SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE RAW TV REPORT
JUNE 3, 2024
HERSHEY, PA. AT GIANT CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 8,816 tickets had been distributed; arena is set up for 8,966
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
[HOUR ONE]
– The show opened with a recap of Dominik Mysterio accidentally costing Becky Lynch her two title matches and Liv Morgan kissing him was shown.
– Liv Morgan made her way to the ring to welcome the fans to her Revenge Tour. Liv gloated about taking out Rhea Ripley and putting Becky Lynch in early retirement. Dominik Mysterio interrupted to explain himself, but the crowd’s boos made him inaudible. Dominik claimed that when Rhea Ripley came back, she would kill Liv. Liv said that Ripley would kill him first before trying to seduce Dominik. Liv said that she wanted to take everything from Ripley, including Dominik, as she cornered him. Finn Bálor showed up to get in the way and demand Liv to back off.
(Pomares’s Analysis: An okay opening promo to address last week’s main event, but I’m not very high on this storyline. I hope the entirety of Liv’s reign doesn’t revolve around Dominik Mysterio and the rest of Judgment Day because I’m already getting tired of it.)
– A recap of Ludwig Kaiser and Sheamus brawling around the arena last week was shown.
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Sheamus about his match against Ludwig Kaiser. Sheamus mocked how Kaiser attacked him from behind and how he just handled Gunther’s coat. Sheamus said that tonight Kaiser would get the shot to prove himself and earn his respect. He made his way to the ring for his match, until Ludwig Kaiser showed up from behind with a chop block.
[Commercial Break]
(1) SHEAMUS vs. LUDWIG KAISER
They started the match exchanging chops, until Sheamus laid Kaiser out with a suplex. Kaiser attacked Sheamus with a barrage of chops, only for Sheamus to shut him down with blows to the head. Kaiser caught Sheamus with a dropkick to the leg and a bunch of stomps, followed by a lariat. Sheamus clocked Kaiser with an uppercut, but Kaiser knocked him off his feet with a series of chops. Sheamus blocked a kick to the chest, allowing Sheamus to target his leg with a couple of kicks and clothesline him out of the ring.
Kaiser pulled Sheamus out of the ring and smashed his leg on the apron. Kaiser tried to chop Sheamus’ leg, but Sheamus rammed his body into the barricade. Sheamus tried to go for the Beats of Bodhran, only for Sheamus to hit him with a Stunner into the ropes and smash his head into the steel steps. Kaiser crushed Sheamus’ leg with a running dropkick into the steps, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Sheamus blocked the Beats of Bodhran and pulled Kaiser’s head into the ropes. Kaiser attacked Sheamus with a pair of laiarts, only for Sheamus to lay him out with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Sheamus missed a pump knee into the turnbuckle, allowing Kaiser to crush his leg with a double stomp. Sheamus fired up and blasted Kaiser with a load of chops, followed by a series of forearms to the head.
Kaiser evaded a lariat and knocked Sheamus down with a Penalty kick to the damage leg. Sheamus shocked Kaiser with a pump knee, but was too hurt to go for the Brogue Kick. Sheamus pummeled Kaiser with the Beats of Bodhran and carried his body to the top turnbuckle. Kaiser blocked an avalanche Air Raid Crash and scored the win with an enzuigiri to the legs that knocked Sheamus off the top turnbuckle.
WINNER: Ludwig Kaiser at 13:44
– Backstage, Finn Bálor and Dominik Mysterio discussed what happened earlier tonight. Damian Priest asked Dominik if he had spoken with Rhea Ripley before focusing on his match later tonight.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Pretty good match to further the rivalry between Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser which will surely go on after that result. While I wasn’t a fan of WWE splitting Kaiser and Vinci, I’m at least happy that one of them is getting a decently sized singles push against a former world champion.)
– Dragon Lee made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Finn Bálor.
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Ilja Dragunov tried to speak with Ricochet about what happened last week. Dragunov told Ricochet that he should be cautious when facing Bron Breakker, wishing him luck.
– A video package showcasing Dragon Lee’s accomplishments was shown.
