[epic music playing]
[Triple H] Then.
Now.
[crowd cheering]
[Triple H] Forever.
[crowd cheering]
[Triple H] Together.
[music concludes]
-["4X4" playing] -[Joe] We're here in Sacramento,
and for years, California's capital city
has been home to WWE history-making moments.
And tonight in Sac Town, you can sense it again with three, yes,
three championship matches as we make our way
-into this magnificent Golden 1 Center. -[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Welcome to WWE Raw live on Netflix.
Glad you're with us for what could be an altering evening in the ring
as we're all still digesting the shocking events
from last week's Raw on Netflix.
-[dramatic music playing] -[Rollins] Perth, Australia!
-[crowd cheering] -[Rollins] In case you don't know…
[Michael] The official knocked down, Cody with an opportunity.
Rollins used the watch to knock out Rhodes.
[crowd counting]
[Rollins] I am the Crown Jewel champion!
And this is The Vision.
The greatness that I have assembled.
My Oracle, with my vision,
we have solidified you as the undisputed GOAT!
[crowd cheering]
Bron Breakker, with my vision, you are without a doubt
the undisputed future of this industry.
-"Big" Bronson Reed! -[crowd cheering]
With my vision, you are the new Tribal Chief!
[crowd counting]
I don't need the men in this ring.
I have chosen the men in this ring.
And they have chosen me because I am Seth…
[crowd] "Freakin" Rollins.
[Joe] Jey Uso, LA Knight, CM Punk, for an opportunity
to face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship.
-CM Punk, Go To Sleep. -[crowd counting]
-[Joe] One step closer… -[bell ringing]
-…to recapturing the World Championship. -[crowd cheering]
♪ Burn it down ♪
[Joel] And Bron Breakker now with a spear to Jey Uso.
And The Vision marching to the ring, and now CM Punk is cornered.
[Wade] A massacre by design.
[Joe] Punk laid waste by Rollins' Vision.
[music fades]
[crowd gasping, cheering]
[suspenseful music playing]
Make a choice.
Either you're with me…
or you're not.
-[crowd cheering] -[intense music playing]
[crowd booing, barking]
Make your choice.
-[crowd cheering] -[music concludes]
[crowd cheering]
[Lilian] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the general manager
of Monday Night Raw, Adam Pearce.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Monday Night Raw!
[crowd cheering, applauding]
We all just saw what happened last week, and as promised,
I am here to provide a physical update.
[crowd cheering, chattering]
[crowd cheering, barking]
[Joe] Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Wade,
Breakker still holding on to Seth Rollins' World Heavyweight Championship.
[Wade] Yeah, conspicuous by his absence already this evening
has been Seth "Freakin" Rollins.
And these two insurgents who caused so much chaos last week.
["War Ready" playing]
[Wade] While we've been asking the question all week, why?
Hopefully, imminently, we're about to get some answers.
♪ I'm war ready I'm battle-tested ♪
♪ I'm ready for war ♪
[crowd cheering, barking]
♪ I'm ready for war ♪
[Lilian] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
WWE Hall of Famer, The Oracle, Paul Heyman,
along with Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed,
The Vision!
♪ There's no falling with me ♪
♪ This is your moment You better own it… ♪
[Joe] That sign speaks volumes, doesn't it?
Bron Breakker holding on to the prized gold that he snatched
from the man he was supporting and aligned with
as of seven days ago.
♪ I'm ready for war I'm battle-tested ♪
♪ Made it through the fire Now we're here to wreck it ♪
♪ I'm ready for war ♪
[Wade] Now holding that championship in abeyance apparently.
May have to be pried from Bron Breakker's cold, dead hands.
Good luck with that, Adam Pearce.
♪ We're battle-tested ♪
♪ I'm ready for war ♪
[music concludes]
You know, this is a good thing.
I'm glad you're all out here because I want you all
to hear this directly from me.
I knew Seth was banged up coming out of that match at Crown Jewel,
that classic against Cody Rhodes.
But none of us will ever know how badly he was injured
because of what you two did.
[crowd booing]
Let me give you some news.
Because of what you two did, Seth Rollins is at home,
just having had major surgery. Because of what you two did,
Seth Rollins is on the shelf for quite a while,
which means because of what you two did,
I'm out here with the unfortunate responsibility
to announce to the world that as of right now, because of you two,
I hereby strip Seth Rollins
-of the World Heavyweight Championship. -[crowd booing]
You look like you like that, but don't get too caught up in it,
because we're not gonna be without a champion for long.
We will crown a brand new World Heavyweight Champion
in Salt Lake City at Saturday Night's Main Event.
[crowd jeering]
CM Punk earned the right to fight for that championship,
and his challenger will. And we're doing it old school,
because there will be an Over-the-Top-Rope Battle Royal.
And the winner goes on to Salt Lake City,
goes on to Saturday Night's Main Event, and will fight Punk.
And the winner takes home the World Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
And when is this Battle Royal gonna take place?
[crowd cheering]
The Battle Royal takes place tonight in Sacramento!
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[crowd barking]
Now, gentlemen…
that no longer belongs to Seth Rollins,
and it sure as hell doesn't belong to you.
[crowd cheering]
Bron, I'm gonna need you to hand over that championship.
[crowd cheering]
And what if I don't?
[crowd gasping]
[inaudible]
Excuse me one moment.
[inaudible]
[Heyman and Breakker speaking indistinctly]
[Breakker] I just want him to show me some respect.
That's all. Ask nicely.
That's right, hey, show me… some respect.
[crowd booing]
-Yeah. -[Heyman] He's reasonable.
-He's not saying no. -Ask nicely.
[crowd chanting "Hand it over"]
Bron…
respectfully, I'm gonna need you to hand over the championship.
[crowd cheering]
Respectfully.
[crowd chanting "CM Punk"]
Say please.
[crowd gasping]
-Really? -Mm-hmm.
Bron, respectfully,
I'm gonna need you to hand over the World Heavyweight Championship now.
Please.
[laughs]
[crowd booing]
[speaks indistinctly]
That wasn't so hard, was it?
-Hmm? Was that so hard? -No. It wasn't hard at all.
[speaks indistinctly]
[crowd gasping, jeering]
-Reasonable. -Thank you.
[crowd jeering]
Before we move on with the show…
somebody smarten me up to this.
Why is everyone so mad at us?
[crowd booing]
I get it.
Hey, I also watch Unreal, I understand.
We're the bad guys, we're the villains, we're the heels.
It's easy to point at us and go, "Boo!"
-But… -[crowd booing]
But what did we do to deserve that?
I fail to understand.
The Vision had nothing to do
with Seth "Freakin" Rollins.
I didn't leave the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns
and betray my best friend CM Punk for Seth "Freakin" Rollins.
I pulled that move at WrestleMania
because Bron Breakker is the future of WrestleMania.
[crowd booing]
I pulled those moves at WrestleMania 'cause deep in my heart,
I always knew that Bronson Reed was better than Roman Reigns.
[crowd booing]
Bronson Reed proved that in Perth, Australia.
It was Tribal Thief over Tribal Chief.
[crowd chanting "OTC"]
It was Vision over Bloodline.
[crowd booing]
And there's Seth Rollins pointing to the future
with his one good arm.
Seth Rollins couldn't shoulder the responsibility
of leading The Vision into the future.
Not with that bum shoulder. He's not a visionary.
He's not a revolutionary. He's not the workhorse of The Shield.
He's not the leader of The Vision. He's a bum-shoulder [inaudible].
[crowd gasping, booing]
So let's set the record straight, winners write history.
And these are the winners right here.
Seth Rollins was gonna main event WrestleMania no more.
That spot was taken from him by Bron Breakker.
I am an older, kinder, gentler, more compassionate,
Wise Man, Oracle, Advocate.
But Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed conspired
to take that away from Seth Rollins. They pulled the trigger.
They had the ambition, they had the need,
they had the intensity to become WrestleMania main eventers!
[crowd jeering]
That's not revisionist history.
That's a re-vision of the future.
I thank you for your indulgence.
I thank you for affording me this time.
And oh yeah, by the way…
welcome to Monday Night Raw.
[crowd cheering]
-["War Ready" playing] -[Joe] That's some kind of welcome
to Monday Night Raw. Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett with you.
And I cannot believe some of the things that we just heard here.
"What did we do," he asks? Older, yes. Kinder, no.
That is the way Monday Night Raw opens up.
But let's get right to it, because there was massive news
in the midst of all that, Wade. The surgery news,
Seth Rollins has to vacate the championship.
Well, rumors have been circling for several days now.
We were hoping they weren't true, but sadly they are.
Get well as soon as you possibly can, Seth "Freakin" Rollins,
but that just illustrates how dangerous a duo The Vision really are.
And then there's the other headline that you heard there.
The show already incredibly stacked,
but now a Battle Royal for number one contendership.
And Sacramento's very own Maxxine Dupri,
one of the three championships we will see, as Maxxine Dupri
going after Becky Lynch's Intercontinental Championship
right here in the 916. And the Women's World Champ is here.
-[crowd cheering] -[Joe] Stephanie Vaquer coming off
her Crown Jewel conquering. La Primera out to shut up Roxanne Perez.
That is ahead.
And it is an irate and determined Rusev coming for "Dirty" Dom Mysterio.
Dom's done whatever it takes to retain his IC.
It may take even more now against this version of Rusev.
Wait, speaking of "Dirty" Dom, take us back to last week.
[Wade] Yeah, this was last Monday on Raw.
IC title on the line as Penta challenged "Dirty" Dom.
Rusev tried to get involved, thwarted by Penta.
And then a bell-hammer-assisted 619
connected with Penta's face,
giving "Dirty" Dom yet another successful defense.
What's up with my match against Rusev next week?
It seems like I'm the only working champion around here.
You know what? I think JD McDonagh, Finn Bálor
should defend their tag team championships too.
In fact, I think they should defend them against myself and Dragon Lee.
-I think that'd be a great idea. -You wanna let them know or should I?
It was your idea.
I know I'm the man, but I'll let them know.
-You ruined this. -Of course you're gonna let them know.
Focus up, chiquita, you beat Steph tonight,
then you will have a claim to the Women's World Championship
and bringing it back to The Judgment Day clubhouse
where it belongs.
Looks like we all have our work cut out for us tonight, huh?
-Yeah. -[Dominik] Hey, what's up, guys?
Oh. What's up, Dom?
What's the problem? Sacramento or something?
You just had to open your mouth, didn't you?
You just had to go talk to Pearce.
Yeah, what were you doing talking to Pearce anyway?
Now we have to defend our titles against Dragon and AJ.
I didn't even say anything.
I just said it was unfair that I'm the one defending my titles every week.
But yet here you guys are complaining about AJ and Dragon.
I already beat AJ twice. What, you guys can't take care of them?
[crowd gasping]
Of course we can. We're the WWE Tag Team Champions.
We'll take care of Dragon and AJ,
just like we take care of every other team around here.
-All right? -Of course.
You handle your business with Rusev without us, all right?
We got our hands full cleaning up your mess.
-Let's go, Finn. -Let's go.
My mess?
Dom, don't worry about them, okay?
They'll get over it. You're good. You're killing it. You're double champ.
