Date: April 24, 2023
Location: Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL
The Big Takeaway —
Triple H announced that a new World Heavyweight Champion would be crowned at Night of Champions on May 27th (in Saudi Arabia). Roman Reigns is eligible for the draft and will only be the champion of the brand that drafts him.
Cody Rhodes returned to action and defeated Finn Bálor. Brock Lesnar appears next week.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will defend the tag team titles against the Usos on Friday’s Smackdown. Bad Bunny will face Damian Priest at Backlash in a street fight.
There was no mention of CM Punk (obviously) nor were there any audible chants for him.
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Show Recap —
Cody Rhodes kicked off Raw in Chicago. He received a very big reaction.
Rhodes said they could talk about the upcoming draft or talk about his upcoming match against Brock Lesnar, the most decorated combat sports athlete ever. Rhodes had clips shown of the beating Lesnar gave him and said it was the worst beating of his career.
Rhodes removed his shirt (to the delight of some in the crowd) to show the scar from his pec surgery and noted this was the same arena he wrestled with the pec injury. Rhodes dared Lesnar to put another scar on him because that would show him that Lesnar hasn’t learned anything. He wrestled with that injury and still beat one of the best ever inside Hell in a Cell.
Rhodes said he never talks about that match, despite the picture of him wrestling with the injury being the one he is asked to autograph the most. He spoke about the fans in Chicago rallying behind him in that match. He’s had many great moments in Chicago and he wanted to thank them.
Finn Bálor interrupted. Bálor told Rhodes, “we all got scars, mate.” Bálor saw that Rhodes had Roman Reigns beat at WrestleMania and he got screwed. Bálor knew how he felt. The reason Rhodes got screwed was that no one had his back. Bálor said Rhodes trusted the wrong man in Lesnar the next night.
Bálor said Rhodes needed to be smarter, “like me.” Bálor called the match against Lesnar a match he can’t win — not on his own. Rhodes was under the impression that there was mutual respect between them but he was starting to doubt it and he wasn’t buying what Bálor was selling.
Bálor said Rhodes in Judgment Day would be unstoppable. Rhea Ripley became Smackdown Women’s Champion, Damian Priest put the biggest star in the world through a table, and Dominik Mysterio proved he was already greater than his father. The crowd told Bálor that he sucked as he told Rhodes they could have his back at Backlash.
Rhodes encouraged the crowd to keep chanting before politely declining Bálor’s offer. Rhodes offered a handshake but Bálor told him that he was either with them or against them. Bálor told Rhodes to watch his back or else he’d smack the bleach out of his head.
Rhodes informed Bálor that he was medically cleared as of a few hours ago and challenged him to a match tonight. Bálor seemed to agree before leaving the ring.
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Kevin Patrick announced a sold-out crowd tonight and plugged Triple H’s announcement that would ‘rock the foundation of WWE.’
The LWO has new music which includes the “Viva La Raza” soundbite from Eddie Guerrero’s theme.
Six-man tag team match: The Usos & Solo Sikoa defeated LWO (Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) (8:40)
LWO members hit dives ahead of an early commercial break. They showed replays of the dives upon returning but no clips to show how Bloodline gained control during the break. Santos Escobar made a tag and ran wild until he hit Jimmy Uso with a flying crossbody for two. Del Toro followed with a Phoenix Splash but Jey Uso broke up the cover.
Sikoa gave Joaquin Wilde a Uranage onto the edge of the ring while Del Toro set up for a coast-to-coast dropkick. Jey distracted the ref while Sikoa nailed Del Toro a Samoan Spike in mid-air. The Usos followed with 1D and Jey pinned Del Toro for the pinfall win. (The portion of the match we actually saw was good.)
— After the match, Jey Uso said they had just one bad night at WrestleMania 39 where they let down the Bloodline. Jimmy said they would become tag team champions again on this Friday’s Smackdown and they dedicated the match to Roman Reigns.