(2) DRAGON LEE vs. FINN BÁLOR (w/JD McDonagh)
Finn put Lee in a wrist lock, only for Lee to knock him down with an arm drag. Finn maintained control over Lee with chops to the chest and shoulder thrusts before receiving a hurracarrana. Lee knocked Finn off his feet with a suicide dive, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, they exchanged chops, until Lee planted Finn with a German suplex. Lee swept Finn off his feet and blasted Finn with a slingshot dropkick. JD distracted Lee, allowing Finn to get a nearfall with a roll-up. Lee dropped Finn with a sitout powerbomb, but he managed to kick out at two. JD distracted the referee, only for Lee to hit Finn with a rolling senton and him with a forearm strike. Carlito tripped Lee off the top turnbuckle behind the referee’s back. Lee knocked Finn off the top turnbuckle and crushed Carlito with a high crossbody. Lee took JD down with a thrust kick, but Finn finished him with a shotgun dropkick and the Coup de Grace.
WINNER: Dragon Lee at 8:36
(Pomares’s Analysis: Solid encounter to give Dragon Lee a bit of a showcase and an excuse to lose. The post-match assault was decent, but I’m not very interested in seeing more of this Judgment Day and LWO feud.)
– After the match, Judgment Day attacked Dragon Lee, until Braun Strowman and Rey Mysterio showed up to make the save. Strowman sent Finn and Carlito out of the ring before chasing them away.
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR TWO]
– Backstage, Damian Priest told Carlito that since he was playing prospect, he should get a match against Braun Strowman and deal with him tonight. R-Truth showed up to talk with Carlito about Judgment Day, calling them the best days of his career. The Miz pointed out that he was a champion now and these were the best days of his career. Truth mocked Miz for being obsessed with Judgment Day.
– Sami Zayn made his way to the ring while a recap of Chad Gable assaulting him last week was shown. Sami talked about coming back to Pennsylvania after winning the Intercontinental title. He told Gable to come out and accept to face him without the rest of Alpha Academy in a title match tonight. The rest of Alpha Academy made their way to the ring, telling him that Gable wasn’t here. Maxxine Dupri read a message that mocked her, Otis, Akira Tozawa and Sami, asking for a rematch.
– Sami agreed to give Gable a title match at Clash at the Castle before asking Dupri, Otis and Tozawa why they were still on his side. Gable attacked Sami from behind and berated the rest of Alpha Academy. Otis got in-between Gable and the rest of Alpha Academy, allowing Sami to knock Gable down. Gable threw Sami into Otis, accidentally knocking Tozawa and Dupri off the apron. Otis laid Sami out with a bodyslam, allowing Gable to stand tall with the Intercontinental title.
(Pomares’s Analysis: This was a well-executed segment that slightly overstayed its welcome. Gable is killing it as a heel, but the first half of this segment felt like more of the same from this storyline. I’m surprised they are doing the rematch at Clast at the Castle, however, after tonight’s show, it feels like the correct time to either give Gable the belt or have Otis finally turn on him.)
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Bron Breakker mocked Sami Zayn for being beaten down and told Adam Pearce that no one could hold him back.
– Ricochet made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Bron Breakker.
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Chad Gable praised the rest of Alpha Academy for their ‘performances’, but none of them were happy.
(3) RICOCHET vs. BRON BREAKKER
Ricochet slapped Breakker and nailed him with a chop to the chest, followed by a thrust kick to the abdomen. Ricochet knocked Breakker down with a headscissors takeover and a dropkick, setting him up for an enzuigiri. Breaker avoided a springboard move and blasted Ricochet with a lariat. Breakker dropped Ricochet with a press slam onto the barricade, as WWE Raw went to a commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Ricochet countered a press slam with a DDT before hitting Breakker with a springboard clothesline and a Lionsault. Ricochet caught Breakker with a thrust kick, setting him up for the Recoil and a nearfall. Breakker launched Ricochet across the ring with an avalanche hurracarrana and knocked him out with a Spear.
