WWE Raw live results: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez title match (2024)

Date: September 11, 2023
Location: Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, VA

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Show Recap —

Raw kicked off with fireworks before the announcers ran down tonight’s show.

Jey Uso entered to start the show and received a very big reaction. Jey said it felt good to be out of the Bloodline and on his own on Monday Night Raw.

Kevin Owens interrupted. Owens said Jey must’ve meant to say that he was on the Kevin Owens Show. Owens said he has been in Jey’s same situation and knew what he was going through. Owens did a lot of bad things to a lot of people. When he tried to make a change, it took a long time to earn the trust of others. In fact, many in the locker room still didn’t trust or respect him.

Owens said Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle were only two of the people who didn’t want Jey there. People who never spoke to Owens approached him recently to tell him they didn’t want Jey there.

Owens noted that Cody Rhodes seemed fine with it and Sami Zayn welcomed him with open arms. But that was it. Jey still had a long way to go to earn Owens’ respect and trust and to prove he wasn’t the same scumbag that hung with the Bloodline.

Judgment Day (minus Rhea Ripley) interrupted. Finn Bálor said Jey didn’t have to prove himself to Owens. “Grand Slam Finn” and the Judgment Day respected Jey.

Damian Priest told Owens that he doesn’t speak for the locker room because they ran the show. Priest told Jey that their door was always open. Priest said Dominik Mysterio turned them down a thousand times but now he’s the best version of himself — and a champion.

The mere mention of Dom got boos and they booed even louder when he tried to speak. I’m not sure if they increased the crowd volume or what but it was legitimately difficult to hear what he was saying.

Priest said they were supposed to have a match against Owens and Zayn but he wondered where Zayn was. Owens said Zayn wasn’t there tonight but he was willing to fight all three on his own.

Jey said he would have Owens’ back and offered to be his partner tonight. The crowd cheered. Dom yelled at Jey (off the mic) because he felt excluded.

Owens said, “Let’s do it” and Jey superkicked Dom. Owens and Jey cleared Judgment Day from the ring together.

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Tag Team Champions Finn Bálor & Damian Priest (w/Dominik Mysterio) defeated Kevin Owens & Jey Uso in a non-title match (12:25)

Jey wiped out Priest and Bálor with a dive but Dom took the opportunity to chop-block Owens’ leg while he was on the apron. (Judgment Day had been working over Owens’ knee.)

After a break, Judgment Day had control over Owens. They didn’t explain how Owens was suddenly the legal man after he was attacked on the apron while Jey was the legal man.

Jey made a hot tag pretty quickly anyway. He ran wild on Bálor and hit a superkick but Bálor got his knees up on a splash. Owens tagged in and hammered away at Priest and hit a tornado DDT for two.

Owens went to the top but Priest cut him off. Bálor tagged in but Owens gave him an avalanche fisherman’s buster and Priest broke up the cover.

Jey went for a superkick but Priest dodged it and Jey superkicked Owens by mistake. Priest knocked Jey out of the ring while Bálor hit Owens with a Coup de Grace for the pinfall win.

— Jey tried reasoning with Owens who just walked (limped) to the back.

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Raquel Rodriguez was shown warming up in the back and was approached by Natalya. Michael Cole said Natalya has been giving Rodriguez advice on facing Rhea Ripley.

After a break, Jey approached Owens in the back and apologized. Jey called it a miscue. Owens wasn’t buying it. He angrily told Jey to go join Judgment Day and dye his hair purple while he was at it.

There was a video package of Gunther’s win over Chad Gable last week, cementing his record reign. Imperium, all dressed in black suits, were shown arriving at the arena in a Mercedes-Benz. (Giovanni Vinci drove.)

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There was a 9/11 memorial video.

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The Miz defeated Akira Tozawa (3:11)

Tozawa started with kick strikes but Miz turned him inside out with a boot. Miz did his usual offence and won after three consecutive Skull Crushing Finales.

Miz faces LA Knight on Friday’s Smackdown.

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Byron Saxton interviewed Rodriguez. She said Ripley has taken over the women’s division because everyone loses to fear before they even step in the ring. Rodriguez said she wasn’t like everyone else and Ripley knew it. Dom wouldn’t be at ringside, either, and Ripley would learn a lesson that would feel like a nightmare. Ripley wouldn’t be the tallest, strongest or angriest woman to step into the ring tonight and she would get a taste of her own medicine.

