonna celebrate.
Gunther better get used to hearing "Cult of Personality".
Let's celebrate.
Hit my music.
["Cult of Personality" playing]
[Joe] CM Punk feels like he's on top of the world right now,
but has a new target, Wade,
as he calls out Gunther, the Heavyweight Champion.
[Wade] It's a brave thing to do.
I mean, after Gunther's performance
against pretty much everyone he's ever been in the ring with.
It's not surprising, though, CM Punk is feeling himself.
He out-toughed Drew McIntyre, at Bash in berlin,
at one of the most brutally designed matches possible, a Strap Match,
and now he wants to take himself back to the top of the world.
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] He is on top of the world.
[Joe] Oh, but he just got taken down!
[Joe] That is Drew McIntyre in a hoodie!
[crowd booing]
[Wade] Don't gloat too much in this game.
[Wade] Drew McIntyre, clearly not ready to put CM Punk in the rear view mirror.
[Joe] He's on top of him.
This is brutal. This is brutal.
[indistinct crosstalk]
[Joe] All right, Wade Barrett is getting involved here.
He's been a longtime friend with Drew McIntyre.
He's warned him before, admonishing him,
advising him not to get suspended,
to consider his career and his future.
Meanwhile, CM Punk is badly damaged on the announce table
after celebrating with the fans here in Denver.
And he's got a Claymore!
You've got to be kidding me.
[crowd booing]
He just broke through Wade's restraint and Claymored CM Punk.
[Joe] Wade tried to talk sense into him.
[Joe] Forty eight hours ago,
it was Punk who finished Drew in a Strap Match.
He comes here and says he's in the rearview mirror,
he calls out Gunther, and that's how McIntyre responds.
[crowd chanting] You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck! You suck!
[Joe] And tosses him into the ring.
Wade still trying to get his attention.
Trying to calm down the rage within Drew McIntyre.
[Joe] This is going too far.
[Wade] Guys, Drew is gone. I don't know who you've got back there.
You're gonna have to send all of them.
[Joe] Wade, the look in his eyes when he broke through to get to him
on that Claymore here on our table.
[Wade] And the-- Joe, there's nothing I can do.
Something has gone wrong in the mind of McIntyre, I can't stop this.
[Joe] And CM Punk looks like he's in no position to defend himself.
The sneak attack. The Claymore kick. The first--
And now he's bashing him!
He's kicking him in the head.
[Wade] Send everyone you've got.
Touch me, and I'll kill you.
I'm taking the bracelet.
[Joe] You can hear him saying, "I want that bracelet back."
-[Joe] Just sheer brutality. -[Drew] Touch me and I'll kill you!
[Wade] Let him do what he's gotta do.
[Joe] The beloved bracelet
that CM Punk worked so hard to regain in Berlin
is now back on the wrist of his most bitter rival,
in the most heated rivalry
that the industry has seen this calendar year.
[Wade] If that's what Drew needs, let him have it and get Drew out of there.
[Joe] And he needs-- Punk needs medical attention right now,
and safety is what he needs.
[crowd booing]
The names of his wife, AJ, and his beloved dog, Larry,
on that bracelet that was just snapped in half!
And the beads are strewn all over the ring.
[Wade] Symbolic of everything CM Punk holds dear,
i.e. his family.
[Joe] Drew McIntyre has crossed a line that we have yet to see.
And he's shoving the beads in Punk's mouth!
They have to stop him!
[Wade] They can't stop him, Joe, that's the problem.
[Joe] Another Claymore!
Wade, this has gone far too far.
Don't look at me. There's nothing I can do.
-There's nothing these guys-- -[Joe] Here comes the officials.
[Joe] Here comes Adam Pearce.
And he's beating him in the head again!
[Wade] I've just not seen-- I've known Drew 20 years.
I've not seen this side of him before.
[Wade] Punk thought this was over.
[Joe] Punk had Drew in the rearview mirror,
it was onto Gunther,
Drew came out from under the ring, the black hoodie,
and said, "No, I'm not done with you at all."
[Joe] And in a year of brutal attacks,
you remember what happened at the garage door in Chicago.
This surpasses all of them between these two.
[Wade] Mercifully.
[Joe] They're waving for medical attention for Punk.
[Wade] Yeah, mercifully, it looks like McIntyre is done.
Getting the hell out of here.
[Joe] Now, here comes the EMT, the stretcher, the spinal board,
as Punk is badly damaged here in Denver.
[Joe] Now during the commercial break,
there has been such concern here at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado,
as you see the scene that's unfolding right now,
as the EMTs have secured CM Punk to the spinal board.
This is why, Wade.
[Wade] CM Punk out here
celebrating a victorious Bash in Berlin victory over Drew McIntyre,
thinking McIntyre was in the rearview mirror,
McIntyre clearly had other ideas.
We've seen this before from McIntyre,
a beatdown, send a message,
I'm not leaving you.
And this is me trying to talk some sense into him.
It was apparently mission impossible.
It took a hell of a lot to try and satiate Drew,
but we thought this moment,
the broken bracelet that meant so much to CM Punk,
snapping that, surely that was enough.
But no!
Shoved down the gullet of CM Punk,
who was choking on these beads when hit with a third Claymore,
before mercifully being carted out of here.
[Joe] This is the scene--
Hey!
[Joe] No, no, no, no!
[indistinct yelling]
[Joe] This cannot happen!
[Wade] He's in the damn neck brace!
[Joe] He ripped off the neck brace, you can see the blood.
He is attacking him
as they're trying to get him to the ambulance.
[indistinct yelling]
-[Wade] Stop him! -[Joe] He's eye gouging him!
[Wade] For crying out loud.
[Wade] McIntyre's grip on sanity is completely gone.
[Wade] Look at Punk.
[Adam] Talk to me.
Get him out of here!
Talk to me.
Jeez, Joe.
I was just set to turn to you and say,
"This is a man that you've known for 20-plus years",
and you turned to me during the commercial break and said,
"I saw something different in his eyes."
That was before
we witnessed the attack near the ambulance.
Well, I saw a guy I didn't recognize.
I saw a guy who apparently didn't recognize me.
He swung at me, too.
That's not happened in 20 years.
And I don't know,
I just hope for the best for CM Punk,
as that looked catastrophic.
[Joe] We will see if we can get you an update
as to what's transpiring backstage in the medical condition of CM Punk.
Put that aside for a moment,
as we turn our attention to Dirty Dom and a spot like this.
["It Is My Time" playing]
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following Is a first round Triple Threat Match
in the Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contender's Tournament.
Introducing first,
from San Diego, California,
weighing in at 200 pounds,
representing The Judgment Day,
"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio!
[Joe] It's a cascade of boos,
as if it's raining down from Pikes Peak nearby, here in Denver.
[Wade] An awful Bash in Berlin with Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan.
Perhaps got a little payback, however, on Rhea Ripley earlier tonight,
injuring the ankle of The Eradicator.
["Control The Empire" playing]
[announcer] Next, from Jalisco, Mexico,
weighing in at 165 pounds,
Dragon Lee!
[Joe] A very motivated Dragon Lee.
This tournament, the second chance he's ever had for a title shot.
