Tag: Wwe World Heavyweight Championship

Date: May 8, 2023
Location: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, FL

The Big Takeaway —

Seth Rollins won the Raw side of the World Title tournament, beating Finn Bálor in the main event, and will face the winner of the SmackDown side at Night of Champions.

Brock Lesnar cost Cody Rhodes his first-round match and F5’d him through the announce table. Lesnar was pissed, claiming Rhodes lucked into his win at Backlash. Lesnar challenged him to “a fight” at Night of Champions and Rhodes accepted.

Becky Lynch returned to attack Trish Stratus. 

********** 

Show Recap —

The Raw intro highlighted each participant in the World Heavyweight Championship tournament.

Cody Rhodes promo 

Cody Rhodes entered to a really big reaction. They aired clips of his win over Brock Lesnar and most of it was black and white due to Lesnar’s blood.

Rhodes said Jacksonville was his home during the pandemic and they made a lot of great memories together and he wanted to make another one tonight.

Rhodes talked about the magnitude of Backlash in Puerto Rico but he didn’t get to experience it the way the fans did because he was busy with Lesnar. Rhodes discovered what Lesnar was made of because it was all over his fist. He discovered that Lesnar can be defended because he beat him.

Lesnar took away his clarity because he was in a fight for survival but now it was clear what was next for him on Raw — the World Heavyweight Championship.

Rhodes had the bracket shown for the tournament as he made his way over to the new title belt. He couldn’t wait to hear ring announcer Samantha Irvin announce him as the new World Champion. The crowd chanted “You deserve it” and Rhodes responded, “Let the tournament begin.”

Seth Rollins interrupted. He was jovial for a moment before getting serious upon facing off with Rhodes on the stage. Rollins returned to his jovial self as he made his way to the ring for the first triple-threat match. (Rhodes returned to the back.)

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Rollins remained in the ring after a break and his music was still playing (it would have stopped for a few minutes during the break). They recapped his win over Omos at Backlash before showing a video package of Bad Bunny beating Damian Priest with Rollins still in the ring.

Cathy Kelley interviewed Priest in Gorilla. She asked if the loss to Bad Bunny was weighing on him. Priest said the name that would live forever after their brutal street fight would be his because it took an entire island to beat him. Priest planned on putting down Rollins and Nakamura by himself tonight. It would be Priest or Finn Bálor bringing the title to Judgment Day. (Priest sold his leg on the way to the ring.)

Rollins stood in the ring for 11 minutes and 30 seconds by the time the match started.

World Championship Tournament Round 1 Triple Threat: Seth Rollins defeated Shinsuke Nakamura and Damian Priest (13:20)

They went to break two minutes in with Nakamura in control. When they returned, Rollins wiped out both opponents with a flying crossbody and handed out suicide dives. Priest cut him off before Nakamura hit Priest with strikes and a flying knee for two. Priest decked Nakamura with a forearm and planted Rollins with an elevated flatliner for two.

The three men exchanged strikes until strikes by Nakamura and Rollins got rid of Priest. Rollins dropped Nakamura with a clothesline but Priest dropped Rollins on the top rope. Priest tried a Razor’s Edge but his knee gave out so Rollins hit a curb stomp and Nakamura broke up the cover.

Nakamura got the better of a strike exchange with Rollins and hit a reverse exploder. He set up for Kinshasa but Priest decked him and tossed Rollins from the ring. Nakamura fought back and put Priest’s injured leg in a leg lock.

Rollins flew in and hit Nakamura with a frog splash (rotating mid-air) and a Pedigree for the pinfall win. Rollins advanced to the next round.

Fun match and cool finish.

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Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci walked through the back while proclaiming to everyone that the ring general Gunther would appear next week. They bumped into Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Zayn said they were in the middle of something and asked to give them five minutes.

Kaiser said they were Imperium and were not to be disrespected. Zayn said they’d still be Imperium in five minutes. Zayn tried to talk to Owens but Owens said he couldn’t concentrate with Imperium still standing there and Vinci’s finger in his face.

Owens wondered if Kaiser and Vinci were just henchmen for Gunther like the Usos were for Roman Reigns and wondered why there are so many henchmen in WWE. Zayn said they dealt with the Bloodline for months but they would take care of Imperium tonight. The four men agreed to match.

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Mustafa Ali defeated Otis (w/Chad Gable & Maxxine Dupri) (2:18)

Ali dropped after an Otis clothesline which meant it was time for Otis to do the caterpillar. Gable encouraged him to do it as the crowd (lightly) cheered and Dupri tried talking him out of it as the crowd (lightly) booed. Ali started to move so Otis charged but Ali dodged it and hit a 450 splash for the pinfall win.

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The Miz cut a backstage promo putting himself over. He said he would win the tournament and we would have to put respect on his name. (Miz has not won a match this year.) 

