Tag: zoey stark

Date: August 28, 2023
Location: FedExForum in Memphis, TN 

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Show Recap —

They aired memorial graphics for Terry Funk and Windham “Bray Wyatt” Rotunda. RIP.

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Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will defend the tag team titles against Damian Priest and Finn Bálor at Payback. 

Damian Priest defeated Tag Team Champion Sami Zayn (11:41)

Zayn was doing well until Priest dropped him with a clothesline and followed with a falcon arrow for two. Zayn tried a dive but Priest caught him and dropped him onto the announce table.

After a break, Zayn hit a sunset flip sit-out powerbomb for two, followed by a flip dive and Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Zayn slipped out of a Razor’s Edge attempt and hit an exploder into the corner.

As Zayn set up for Helluva Kick, he was tripped by JD McDonagh. Zayn turned his attention to McDonagh so Priest hit him with a chokeslam for the pinfall win.

(Zayn was getting a lot of offence compared to Priest so you kind of knew where this was going.)

— After the match, Priest shoved McDonagh to the ground and told him to stay out of his business. As Priest left, the crowd began cheering because Kevin Owens appeared in the ring.

Owens dropped McDonagh with a stunner and Zayn laid him out with a Helluva Kick.

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Drew McIntyre was in the back looking at a picture that Matt Riddle gave him. The picture was a photoshop of McIntre wearing gear to match Riddle’s. Akira Tozawa was there and told McIntyre he looked good. McIntyre told Riddle not to get ahead of himself.

Riddle did some comedy before suggesting that they sit at ringside for the Viking Raiders/New Day match. McIntyre liked that idea because he wanted to see those “two idiots” get beat up. Riddle thought he was talking about New Day but McIntyre corrected him before storming off.

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There was a Raquel Rodriguez promo video package hyping her title match against Rhea Ripley. Rodriguez was bigger and stronger than Ripley and was out for revenge.

Becky Lynch was shown warming up.

(The McIntyre/Riddle segment and the Rodriguez video were the only things that happened between commercial breaks.) 

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Miz segment

LA Knight’s music hit and the crowd popped but it was actually Miz dressed as Knight. The crowd booed Miz who did an impression of Knight.

Miz deepened his voice which he claimed Knight did to sound like a tough guy and repeatedly said “Yeah.” Some of the crowd still sang along and Miz called them sheep to which they responded, “Yeah!” (which was funny). Miz also mixed in some Steve Austin catchphrases as a way to mock Knight.

Miz returned to his regular voice and said being LA Knight was easy and anyone could do it. Miz said Knight was all about catchphrases but when Miz called himself “awesome,” that wasn’t a catchphrase. Miz said the crowd would cheer anything including losers which Knight would be at Payback.

(Miz was pretty good here.)

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Seth Rollins was shown seething in the back (over Shinsuke Nakamura). Ricochet walked by and nodded at him. (Rollins wore an armband for Bray Wyatt.)

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McIntyre and Riddle entered to watch the next match from ringside.  

The Viking Raiders (w/Valhalla) defeated Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods (17:02)

All four men wore “BRAY” armbands.

Kingston hit a dive but the Viking Raiders were in control anyway after a break.

[SECOND HOUR]

Valhalla distracted Woods which allowed Ivar to prevent a hot tag. The crowd chanted “Let’s go Kofi” whose attempt for a hot tag got cut off again.

Kingston finally made the hot tag to Woods who hit Ivar with a forearm and Honour Roll clothesline for two. Woods avoided a double team and Kingston tagged back in and splashed Ivar but Erik broke up the cover.

The fight spilled to the outside which led to Ivar driving Kinston into both McIntyre and Riddle. McIntyre was pissed and chucked a big leather chair into the ring (trying to hit Ivar). With the ref distracted, McIntyre also chucked one at Erik but he ducked and Woods was knocked out instead.

The Vikings used the opportunity to hit Kingston with Ragnarok for the pinfall win.

— McIntyre checked on Woods and apologized to Kingston who wasn’t pleased. McIntyre was still upset and chucked a leather chair again.

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Bálor told Priest that they needed to get on the same page. Priest was hot and said they do need to focus but focus on people who matter — not JD McDonagh. Priest yelled at Bálor until Ripley cut him off. She said the only members of Judgment Day who were handling business were herself and Dirty Dom.

