INDIE

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW/USA NETWORK: July 1 results (F4wonline)

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Show Recap —

Drew McIntyre, Ilja Dragunov, and Sheamus were shown
arriving at the arena. Sheamus, the babyface, arrived in a
Tesla Cybertruck.

A bunch of fans were shown on the concourse. The live
audience popped when they saw Jey Uso emerge through the
fans for his entrance. Jey slapped hands with Michael Cole
and Corey Graves (filling in for Pat McAfee). Cole looked
like the biggest dork.

Jey welcomed us to Raw and said he would win Money in the
Bank as the crowd chanted, “Yeet.”

Chad Gable interrupted. Gable no longer has a scar on his
head. He informed the Boston “idiots” that “Yeet” was not a
real word. He said “miracle” was a real word and if you
looked it up in the dictionary, you would see a picture of
him.

He recovered from an attack by the Wyatts, his family
leaving him, and he beat two monsters to qualify for MITB.
He planned on becoming Master in the Bank. The crowd booed
and told him that he sucked.

Jey wondered what Gable was doing there after he was taken
out by the Wyatts. Gable said Jey was the one who took the
fireflies and turned his back on his family. Jey said he got
out from manipulative scumbags like Gable. Gable decked Jey
but Jey fought him off and dropped him with a superkick. Jey
was about to hit an Uso Splash but Gable bailed.

As the camera focused on Gable, the lights dimmed and the
single piano key played for the Wyatt family. The crowd
chanted “holy sh*t.” Gable left through the crowd but saw
Wyatt shadows along the way as he looked for a way out
through the dark arena. Gable eventually found the stairs
and raced up to escape.

The camera cut back to ringside where the zombie woman
(Nikki Cross) left a package at the announce desk. After a
break, Cole revealed that it was another VHS tape.

(Again, the actual presentation of this was well done. The
“holy sh*t” chants were apparently censored on USA but they
could be heard clearly on Sportsnet in Canada.)

********

Xavier Woods (w/Kofi Kingston) defeated Karrion Kross
(w/Scarlett & Final Testament) (7:24)

Kross offered a handshake but Woods ignored it and started
with chops. Woods hit a dive but Kross slammed him into the
ring post which led to a break two minutes into the match.
Woods fought back after a break but distracted himself by
looking at Final Testament at ringside and Kross knocked him
down with a forearm.

Kross took too long to capitalize and Woods caught him in a
small package for the pinfall win. This wasn’t much.

— AOP attacked New Day from behind as they celebrated. New
Day fought back but Kross leveled Kingston with a forearm
and AOP drove Woods into the barricade. Kross targeted
Kinston’s arm and placed him in a submission long enough
that the announcers speculated on the damage to his arm.
Woods checked on Kingston and he stared down Kross.

********

Judgment Day backstage segment

As he has for weeks, Damian Priest asked Dominik Mysterio if
everything was good with Rhea Ripley. As usual, Dom said
everything was good. However, this time, Priest let Dom know
that he actually spoke to Ripley and she was pissed.

Dom said he would handle the Liv Morgan situation but Priest
didn’t believe him. Dom said this situation wasn’t his
fault. Under his breath, Dom said Priest was just like his
dad. Priest wanted him to repeat that but Dom brushed it
off.

They entered the Judgment Day locker room to find Morgan
hanging out with the rest of the group. They were playing
the WWE video game again. Morgan left and wished Dom luck on
his match.

Finn Bálor pulled Priest aside. Priest wasn’t happy with
Morgan being there. Bálor said she helped them regain the
tag titles. Bálor said the real issue was Priest. Bálor
didn’t like Priest’s implication that he didn’t need them as
much as they needed him. Bálor was offended at the idea that
they were his sidekicks.

Priest said he spoke the truth. He was the champion and they
needed him. They were all there for Ripley the same way when
she was the champion. Priest said they needed each other.
Bálor said they were brothers and he would always tell him
the truth. Bálor told Priest that he’s changed since winning
the title. Bálor left.

*******

There was a tribute video for Sika Anoa’i.

********

Zelina Vega told Cathy Kelley she would show Morgan and
everyone who ever doubted her what a real champion looked
like.

They showed a clip of Morgan throwing out the first pitch at
Fenway Park ahead of a Boston Red Sox game.

Liv Morgan defeated Zelina Vega to retain the Women’s World
Championship (11:34)

The crowd was quiet for the first 90 seconds until Dom
sauntered out to watch at ringside. Rey entered moments
later and they went to break.

[SECOND HOUR]

Morgan did the three amigos suplexes and did Eddie
Guerrero’s shimmy Dom’s direction. She applied Ripley’s
standing cloverleaf but Vega fought out and hit a moonsault
for two. Vega tried a Code Red but Morgan blocked and
dropped down into a cover for two. (The crowd chanted “Shave
your mustache,” at Dom.) They battled on the ropes and Vega
hit a Code Red off the middle rope but Morgan rolled outside
before she could make a cover.

Dom and Rey argued so Rey shoved his son to the mat. Morgan
knocked down Rey with a baseball slide but Vega followed
with a 619 and tornado DDT for a nearfall.

