Royal Rumble Kickoff Show

Now we see a special “earlier today” video where Kayla Braxton talks with Rhea Ripley inside an empty Tropicana Field staring at the ring. Ripley talks about how she can’t envision the winner of tonight’s Rumble calling her out and wasting their ticket to WrestleMania. She boasts being the only one to draw no. 1 and win the entire thing in women’s history and then tells Braxton to hit the bricks so she can be alone.

During the Women’s Royal Rumble match we see WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY is watching backstage. Elsewhere backstage, Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley is watching the match.

The Judgment Day Clubhouse

The Judgment Day is watching backstage. Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley says this is not good. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce told her that next week on Raw, Finn Bálor and Damian Priest will defend the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship against #DIY. She thinks Drew McIntyre is the least of their worries. Priest says he’s not trying to fight everyone. McIntyre will be handled by Priest. He’s not the one walking around with a big head because they’re on the cover of 2K. Priest also isn’t the one going to Pearce’s office to make matches for the Judgment Day every other week. Priest wants her to stop going to Pearce’s office. Priest is going to clear his head for this match. Judgment Day business is under control. Priest walks off.

Ripley tells JD McDonagh and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio that #DIY should have been taken care of long ago. Bálor is laughing. Ripley asks Bálor what is so funny. Priest will take care of McIntyre alone. She tells Bálor he’ll be at ringside with JD for Dom’s match. It’s been a while since she’s seen the vicious side of Bálor. Bálor asks if she wants vicious. He’ll show her vicious.

Backstage Segment

A dejected Becky Lynch is walking backstage. Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley says she might have to make other plans for WrestleMania. Lynch pouts as Ripley walks off.

The Judgment Day’s Clubhouse

Finn Bálor, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh, and Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley are backstage watching the Nia Jax video. Ripley walks off and says she has to address her division. Damian Priest walks in, and Ripley stares at him before leaving. Bálor asks where Priest has been. Priest says he’s the only one who has an issue with Drew McIntyre running his mouth, so he addressed it with Adam Pearce. JD McDonagh asks when they can beat up R-Truth. Priest tells McDonagh to worry less about R-Truth and worry about not letting what happened tonight happen again. Bálor asks if he’s really defending R-Truth. Priest says that R-Truth earns for the crew. They should go get their cut, but McDonagh shouldn’t count on one. Priest says he and Bálor have serious business and need to focus on their match.

We see Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley walking backstage. She will address the Women’s Division next.

Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley addresses the Women’s Division

“THIS IS MY BRUTALITY!”

Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley makes her entrance. She looks extremely serious as she heads to the ring. A LOUD “Mami” chant picks up. Ripley looks unimpressed. Ripley says she is so sick and tired of people like Nia Jax running their mouths and claiming that this is their division. This is Rhea Ripley’s division. That’s why this is her championship. The crowd gives her a great ovation. Ripley warns whoever wins the Royal Rumble Match. If they decide to waste their WrestleMania, then she advises them to choose her. If they don’t want to waste that opportunity, they can choose someone else. It’ll end up like last year because Mami is always on top.

Becky Lynch’s music hits! The crowd is absolutely buzzing as Mami and The Man stand in the ring. Lynch says, “So here we stand… two very different people with two very similar journies.” They’re two women from foreign lands who came here to be the very best to ever do it. Both spent years meandering and being afterthoughts at WrestleMania to being the face of the industry at the next one. There’s a difference: one of them went to win the Main Event of WrestleMania. The other did not. There’s another difference. One of them has a natural ability in the ring and finesse that is unmatched with the strength of a bear. The other has a relentlessness and determination that is unmatched. They’re the two very best to do it. There’s this thought and voice in Lynch’s head that keeps her awake. It’s saying to her that Ripley might be better than Lynch. Lynch needs to prove that Ripley is not. To do that, she needs to take that title from her. To do that, she needs to win the Royal Rumble. Lynch needs to point to the sign. She needs to declare at WrestleMania it will be Mami versus The Man.

