Cody Rhodes vs. Dominik Mysterio of The Judgment Day has been added to the lineup for the Monday, September 18 WWE Raw.
As revealed during a video promo for Raw during Friday’s SmackDown, Rhodes vs. Mysterio is set for Monday’s Raw in a rematch from July’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view.
Rhodes was involved in an angle with Mysterio and JD McDonagh on the September 11 Raw, where both interrupted a Rhodes promo segment. Rhodes hit both with his Cross Rhodes finisher.
Two other bouts have already been announced for Raw.
In a matchup of top singles stars, Drew McIntyre will face Jey Uso in Uso’s first match since SummerSlam’s main event, plus leaving the SmackDown brand and joining the Raw roster.
Also announced, number one contender to Seth Rollins’ World Heavyweight Championship Shinsuke Nakamura will be in action against Ricochet. Nakamura attacked Ricochet during a backstage segment on the September 11 Raw to set up the match.
The NXT and North American Champions will meet next week.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes will face NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio on next Tuesday’s NXT. The two ran into one another in a backstage segment that took place on Tuesday’s show and ended up exchanging words. Mysterio mentioned that like himself, Hayes had his top challengers wrestle one another to determine the number one contender. Hayes didn’t like being compared to Mysterio and the two eventually agreed to a match for next week with neither title being on the line.
Also set for next week is a match between Lola Vice and Roxanne Perez after the two confronted one another in the women’s locker room. Vice told Perez that after she defeats her, she will go on to win the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament.
Matches in the NXT Global Heritage Invitational will also take place. Tyler Bate will face Butch, while Duke Hudson will face Joe Coffey.
Here is the updated card for next week’s NXT:
Champion vs. champion non-title: NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes vs. NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio
Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice
NXT Global Heritage Invitational: Tyler Bate vs. Butch
NXT Global Heritage Invitational: Duke Hudson vs. Joe Coffey
Mustafa Ali will get the NXT North American Championship match at NXT No Mercy later this month.
Ali defeated Dragon Lee in a match that was set to determine the number one contender to Dominik Mysterio’s title. The finish had Mysterio, who was the special guest referee for the match, fast counted Lee when Ali rolled him up.
After the match, Ali seemed happy to have won at first, but then laid out Dominik Mysterio with a punch, not wanting to have won that way. He and Lee then left the ring as Mysterio recovered.
Mysterio last month successfully defended the North American title against Lee on an episode of NXT. However, Lee and Lyra Valkyria picked up a mixed tag team win over Mysterio and Rhea Ripley later in August. Ali later confronted Lee, saying Lee had his shot and now he wanted to be the next person to challenge Mysterio.
In a video, Ripley and Mysterio said that they would let the two battle it out to determine the next challenger, with Mysterio serving as a special guest referee.
Here is the updated card for NXT No Mercy on September 30:
NXT Championship: Carmelo Hayes defends against either Ilja Dragunov or Wes Lee
NXT North American Championship: Dominik Mysterio defends against Mustafa Ali
NXT Heritage Cup: Noam Dar defends against Global Heritage Invitational Tournament winner
Logan Paul believes him and Dominik Mysterio could be “the most hated duo of all time.”
Paul addressed potentially teaming with Mysterio during this week’s episode of Impaulsive.
Paul said:
I had a crazy idea recently for Dom because Dom is super heel right now. Dominik Mysterio cannot get a word out. I’m telling you, he lifts the microphone to his mouth and the whole arena (goes) ‘boo!’
He can’t cut a promo and he plays on it and it’s really working right now, they hate him.
Logan Paul, Dominik Mysterio, tag team. The most hated duo of all time, the most hated tag team partners in the WWE just crushing it, running through it cause we have a story arc too. We both did our first WrestleMania together, that was both our first WrestleMania.
WrestleMania 38 was the first Mania for both Paul and Mysterio. Paul teamed with The Miz and defeated Dominik & Rey Mysterio on the show.
Paul continued to say that he even feels him and Mysterio would make a better on-screen pairing than Mysterio and Rhea Ripley.
He continued:
Honestly, I don’t know, me and Dom, maybe we could go further than him and Rhea.
Since WrestleMania 38, Paul has defeated Miz at SummerSlam, lost to Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022, lost to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 39, and then defeated Ricochet at SummerSlam 2023. He also wrestled in the 2023 Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank matches.
AEW World Champion MJF posted a message to Paul on Wednesday, looking to be invited on a future episode of Impaulsive.
MJF wrote:
Yo @LoganPaul I’m a big fan and I heard you were very upset with your ranking in the @espn top 30 under 30. I couldn’t agree with you more, the list was flawed. What the hell is a Vikingo?!? Would love to come on @impaulsive and talk about the list as well as the fact @aewis about to run the biggest show in the history of the sport on aug 27th!
Hopefully your boss and our mutual friend Jolly old Saint Nick will allow it!
Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley will be wrestling on next week’s NXT.
On Tuesday’s NXT, Rhea Ripley laid out the challenge to Lee and Valkyria, upset that it wasn’t enough for Valkyria to get an endorsement from Ripley. Mysterio had successfully defended the North American title against Dragon Lee on last week’s show thanks to help from Ripley.
A match between Baron Corbin and Von Wagner is also set. Wagner confronted Corbin on Tuesday’s show, with Mr. Stone running down Corbin. Corbin responded by saying that he wanted to hear what Wagner had to say. Wagner said that Corbin could bring any of his eight characters to the ring next week, promising that he would ‘table’ Corbin. After the talking ending, Corbin attempted to cheap shot Wagner, but Wagner countered with a clothesline out of the ring.