Ripley said that if they don’t all walk out of Payback as champions, there will be some changes. Priest held up his briefcase and said he’d have no problem winning gold.

(There were Bray Wyatt t-shirts hanging up in the background.)

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They aired the Bray Wyatt tribute video. The crowd held up their cell phone lights and chanted “Thank you, Bray.” A spotlight shined on Bray’s empty rocking chair.

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Riddle and McIntyre approached Kingston as he left the trainer’s room. Kingston said Woods wasn’t doing great but that he’d be fine. McIntyre told Kingston what happened was an accident. Kingston said he knew McIntyre wouldn’t do something like that on purpose and they were all good. They bumped fists.

McIntyre was pissed about the Viking Raiders and said he would take them out last week and wouldn’t wait to tag in. McIntyre left. Kingston wasn’t sure what he meant by that. Riddle was excited because he assumed they were teaming up next week.

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Gunther cut a promo while standing on the announce table. The crowd booed him. Gunther said Chad Gable made history last week when he became the first person to beat him in over 500 days. Gunther said Gable won on a technicality but in reality, he has won nothing. Gunther said Gable did accomplish one thing and that was piss him off.

Gunther fired up and said Gable had his attention and focus. He announced that Gable would get a title rematch next week on Raw. But Gable would not win next week and would not win tonight against his best man, Ludwig Kaiser.

Gable interrupted with Otis and Maxxine Dupri. Gable said Gunther has been on the main roster for almost two years but no one was able to defeat him — until last week. Gable said he won in ten seconds (count out) last week and next week would win the title with a three-count. Gable told Kaiser to get in the ring so he could cook him up Memphis style.

Chad Gable (w/Otis & Maxxine Dupri) defeated Ludwig Kaiser (w/Giovanni Vinci) via disqualification (18:18)

They went to break 45 seconds into the match after Gable hit a cannonball. Gunther left ringside during the break. (Cole called him arrogant for doing so.) They went to a second break after Kaiser knocked Gable off the top and followed with a running uppercut outside the ring.

Kaiser maintained control after the break while cutting off Gable’s comeback attempts. Kaiser hit a rolling fireman’s carry and PK for two. Gable came back with a neckbreaker and suplex before wiping out both Kaiser and Vinci with a moonsault to the outside.

After 18 minutes, Gable hit a Chaos Theory suplex but Vinci broke up the cover for the DQ.

— Otis suplexed Vinci but Kaiser attacked him and the two Imperium members double-teamed him before putting the boots to Gable.

Gunther marched back out and was going to powerbomb Gable but Gable countered into an ankle lock. Kaiser and Vinci decked Gable and stomped away at him until Gunther shoved them aside and powerbombed Gable.

(They’ve been protecting Kaiser but this is obviously not the match Gable should’ve had a week before facing Gunther again.)

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They paid tribute to Bob Barker by showing clips of his guest hosting gig on Raw in 2009. (They didn’t show his interaction with Chris Jericho.)

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[THIRD HOUR]

Seth Rollins segment 

Rollins kicked off by saying “Yowie wowie” and welcomed us to Monday Night Rollins.

Rollins got straight to the point and called out Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura didn’t show so Rollins thought he should head to Beale Street, order a stiff drink, and listen to the fans sing his song all night long.

A Nakamura video played on the screen. It included clips of Nakamura training while stating his desire to break Rollins and destroy his back. Nakamura said Rollins wouldn’t be able to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding and said that Rollins had no future.

Rollins wasn’t impressed that all we got from the great Nakamura was a video package. Rollins wanted to know where the Nakamura was that headlined the Tokyo Dome and set NXT on fire.

A month ago, Rollins would’ve given Nakamura the shirt off his back. The same back that was broken in two places. But his back didn’t stop him from winning the world title and wouldn’t stop him from beating Nakamura’s ass on Saturday. Rollins wouldn’t stop until someone pulled him off Nakamura.

Rollins said Nakamura would never take anything from him — not his title, not his future, not his family.

Nakamura suddenly attacked Rollins from behind. Nakamura dropped him with a kick and took a look at the title belt before leaving.

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Zayn and Owens cut a backstage promo. Zayn was tired of dealing with Judgment Day for all these months. No matter how many times they beat them, Judgment Day found a way to come back and get a cheap victory and now they’ve themselves got a title match. Zayn was ready to face them one more time.