You're keeping the gold in The Judgment Day
exactly the way they want. So don't let it get to you.
Yeah, you're right. Thanks.
All right, that's enough of that. Focus up.
This is an important match, chiquita.
-I know. -Where's your head?
[sighs]
[Joe] Roxanne getting ready for Stephanie Vaquer,
but we're getting ready right now for this championship match.
-["Phenomenal" playing] -[crowd cheering]
♪ They don't want none No, they don't want none… ♪
[Joe] Past few weeks with AJ Styles have been special,
and tonight could add to it greatly.
-[music concludes] -["Control the Empire" playing]
♪ Have you walking through the flames Burn it up ♪
♪ Feel my struggle and my pain ♪
-♪ Turn it up ♪ -[bell ringing]
[Lilian] The following tag team contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the World Tag Team Championship!
Introducing first, the challengers, at a combined weight of 385 pounds,
the team of Dragon Lee
-and "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles! -[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Dragon Lee's first career Tag Team Championship match.
For AJ Styles, his first in exactly four years.
Gold on the line as they take on The Judgment Day.
[music concludes]
["Rulers Of The World" playing]
[Joe] Well, that is what is on the line.
And, Wade, I'm sure you'll make up some excuse,
or better yet celebrate inactivity and avoidance
as good career strategy, but here are the facts, my friend.
Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh have had the Tag Team Championships
-for 111 days. -[bell ringing]
[Joe] And this is only their second defense.
[Wade] You know what you call that? That aversion to defending your title.
That is called being highly intelligent
and ensuring that you have a longer reign than these idiots who come out here
being a fighting champion, wanting to defend every week.
-I don't get those people. -[Joe] It's called fighting spirit,
and it's well respected, and creates legacy, is what it is.
[Wade] It's called idiocy where I come from in England.
But this is far from idiocy,
an immediate hot start from one half of the tag champs
against AJ Styles who's been taking down a peg or two.
[crowd chanting "AJ Styles"]
[Wade] Despite this audience's attempts to get him back on top.
[Joe] And McDonagh looks over at Finn Bálor
with a big grin after holding on to that title.
-[Wade] Oh! -[Joe] Oh! But, "Take that," says Styles.
[Wade] What an epic match AJ Styles had with John Cena
at Crown Jewel last week.
But it's now getting racked back to regular business
and the acquisition of gold.
[Joe] You can talk about regular business,
but that is already being talked about as an instant classic,
the type of match that you will watch years from now and still enjoy.
[Wade] But you will never see another match like that one at Crown Jewel
-between Cena and AJ Styles. -[Joe] Oh! Good stomp by Dragon Lee.
[Wade] There's no time for a victory lap for AJ Styles
or his tag partner, Dragon Lee,
who of course has been his biggest supporter of late.
They look to make some history here tonight.
[Joe] McDonagh tripping him up and then a stomp of his own.
[Wade] As much as The Judgment Day did not wanna be defending their gold tonight,
this has the potential to be a complete disaster night
for The Judgment Day as a whole. Of course…
-[both] Oh yeah! -[Wade] …"Dirty" Dom is defending
his Intercontinental title later tonight against Rusev.
So, potentially, The Judgment Day could lose
every piece of gold in the clubhouse, apart from that AAA Mega Championship.
Oh, and don't forget, Dragon Lee is next in line
for an opportunity at Dom's AAA Gold too.
[Joe] That's right, double champion is Dom Mysterio.
And Dragon Lee has worked himself into that number one role in AAA.
And now he's mounting a comeback here against Finn Bálor.
[crowd cheering]
[Wade] A bleak start for The Judgment Day
and now Dragon Lee's fire is coming to the fore.
This guy can move like no other.
[Joe] Look at how quickly he was able to connect with that knee
and then drives the shoulder right into Finn.
-[Wade] Dragon Lee is just a step ahead. -[Joe] Oh!
[Wade] Speak too soon.
[Joe] Finn can still get to-- or can he?
[Wade] Yeah, just that freak athleticism of Finn Bálor,
who has been running things here in WWE for almost the past ten years.
[Styles] Come on!
[Wade] Shows no sign of wanting to give up his grasp
of the tag team titles tonight.
[Joe] Now, Dragon Lee in a really tough spot,
just pinned in that corner of Judgment Day.
The World Tag Team Champions.
First time that these tag titles have been defended since July 28th.
[Wade] Another thing I find fascinating,
the biggest plus-- as we see a little underhanded tactics
behind the referee's back.
A little gouge of the eye perhaps there from Finn Bálor, that was nice.
But it's the fact that The Judgment Day,
their superiority really came from using that numbers game,
from having people on the outside to interfere in your matches.
-The tensions in The Judgment Day… -[Joe] Lateral press.
…of late have completely negated that numbers game,
both with "Dirty" Dom and his singles matches,
and with the tag champs.
[Joe] Well, I think "Dirty" Dom is really the root of that,
-don't you, Wade? -[crowd chanting "AJ Styles"]
-[Wade] Arguably, some may say-- -[Joe] Some of the actions
-we've seen recently. -[Wade] Other people are saying--
[Joe] Hook of the leg, off the snap suplex from Finn Bálor.
[Wade] Other people are saying
that The Judgment Day are jealous of "Dirty" Dom
-because he has two championships. -[Joe] For what? Oh, come on, now!
[Wade] I don't know who's to blame, but I do know
they all need to get back on the same page sooner rather than later.
[Joe] I'll tell you right now,
Dragon Lee is desperate to make that tag with AJ Styles.
[Wade] And that is why it was so smart of JD McDonagh
to pop AJ Styles off the apron and prevent that from happening.
-It's classic tag work. -[Joe] Oh! Look at this!
[Wade] That's a disqualification, referee.
[Joe] Styles comes right into the mix.
-[Wade] There was no tag there whatsoever. -[Joe] There's gonna be one right here.
He throws him into his own corner, makes the tag,
and here comes AJ Styles.
And look at the striking attack.
[Wade] A lot of leniency given there from the referee.
-[Joe] Oh! -[Wade] Oh, yes!
[Joe] McDonagh just pulled the ropes wide open.
-And he's acting as if he's the one hurt. -[referee] What are you doing over here?
-What are you talking about? -Get back out to your corner. Get back.
[Joe] We are here in Sacramento, with a big house in Golden 1 Center.
And they are seeing the World Tag Team Championship match,
as The Judgment Day, looking to defend against AJ Styles and Dragon Lee,
as Styles trying to fight his way back in.
But Finn Bálor and JD have been getting the best of him.
And now Styles looking to turn things around.
[crowd cheering]
[Wade] Well, pulling that move out of nowhere
just like it looked when all hope was lost for AJ Styles and Dragon Lee,
finally an opportunity to get back into this championship fight.
Needs a tag here in a big way, and it looks like it's coming.
[Joe] Dragon Lee into the fray.
Straight to Finn. And how about some for JD?
[Wade] This transcendent, springy energy of Dragon Lee
has fully taken control of this match.
[Joe] It's been amazing to see how they've worked their way into contention,
the chemistry that's developed between Styles and Lee.
High energy right now from Dragon Lee, looking to claim gold here in Sacramento.
[Wade] Constantly thinking is JD McDonagh,
one of the most intelligent superstars in the locker room.
But JD McDonagh is perhaps running on fumes here.
[Joe] Oh, he's got him lined up. He's got him lined up.
-Double stomp! -[Wade] Oh!
-You can feel the impact of that one… -[crowd cheering]
…right on the solar plexus of JD McDonagh,
who came crashing down hard in the corner of the ring.
[Joe] Dragon Lee.
Oh, but instead of the potential for Operation Dragon,
it's Finn saving the day.
[Wade] That's some good teamwork right there.
-[Joe] Oh no, high flying! -[crowd cheering]
[Joe] My, oh, my!
[Wade] Well, Dragon Lee just refuses to be denied here,
dropping the hammer at the exact right time.
And tag gold could be about to change.
-[Joe] Could it be for Styles and Lee… -[crowd chanting "This is awesome"]
…right here, right now?
First time that Dragon Lee's ever competed
-for tag championships… -[Wade] Oh!
-…but JD McDonagh turns it around. -[Wade] That such quick movement,
and the criminally undersold power gamer, JD McDonagh,
after this epic dive from Dragon Lee.
Watch the movement and the power, the technique.
JD McDonagh has it all.
That is proof positive of why he is one half
-of the tag team champs here on Raw. -[Joe] And it's that viper-like strike,
the transition into the power game that's so impressive as well.
Here comes Styles.
[Wade] Two veterans duking it out in there.
AJ Styles, who is gonna retire in 2026.
This could be one of the last opportunities
to win gold in his illustrious career.
[Joe] Oh, he had Finn in position. Finn rakes across the eyes to break free.
McDonagh now into the mix, Styles gets the best of him.
[Wade] Not sure Styles could even see.
I think he thought he grabbed Finn Bálor there,
but no, it was JD McDonagh who is non-legal.
Finn is still legal here.
And a sling blade connects on a completely unsighted AJ Styles.
[Joe] And then he sends Dragon Lee over the top.
[Wade] Bálor looking to win this one on his own with--
-Oh! -[Joe] Oh!
-Could it be? Could it be? -[Wade] Softened up with the first one.
[Joe] Oh! He lands it. Phenomenal Forearm
-to win gold right here. -[crowd counting]
-[Joe exclaims] -[Wade exclaims]
[Joe] I mean, a 2.999 save.
[Wade] Oh, absolute perfection here from AJ Styles.
Welcome to your new tag champs.
It's a one, it's a two, and it's a denial
by the brilliance of JD McDonagh, pinpoint timing.
[Joe] That's how close we were
to having new tag team champions.
[Joe] Oh, and the big head of McDonagh does damage.
-[crowd cheering] -[Joe] Pelé by Styles.
[Wade] Everyone in this match completely rocked, completely spent.
Who can dig deeper?
[Joe] Would you look at this?
Spanish fly, middle of the ring,
-hooks the leg. -[crowd counting]
[Joe] Oh! And that left shoulder gets up. Oh, we got great stuff here in Sacramento.
[Wade] And it just shows you, before our eyes,
the way superstars can raise their game when the stakes are at their highest.
This one completely up for grabs now.
-And AJ Styles looks like toast. -[crowd chanting "This is awesome"]
-[Joe] The moonsault lands. -[Wade] Tens all around for that.
-This one's gonna sting. -[Joe] Coup de Grâce!
-And the cover to retain. -[crowd counting]
-[Joe] No! Dragon Lee! -[Wade] No! What?
[Joe] Dragon Lee went flying over JD McDonagh.
McDonagh thought he had blocked him, and Lee went flying for the save.
[Wade] Great reflexes there from Dragon Lee.
It should have been over.
Once again, Judgment Day should have retained.
-[crowd cheering] -[Joe] Man, oh, man.
[Wade] Absolute chaos and bedlam, but keep your eyes peeled, Finn.
[Joe] The pace we're dealing with here is incredible.
-[crowd counting] -[Joe] And the--
-Yes! -[Wade] What?
-Oh, what is-- -[Joe] Trying to deliver his own medicine.
Is he looking for a Styles Clash?