In a video posted on social media following NXT, Ava challenged Ivy Nile to a match at Heatwave, saying after she gets done with Nile, The Creed Brothers will be forced to reveal themselves.
NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton will also make an appearance on next Tuesday’s show.
Here is the updated lineup for next Tuesday’s Heatwave:
NXT Championship: Carmelo Hayes defends against Wes Lee
Ilja Dragunov vs. Trick Williams
NXT Heritage Cup: Nathan Fraszer defends against Noam Dar
Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley vs. Dragon Lee and Lyra Valkyria
With his father in the corner of his challenger, Dominik Mysterio defends the NXT North American Championship tonight.
Rey Mysterio will be in Dragon Lee’s corner as Lee challenges Dominik for the North American title on tonight’s NXT episode. Dominik will have Rhea Ripley at ringside to help counter Rey.
Dominik is making his fourth title defense since winning the NXT North American Championship from Wes Lee last month.
Mustafa Ali and Axiom both want to be next in line for a shot at Dominik or Lee. A singles match between Ali and Axiom is taking place on tonight’s show.
Still claiming to be the Heritage Cup Champion despite the title belonging to Nathan Frazer, Noam Dar will defend his trophy against Tyler Bate tonight. Bron Breakker vs. Von Wagner, Blair Davenport vs. Kelani Jordan, and Ivy Nile vs. Kiana James are among the other matches set for the episode.
Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
The show opens with a pre-taped promo, where NXT North American Champion Dominik and WWE World Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley are backstage at Raw last night. They cut a short promo on Dragon Lee, who is challenging Dominik for the North American title tonight..
Cut to the parking lot at the Performance Center, where Dragon Lee is arriving with Rey Mysterio. Rey tells Dragon Lee to show Dom was humility in their title match later on.
“Limited commercial interruption” on the show tonight, so there is that.
Mustafa Ali defeated Axiom
Ali pinned Axiom after a subtle heel tactic. In winning, Ali now looks to be the next challenger for the North American Championship. Excellent opener, and a hot way to kick off the show.
A lot of great sequences throughout the match. Clever counters and reversals to go along with stellar high spots, as well as some scary spots. Ali has been playing subtle heel for a few weeks, and he turned it up a notch in this match.
Just before the finish, Ali and Axiom are fighting on the turnbuckles, when Ali grabs a handful of Axiom’s mask. Ali plays it off like he inadvertently grabbed the mask. Inadvertent or not, Ali then shoves Axiom off the turnbuckles as Axiom.
After shoving Axiom off the turnbuckles, Ali rolls him back into the ring. Ali executes a 450 om Axiom, and he covers him for the pinfall.
Ali looked into a camera, and he cut a promo declaring himself the next challenger for the North American title.
The Schism were creeping around backstage looking for the Creed Brothers, and they apparently attacked several wrestler. Joe Gacy vows Schism will find the Creeds tonight or they turn NXT “upside down.”
Blair Davenport defeated Kelani Jordan
Davenport pinned Jordan after delivering the Bea-trigger. This match was set up after Jordan cut a promo on social media calling out Davenport. This was somewhat at the behest of Dana Brooke, who told Jordan to challenge someone in order for Jordan to find her killer instinct.
Dana Brooke ran in after the match swinging a leather belt, and she chased Davenport around and through the ring. Davenport fled the whipping. Brooke then almost struck Jordan with the belt, but stopped short.
If this was a Southern wrestling promotion, Brooke trying to whip Davenport with a belt would set up a country whipping match. Not sure what it means in NXT, but I guess a strap match is possible. All speculation of course.
Tyler Bate defeated Noam Dar (with Oro Mensah, Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend) to win Dar’s “Heritage Cup” trophy
Nathan Frazier is the rightful holder of Heritage Cup, but Dar has been parading around with his own replica version of the trophy. The replica of the cup was the one up for grabs in this match.
Round one of this bout was a stalemate, as neither won a fall. After going the distance in the first fall, Bate goes up by a fall. Bate scored a pinfall after delivering a Tyler Driver ’97.
The third fall was joined in progress after a split-screen commercial break. Under 30 seconds when the show returns from the break. Double down and a near fall at the bell to end the third round. Both were down selling when Bate draped an arm on Dar for a count as time expired. Like famed wrestler AC Slater, Dar was saved by the bell.
Dar targets a leg in the fourth round. Bate tries to ride the clock and keep from tapping out, but Dar had him trapped in a knee bar. Bate taps out with about 40 seconds remaining on the time clock. Dar then refused to break the hold, and the referee had to step in to separate them. Nonetheless, Dar won round four by submission, so the bout is tied 1-1 going into the fifth and final round.
Mensah interfered a few times, including late in the fifth round. Bate and Dar trade near falls in the closing moments. Dar countered an attempted Tyler Driver ’97, and Dar cradled Bate. Reversing the cradle, Bate then pinned Dar’s shoulders to the mat for a three count.
There is a lot of wrestling so far, but fear not. That changes with a bunch of talking segments.
Tank Ledger and Hank Walker are backstage when they confronted by The Dyad and Schism. Ledger and Walker are them jumped by Schism for not knowing the location of the Creeds.
Ilja Dragunov is interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell. Dragunov says he is heading to the ring, hopeful that Trick Williams will confront him in the ring.
A skit in the locker room set up a match between Wes Lee and Dijak. They both want to challenge Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Championship. Dijak jumped Lee, which clearly sets up a grudge match.
Ilja Dragunov calls out Trick Williams, and Williams confronts Dragunov in the ring. They banter with each other, and they took a long time to set up a match between them. Looks like Dragunov against Williams at the Heat Wave special in two weeks time.
Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak are being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell. Dempsey and Gulk were supposed to face Walker and Ledger in a match tonight, but they were beaten down by Schism. In comes Damon Kemp wanting to challenge Dempsey and Gulak to a match. He is scoffed out as he does not have a partner. In walks Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, setting up a match with Dempsey and Gulak.
A nervous Thea Hail meets Rey Mysterio in a backstage skit. Hail is then met by Andre Chase and Duke Hudson. Hail insults Chase and walks away.
Bron Breakker defeated Von Wagner (with Mr. Stone)
Breakker pinned Wagner after a spear, but Wagner powerbombed Breakker on the announce desk after the match. Gorilla Monsoon would have likely called this the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object. It was definitely a hoss fight.
Wagner’s new gimmick he puts people through tables, as he was put others through the announce desk in recent weeks. Wagner even wore a t-shirt promoting the new gimmick.
Breakker went to press slam Mr. Stone after the bell. Wagner made a save, and Wagner then powerbombed Breakker on the announce desk, and it collapsed in a heap.
Eddy Thorpe was the focus of a great vignette, highlighting Thorpe’s Native American heritage in his ongoing feud with Dijak.
Charlie Dempsey & Drew Gulak (with Myles Borne) defeated Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen (with Fallon Henley)
Dempsey pinned Jensen after outside interference by Damon Kemp.
Myles Borne was in Dempsey & Gulak’s corner acting as their second. Gulak at one point asked Borne for water, and Borne said he did not bring any water. So, Gulak kicked Borne out of ringside, and Gulak ordered Borne to leave.
Damon Kemp ran down to ringside just before the finish. Kemp suplexed Jensen on the floor, and Kemp rolled Jensen back into the ring. Dempsey executed a Dragon suplex to score the deciding pinfall.
Dana Brooke and Kelani Jordan are in a locker room skit that sets up Brooke against Blair Davenport in a match next week.
Kiana James defeated Ivy Nile
James pinned Nile to win the match. Nile is distracted by Ava, allowing James to deliver a finisher.
The match goes through a split-screen commercial break. Upon returning from the break, masked members of Schism surround the ring like this is an impromptu lumberjack match.
The Schism, led by Joe Gacy, Ava and The Dyad, accosted Nile. She is violently grabbed and questioned about the whereabouts of the Creeds. In runs NXT Tag Team Champions Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Tatum. They are swinging crowbars as the clear the ring. Them saving Nile was set up in an angle earlier in the show where Schism confronted the new tag champs.
Los Lotharios are texting each other trying to patch things up. They both are thinking about what their grandfather, Mario Segura (El Ninja), would think.
Noam Dar is with Meta-Four are in a backstage skit with Nathan Frazier and Tyler Bate. A deal is made for Bate to relinquish his replica cup he won tonight. Bate gives in back to Dar, long as Dar proclaimed it a fake cup. Dar sort of did that, but not really. This somehow sets up a match at Heat Wave between Frazier and Dar for the real cup. So, that match between Bate and Dar from earlier tonight is rendered useless. Thanks for that.
NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton is interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell. Stratton’s return to television was wasted on this goofy segment.
NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio (with WWE World Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley) defeated Dragon Lee (with Rey Mysterio) to retain his title
Dominik pinned Dragon Lee to win the match, after a belt shot from Rhea Ripley. Dom tried to cheat by using the North American belt as a weapon, but Rey took that belt from him. Instead, Ripley used her belt to hit Dragon Lee, which costs Lee the match. An angle after the match closed the show.
Rey Mysterio came to the ring first before the match, and he introduced Dragon Lee. That helped make Dragon Lee seem special. Yet Dragon Lee lost in the end, but it was at least due to outside interference. The match itself goes through a split-screen commercial break.
Dom teased unmasking Dragon Lee, as Dom unlaced the mask. That fired up Dragon Lee, and he made a comeback on Dom. That led to a few near fall for Dragon Lee.
They trade strikes in the closing moments. Dom does a 619 and go for a frog splash. Dragon Lee gets his knees up to block the splash. Lee with another near fall after a Liger bomb.
Ripley slid Dom his title belt, and Dom picks up the belt to seemingly use as a weapon. Rey Mysyerio takes the North American belt from Dom. The referee is distracted by the commotion with Dom and Rey, and the ref does not see Ripley smack Lee with her title belt. Dom then executed a Michinoku Driver, and Dom covered Dragon Lee for the deciding pinfall.
Rey and Dom are face-to-face after the match, and Ripley steps in between them to get in Rey’s face. Ripley starts poking at Rey, which brings out Lyra Valkyria to jump Ripley. Valkyria had confronted Ripley in a skit earlier in the show. She brawls with Ripley while Dragon Lee superkicks Dom. The heels flee as Dragon Lee and Valkyria stand tall in the ring. Is this leading to a mixed tag?
Four championships will be on the line at WWE NXT’s Great American Bash.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes will defend against Ilja Dragunov who earned the shot by defeating former champion Bron Breakker in a no. 1 contender’s match.
Tiffany Stratton will defend her NXT Women’s Championship against Chase U’s Thea Hail in a submission match. This will be Hail’s second attempt at dethroning the champion.
NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio defends against former champion Wes Lee and Mustafa Ali in a three-way.
Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion Gable Steveson will make his in-ring debut against Baron Corbin.
The rest of the main card will see Roxanne Perez vs. Blair Davenport in a Weapons Wild match, and NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus defending against The Family (Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo).
The pre-show will feature an eight-person tag between Dragon Lee, Nathan Frazer, Yulisa Leon & Valentina Feroz vs. Meta-Four.