The announcers made it official: Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn defend the tag titles against the Usos on Friday’s Smackdown. They called it the biggest tag match in Smackdown history.
(As they announced this, there was a production mistake where they showed Cathy Kelley in the back getting ready for the next segment.)
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Cathy Kelley tried interviewing Bianca Belair but they were interrupted by Damage CTRL. IYO SKY wanted to face her tonight and Belair seemed to agree but Bayley interrupted and said the three of them wanted to face Belair assuming Belair could find two partners. SKY and Bayley were obviously not on the same page.
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Jey Uso was on the phone when he bumped into Sami Zayn backstage. Zayn thought it was funny that they dedicated Friday’s title match to Reigns. They had the chance to win the titles back and they should be doing it for themselves but instead, they’re doing it for Reigns. Now that they’ve attached Reigns’ name to it, Zayn wondered what would happen if they failed.
Zayn said Jey didn’t deserve what was coming for him if they lost. Jey asked Zayn why he cared and Zayn said he felt bad. Jey said he shouldn’t feel bad because he made his choice and Jey made his choice too.
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Kelley interviewed Trish Stratus. Kelley wondered if Stratus knew why Becky Lynch wasn’t here for a second straight week. Stratus said Lynch was having trouble handling the pressure of being on top of the women’s division especially now that she was a mom. Stratus said she knew what the pressure was like but she was thriving. Stratus put Lynch out of her misery and should be thanking her for it.
(They went to break after the six-man tag/Belair interview, aired the Jey/Zayn segment and Stratus interview, showed the Street Profits’ entrance, and went to break again.)
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The Street Profits defeated Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin (2:18)
Alexander and Benjamin got some offence but the Street Profits won after Angelo Dawkins gave Alexander a spinebuster and Montez Ford pinned him with a frog splash.
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[SECOND HOUR]
Triple H’s announcement
Triple H entered to his ‘King of Kings’ theme. He received a big reaction. He said he had the incredible privilege of competing in front of the fans as a superstar. He defended the WWE Championship in Chicago against one of the greatest of all time in John Cena.
Triple H was now privileged to ensure that WWE was all that it could be.
Triple H wanted to address the current champion Roman Reigns who was approaching 1,000 days as champion. Triple H shared the ring with some of the greatest ever and said Reigns was good enough to hang with any of them.
During his near-1,000 days as champion, Reigns negotiated it into his contract that he did not have to defend that title as often. That was great for Roman Reigns but not great for the fans. The fans deserved more. When Triple H said the draft would shake the foundation of WWE, he meant it.
Triple H said that when Roman Reigns gets drafted, he will take the championship with him and stay there.
On May 27th at Night of Champions, they would crown a new World Heavyweight Champion. The crowd cheered as he unveiled a new World Championship belt.
Triple H said this would be a champion to be proud of, respect and admire. A champion that would defend the title any place, any time, all over the world. This champion would not demand your acknowledgement but earn it.
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Kelley approached Judgment Day for an interview. She specifically asked Damian Priest a question and Bálor was annoyed that he seemed invisible to her. Priest told Bálor that he had to get ready anyway so he left.
Priest thought it was great that Bad Bunny was here tonight. Priest mentioned all of Bad Bunny’s success and said he has even had success in WWE but only when Priest has had his back. If Bad Bunny got in his business again, he’d end up through a table again. Priest said he didn’t go on stage at Bad Bunny’s concerts and interfere.
Dom said Bad Bunny could watch Priest take out his dead-beat dad and Priest said he would exterminate Rey Mysterio tonight.
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There was a Bronson Reed video package.
In the back, Jimmy tried hyping up Jey but he was clearly distracted. Jimmy asked him what was wrong. Jey asked if Jimmy was worried about what would happen to them if they lost. Jimmy brushed it off until Jey said he spoke to Zayn earlier. Jimmy flipped out and told Jey that he shouldn’t be talking to Zayn. Jey asked him plainly: what would happen if we don’t win?
Jimmy fired up and told him they would win back the belts and do it for the Tribal Chief. Jimmy left.