He was in the first round of a chance at the US Championship
some time ago.
[Wade] This is a man who Rey Mysterio calls
the future of lucha libre, almost an adopted son for him.
[Wade] Dominik Mysterio must be pretty unhappy about that.
[Joe] I want to remind you that Bad Blood is presented
by Morgan & Morgan, America's largest injury law firm.
Injured? Go to forthepeople.com.
And by Wendy's new Saucy Nuggs.
Take the nuggs you love,
sauce them up in seven bold flavors like honey barbecue, garlic parm,
try 'em all today for a whole new way to nugg.
It's gotta be Wendy's.
[Joe] A Triple Threat to see who gets a shot
at the Intercontinental Championship to advance in this tournament.
And one of the most dynamic high motor athletes of all,
the last participant in this match.
[announcer] And their opponent,
from Moscow, Russia,
weighing in at 210 pounds,
Ilja Dragunov!
[Joe] Ilja Dragunov, limited experience against these two.
In fact, he's never competed against Dragon Lee,
and he's only been in, Wade, with Dominik Mysterio once,
successfully defending the NXT Championship.
[Wade] There is no fear in the heart, the soul, or the mind of Ilja Dragunov.
He will fight anyone anytime, and he always brings his best.
What an opportunity it is for these three tonight to step up
in this first round match-up
in the Intercontinental Championship tournament,
looking to get through to next week's Fatal 4-Way Final,
that already includes the likes of Pete Dunne and "Main Event" Jey Uso.
The winner of that match, next week,
will go on to challenge the Intercontinental Champ, Bron Breakker.
[bell dinging]
[Joe] Jey and Pete advanced a week ago on Monday Night Raw,
when we were in Providence.
The Fatal 4-Way will be next week in Calgary.
As Dom's looking each way,
and then sends an elbow and a forearm and a kick.
[Joe] And now Dragunov and Dragon Lee returning the favor,
teaming up against Dirty Dom,
[Wade] Scared of Dirty Dom. That's why he's just too good.
Smart thing to do by Ilja Dragunov and Dragon Lee.
Kind of namesakes.
[Wade] Pair of dragons.
[Joe] Shoulder block from Dragunov.
[Wade] Here's the problem with Dragon Lee.
So rapid, so much movement.
Even Ilja Dragunov,
one of the most prepared athletes in this tournament--
[Joe] Oh, and Dom trips him up, Wade.
[Wade] You can never be ready for Dominik Mysterio, though.
[Wade] Mr. Loverman Shabba.
[Wade] All the ladies in this arena just staring open mouthed
at the mustachioed Lothario that is Dominik Mysterio.
[Joe] The arena that I'm in with you right now?
[Wade] Yeah, that's the one, Joe. Pay attention, mate. Just look around.
And stop looking at all the Joe Tessitore signs,
that's not what I'm trying to point out to you.
[Joe] Dirty Dom.
[Joe] With a chop against Dragunov, and Dragunov just stares him down.
[Joe] He is so tough.
He is so fiery.
[Wade] Pain just awakens Ilya Dragunov.
The kind of guy who is so fierce,
and has such a fanatical approach to combat,
he strikes fear in the heart
of anyone he steps through those ropes with.
[Joe] Is he gonna go for it?
[Joe] Wow.
[Joe] Double suplex by Dragunov.
[Joe] Dragon Lee and Dom Mysterio
matched up with each other in the corner here
in this No. 1 Contender's Intercontinental Championship Tournament.
A Triple Threat. joined by Ilja Dragunov.
Dragon Lee and Dom Mysterio had a heated rivalry
over the NXT North American Championship.
[Wade] Three superstars, have all held NXT gold in their time.
[Wade] Great champions looking to step it up to a whole new level
and try and earn themselves an opportunity for Intercontinental Championship gold.
[groans]
[Wade] Dominik Mysterio, desperation splash--
[Joe] Into the cover.
[Joe] And a kick out by Ilja Dragunov.
[Joe] And a kick out again and a save by Dragunov.
[Wade] And all three guys now starting to show
a lot of wear and tear on their bodies,
gasping to try and get some oxygen back in their lungs.
But Dragunov is stirring.
[Joe] Hey, listen, oxygen, your lungs were at 5,280 feet.
[Joe] He catches the 619,
and he's fired up
with Dirty Dom and his grip.
A kick right to the sternum on the apron.
[Wade] Tell you what, competing at altitude like this,
one minute here feels like two minutes anywhere else.
And that move right there,
that Death Valley Driver may well see the end
of Dominik Mysterio's hopes for victory.
[Joe] Dragon Lee looking to rally.
[Wade] Well, with Dragon off down and, perhaps, out,
this is the moment Dragon Lee needs to make good.
Wait.
[Joe] Carlito comes in and pushes him off!
This is classic Judgment Day.
Why does Carlito need to do this?
[Wade] They simply don't work alone.
-Carlito, smart thing to do. -["Rise For The Night" playing]
You may wanna start running now, though, Carlito.
Not that way, the other way!
[Joe] Damian Priest is gonna take care of it!
Clean up the mess of The Judgment Day interrupting this Triple Threat.
[Wade] Priest made some promises to Rhea Ripley
that he was gonna punish The Judgment Day.
And that kick just bounced off him.
[Joe] Here he comes, he's chasing down Dom!
Priest is chasing Dom through Ball Arena!
[Wade] Dom's not as dumb as he looks, perhaps.
[Joe] Is Dom just gonna give up on the Triple Threat Match?
Is he just leaving the arena because of Damian Priest chasing him down?
[Wade] He was about to get mauled by The Punisher himself.
And this Triple Threat now has, apparently,
turned into a one-on-one match-up.
There's no disqualifications in this kind of match.
[Joe] If you're Dragon Lee and Ilja Dragunov,
take advantage of the great opportunity.
Oh, look at the level change by Dragunov.
[Wade] We're about to find out just how good these two really are.
How badly do you want it?
[Joe] Look at this show they're putting on in the ring.
[Wade] It's all worth it for a shot of gold!
And this is where top Superstars find that new gear when they need it!
Dragunov just rocked Dragon Lee.
[Joe] Dragon Lee.
[Wade] Looked clumsy.
Both guys struggling for some sort of control! And that'll do it!
[Joe] Powerbomb into the pin!
And a kick-out by Dragunov.
[Wade] Both these guys are so worn out, so beat up,
scrambling for whatever they can.
And this leaping powerbomb attempt by the luchador
just within a split second of qualifying for next week's Fatal 4-Way final.
[Joe] Crowd here in Denver appreciating it.
11,308 crowding for Monday Night Raw.
in a Triple Threat Match that's now just become
a singles match between Lee and Dragunov,
as Dominik Mysterio was chased out by Damian Priest.
[Wade] Sickening high landing on the back of the neck of Dragon Lee!
[Joe] Two-count, and a kick-out by Lee.
[Wade] Well, those who studied the career of Ilja Dragunov
know all about his toughness,
but we are seeing something entirely new here from Dragon Lee.
Great mover, fast, high flyer,
tough as hell!
[Joe] Such an opportunity for Lee. I spent time with him last week.
He was talking about just this.
[Wade] You climb the ropes, I'm backing a luchador every single time!
[Joe] There's the stomp!
[Wade] The stomp to the chest was bad enough,
but the back of the cranium of Ilja Dragunov
bouncing hard off the apron.
And that's the double whammy right there.
Dragunov, no clue where he's at.
Dragon Lee, ready to put this one to bed.
-But still fighting against Dragon! -[Joe] Rolls him up!
And a kick-out by Lee.
[Wade] How the hell does Dragunov know where he's at?
[Joe] Oh, what a big knee that was!
And the kick right to the throat.
Big shoulder comes in from Dragunov.
-Hooks the leg! -[crowd] One! Two! Three!
-[Joe] And the win! -[bell rings]
And Ilja Dragunov advances!
[Alicia Taylor] Here is your winner,
Ilja Dragunov!
[Wade] Well, what a war between these two
once Dominik Mysterio was taken out of the equation.
These two gave it everything.
Take nothing away from Dragon Lee.
Wow! What an effort! But it was that Torpedo Moscow
from Ilja Dragunov that scores him the win.
[Joe] And I love this. What respect between these two.
Dragon Lee and Ilja Dragunov, so aware of the circumstances.
They put on a show
once Damian Priest cleared this place
of "Dirty" Dom Mysterio.
So, now we have it, where Jey Uso, Pete Dunne, and Ilja Dragunov
are all advancing to what will be the finals.
The final Fatal 4-Way Match coming to you next week.
That's gonna be thrilling. We still have one spot.
Don't forget. Sheamus, perhaps Ludwig Kaiser
-or one mystery opponent. -Yeah.
Another Triple Threat Match-Up tonight to crown the final competitor
in next week's Fatal 4-Way final
to see who's gonna compete against Bron Breakker next.
Wade, through the years, there have been few moments
that have created more of the instant "Did you see that" buzz
than what we saw last week in Providence.
-[Corey] Oh, here we go! -[crowd cheering]
Bronson Reed!
Braun Strowman!
Battle of the behemoths!
This is a new breed of big man!
Some of the best athletes in the world!
-That's enough! -[both grunting]
[Cole] And, now, the fight spills out to the parking lot here in Providence!
Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
-[both grunting] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Oh, my God!
[Corey] Bronson, what the hell are you thinking about here?
-[screams] -Not from up there!
[crowd cheering]
Get the medic!
[indistinct shouting]
Give me medics!
I'm with Raw general manager Adam Pearce.
And, Adam, with Bronson Reed out of action tonight,
there is a massive void in that Triple Threat Match.
-Say the least. -Yeah, you've got Sheamus, Ludwig
and, then, have you found a replacement for the third?
Funnily enough, this has turned into an all-day process.
As you can imagine, that locker room is coming out of the woodwork
because the Intercontinental Championship is up for…
Braun, what are you doing here?
-[grunts] -[Joe] Oh.
I hear you're looking for somebody to replace Bronson Reed
in this Triple Threat Match.
Yeah, but you're not even supposed to be here tonight.
Look, I get it. I'm a little banged up from what happened last week.
[sighs]
Medical told me if I can go, then it's up to me.
And I can go.
Look, I don't know how you're standing here in front of me,
much less asking for a match,
but if medical said you can go,
and you can look me in the eye and tell me you can go…
I can go.
-I want this match tonight. -[crowd cheering]
Well, that's pretty poetic.
Braun, you're in.
Thank you. [grunts]
And I'm gonna go talk to medical.
[Joe] Cathy Kelley capturing the "I can go" from Braun Strowman,
and Adam Pearce says he's in.
But you could hear the pain in his voice.
[Wade] He could hardly breathe. I don't know how smart that is.
["A Storm Is Coming" playing]
[Joe] Well, a storm came to Germany this weekend, didn't it?
[Wade] Yes, it did. And the storm carried away a couple of pieces of gold
back here to Denver.
[crowd cheering]
♪ I'm on my own Against the wall ♪
[Joe] And what a bash it was for The EST.
["Watch Me Shine" playing]
[Alicia Taylor] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions,
Jade Cargill
and Bianca Belair!
[Joe] When we come back, the Tag Champs will sit back and join us
to watch Damage CTRL and Fyre and Dawn
for number one status on Monday Night Raw.
["Watch Me Shine" continues playing]
[Joe] Back here in Denver for Monday Night Raw.
["Still The Baddest" playing]
[bell ringing]
[Alicia Taylor] The following is a WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
No. 1 Contenders Match!
Introducing first,
Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane,
Damage CTRL!
[Joe] You know, it's interesting to put it in perspective with Damage CTRL,
because Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky have held WWE Women's Tag Team Titles in the past.
But as a duo, they've never held the gold as a team.
So, Wade, this match,
a big step in potentially changing that.
[Wade] Yeah, they wanna take this duo to the next level.
They got a big win last week against Pure Fusion Collective,
thanks in part to Zelina Vega.
But, now, they're looking to parlay that momentum
into a Championship opportunity
against the Tag Champs, Belair and Cargill,
who are joining us at ringside, getting a front row seat.
They wanna know who they're gonna challenge next.
[Joe] Iyo and Lyra.
Iyo's gonna be the first of the women's Speed tournament.
Who doesn't have three minutes to give to that, Wade?
[Wade] What a show that is.
I can't wait to see what the women can do with that unique format.
And I'll tell you right now, the Tag Champs are looking fantastic.
Look at the outfit on Cargill.
[Joe] Doesn't it just feel right, though, to see gold on their shoulders?
Doesn't it just feel right?
[Wade] I can think of two women who would disagree with what you're saying there,
and that's the two women heading out here right now.
["The Depths" playing]
[Alicia Taylor] And their opponents,
the team of Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre!
[Joe] The climb back begins immediately for Fyre and Dawn.
They held the Women's Tag Title for 77 days.
And then, of course, you know what happened just 48 hours ago
at the Bash in Berlin.
Belair and Cargill got the best of them.
[Wade] Yeah, here's the problem when you're no longer Tag Champions,
you don't get favorable treatment in any way. You have to…
Fyre and Dawn, they gotta beat up, they're gotta be exhausted
after their exploits all the way over in Berlin.
I think that's about eight different time zones away.
And their match against the new Tag Champs, Belair and Cargill,
was only 48 hours ago.
They have to hope that the anger and desire they feel
to reclaim what they see as their gold will supersede that exhaustion tonight.
[bell dings]
[Joe] Well, Wade, you were there ringside in Germany
on the call with Michael Cole.
What was your biggest takeaway from that Championship match?
[Wade] The biggest takeaway, Belair and Cargill
were never pinned or submitted when they lost their Championships.
They guaranteed that they could beat anyone,
and they were good to their word.
And Fyre and Dawn will not be happy about that.
You really struggle to see how Belair and Cargill can be beaten, at times.
But one of these two teams is gonna give it a go.
[Joe] Dakota Kai going against Alba Fyre.
[Wade] It's Kairi Sane. Dakota Kai, of course, injured at the moment.
[Joe] Excuse me, Kairi Sane.
[Wade] Easily confused with those outfits.
Back fist to Alba Fyre.
And, now, the genius of the Sky is launched!
Taking down Alba Fyre.