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The kickoff show is underway. From a studio is Matt Camp, Megan Morant and Sam Roberts as co-hosts on a pre-show panel. They hype begins from the start.
McKenzie Mitchell goes to interview Dominik Mysterio in his locker room at the building near Austin, but she instead encounters WWE World Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley. She says whatever Mitchell wanted to ask Dom, she can ask “Mami.”
Ripley says Dom is “cool, calm, and collected” despite being outnumbered in the triple threat match. Ripley says Judgment Day always has a plan. Ripley then concludes the interview with some sexual innuendo about her and Dom.
In a clip from yesterday, Roxanne Perez is at Dream Con in Austin when she is confronted by Blair Davenport. A shoving match turns into a pull-apart brawl, as part of an angle shot at the convention.
Baron Corbin in a backstage interview sits down with McKenzie Mitchell ahead of Corbin’s match tonight against Gable Steveson. Corbin is going to take the will to succeed as a WWE superstar from Steveson. Corbin goes on to say he will “dominate and bury a second Gold Medalist” (alluding to a prior match against Kurt Angle).
Opening the show live from the HEB Center in Cedar Park, TX is a mixed eight-person tag team match. Vic Josep
Dragon Lee, Nathan Frazer, Yulisa Leon & Valentina Feroz defeated Meta-Four (Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend)
Dragon Lee pinned Mensah to win the match. The men faced the men and the women vice versa for the most part, but they did some mixed spots. Lots of great action from at times in a decent enough opener. The crowd was rather hot for the finish.
The main card opens clips of Dusty Rhodes, who is credited with creating concept of The Great American Bash in the late 1980s as part of Jim Crockett Promotions. Cody Rhodes narrates the opening video package, which leads into hype for tonight’s card.
The Family (Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo) defeated NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang with Joe Coffey) to win the titles
D’Angelo pinned Wolfgang to win the titles. Good way to start the main card, and the crowd was into the match.
There was a really good near fall when The Family did the old Power & Glory tag team finisher from the early ’90s. In doing that, Tony D executes a superplex before Stacks jumps off the top rope with a splash. The subsequent spinning attempt was broken up.
Joe Coffey gets involved and hands Wolfgang a club, but it was a red herring to distract the referee. That leads another near fall where the pin is broken up. Moments later, Tony D uses a crowbar to hit Joe Coffey when he tries to interfere.
Stacks is hiplocked over the top rope by Tony D into a dive on the outside. Back in the ring, Bada Bing finisher on Wolfgang, and Tony D covers Wolfgang for the pinfall. The Family are the new tag champs.
Roxanne Perez defeated Blair Davenport in a Weapons Wild match
Perez pinned Davenport, in what was a grudge match filled with weapons and mayhem.
During her entrance, Perez is walking around ringside. Perez hugs her sister and mom in the front row. She is then suddenly ambushed by Davenport, who was in the front row wearing a hoodie pulled over her head. The sneak attack backfires as Perez fires up on Davenport.
They brawled early and often. Weapons come into play like metal folding chairs and trash cans, among other plunder. Davenport cuts off Perez with a shot from a trash can. Davenport is pummeling Perez at ringside when Davenport pulls out a branding iron to use as a weapon, since they are in Texas of course. Chairs are piled up in the ring, and trash cans litter the canvas.
Davenport taunts the family members at ringside while pummeling Perez. Perez fires up on Davenport using a bullrope as a weapon. Davenport is also whipped with a belt that she had earlier used against Perez.
Huge pop from the live crowd when Perez got a table from underneath the ring. It would later come into play, when Perez jumps off the top rope to spash Davenport through the table. They do the spot right in front of Perez’s family.
Davenport twice countered Pop Rocks. Perez takes a bump that crushed a trash can when she is suplexed on it. After the table spot, Perez does the Pop Rocks. Davenport takes the finisher on a pile of folded chairs, and Perez covers Davenport for a three count.
Gable Steveson vs. Baron Corbin ends in a double countout
Decent match for Steveson’s in-ring debut, but the finish was beyond lame. Steveson got over like a fart in church. The crowd even cheered Corbin, which should say a lot. A post-match brawl seems to indicate a return bout in future.
Corbin has new gear and new music. The music was not much of an improvement, but his gear looks nice. Steveson wore a gold medal during his entrance, and his gear is a traditional wrestling singlet.
Steveson gets to shine early on, before Corbin cuts him off and begins to work him over. Corbin dashes some hope spots when Steveson fights back. Corbin taunts Steveson, and that fires up Steveson.
Comeback by Steveson. Corbin baited him into following him outside, and Corbin cuts off Steveson. They brawl around ringside, and both are counted out. The crowd chants “bullshit” as a pull-apart brawl develops.
The brawling continues as they tumble over the announce desk. Referees pour out to separate them, but Corbin and Steveson keep brawling. Security geeks poured out to join the pull-apart brawl, and the security team is mowed down by Steveson and Corbin. Steveson sends Corbin crashing through a gimmicked section of barricade, and Steveson stands tall.
Lyra Valkyria is being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell when Valkyria is ambushed by Jacy Jayne. Rhea Ripley walks by and remarks that was what she was looking for from Valkyria, as Valkyria and Jayne brawl.
NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio (with WWE World Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley) defeated Wes Lee and Mustafa Ali to retain the title in a triple threat match
Mysterio pinned Lee to win what was a really good match. They played to each other’s strengths, and Dom is really over as a character.
Dom tries to powder early on, but he is surrounded by Ali and Lee. They chase Mysterio and they double team him. That partnership falls apart as they again turn on each other, much like they did in the storyline heading into this bout.