Owens said they went to Adam Pearce and had their match made into a Steel City Street Fight. Owens said a lot of crazy things have happened in Pittsburgh including Owens himself being thrown off a cage through the announce table. He said that was nothing compared to what they would do to Judgment Day and they would end this once and for all.

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Tommaso Ciampa defeated Bronson Reed (4:30)

Ciampa hit an air raid crash early on for a nearfall and Reed followed with a running sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Reed knocked Ciampa out of the ring but Ciampa came back with a Widow’s Bell and a running knee strike for two.

Ciampa followed moments later with a crucifix bomb into a pin for the win. (Reed over-rotated in the crucifix pin so the pinfall didn’t look good at all.)

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Jackie Redmond asked Becky Lynch if she had any second thoughts about having a falls count anywhere match against Zoey Stark just days away from facing Trish Stratus in a cage match.

Lynch said she’s had second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth thoughts and they’ve all been about whipping Stark all over the arena. This wasn’t the easy way but she didn’t want the easy way. Lynch planned on bringing the chaos to Memphis.

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Tiffany Stratton was shown in the crowd.

Rhea Ripley/Raquel Rodriguez segment

Ripley entered with Dom for a promo. Ripley said Rodriguez only got one up on her last week because she feigned an injury. Ripley said she could run down her list of accomplishments but that would take too long. The title around her waist was enough to prove everything and Rodriguez was an idiot if she thought she was taking it on Saturday.

Ripley agreed with Rodriguez that she was big and a bit tough — but she was not Rhea bloody Ripley. Mami was walking out as champion at Payback.

Rodriguez marched out. They brawled until Rodriguez sent Ripley out of the ring with a fallaway slam. Dom distracted Rodriguez and Ripley tried to take advantage with a Rip-tide but Rodriguez countered with a clothesline. Ripley backed away with Dom while telling Rodriguez she just made a big mistake.

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Trish Stratus and Zoey Stark cut a quick promo on Lynch. Stratus called Lynch an idiot for taking this match tonight.

The announcers ran down the Payback card.

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They aired the Terry Funk tribute video. The crowd gave a big ovation and “Terry” chants.

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Next week on Raw:

• Gunther vs. Gable for the Intercontinental Title
• McIntyre & Riddle vs. Viking Raiders in a tornado tag team match

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Stratton was once again shown at ringside.

Falls count anywhere match: Becky Lynch defeated Zoey Stark (w/Trish Stratus) (16:19)

Stratus got involved a minute in by attacking Lynch with a kendo stick. Lynch fought them off and hit both women with a flying crossbody outside the ring. Stark shoved Lynch into the steel steps and hit a springboard dropkick in the ring for two.

Stratus threw a chair into the ring but it hit Stark right in the face — which very much looked like an accident. (Stratus tossed the chair in while Stark had her back turned but she turned around at exactly the wrong time.) They both played it off well. Stark brushed it off as Stratus chucked about six more chairs into the ring.

Stark tried a superplex onto the chairs but Lynch blocked it and hit a diving leg drop for two. Lynch countered Stark’s finisher into a Man-handle Slam but Stratus broke up the cover.

Lynch ran after Stratus and hit her repeatedly with a kendo stick. Stratus scampered up the ramp as Lynch continued to hit her with the stick but Stark attacked Lynch with a chair and hit a thrust kick for two.

Lynch was back in control after a break and gave Stark an exploder into the barricade for two. Lynch grabbed a table and the crowd popped but Stark dropkicked her. Stark hit Lynch repeatedly with a chair. She placed the chair on Lynch and hit a twisting senton.

Lynch chucked a chair at Stark and hit a superplex onto a chair for two. Lynch set up for a Man-handle Slam on the announce table but Stratus reappeared to stop it. Lynch fought them off momentarily but Stratus attacked her again and hit a Stratusfaction bulldog through a table. Stark made a cover for a nearfall.

They fought into an excited crowd and Lynch began fighting them off. Stark accidentally knocked Stratus off a platform and through a table. Lynch and Stark both looked shocked.

Lynch took advantage and gave Stark a Man-handle Slam off the platform through a table for the pinfall win. This wound up being pretty fun and the crowd popped big for the finish.

— Lynch was in tears as she held up a Bray Wyatt armband.