-Denied, no one does it like AJ Styles. -[Joe] Oh!
But instead, would you look at Styles?
-Look at Styles, the future Hall of Famer. -[crowd cheering]
-[Joe] And that's some gold right here. -[crowd counting]
-[bell ringing] -[crowd cheering]
-["Phenomenal" playing] -♪ No, they don't want none… ♪
[Lilian] Here are your winners
and the new World Tag Team Champions,
Dragon Lee and "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles!
-[crowd cheering] -[Wade] What an absolute classic!
And I wanna see that one run back again and again.
But this is how it all went down.
This picture-perfect moonsault from JD McDonagh stacked
with this Coup de Grâce right on the chest of AJ Styles,
it's game over. JD McDonagh playing blocker,
but the reflexes of Dragon Lee managed to break it up in time.
Crash landing on the outside, then there were two.
Finn Bálor trying for the Styles Clash.
AJ said, "No, no, not tonight, pal. Let me hook you, Styles Clash of my own."
So sweet for AJ.
And a three-count later, we have new World Tag Team Champions.
And this arena just exploded in glee.
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] New Tag Team Champions.
And what a way they did it in, a spectacular finish.
And let me just say this, the last nine days of AJ Styles,
from what we saw in that all-time classic at Crown Jewel
to what we just witnessed right here, thank you, that was awesome.
As for the eight-time tag team champs
who have been getting our attention lately,
let's remind people what has gone down with Jimmy and Jey Uso.
Take us back to last week, Wade.
-And tonight… -Tonight what?
-Let me guess, I'm on my own tonight, huh? -No.
What you think, Big Jim can't handle "Big Head" Bronson Reed, huh?
-No, man. -That's what it sounds like.
-That's not what I meant. -Well, good, uce, check it.
You handle your business, man, I'm gonna handle mine.
-[crowd cheering] -[Wade] Well, unfortunately for Jimmy,
-he was the recipient… -[crowd counting]
-…of a Bronson Reed Tsunami. -[bell ringing]
[Wade] And things did not get any better post-match
as the dogs were barking loud in Perth. A beatdown ensued…
-["Main Event Ish" playing] -…until Brother Jey,
despite his earlier vow, could not hold himself back,
and he came down to protect Big Jim.
It was all going so well until Jey got his ribs tagged
by Bronson Reed, that would subsequently hamper Jey,
and his number one contender matchup later that night.
[crowd cheering]
What? I'm supposed to acknowledge you now, uce?
I get it.
What I said to you last week… wasn't right.
I wasn't mad at you, uce.
I was mad at myself
for making the same mistake I did in Paris.
All I know is,
-if Big Uce was here tonight-- -But Roman is not here tonight.
Roman will not be in the Battle Royal tonight.
Roman is not in line for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, uce.
You know who is though? You. You know who else is? Me.
[crowd cheering]
Man, Roman got you thinking, just 'cause you stick your neck out
to help people, that's why you lost your championship?
Man, that's cap.
Why you lost your championship is 'cause Jey stopped believing in Jey.
You might be right, uce.
Roman might be right too.
[scoffs] How about this then?
You better figure this out before that Battle Royal comes, uce.
Because when we get in that ring tonight, I'm going in on everybody.
-Including you. -[crowd gasping]
Go in, man.
Are we good though?
-Yeet. -[crowd chanting "Yeet"]
Love you.
[dramatic music playing]
[Joe] Now, the good news is, Wade, everybody's going in on everybody,
because we have found out
we have a World Heavyweight Championship number one contender
Battle Royal, and it's gonna include LA Knight.
Look at this lineup that's coming your way to see who will take on CM Punk
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
-["It Is My Time" playing] -[crowd cheering]
♪ Mysterio! ♪
[Wade] A huge night we've got here on Raw,
and it is not slowing down anytime soon, Joe.
[Joe] We have an Intercontinental Championship match
right now, right here.
[bell ringing]
[Lilian] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the Intercontinental Championship!
Introducing first, representing The Judgment Day,
from San Diego, California, weighing in at 200 pounds,
he is the Mega AAA, and the Intercontinental Champion,
-"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio! -[crowd cheering]
[Joe] And with that statistical information,
we can add he's the first WWE Superstar
to hold a WWE and AAA title at the same time.
Dom defends the IC against Rusev, next. Raw on Netflix.
♪ That's why I'm coming for ya ♪
♪ Yo no paro, yo sigo Now I'm coming for ya ♪
[music concludes]
["I Am The Tempest" playing]
[Joe] "Dirty" Dom now looking to defend against this man.
And I can't even imagine how badly Rusev wants
to get his hands on "Dirty" Dom.
Been six years since he's held a championship in WWE,
and we know why he wants him so badly.
[Wade] Three weeks ago, defending the IC title against Rusev,
once again, major chicanery from the champ,
but Eddie Guerrero, you are not, Dom. Caught red-handed by the referee,
but then using the referee to his advantage, a low blow,
-and once again… -[crowd counting]
-…"Dirty" Dom, by the skin of his teeth… -[bell ringing]
…escapes with the gold.
Now, add that to last week's underhanded defeat
-of Penta using the ring bell hammer… -[crowd counting]
…and clearly, Dom has the deepest bag of tricks
in the game at his disposal.
[Joe] You know, the euphemisms that you keep on,
descriptives for "Dirty" Dom.
"Bag of tricks," "underhanded."
-How did-- Whoa! -[Wade] Whoa!
[Joe] We're not wasting any time here.
[Wade] Well, there's a bag of tricks is already open.
[Joe] Oh, man!
[Wade] Jumpstart on Rusev before the bell even rings.
And the referee desperately trying to get control.
What a smart move once again by "Dirty" Dom.
[Joe] Wade, can you believe how much the steel steps moved
-by the impact of the big man, Rusev? -[Wade] I absolutely can.
-I used to tag team with Rusev… -[Joe] Wow. [chuckling] Hey, hey!
-…back in my League of Nations days. -[bell ringing]
And there's a good reason why I sit here,
and don't get in the ring with people like Rusev anymore.
[Joe] Rusev now, the intensity, it has boiled over
as he delivers that uppercut to "Dirty" Dom Mysterio.
He's had the title for 182 days, this is eighth defense.
[Wade] And this is where, if you're "Dirty" Dom Mysterio,
you feel like you've already played the ace.
You did the hot start, you threw the challenger
into the steps before the bell rings, should be easy from here.
When that challenger immediately bounces back like the brute
of a human being he is, suddenly you think, "It ain't my night."
[Joe] Look at the way he stalks his prey at moments like this too,
and then driving that boot right across the neck.
A newly tattooed neck, might we add.
[Wade] I mean, I think it was Confucius who said that,
"How do you improve perfection?"
-"You add a neck tattoo." -[Joe] Where did you--
[Wade] And that is why the women of Planet Earth,
especially the housewives,
just cannot take their eyes off "Dirty" Dom Mysterio.
[Joe] You've polled women out there who believe that Dom is better looking
with the giant neck tattoo covering his Adam's apple?
[Wade] I mean, I've always thought that the Mona Lisa had something missing.
Add a little neck tattoo,
and I'm sure Dom knows an artist who can do that quite easily
if the Louvre wanna give us a little call.
This is my title!
[Wade] Small fee involved, of course.
[Joe] No, they got their own problems right now.
[Wade] Is it still even there?
[Joe] Elbow driving down from Rusev, he is in complete control early on here.
Intercontinental Championship match in Sacramento
and the big kick just driving Dom back
as he reaches for his sternum and that neck again.
[Wade] We've talked about the tricks of "Dirty" Dom Mysterio.
Rusev is just a guy who doesn't need tricks.
He just goes, "straight line, smash mouth, shortest distance to your goal."
And the shortest distance to the goal right now
is caving in the face of "Dirty" Dom Mysterio.
[Joe] Dom able to get that big boot up, and now he climbs up top on his own.
[Wade] Now a wobbling Rusev, challenger suddenly looking rocked here.
[Joe] Yep, it's gonna take a bit of an attack to wobble Rusev
as he's trying to get the best of him right now against the big man.
[Joe] Oh, but the crossbody is caught!
Dom out the back door, the dropkick lines him up.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Joe] But instead of the 619,
it's Dom who collapses under the power of Rusev.
[Wade] Club to the top of the head, it wasn't even a clothesline.
I don't know what Rusev was aiming at, but it was highly effective.
And now a flurry of suplexes completely flattening the champ.
[Joe] And the fallaway as well, it sends him all the way across the ring
and out onto the floor.
The power of Rusev, looking for the IC title.
[Joe] That is what is on the line, the Intercontinental Championship.
Rusev hasn't held a title in WWE since 2019.
A few weeks ago, he thought he had his golden opportunity
only to suffer a low blow from "Dirty" Dom and Dom was able to defend.
And now Dominik Mysterio is looking to rally back here
against the big man.
[Wade] This is finally a flurry
from "Dirty" Dom that has grounded the big challenger here.
Can Dom sustain it?
So far things just haven't worked in favor of the champion.
-This might be a moment. -[crowd cheering]
[Joe] Locked up as he was trying to get the suplex, but instead…
-Oh! -[Wade] Oh!
[Joe] Dom with a nice counter that shocked Rusev.
-[crowd counting] -[Joe] Hook of the leg, looking to retain.
And a kick-out at two.
[Wade] Just shows how creative and inventive "Dirty" Dom can be,
tucking in those legs and turning what looked to be a faceplant
into a roll-through suplex of his own.
Knocking the wind out of the challenger, and now "Dirty" Dom gets a chance
-to put this one to bed. -[Joe] Rusev is in the drop zone.
-[Wade] Oh! -[Joe] Oh! Able to get the knees up!
[Wade] But it may not be The Judgment Day's night here.
Already dropped their tag gold. The IC title may be shortly to follow.
[Joe] And now the power of the big Bulgarian comes true.
Could he be moments away from gold?
[Wade] Well, "Dirty" Dom just looks like a carcass right now.
-Game over! -[Joe] "Game over," he says.
-[Wade] And it usually is. -[Joe] The Accolade is going in, Wade--
Oh, no, "Dirty" Dom able to slither his way out.
If that submission hold--
And now he's grabbing both of his titles, the AAA Mega--
-Oh! -[Wade] Wait a second!
[Joe] That is Penta right in the midst of it!
-[Wade] Last week's victim of-- Oh! -[Joe] Oh, "Dirty" Dom goes…
over the top there. Oh, geez, I was just about to have a sip.
[Wade] Rusev is just refusing to be denied here,
crushing "Dirty" Dom into Penta, who prevented "Dirty" Dom escaping.
You know, Penta is still rather angry that he did not win again.
[Joe] Oh my God. Penta is-- Oh!
[Joe] Huge right hand just levels Penta. Meanwhile, back in the ring, "Dirty" Dom…
shoving… he's got the hammer in his boot again!
[Wade] The deception once again from "Dirty" Dom,
he's gonna do the same thing with the same plan--
-[Joe] Oh! -[Wade] Oh! Denied!
[Joe] That's how he got rid of Penta, but Rusev stops him from doing it.
[Wade] Bell hammer in the boot.
-[Joe] There it is. -[Wade] Rusev wise to it.
