WWE Raw notes: Rollins & Styles team up, New Women’s Tag Team Champions crowned, MITB qualifiers begin

May 29, 2023 Neal Flanagan NEWS
Image Courtesy: WWE

Raw kicked off with Seth Rollins coming out, wearing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship that he won at Saturday’s Night of Champions.

His opponent in that match, SmackDown’s AJ Styles, arrived to congratulate Seth. The Judgment Day then emerged to taunt the pair, leading to a tag challenge between Rollins & Styles and any two members of Judgment Day for the main event of the show.

In the first men’s Money in the Bank qualifying match, Ricochet defeated The Miz.

Trish Stratus came to the ring to gloat about beating Becky Lynch at Night of Champions. She brought Zoey Stark out to the ring. Lynch then challenged Stratus, leading to a two-on-one assault that left Becky laid out.

Indus Sher (with Jinder Mahal in their corner) defeated two wrestlers described as “Performance Center talent” in just over one minute. One was NXT’s Javier Bernal.

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens came to the ring to celebrate their win at Night of Champions. Owens was wearing a “We The Ones” Usos shirt. The pair were interrupted by Imperium. They argued until Alpha Academy emerged.

Chad Gable described their team as “new and improved” as they were joined by Maxxine Dupri. Imperium defeated Alpha Academy.

Next up was the fatal four-way match for the vacant WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships between Raquel Rodriguez & Shotzi, Bayley & IYO SKY, Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler, and Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green.

Rousey & Baszler emerged as new champions after Rousey locked the armbar on Shotzi, forcing the tap.

JD McDonagh beat up Dolph Ziggler outside the ring in McDonagh’s first singles match on the main roster. The match was a double count-out.

The final hour began with Cody Rhodes coming to the ring. He said he didn’t tap out to Brock Lesnar at Night of Champions because that isn’t “the man he wants to be.” He issued an absent Lesnar with an open challenge, saying he would fight him anywhere.

A backstage interview with Matt Riddle was interrupted by Gunther, who said he hoped Riddle would win Money in the Bank and cash in on the Intercontinental Title because he enjoyed beating him.

Next up, Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Bronson Reed in the second MITB qualifying match of the night. Reed was booked very strongly, no-selling much of Nakamura’s normal offense. Nevertheless, Nakamura won after a second Kinshasa.

Becky Lynch vs. Sonya Deville and Natalya vs. Zoey Stark were announced as women’s Money in the Bank qualifiers for the next edition of Raw.

The main event saw WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and AJ Styles team up against Damian Priest and Finn Balor of The Judgment Day. Despite plenty of interference by both Rhea Ripley and Dominik (who were eventually ejected from ringside by the referee) Mysterio, Rollins & Styles were victorious.

About Neal Flanagan 1042 Articles
Based in Northern Ireland, Neal Flanagan is a former newspaper journalist and copy editor. In addition to reporting for POST Wrestling, he co-hosts The Wellness Policy podcast with Wai Ting and Jordan Goodman.
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