Ripley says only one person wants Lynch to win the Royal Rumble more than Lynch, and that is Rhea Ripley. Ripley says, “I’ll see you at WrestleMania.” Ripley walks off.

Michael Cole is in the ring. This woman beat Becky Lynch last week and is a favorite to win the Royal Rumble. Cole introduces “The Irresistible Force” Nia Jax.

Nia Jax makes her way to the ring. Cole says she shocked the world when she dominated Becky Lynch to pick up the victory last week on Raw. Jax is incredulous that Cole said it was shocking. Jax wasn’t shocked. She’s a different Nia Jax. She’s more focused. Is Cole like these people here who didn’t think she’d break Becky Lynch’s face again? What would be shocking is if she broke Cole’s face. Jax says she’s more focused on the Royal Rumble. Soon, she’ll run through 29 other women and earn her main event spot at WrestleMania. Whether it be Rhea Ripley or IYO SKY, there’s not a man or woman who can stop her.

“THIS IS MY BRUTALITY!”

Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley makes her way to the ring to a huge reaction. Ripley gets in the ring and laughs. A LOUD “Mami” chant fires up. Ripley says these people know what’s up. They also know that Jax likes to talk a big game. Jax is walking around out here like she’s already won the Royal Rumble. Does Jax remember what happened last year because Ripley does. She threw Jax out. Last week, she might have beaten Becky Lynch, which is a fine achievement. The fact remains that Becky Lynch isn’t Rhea “Bloody” Ripley. Until Jax wants to step up to her, she advises her to stop walking around like she owns this division because she doesn’t. If Jax manages to win the Royal Rumble, it’s best to keep Ripley’s name out of her mouth.

Jax says she gives Ripley all the credit. The crowd loudly boos Jax. Ripley might be the most dominant champion in this division’s history, but she put Ripley on her ass when she came back. The only reason she’s not holding that title is because Ripley is too scared to face her one-on-one. At the Royal Rumble when she squashes 29 other women and wins, she’s going to choose Ripley. Ripley will have no excuse and no choice but to face her. Jax says, “See you soon, unstoppable champ.” Jax walks off.

The Judgment Day’s Clubhouse

Damian Priest is shown laughing at what he just watched, but JD McDonagh is not happy. Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley asks when they’re going to handle the R-Truth joke. Priest says when the time comes, they’ll handle it. Ripley says Priest and Finn Bálor have a lot to handle with #DIY. Bálor flips out about them, so Priest calms him down. Priest says Drew McIntyre is too much of a joke to be his enemy. Speaking of enemies, did Ripley think it was a good idea to make one of Nia Jax? Ripley tells McDonagh to take care of The Miz. McDonagh is confident he will.

The Judgment Day’s Clubhouse

Finn Bálor, Damian Priest, and Rhea Ripley are not happy with this result. Bálor says this cannot keep happening. Ripley says she’s going to talk to Raw General Manager Adam Pearce about their plans for next week. Priest says they’ll tell the boys when they get back.

Women’s World Championship
Ivy Nile vs. Rhea Ripley (c)

Samantha Irvin handles the in-ring introductions once both competitors are in the ring.

The bell rings, and they lock up. They tussle before Ripley powers Nile down onto her face. Ripley taunts her, so Nile lifts her onto her shoulders. Ripley quickly elbows her and slides off before kicking her in the back of the knee to take her down. Ripley hits a basement dropkick in the head. Ripley powers her up and sends her to the corner. Nile goes for a slingshot over Ripley, but she doesn’t get much air and lands on Ripley. Nile blocks a boot and punches her. Ripley reverses a whip to the opposite corner, but Nile boots her back. Ripley quickly puts her on the apron, but Nile forearms her back. Nile goes to the top rope for a cross-body block for a one-count. Ripley quickly pops up and boots her down.

Ripley talks trash to Nile and clubs the back. Ripley talks trash and sends Nile into the ropes, but Nile takes her out with a running hurricanrana. Ripley goes for a kick, but Nile blocks it and slams Ripley down. Ripley gets out of the ring to recover.

Picture-in-Picture Commercial Break: Ripley is absolutely irate at ringside and takes her time getting back in. Ripley finally does and charges, but Nile pulls the top rope down to send her right back outside. Nile hits a baseball slide and bounces her off the apron. Ripley quickly kicks her, but Nile fights back. Ripley cuts her off and hits an electric chair facebuster on the ring apron. Ripley gets her in the ring and sends her into the ropes before clubbing her in the small of the back. Ripley repeats the move, and Nile is in a lot of pain. Ripley signals that this match is getting easy for her. Ripley again attacks the lower back. Ripley grabs Nile, but Nile hits a jawbreaker. This simply angers Ripley, who attacks Nile and picks up a two-count. Ripley stands over Nile and punches away at her. Ripley then applies a seated abdominal stretch.

Back from the break, Ripley is digging an elbow into the ribs of Nile as she cinches in the seated abdominal stretch. Nile fights up and punches her, but Ripley easily dropkicks her out of the ring. Ripley checks her mouth for cuts before going outside. Ripley goes for an electric chair facebuster onto the apron again, but Nile gets out. Nile grabs her in a waistlock, and Ripley shouts, “Oh, s**t,” before taking a German Suplex on the floor!

Nile kicks Ripley as she gets in the ring and hits a spin kick to the face. Nile connects with a head-scissor takeover, and the crowd is getting behind her. Nile kicks Ripley in the corner and hits a leg lariat for a two-count. Nile hooks a front facelock, but Ripley fights out. Nile fights back with a satellite DDT for a near fall. Nile pulls Ripley up and sets up for a move, but Ripley fights out. Nile flips through a back suplex, but she doesn’t stick the landing. Ripley soon head-butts Nile down and goes to the top rope for a vicious missile dropkick. 1… 2… Nile kicks out. Ripley is getting frustrated.

Ripley sets up for a Riptide, but Nile slides through and kicks her in the ear. Nile hits a snap fireman’s carry slam for a near fall. Nile pulls her up, but Ripley fights back and smashes her face on her knee. Ripley crushes her with a lariat. Ripley powers her up and slams her down onto her face for a near fall. Ripley grabs her by the hair and shoves her to the corner. Ripley shoulders away at her in the corner and puts her on the top rope. Ripley punches her in the face and sets up for a superplex. Nile fights back and goes for a sunset flip powerbomb, but Ripley hangs on. Nile bounces Ripley’s head off the turnbuckle and hits a German Suplex off the second rope for a near fall! That was nasty!

Nile kicks away at Ripley. The crowd chants, “This is awesome!” Nile takes Ripley down after a flurry of kicks to the chest. Nile goes to the top rope and dives, but Ripley head-butts her out of mid-air! Ripley knees her and connects with a decisive Riptide for the win!

Winner by Pinfall and still Women’s World Champion: Rhea Ripley

Source

The Judgment Day makes their way to the ring. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Finn Bálor and Damian Priest head to the ring alongside Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio, and JD McDonagh.

Damian Priest welcomes everyone to Monday Night Raw and tells them to rise for the Judgment Day. Finn Bálor sarcastically puts over the Creed Brothers for becoming the #1 Contenders for the Undisputed Tag Team Championship. For them, it’ll be the biggest match of their careers and the biggest night of their lives. For Priest and Bálor, it’s just another night at the office because they’re stepping in the ring with the only two-time Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions of the World.

Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley takes the microphone. She warns Ivy Nile not to run her mouth, or she’ll make what she did to her friend Maxxine Dupri pale in comparison. It’s as simple as this: the Judgment Day ran 2023 and will continue to run 2024. “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio starts to speak, but the crowd boos him down. Mysterio shouts that the Judgment Day runs all of WWE.

R-Truth comes out wearing a Judgment Day shirt with his name written on tape over it. R-Truth welcomes everyone to the show and gets in the ring. R-Truth thinks he’s in Judgment Day. The beatdown last week was his initiation. R-Truth isn’t one to complain, but they crossed a line a little bit. He was hurt physically and emotionally. R-Truth calls Priest “DP” and says he knows he didn’t mean it when he said he didn’t like him. JD McDonagh says if getting hurt is what R-Truth is worried about, he should get out of the ring now.

R-Truth says it seems like everyone is looking for a fight. Ripley wants to beat up Nile, while Bálor and Priest want to beat up the Creed Brothers. R-Truth needs someone to beat up on. R-Truth then stares at McDonagh. R-Truth says he’s seeing the Christmas trees and lights. There is a lot of animosity between him and McDonagh. They need to squash the beef to be a happy family in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight. McDonagh says the match was already made and advertised. R-Truth says 34th Street is far away and asks Siri how far it is. McDonagh says it’s happening in this ring and says R-Truth isn’t in the Judgment Day. R-Truth says he’s not in the Judgment Day if he loses his match, but McDonagh isn’t if he doesn’t win. This will be a “Loser Leaves the Judgment Day Match.” Priest looks amused and says it’s good to go. McDonagh says he’ll need a miracle to beat him.

The Judgment Day’s Clubhouse

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Finn Bálor and Damian Priest and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio are joking with JD McDonagh about losing to R-Truth. JD McDonagh looks devastated and thinks he’s out of the Judgment Day. Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley is not happy that they’re taking the loss so lightly since it reflects on them all. She wants them to get serious. She’ll get them on track by facing Ivy Nile in two weeks with the Women’s World Title on the line. Bálor says they’ll show the Creed Brothers why they are the Tag Champions.

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship

The Creed Brothers (Brutus and Julius Creed) w/ Ivy Nile vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and “Señor Money in the Bank” Damian Priest) (c’s) w/ Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley

Julius Creed starts against Finn Bálor. The bell rings, and Julius quickly slams Bálor down. Julius grabs him and rolls around the mat with Bálor. Bálor looks surprised at the fire from Julius. Bálor kicks Julius in the midsection, but Julius comes back with a hip toss. Priest runs in, and Julius hits him with a hip toss. Brutus Creed runs in, and the Creed Brothers clear the Judgment Day from the ring. Rhea Ripley is furious.

We come back from the break to see Julius hit Bálor with a fireman’s carry. Brutus Creed tags in, and the Creed Brothers hit Bálor with a double-team fireman’s carry. Bálor fights back and bounces Brutus off the turnbuckle. Brutus reverses a whip to the opposite corner. Brutus knees Bálor in the midsection and tags Julius back into the match. Julius and Brutus go back and forth kneeing Bálor before hitting a double-team gutbuster. Bálor whips Julius into the ropes, and Priest blind tags in. Priest pulls the top rope down to get Julius out of the ring. Priest then clotheslines Julius at ringside. Ripley is pleased with what she’s seeing. Priest sends Julius into ring steps and nearly takes out Ripley.

Bálor tags in and takes it to Julius. Julius soon boots him down and kicks him away. Brutus tags in and clotheslines Bálor before knocking Priest off the apron. Brutus clubs away at Bálor and hits a gutwrench suplex. Brutus avalanches Bálor in the corner and puts Bálor on his shoulders for a slam to pick up a two-count. Priest blind tags in and whiffs on a kick. Brutus is sent out of the ring, and Priest hits a pounce over the commentary table. Priest is fired up.

Back from the final commercial break of 2023, Priest and Brutus are going back and forth with some forearms. Priest comes out on top by laying in some nasty forearms to the jaw. Priest charges, but Brutus catches him. Priest tries to fight out, but Brutus keeps the big man powered up and hits a back suplex.

Bálor and Julius tag in. Julius hits a pair of shoulder tackles followed by an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Julius kips up and hits Priest with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Julius kips up and hits Bálor with another overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Julius connects with a standing shooting star press for a two-count. Julius gets Bálor on his shoulders, and Brutus climbs for a Brutus Ball, but Priest pushes Brutus to ringside. Bálor rolls Julius up for a two-count. Julius knocks Priest off the apron. Julius and Bálor then take each other out with a double clothesline.