[Joe] The timekeeper's hammer, it didn't work.
[Wade] Rusev's gonna get disqualified if he's not careful.
[Joe] No, the referee's gonna clear the ring of the hammer.
-[Wade] Oh! -[Joe] Oh! Man parts, onions fried!
619!
And going up top.
-Frog splash, "Dirty" Dom does it again. -[crowd counting]
-[bell ringing] -["It Is My Time" playing]
[Lilian] Here is your winner
and still the Intercontinental Champion,
"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio!
[Joe] He went for the timekeeper's hammer again.
It didn't work, and yet another low blow, this one from behind, determines it.
[Wade] What absolute bedlam,
this was "Dirty" Dom deciding to call it a day,
walk home with the gold.
Penta, who got screwed by Dom last week, had other ideas.
Unbeknownst to Penta,
who subsequently got flattened by a flying "Dirty" Dom Mysterio.
And this was the moment "Dirty" Dom, carefully, discreetly,
apparently picked up that bell hammer once again,
caught by Rusev, and amidst this distraction
as the referee was on the ball, one low blow later,
the 619, a frog splash, and once again,
by the skin of his teeth,
"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio
escapes to victory and is still the "champ champ."
[Joe] Penta got laid out by Rusev and "Dirty" Dom just smiling smugly
as he-- Oh! There's Penta.
-Oh! Springboard tornado DDT! -Yeah!
-[crowd cheering, applauding] -["Zero Miedo" playing]
[Wade] A modicum of revenge for Penta,
who just got dropped with a big right hand from Rusev.
Apparently, Penta still has designs
on "Dirty" Dom's Intercontinental Championship.
-[inaudible] -[Joe] As he points his way.
[Joe] But coming up next, these hometown fans are going to erupt.
Big-dreaming Maxxine Dupri, her moment to shine.
Women's Intercontinental Championship match.
Maxxine against Becky Lynch, here at home in Sacramento for Dupri.
-[energetic hip-hop music playing] -♪ I get the money, I'mma flex ♪
♪ You know I'm rockin' with the best… ♪
[Joe] California native and veteran UFC welterweight, Max Griffin, is here.
And the master of The Stockton Slap is here,
fan favorite Nate Diaz. He did it all in his career.
2016, the win over Conor McGregor, fought for the original BMF title.
Good to have them ringside on a night of championship matches.
We have new World Tag Team Champions, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee.
And now, it means so much for Maxxine Dupri
-to be in this arena for this moment. -["Shoooosh" playing]
[Joe] Of course, Wade, it's what happened two weeks ago
that earned her this opportunity.
[Wade] This was Raw a couple of weeks ago.
Becky Lynch getting into a mid-match argument
with referee Jessika Carr during her own match with Maxxine Dupri.
Now, Lynch looked dominant, started taunting the crowd.
And while this was going on,
Maxxine navigated her way back in the ring.
-Listen to the count here. -[referee] …eight, nine, ten!
-[bell ringing] -[Wade] That is creative liberty
with the count cadence, fast counting Lynch out,
handing a hugely improbable win to the underdog Maxxine,
while Lynch was left in shock, seething in the ring.
["Shoooosh" playing]
[Joe] You think about this moment in her career,
to have it right here in her hometown, Maxxine Dupri,
back home in Sacramento.
[Wade] Earning herself a championship match
-in the process. -[song concludes]
[Wade] Nobody saw this coming, especially not her victim two weeks ago,
the champ, Becky Lynch.
["New Lows" playing]
[Joe] One of the greatest to ever do it.
But recently, it's been Becky Lynch's dismissive and bullying attitude
towards Maxxine Dupri that has set the stage
for what's in front of us now.
Becky's been a very active IC champ, Wade.
This is The Man's seventh defense of the title in 134 days.
[Wade] Well, Becky's been on a bit of a downward spiral of late,
lost to Punk and AJ Lee in mixed tag at Wrestlepalooza.
Lost to Maxxine Dupri in shocking fashion, as we just saw a couple of weeks ago.
And now she's gotta be reeling from the fact that her husband,
Seth "Freakin" Rollins, has now had a major surgery
and has had to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship.
I would argue that Becky Lynch right now is a woman best avoided,
even if you think you can dethrone her from that Intercontinental Championship.
[Joe] I wanna get a little deeper into that conversation and analysis
for this match in a moment.
But first, we are ready to get going here between Becky Lynch and Maxxine Dupri
for the Women's Intercontinental Championship.
And with the championship on the line,
-here's Lilian Garcia. -[song concludes]
[bell ringing]
The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for
the Women's Intercontinental Championship!
[crowd cheering]
Introducing first, the challenger from Sacramento, California,
representing Alpha Academy,
Maxxine Dupri!
[crowd cheering, applauding]
And her opponent, from Dublin, Ireland,
she is the Women's Intercontinental Champion,
"The Man" Becky Lynch!
[crowd cheering]
[Joe] The body language…
the look, and what lies behind those sunglasses of Becky Lynch…
-[crowd chanting "Maxxine"] -…will reveal a lot
as the Women's Intercontinental Championship
-is on the line. -[bell ringing]
[Joe] But to get back to the conversation that we were just having
as Becky Lynch just comes driving across the ring.
She's the ultimate veteran.
But, Wade, of course, there has to be a part of her
that could be dealing with what lies heavy on her mind, considering the news,
especially the news we received earlier tonight
surrounding her husband, Seth Rollins, who was forced to vacate
the World Heavyweight Championship.
And we heard the medical update as well
with the surgery that'll happen out of that.
[Wade] Yeah, absolutely, you try to compartmentalize
when you get in the ring and leave family business
at the front door.
It's impossible to do that when you are so close.
Married to the World Heavyweight Champion who is now on the shelf,
the former World Heavyweight Champion.
It still doesn't seem real to a lot of us, but it sadly is, and-- Oh!
[Joe] Oh! How about this for Maxxine, the counter…
as Becky looked like she was going early into the Manhandle,
-slamming down the pinning combination… -[crowd counting]
…from Dupri, looking for a major upset here at home,
with a big boot from Becky Lynch.
[Wade] I'll tell you this right now, we had the shock a couple of weeks ago
that we just saw, Maxxine pulling out the performance of a lifetime.
-If Maxxine cannot follow that up tonight… -[Joe] Wow!
…and gets absolutely smoked, which is how things are looking,
that will forever be put down as a fluke result, a flash in the pan.
Not looking good so far for Maxxine.
[Joe] Huge, I mean, huge start from the Intercontinental Champion.
[crowd jeering]
[Joe] Great crowd here at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California,
the hometown of the challenger, Maxxine Dupri.
Has been in a tough spot throughout against Becky Lynch,
who as you see her beating down on the outside against Maxxine Dupri.
Wade, I wanna ask you this, because you'll often hear in combat sports,
a title challenger say,
it's not always a home ring or home court advantage.
And for Maxxine Dupri being back in Sacramento, you see family,
you see friends, her parents are sitting in the front row.
Mom threw her a beautiful bridal shower this weekend.
There's this place, home of the Sacramento Kings,
when she fought here in April, she discussed the emotion.
She was last here at age 17 as a dancer during an NBA halftime.
It comes with unique pressures, Wade.
[Wade] Yeah, I don't think I ever won a match in the U.K. when I was back there.
I think the paying audience of Brits I consistently disappointed.
-[crowd counting] -[Joe] How about this? Could it be?
[Wade] But you're right, there are unique pressures
to doing that, even more so.
Went for a Manhandle Slam there, but denied once again by Dupri.
Even more so, when you know the fact that you beat someone two weeks ago
who really didn't get out of first gear, Becky Lynch,
because she didn't think she had to. Now, she knows she has to,
now she knows she has to put in a shift against Maxxine Dupri,
'cause if she doesn't, the same could be in store for Lynch.
[Joe] Dupri has given herself a moment of opportunity here.
And now she's mounting a rally against Becky Lynch!
Is this the best of Maxxine Dupri we've seen?
[Wade] Well, it's that durability that's impressed me tonight.
-She has taken a pounding… -[Joe] Oh!
…and keeps bouncing back.
-[Joe] Step-up leg drop into the cover. -[crowd counting]
[Joe] And the count of two with the kick-out from Becky.
[Wade] Maxxine Dupri just possesses a real fighting spirit.
She has done for quite some time,
but it's now matched by an expanding skill set.
But even that might not be enough against someone like Becky Lynch.
-Or am I wrong? -[Joe] How about it, Maxxine Dupri?
And a kip-up.
Two weeks ago, defeated Becky by count-out to earn this opportunity.
-And she's feeling it. -[crowd cheering]
[Joe] She is absolutely feeling it. The big knee.
-Lateral press. -[crowd counting]
[Joe] And Lynch survives it.
[Wade] Well, this is a woman who is locked in right now,
Maxxine, feeding off the frenzy of this hometown crowd in Sacramento.
And the roof is gonna come off this place
if Maxxine pulls off another mission impossible.
[crowd boos]
[crowd cheers]
[Joe] Toeing the line, center of the ring.
Back and forth they go, blow after blow,
and the uppercut by Lynch, and then the kick.
[Wade] And this audience is feeling every single shot.
Once again, trying for that Manhandle Slam.
And Maxxine doesn't seem to be too scared! That's a knockout!
[Joe] Missed the heel kick, came back with the other foot,
and then just missed out on grabbing the IC.
-[Wade] What a transition! -[Joe] Ankle lock! The ankle lock is in!
[crowd cheering]
[Wade] Shades of Chad Gable,
her former mentor here from the Alpha Academy.
[Joe] Maxxine Dupri with the ankle lock, but Becky Lynch able to get free.
You saw her limping away on that left leg, but able to power through,
and now, she locks it in.
[Wade] Butterfly suplex, Maxxine doing her best
to prevent that arm extension, but it is extended,
center of the ring, Maxxine. Bridging out. Ooh, nice.
-[Joe] How about the athleticism by Dupri! -[Wade] And back into the ankle lock.
[Joe] Right back into the ankle lock.
Incredible by Dupri.
[Wade] A tap out here, and we have got a title change.
[Joe] We asked the question not long ago, "Is this the best we've seen of Maxxine?"
I think it's a resounding yes,
as Becky tries to limp back into an offensive posture.
[Wade] Well, the champ is looking like a complete mess right now.
Forget unmatched finesse, but certainly unmatched grit
and desire to cling on to that championship.
We have got a dogfight now.
[Joe] It has been like this all night long
on Raw on Netflix here in Sacramento.
We have new Tag Team Champions. We had "Dirty" Dom retain his IC.
And now, Becky Lynch face-first!
She's in a dog fight against an upstart!
Crossbody!
-For the Intercontinental Championship! -[crowd counting]
-[Joe] Oh! Two and change. -[Wade laughs]
What a high-stack pin.
Maxxine Dupri is just refusing to be denied tonight.
And maybe the will is leaving the body of the champ.
[Joe] Oh, no, not-- No-- What is she doing?
[Wade] Sometimes, Joe, it's just not your night.
And it's damage limitation, which for Becky Lynch right now,
is clinging on to that championship by hook or by crook.
But once again, Maxxine is just wise to it.