Ali and Lee face off while Dom is selling on the outside. An opportunist, Myserio jumps back into the ring to shove Ali and Lee off the ropes. They tumble to the floor. Dom goes for the Three Amigos, but that backfires when he tries to suplex both Ali and Lee at the same time. They counter him and they both suplex Mysterio for a double team version of the Three Amigos.
The highspots done by Ali and Lee show they could have a banger in a singles match. In a spot where both Mysertio and Lee are draped on the bottom rope. Ali climbs the turnbuckle. Ali then crashes and burns doing a 450 on the apron. That leaves Lee against Mysterio.
Ripley gets involved by demanding that Lee not do a dive, after he already done a dive. Responding to Ripley’s demands, Lee jumps over her into a dive to the outside. Ripley then executes a Riptide on Lee that puts him through the announce desk. Somehow, Lee is able to kick out after Ripley rolled him back into the ring.
More near falls just before they head home. Ripley tries to give Dom the North American title belt, but the referee intercepts it. That was a red herring much like we saw earlier in the tag title match. Mysterio then grabs the women’s title belt, and he hits Lee with a belt shot. Lee still manages to kick out.
Ali jumps back into the match when he dropkicks Mysterio off the turnbuckles. Ali follows up by executing a 450 splash on Lee, and Ali goes for a cover. Ripley pulls Ali out of the ring to break up the pinning attempt. Mysterio then does a frog splash, and he covers Lee for the deciding pinfall.
Trick Williams cuts a promo in a interview with McKenzie Mitchell, which hypes up the title match main event.
NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton defeated Thea Hail (with Duke Hudson & Andre Chase) to retain the title in a submission match
Andre Chase throws in the towel on behalf of Hail, when Stratton had Hail trapped in a Boston crab.
Hail got a special entrance where the crowd was given Chase U banners to hold up. It helped make her look like a superstar. Stratton’s entrance spoofed Barbie, which is very over in pop culture at the moment.
They wrestled back-and-forth at the start, before Stratton begins working over Hail. Stratton works the back, as Hail is a babyface-in-peril. That plays into the submission stip as Stratton worked the back. Stratton applies holds that target the back.
Hail fights back, but her hope spot is dashed when Stratton catches her in a body scissors. Hail powers to her feet, and she begins a rally. The comeback leads to a dive by Hail. Stratton is sent crashing into the ringpost shoulder first. That would play into a spot moments later when Hail goes for a kimura. Stratton breaks up the attempted hold. Hail would later apply the kimura, but Stratton got a rope break.
They do a high spot off the top rope where Hail gives Stratton a super northern lights suplex. Stratton twice does her Prettiest Moonsault Ever, and she applies a Boston crab. Hail won’t tap, but she cannot escape the hold. Andre Chase eventually throws in the towel, and Stratton retains her title. Duke Hudson was in disbelief that Chase threw in the towel.
A backstage skit seemed to set up a match between Dragon Lee and Dominik Mysterio, or at least teased a bout between them.
Two matches announced for Tuesday on NXT includes Jacy Jayne against Lyra Valkyria. Also, Eddy Thorpe faces Dijak in singles match.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) defeats Ilja Dragunov to retain the title
Hayes pinned Dragunov to retain his title. This was a great match and it was a hard-hitting bout. It was arguably the best match on the show.
Dragunov had red contacts in his eyes, as he was apparently “seeing red” as he headed into the match. That plays into the story of the match.
They wrestled back-and-forth taking and trading moves. Somewhere along the way, Dragunov starts to brutalize Hayes. Meanwhile, Williams keeps trying to motivate Hayes into a rally. Dragunov continues to pummel Hayes, and Hayes takes a ton of punishment. Nonetheless, Williams keep trying to motivate Hayes. Dragunov dashes some hope spots.
Comeback by Hayes, and he fires up on Dragunov. Hayes takes an enzuigiri, but he answers back with La Mistica. That popped the crowd and they are hot. Some receipts by Hayes as he peppers Dragunov with chops and strikes. They go on to trade strikes, and they trade stiff elbows.
Hayes springboards into a DDT for a near fall. That led to a “this is awesome” chant. Dragunov leaps off the top rope into a back senton for another near fall. Dragunov attempts to go coast-to-coast, but he is struck down in mid-air by a codebreaker from Hayes, in what was likely the wildest high spot on the show. “Holy s***” chants from the crowd.
Hayes goes to follows up with Nothing But Net, but Dragunov blocks it and powerbombs Hayes. Dragunov signals for a finisher, and he drops the flying forearm. Hayes somehow kicks out in the closest near fall of the match. Dragunov takes an avalanche cutter for another close near fall. Williams grabs the title match at ringside and he holds it up to help motivate Hayes, showing him what he is fighting for.
They fight on and trade strikes in a fighting spirit exchange. The fight then spilled outside the ring. Dragunov leaps off the ring steps and inadvertently wipes out Williams with Torpedo Moskau. In doing so, Dragunov apparently smashes into the title belt that Williams was holding, and Dragunov is on rubber legs. Hayes capitalizes with Nothing But Net, and Hayes covers Dragunov for a pinfall.
A tag team match has been made official for Raw’s SummerSlam go-home show.
Seth Rollins will team up with Sami Zayn as they take on Judgment Day’s Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio on Raw this Monday night. The match comes after Rollins and Zayn were laid out by Judgment Day on Raw last Monday.
Zayn’s tag team partner Kevin Owens was also attacked by Judgment Day earlier in the episode. Owens has been wrestling with a legitimately fractured rib. In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that Owens & Zayn won’t be defending their Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles at SummerSlam because Owens is getting time off due to his rib.
