Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 6/12/2023 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.
We will bring full results and breakdowns for every match and segment on the show. Follow Fightful on https://Twitter.com/Fightful and http://Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
Here's what is set for the show.
Preview.
WWE Raw (6/12/2023)
- Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens vs. IMPERIUM (Ludwig Kaiser & WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER).
- Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz.
- Men's Money In The Bank Qualifier Match: Matt Riddle vs. Damian Priest.
Live Coverage.
- Kevin Patrick & Corey Graves welcomed the audience to the broadcast before transitioning into the opening segment.
- SmackDown Women's Champion Rhea Ripley came to the ring with WWE Official Adam Pearce. Pearce gifted Ripley a new championship, officially naming Ripley as the new WWE Women's World Champion. Dominik came to the ring to celebrate with Ripley but was interrupted by "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes. Rhodes put over Ripley's achievements as the new champion but transitioned into talking about Dominik's attack on Rhodes last week. Rhodes then challenged Dominik to a one-on-one match on WWE Money In The Bank. After being poured with "You suck" chants from the crowd, Ripley accepted Rhodes's challenge. Miz tried to attack Rhodes, but Rhodes tossed Miz out of the ring, which allowed Dominik to attack Rhodes from behind before running out of the ring. This was a transition to Rhodes's match against Miz after the break.
Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz.
The miz got a waist lock on Rhodes to begin the match, but Rhodes got off the hold and caught him with a dropkick. The Miz landed on his feet off a back suplex, but Rhodes tossed him out of the ring before sending him off the apron with a Disaster Kick, followed by a Tope Suicida on Miz. Back in the ring, Miz went for a kick on Rhodes, but Rhodes caught it and hit a Dragon Screw on Miz. Rhodes dominated proceedings, slamming Miz onto the top turnbuckle before going for a corner splash, but Miz tossed him with a Bandera toss onto the apron before slamming Rhodes's face onto the stairs. Back in the ring, Miz stomped Rhodes in the gut before catching a jab on Rhodes and working on his injured arm. Miz hit three chops on Rhodes before going for a DDT, but Rhodes reversed it with a Facebuster on Miz before going for a shoulder block, but Miz evaded to send Rhodes crashing into the ring post before tossing him again onto the stairs ahead of the commercial break.
Back from the break, Miz hit the Miz Lariat on Rhodes on the corner before climbing to the top rope and going for a dive, but Rhdoes evaded and hit a Side Effect on Miz. Miz hit a lariat, leaped over Miz, and hit a Snap-Slam on Miz before hitting the Disaster Kick on The Miz, but Miz kicked out at two. Rhodes went for a Cody Cutter, but Miz blocked it and went for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Rhodes reversed it with a Victory Roll for a near fall. Miz kicked it out and hit the It Kicks on Rhodes before spiking him with a DDT for a near fall. Miz went for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Rhodes evaded and hit the Cody Cutter before catching The Miz and hitting the Cross Rhodes for the pinfall win.
Winner: Cody Rhodes.
- Becky Lynch was seen talking with Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn before walking past Alpha Academy. This was ahead of Lynch's match against "The Hot Mess" Chelsea Green.
- Prior to her match against Green, Becky Lynch cut a promo ahead of her involvement in the Women's Money In The Bank. Lynch said that the Briefcase was the only thing that has alluded to her before saying that the briefcase gives all the power to make the champions scared, which she liked because it makes her better. Lynch then talked about Trish Stratus & Zoey Stark, but Stark interrupted Lynch by saying that Lynch would never add beating Stratus as an accolade. Lynch said that Stark did not have a personality, but Stark refuted by saying that Lynch was popular because Nia Jax broke her face. Stark was about to attack Lynch, but Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green interrupted proceedings to have her match against Lynch.
Becky Lynch vs. Chelsea Green (w/ Sonya Deville).
Lynch caught Green with a running dropkick. Green climbed to the top rope, but Lynch pushed Green to the outside before the commercial break. Back from the break, Green got Lynch in a headlock, but Lynch hit a snap-mare to break the hold before going for a kick on Green, but Green slammed her onto the mat before hitting Lynch with a vicious Curb Stomp into the bottom turnbuckle. Green & Lynch exchanged strikes before Green tossed Lynch into the apron with a Bander toss. The two were on the top rope before Green went for a Superplex, but Lynch dropped her off the top rope before hitting a Diving Shotgun Dropkick on Green to send her to the outside. Lynch caught Green with a sliding dropkick on Green before viciously tossing Green into the guard rail. Back in the ring, Green caught Lynch with a Tornado Kick before getting a Schoolboy Pin on Lynch, but Lynch reversed it with the Disarmer for the Submission win.