[Joe] Good for Maxxine to say, "You're not walking away,
we're competing for that."
Oh, sunset. Oh, but Becky's holding on to everything she can,
-including Jessika Carr. -[crowd counting]
[Joe] Oh, no! We could have it here.
-[crowd booing] -[Wade] Oh, and so close for Dupri.
Dupri thought she had it. No!
-[Joe] She hits her with the championship. -[bell ringing]
[Joe] The frustration of Becky Lynch boils over.
-And the bell rings… -[crowd booing]
…and a DQ, losing her composure. Obviously, no title change with the DQ.
Maxxine's the winner, but Becky Lynch, again,
now just beating down on Dupri.
[Wade] Well, Lynch had two goals when she came out tonight.
Number one, hold on to that championship by hook or by crook.
Number two, punish and humiliate Maxxine Dupri.
Mission one is achieved, now we're witnessing mission two.
[crowd chanting "AJ Lee"]
[Joe] So there will be no title change, but there will be a beatdown.
Becky Lynch reframed the story of the recent frustration,
not just Maxxine Dupri,
but the circumstances surrounding The Vision,
her husband, Seth Rollins, forced to vacate due to injury.
And that is how the Women's
Intercontinental Championship match will end.
[crowd booing]
-[upbeat music playing] -[presenter] This past week,
WWE was on an unforgettable international tour
that started in Perth, Australia,
for a total combined three-day attendance in Perth of 40,503 fans.
-Wow! -[crowd cheering]
[presenter] Many WWE superstars also got to explore the beautiful waters
off the coast of Western Australia.
[Sky cheers]
[presenter] Our time in Australia did not stop there,
as Melbourne was the next stop on the tour.
[presenter] And finally, we visited Tokyo, Japan,
with WWE's first live event
in the Land of the Rising Sun in over a year.
-Cero miedo! -[crowd] Cero miedo!
Arigato!
-[crowd cheering, applauding] -[music concludes]
The past week was utterly amazing.
Great job by you, by the way, down in Australia with all your analysis.
-The way the crowds were reacting there… -Well, my body is here in the U.S.
My brain is somewhere still in between Australia and the U.S.
But, man, what a time. I cannot wait to get back to Australia.
Hey, let's show you one moment that did happen in Japan though,
that's getting a lot of talk online.
And unfortunately for Rhea Ripley, this is the result.
[Wade] Yeah, you know what?
I broke my nose a lot of times in my career.
I was always in tears.
Somehow, Rhea Ripley is smiling, laughing, taking selfies.
Clearly, she's a lot tougher than most. What a badass human being Rhea Ripley is.
[Joe] Speedy recovery, Mami.
[Asuka] Rhea Ripley got exactly what she deserved last week.
[in Japanese] Rhea, I want you to remember
that it was me who ruined your trip home!
-[menacing music playing] -[chuckles]
The Kabuki Warriors broke
your friend Iyo's spirit…
[chuckles]
[in English] The Kabuki Warriors who took you out and broke your face.
Rhea, you tore our family apart.
[in Japanese] So you have to pay!
[shouts in Japanese]
[chuckles]
Kairi, last week, you finally showed me
what I've always wanted to see from you.
You showed me how ruthless you can be.
And that's exactly what The Kabuki Warriors are going to be.
We've taken care of Iyo and Rhea.
[in English] We need a new challenge, right?
[scoffs, chuckles]
-We need gold around our waist. -Waist.
-[chuckles] -[chuckles]
[in Japanese] This is a warning to the entire Tag Team Division.
[both in English] The Kabuki Warriors are back.
-[laughs] -[chuckles]
["4X4" playing]
♪ Pillow talk Yeah, make you numb, can you run… ♪
[Joe] Ten thousand eight hundred and eighty-four in attendance.
[Wade] And they are all super noisy.
-And about to get louder. -[Joe] Are they ever.
-["Bury Me" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[bell ringing]
[Lilian] This next match is scheduled for one fall.
Making her way to the ring, from San Fernando, Chile,
she is the 2025 Women's Crown Jewel
and the Women's World Champion,
Stephanie Vaquer!
[Joe] Arguably the hottest star in the biz right now,
La Primera, Stephanie Vaquer.
The practitioner of the Devil's Kiss that you just can't miss.
Vaquer and Roxanne Perez next.
Come on!
Paulie, where you been? I've been waiting for you.
It's been, like, 45 minutes.
-Oh, you're a funny guy, aren't you? -Am I?
-Yeah. -You're not gonna believe this.
I just had to have production change a graphic.
Oh, poor you, you had to have a graphic change?
-A graphic. Yeah. -A graphic change?
Do you understand what kind of week I've had?
Do you understand what kind of night I had?
But this graphic, understand, pertains to you especially.
Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed
had to come off the graphic for the Battle Royal.
Why?
Because Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker are officially out of the Battle Royal.
[crowd cheering]
-Really? -Yeah, really.
Let me guess, you'd like me to put Bronson Reed
and Bron Breakker back in the Battle Royal?
-Yeah. -Yeah.
-I would. -Would you really?
-Yeah. -Tell you what.
What?
-Say please. -[crowd cheering, applauding]
[sighs]
-Mr. Pearce, sir… -Mm-hmm.
…if you would please take it
-into your kind consideration… -Oh, tell me more.
…to put Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed
-back into the Battle Royal… -Mm-hmm.
…please.
[chuckles]
-That wasn't so hard, was it? -No.
-In fact, it was pleasurable… -Hmm.
…and I enjoy doing business with you, sir.
I know you do.
-Tell you what. -Yes, sir.
-No! -[crowd cheering]
This day is getting better and better…
all the time.
-[crowd cheering] -Hi, Becky.
I understand how you must feel.
I had no choice in the matter.
Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed conspired against Seth.
Because of his injured shoulder,
I… I got down on my hands and my knees,
and I got in between your husband and Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
I put myself in physical jeopardy
until that physical jeopardy became a reality, and I had no choice--
You are the breadwinner in your family now.
What's the number one rule about feeding our children?
"Survive the day."
I survived last week.
Unfortunately, your husband did not.
And I'm sorry about that.
But there is a Vision…
that includes Becky Lynch.
And then it's win-win for you.
You can have a hot husband at home…
and an adorable oracle on the road.
No need for an answer right now.
Think about it.
Listen to me, you penguin-faced [inaudible].
Your snake oil salesman crap doesn't work on me, okay?
I don't like you. I have never liked you. I have never trusted you.
But neither did my husband.
But unlike the people whose coattails you rode on,
he didn't need you.
He used you. He knew that you were gonna turn on him.
He's actually a little surprised it took you so long.
-[breathes heavily] -But don't worry.
When he comes back, he's not gonna hurt you.
You're nothing to him, okay?
And you'll be nothing without him.
But all the people that you love in this business,
all the people that you surround yourself with,
whatever new nepo baby you decide to attach yourself to…
he's gonna kill them.
But he's not gonna kill you. You're just gonna wish that he had.
[dramatic music playing]
[Joe] Remember, we found out earlier tonight that Becky's husband,
Seth Rollins, had surgery, is out injured, and has been stripped.
World Heavyweight Championship vacated. So, coming up in just moments,
we will have a Number One Contender's Battle Royal.
The winner of this main event tonight will face CM Punk
for the vacant championship at Saturday Night's Main Event,
November 1st in Utah.
That's gonna be one of the hottest tickets around,
Saturday Night's Main Event.
Punk against the winner of tonight's Battle Royal.
-[energetic hip-hop music playing] -[Joe] Did you know,
Twenty-five victories, Wade.
Stephanie Vaquer is the winningest superstar
in WWE this year.
The Women's World Champion is in the ring, ready for action…
-["All Fall Down" playing] -…as she will be taking on Roxanne Perez.
[Wade] The bell rings, Stephanie wins.
Will she do so tonight against the spunky young thing, Roxanne Perez?
♪ Rise up tonight Rise up before we all fall down… ♪
[Joe] Stephanie Vaquer, Roxanne Perez.
Stephanie Vaquer recently was backstage doing an interview with Jackie Redmond.
-Judgment Day interrupted… -[bell ringing]
…Roxanne paraded Vaquer,
saying she should have gotten the vacant title match.
It should be her in this position to win Crown Jewel, and Vaquer…
[Joe] Said, "Stop crying and do something about it."
Well, now is the chance for Roxanne Perez to do something about it.
[Wade] I really like the attitude
from Roxanne Perez there on a couple of things.
Number one, the implication is Vaquer has stolen the spotlight
from this young prodigy, Roxanne Perez.
Because Roxanne has been grafting hard,
battling away, having more matches than any woman this year,
albeit not more wins.
But she has now been leapfrogged in the pecking order by Vaquer,
and that should never sit well with anybody
who has high expectations on their career like Roxanne Perez does.
[Joe] Well, there is no denying the activity of Roxanne Perez.
There is also no denying the results put forth by Stephanie Vaquer.
But to your point on Roxanne Perez and her work rate,
this match ties Perez for the most active WWE Superstar this year.
This is her 41st televised match.
She's tied with LA Knight.
[Wade] Yeah! And we're gonna see LA Knight a little later on tonight.
Every single week these competitors seem to be in ring.
Question is, can Roxanne Perez earn a massive victory tonight
against Stephanie Vaquer,
potentially augmenting her argument
that she deserves a championship opportunity
against the current Champ.
[Joe] We see Perez trying to power away, but Vaquer able to utilize her legs.
And Perez tripped up again, lateral press and quick to their feet.
[Wade] It was a highly technical start from both women.
You can see Perez not rushing into anything
like she's prone to do at times.
Really feeling out Stephanie Vaquer, trying to spot a weakness,
which is something most women on the roster who've tried
have ultimately failed at doing.
That's part of the problem with Stephanie Vaquer,
because she's so well rounded,
high flying, technical skills, transition upon transition,
power moves too. The question is,
how do you beat a woman who seemingly has it all?
[Joe] Pinning combination with the bridge as well for Perez.
And once again, right, so fluid.
It's like dueling banjos here with these combinations.
Well, we mentioned what's coming your way in Salt Lake City,
that doubleheader of SmackDown and Saturday Night's Main Event.
And we are gonna have a big reveal coming up
at the conclusion of tonight.
The Number One Contender's Battle Royal for that World Heavyweight Championship.
Who will face CM Punk?
The power, the athleticism to nearly bridge out of that
and then get to her feet, Vaquer.
Oh, Packaging here, she could put her in position.
But instead, Perez fights back.
[crowd boos]
[Wade] Well, Roxanne Perez has tried a number of things,
none of them have seemingly worked against Vaquer.
So, let's go on the outside, regroup.
Speak to Raquel and see if we can figure out a plan B here.
[Joe] And Vaquer doesn't have a problem with getting to the outside as well.
She'll chase you down.
[Wade] There's no benefit to Vaquer
in allowing Roxanne on the outside to regroup.
-[Joe] Look at this! -[Wade] Straight back on the attack.
And once again, it's the technical prowess of La Primera.
-[Joe] Yes, slap across the face. -[Wade] Nothing technical about that.
[Joe] Yeah, I was gonna say, a slap across the face
changes the tone of that, doesn't it, Wade?
