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The RAW before Night of Champions kicked off with Cody Rhodes getting attacked as he entered the building. Brock Lesnar tossed Cody into some equipment backstage and smashed his arm with a crate before the show even kicked off.
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Paul Heyman was in the ring to kick things off and hyped Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa's tag title match this Saturday. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens showed up, and this sent Heyman running.
Zayn said that this was their biggest title defense, and it was personal for him. KO reminded us that Reigns dedicated the match to the Wild Samoans Afa & Sika, and Owens would instead dedicate their title defense to The Usos.
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Imperium came out next and surrounded the ring before Riddle came in as well. Gunther and his men feigned retreat but came back and attacked the champs and Riddle, but the babyfaces managed to clear the ring and sent them backstage.
WWE RAW Results (May 22, 2023): Ricochet vs. Bronson Reed
Ricochet got some big moves in early on, but Reed came back with some tackles and an elbow drop before sending him outside. Back after a break on RAW, Reed got a suplex and a Samoan drop before Ricochet came back with a jawbreaker and a baseball slide.
Ricochet got a superkick and a shooting star press for a near fall before Reed tried for a cannonball and was denied. Bronson got a big splash in the corner before hitting a scoop powerslam and the Tsunami for the win.
Result: Bronson Reed def. Ricochet
Grade: B
Apollo Crews was backstage when Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley came in. Rhea called out Natalya before Crews interrupted her. Ripley booked Dominik a match against Crews before RAW continued.
We got a continuation of Seth Rollins' interview with Corey Graves, and he said that even though he loved Roman Reigns for being there when no one else was, he has no respect for what Roman has become.
Rollins said that Reigns was poisoned by his own ego and was taking opportunities away from others. He then talked about AJ and hyped the fight, calling him one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time.
Zoey Stark vs. Candice LeRae on RAW
Stark started off strong and took LeRae into the corner early on before locking in a headlock on the mat. Nikki Cross came out to support Candice, who came back with some big moves and dropkicked Stark out of the ring and hit a big dive.
LeRae and Cross were celebrating outside when Stark came back and shoved them into the steel steps outside. Back in the ring, Stark got the Z360 and picked up the win.
Result: Zoey Stark def. Candice LeRae
Grade: C
Mustafa Ali was backstage and said that his career was wrought with failure before Brock Lesnar pushed him aside and walked out to the ring before telling him to "get a life, kid."
Brock was out next and said that Cody would not be fighting him at Night of Champions, but he would instead put out an open challenge. Cody came out with his arm in a sling, and Adam Pearce was trying to talk him out of it before Rhodes entered the ring.
Cody stepped in the ring, and Brock immediately sent him into the corner and locked in the Kimura on the injured arm before stomping on it. Brock walked out, and Cody was left in the ring as Adam Pearce and officials tried to help Cody.
Alpha Academy vs. The Viking Raiders on RAW
Gable and Erik kicked off the match, and the Vikings tried to isolate Chad early on. Gable was tagged in before he got a big clothesline and hit the caterpillar on one of the Vikings.
Valhalla dragged Otis into the corner and out of the ring before Maxxine Dupri went after Valhalla on the outside, and the distraction allowed Gable to roll Ivar up for the win.
Result: Alpha Academy def. The Viking Raiders
Grade: C
Finn Balor vs. Shinsuke Nakamura on RAW
Balor grounded Nakamura with a hold early on before Nakamura reversed it but took some desperate kicks causing him to let go of the hold. Nakamura put his boots to Balor in the corner before getting a knee to the midsection and a dropkick to the outside.
Balor distracted the ref while Damian Priest took Nakamura out with a clothesline on the outside. After a break on RAW, Balor got the double stomp but missed the Coup de Grace before Priest interfered again, and Shinsuke went outside and took him out.
Balor came in off the distraction with a dropkick on the outside before getting the Coup de Grace in the ring for the win.
Result: Finn Balor def. Shinsuke Nakamura
Grade: B
Raquel Rodriguez vs. Sonya Deville on RAW
Rodriguez stomped on Deville's sunglasses off the bat before Raquel charged at her and took her into the corner before laying down strikes. Raquel kicked Deville in the face and hit her with the Texana Bomb for the quick win.
Result: Raquel Rodriguez def. Sonya Deville
Sonya and Chelsea attacked Raquel after the match before Shotzi made her return and made the save. The two sent Deville and Green outside before posing in the ring together.
Grade: C
Trish Stratus tried to get a no-contact clause for the match contract signing tonight but was denied. Becky Lynch came out first, followed by Trish, who wanted to celebrate her first-ever match contract signing.
Trish claimed that Becky owed her success to her and said that she was still number one. She said that she knew Becky's weaknesses and signed the contract before Becky said that Trish was scared of her.
Lynch said that Trish was trying to hold on to her career, although everyone can see that she was no longer the athlete she used to be. Becky said that everyone knew she was better than Trish, and it scares Stratus.
Becky went after Trish's past, saying that she did things that Lynch would be ashamed of before Stratus flipped the table and walked out.
Adam Pearce said on a phone call that Cody was refusing medical attention and that they needed to evaluate the situation before making a decision.
Shotzi and Raquel were backstage, and Raquel let us know that she and Shotzi will be competing for the women's tag team championship.
Apollo Crews vs. Dominik Mysterio on RAW
Crews went up top early on, and Dominik dropped him on the top rope before trying for the three amigos. Crews came back with a big toss and blockbuster before getting a near fall off a crossbody.
Outside the ring, Crews took Dom down with a clothesline before Ripley got involved. Dom sent Crews into the steel steps off the distraction before Ripley pushed him into the ring post.
Crews barely beat the ten-count before Dom got the Frog Splash in the ring for the win.
Result: Dominik Mysterio def. Apollo Crews
Grade: B
Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens & Matt Riddle vs. Imperium on RAW
Sami and Kaiser kicked off the match, and tags were made to Riddle and Vinci early on. The babyfaces were in control, but Gunther tagged in and hit some big chops on Riddle before we headed for a break.
KO got a Frog Splash on Vinci before tagging in Sami, who got the Blue Thunder Bomb on Gunther. KO came in with a sudden stunner but was tossed outside before Gunther locked in a hold on Sami, and Riddle came in with a top rope move.
Sami was about to finish the match, but Gunther dragged him by the leg before The Ring General was taken out by Riddle. In the ring, Sami got the Helluva kick on Vinci, and Kevin got a Senton before picking up the win.
Result: Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens & Matt Riddle def. Imperium
Grade: B+
Backstage, Triple H came to talk to Cody, and he knew that Rhodes' arm was broken. Hunter tried to get him to agree to let the doctors treat him, but Cody refused and said that he was going to fight Brock on Saturday no matter what. Triple H patted him on the back and walked off as RAW went off the air.
Episode rating: B+
We got the return of Shotzi to take Liv Morgan's place in the tag team title match, while Sami, KO, and Riddle put on a great main event on the RAW before Night of Champions.
