Credit: WINC
– Tonight’s WWE RAW opens up with a video package looking at how Cody Rhodes returned at WrestleMania 38 to defeat Seth Rollins, and then returned to RAW last week to make it known he’s gunning for gold in WWE, and doing it in the name of his late father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes.
– We’re live on the USA Network as Jimmy Smith welcomes us to RAW at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Smith is joined at ringside by Byron Saxton and WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler. The King is filling in for Corey Graves, who is on his honeymoon with Carmella.
– We go right to the ring and out comes The Miz for another must see episode of MizTV. Fans boo but Miz begins his grand introduction. He says tonight’s guest is an extraordinary Superstar, who has been the talk of the whole world since making his WWE return. Miz says this person beat Seth Rollins at WrestleMania, but can he beat The Miz tonight? Miz knocks the Detroit crowd and says their opinions don’t count. Miz goes on and introduces his guest – Cody Rhodes.
The music hits and the pyro goes off as Rhodes makes his way out in a suit. He stops on the entrance-way and gets more pyro. Rhodes enters the ring, poses in the corners and even more pyro goes of on the stage. Miz is looking at his watch, wondering how long this entrance is going to go on for. They finally take their seats and Miz jokes that they broke the pyro budget. He asks if Rhodes is trying to show him up on his own show. He asks if Rhodes is just an ego-maniac now. Rhodes says don’t begrudge him, don’t get hot, because it’s been a while since he faced a crowd this hot. Rhodes stands back up and plays to the crowd for more cheers. Miz brings up Cody’s emotional explanation on last week’s RAW, about why he came back to WWE. Miz says that was admirable.
Fans chant “Dusty!” now. Miz says the reality is, if it weren’t for Cody’s family name, he wouldn’t just be the grandson of a plumber, he’d be just a plumber. Cody says being a plumber would be a good thing right now because Miz is full of… Cody stops himself but says everyone knows what he meant. Cody says Miz hasn’t changed… he’s still arrogant, obnoxious, a full-blown carny, and the fact that Miz embraces it so greatly… that makes him reliable. Good ‘ol Reliable Mike. Cody asks Miz if he looks the same, and asks what he’s been doing for the past six years. Cody goes on about wanting to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Title belt. Miz says it’s a title, a belt holds up your pants. Miz says anyone who can beat Rollins at WrestleMania definitely deserves to be in title contention. Miz says that might take a while because a little bird told him Rollins wants a rematch, and this time he will have time to plan. Miz doesn’t like Cody’s chances in the rematch, or in tonight’s match. Miz goes on but fans interrupt with chants for Cody. Miz brags about destroying The Mysterios and Logan Paul at WrestleMania 38 but everyone still wanted to talk about Cody after WrestleMania. Miz says we all know where Cody has been, but this is Miz’s show and Miz won’t be disrespected on his show. They stand up and face off now as Cody tells him to simmer down.
Cody respects Miz and all of his accomplishments. Cody says he senses this hostility is because Miz feels threatened by Cody. Cody says he has no issue with Rollins, Rollins gave him a great match, and he’s got the rematch if he wants it. Cody goes on about knowing there would be doubt and resentment when he returned to WWE, but he’s ready to face the best wrestlers… Miz corrects him, it’s Superstars. Cody goes on and says he’s looking forward to his first RAW match back tonight. Fans interrupt with a “Cody!” chant now. Cody says may the best man win in their match tonight. Miz tries to hit Rhodes with a sneak attack but Cody counters and tosses him through the ropes to the floor. Cody’s music starts up as he yells out at Miz. Miz and Cody stare each other down to end the segment.
– We see how Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns spoke on Friday’s SmackDown and sent SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos to RAW to capture the red brand titles from RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro. Still to come, RK-Bro vs. American Alpha with title shot implications, plus Omos on The VIP Lounge with MVP, and at 9pm ET it will be Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz.
Veer Mahaan vs. Dominik Mysterio
Veer groans out as he works Dominik over. Veer leaps at Dominik and splashes him back down. Dominik blocks a clothesline with a kick. Dominik sends Veer to the floor to regroup. Dominik launches himself over the top rope but Veer catches him, stumbles back a few steps into the barrier, then launches him into the barrier. Veer waits for Dominik to get up, then decks him with a huge right forearm.
Veer brings Dominik back into the ring and decks Dominik with another big clothesline. Veer stands over Dominik, smashes down onto him, then applies the modified Camel Clutch for the quick submission win.