They showed pictures of Miz and Maryse in attendance at the Kentucky Derby a few days ago.

World Championship Tournament Round 1 Triple Threat: Finn Bálor defeated The Miz and Cody Rhodes (9:33)

Rhodes hit both men with a suicide dive which led to a break a minute into the match.

[SECOND HOUR]

Rhodes remained in control after the break and handed out powerslams before dropping both opponents with a double Cody Cutter. Bálor blocked a Cross Rhodes but Rhodes hit a Disaster Kick for two. Miz hit Rhodes with a DDT for two. Bálor gave Rhodes a headlock elbow drop for two and followed with a shotgun dropkick.

Rhodes avoided a Coup de Grace and Miz gave Bálor a Skull Crushing Finale but Rhodes broke up the cover. Rhodes gave Bálor a Cross Rhodes and Miz tried to steal the pin by chucking Rhodes out of the ring but Rhodes popped right back in to break up the cover.

Rhodes gave Miz three consecutive Cross Rhodes but Brock Lesnar suddenly appeared and yanked Rhodes out of the ring to break up the cover. Lesnar gave Rhodes an F5 outside the ring. (Kevin Patrick shrieked, which was funny.) The crowd booed Lesnar.

As Lesnar stared at a fallen Rhodes, Bálor hit Miz with a Coup de Grace for the pinfall win. Bálor advances to the semi-final against Rollins tonight.

— Lesnar F5’d Rhodes through the announce table post-match. The crowd booed as Lesnar asked Cody what he wanted to talk about. He pointed the camera at the stitches on his face and said, “Look at this face!” Lesnar grabbed Rhodes by the head and told him to look at his face. Lesnar angrily said that Rhodes lucked into those stitches and lucked into the win.

Lesnar wanted a fight. Lesnar challenged Rhodes to “a fight” at Night of Champions. Lesnar added, “Who is the coward now?” before dropping the mic.

Lesnar left as officials checked on Rhodes.

Lesnar was awesome here.

(The crowd was booing but they also jacked up the volume.)

After a break, Rhodes limped through the back on his own as a single medical staff member led him to the trainer’s room.

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As Ripley Ripley entered, the announcers put over Zelina Vega’s effort at Backlash.

Dana Brooke cut a pre-taped promo saying we would see her untapped potential. 

Smackdown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley (w/Dominik Mysterio) defeated Dana Brooke in a non-title match (1:41)

Brooke got some offence but Ripley hit a Rip-tide and won quickly by submission with the Prism Trap.

— Ripley gave Brooke a second Rip-tide after the match and put her in the Prism Trap again until Natalya marched out (slowly) to her music. Natalya stared down Ripley until Ripley and Dom left the ring.

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There was a video package highlighting the NXT call-ups.

Byron Saxton interviewed Zoey Stark. Stark said she was amazing at what she did and had complete confidence in herself. Stark walked over to a nearby Nikki Cross and called her a weirdo who was an example of why Stark would succeed. Stark challenged her to a match tonight and Cross said she’d love to play.

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Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn defeated Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci in a non-title match (9:52)

Imperium took control over Zayn using nefarious means ahead of a break but Zayn fought back and made the hot tag to Owens who hammered away at Kaiser. Owens used a back body drop, inverted atomic drop, clothesline, pumphandle neckbreaker, and a senton bomb but Vinci broke up the cover.

Imperium double-teamed Owens to take over but Owens eventually gave Kaiser a stunner and superkicked Vinci. Zayn tagged in and gave Vinci a Helluva Kick for the pinfall win.

******** 

Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green — both wearing red — walked around getting signatures backstage. They convinced Xia Li to sign their petition despite not knowing what it was for. (They made it seem like it was for the betterment of the environment.)

They handed the petition to Indi Hartwell who was backstage with Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano. Hartwell didn’t want to sign. Deville and Green explained it was to give them a tag title match. Dexter Lumis showed up and gave them the thumbs down so Hartwell turned them down. They left.

Gargano was happy the whole family was back together. Gargano said “he” was coming back soon and was excited. LeRae was skeptical.

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The announcers congratulated Batista on the success of Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3. 

There was a Bloodline video package showing what happened at Backlash. Roman Reigns returns on this Friday’s Smackdown.

Zoey Stark defeated Nikki Cross (2:28)

Cross got some offence but Stark won somewhat easily with Z-360 (belly-to-back GTS).

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Saxton interviewed Ripley and Dominik. He asked if Ripley was feeling extra pressure after being the number one pick. Ripley said she welcomed the pressure.

Xavier Woods and Akira Tozawa were laughing about something nearby and Dom told them to show some respect. Woods told Dom that his clothes looked like they came from the lost and found. Dom threatened to punch him in the face so Woods challenged him to a match. Ripley accepted on “Dom-Dom’s” behalf. Woods was amused by the nickname.