Winner: Becky Lynch.
- Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio & Damian Priest were talking backstage while Finn Balor was zoned out. Priest promised to beat Matt Riddle, asking The Judgment Day to stay backstage for the match.
Men's Money In The Bank Qualifier Match.
Matt Riddle vs. Damian Priest.
The match began with Preist hitting a gut kick on Riddle before clubbing Riddle's back. Priest went for a kick, but Riddle reversed it with an Ankle Lock before Priest got the ropes. Priest went for a suplex off Riddle's Kimura Lock, but Riddle reversed it with a Sleeper before Priest backed Riddle into the corner. Riddle ran the ropes before catching Priest with a Running Gamonguri on Priest. Priest went for a Tornado Kick on Riddle, but Riddle evaded before hitting a forearm strike on Priest and tossing him to the outside. Riddle went for a Penalty Kick on Priest off the apron, but Priest responded by slamming him into the apron. Priest went for a Pounce on Riddle, but Riddle evaded before sending Priest crashing into the broadcast table. Back in the ring, Riddle hit a series of forearm strikes on Priest, but Priest responded with a Hanging Flatliner on Riddle before sending him to the corner and firing away with punches on the corner and hitting a Back Breaker on Riddle for a near fall. Priest got a Bow & Arrow Hold on Riddle, but Riddle reversed it with a Bridge for a near fall Riddle hit a series of kicks onto Priest's back before hitting a Pele Kick, a T-Bone Suplex, a Bro-ton, a Penalty Kick off the Apron, and a Floating Bro on Priest to the outside. Back in the ring, Riddle went for Bro-Berek, but Priest reversed it and attempted a Tombstone, but Riddle rolled over and hit a German Suplex on Priest for a near fall. The two Monster Academy Graduates exchanged strikes and kicks before Riddle caught Priest with a V-Trigger, but Priest responded with the Broken Arrow on Riddle before the commercial break.
Back from the break, Riddle fired away with kicks on priest before rolling over and locking in an Ankle Lock on Priest before transitioning into a Sleeper Hold on Priest. Priest slammed Riddle onto the mat, but Riddle locked the hold yet again before Priest rolled over and hit a lariat on Riddle. Priest hit a back elbow on Riddle in the corner, but Riddle caught him in a Triangle Lock on the ropes before going for a springboard move, but Priest caught him with a Jab before hitting a Draping Headlock Driver on Riddle off the top rope for a near fall. Priest went for a Chokeslam, but Riddle rolled over and punted Priest in the head before climbing to the top rope, but Priest shoved Riddle onto the ring post. Priest went for an Avalanche Razor's Edge, but Riddle rolled over before hitting a Fisherman's Superplex on Priest for a near fall. Riddle climbed to the top rope and went for a Moonsualt, but Priest evaded before hitting Riddle with the Razor's Edge for the pinfall win.
Winner: Damian Priest.
- After the match, Priest was confronted by IMPERIUM's GUNTHER & Ludwig Kaiser, telling them to pick the bones. GUNTHER & Kaiser attacked Riddle in the center of the ring before GUNTHER hit a vicious chop on Riddle's chest. GUNTHER stood over Riddle, teasing a new feud between Riddle & GUNTHER.
- Cody Rhodes was interviewed backstage by Cathy Kelley. Rhodes pointed out The Judgment Day gassing up Dominik, saying that Dominik would get hurt. Rhodes said that he is clinging to every second the fans give him ahead of finishing his story before wishing Dominik good luck.
- Natalya was interviewed backstage by Byron Saxton. Natalya said that being her may not be enough for her anymore before storming out of the building.
- Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens were interviewed backstage, but Ludwig Kaiser & GUNTHER interrupted proceedings. Zayn said that it took three people to take down Owens before Adam Pearce interrupted the two teams. Kaiser & GUNTHER challenged them for the Tag Titles. Owens raged before accepting the challenge. GUNTHER & Kaiser made fun of Zayn, but Zayn confronted them and declared them the top tag team in WWE.
- There was a video package recapping the events involving The Bloodline & Jey Uso from the June 9th, 2023 edition of Friday Night SmackDown. You can view the full results for that episode here.
- Backstage, Indus Sher (Jinder Mahal, Veer & Sanga) cut a promo backstage challenging Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander to a proper match after they attacked the former Hurt Business members last week.