[Wade] Not with a take two.
-[Joe] See Perez, how affected she was-- -[Wade] Oh, it's your favorite, Joe Tess.
-[Joe] It's everybody's favorite! -[Wade] I blush when I see this one.
-[Joe] No, you don't! -[Wade] I do.
[Joe] Your blood pressure rises, but rolling out of it is Perez,
and locking up on that bottom rope
as she couldn't get the Devil's Kiss engaged.
[Wade] Well, how smart was Roxanne Perez there,
who's now clinging on to the apron.
[Joe] Doing anything she can to avoid that Devil's Kiss.
[Wade] Oh, and behind the referee's back. A little poke in the eye maybe.
[Joe] Raquel Rodriguez with a sweeping roundhouse right hand.
[Joe] The young and feisty, Roxanne Perez,
who was recently berating the Women's World Champion,
Stephanie Vaquer, saying, "It should be me in that position."
"I should be the one who fought for the vacant title."
Well, now she gets her chance to prove it here against Vaquer.
She's been in control for many minutes, working on that left arm.
[Wade] Yeah, you often feel there's a natural order of things.
People who join the roster after you
should not be at the top of the ladder before you get there.
Well, Perez has done a great job so far, but finally showing a bit of fight back
in the other direction is Stephanie Vaquer,
who is being hampered by the fact
that Roxanne has done a great job attacking the left arm of Vaquer.
And now gonna shrug it off is La Primera.
[Joe] Spinning kick, headbutt.
And La Primera, even as she grasps at that left arm,
she is on a vicious rally of an attack.
And you can see her still shaking out that left hand.
And she comes in with a Meteora, the double knees,
and then stomps right on the face of Perez.
[Wade] Yeah, this is an angry side of Stephanie Vaquer,
very different to the one who started this match
in a technical fashion.
Now with a Dragon Screw looking to shred the knee of Perez.
[Joe] Man, that corner Dragon Screw, when she puts it in, it has such effect.
-[crowd cheers] -[Wade] Uh-oh.
[Joe] And now she gets a second chance at what everybody wants.
How about a little Devil's Kiss?
-Smooch-a-roo, Stephanie! -[crowd counting]
[crowd cheers]
[Wade] Well, that's what the people came for,
is it enough for the victory?
-Late kick-out. -[Joe] Nearly was.
Very late kick-out and still that left wrist.
As Perez was driving all her force,
was getting so much torque for so many continued minutes
-in the middle of this match. -[crowd chanting "One more time"]
[Wade] And in unison, "One more time" is ringing out,
but I think Stephanie Vaquer is ready to put this one to bed.
[Joe] Yeah, she was thinking SVP,
and Perez has other ideas as she had it scouted.
And again, right back to that left arm.
What a smart move, a young Superstar, but veteran ring awareness.
[Wade] So nice from Roxanne Perez there.
[Joe] Perez on the go and driving those knees down.
[Wade] And what a huge win this will be!
[Joe] All that momentum to make a statement here… No!
But Perez survives it.
[Wade] Well, if Perez can pick up the pace here,
you've got a defenseless Stephanie Vaquer.
Once again targeting a barrage of shots on that arm.
And now looking for a crossface.
And Vaquer in a desperate situation here.
Still looking to win this thing.
There is no quit whatsoever in Stephanie Vaquer.
[Joe] Spinning kick and trying to put her in position,
looking for Pop Rox instead.
Here goes Vaquer, lines her up, and delivers 619!
[Wade] Shade to one of her heroes, Rey Mysterio.
[Joe] She is feeling it now, isn't she?
[Wade] Don't take your eye off the ball!
[Joe] And that is exactly what happened
with Raquel Rodriguez lingering out on the floor.
[Wade] One distract, one pounce there from Roxanne Perez,
and back in the jaws of danger is Stephanie Vaquer.
What a performance this has been from Roxanne Perez,
aided and abetted by Big Mami Cool on the outside.
[Joe] Looking for the double springboard move.
But instead, it goes south.
[Wade] God, that could've been a catastrophic landing
had Raquel Rodriguez not been there to clean up the danger,
but danger still lurks.
[Joe] The Dark Angel wants to fly!
Crossbody wipes them out.
Raquel took the biggest part of it.
[Wade] And Roxanne ducked out of the way but immediately back on the offense.
Now looking for that…
Angel Wings!
[Joe] Delivering big time and to close it out…
-[crowd counting] -…the offensive weaponry of Vaquer.
["Bury Me" playing]
[Lilian] Here is your winner, Stephanie Vaquer!
[Wade] Well, the legend just grows week by week.
And Stephanie Vaquer looks…
-Oh. -[Joe] Oh, and Raquel Rodriguez.
The Judgment Day always feels like they're gonna have the last word
and that is exactly what they intend to do here.
This is… Come on.
[Wade] Raquel got flattened by Stephanie Vaquer moments ago.
-That was after Raquel… Wait up! -["You Can Look" playing]
[crowd cheering]
-[Joe] Look who's on the way… -[Wade] Mount up!
…Nikki Bella!
[Wade] Nikki Bella, who is a good friend behind the scenes of Stephanie Vaquer,
had seen enough.
Was not gonna allow her good buddy to get dropped by these two,
but now has put herself in danger.
[Joe] Oh, Bella!
Nikki Bella comes to the aid.
But eats a massive, massive big boot from Rodriguez.
[Wade] The best of intentions.
And trying to do something about it was Vaquer,
but clearly beat up after that match,
stumbling on the top rope and now fighting hell for leather
with one of the most powerful women in the division.
[Joe] Stephanie Vaquer…
[Wade] There is danger everywhere you look here.
Vaquer is limping.
Roxanne Perez looking for a pound of flesh now.
[Joe] And a big right hand from Nikki Bella.
[Wade] And what a messy ending to this matchup.
[Joe] Double dropkick just cleans up the ring
and sends The Judgment Day out.
[Wade] Well, Vaquer better thank her lucky stars for the presence of mind
of Nikki Bella for showing up here.
-'Cause that look bleak. -["Bury Me" playing]
[Joe] Statement made by Stephane Vaquer,
and loyalty shown by her friend, Nikki Bella.
[music fades]
…victory. And Congratulations, by the way.
Thank you, we beat The Judgment Day. We're a hell of a team,
but also I've still got some goals on my own and I just don't know.
When it really comes down to it, me and Bayley, we are different people.
-For example-- -Fire up, whoo!
-I will talk to you later. -Hey, Adam.
Yeah, and I'll talk to you later. I have an idea, yeah. What's up?
-Dude. Hey, I feet great. How do you feel? -Good to see you.
Because I haven't slept since last week when we won our big tag team match.
-I mean, it just felt so good. -It did, it felt great.
-Um, anyway, I-- -Yeah, it felt really great.
And I have an idea. Let me talk first. I have an idea.
It's more like… it's more like a surprise, okay?
Because I know your birthday's coming up,
-and I just thought I should do… -Oh, no.
-…something really great for you. So-- -Oh no. No, no, no, no.
Do you know what would be really surprising?
If you just told me exactly what you're gonna do right now.
[laughing] No, that wouldn't be a surprise if I do that. Now, would it?
-[chuckles dryly] -You have to wait, okay?
Next week, though. Can you be… can you be patient?
-Next week. Yeah. -Uh, not really.
-Let's wait till next week. All right? -Not really. Oh, that's not--
-[Bayley] Whoo! Next week, boo. -[exclaims] God!
-I really don't. -Yeah, I don't know.
What I think is we should go to his office,
and steal his shoes and leave him laying somewhere.
-Yeah. -[sighs]
-Hi. -Hi.
Uh, I'm having a hard time understanding this.
-Okay. -Okay.
We came here with the World Heavyweight Championship tonight.
-Right. -That was taken from us.
-Right. -And now,
we don't even have a spot in the Battle Royal
for the World Heavyweight Championship that belongs to us.
-Right. -So, please.
Help us out, lad. I don't…
There was this rookie in 2002, a rookie named Brock Lesnar.
He could have eaten through the entire roster
in his very first night, but he didn't.
He listened to me and five months later, he was up against The Rock,
who he beat for the title.
There was this best in the world rebel in 2012,
who was such a pain in the ass backstage
that they were gonna throw him out the door as champion
after a hundred days. But he listened to me,
and he got 434 days out of that title reign
'cause he listened to me.
How many WrestleMania main events did the big dog Roman Reigns get?
Who remembers the big dog?
But I made him the Tribal Chief and he listened to me,
and everyone remembers the title reign of the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns.
It's not just about who you can slaughter.
It's about the backstage maneuverings and the politics that go along with it.
You wanna see the vision of the future of WWE?
The two of you should just look in the mirror.
That's the future of WWE.
[chuckles softly] I got a lot to learn, huh?
Me too.
-A lot of people to hurt too. -Me too.
[energetic hip-hop music playing]
[Joe] So, the Brons have been denied participating
in our Number One Contender's Battle Royal .
But "Dirty" Dom's in.
And AJ Styles is in as well,
having just won a tag team championship tonight.
Who will face CM Punk at Saturday Night's Main Event in Utah?
We're moments away from finding out.
[music concludes]
-I'm good. -Yeah?
-[crowd cheering] -Thank you, gracias.
-Don't mention it. -You had my back out there.
-They will never beat me. -No.
-But they couldn't take it. -No. I agree.
No, I mean, of course, I'm not gonna stand back here
-and just let two sore losers jump you. -[sighs]
You know, can I just say that I'm really proud of you?
I mean, you and I have only been friends for a few months.
But in those few months, you have taken this division by storm.
I mean, you truly have taken this division to the next level.
There's no one like you, Stephanie, and now, you're champion?
So, you know, being a champion
and being your friend, I just wanna let you know that
that puts a big target on your back. You know, as champion, everything changes.
So I just want you to be cautious because anyone can take you out.
And I wish back when I was champ,
that someone would have guided me when I was in your position.
Well, I owe you one.
-Oh, well, thank you. -Thank you.
Well, you know, funny you say that,
because now, I think I just made two enemies,
so I will probably be taking you up on that sooner than later.
Bonita, you have my back. I have yours.
-Oh, thank you. -[Vaquer] Thank you. Gracias.
[both speak indistinctly]
[crowd chanting "Uso"]
[crowd cheering, shouting indistinctly]
Hey, uce! Hey, uce. Please, please! Hit my music!
-Oh, yeah. Uh-uh! Yeet! -Yeet!
-["Main Event Ish" playing] -♪ Uso ♪
[crowd cheering, applauding]
♪ Ayy, ayy Main event Jey Uso is now in your city ♪
-♪ It's just me, uce ♪ -♪ Okay ♪
-♪ Day one ish ♪ -[crowd] ♪ Day one ish ♪
♪ It's just me, uce ♪
-♪ Day one ish ♪ -[crowd] ♪ Day one ish ♪
♪ It's just me, uce… ♪
[Joe] We have yeeting babies, now.
♪ …I line 'em all up And knock 'em down like this ♪
-♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ♪ -[crowd] ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ♪
-♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ♪ -[crowd] ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey… ♪
-[Wade] Man, always a spectacle. -[Joe chuckles]
[Wade] A packed out arena, yeeting in unison.