Winner: Veer Mahaan
– After the bell, Veer grabs Dominik again and quickly applies the submission. He rag-dolls Dominik until four officials finally get him to let go. Veer applies the hold one more time and punishes Dominik as fans boo. Medics bring a stretcher down and load Dominik up as Veer marches to the back, stopping to look back at the ring while the boos continue. We go to commercial as EMTs put the neck brace on Dominik and stretcher him away.
– Back from the break and we see how Veer Mahaan destroyed Dominik Mysterio. The camera cuts backstage to Dominik’s stretcher being loaded up into the ambulance. Kevin Patrick is backstage with Veer now. Patrick asks Veer why he did what he did after the match was over. Veer says he strikes fear into the heart of any man, or maybe he said every man. Veer stares at the camera as we go back to the ambulance. The sirens start up and it drives away with Dominik in the back.
– We see what happened last week when AJ Styles interrupted Damian Priest and Edge, but ended up getting double teamed. We see footage from earlier today of Sarah Schreiber stopping AJ as he arrived to the arena. Schreiber asked AJ about his thoughts going into tonight’s match with Priest. AJ admitted he was afraid… afraid of what Edge and Priest will make him do to them. AJ says they talked about his family and that means a fight. AJ saw Priest walking nearby, so he ran over and attacked. Priest fought back and the two brawled as officials tried to keep them apart. Back to commercial.
AJ Styles vs. Damian Priest
AJ calls for the Phenomenal Forearm but Priest kicks him out of the air, sending him to the floor. Priest goes to the middle of the ring and drops to one knee. The lights start going down as he raises his arms in the air. Priest is under a purple spotlight now. Priest looks ahead under the light as we go to commercial.
– Back from the break and the announcers show us what just happened with AJ Styles and Damian Priest. The lights are back up now and everyone is gone. Sarah Schreiber is backstage with AJ. AJ asks what was that BS, he wasn’t done with Priest. AJ goes on about Edge looking down from wherever he’s at, and says he doesn’t care what Edge or anyone else thinks, it won’t stop him from getting to Priest and Edge.
The Miz vs. Cody Rhodes
Rhodes wins with Cross Rhodes.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
– After the match, Cody’s music hits as he begins his celebration. We go to replays. Rhodes poses in the corners and doesn’t see Rollins waiting behind him. Cody comes off the corner now and there is Rollins. Rollins says he heard all the kind things Cody had to say, even the word rematch, but he wants Cody to remember Cody was the surprise opponent at WrestleMania 38, and had all the advantages. Seth says now that he sees what he’s working with… he laughs uncontrollably. Seth proposes Rollins vs. Rhodes II. Cody says yes, absolutely. Rollins laughs some more as fans pop. Rollins’ music starts back up and he dances around the ring while Rhodes watches.
– We see how Kevin Owens was confronted by Ezekiel last week, the younger brother to Elias.
– Kevin Patrick is backstage with how he introduces as the newest member of RAW – Tommaso Ciampa. Before they can speak, Ezekiel walks up and introduces himself, welcoming Ciampa to RAW. Ciampa thanks him but Kevin Owens comes up and interrupts. Owens goes on about how this is really Elias, asking him what he’s trying to pull. Ezekiel says Owens is mistaken, then Ezekiel walks off. Ciampa also believes that this really is Ezekiel. Owens tells Ciampa not to listen to Elias, he’s known him for years. Owens asks if he’s the only sane person around here. Owens seethes at the whole Ezekiel situation and storms off.
Naomi vs. Liv Morgan
After a series of pinfall attempts, Naomi gets on top of Morgan and pins her for the win.
Winner: Naomi
Banks rallies for Naomi from ringside now. Liv has Ob-Liv-ion blocked. Liv tries for a top rope hurricanrana but Naomi turns it into a powerbomb. They trade counters and offense on the mat until Naomi rolls Liv up, stacking her for the pin and the win.
Winner: Naomi
– After the match, Banks and Naomi celebrate while Liv tries to recover.
– We see how MVP turned on Bobby Lashley last week and linked up with Omos.
– We go back to the ring and out first comes Bobby Lashley to a pop. Lashley greets some fans and poses in the corner as pyro goes off. Saxton says this was supposed to be The VIP Lounge, but Lashley is crashing the party. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Lashley is already talking. He says he wasn’t invited to The VIP Lounge over what happened last week, so he invited himself. Lashley goes on about about the win at WrestleMania 38, but gives Omos some raise. He says he was stabbed in the back by the one man he felt he could trust. Lashley goes on and calls MVP to come to the ring and explain his actions to everyone.
MVP isn’t coming out. Lashley says maybe he should start re-arranging The VIP Lounge to how he likes it. He threatens to destroy some stuff but the music interrupts and out comes MVP and Omos now. MVP tells Lashley to stop embarrassing himself, and if he damages anything, MVP’s lawyers will be in contact. Lashley tells him to shove those lawyers up his ass. Lashley wants a fight. MVP says he’d love for Omos to teach a lesson to Lashley, but Omos is learning to be a businessman and will wait until the money and time is right.