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[THIRD HOUR] 

Patrick ran down some stats to highlight the success of Backlash in Puerto Rico.

Trish Stratus promo 

Stratus tried to cheer up Kevin Patrick because she assumed he was extra upset that his countrymate Becky Lynch was gone and said, “Go Ireland!” Stratus said Lynch was still missing and was probably hanging out with her dumb daughter. Stratus called Raw her show and said no one would steal her spotlight — not even Becky “freakin’” Lynch.

Lynch’s music hit but you could tell it was a fake-out the way Stratus overreacted. Lynch didn’t show up and Stratus laughed at the fans. Stratus claimed Lynch was never coming back. The crowd chanted for Lynch as Stratus told a story about her own daughter wanting to name her doll after Becky.

Before Stratus could continue her story, Lynch’s music hit again. Stratus told them to cut the music because the joke was over but Lynch showed up behind her.

Lynch decked Stratus with a right hand and hit an exploder. Stratus bailed up the ramp. Lynch said she was right there if Stratus wanted her. 

The crowd was happy to see Lynch. 

(Perhaps we will one day find out where the hell this Stratus promo was going.) 

******** 

Zayn, Owens and Adam Pearce checked on Rhodes as he was being tended to by the trainer.

Dominik Mysterio (w/Rhea Ripley) defeated Xavier Woods (10:46)

Woods was on offence but Dom back body dropped him out of the ring and he collided with the ring steps. Dom cut off Woods’ comeback attempt after a break and hit the three amigos suplexes for two.

Woods fought back with a forearm, corner clothesline, rolling clothesline and tornado DDT for two. Dom came right back with a spinning back elbow for two. Dom took too much time to brag so Woods tripped him, draped him over the top rope and hit a missile dropkick for two.

Woods went for his flying springboard elbow drop but Ripley yanked Dom out of the way. Dom then rolled up Woods while holding the tights for the pinfall win.

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There was a quick video hyping Jinder Mahal and Indus Sher. (They were already included in the earlier NXT call-up video but they got their own video here.)

Miz complained to Nakamura in the back and reiterated his suggestion that they should team up. Nakamura suggested a match next week and said, “It’s gonna be awesome!” as he backed away. Miz wasn’t happy.

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez approached Green and Deville in the back. They said Green and Deville should have just stepped up and asked for a title shot. Morgan signed their petition. Green and Deville laughed and said they were banking on Damage CTRL beating them for the titles first (on Smackdown). Morgan and Rodriguez shrugged them off.

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Kelley interviewed Rhodes and asked about Lesnar. Rhodes said he lost the opportunity to become the first-ever World Heavyweight Champion in a tournament that, respectfully, was his to win. Rhodes was almost speechless but found something to say.

Rhodes said this was the second time Lesnar has attacked him from behind for no reason. The only reason he could think of was that Lesnar was losing his long-running grip over the main event scene because by every measurable metric, Rhodes was now the man and he proved it at Backlash. Rhodes accepted Lesnar’s challenge for a fight.

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Next week on Raw:

• IC Champion Gunther in action
• Nakamura vs. Miz
• The winner of Morgan & Rodriguez vs. Damage CTRL will face Deville & Green

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(They’ve altered Rollins’ entrance so his music cuts off when he hits the ring so he can bask in a spotlight as the crowd sings his song. Except, they cut it off at an odd moment and it’s almost like the crowd has to start again. Basically, they’ve made it worse.) 

World Championship Tournament Semi-Final: Seth Rollins defeated Finn Bálor (13:32)

Bálor powerbombed Rollins into the barricade — the spot that injured Bálor in their Universal Championship match years ago — which led to a break two minutes into the match.

Rollins sold his arm as he made a comeback after the break. Rollins tried something off the top but Bálor reversed into a cradle for two and transitioned into an arm bar. Rollins slipped out but Bálor hit a slingblade. Bálor went for a dropkick but Rollins hit a superkick for two.

They took turns slamming each others’ heads into the apron until Rollins took over and repeatedly bounced Bálor’s head off of it. Rollins hit an enziguri in the ring but Bálor came back with a Pelé kick. They each sat up and smiled at each other before going at it again and Bálor hit a double foot stomp. Rollins hit a superplex but Bálor countered a falcon arrow into a reverse DDT for two.

Bálor stomped at Rollins in the corner, dropkicked the back of his head, and dropkicked him in the corner. Rollins dodged a Coup de Grace and hit a one-armed Pedigree for a nearfall.

Bálor avoided a stomp but with Bálor sitting face-up, Rollins stomped his face before hitting his usual curb stomp for the pinfall win. Really good match.

Rollins advances to the finals of the tournament against the Smackdown finalist to be determined on Friday.