Judgment Day’s Finn Balor is challenging Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam next Saturday (August 5).
Priest holds the men’s Money in the Bank briefcase and could potentially cash it in for a shot at the World Heavyweight title.
Raw is being held at the Toyota Center in Houston on Monday. Here’s what’s been announced for the episode:
Seth Rollins & Sami Zayn vs. Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio
One week after being crowned the new North American Champion, Dominik Mysterio is set to appear on NXT.
WWE has announced that Dominik and Rhea Ripley will kick off NXT this Tuesday night. Dominik defeated Wes Lee in last week’s main event to win the North American title.
Dominik won the championship with help from his Judgment Day stablemates. Lee was initially able to fend off interference by Damian Priest and Finn Balor, but a title belt shot from Ripley led to Lee losing the match.
Dominik has already made his first title defense, retaining against Butch on SmackDown last Friday.
Mustafa Ali was slated to challenge Lee for the North American Championship at NXT Great American Bash this Sunday (July 30). Tuesday’s NXT episode should provide some clarity on what the North American title match at Great American Bash will be.
Here’s the updated card for Tuesday’s NXT:
Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams & Ilja Dragunov vs. Joe Gacy & The Dyad
Gable Steveson will decide his future
Kendo stick match: Cora Jade vs. Dana Brooke
Dominik Mysterio & Rhea Ripley will kick off the episode
Dominik Mysterio is the new NXT North American Champion.
Mysterio pinned Wes Lee to win the championship for the first time in the main event of Tuesday’s NXT. The finish had Finn Balor distracting the referee as Damian Priest attempted to lay out Lee with the North American Championship. Lee dodged, but walked into Rhea Ripley who smashed Lee with the Women’s World Championship. Mysterio then pinned Lee, ending the show standing tall with his Judgment Day friends.
A match between Wes Lee and Mustafa Ali for the title was scheduled for the Great American Bash on June 30.
Lee had held the championship for 269 days, winning it back at Halloween Havoc on October 22 in a ladder match. The title had been vacant as Sikoa was forced to vacate the championship due to winning it in an unsanctioned match.
The match was set last week when Mysterio accepted an open challenge from Lee, who wasn’t holding an open challenge at the time. Lee said he’d get the match made for that night, but Mysterio retreated saying he would give Lee another week.
Dominik Mysterio has the chance to capture NXT gold tonight.
The North American Championship will be on the line as Wes Lee defends against Dominik on tonight’s episode of NXT. The match was made after The Judgment Day appeared on NXT last week. Dominik confronted Lee backstage and wanted to answer an open challenge for a North American title shot. Dominik accused Lee of being scared of him. Lee was ready to face Dominik immediately, but Dominik delayed the match to tonight.
The winner of Lee vs. Dominik will defend the North American title against Mustafa Ali at NXT Great American Bash later this month.
One week after being freed from jail, Tony D’Angelo will return for a homecoming tonight. Stacks earned D’Angelo’s freedom when he defeated Joe Coffey last Tuesday. D’Angelo & Stacks are in line for a Tag Team title shot against Gallus.
Dragon Lee & Nathan Frazer vs. Los Lotharios, Gigi Dolin vs. Kiana James, Bronco Nima & Lucien Price vs. Scrypts & Axiom, and Thea Hail vs. Elektra Lopez have also been announced for tonight. Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Opening the show is NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams coming to the ring for a live promo inside the soundstage at the Performance Center in Orlando.
Hayes does not feel like doing his “I AM” catchphrase because they lost last week in a tag team match against Judgment Day. Williams says they should have won last week, and he notes the outside interference.
Hayes then shifts the discussion to Ilja Dragunov, who came out to make a save for Hayes. That is something Hayes takes exception to, and out comes Dragunov to confront Hayes in the ring for bringing up his name.
Dragunov and Hayes banter back and forth. They sort of put each other over, and they talk about the title match between them scheduled for The Great American Bash.
Dragunov talks about giving his all in the ring and it meaning something. Dragunov vows to defeat Hayes at The Bash. Hayes responds by talking about how he feels the weight of being champion. Hayes also says there is no one greater to face him at The Bash than Dragunov. Hayes plans on having a long title reign, and Hayes cautions Dragunov. Hayes goes on to say he is “Mr. PLE”. That is very RVD of him.
Dragunov gets very intense and gets in Hayes’ face. All I could think about was how Dragunov’s suit jacket looked too small on him. Nevertheless, his face was flush with rage as he glares a hole through Hayes. Hayes looks him dead in the eye. They have a staredown as the Vic Joseph on commentary plugs tickets on sale for The Bash.
Mustafa Ali rushes into a locker room for a chat with NXT North American Champion Wes Lee. Ali is upset with Lee for accepting the title match tonight against Dominik Mysterio. Ali, who is booked to challenge for the North American title at The Bash, tells Lee he wants to face Lee for the title, not Mysterio. Lee takes offense, thinking Ali does not think he can beat Mysterio. Ali insists that is not what he meant. Tension remains between the two ahead of their match at The Bash.
A vignette shows Tony D’Angelo getting out of jail. Stacks meets him and brings Tony D a hat. They hug and get into a car to leave.
Dragon Lee pinned Carillo to win the match in what was the in-ring return to NXT of Carillo & Garza. They had a really exciting tag match. Afterwards, a frustrated Carillo shoved down Garza after the match.
Last week, Carillo & Garza were billed as “Los Lotharios,” but no mention of that name this week. Maybe because they are breaking up. We shall see.