Lashley says MVP and everyone should be thanking him. MVP asks if Lashley and everyone wants an explanation? He can do that. MVP goes on about how Lashley was floundering when he came back to WWE, until MVP took Lashley to new heights. MVP declares he made Lashley, he made Lashley into All Mighty. Lashley says MVP came back for his farewell tour but then he did what he does best – latch onto his next meal ticket. The back & forth continues until MVP goes on about Omos being bigger and smarter than Lashley. He says Omos will take MVP’s spot at the top because Omos realizes he needs MVP. MVP says Lashley barely survived his first match with Omos, and he promises he won’t survive the next. Lashley says he’s going to chop Omos down like he did at WrestleMania, then he’s coming to get MVP. Lashley’s music starts back up as he starts tossing parts of The VIP Lounge to the floor.
– We see how Reggie proposed to WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke two weeks ago but Tamina Snuka interrupted, only for Reggie to save Dana and run away with her. Akira Tozawa then proposed to Tamina and she said yes. We cut to footage of Tozawa, Reggie, R-Truth and some of their friends leaving Tozawa’s bachelor party, what apparently was the best bachelor party of all-time. Truth asks Reggie about the WWE 24/7 Title and Reggie mentions it’s with Dana at the double bachelorette party she’s having with Tamina. Truth is shocked and worried. He goes on ranting about how you can’t trust the title with Tamina and a bunch of conniving others. Truth tells the guys to follow him because they have a party to crash.
Bianca Belair vs. Queen Zelina
Belair wins with a quick match with KOD.
Winner: Bianca Belair
The bell rings and they go at it. Vega with a takedown from the corner for a quick 1 count. Belair fights out of a hold and decks Vega, then hits a big fall-away slam. Fans cheer Belair on as she presses Vega high above her head and does squats, then drops her to the mat. Belair follows up with a quick KOD for the easy win.
Winner: Bianca Belair
– After the match, Belair stands tall and celebrates the quick win as her music hits. We go to replays. Belair raises the title until the music interrupts and out comes Sonya Deville with a contract in her hand. She marches to the ring and we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Deville is in the ring with Belair, congratulating her on her WrestleMania win and calling on fans to cheer her on. Deville says she found a new challenger for Belair but it was no easy task because of the stacked women’s division. She names several Superstars and says the options are endless for Belair. Belair says she’d be happy to get in the ring with any of those names she said, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who her opponent is because she will leave with the title, because she is the strongest, toughest, bravest, and so on. Belair is ready to find out who her opponent is. Deville has an open contract for the RAW Women’s Title and says if Belair is serious about getting in the ring with anyone, then sign now and prove why you are The EST. Belair sees what Deville is trying to do, but says let’s do it. She signs the contract. Deville gives a grand introduction for this mystery opponent, then calls for a drum roll. Belair turns to face the big screen for the big reveal, but Deville takes her knee out with a chop block from behind. Deville destroys Belair and drops her as fans boo. Deville then announces herself as Belair’s next opponent. Adam Pearce rushes down to check on a furious Belair as Deville makes her exit to boos.
– We go to the double bachelorette party for Tamina Snuka and WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke. They are on the same page now but Tamina says it will be open season on the title once the honeymoon is over. Los Lotharios interrupt and put the Kiss Cam over Tamina and Dana. Nikki A.S.H. interrupts next and she’s brought some male entertainment. She uses this to distract Brooke, and roll her up for a pin but Tamina makes the save and beats up on Nikki. R-Truth, Akira Tozawa and Reggie show up with their friends. Truth yells at everyone and says they should all be ashamed. Truth says it’s not the 24/7 Title that keeps them together, it’s the love. Truth has a certificate that shows he’s an ordained minister, and he calls for all attempts on the title to be paused until next week when there will be a double wedding. Everyone celebrates to end the segment.
RK-Bro vs. Alpha Academy
Orton unloads on the challengers, hitting Gable with a powerslam. Orton brings Gable to the apron for the second rope draping DDT. Fans go wild for Orton as he stands tall, then calls for the RKO. Gable blocks the RKO and back-slides Orton for 2. Orton comes right back with the RKO outta nowhere to Gable for the pin to win:
Winners: RK-Bro
– After the match, the champs stand tall with the titles in the air as fans cheer them on and we go to replays. A black SUV arrives in the back and out comes SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos. Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso go walking through the backstage area looking for Randy Orton and Riddle. Back to commercial.