♪ …Hey, hey… ♪
[Joe] I would have lost it if that baby just high-fived him.
[Wade] Baby does not appreciate the moment he or she just had.
Sorry, I'm not good at telling the gender of babies.
♪ …I'm 'bout to get 'em all Let's go, Uso… ♪
[Wade] You're not gonna yeet, Joe?
♪ Day one ish ♪
[Wade] Get on the table.
[Joe] I have only had five espressos today.
Typically, the yeet threshold is seven.
♪ I line 'em all up And knock 'em down like this ♪
-[crowd cheering, shouting indistinctly] -[bell ringing]
[Lilian] The following is the World Heavyweight Championship
Number One Contender's Battle Royal!
Introducing first, coming down the aisle, Jimmy,
and "Main Event" Jey Uso!
[Joe] Of course, Jey's been to the top, climbed the mountain at WrestleMania,
but it's been this road to get back to the World Heavyweight Championship
that has shown us a different side of Jey.
Tonight will be a major step forward. You know the career mark for Jimmy,
one of the greatest Tag Team Champions ever,
but no singles title in his long career.
[indistinct chatter]
[Wade chuckles] Yes!
I think it's a big one for the Usos tonight here.
Of course, it was a big night for the Usos, actually.
Last night with many on the WWE roster
as they were enjoying the 49ers defeating the Falcons.
We have Punk in the mix there as well.
[Wade] Yeah, look at the return of big George Kittle,
one of our biggest fans here in WWE. We love him too. Bayley was there.
[Joe] Oh, she's about as big a 49ers fan as there is.
Everybody rooting out Christian McCaffrey as he went for 200 total yards
and the WWE roster was out in force.
[Wade] Why didn't we get the invite, Joe Tess?
[Joe] They lost your number, Wade.
[Wade] We're not in the cool club, apparently.
I would have loved to have gone to that. What a night that must have been.
[Joe] So, here's the deal here, World Heavyweight Championship.
We found out the news earlier tonight, Seth Rollins out injured, needed surgery.
So, CM Punk has to have somebody to battle for the World Heavyweight Championship.
The winner of this Battle Royal will be the man.
Saturday Night's Main Event, November 1st, in Utah.
[crowd chanting indistinctly]
[Wade] Go on, run it back! Run it back!
-["Main Event Ish" playing] -[Joe] Yes,
10,884, here at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento,
saying we want more.
♪ …I line 'em all up And knock 'em down like this ♪
[crowd cheering, shouting indistinctly]
[music concludes]
["10 Beats of the Bodhrán" playing]
-[Wade] It's Fight Night! -[crowd cheering]
Fight night, baby! Fight night!
[Lilian] Making his way in the ring, "The Celtic Warrior" Sheamus!
[Wade] Really need to work on my timing on that one, Joe Tess.
-I think you need practice. -[Wade] I'm no Pat McAfee,
I'm no Michael Cole. We'll work on it.
[Joe] Wade, do we have a Battle Royal banger ahead here?
[Wade] Whoa, we haven't seen Sheamus since Clash in Paris on the donnybrook.
And this is a man ready to claim a number one contendership.
[Joe] Battle Royal is coming up next for the number one contender spot.
[music concludes]
["Phenomenal" playing]
-♪ El Grande Americano! ♪ -[lively Spanish guitar music playing]
[Joe] World Heavyweight Championship Number One Contender's Battle Royal.
And El Grande Americano.
-will of course-- -[Lilian] Introducing next,
El Grande Americano!
[Joe] The man who claims that he set the foundation for legendary luchadores.
-[Wade] We have proof, there is evidence… -[Joe] Sepia tone film?
…that this man's legacy dates back over a century.
That is over a century of domination from El Grande Americano
and the rest of the Americanos.
[Joe] I need to show you more newsreels.
[Wade] Fake newsreels.
I don't trust you at all, Joe Tess, but I do trust the brilliance
of Grande Americano and what a moment it would be
if he punches his ticket for that showdown
with CM Punk to become the new World Heavyweight Champion
at Saturday Night's Main Event.
[Joe] Yeah, you want a moment? This is always a moment right here.
-[crowd cheering] -["Zero Miedo" playing]
[Lilian] Making his way to the ring, Penta!
[Joe] Now there's a luchador, my man.
And is that swaggy.
[Wade] Well, that is a luchador
that got his jaw rocked a little earlier tonight
by one Bulgarian Brute.
And that Bulgarian Brute is now prowling around the ring menacingly.
Because he got dropped by Penta post-match.
[Wade] Yeah, it was a springboard tornado DDT
that was the last thing we saw in the ring.
But Rusev did land a massive right hand on Penta in the midst
of the Intercontinental Championship match,
where "Dirty" Dom Mysterio was able to retain.
[Wade] Retain with yet another low blow against Rusev.
Right now, "Dirty" Dom, I'm watching in the ring,
he's staying very close to his sometime buddies
in The Judgment Day, who must be furious
that they themselves were relieved of tag gold earlier tonight.
-["Welcome to LA" playing] -[Joe] Oh!
-[Wade] Yeah! -[crowd cheering]
[Lilian] And LA Knight!
[Joe] Remember he said to CM Punk about going
after the World Heavyweight Championship,
"I am what is."
So now LA Knight can be called the isness of the business.
[Wade] Oh yeah, another catchphrase that just rolls off the tongue.
I like that.
[Joe] The isness of the business, says LA Knight.
[Wade] That is a t-shirt waiting to happen,
and I am buying the first one as soon as it goes on sale.
All right, I think that is our entire main event, Joe Tess.
[Joe] Isn't it great? Look at this roster
of contenders to see who will face CM Punk World Heavyweight Championship.
Number One Contender's Battle Royal.
-["Cult of Personality" playing] -[Joe] Ooh.
[crowd screaming, cheering]
[Joe] And the target, the prize, the man has arrived.
CM Punk, who of course earned the World Heavyweight Championship
this summer before the cash-in by Seth Rollins.
CM Punk, who's in position to regain it.
We are just 12 days away from Saturday Night's Main Event
in Salt Lake City.
Where CM Punk will fight for what is now the vacant World Heavyweight Championship
against the winner of this Battle Royal.
[Wade] A unique situation, we have the number one contender,
we actually need two due to that vacancy we heard about earlier tonight.
And CM Punk presumably out here tonight to scout the competition
a couple of weeks ahead of Saturday Night's Main Event.
And now, perhaps heading our way,
[Joe] What a scene here in Sacramento.
[Wade] Well, you can take a seat here if you like, Punk.
We've even got a headset,
and it looks like Punk is gonna join us on commentary.
From The Voice of the Voiceless to the voice of the desk here on Raw.
Welcome aboard, CM Punk.
[Punk] This is gonna mess up my hair, this headset.
[Joe] No, the hair looks amazing, by the way.
You've been on a hair streak, my man.
-[Wade] Uh-oh. -[Joe] They are underway here.
[Punk] Wow. They're not wasting time, huh?
[Joe] No, they aren't. The Battle Royal to determine who will be up
against you, Punk.
And look at this,
the big men right in the middle of the ring, right away.
[Wade] Otis and Ivar. Everyone down right now,
now throwing clubbing blows at one another.
Breaking down in a hurry.
[Joe] Otis and-- Oh!
And Otis gets the best of him with a clothesline.
[Wade] Punk, presumably you're out here tonight
to scout who you are gonna be facing at Saturday Night's Main Event
in a little under two weeks time.
[Punk] I am a Boy Scout and I am here to scout.
There's a lot of big meaty men in there.
[Wade] Let me ask you this right off the bat, Punk.
Of course, there's a lot of people who
you would perhaps want to avoid.
Is there anyone in particular,
historically speaking, who you do not want to be locking up with
-at Saturday Night's Main Event? -[Punk laughs]
Listen, I'm not gonna play pick'ems and play favorites
and do fantasy warfare.
I honestly think there's a ton of talent in that ring right now.
I faced a lot of them.
I'm not a betting man, but my money is on LA Knight.
[Wade] LA Knight. That man has some real kavorka
and would be a popular victor and a popular matchup
in a couple of weeks' time at Saturday Night's Main Event to decide--
[Punk] Oh, wait! Oh!
[Joe] Oh, Otis! Otis, who was off to such a hot start,
and then Rusev does the best to eliminate him.
[Wade] Well, they've got some major history with one another.
Rusev's gotta be happy with that.
I think he was irate about losing the Intercontinental.
No, no, no, no, no.
[Punk] I think everybody's gotta be happy with that.
He had to be a top favorite in a Battle Royal.
[Joe] Punk, did you just see, Punk, that boot on Tozawa?
Tozawa tried to stand up for Otis, but Rusev cleared him.
And now Penta and Rusev, who met up earlier tonight
at the heels of the Intercontinental Championship match.
[Punk] Yeah, how mad is Rusev gonna be?
But he's got a chance to wipe the slate clean,
win this Battle Royal and get an opportunity.
[Wade] There's several people who've lost out on championships tonight.
And Finn Bálor, one of those who lost his tag championship
in part to AJ Styles, who would take so much sweeter
this evening if he could book his ticket
to Saturday Night's Main Event in a clash,
a date with destiny with CM Punk.
[Punk] Hey, Wade, you know what? I apologize, I'm gonna change my answer.
I would like to avoid at all costs Dominik Mysterio.
-[Wade] Really? -[Punk] Yes.
[Wade] Give me a reason why.
[Punk] Well, they call him "Dirty" Dom.
Do you know why they call him "Dirty" Dom?
-[Wade] Unclean. -[Punk] Doesn't wash his gear.
-[Joe] Really? -[Punk] Yeah, smelly.
[Joe] Oh, locker room insight from CM Punk.
He's been dirty in the ring with recent title defenses as well.
We saw that again.
We saw it last week against Penta with the timekeeper's hammer.
We saw it again tonight with a low blow.
[Wade] Dragon Lee almost taken out there.
[Joe] Dragon Lee out on the apron, always a dangerous compromised position.
And now up on the top rope, look at The Judgment Day!
And he is eliminated.
[Wade] A modicum of revenge against the man, well, one half of the man
who took their tag team championships earlier tonight.
[Joe] And meanwhile, Penta with that big kick to the back of Rusev,
who is on the apron himself.
[Wade] Punk, let me just ask you very quickly,
as this herd has started to thin out,
I know from your personality,
you really wanted vengeance on Seth Rollins.
You wanted to be the man to dethrone him and get back
that World Heavyweight Championship.
How much does it rankle you that you will not be getting that chance?
[Punk] Well, listen, if you're gonna ask me if I'm sad that Seth--
[Joe] Oh! "Dirty" Dom, the guy you say you don't wanna face,
he just eliminated Rusev and Penta
in one clean move right off the apron.
[Joe] Number One Contender's Battle Royal
continues to pan out here in Sacramento.
The winner will face CM Punk
for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship.
[Punk] This Ivar is a monster.
[Joe] He is a monster, and he's on an offensive roll right now, Punk.
[Wade] But he really finds a new gear in singles competition
at war on his own.
[Joe] Well, this could be something.
This could be a banger moment in the Battle Royal,
Punk, couldn't it be?