The former tag champs, perhaps, in disarray.
Sky and Kairi Sane mouthing off at the Tag Champs.
Who's gonna become the new number one contenders?
[Joe] Look at that!
[Joe] While we were away, it has been a long and difficult stretch
for Kairi Sane.
And she's trying to fight back now against Alba Fyre.
[Wade] It's been a masterclass by the former Tag Team Champions,
Fyre and Dawn.
Desperate to reclimb that mountain, get another opportunity
at Belair and Cargill.
Win this match, and that's exactly what they get.
[Joe] Wait, Isla Dawn just talked smack right in her face.
Sane trying to make her way over for a much-need tag,
but it's denied by Alba Fyre…
by Isla Dawn.
[Wade] How vicious is Alba Fyre
for the best that Europe has ever produced?
But she's just been knocked silly.
Desperation DDT by Kairi Sane.
And the fresh Iyo Sky needs in this match-up in a big way.
[Joe] She's calling for it. Let's see if she can get it.
[Wade] This audience, fully behind Damage CTRL.
Wanting this tag.
-And there it is! Game-changing moment! -[Joe] Here comes Iyo!
-Uppercut! -[Wade] Shotei!
[Joe] Dropkick!
Now, steps on Dawn's foot.
[Wade] This is Fyre and Dawn,
who have been beating the hell out of Kairi Sane
for the past five minutes,
partially exhausted themselves!
[Joe] And a double takedown with the dropkick.
As Iyo Sky
-showing that elite athleticism. -[crowd cheering]
[Wade] Iyo Sky knows Alba Fyre particularly well.
Used to be a tag team together. Even won the Women's Dusty Cup in NXT once.
[Joe] Hook of the leg, and the cover!
And a kick-out.
[Wade] Know each other's strengths, they know each other's weaknesses.
How quickly can you figure out how to break the armor of your opponent?
Attempt at a Gory special here!
[Joe] Puts a kick right in the face to Dawn.
And, then, reverses course!
[Wade] Iyo Sky was absolutely anticipating that attempt
by her former tag partner, Alba Fyre.
And looks like she's closing in on victory.
-[Joe] Shoulders down! -[crowd] One! Two!
[Joe] And broken up. as Isla Dawn came in.
You see the champs sitting just to our right
who just pull it all in.
[Wade] Desperate dive by Isla Dawn, who's been thrown to the outside.
Belair and Cargill getting a front row view
for what is likely to be pain--
-[Joe] Oh, no! -[Wade] Oh!
[Joe] Oh!
They pulled Bianca Belair into the mix, and she took the brunt of it.
[Wade] That was a double whammy!
Isla Dawn getting the hell out of the way, not surprisingly.
And Belair has been laid out at ringside.
Not the intent from Kairi Sane.
The effects plain for all to see, but this match is continuing.
And Kairi Sane has barely moved since.
Although, stirring now.
[Joe] And, now, Jade Cargill.
frustrated ringside, takes it out on her. She's got great concern.
[Wade] Everything's going into meltdown here.
Belair and Cargill, Kairi Sane laid out.
-Iyo Sky's gonna have to win it on-- -[Joe] Hooks her leg!
[Wade] Gonna have to win it on her own. But she can't.
And, now, behind the referee's back,
Isla Dawn with a cheap shot.
And things are suddenly looking very good indeed
for the former Tag Team Champions.
[Joe] Alba Fyre is legal.
-They hit it. -[Wade] Gory special. Facebuster.
-Good night. -[Joe] Hooks the leg!
-And the win! -[bell rings]
["The Depths" playing]
[Alicia Taylor] Here are you winners,
the team of Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre!
[Joe] Bianca Belair back on her feet after taking the brunt of it.
Kairi Sane came off the top rope out,
and they got pulled into the mix.
And I think Fyre and Dawn are saying, "Yeah, you guys deal with it. It happened.
We won."
[Wade] The new number one contenders for the Women's Tag Team Titles,
amidst the Chaos, Fyre and Dawn.
All I'm saying…
All I'm saying is that they haven't defended their titles
-in over two months. -You don't think I know that?
I've been trying to get Judgment Day on the horn. It's crazy.
Look, man, I just wanna have…
-I just have a proposition to put myself-- -I'm all ears.
It works. If that's cool.
Champ.
[crowd booing]
[Joe] The World Heavyweight Champion,
"The Ring General" Gunther joins us next.
[Cole] A sellout, record-breaking crowd for Bash in Berlin!
♪ South side I'm a phoenix ♪
♪ Too close to the sun Gotta burn us to raise this ♪
♪ Number one on the hit list ♪
[Wade] A huge W for The Terror Twins!
[Cole] Revenge tonight against The Judgment Day!
[Wade] Gold coming home to Belair and Cargill!
[Cole] And Punk wins the Strap Match!
[crowd cheering]
Cody Rhodes retains the title!
-[bell rings] -[crowd cheers]
On his return to his adopted hometown,
in the end, Gunther defeats one of the all-time greats in Randy Orton!
[crowd cheering]
All right. I came here to tell you I didn't get to Dom,
but I see you cheesing.
-[chuckles] -He said yes?
-No. -[in Spanish] What?
[in English] Well, what did he say?
[crowd chanting] Yeet!
Yeet.
-[crowd cheers] -[Joe chuckles]
All right, that's cool.
I still have to have a talk with him, though.
Appreciate you.
-["Prepare To Fight" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Alicia Taylor] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
the WWE World Heavyweight Champion,
"The Ring General" Gunther!
[Joe] The other day in Berlin, Gunther had family and friends everywhere
supporting him.
Of course, here in the States, sometimes his persona, his way,
is not as friendly and appreciated.
Although, no denying the respect that he has earned from everybody.
Wade, fighting through the injured shoulder in Berlin.
[Wade] Yeah, Gunther just at his indomitable best.
This here, this Ring General, the World Heavyweight Champion
is a vision of the future in this industry.
I don't care who you are around the world,
you aspire to be in WWE, NXT Superstars,
you wanna be a World Champ,
that is the level you have to get to now.
The game has moved on because of this man, Gunther.
And I struggle to see who the hell
is gonna take that championship from the shoulder of the big Austrian.
[crowd booing]
On Saturday,
Bash in Berlin was the highest grossing gate
for an arena show in the history of WWE.
[crowd cheering]
And you, Denver degenerates
have the honor to look at the man responsible for it!
He's your World Heavyweight Champion,
"Der Ringgeneral" Gunther!
[Joe] He had to the drop the "degenerates"?
He was so friendly 48 hours ago over in Europe.
[Wade] He's back in the US, I understand it.
And there's more to celebrate for me because, on Saturday,
I've beaten one of the greatest legends this business has ever seen.
And yes, I said a lot of personal things to Randy before this match.
And even though I was right,
I only said those things because, in Berlin,
I wanted the greatest Randy Orton of all time.
So, now, I can stand here in front of you and claim
that I have beaten the greatest version of Randy Orton.
[crowd booing]
But that's all right because, at the end of the day,
that big weekend was just another chapter
in the legacy
of the greatest World Heavyweight Champion in history.
[crowd booing]
-["Worlds Apart" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Who was the last guy to beat Gunther, Wade?