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[SECOND HOUR]

Jackie Redmond interviewed Shayna Baszler. Baszler said Zoey Stark surprised her last week with her effort. Before she could continue, Chelsea Green interrupted to let Baszler know she was looking for a new partner because hers wasn’t cleared. Baszler said they weren’t peers and challenged her to match to show her how large the gap was between them.

After Baszler left, Piper Niven appeared to let Green know she was medically cleared. Niven took her title back from Green.

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Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship Celebration

Ludwig Kaiser introduced Gunther. Gunther smiled as he stood on top of a platform with his Intercontinental title. Gunther said he rewrote history to the surprise of no one. He announced himself as the longest-reigning and greatest Intercontinental champion in history.

Gunther said it meant a lot to him. All of the legends who held the title before him meant absolutely nothing. He has elevated the title to heights never seen before and he was running out of competition.

Chad Gable interrupted. Gable said they had a main event for the ages last week and he was still feeling it this morning when he woke up. Gable congratulated Gunther.

Gunther invited Gable into the ring. Gable said he saw the look in Gunther’s eyes after their match. Gable knew that Gunther knew that Gable gave him a better fight than anyone else during his title reign.

But he also saw the look of his entire family sitting in the front row. He saw the tears on the face of his oldest daughter and that was because of Gunther. Gunther wouldn’t know what that felt like because you had to be a parent to understand. Gable said it lit a fire under him that won’t burn out until he made this right.

Gable said he beat Gunther once and would do it again. Gable didn’t know when or how he would get the opportunity but when he did, “I swear to God, I’m winning that championship. And I swear to God, my daughter is walking out with a smile on her face.”

Gunther wondered if Gable really wanted to drag his family around just to watch him lose again. He also accused Gable of using them just to gain sympathy. Gunther called him a terrible father.

Gable attacked Gunther so Imperium swarmed him. They put the boots to him until Otis rumbled out. Otis chucked Vinci and Kaiser from the ring but he was cut down by Gunther. Gable tried saving Otis but Gunther knocked him down too.

Imperium continued the beating until Tommaso Ciampa ran down with a chair. Imperium bailed.

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Earlier today, Xavier Woods approached Drew McIntyre. Woods wondered why he spoke trash about Kofi Kingston last week. McIntyre said that maybe Kingston should be a man and speak to him himself.

Woods wondered if McIntyre was jealous that Kingston won his world title at WrestleMania in front of 82,000 fans (yes, he said 82,000 — that was not the attendance of that show) while McIntyre won his in an empty arena.

McIntyre stepped to Woods who was not intimidated. McIntyre agreed to a match and said whatever happened to Woods would not be an accident.

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Redmond interviewed Ciampa and Alpha Academy. Ciampa said Adam Pearce advised him to make the most of his opportunities so he did. Gable and Otis said this was far from over. Otis suggested a six-man tag team carnage match. Gable asked Ciampa if he was in but he just walked off. Gable assumed that was a yes.

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Drew McIntyre defeated Xavier Woods (9:41)

After a break, Woods powerbombed McIntyre (who was perched on the top turnbuckle) and hit a diving leg drop for two. McIntyre blocked a clothesline and hit consecutive overhead suplexes and a neckbreaker.

McIntyre went for Claymore Kick but Woods intercepted with a superkick for two. McIntyre tried a reverse Alabama Slam but Woods countered into a victory roll for two. Woods followed with a thrust kick, senton and shining wizard for two. The crowd chanted “This is awesome.”

They traded counters but as Woods set up for a rolling forearm, McIntyre suddenly hit a Claymore Kick for the pinfall win.

(As McIntyre backed away up the ramp, he told Woods, “It didn’t have to be this way.”)

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Cody Rhodes segment

Rhodes entered to a big reaction. Rhodes wanted to talk about Main Event Jey Uso but was quickly interrupted by Dominik and JD McDonagh. The crowd loudly booed Dom again.