Carillo & Garza jump Frazier & Dragon Lee before the bell with stereo wrecking ball dropkicks through the ropes. They settle into a tag match when Valentina Feroz & Yulisa Leon walk down to ringside to watch the tag bout.
Just before cutting to the first commercial break of the show, Carillo & Garza cut off the momentum being built by Lee & Frazier. They rudos get heat on Frazier as they work him over on their half of the ring.
Hot tag to Dragon Lee, and he is on fire. Frazier soon gets back into the fight, but he military pressed and dropped on the announce desk. Meanwhile, Dragon Lee has climbed to the top rope. Garza trips him up, and Dragon Lee is crotched on a turnbuckle. Standing on the ropes, both rudos press slam Lee off the top rope into the ring. Garza then moonsaults off the middle rope onto the floor to wipe out Frazier. Carillo then does a moonsault press into the ring on Dragon Lee for a near fall.
Moments later, Dragon Lee cuts off Carillo to deliver a double foot stomp of the top. Dragon Lee goes to follows up, but he is superkicked by Garza. That begins a flurry of high spots that lead to Dragon Lee giving Carillo a Liger bomb for a another two count. The live studio audience goes crazy for the closing minutes.
Carillo & Garza try to impress Leon & Feroz at ringside, which is their downfall. Carillo & Garza are cut off by Frazier with a missile dropkick. Frazier then does a plancha on both rudos. Frazier rolls Garza back into the ring so Dragon Lee can execute his tilt-a-whirl slop drop finisher. Lee then covers Garza for a three count.
Carillo was so upset at Garza that Carillo shoves him down at ringside. Carillo then storms off and leaves trough the crowd. A stunned Garza goes after him.
Baron Corbin is still on a search to find his next gimmick or whatever. His new gimmick is just him, whatever that means.
In a skit posted to social media, Booker T gives Roxanne Perez a pep talk ahead of her match against Blair Davenport at The Great American Bash. This skit was supposedly recorded in secret, which upset Booker T a lot, and he said as much.
Kiana James defeated Gigi Dolan
James pinned Dolan to win this grudge match where they brawled a lot for better or worse. Leading to the finish, James retrieved her loaded bag. Dolan takes the bag from James after a tug-o-war, only for Dolan to get into a tug-o-war with the referee over the bag. James jumps in to deliver her “401k” flatliner finisher, and James covers Dolan for a three count.
Eddy Thorpe is being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell when they are interrupted by the Meta-Four. Thorpe was supposed to be a guest on Supernova Session last week, but Noam Dar cancelled that. A distraught and ragged-looking Dar is with the Meta-Four as they banter here with Thorpe. As a consolation prize for the cancellation, Oro Mensah presents Thorpe with a 8×10 signed by Dar. Thorpe rips up the 8×10. This angers Mensah, setting up a match for later on between Thorpe and Mensah.
Bronco Nima & Lucien Price defeated Axiom & Scrypts
Price pinned Axiom to win. This tag bout was set up in a skit where Scyrpts accepts a challenge for a match, much to the chagrin of Axiom. In the match itself, Scrypts turns on Axiom in a sneak attack. Scrypts watches as Axiom is pummeled by Nima & Price. Axiom takes a fall as Scrypts smirks.
The Family celebrates Tony D’Angelo’s release from custody
Up next is a talking segment where family and friends gather to welcome back Tony D’Angelo after his release from jail. The ring filled with a bunch of extras as Stacks introduces the returning Tony D.
Hugs and embraces all around from Tony D and The Family. Tony D then grabs a microphone for a speech. He first thanks Stacks, and then Tony D throws to a video package that shows how he and Stacks planned to swerve Gallus.
Out comes Gallus to interrupt the celebration. Joe Coffey is flanked by his brother Mark and Wolfgang. Joe cuts a promo on The Family. Tony D and Stacks responds with a promo of their own, vowing to win the NXT Tag Team titles from Gallus at The Bash. Coffey warns The Family they will not make it to the The Bash.
In a comedy bit, Joe Coffey pulls out a crowbar to use as a weapon. All of the extras in the ring with The Family pull out crowbars, as does Tony D and Stacks. The extra all get out of the rig as there is going to be a brawl. Tony D and Stacks thwart an attack, and they strike with crowbars. The Family cleans house, and Stacks put Mark Coffey through table set up in the ring. The Family stands tall.
In a backstage skit, Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Drahunov get into a pull-apart brawl with The Schism. This seems to set up a tag bout for next week.
Hail won via submission in a showcase match, which builds her up for a title challenge at The Bash. They had a short match, where Hail caught Lopez in a kimura lock. Lopez tapped out.
Hudson leads the audience in a “Hail yeah” chant after the match. Hail cuts a promo wanting another shot at the title. Hudson leads a “rematch” chant. Hail yells for NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton to come out so Hail can kick her ass. Stratton accepts the challenge for a title rematch.
Hail then adds a stipulation by wanting to make it a submission match. Stratton says “no” to that stip, and says Hail cannot make her. Hail leaps on Stratton to apply a kimura, and Hail forces Stratton into submission. Thus, Stratton accepts the stip. That does not seem legally binding given the circumstances, but whatever. It is pro wrestling.
A vignette highlights Gable Steveson. Next week he “decides his future” on NXT.
Oro Mensah (with Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson & Noam Dar) defeated Eddy Thorpe
Mensah pinned Thorpe after outside interference by Dijak. He ran in to ambush Thorpe, thus costing Thorpe the match.
Dar was limp as a dishrag. He was doing the Bernie gimmick from Weekend at Bernie’s. Legend rolled Dar’s lifeless body into the ring, which distracted the referee. He is busy rolling Dar out of the ring as Thorpe and Mensah are at ringside.
