WWE Monday Night Raw returned to the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, with an action-packed show on September 11, 2023. The night featured the celebration of GUNTHER’s record-breaking Intercontinental Championship reign, Cody Rhodes making his return, Rhea Ripley defending the women’s world championship, and much more.
The show started with Jey Uso, who welcomed the audience and expressed his excitement to be on Monday Night Raw. Kevin Owens interrupted him, claiming that it is now the Kevin Owens show. Owens talked about his past mistakes and the challenges he faced to earn respect and trust. He mentioned that not everyone in the locker room believes he belongs, but Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn have welcomed him back. Owens challenged Jey Uso to prove himself and earn his trust and respect.
The Judgment Day, Finn Balor, Damian Priest, and Dominik Mysterio, confronted Owens and Uso. Balor defended Uso and questioned why he needed to prove himself to Owens. Uso expressed his willingness to work with Owens and prove himself. The two teams agreed to a match later in the night.
Jey Uso & Kevin Owens vs. Judgment Day (Damian Priest & Finn Balor)
The match started with Jey Uso and Damian Priest. Uso gained the upper hand but was soon countered by Priest. Finn Balor tagged in and offered a handshake, but Uso slapped his hand away. Balor took control with a headlock, but Uso fought back with a dirty move. Kevin Owens then tagged in and delivered a series of moves to Balor. The match continued with back-and-forth action, and ultimately, Judgment Day secured the victory with a Coup de Grace from Balor on Owens.
After the match, Uso tried to apologize to Owens, but Owens was furious and refused to listen.
The show also featured a match between Akira Tozawa and The Miz, where The Miz emerged victorious with a Skull-Crushing Finale. Raquel Rodriguez challenged Rhea Ripley for the women’s world championship, but Ripley successfully defended her title with a Riptide. Nia Jax made a surprise appearance after the match and attacked Ripley.
GUNTHER, who recently broke the record for the longest Intercontinental Championship reign, celebrated his accomplishment. Chad Gable interrupted the celebration and congratulated GUNTHER, expressing his desire for a rematch. Gable mentioned that their previous match pushed GUNTHER to his limit and vowed to win the title in the future. GUNTHER insulted Gable’s family, leading to a brawl between the two. Imperium joined the attack on Gable, but Tommaso Ciampa made a surprise appearance with a chair, forcing Imperium to retreat.
In other matches, Chelsea Green faced Shayna Baszler, with Baszler emerging victorious. Drew McIntyre defeated Xavier Woods, and Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis Dozovic) and Tommaso Ciampa defeated Imperium (Giovanni Vinci, GUNTHER, & Ludwig Kaiser).
The show ended with Seth Rollins challenging Shinsuke Nakamura for a title match, but Nakamura declined, citing a previous engagement.
For more details and a full recap of the show, visit Pro Wrestling Wars.