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Six-woman tag team match: Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair & Tag Team Champions Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan defeated Bayley, IYO SKY & Dakota Kai (9:28)
After a break, Morgan failed to make a hot tag because SKY yanked Belair off the apron. Morgan gave Kai a backstabber and tagged in Rodriguez who hit Bayley with a clothesline, fallaway slam, and twisting senton but Kai broke up the cover. Rodriguez chucked Kai from the ring.
Rodriguez then powerbombed Morgan, her partner, over the top rope into Bayley. SKY dropkicked Rodriguez out of the ring and Belair tried to give SKY a KOD but SKY blocked it. Belair drove SKY into the ring post before Bayley tripped Belair.
Bayley tried to take advantage but Belair countered and hit KOD for the pinfall win.
(SKY was late breaking up the cover and had a brief face-off with Belair after the pinfall.)
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Austin Theory/Bobby Lashley/Bronson Reed segment
Theory entered for a promo and welcomed us to “Austin Theory Live.” Theory called himself the greatest US Champion ever but wondered where his respect was. He didn’t even get to choose his next opponents.
Theory looked over at the new World title belt (which was on display at ringside) and said it should be around his waist because if anyone earned it, it was him.
Instead, Theory was forced into defending his US title in a triple threat where he can lose without being pinned or submitted. The crowd chanted “you suck” and he smiled (because he was getting heat) and reminded them that he beat John Cena at WrestleMania.
Lashley interrupted. Lashley wondered when Theory would step up and run toward the obstacles instead of away from them. Lashley knew how tough Theory was but didn’t think Theory even knew it. Lashley wondered if Theory was lazy or just scared. Lashley let him know that the triple threat match was his idea.
Theory asked Lashley why he didn’t have a match at WrestleMania if he was so good at making matches. Lashley threatened to knock his teeth out.
Theory tried to take a cheap shot but Lashley fought him off. Bronson Reed joined in and they double-teamed Lashley. Theory held Lashley against the ring post as Reed squished him into it.
Theory gave Lashley an A-Town down and bragged until Reed ran him over. Reed gave Theory a Samoan Drop and Tsunami.
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Earlier today, Chad Gable explained the rules of the draft to Rick Boogs per Elias’ request. Gable said he got assurance that he would get drafted alongside Otis but Maxxine Dupri wasn’t so sure. Mustafa Ali showed up and said some stuff before calling Gable a loser. Gable told him to shoosh and Otis stood up for Gable.
Mustafa Ali defeated Chad Gable (w/Otis & Maxxine Dupri) (1:50)
They announced Ali as being from Chicago before his music hit.
Ali tried a rolling neckbreaker but Gable caught him and hit a dragon suplex. Ali spiked Gable with a tornado DDT and tried a splash but Gable avoided it. Gable tried a Chaos Theory suplex but Ali countered that into a roll-up for the pinfall win.
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Jimmy Uso confronted Zayn in the back. Jimmy said Owens just used Zayn to get the tag titles and when they lost those titles, Owens would turn on him again. Jimmy told Zayn to worry about his own brother.
Finn Bálor entered ahead of a break.
[THIRD HOUR]
Cody Rhodes defeated Finn Bálor (11:05)
Rhodes used his size advantage early on and hit a delayed reverse vertical suplex. Bálor ducked a running crossbody and Rhodes went flying into the ropes. Rhodes sold his injured ribs as Bálor pushed him into the announce table. Bálor glanced at the new World title belt as they went to break.
Rhodes fought back after the break and hit a Disaster kick for two. Bálor blocked a Cody Cutter and hit a headlock elbow drop for two. Bálor stomped at Rhodes’ ribs and hit a slingblade but Rhodes came back with a superkick and Cody Cutter for two.
Bálor stomped Rhodes and hit a shotgun dropkick but Rhodes dodged a Coup de Grace. Bálor blocked a Cross Rhodes and applied a small package for two. Rhodes hit a Pedigree but did not go for a cover and instead hit a Cross Rhodes for the pinfall win.