With the ref distracted with Dar, out of nowhere is Dijak for an ambush. Dijak jumps Thorpe, and Dijak drops Thorpe with a big boot. Thorpe takes a bump on the floor, and he does the New Japan spot where he teases a countout only to break the count at nine. Nevertheless, Thorpe is dazed, allowing Mensah to nail Thorpe with a flip kick. Mensah then covers Thorpe for a pinfall.
Dana Brooke and Kelani Jordan do some gymnastics in a vignette. Cora Jade, with her trusty kendo stick, watched on a monitor. Jade scoffed at the gymnastics routine.
Roxanne Perez and Blair Davenport are in a split-screen segment where they address each other. They banter in a fairly boring exchange. Davenport threatens Perez, and it upsets Perez so much she storms off set.
Dominik Mysterio (with WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley) defeated NXT North American Champion Wes Lee to win the title
Mysterio pinned Lee after outside interference by Judgment Day. Finn Balor and Damian Priest run in at the finish, but they are thwarted by Lee. However, Ripley hits Lee with a belt shot, and “Dirty Dom” crawls over to cover Lee. With the help of “Mami,” Mysterio wins his first championship in WWE.
The match itself goes through a commercial break. Lee is in control of Dom, and Dom takes a powder to hide behind Ripley as the show cuts to a split-screen. Dom tries a Zbyszko Stalk during the break, but that backfires when Lee jumps out of of the ring to pummel him. Back in the ring, Dom begs off. This was a ploy for Dom to do the Ric Flair spot where he begs off, only to trick Lee into letting his guard down so that Dom can send him into the turnbuckles.
Dom is working over Lee as the show returns from the commercial break. Dom does a 619, and he follows up with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Dom mimics Eddie Guerrero as Dom signals for a frog splash. No water in the pool as Lee moves out of the way. Crash and burn for Dom. Ripley seems worried as she watches from ringside.
Lee is cut off, but he in turn cuts off Dom seconds later. Comeback by Lee with a flurry of moves. Lee and Ripley glare at each other moments before Lee executes a tornado DDT. Dom takes the DDT and rolls outside. Lee looks to go for a dive, but he stops short as Dom grabs the title belt. Dom goes to leave with the North American strap. Lee flew outside with a dive to block Dom’s exit.
Lee with twisting corkscrew senton on Dom in the ring. Suddenly, Finn Balor and Damian Priest run in. Balor distracts the referee while Priest attempts to hit Lee with a belt shot. Lee ducks and does a handspring to hit Priest with a Cardiac Kick. Lee is seemingly in control when he is hit with a belt shot from Rhea Ripley. She jumped on the apron and smacked Lee with the women’s title belt. Dom crawls over and covers Lee for a three count. Dominik Mysterio wins gold!
A rematch of last week’s main event is set to go down on WWE Raw tonight.
WWE has announced that Seth Rollins vs. Dominik Mysterio will take place on tonight’s episode of Raw. The two faced off on last week’s show, but the match ended in a disqualification when Damian Priest attacked Rollins.
Rollins had Dominik in position for a stomp when Priest interfered and gave Rollins a South of Heaven chokeslam. Dissension within The Judgment Day then continued to build when Priest’s Money in the Bank cash-in attempt got ruined by Finn Balor. Priest was about to cash in the briefcase, but Balor ran in and attacked Rollins. When Balor struck Rollins, Priest was knocked out of the ring.
When Judgment Day argued with each other, Rollins took advantage of the situation and laid out Dominik with a pedigree on the floor.
Priest still holds the Money in the Bank briefcase since he never officially cashed it in last week.
Raw is being held at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York tonight. The updated lineup for the episode is listed below:
Non-title match: World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. Dominik Mysterio
Cody Rhodes will deliver a special message to Brock Lesnar
Ricochet and Logan Paul will go face-to-face
Drew McIntyre & Matt Riddle vs. Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci)
No DQ match: Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Miz
Maxxine Dupri graduation ceremony
Becky Lynch vs. Zoey Stark was originally announced for tonight but isn’t currently being advertised by WWE.
On this week’s Wrestling Weekly, Les Thatcher and I talk all things AEW and with WWE’s top storyline involving The Bloodline.
We take a look at this past week’s AEW Dynamite and how MJF vs. Adam Cole might have been brought up a notch, which inspires a great territory story about the time limit draw that nearly never ended.
Les and I also look at debut of AEW Collision this Saturday and Jey Uso still has a decision to make.
Rhea Ripley has seemingly responded to comments made by Max Caster at Double or Nothing.
Ripley and Domink Mysterio were mentioned on Sunday’s pay-per-view ahead of the Trios title match between The Acclaimed and House of Black. Max Caster’s pre-match rap referenced the real-life relationship between Ripley and Buddy Matthews and Ripley’s on-screen role with Dominik in WWE.
“Buddy acts all ominous when he’s getting cucked by a kid named Dominik,” Caster said.
According to a post from SEScoops, Buddy Matthews responded as well but has since deleted his Tweet.
Rhea Ripley and Buddy Matthews react to Max Caster of The Acclaimed ripping on Buddy for being "cucked" by 'Dominik' at #AEWDoNpic.twitter.com/6GihDH8kl3
The House of Black successfully defended their titles against The Acclaimed in a match that went 15 minutes and 21 seconds. It was House of Black’s fifth straight title defense since winning the belts from The Elite at Revolution 2023 in March.
Ripley also wrestled this weekend when she successfully defended her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Natalya. Dominik distracted the challenger after the bell rang and Ripley needed just one minute and 10 seconds to pick up the victory.