[Punk] It very well will be.
Look at this, just throwing soup bones,
two men in the center of the ring, Ivar and Sheamus.
[Wade] Two men I would personally really wanna avoid if I were you, Punk.
Both may be getting closer and closer.
No way, bad move, Sheamus.
[Punk] I'm not trying to avoid anybody, Lord James Blears, okay?
I'm not Seth Rollins, I'm not gonna chicken out.
I want the best, and the best are here in this Battle Royal.
Oh! The Big man! He's still in!
[Joe] He's on the apron, he's on the apron.
Able to survive it.
[Wade] Huge mass of humanity, but crazy levels of movement from Ivar.
That might not be enough against Sheamus.
[Joe] Big knee from Sheamus against Ivar, and now he is--
[Punk] No, Sheamus, what are you doing, Sheamus?
-[Joe] You've got to be kidding me. -[Punk] Just throw him over the-- Come on.
-Whoa! -[Wade] Oh! Oh!
-[Joe] How about that elimination? -[Punk] I'm not mad about it.
-[Joe] No? -[Punk] No.
[Wade] Well, Sheamus is looking rested and he is looking back to his best,
a former multiple time world champion.
And talking about multiple time world champions,
we're joined here at the desk by CM Punk.
[Punk] I'm way over here,
I don't know why I can't just join the two.
Maybe it's cause I'm not dressed up spiffy,
but my shirt is available on wweshop.com.
[Wade] Nice. Good sales.
[Punk] What if I have to wrestle my old tag team partner Kofi Kingston?
[Wade] Ooh.
[Joe] Kofi Kingston in a moment of trouble against Finn Bálor,
can he survive that? As El Grande Americano
is loading the mask.
[Wade] The rest of the field have no idea whatsoever,
this is one way to drop him,
breaking the hand perhaps of both Usos.
[Punk] Wince.
[Joe] Oh! But the teamwork again!
[crowd cheering, applauding]
Come on. Come on.
[Joe] And now they're lining him up to send him out.
[Wade] Well, man, whatever tensions the Usos have,
the second that bell rings just disappear and they click back
into game mode.
[Punk] As people get eliminated, I keep thinking to myself,
"Well, you know what? I'm actually happy
I don't have to wrestle El Grande Americano."
[Joe] Well, I agree with you guys on assessing Sheamus right now.
[Punk] On a serious note, I wanna say I watched
the tag team championship match earlier.
I think JD McDonagh is a phenomenal talent.
I think he's exceptional. He's a dark horse in this.
He's somebody who can take me to my limit.
[Joe] I agree, he was putting forth a great effort there.
AJ Styles and Dragon Lee, of course, the new winners,
the World Tag Team Championships in their hands.
Styles is in trouble here from The Judgement Day.
[Punk] I can't hear if the crowd's chanting AJ Styles
or AJ's husband, which is me.
-[crowd cheering, applauding] -[Joe laughing]
[Punk] The Judgement Day spin out.
[Wade] Well, JD McDonagh is eliminated,
and now we're getting a little Ireland on Ireland crime.
-[Joe] Ten beats. -[crowd cheering, applauding]
[crowd] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight,
-nine, ten. -[Wade] Oh God.
-Could be you up there, Punk. -[Punk] What a sadist.
He could have just chucked him to the floor.
Instead, he wanted to pound out his chest ten times.
-[Joe] Oh, JD's gonna get some. -[crowd] One, two, three…
[Punk] Both Judgment Day members
are gonna look like Kofi Kingston after this.
[Joe] Whoa, whoa, whoa! Sheamus in trouble!
-Oh! And Kofi gets rid of him. -[Wade] Well, you called his name.
[Punk] I was making a caved in chest joke.
[Wade] Well, Sheamus is now irate.
He's been tossed out of this thing
by two men who were already eliminated.
[Punk] Wait a second, look at them, they're still fighting.
[Joe] All three of them are eliminated.
[Wade] All the referees trying to get some control here.
[Joe] Oh! Dom is gone. Dom is gone, Punk!
[Wade] Dom eliminated. The refs are all distracted!
[Joe] The ref didn't see that Dom is out. The ref missed it.
-[Wade] Wait a second! -[Punk] You gotta be kidding me.
[Joe] No, the ref was turned around dealing with the fight on the other side.
The refs were all on the other side dealing with the brawl.
[Wade] If the refs don't see it, you are not eliminated.
"Dirty" Dom is still in this thing, that is brilliant.
[Joe] Because of what was happening with Judgement and Sheamus,
Dom is still in the ring and they don't realize it.
[Joe] Continuing on here, just under 11,000
in a jam-packed Golden 1 Center here in Sacramento, California.
Monday Night Raw on Netflix.
Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett thrilled to be joined ringside by CM Punk,
who earned his way to fight for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship,
but he's finding out in front of us who will be his opponent in 12 days.
[Wade] Well, six men left at this point.
It really is the Usos have been working as a team well throughout this thing
-as AJ almost gets eliminated. -[Punk] Wow. Wow.
[Wade] Jimmy Uso just saving his brother Jey from elimination.
If they keep going that way, one of those two is gonna win this thing
and head on to Saturday Night's Main Event.
But apparently,
the rest of this field has something to say about that,
including LA Knight, who's been quiet so far in this one,
but has managed to survive to the final six.
[Punk] Yeah, he's still in it.
And if anybody's at a disadvantage right now,
it's gotta be AJ and "Dirty" Dom. Both had contests earlier in the night.
You know they're tired.
[Wade] Yeah, Battle Royal's always an endurance affair.
And these six have gotta all be running on fumes at this point.
[Joe] It's a great point of analysis
considering the night that they both had.
As Kofi Kingston looks to provide some offense here
against AJ Styles. AJ Styles, who took gold earlier tonight.
[Punk] Yeah, listen, as an athlete--
as Kofi gets unceremoniously dumped over the top rope, on the apron,
battling with AJ Styles. You know…
A guy like AJ Styles, you don't wanna be that athlete that warms up,
has a match, and then cools down.
And then you gotta warm up again. But if anybody can do it,
it's The Phenomenal One, who just eliminated Kofi Kingston.
[Wade] So creative, digging deep into his veteran playbook is AJ Styles,
but he looks spent on the floor.
It's now LA Knight with all of the kavorka.
-Are your loins tingling, Punk? -[Punk] My loins?
[Joe] Please tell me no, please tell me no.
-[Wade] Well, mine certainly are. -[Punk] Mine aren't.
-Whoa! -[Joe] Thankfully.
[Punk] Speaking of tingling loins,
what do you call the new tag team champions?
-Is it the tag team of AJ-Lee? -[crowd] LA Knight! Yeah!
-[Wade] Oh, brilliant. That's good. -[Punk] That tickles my loins.
[Wade] That's really good.
Come up here with jo-- Oh, almost a BFT!
[Joe] He was looking for the BFT, but AJ…
able to put him in position for a Styles Clash, potentially.
No. Knight wiggles out of it.
[Wade] This is just scrambling time, fight tooth and nail.
[Punk] Now look at this guy,
this guy's putting a submission hold in a Battle Royal.
Maybe I want him to win now.
[Wade] Oh! Left himself wide open.
[Punk] 619, 619. Oh.
[Joe] Whoa, that is dangerous for Jey Uso.
[Wade] Jey clinging on for dear life here, and one shot,
maybe two shots here from LA Knight could drop Jey Uso.
[crowd] Yeah! Yeet! Yeah! Yeet!
[Punk] The big "Yeet, yeah" battle in Sacramento.
[Wade] And the yeahs are winning.
[Joe] Yeah, the yeahs getting the best of it.
Look at Jey on the cliff's edge.
[Wade] One of only two former world champs left
in this match alongside AJ Styles and Jey may be about to drop.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Joe] Oh! Jimmy helps him out again.
[Wade] That is the second time.
Jey Uso, who looks completely spent at this point.
[Punk] Blood is thicker than water,
but is blood more important than the heavyweight championship?
-[Joe] Jimmy's made up his mind, it is. -[Punk] Look at AJ, AJ's stalking.
[Joe] Long distance and double super kicks.
[Wade] And just that fatigue perhaps started to kick in on AJ.
-He was just a beat too slow. -[Punk] Wow.
-[Joe] There he goes, eliminated. -[Punk] That's big, that is huge.
[Joe] So now CM Punk, you understand what's in front of you.
It is down to four.
[Wade] Oh! The muscle, the power of LA Knight,
not quite enough to put Big Jim away.
[Joe] Oh, Knight-- Big Jim and Knight wrapped up over the top rope.
What is Jey doing?
-[Punk chuckles] Oh! -[Joe] His brother saved him twice.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Wade] Well, that's what Roman Reigns is trying to tell Jey Uso all along,
you have to be cutthroat.
Eliminating his own brother, but watch out for "Dirty" Dom.
[Joe] And now "Dirty" Dom has Jey lined up.
Oh! But instead of a 619…
-[bell ringing] -[Joe] …it's a Jey Uso victory.
["Main Event Ish" playing]
[Lilian] Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the Battle Royale,
"Main Event" Jey Uso!
[Joe] Like, listen, Jey just won an opportunity to wrestle CM Punk
for the Heavyweight Championship.
But for my money, the story is the brothers right here.
Jimmy spent the entire Battle Royal saving Jey,
and Jey just dumped him over the top rope.
[Punk] That man, former champion himself, he's cutthroat.
He's got what it takes. I got my work cut out for me.
[Joe] That is the matchup. It is set.
But that is the big takeaway, Wade Barrett.
Two times, Jimmy came to the aid of Jey in this Battle Royal.
But when it was on the line, Jey dumped Jimmy onto the floor.
[Wade] Well, that is exactly what Roman Reigns
has been trying to implant in the mind of Jey Uso,
as an irate Big Jim yells at his twin brother,
who effectively stabbed him in the back in the closing moments of this match.
-[Punk] No. -[Wade] You need a killer instinct
-if you wanna be at the top. -[Punk] No, no, no.
He didn't stab anybody in the back, that is the name of the game.
One man wins, I don't care if it's 30 men, 40 men,
20 men, whatever it is, one person gets the shot.
[Joe] Punk, let's go back
and show everybody exactly what you guys are talking about.
This was the save by Jimmy earlier when Jey
was on the apron, nearly defeated.
[Punk] And he regrets it right now, I guarantee it.
[Wade] Jey was banged to rights there.
He was practically eliminated, saved by Big Jim.
And when Big Jim needed that brotherly favor repaid,
and this was after eliminating AJ Styles,
a tussle on the ropes with LA Knight,
Jey Uso saw his path to victory open up.
And despite "Dirty" Dom's attempt to ruin the Jey Uso party,
it was in fact "Main Event" Jey Uso
who will presumably be main eventing Saturday Night's Main Event
against the other number one contender,
that man in the background, CM Punk.
[Joe] And there it is, and that is what's set.
Two men who know what it means
to have had the World Heavyweight Championship.
Those two men will now meet for it.
Saturday Night's Main Event in12 days from Salt Lake City.
That is the hottest ticket around with those two.
And it just became more desired.
Jey Uso wins the Number One Contender's Battle Royal.
He will face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship.
How about that? Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship.