On September 30th, 2024 WWE aired the 1,636th episode of Raw live in Evansville, Indiana inside Ford Center.
Note: This review will be shorter then normal as it be the last few mins of the match.
-Kicking off this week’s Raw with a recap of the Intercontinental Title match from last week.
-Fans tell Jey Uso that he deserves the Intercontinental Title as he says he’s now in Evansville. Jey promises to be a fighting champion and fight anyone who wants a shot at his title then says he appreciates and loves the fans. He thanks them for their support over the years and says it was special for him to walk to the ring with his son behind him. He says it was a hard ride to get to where he is today after everything he went through in The Bloodline then says he was a twin for his whole wrestling career until now.
-Jey says out of everyone in his life, his biggest fan is his mother. He says he spoke to his mom and she told him to go out there, show everyone who he is, and get the Intercontinental Title. He holds up his belt and tells his mother that they did it.
-Bron Breakker’s music hits and he makes his way out. He says he’s not in the ring to spoil Jey’s fun but rather for the respect he has for the Intercontinental Championship. He says the title has a long history and after their battle last week, he has the same respect for Jey as he does for the title. He says he’s made the importance of the title to him and his family known, then says Jey was the better man last week. Breakker promises not to spear or attack Jey, then says he felt like he should be the first one to come to the ring to congratulate Jey. He extends his hand to Jey & Jey shakes it. Breakker then looks to head to the back but Jey stops him and says there’s some dogs in Indiana.
-Highlights aired of the backstage argument between Rey Mysterio & Xavier Woods that set up their match.
-After the break footage aired from earlier in the day of Dominik Mysterio & Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan hanging out by the lowrider. Mysterio got a phone call from Finn Balor & he told him that he was having travel issues. Balor said Mysterio could tell Morgan that the business is taken care of. JD McDonagh & Carlito showed up and they all walked away from the lowrider
Rey Mysterio vs. Xavier Woods
Rey Mysterio escapes Xavier Woods’ grasp and delivers a hurricanrana that sends him crashing into the ropes.
He dials it up for a 619 but Woods avoids it then pulls off Mysterio’s mask and rolls him up to score the win.
Winner: Xavier Woods
-Backstage Lyra Valkyria was in her locker room when she was approached by Sonya Deville & Shayna Baszler. Deville mentioned Valkyria had a tough match with Zoey Stark and would be out there all alone. Deville said she wouldn’t be alone because both she & Baszler would be there.
-After the break a brief video with a stone and a fire symbol were shown.
-We head backstage and see Xavier Woods run into Kofi Kingston. He explains to Kingston that pulling off Rey’s mask was an accident before Kingston informs Woods that Jey Uso offered him an Intercontinental Title match. He says he told Jey that he wanted Woods to have the title shot instead and Jey agreed. An excited Woods then tells Kingston that even though he wanted to be alone in his match against Rey Mysterio he’ll be at ringside for his match against Chad Gable later.
Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark
Zoey Stark lands a dropkick off the top rope and goes for a pin but Lyra Valkyria kicks out.
Stark rains down right hands on Valkyria before Sonya Deville hits a knee then Stark follows it up with Z360 for the win.
Winner: Zoey Stark
-After the match Pure Fusion Collective looks to beat down Valkyria but Kayden Carter and Katana Chance come to her aid. They take down Shayna Baszler & Sonya Deville then hits Keg Stand to them.
-Godzilla vs. King Kong style video package for Bronson Reed vs. Braun Strowman aired.
-Backstage Adam Pearce was lecturing security guards about containing CM Punk & Drew McIntyre before Punk walked by.
-After the break we head backstage where Jackie Redmond interviewed Lyra Valkyria, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance. Carter, who wore a face shield, said the Pure Fusion Collective broke her face. Chance said the days of her, Carter & Valkyria being known as the nice guys were finished and they would be going after the tag titles. The Unholy Union shows up and bickered with Valkyria, Carter & Chance.
-Adam Pearce and several security guards are waiting in the Hell In A Cell cage in the ring. He explains that there will be no physicality in the upcoming segment then introduces CM Punk & Drew McIntyre & they both make their way down to the ring.
-Pearce asks Punk and McIntyre if they have any last words before their Hell In A Cell Match on Saturday, with McIntyre to go first. He points out that he’s wearing black out of respect for Punk’s wife and what he’s going to do to him. He says Punk will be gone thanks to him and says he can talk all day if Punk doesn’t want to. He says fans have been watching what’s happened for the last 10 months and yet they still chant for Punk.
-McIntyre says there was a time in his life where he had no time for hate, but Punk taught him that it’s a powerful weapon. He says his hate will die with Punk on Saturday and leaves the ring. He stops himself when Punk grabs a mic.
-Punk says he’s been called a lot of things throughout his career, and while he’s known as The Voice of the Voiceless, he is the one that’s voiceless tonight. He says he’s filled with rage and been living in a hotel for the last 4 months so that his wife doesn’t have to see the man that he’s become because of McIntyre. He says McIntyre will be begging on his knees on Saturday, praying to him. He promises to see McIntyre in hell.
-Backstage Cathy Kelley interviewed Braun Strowman & said he was not nervous and would remind the world why he is the Monster of all Monsters. The Miz tried to speak to Strowman but R Truth interrupted them. Strowman said he didn’t expect to see Truth because he was hit with 5 Tsunamis. Truth said he didn’t remember that. Miz questioned why Truth didn’t tell him he was coming. Truth said he didn’t know. Truth informed Miz that he got them a match against AOP. Miz figured out that Truth was referring to AOP.
-Backstage Cathy Kelley asked Sami Zayn what he thinks it will take to get a shot at the World Heavyweight Title. Zayn took issue with the disrespect that Gunther has shown him. Zayn said you’d think it wouldn’t bother him by now, but it does. Someone was standing in the background, it it was tough to make out the identity of the person. Zayn said he wouldn’t quit until he gets his title shot.
6 Man Tag Team Match
Judgement Day (World Tag Team Champion JD McDonagh, Dominik Mysterio & Carlito) vs. Latino World Order (Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde & Dragon Lee)
Joaquin Wilde gets JD McDonagh back in the ring and ascends to the top rope but Liv Morgan distracts the referee as Finn Balor pushes Wilde off the top rope.
This opens the door for McDonagh to then hit The Devil Inside to Wilde for the win.
Winners: Judgement Day
-After the break Finn Balor grabs a mic and addresses Damian Priest. He tells Priest he heard what he had to say last week about ripping out his heart but says he doesn’t have a heart and will prove to the world at Bad Blood that Priest needed Judgment Day rather than the other way around. Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan then says she’ll prove that she’s the greatest Women’s World Champion of all time when she defeats Rhea Ripley.
-Ripley’s music hits and she makes her way out. She tells Morgan that she was with Mysterio for a long time and knows all about his secrets then calls for the Shark Cage to be brought out and reveals that Mysterio is extremely claustrophobic. He says Mysterio will have the best seat in the house on Saturday when Morgan realizes that she’s not as good as her and she wins back the Women’s World Title she never lost.
-Priest then appears in the ring and takes down McDonagh. He fires off right hands on Balor in the corner as Mysterio & Morgan slide out of the ring. Ripley then headbutts Morgan and sends Mysterio crashing into the barricade then sends him bouncing off the side of the Shark Cage. Morgan runs to the back and Ripley opens up the Shark Cage. She throws Mysterio in it and looks to close the door but a fearful Mysterio stops her. Morgan then blindsides Ripley as Balor continues beating down Priest in the ring. He hits a trio of Coup De Graces to him.
-Sheamus was featured in a video package promo. Sheamus called for one final banger with Pete Dunne in the form of a Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook match.
-After the break a video promo package aired featuring Damage CTRL & they spoke about winning their match last week and challenged Bianca BelAir & Jade Cargill for the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Iyo Sky said Damage CTRL hasn’t been the same and the only way it can be is to regain the Women’s Tag Team Titles. She said she is living rent free in BelAir’s head.
Kofi Kingston vs. Chad Gable
Chad Gable then cinches in an Ankle Lock on Kofi Kingston but Kingston escapes and looks to land Trouble In Paradise. Gable avoids it and counters into a second Ankle Lock.
Kingston escapes and hits SOS then flies off the ring steps to take out American Made.
Julius Creed looks to take a shot at him but Xavier Woods levels him.
Ivy Nile then distracts the referee and Woods trips Gable as he runs the ropes.
This doesn’t stop Gable as he hits a rolling German suplex to Kingston for the win.
Winner: Chad Gable
-Backstage Bronson Reed was interviewed by Jackie Redmond. Reed congratulated Rollins and said he hopes he’s coming back after he took months off his career. Reed said he’ll take years off his life. Reed apologized to Strowman for exposing him and said he would be the last monster standing.
-A smirking World Heavyweight Champion Gunther walked by Adam Pearce as he was giving instructions to referees and security.
-A Wyatt Sicks video aired. A computer screen listed We See Your Intent and Anger Festering Into Rage and Do Not Go Down This Path and It Ends In Your Demise and You Know Better along with Heed Our Admonition.
-After the break we see footage aired of Gunther working over Ilja Dragunov during a match on Saturday in Columbus, Georgia. Joe Tessitore said Dragunov likely has a torn ACL and would miss 6 to 9 months if that’s the case.
-Gunther says he loves every aspect of being World Heavyweight Champion and being the top guy but the one thing he hates about his life is dealing with Sami Zayn every week. He says he couldn’t ask for anyone more annoying than him.
-Zayn’s music hits and he makes his way out. He tells Gunther if he finds it annoying to deal with him every single week, there’s a very easy way to put an end to everything once and for all: grant him a shot at the World Heavyweight Title. He says Gunther won’t do it and he knows why. He demands Gunther tell everyone why he won’t face Zayn & Gunther says he’s tried telling him already. He says Zayn isn’t on his level and Zayn questions why he beat Gunther at WrestleMania 40 to become Intercontinental Champion. Zayn says it bothers Gunther so much because he things that he’s better than him and says he’s scared that Zayn will beat him again.
-Gunther admits to being afraid but of his reputation. He says after his legendary reign as Intercontinental Champion, he has a reputation to uphold. He says he was so busy making sure Zayn was embarrassed in front of his family that he embarrassed his own family. He reveals that he flew out his family to WrestleMania but chose not to parade them around. He recalls his father voicing his disappointment after he was dethroned as Intercontinental Champion then says he doesn’t except Zayn to understand what it’s like to have the pressure of your family on your shoulders.
-Zayn says Gunther crumbled after he beat him in April, then points out that he never asked for a rematch and disappeared off WWE television in the following weeks all because his dad made him feel like a loser. He says Gunther is showing his dad that he’s a coward.
-Gunther attacks Zayn with an attack, then berates him. Zayn fires off right hands on Gunther in the corner and connects with an Exploder then looks to land the Helluva Kick. Gunther catches Zayn in a Sleeper then hits a powerbomb to him. He then grants Zayn a World Heavyweight Title match and heads to the back.
Tag Team Match
Awesome Truth (The Miz & R Truth) vs. Authors Of Pain (Akam & Rezar)
The Miz tags in on his side but instead of going after Rezar, he hits R Truth with a boot as Karrion Kross laughs on.
Miz storms to the back opening the door for Authors of Pain to hit What A Rush to Truth for the win.
Winners: Authors Of Pain
-Backstage Gunther spoke with Cathy Kelley and conceded that he let Zayn get to him. Bron Breakker showed up and eyed Gunther’s title and told him that he’d see him sooner than he thinks.
Last Monster Standing Match
Braun Strowman vs. Bronson Reed
Braun Strowman dumps Bronson Reed back in the ring and they teeter on the ropes.
Reed then connects with a superplex on Strowman and the ring completely falls apart.
The referee then begins a 10 count but Seth Rollins appears out of nowhere and connects with a Curb Stomp on Reed using the ring steps to ensure he stays down.
Strowman makes it to his feet before the referee finishes the count and is the Last Monster Standing.
Winner: Braun Strowman
Bad Blood Card (Oct 5th)
Women’s World Title Match
Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
World Tag Team Champion Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest
Hell In A Cell Match
CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
Tag Team Match
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu)
Women’s Title Match
Nia Jax (c) vs. Bayley
Next Week’s Raw
Intercontinental Title Match
Jey Uso (c) vs. Xavier Woods
Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match
Sheamus vs. Pete Dunne
World Heavyweight Title Match
Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn
Want to discuss wrestling further? Join our Discord community by clicking here!
If you enjoy Bodyslam’s content, you can help donate to the site here. You can also visit our PWTees store and buy Bodyslam official merchandise here.
You can listen to all of Bodyslam’s podcasts by following us on Spotify and subscribing to our YouTube Channel, Twitch, Apple, Google, or any of your favorite podcast platforms.
Follow us on Twitter: @BodyslamNet