WINNER: Bron Breakker at 8:01
– After the match, Bron Breakker tried to attack Ricochet with the steel steps, only for referees, security guards and Ilja Dragunov to make the save. Dragunov sent Breakker with a forearm strike, forcing him to retreat.
(Pomares’s Analysis: A very dominant win for Bron Breakker who is quickly being established as a major threat on the roster. Probably not at Clash at the Castle, but I can see them building a Breakker vs. Dragunov match on PPV.)
– Backstage, Rey Mysterio cheered up Dragon Lee after his loss and said that he was coming for the head tonight.
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Kiana James talked about using Natalya as a step on her rise to the top..
(4) NATALYA vs. KIANA JAMES
James put Natalya in a wrist lock, until Natalya took her down with a suplex. Natalya countered a roll-up with an armbar, only for James to trip her into the turnbuckle. James attacked Natalya with a series of shoulder thrusts, but Natalya knocked her down with a discus clothesline. Natalya nailed James with a basement dropkick, but she kicked out at two. James kicked Natalya away and beat her with the 401K.
WINNER: Kiana James at 2:56
(Pomares’s Analysis: An okay win for Kiana James, but there’s only so much she can get from such short matches on TV.)
– Backstage, New Day talked about facing the Authors of Pain tonight, until Karrion Kross interrupted to tell them that the power of positivity was dead. Kofi Kingston said that they would show AOP that they were wrong before Kross told Woods that after tonight, he wouldn’t have to follow Kofi anymore.
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Natalya told Sonya Deville that it was time for a change. Deville walked away to talk with Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark, but they told her that they weren’t interested. Deville told them to not do anything hasty, only for Baszler to tell her to leave them alon.
(5) BRAUN STROMWAN vs. CARLITO
Carlito pulled Strowman’s head into the top rope and cracked him with a rising knee. Carlito evaded a corner splash and sent Strowman to the corner with a dropkick., only for Strowman to shut him down with a lariat. Strowman put Carlito down with a strike to the chest and threw his body across the ring. Finn and JD distracted Strowman, but Strowman knocked them down and finished Carlito with an inverted Chokeslam.
WINNER: Braun Strowman at 1:26
– After the match, Braun Strowman laid Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh with a double clothesline and blocked a chair shot from Dominik Mysterio. Liv Morgan got in-between Strowman and Dominik, allowing Judgment Day to pummel Strowman down. JD clobbered Strowman with a series of chair shots to the legs while Liv and Dominik faced off. Finn got in-between Liv and Dominik, making Liv retreat.
(Pomares’s Analysis: The match was meaningless and the angle was just okay. Aside from the Liv and Dominik relationship, I don’t know what the payoff to this feud with Braun Strowman will be.)
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR THREE]
– Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill made their way to the ring and called out Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark. Baszler and Stark mocked Belair and Jade for not showing up on Raw and said that the titles would go back to the top team in WWE. Belair and Jade dared them to have the match right now and Adam Pearce showed up to make the match official.
(6) BIANCA BELAIR & JADE CARGILL vs. SHAYNA BASZLER & ZOEY STARK – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
Belair missed a corner splash, allowing Baszler to stomp her down. Belair rammed Baszler into the corner, setting her up for a corner splash from Jade. Jade dropped Belair with a slam on top of Baszler for a two count. Stark knocked Belair away with a springboard dropkick before receiving an elevated facebuster from Jade. Stark evaded a powerbomb, only for Jade to blast her with a thrust kick. Jade missed a corner splash, allowing Stark to nail her with an enzuigiri. Baszler saved Stark from a vertical suplex, but Belair and Jade hit them both with stereo vertical suplexes, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Belair got the hot tag to take Stark down with a dropkick and plant Baszler with a back suplex. Belair took Stark down with a suplex, followed by a barrage of right hands. Stark nailed Baszler with a backbreaker and crushed Stark with a handspring moonsault. Belair sent Baszler out of the ring before receiving a thrust kick from Stark for a nearfall. Jade pulled Baszler out of the ring, only for Baszler to drive her into the steel steps. Belair kicked out of a roll-up and planted Stark with a KOD, until the Unholy Union showed up to cause a DQ.