Dom slid a chair into the ring toward Vega but she tossed it
in his face. Morgan used the distraction to hit Oblivion for
the pinfall win. This match was fine and the crowd got into
it.

— Dom walked off and Morgan left with him as if they were
together. Kelley walked out to interview Morgan on the stage
(which allowed Dom to leave on his own). Morgan told Kelley
she was the luckiest girl in the world and her revenge tour
was going exactly as she planned it. She dedicated her
victory tonight and all future victories to the most
gorgeous man in WWE, Daddy Dominik.

********

They aired a preview of the WrestleMania XL documentary.

********

Seth Rollins and Judgment Day segment

Rollins entered and the crowd was into him. Confetti dropped
for his entrance and he called it a sign because this time
next week, he would be world champion.

Rollins had a secret for Boston. He wanted to share it with
them because this was a championship city. They had the
Bruins, Red Sox, Patriots and 2024 NBA Champion Celtics. The
crowd loudly chanted for the Celtics. (Funny timing given
the chants at AEW Forbidden Door.)

Rollins’ secret was that he needed to win back the world
championship. If he didn’t win the title, he wouldn’t get
another shot as long as Priest was champion and Rollins
would have to re-evaluate who he was. But Rollins was at his
best when the pressure was on and he would take the title
that Priest was keeping warm.

Rollins would also take Priest away from Judgment Day. It
wasn’t Rollins’ intention to break up the Judgment Day but
he thought Priest could be the best version of himself
without them. Before Rollins could finish this thought,
Bálor interrupted.

Bálor said he should be in a good mood tonight after winning
the tag titles last week but he wasn’t. He was in a bad mood
because everything seemed to be changing. Judgment Day was
changing and Priest was changing and it was all Rollins’
fault.

Rollins called Priest a grown man who made his own decision.
Rollins said Bálor was mad because Priest got the world
title while Bálor couldn’t.

Rollins wanted to fight Bálor and Bálor seemed into it but
Priest interrupted. Rollins thought this might be a trap
(and Bálor was ready to pounce) but Priest looked at Bálor
and said nobody was getting involved in his business. Bálor
stepped aside.

Priest told Rollins he was wrong when he said his days as
champion were numbered. Rollins wanted to fight Priest now
and Priest seemed ready.

Bálor decked Rollins but Priest pulled him off. Rollins
knocked them both down with a superkick. Rollins gave Bálor
a curb stomp so Priest gave Rollins a chokeslam. Priest
helped Bálor to his feet.

********

There was a Ludwig Kaiser video.

********

Priest told Bálor he needed to beat Rollins on his own at
MITB. Bálor dismissively said, “Yep.” Priest left to get him
ice.

********

Triple Threat Money in the Bank qualifier: Zoey Stark
defeated Dakota Kai and Ivy Nile (8:45)

Nile was given the most in the match and Stark picked up the
win to qualify for MITB.

They went to break a minute into the match. Nile dropped
both opponents with a double bulldog off the top after the
break. Nile hit each opponent with separate German suplexes
before dropping them both with a German suplex at once.
Stark hit Nile with a superkick and tornado DDT. Kai gave
Stark a Kai-ropractor but Nile broke up the cover.

Kairi Sane ran out to cause a distraction but Isla Dawn and
Alba Fyre ran down to take her out. Stark used the
distraction to give Kai a Z-360 for the pinfall win.

********

They aired the Wyatt VHS tape. It was a continuation of Bo
Dallas’ conversation with Uncle Howdy. Bo Dallas spoke about
false prophets belittling their own family for their gain
and said they must pay. Dallas called himself the voice of
the reckoning. The video ended with him disappearing,
leaving Uncle Howdy as the lone figure.

********

Gable met with Otis in catering. Gable worried that the
Wyatt video was about him. He needed help and didn’t know
who else to go to. Gable admitted to calling Otis stupid, a
disappointment and a blubbering idiot. Gable knew Otis must
hate him.

Otis said he didn’t hate Gable but this wasn’t his problem,
it was Gable’s. Gable said the Wyatts could go after Akira
Tozawa or Maxxine Dupri next and he would be there for them.
Dupri showed up and asked if everything was ok. Gable said
everything was great.

********

Rey Mysterio defeated Dominick Mysterio (10:59)

They went to break a minute into the match.

[THIRD HOUR]

Dom took control after the break and the crowd again told
him to shave his mustache. Rey fought back and repeatedly
shoved his son’s face against the middle turnbuckle. Rey
followed with a seated senton and springboard crossbody.

Morgan ran down as Rey set up for something on the ropes.
Dom countered his move into a single-leg crab but Rey got a
rope break. Dom tried three amigos but Rey countered the
last one. Rey set up for 619 but Morgan pulled Dom out of
the ring — right in front of the referee.

Rey dropkicked Dom who fell on top of Morgan. Morgan was
delighted that Dom was on top of her and wouldn’t let him
get up (as the referee watched). Rey tossed Dom into the
ring and told Morgan to leave. Dom used the distraction to
hit a vertical suplex for two.