Sami's here.
♪ Let's go! ♪
[Wade] This is called raining on the parade
-of somebody else. -[Joe laughing]
Sami Zayn…
may be well advised to steer clear of The Ring General right now.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd singing "Worlds Apart"]
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Sami! Sami! Sami!
Gunther, it's just crazy to me that
I'm in the back there listening to what you're talking about,
and it's so funny that you're talking about legacy.
Because I've taken these last couple of weeks to really think
about this Intercontinental Championship reign that I just had.
I'm thinking about where I've been and where I'm headed.
And when we talk about the legacy of the Intercontinental Championship,
everybody talks about it as the great workhorse title.
And they talk about all the greats that have held that title.
But what people always forget to mention when they talk about that championship
is that the true greats,
I mean the greatest of the great,
the legends.
I'm talking about the "Macho Man" Randy Savages.
[crowd cheering]
I'm talking about "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
[crowd cheering]
I'm talking about The Rock, Triple H, Shawn Michaels!
[crowd cheering]
I'm talking about my hero as a kid, Bret "The Hitman" Hart!
[crowd cheering]
All of those guys,
all of them, every single one of those Hall of Famers,
they won the Intercontinental Championship first,
and, then, they used that as a stepping stone to the next level,
the World Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd cheering]
Every single one of those guys, that's what they did.
And, Gunther, that's exactly what you did.
And, now…
that's exactly what I am going to do.
[crowd cheering]
I am coming after the one championship that has eluded me my entire career.
I want the World Heavyweight Title!
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Sami! Sami! Sami!
Well, Sami, you're right.
All those guys you named, including me,
we used the Intercontinental Championship
as a stepping stone.
And after our title wins, we stepped up.
Let's be honest,
whenever you held the Intercontinental Championship, you…
-you kinda stepped down. -[crowd] What?
And that impressive list of legends you named…
[crowd] What?
your name is not on that list.
[crowd] What?
But I give you one thing, that it…
I think that's why those people really like you,
it's because whenever you get knocked down,
you pick yourself up and you return to this ring.
[crowd] What?
Whenever things don't go your way in your career,
you pick yourself up, you brush it off,
and you return in the middle of this ring.
[crowd] What?
And, now, you're standing in front of me to challenge me
for my World Heavyweight Championship.
And I think that's very impressive, Sami, because when I hear you talk,
I hear the passion in your voice.
When I look at you, I see the fire in your eyes.
[crowd] What?
So, if you really want a shot at this,
if you really I want this more than anything else…
my answer is no.
[crowd booing]
[mic thumps on floor]
[Joe] A mic drop, a walkout, and a simple response of "No."
[Wade] You've got to earn your opportunities at The Ring General,
especially when he's clad with the hardware
that is the World Heavy--
Hey, hold on! Hey! Hey, hold on just a damn second!
Wait a minute! Wait a minute!
Hey, Gunther, I have watched you your entire career,
and I have never seen you back down from a fight.
So, why are you backing down from this one?
[crowd cheering]
You wanna know what I think?
I think it's, for as great as you've been,
and for all the great guys that you've already beaten…
you know full well that ever since you've been in WWE,
I am the only guy who has beaten you in the middle of this ring.
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] He's got a point.
[crowd chanting] Sami! Sami! Sami!
Got your attention now?
You can run, you can hide for as long as you want.
But, Gunther, make no mistake,
I am coming for you, and I will be
a World Heavyweight Champion!
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] I mean Wrestlemania XL,
you know what happened with the Intercontinental.
This is a different Gunther here coming off of what we saw in Berlin.
I'll tell you this, Joe, the words Sami Zayn just uttered
rattled Gunther.
That is rare. But I also know this,
Gunther makes it his mission to remove every stain from his record.
He won't forget about Sami Zayn.
With the departure of Damian Priest from The Judgment Day,
it has created some unique relationship dynamics,
as you can imagine.
Priest wasn't earning a lot of friends during his Judgment Day run.
But tonight,
he has somebody who's recently seeking a title with him now as a partner.
[Wade] You didn't have to be a genius to figure out what Rhea Ripley meant.
It appears to be official.
Priest will team up with former foe Jey Uso
in tonight's main event, as he looks for vengeance
against former Judgment Day running buddies,
the Tag Champs, Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh.
[Joe] Fought for the World Heavyweight Championship
just a few short months ago.
Now, together.
Jackie Redmond with Jey Uso.
Tess, thank you so much. And, by the way, congratulations on your debut tonight.
I am here with "Main Event" Jey Uso.
And, Jey, the guys were just talking about your history with Damian Priest.
So, I was wondering if Damian and Rhea have given you any advice
as you get set to potentially face Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker.
No, Jackie-o. But we're gonna get through that!
You know what I'm saying? Yeet!
Got my hockey shirt on 'cause we're in Colorado right now!
Yeet! It's my Jey night, bro! We 'bout to turn up all the way, Jack…
Yeah. Oh.
[crowd booing]
What'd you wanna say to me last week?
Hmm?
Never been a member of your family to beat up a member of mine,
and you're not gonna be the one to do it.
So, listen, Jey,
keep chasing after Mami,
keep Yeeting,
keep doing your thing, all right?
'Cause I'm gonna give you one chance.
One.
Walk away.
Drop out of the tournament,
and keep chasing after Dominik Mysterio's sloppy seconds.
-[chuckles] -[crowd exclaims]
Because if you don't…
you come after me,
my Intercontinental Championship…
you're gonna lose.
[chuckles]
Thanks for the advice, rookie.
Don't worry about Mami, I'm gonna game up.
But you have my attention now, uce.
I'm gonna win this Intercontinental Tournament.
I'm gonna win this Intercontinental Championship.
[crowd] Yeet!
And I'm gonna beat your ass while I do it!
[crowd] Yeet!
Yeet!
[crowd] Yeet!
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] The Intercontinental Champ, Bron Breakker,
harsh words for Jey Uso,
who will be in the Fatal 4-Way finale before the week ends.
["Monster Of All Monsters" playing]
I feel like I can hear Pat McAfee in his house right now
getting ready to say
"One Big S.O.B."
[Wade] That's putting it lightly. Appreciate that. You're a classy guy.
[bell rings]
[Alicia Taylor] The following is a first round Triple Threat Match
in the Intercontinental Championship No.1 Contenders Tournament.
Introducing first, weighing in at 385 pounds,
Braun Strowman!
[Joe] Wade, after last week's car smash Tsunami,
everyone thought he'd be out for some time.
Somehow, he's here.
Big Braun Strowman, Triple Threat, in this Contenders Tourney, next.
I can't believe he's fighting tonight.
[Wade] Well, he can barely walk. This might be a bad idea.
But when an opportunity at gold's on the line, you try and take it!
["Monster Of All Monsters" continues playing]
[Joe] Back here at Ball Arena in Denver.
Some WWE history through the years.
The first pay-per-view in Denver was Vengeance Day 2003.
Kurt Angle, the winner of the WWE Championship then,
defeating Brock Lesnar and Big Show.
It's been a wild night at Monday Night Raw.
And it may get a little more crazy as, still to come
you see Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh
against Damian Priest and, as we have found out,
Jey Uso!