WINNERS: Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill at 9:09 via DQ (Still WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions)
– After the match, Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark and the Unholy Union assaulted Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill to stand tall.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Decent match while it lasted, but I’m never gonna be a fan of DQ finishes. The post-match assault felt very by the numbers and just an excuse to not give Baszler and Stark another clean loss.)
– Backstage, Damian Priest said that he respected Rey Mysterio, but tonight he was done with him. Drew McIntyre interrupted to tell Priest to enjoy the highest point of his career and that this was personal.
[Commercial Break]
– Jey Uso showed up in the crowd to talk about being part of the Bloodline Civil War last year. Jey thanked the fans for sticking with him after he lost everything. He announced that his plan for this year was to climb the ladder and become Mr. Money in the Bank.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Not much to say here, but it’s cool to see them already build the Money in the Bank ladder match. I doubt Jey Uso will win, but he will likely be a major player in the match.)
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Lyra Valkyria about what happened last week. Lyra said that Becky Lynch would come back stronger and put over how she could stand tall on her own feet. Lyra started talking about Money in the Bank, only for Iyo Sky to attack her from behind and throw her body into a wall.
– The New Day made their way to the ring, ahead of his match against the Authors of Pain.
[Commercial Break]
(7) NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. AUTHORS OF PAIN (Akam & Rezar w/Karrion Kross, Scarlett & Paul Ellering)
Woods nailed Rezar with a dropkick and a kick to the abdomen before receiving a big boot. Akam clobbered Woods with a clothesline, only for Woods to knock him down with an enzuigiri. Woods blasted Akam with a thrust kick while Kross distracted Kofi during a tag attempt. AOP planted Woods with a powerbomb and neckbreaker combination for the win.
WINNER: Authors of Pain at 2:30
(Pomares’s Analysis: Just a throwaway match to tease a New Day breakup that I doubt is going to happen.)
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn about their attack from earlier tonight. They complained about not getting the same opportunities and claimed that Belair and Jade have never beaten them.
– It was announced that next week Lyra Valkyria would face Iyo Sky; Sami Zayn would take on Otis; and Ilja Dragunov would battle Bron Breakker.
[Commercial Break]
(8) DAMIAN PRIEST vs. REY MYSTERIO
Priest caught Rey with a big boot, followed by the Falcon Arrow for a two count. Rey sent Priest out of the ring and hit him with an Asai moonsault, but Priest shut him down with a flatliner. Priest pummeled Rey down, as WWE Raw went to its final commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Priest laid Rey out with a side slam and sent him out of the ring with a forearm strike. Rey barely returned to the ring before nailing Priest with a couple of enzuigiris. Priest missed a corner splash, allowing Rey to drive him into the turnbuckle. Rey blocked the South of Heaven and cracked Priest with an enzuigiri. Rey crushed Priest with a diving seated senton, followed by a springboard crossbody and a series of right hands. Priest rammed Rey into the corner, but Rey quickly spiked him with a Satellite DDT for a two count.
Priest caught a springboard moonsault and turned Rey inside out with a lariat for a nearfall. Rey blocked an avalanche Razor’s Edge and launched Priest across the ring with an avalanche hurracarrana. Rey cracked Priest with the 619 and a slingshot splash, but he managed to kick out at two. Carlito showed up to distract Rey, until Dragon Lee took him out with a forearm strike. The rest of Judgment Day attacked Lee from behind before receiving a Tornillo from Rey. Priest stopped Rey atop the turnbuckle and knocked him out with the South of Heaven.
WINNER: Damian Priest at 13:27
– After the match, Drew McIntyre attacked Damian Priest from behind and spiked him with a Future Shock DDT. Drew put Finn and Carlito down with clotheslines and launched JD across the ring with a belly-to-belly suplex. Drew cleared the announce table, only for Priest to put him through it with the South of Heaven after he got distracted with Michael Cole.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Pretty good main event with a bunch of interference I don’t think was very necessary. I like that Drew McIntyre seems to be his own biggest enemy after because they haven’t done a particularly great job presenting Priest as a big threat on his own.)
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