Ricochet vs. Bronson Reed.
Ricochet hit a dropkick on Reed to begin the match before firing away with jabs and thigh kicks on Reed. Ricochet continued to fire away with forearm strikes on Reed, but Reed tossed Ricochet into the corner before blasting Ricochet's jaw with a forearm strike. While Shinsuke Nakamura walked down the ramp to watch the match, Reed caught Ricochet before slamming him into the top rope before swinging the top rope to send him crashing onto he mat before he & Nakamura had a staredown before the commercial break.
Back from the break, Ricochet evaded Reed's powerbomb attempt and hit a backflip back elbow on Reed. Ricochet hit an enziguri, aGamonguri, a dropkick on the apron & a Spring-rope Dropkick on Reed to send him to the outside before hitting him with a Tope Suicida to the outside & bringing him back in the ring with a Crossbody & a Lionsault on Reed for. anear fall. Reed went to the apron, but Ricochet caught him with an enziguri before attempting a moonsault off the apron, but Reed caught him and hit a Blackout on Reed onto Nakamura. Reed climbed to the top rope, but Nakamura attacked Reed to give Reed a Disqualification win.
Ricochet argued with Nakamura after the match before Reed laid out the two wrestlers. Reed went for a Tsunami on Nakamaura, but Nakamura & Ricochet caught him off the top rope before catching him with a Superplex off the top rope.
Winner: Bronson Reed (Disqualification).
- Kevin Owens told Zayn that he had been blowing up in the past weeks due to the stress he had accumulated over the past weeks. Owens told Zayn that he would be calm for the match against IMPERIUM.
- Ricochet confronted Adam Pearce because he wanted a rematch against Bronson Reed next week, but Pearce told Ricochet that Reed already got a match next week against Nakamura. Ricochet argued with Nakamura about the match, but Nakamura told Ricochet that he would succeed in what he failed at. Nakamura told Ricochet that he can have Reed once he was done with him.
- Finn Balor came to the ring to cut a promo. Balor immediately called out WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and told him to get to the ring right now. Balor demanded the crowd to shut up while they were singing Rollins's theme song. Balor talked about beating Rollins to become the first-ever WWE Universal Champion but was continually stopped by the crowd singing Rollins's theme song. Rollins told Balor that if he had something off his chest, to say it before the crowd sang. Balor blamed Rollins for not having a full run with the Universal title, saying that Rollins took everything from him and promised to take everything back from Rollins. Balor challenged Rollins to a match at Money In the Bank. Rollins was elated by Balor's fire, saying that this was the Balor he had been waiting for seven years, with Rollins saying Balor had been stalling because one of the two got bitter while the other got better. Rollins accepted Balor's challenge at Money In The Bank, but asked Balor which version was coming to London: The version that beat him at the 2016 edition of Summerslam or the one whining like a little bitch.
Raquel Rodriguez vs. Shayna Baszler (w/ Ronda Rousey).
Baszler 7 Raquel began the match locking up before Raquel tossed Baszler into the corner. Baszler went for a Kimura Lock on Raquel, but Raquel responded by hitting two Consecutive Fall-Away Slams on Baszler before Baszler rolled out of the ring. Back in the ring, Raquel went for a Helluva Kick, but Baszler evaded and kicked Raquel in the leg. Baszler locked in a leg lock on Raquel before stomping Raquel's ankle. Raquel hit a Swinging Lariat on Baszler before chopping Down Baszler's left leg. Raquel hit a Corkscrew Senton before going for the Chingona Bomb, but Rousey distracted Raquel on the apron. Baszler locked in a Schoolboy Roll-Up on Raquel, with Raquel assisting Baszler pin to get the win.
Winner: Shayna Bazler.
- There was a video package in tribute to the life & career of Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, famously known as "The Iron Sheik". You can see the reaction of the wrestling world to Iron Sheik's passing here. Fightful sends its condolences to The Iron Sheik's family, friends, and fans.
Chad Gable (w/ Otis & Maxxine Dupri of Alpha Academy) vs. Erik (w/ Valhalla & Ivar of The Viking Raiders).
Erik shouted at Gable to begin the match, but Gable responded by whooshing him. Gable hit an arm drag on Erik before going for a Hammerthrow, but Erik evaded and hit a forearm strike on Erik. Erik put Gable on the top rope, but Gable dropped him with a cross chop before hitting a Diving Headbutt on Erik. Valhalla chased down Dupri, but Dupri caught her with an arm drag. Meanwhile in the ring, but Gable got Erik with a Sunset Bomb on Erik for the pinfall win.