[Wade] That will be a highly volatile match-up in all main event tonight!
[Joe] Braun Strowman, somehow able to go
after the Tsunami on top of the car a week ago.
This is what happened Saturday night, as Sheamus,
who was the only expert to pick Georgia Tech to upset Florida State,
had the honor of bringing the Yellow Jackets out onto the field
for their victory against Georgia State. Everybody loved it.
And he said, "This is a team that loves banger after banger after banger!"
And he's all about Georgia Tech now.
[Wade laughing] That guy made a lucky pick.
The reason he was the only guy to pick it
is 'cause he knows absolutely nothing about college football!
[Joe] Hey! He was the expert of the day.
[Wade] Yeah, I bet he was.
He'll ride that one all the way to the bank, I'm sure.
[Joe] And here he is now in Denver.
["Hellfire" playing]
-Triple Threat. -[Alicia Taylor] On his way to the ring,
from Dublin, Ireland,
weighing in at 267 pounds,
Sheamus!
[Wade] And no more motivated Superstar in this tournament
than "The Celtic Warrior" Sheamus,
a man who'd love to be able to say he did it all in WWE.
The one thing missing off his record,
an Intercontinental Championship reign.
Victory tonight gets him one step closer.
["Sacred" playing]
[Alicia Taylor] And their opponent, from Hünsberg, Germany,
weighing in at 220 pounds,
representing Imperium,
Ludwig Kaiser!
[Joe] Kaiser was back in Germany, of course, this past week.
On Friday, took advantage of the open challenge
for the US Championship.
Fell short against LA Knight.
And, tonight, trying to take a different path
to earn a significant title challenge.
[Wade] Well, the man's got a taste for singles gold now.
And what a picture it would be in Imperium.
Ludwig Kaiser, Intercontinental Champion,
becomes the World Heavyweight Champion.
Wow! What a scene that would be.
[Joe] And I'm so glad he's nowhere near our Alicia Taylor,
a great ring announcer, 'cause of what he did on Saturday,
taking that mic out of the hands of Samantha Irvin.
-[bell rings] -[Wade] Well, it wasn't very polite,
but, man, he sounded good introducing Gunther!
Sheamus does not need to be asked twice
when it comes to punching lovely Kaiser in the face.
These two have been brawling for months.
And this is simply benefiting Braun Strowman in the ring.
[Joe] Yeah, he's getting a walkaround.
[Wade] Smart thing to do, let 'em take each other out.
That's how I'd handle the situation.
Uh-oh, momentum!
[Joe] Takes 'em both out, as the freight train came.
And, instantly, you see him grabbing for that left side.
We are only seven days removed
from suffering that unbelievable Tsunami at the hands of "Big" Bronson Reed,
who is not medically cleared to be here tonight.
[Wade] And how much does it irritate "Big" Bronson Reed?
[Joe] Oh, right for the barrier!
[Wade] Well, it may be short and unsweet for Braun Strowman.
Who is gonna be in the Intercontinental 4-Way Match-Up next week?
-[groaning] -[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser,
all rolling in the wind in this No. 1 Contenders Triple Threat Match.
But Braun Strowman, the third competitor,
he went through the barrier moments ago, already dealing with a badly injured rib,
and he has not been seen for some time.
[Wade] Yeah, a bit like our earlier Triple Threat Match-Up,
this one has essentially turned into a singles match.
And it's the German, Ludwig Kaiser, now in complete control here.
[Joe] Back on August 5th, they met up on Raw.
That was the last time Sheamus was in with Ludwig Kaiser,
and he soundly defeated him.
Hit a Brogue Kick and had a pinfall victory.
And, now, he's lining up to do this again.
Here goes Kaiser! We've seen this time and again.
Oh, my!
A chair comes out of nowhere!
It was just thrown into the face by Braun Strowman!
-[Wade] The monster has stirred! -[screaming]
And, now, it is Kaiser who is down and out!
A flying missile.
[Joe] The massive chair thrown from Strowman straight at Kaiser
as he was running full speed, lining up Sheamus.
[Wade] There is life in this big old beef!
Planted on those ribs. Suddenly, he can't feel them at all.
[Joe] Chokeslam by "Big" Braun Strowman!
Into the hook of the leg, and the cover!
Look at this, Wade!
[Wade] Ludwig Kaiser at full speed,
getting dropped by that chair launched by Braun Strowman,
who would then launch the 280-pound framer, Sheamus,
down into the mat.
[Joe] Sheamus smart to get out.
-And the knee-- -[Wade] Back on to those ribs!
[Joe] Yes, right to that lower back, side rib area, as…
He's gonna get to work on it.
[Wade] Sheamo knows exactly what he's doing.
He's been around the block a million times!
[Joe] Ten Beats of the Bodhran against "Big" Strowman!
[crowd] Eight! Nine! Ten!
[Wade] Chest-concaving worst from Sheamus!
[Joe] And the knee!
[Wade] Well, perhaps, that is really it for Strowman.
But Kaiser lining a Kaiser Roll!
[Joe] Hooks the leg!
And a kick-out by The Celtic Warrior.
[Wade] Say something for the durability and toughness of this man!
Should've been laid out, should've been been down and out!
Finding new levels. A great technician.
And, now, perhaps it's… Oh, no.
[Joe] Kaiser steps up with a kick.
[Wade] Enzuigiri to the face.
Brogue Kick!
[Joe] He can finish him here off the Brogue Kick! Hooks the leg!
What is that? Pete Dunne, no!
[Wade] The former Brawling Brute now attacking his former mentor!
-Shillelagh! -[Joe] And a shillelagh to the back!
Pete Dunne, who has been tormented by Sheamus!
He has been getting after him!
[Wade] Numerous run-ins for the past few weeks.
Sheamus is done!
[Joe] And, now, an opportunity for Braun Strowman!
Powerslam!
-And the cover! -[crowd] One! Two! Three!
-[Joe] And the win! -[bell rings]
["Monster Of All Monsters" playing]
[Alicia Taylor] Here is your winner,
Braun Strowman!
[Joe] Pete Dunne is sitting here hovering over Sheamus.
Braun's got his arm raised. He's headed to the finals.
But it was Pete Dunne who took it away from Sheamus.
Sheamus hit the Brogue Kick, was set for the win.
And a shillelagh attack later,
and it's "Big" Braun Strowman advancing!
["Monster Of All Monsters" continues playing]
[Damian Priest] Hey, man.
Look, I appreciate you taking this match and being my partner,
but we have a past that I can't ignore.
-So, we gotta talk about-- -Uce. Uce.
Man, believe it or not, I used to be you.
No friends, lost your family.
But I still respect you, uce.
-Plus, man, I ain't gonna say no to Rhea. -[chuckles]
All right, fair enough, fair enough.
Look, this beating we give this lame-ass Judgment Day,
-it is for Rhea. -Let's go.
-Guepa. -Yeet.
[Joe] Our main event is set, Wade.
Excuse me, Pete. You just cost Sheamus his chance
at competing for the Intercontinental Championship.
Is there anything you want to say or…
Yeah, you can tell him, it was just a message from an old friend.
So, now, I'm off to NXT tomorrow night to smash Trick Williams.