Dom was happy Rhodes brought Jey to Raw because he would join Judgment Day and when he did, Rhodes would look like a fool. Dom said there was nothing Rhodes could do about it (Dom flicked at Rhodes’ necktie as he said this).

Rhodes decked Dom to the delight of the crowd. McDonagh attacked Rhodes but Rhodes dealt with him easily and gave him a Cross Rhodes. Cody also gave Dom a Cross Rhodes. Dom and McDonagh backed away.

The crowd was hot for this.

(This was a rare Rhodes in-ring segment that wasn’t at the top of the hour.)

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McIntyre approached Jey in the back and told him he didn’t trust him one bit. Jey dismissively said, “Cool.” McIntyre didn’t think Jey could stand on his own two feet and said Judgment Day was probably looking good to him. Jey challenged him to a match next week and McIntyre accepted.

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NXT tomorrow: Tiffany Stratton defends her Women’s title against Becky Lynch.

Shayna Baszler defeated Tag Team Champion Chelsea Green (w/Piper Niven) (1:48)

Baszler had a confrontation with Niven outside the ring but it didn’t really lead to anything in the match. Baszler blocked Green’s Unprettier and hit a spinning Samoan Drop (Ronda Rousey’s Piper’s Pit) for the pinfall win.

— Baszler and Niven got into a brawl post-match. Niven was getting the better of it but Zoey Stark ran out and superkicked Niven. After Baszler took out Green, Niven stood up and faced off with Baszler and Stark before ultimately leaving the ring.

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Shinsuke Nakamura video promo

Nakamura wondered if Seth Rollins felt like a champion after he stood over Rollins’ broken body. He said Rollins was not honourable and wondered if the fans would still sing his song if they remembered the things he’s done.

Nakamura said the road to Rollins’ success was lined with the bodies of those who trusted him (as a clip played of Rollins turning on the Shield). Rollins believed that the weak exist to be consumed by the strong. Rollins was a manipulator, a deceiver, and a liar. He brought shame to his family and had no remorse.

Nakamura would strip him of the title and expose the lies he claimed to stand for. Rollins’ words meant nothing. “I will challenge you when I feel like it.”

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[THIRD HOUR]

Seth Rollins/Shinsuke Nakamura segment

Rollins entered. He called himself a visionary and revolutionary but also admitted to being a manipulator, a deceiver and a lair — just as Nakamura said. But he was also a father, a fighter, and your World Heavyweight Champion.

For a long time, Rollins didn’t know who he was. He surrounded himself in the Authority with people who lied to his face. Then he tried to be who everyone wanted to be, but that didn’t work out.

Rollins finally figured out what everyone wanted him to be — himself. (He said this while wearing a big, fuzzy, aqua blue coat and oversized, oddly shaped shades.) That’s why the fans loved him. Not because he was a good guy or a bad guy, but because he was Seth freakin’ Rollins — and that’s why they sang his song.

Rollins said it was because of the fans that he could look his daughter in the eyes and be at peace with his past and proud of his future.

Rollins said he didn’t come to Virginia to talk, he came to fight. Management wanted him to slow down and told him he’d burn himself out but he was a workhorse. He called out Nakamura for a title match last week but he said no.

Rollins said Nakamura wanted to do it on his own time and figured their Payback match took out more from Nakamura than he was letting on. Rollins said there was no better time than right now in Norfolk so he called out Nakamura.

Nakamura’s music hit but he didn’t show. Instead, Nakamura was shown beating up Ricochet in the back. Nakamura said he wanted to fight Rollins but he thought Rollins wasn’t medically cleared, “So I fought already, right, Ricochet?” Ricochet shoved him so Nakamura kneed him repeatedly. Nakamura apologized to Rollins and said, “I will take your title, but not today.”

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Bálor approached Jey in the back. Bálor was impressed with what Jey did to Owens and winked at him. Bálor said McIntyre might not be a fan of Jey but he was, as was the rest of Judgment Day. Jey said, “For real?” and Bálor assured him their door was open. (Jey was watching over his shoulder during this exchange.)

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They congratulated Coco Gauff on winning the US Open and showed a picture of her celebrating with a WWE title belt.