Winner: Chad Gable.
- There was a video package highlighting WWE Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley.
- JD McDonagh was seen talking with Finn Balor backstage before he was confronted by Damian Priest. Balor asked Priest if he would cash in on Balor if he won the belt, but Priest said that he would not. Priest told Balor to not be stressed about Rollins and end this on Money In The Bank.
- WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins was interviewed backstage, with Rollins saying that he was as prepared and confident as a man could be, but wondered if Balor was as ready as Rollins. Rollins wondered if Priest would betray before Rolllins decided to do an Open Challenge for next week. A reminder, Rollins is set to make an appearance in NXT Tomorrow. Fightful will have the results for that.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match.
Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (c) vs. IMPERIUM (Ludwig Kaiser & WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER).
Zayn & GUNTHER began the match locking up before GUNTHER tossed Zayn into the mat. The two locked up again before GUNTHER backed Zayn into the corner. GUNTHER went for a chop on Zayn, but Zayn evaded before hitting two chops on GUNTHER. GUNTHER was livid and hit a boot kick on Zayn before hitting a headlock takeover on Zayn. Zayn low-bridged the rope to send GUNTHER to the outside before catching him with a Tope Con Giro to the outside before the commercial break.
Back from the break, Zayn & Kaiser ran the ropes before Zayn hit an arm drag on Kaiser. Kaiser backed Zayn into the corner before placing him on the top rope. Zayn blocked Kaiser's enziguri kick before hitting an Ax-Handle on Kaiser for a near fall. Zayn & Owens hit a Drop toe-hold on Kaiser before Owens stomped Kaiser on the chest and hit a Lionsault on Kaiser for a near fall. Kaiser hit a back elbow and a jab on Owens, but Owens responded with a lariat & a senton on Kaiser for a near fall. Zayn tagged in and fire away with strikes, but GUNTHER did a blind tag before hitting boot kicks on both Zayn and Owens before hitting a Running Splash on Zayn for a near fall. GUNTHER got Zayn and hit two vicious chops before Kaiser tagged in and locked in a Chin Lock on Zayn. Zayn got out of the hold, but Kaiser caught him with a jab before hanging Zayn on the middle rope and hitting a running kick on Zayn, which was followed by GUNTHER hitting a Sheer Drop Back Suplex on Zayn before the commercial break.
After the break, Zayn hit a Sunset Bomb on Kaiser with a fired-up crowd. Zayn & Kaiser crawled in their corners before GUNTHER & Owens tagged in. Owens hit a series of strikes and swinging lariats on GUNTHER before shaking off a boot kick from GUNTHER and hitting a lariat, a senton, a T-Bone Suplex, a Thrust Kick, a Cannonball and a Swanton Bomb on GUNTHER to get the pin, but GUNTHER kicked out at two. GUNTHER got Owens in a Schoolboy Roll-Up, but Owens evaded before going for a Stunner, but GUNTHER blocked it and hit a Boot Kick on Owens. Zayn 7 Kaiser tagged in, with Zayn hitting an Exploder Suplex on Kaiser. GUNTHER pulled Zayn out. of the ring and tried to chop him, but Zayn evaded, sending GUNTHER's hand into the ring post. Kaiser caught Zayn with an Enziguri before hitting a Rolling Death Valley Driver on Zayn followed by a Pentalty Kick. After that, GUNTHER & Kaiser hit a Powerbomb/ Uppercut Combo on Zayn, followed by Kaiser hitting a Tope Suicida on Owens while GUNTHER hit a Wicked Lariat on Zayn for a near fall. Kaiser & GUNTHER got Zayn before hitting him with a Doomsday Device to get the pin on Zayn, but Owens tossed GUNTHER onto Kaiser to break the pin. GUNTHER & Owens brawled on the outside before Riddle came to the ramp Riddle was being stopped by an army of referees, Jamie Noble, and Peter Williams; however, GUNTHER greeted Riddle with a Boot Kick immediately. GUNTHER was not so lucky though, as Owens saw this and spiked GUNTHER with a DDT on the ramp. In the last stage of the match, inside of the ring, Kaiser went for a lariat, but Zayn evaded before hitting the Blue Thunder Bomb on Kaiser for the pinfall win & title retention!
Owens & Zayn stood tall to end the broadcast.
Winners AND STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn.
- Check out the post-show podcast for a full review of the show on Fightful's YouTube & Twitch channels. You can check Fightful's Results Section here.