See ya.
Wait, so I'll tell him it's from Butch?
-[Joe] Oh. -[crowd exclaiming]
[Wade] Oh, Jackie.
Don't call me Butch.
[Joe] I think that's… that's what sets him off.
-Don't use the B-word. -[laughing] Don't…
Don't call him Butch.
Wade, next week, it's the much anticipated season premiere of Monday Night Raw.
We're gonna be in Calgary. And, of course, a rich in-ring tradition in Calgary.
And, Wade, it's gonna determine the No.1 Contender for the IC Title.
[Wade] Yes, indeed. Who is gonna be the next challenger
for Bron Breakker?
We're gonna crown him next week.
Today's winners, Dragunov and Strowman, join Pete Dunne, who we just saw,
be careful with his name,
and Jey Uso in a Fatal 4-Way Match-Up.
That's next week on Raw.
[Joe] Plus, it's the rubber match,
the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Match.
Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill. They were ringside here today.
Got a little more involved than they ever thought they would.
Alba Fyre, Isla Dawn trying to get the belts back.
That's coming to you from Calgary in the season premiere of Raw.
[Wade] And what we saw earlier tonight, Chad Gable made a crazy demand.
But Uncle Howdy, he accepted with glee.
Next Monday on Raw,
The Wyatt Sicks take on American Made
in an 8-Person Mixed Tag Street Fight!
-["Rise For The Night" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[fireworks exploding]
[bell rings]
[Alicia Taylor] The following contest is a tag team match
scheduled for one fall!
Introducing first, from New York City,
weighing in at 249 pounds,
Damian Priest!
[Joe] I thought it was wonderful.
Look at this scene, by the way, as he comes through the crowd in Denver,
and the reaction and the reception he gets.
I thought it was wonderful, on the Bash in Berlin post-show,
how much care Priest and Rhea Ripley have for each other.
And you saw how that played a role earlier tonight,
when Rhea, who was in a compromised position,
hanging from the ropes, and he had to come to her aid.
And, now, maybe more grateful that she can bridge the gap
and find him a tag partner for this.
[Wade] Damian Priest has more reasons than most
to wanna beat the hell out of The Judgment Day.
They cost him his World Heavyweight Championship.
They stabbed him in the back. They threw him out of the group.
And, now, they've potentially injured Rhea Bloody Ripley!
Consequences may be swift for The Punisher!
[Joe] He finally gets in the ring with an official match
with his former ally, Finn Bálor.
You ready for it, Wade Barrett?
-Is Denver ready for it? -[Wade] I don't know.
I don't know if anyone's ready for this.
["Main Event Ish" playing]
You gonna dance on the table, Joe?
-[Joe] Go for it, Wade. -Watch me! Watch me!
[Wade] That's why we hired you! [laughs]
♪ I line 'em all up And knock 'em down like this ♪
[crowd chanting] Yeet! Yeet! Yeet!
[crowd cheering]
[Alicia Taylor] And his tag team partner,
from San Fransisco, California,
weighing in at 242 pounds,
"Main Event" Jey Uso!
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] They were once title rivals. Now, here they are, teamed up.
Of course, the big Jey Uso headline is that, next week,
he's advanced to the finals
of this current Intercontinental Championship Tournament.
But very serious business to take care of right now,
especially for Damian Priest to have him by his side.
[Wade] Big party atmosphere here in Denver.
The party is about to end, because Priest and Jey Uso
go head-to-head with Bálor and McDonagh of The Judgment Day,
and it's coming up next!
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] I mean, there are Yeet puddles everywhere here at Ball Arena.
[Wade] We just cannot tire this Denver audience out.
["Main Event Ish" playing]
[Joe] Monday Night Raw following Bash in Berlin.
["The Other Side" playing]
[crowd booing]
[fireworks exploding]
[Alicia Taylor] And their opponents,
representing The Judgment Day,
they are the WWE World Tag Team Champions,
JD McDonagh and Finn Bálor!
[Joe] Yeah, they won those titles back on June 14th, right here on Raw.
But it's what they've done in reshaping Judgment Day
that's the focal point tonight because, non-title match,
yet so much more on the line
with the torn relationship with Damian Priest.
[Wade] You're absolutely right, Joe.
Usually, a situation like this, you get a non-title opportunity
against the tag champs, you're thinking to yourself,
"Yeah, we beat these guys, you know, we will probably earn ourselves
an opportunity at the gold."
All that's well and good. I don't think that has entered the head
of Damian Priest at all. This is not about career advancement to him.
This is personal.
It's about settling a score
with some former friends who stabbed you in the back.
[Joe] This is about The Hurt Business,
and for the first time since that rift, they are officially in a match.
What? Are you kidding me?
I mean, seriously, Finn?
You're gonna do that and just tag in McDonagh?
[Wade] Damian Priest wants to battle all of The Judgment Day,
none more so than Finn Bálor, the man who stabbed him in the back
in that match-up with Gunther at SummerSlam!
[Joe] Oh, my God! What?
He just kicked him all the way to our announce table!
And, now, he's gonna get a piece!
[Wade] Bálor's got no choice but to get involved now!
Of course, he's not legal. It is JD McDonagh who's legal,
the nimble and crafty Irishman.
But the much stronger Damian Priest immediately back in control.
[Joe] With the big elbow to the big head of McDonagh.
.[Wade] Clearly, a devious game plan by The Judgment Day,
and it simply didn't work.
[Joe] And here comes Jey.
[crowd] Yeet!
[Wade] "Main Event" Jey Uso living up to his name
and feeding off the energy from this audience.
[Joe] Into the cover.
And the kick by JD.
[Wade] And how smart was that of Rhea Ripley?
You need an emergency tag partner, who do you go for?
Oh, I don't know. Maybe 50% of the greatest tag team of all time,
the Uso twins, right here in Jey Uso.
[Joe] And double-teaming Jey Uso.
-[both] Oh, yeah! -[crowd booing]
[Wade] It was never gonna be easy, was it, Joe?
They ain't the tag team champions for nothing, you know?
[Joe] Finn Bálor stomping down on that upper back.
[Wade] All the yeeting in the world cannot help you at this point.
[Joe] Leg drop off the ropes,
and JD McDonagh in control against Jey Uso,
as is Finn Bálor, now the legal man.
[Wade] Finn Bálor especially bitter and angry about how Damian Priest
used to speak to him in his days in The Judgment Day,
often talking down to Finn Bálor, treating him like a rookie!
[Joe] But his point was that, once Damian Priest became World Champion,
he says he changed,
that it was all for one, one for all, and then it just wasn't the case after.
[Wade] Well, I spoke to Finn Bálor about that.
He told me Priest would never have been a tag champ,
never would have been a Money in the Bank winner,
or a World Heavyweight Champion without Bálor et al. backing him up.
[crowd booing]
[Joe] Oh, come on. I know who you are. Yeah.
He should turn around and get back to business.
[Wade] I wouldn't talk too much smack to JD McDonagh.
He's a prickly individual, to say the least.
[Joe] Up and over, sent by Jey Uso!
Here he comes!
Lower that top rope and go flying, my friend!
[Wade] Some real tag cohesion between these two.
The Judgment Day are in big trouble!