Vega ran out and attacked Morgan. Dom dropped Rey and hit a
619. Dom went to the top but the brawl between Vega and
Morgan resulted in Dom inadvertently getting crotched on the
top rope by Morgan. Again, the referee watched this all
transpire. Rey dropped Dom with a 619 and hit a springboard
splash for the pinfall win.

— Morgan apologized to Dom and said she would fix it. She
didn’t want him to be mad. He left as she pleaded with him.

********

There was a Sheamus video package hyping tonight’s match and
focusing on his past with Drew McIntyre.

They showed a quick clip of Shinsuke Nakamura with Rei
Tsuruya at UFC 303.

********

Sami Zayn and Bron Breakker segment

Zayn spoke about his upcoming title defence in Toronto
against Bron Breakker. Zayn said he wasn’t stupid and knew
people thought Bron would run right through him to win the
title. Zayn understood it but wanted to make something
clear: “I am going to beat Bron Breakker at Money in the
Bank.”

Bron interrupted. Bron said Zayn earned a little bit of his
respect last week. Everyone else in the back was afraid of
him but Zayn offered him a title match. Bron said Zayn has
guts but he also had no idea what he was in for. Bron said
respect was out the window on Saturday. Bron would break him
and decimate him to become Intercontinental Champion.

Zayn told Bron he has heard that before. He’s been beaten
down and broken but he got back up and put himself back
together every single time. The proof was in his hand (the
IC title belt). If he had to tell Bron who he was, maybe
Bron hadn’t done his homework and wasn’t as smart as he
thought he was. Maybe Bron wasn’t as good as he thought he
was.

Zayn told Bron he’d see him on Saturday. Bron was about to
leave but he turned around and speared Zayn.

Bron’s music hit and he left the ring but stopped upon
seeing Zayn hunched over at ringside. Bron ran around the
ring for a spear attempt but Zayn leaped right over him.
Zayn hammered away at Bron and hit him with an exploder in
the ring.

Zayn went for a Helluva Kick but Bron popped out of the
corner and speared him again. Bron held up the IC title
belt.

This was good.

********

Kelley interviewed Damage CTRL about MITB. Kai said they
were still focused on Iyo Sky winning the ladder match. Kai
was also sick of everyone getting involved in their
business.

Lyra Valkyria barged in and told Kai they couldn’t climb the
ladder for Sky. Lyra said she would win the briefcase.
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance busted in and attacked
Damage CTRL. They all brawled and a bunch of officials
appeared out of thin air to intervene.

********

There was a recap of the Bloodline angle from Smackdown. The
live crowd chanted for Roman Reigns.

The announcers ran down Saturday’s Money in the Bank card.

There was a video for Ilja Dragunov. He said he would win
tonight and win MITB, “or die trying.”

********

Next week on Raw in Ottawa, Ontario (post-MITB):

Jey Uso vs. Chad Gable
Six-woman tag match: Lyra Valkyria, Katana Chance & Kayden
Carter vs. Damage CTRL

********

Triple Threat Money in the Bank qualifier: Drew McIntyre
defeated Sheamus and Ilja Dragunov (17:16)

McIntyre faced off with Sheamus and dismissively shoved
Dragunov aside so Dragunov booted McIntyre from the ring.
Sheamus hit McIntyre with ten beats of the Bodhrán from
behind the barricade. A sweaty Sheamus embraced some fans
ahead of a break.

All three men were down shortly following the break and it
was Dragunov who knocked down his opponents when they all
arose. Dragunov hit Sheamus with an H-Bomb off the apron. He
hit McIntyre with a flying senton and H-Bomb for two.
Sheamus drove Dragunov into the barricade ahead of another
break.

They did a tower of doom immediately following the break
which saw Dragunov bring down both men with a suplex. The
crowd chanted “Holy sh*t” and “This is awesome” as Dragunov
got two counts on both men.

McIntyre headbutted Dragunov and went for a Claymore Kick
but Dragunov cut him off with Torpedo Moscow. McIntyre
rolled out of the ring before Dragunov could go for a cover.

Dragunov went for a coast-to-coast dropkick on Sheamus but
Sheamus caught him with a mid-air knee strike. Sheamus
followed with a Brogue Kick but McIntyre pulled Dragunov out
of the ring to break up the cover. McIntyre chucked Dragunov
into the timekeeper’s area (and that was it for Ilja.)

Sheamus and McIntyre traded blows until Sheamus hit a
powerslam. McIntyre dodged a Brogue Kick and applied a
schoolboy for two. Sheamus hit a knee strike but McIntyre
came right back with a Claymore Kick for the pinfall win.

— Kelley interviewed McIntyre in the ring post-match.
McIntyre grabbed the mic and said, “I told you I was gonna
win this war and that’s exactly what I did. You ready for
some more truth? I’m walking into Money in the Bank this
Saturday and I am leaving Toronto World Heavyweight
Champion.”

McIntyre put on CM Punk’s bracelet and posed as the show
ended.

(This was a fun match from what we saw but it was almost
certainly way better for the live crowd who didn’t have to
watch the commercial breaks. They came back from the first
break with all three men exhausted even though we hadn’t
seen them do much yet and they didn’t show any replays of
what we missed. About 40% of the match took place during
breaks.)


 

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