The crowd really liked Rhodes and he celebrated with them after the match.
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Seth Rollins segment
Rollins wore a gold tiger print jumpsuit with an open back.
Rollins mentioned his upcoming match against Omos at Backlash — but something bigger has caught his eye. Rollins turned his attention to the World title belt at ringside. (The crowd chanted “you deserve it” and Rollins asked if they were chanting that because he was a Bears fan.)
Rollins said he was not on the list of names that Roman Reigns has defeated. Rollins said a lot of people wanted to be Roman Reigns but some people still wanted to fight. He called the new belt an opportunity for “us” to fight, push the industry forward, and have a world championship that was about more than politics and part-timers.
Rollins was putting money on himself to win the title but before he could lead the crowd in singing his song, Omos and MVP interrupted.
MVP said they meant no disrespect because they respected Rollins immensely. MVP called Rollins one of the best superstars to embrace a WWE ring and he has accomplished virtually everything. MVP called Rollins brilliant — except for his fashion choices.
MVP said it was his job to get Omos big matches and a win over Rollins would be huge. MVP cautioned Rollins about making predictions about his future because he may not have one after Backlash.
Rollins said MVP undersold Omos and called him the strongest force in WWE. Rollins said Omos was once in a generation because he was born that way, while Rollins was once in a generation because he made himself that way.
Rollins should be afraid of Omos but he wasn’t. Rollins would make Omos famous after he gave him the match of his life before bouncing his big head off the mat. After Omos woke up from his three-second nap, he would hear the crowd singing his song.
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Matt Riddle was talking Kevin Owens’ ear off in the back when Zayn approached. Owens popped up and frantically asked where Zayn was all night (because he was annoyed at being stuck with Riddle). Zayn mentioned that he spoke with the Usos and Owens obviously didn’t like hearing that. Owens basically told him that they need to stay focused on Friday. Owens left.
Riddle told Zayn that he knew exactly what he was going through. Zayn didn’t know what he meant. Riddle mentioned his team with Randy Orton where everyone thought Orton would turn on him but that didn’t happen because they were bros. Riddle said Owens and Zayn were bros and everything would be cool — win, lose or draw. Zayn thanked him.
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(I wasn’t going to mention this but there have been more production errors since the one I mentioned earlier, mostly involving random out-of-place camera cuts that show nothing in particular. It’s happened a few times and that is usually not the case with WWE programming.)
The announcers plugged Smackdown and ran down the Backlash card.
A couple of times tonight, they showed Bad Bunny’s social media posts live updating people as he made his way to the arena.
Brock Lesnar appears next week.
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Rey Mysterio defeated Damian Priest via disqualification (11:06)
Bad Bunny was shown arriving at the arena about two minutes into the match. Priest dumped Rey from the ring and they went to break a minute later.
Rey mounted a comeback and hit a springboard crossbody for two. Rey went for the 619 but ran into a boot by Priest. Priest blocked Rey’s offence again and hit a lifting flatliner for two. The crowd chanted for Rey as Priest grabbed a steel chair but Rey sent him flying off the apron with a dropkick. Priest grabbed him for a chokeslam but Rey fought him off and hit a 619.
Rey went to the top but Priest chucked the chair at Rey’s head for the DQ.
— Priest hit Rey with his finisher and cleared the announce table when Bad Bunny entered with a kendo stick. (Rey disappeared after this.)
Bad Bunny entered the ring and hit Priest with the kendo stick as Priest charged at him. Priest caught him and set up for a chokeslam on the announce table but Bad Bunny slipped out and hit him repeatedly with the kendo stick. Priest ran away and the crowd booed him.
Bad Bunny stood on the announce table and informed Priest that he wasn’t hosting Backlash anymore — “I’m going to Puerto Rico to kick your ass.” He said they would be in his house and it would be Bad Bunny against Damian Priest in a street fight.
(Bad Bunny did well here and the crowd cheered for him.)