Can Jey Uso and Damian Priest pull out a victory here?
[Joe] Judgment Day in control.
Off the corner, Jey Uso.
This odd, unlikely pairing of Jey Uso and Damian Priest
that came to be, basically, as a favor from Rhea Ripley asking Jey Uso.
They don't have any the chemistry as a tag team.
[Wade] Yeah, not only that, they also fought each other
for the World Heavyweight Championship at Backlash not so long ago.
How can you really expect to compete with the World Tag Champions
with that lack of history, lack of cohesion against,
clearly, the best tag team on Raw?
And it's gone downhill massively since that initial burst of energy
from Jey Uso and Damian Priest.
This, to me, was inevitable, Joe.
[Joe] No doubt about it. Looked like there was just a moment of hope for Jey.
And, then, all of a sudden, The Judgment Day comes right back
on top of him.
As they're taking their turn, the springboard seated.
And into the cover, the hook of the leg by JD for the win.
And a kick-out by Jey, who desperately needs to get the tag of Damian Priest.
[Wade] Let's talk about the history between JD McDonagh and Finn Bálor.
JD McDonagh was brought into this industry over ten years ago by Bálor,
trained at his school in Ireland.
So much chemistry, so much cohesion.
And that is why they are in complete control now.
And things are looking bleak for Priest and, especially, "Main Event" Jey Uso.
[Joe] You can see JD working that left arm of Jey Uso.
That was going on throughout the commercial break
when he stepped away for just a moment, as well.
And Jey, back to his feet.
Can he find the strength? Can he rally back?
Sends a right hand against
what the crowd here Denver was chanting descriptively as,
"Bobblehead. Bobblehead."
[crowd] Yeet!
[Joe] And now, a series of Yeet-leveling right hands.
And one last one for the… Oh! And the bobblehead gets back at him!
[Wade] So effective! But Jey Uso,
with some dying embers in his body,
managing to flatten McDonagh and give his team
at least of a glimmer of a chance.
But he needs this tag, Joe.
[Joe] Is that enzuigiri enough to create the opening
to let Damian Priest out of the cage?
Here he comes!
[crowd cheering]
Just smashing his former allies!
[Wade] As volatile as they come!
And The Judgment Day wanted anything but this.
[Joe] Oh, big right hand from the big striker,
and a forearm, as well.
[Wade] There is just a darkness burning inside the massive body
of Damian Priest right now.
And he's unloading on his former Judgment Day teammates.
[Joe] How good does this have to feel?
And, now, he's left in there.
Oh, he's trying to roll him up, is Finn!
But a kick-out.
[Wade] As good as that felt,
things would feel incredibly bad for Priest if he loses this one.
Massive limb length coming into play, cutting off Bálor at the pecs.
[Joe] 6'5-plus and that big leg good enough to take down Finn Bálor.
[Wade] Tapping into that blind rage that cost him at SummerSlam,
now using it to his advantage!
[Joe] He wants South of Heaven here, and a rocky mountain high.
Rolled up! Countered it!
Kick-out by Priest.
[Wade] Now, let's not forget, Finn Bálor,
a former World Heavyweight Champion in his own right.
-Distraction with the-- -[Joe] Oh, referee didn't see it!
[Wade] JD McDonagh with a drive-by, and there you go!
[Joe] He didn't see it. Hook of the leg!
[Wade] That's a late kick-out from Damian Priest.
Agony on the face of The Punisher.
Things might be about to get even worse. On the wrong side of the tracks now
against two men who know his every weakness.
[Joe] And Bálor, the legal man.
Able to break free, and a double clothesline!
[Wade] And there was a tag. I don't think Bálor and JD were aware.
But the legal man is now Jey Uso!
Double crossbody!
Superkick knocks him out!
And another one to JD!
Big Spear here in the Mile High City!
-[crowd cheering] -[Wade] We are going into meltdown!
[Joe] He's gonna line him up and go up top!
[Wade] Now to go supersonic on JD McDonagh!
-Finn Bálor just-- -[Joe] Oh, no!
What is Liv Morgan doing?
Liv Morgan comes out of nowhere
to disrupt Jey Uso's attempt at an Uso Splash,
and crashes him down right on top of the ropes.
[Wade] Well, if not for that, it was certainly game over for JD McDonagh!
In the drop zone of Jey Uso,
and there's no way back from there without the intervention of Liv Morgan.
[Joe] Liv Morgan, who started the night
brutalizing and injuring Rhea Ripley.
[Wade] It is gonna be a night of glory for Liv Morgan and The Judgment Day.
[Joe] And, now, complete control for Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh.
[Wade] This has turned into a walk in the park for The Judgment Day.
[Joe] Coup de Grace!
He hits it.
Moonsault, JD! Hooks the leg!
Priest comes in and saves it!
[Wade] Stirring at just the right moment.
That awareness of Damian Priest,
that durability--
-["Demon In Your Dreams" playing] -[Joe] No!
How can it?
[crowd cheering]
Her leg is badly damaged!
Rhea Ripley with a crutch to help her left leg!
And she's being mocked by Liv Morgan!
["Demon In Your Dreams" continues playing]
[imperceptible]
Deriding her! She's the one who did it to her with "Dirty" Dom!
[crowd cheering]
[Wade] Oh!
[Joe] How does it feel, Liv? Beaten down by crutches!
[Wade] Rhea Ripley just tougher than most!
[Joe] On one leg, she's chasing her down!
[Wade] Rage and fury in her eyes,
completely getting rid of the pain in that leg!
[Joe] What guts and what loyalty by Rhea Ripley!
[Wade] The Eradicator eradicating the threat of Liv Morgan!
And, now, Priest is about to eradicate the rest of The Judgment Day!
[crowd cheering]
They're desperately trying to scamper their way out of this. But Priest…
[Joe] Big Spear!
[crowd cheering]
JD is gonna feel the Razor's Edge!
As Rhea looks on.
[Wade] Loving every second of it!
[Joe] She is the one who put this team together on short notice.
And, now, Jey Uso, with no Liv Morgan in sight,
-does land the Uso Splash! -[crowd] One! Two! Three!
[Joe] And the win! How good does that feel, Rhea?
[Alicia Taylor] Here are your winners
the team of Damian Priest
and "Main Event" Jey Uso!
[Joe] Think about the bookend of this night for Rhea Ripley.
She was hanging from one leg,
caught up in the ropes when the night started,
beaten down by Judgment Day.
And, then, she's able to finish off Liv Morgan on one leg,
and using a crutch as a weapon!
[Wade] That is called gutting it out!
Never, ever write off Rhea Ripley!
Although, you can write off JD McDonagh after this double whammy Razor's Edge.
Qualify the tag to The Yeetmeister himself.
And the big top rope splash! We've loved it for years.
And Damian Priest and The Judgment Day…
["Main Event Ish" playing]
…kinda felt a little even tonight.
[Joe] Denver is rocking!
Damian, Jey, and Rhea are celebrating!
And, next week, we will have the Fatal 4-Way
for the No. 1 Contender for the IC Title.
What guts by Rhea Ripley!
-["Main Event Ish" continues playing] -[crowd cheering] e whammy Razor's Edge.