Six-man tag team match: Tomasso Ciampa, Chad Gable & Otis (w/Maxxine Dupri) defeated IC Champion Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci (13:06)

Imperium worked over Gable through a break and Gunther chopped away at him following the break. Gable broke free and tagged in Ciampa who hit Vinci with clotheslines and an inverted DDT for two. A distraction allowed Vinci to clothesline Ciampa. Otis made the hot tag, slammed Kaiser and hit a Caterpillar. However, Otis ran shoulder-first into the post.

Gunther tagged in. Gable tagged in. The crowd was into their exchange. Gunther hit a German suplex but Gable applied an ankle lock moments later. Vinci tagged himself in and hit a flying crossbody to break up the ankle lock. Gable hit a Chaos Theory but Gunther broke up the cover.

Ciampa kneed Gunther out of the ring, Kaiser took out Ciampa, Otis dropped Kaiser, and Gunther dropped Otis.

Gable put Vinci in the ankle lock again. Gunther was about to break it up but Ciampa cut him off and put him in the Gargano Escape. Vinci tapped out and the crowd popped big for Gable’s win.

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Judgment Day had a meeting backstage. They were pretty confident Jey Uso would join them. Dom was upset he couldn’t be ringside for Ripley’s match tonight. Ripley wasn’t worried because Mami’s always on top.

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Nakamura faces Ricochet next week on Raw.

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Tiffany Stratton/Becky Lynch segment

Tiffany Stratton met with Pearce in his office. She was annoyed that Becky Lynch wasn’t there and annoyed that Pearce didn’t roll out the red carpet for her.

Lynch entered the room. Pearce said he spoke with Shawn Michaels and they agreed to have them sign a contract tonight ahead of their match tomorrow.

Stratton said she’s been nothing but respectful to Lynch and even apologized for calling her a former NXT Women’s Champion. She wondered why Lynch was coming after her and her title.

Lynch admitted that she wasn’t paying much attention to Stratton before she showed up on Raw and used her name in vain, then she had no choice but to pay attention to her. Lynch put over Stratton’s athletic ability before calling her as dumb as a box of rocks.

Lynch said Stratton could be the future but she wouldn’t be if she was only focused on being famous. Lynch threatened to make her famous tomorrow when she takes the title. Lynch signed the contract.

Stratton had no problem making her name at Lynch’s expense and called herself the greatest NXT Women’s Champion in history. Stratton signed.

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Rhea Ripley defeated Raquel Rodriguez to retain the Women’s World Championship (15:16)

Rodriguez immediately dropped Ripley with a clothesline and powerslam for two. Ripley responded with a missile dropkick, a cannonball off the steel steps, and a running knee strike for two (Ripley flexed as she made the cover). Rodriguez chucked Ripley out of the ring and booted her into the barricade.

During a break, Rodriguez drove Ripley into the barricade. With no explanation, Ripley was in control following the break.

Ripley had Rodriguez in a leg lock but Rodriguez got out by slamming Ripley’s head onto the mat. Ripley dropped Rodriguez face-first onto the top turnbuckle moments later. Ripley wrapped her legs around Rodriguez’s head so Rodriguez stood up and dropped Ripley face-first onto the top turnbuckle.

They exchange strikes before dropping each other at the same time with running boots. They exchanged right hands until Ripley kicked her and hit a Northern Lights Suplex for two. Rodriguez blocked a Rip-tide and hit snake eyes, a backbody drop, and a big boot for two. Rodriguez went for a corkscrew elbow drop but Ripley got her feet up.

Ripley went to the top, did Eddie Guerrero’s shimmy, and hit a frog splash for two.

Ripley tried a cannonball off the apron but Rodriguez caught her and drove her into the announce table. Rodriguez also powerbombed her onto the edge of the ring.

As the referee checked on Ripley, Nia Jax appeared and gave Rodriguez a Samoan Drop outside the ring. (The referee somehow didn’t notice or care that Rodriguez was suddenly hurt or that Jax was at ringside.)

Rodriguez made it back in the ring but Ripley gave her a Rip-tide for the pinfall win.

— After the match, Ripley celebrated with her belt but seemed surprised to see Jax.

Jax headbutted Ripley. Jax also gave her a leg drop and a Banzai drop. The crowd booed as Jax blew them kisses.