Rhea Ripley attacks Ivy Nile from behind and puts her in position for the electric chair. Nile gets out and puts Ripley on her shoulders before putting her on her shoulders. Nile slams Ripley onto the apron. The Creed Brothers then hit Bálor with the Brutus Ball. 1… 2… Priest breaks up the pin. Priest goes for the South of Heaven, but Julius fights out. Julius flips through and dropkicks Priest out of the ring. Julius scales the ropes and hits a wild somersault senton to the floor on Priest!

In the ring, Bálor hits Brutus with a Sling Blade and follows up with a Woo Dropkick. Bálor goes to the top rope, but Julius scales the ropes for a superplex. Priest blind tags in and gets Julius on his shoulders. Brutus crotches Bálor on the top rope. Julius gets off Priest’s shoulders and lifts him for a Brutus Ball! 1… 2… Bálor breaks up the pin with a Coup de Grâce! The crowd is going wild! Brutus spills out of the ring with Bálor and lands hard. In the ring, Priest hits Julius with a South of Heaven for the win. Julius kicked out right after the final count of the pin.

Winners by Pinfall and still Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions: The Judgment Day

The Judgment Day celebrates with the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship as the final Raw of 2023 comes to an end.

The Judgment Day’s Clubhouse

The Judgment Day are not looking happy backstage. Finn Bálor says he and Rhea Ripley have been gone for a week, and they all let the wheels fall off. Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley says that JD McDonagh keeps letting R-Truth into their clubhouse. Last week, JD and Dom lost to the Creed Brothers. Then Dom lost the NXT North American Championship, and that sucks. Priest says they’re not going to take the Creed Brothers lightly. Ripley tells Priest that it’s easier to call himself a leader than to be one. They start to argue, but Ripley says she’s talking to everyone. Ripley will show why they’re dominant by taking out Maxxine Dupri.

Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley makes her entrance. She’ll face Maxxine Dupri in a non-title match next.

-Commercial Break-

Non-Title Match
Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Maxxine Dupri w/ Ivy Nile
Maxxine Dupri looks a little nervous as the bell rings. Maxxine ducks a pair of clotheslines and slaps the champion in the face. Ripley is irate and hits a trio of short-arm clotheslines. Ripley sets up for a powerbomb, but Maxxine (sort of) fights it. Maxxine counters with a hurricanrana and dropkicks her. Ripley is not happy. Maxxine tries to roll her up, but Ripley doesn’t go down and connects with a big boot. Ripley powers Maxxine up for a Riptide and talks trash to her rather than going for a cover. Ripley then applies a Prism Trap and forces her to submit.

Winner by Submission: Rhea Ripley

Ripley holds the Prism Trap for a few moments after the match, but she releases it as Ivy Nile gets in the ring and stares her down. Ripley holds up the title and smiles before coyly waving at her.

“I hear voices in my head. They counsel me. They understand. They talk to me.”

Randy Orton makes his way to the ring to a huge ovation. The 14-time World Champion is excited to be back on Raw. Orton has not appeared on Raw in 18 months since undergoing double-fusion spinal surgery. The Viper gets in the ring and climbs to the second rope to strike his trademark pose.

A loud “Randy” chant picks up. Orton is dressed in all black tonight. Orton looks moved by the ovation and shouts, “Thank you!” Orton says it sounds like maybe a few of them missed him. They cheer in the affirmative. Orton says he’s back for as long as he can stay here. Without any further adieu, he wants to cut right to it. Orton says, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Monday Night Raw!”

Orton says he was gone awhile and chuckles. A “Welcome back” chant fires up. Orton thanks them. That whole time he was gone, it gave him plenty of time to think about all his accomplishments and accolades. They’ve heard all of them before and won’t bore them to death because there are quite a few. There is one thing Orton has never done, which is compete at WarGames. When his dear friend, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, gave him a call, he picked up the call and was in. There’s another reason why he wanted to be in the match. WarGames was invented by Cody’s father, the late and great “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. It was about being part of wrestling history and making moments. Orton got to make a moment on Saturday.

Orton is also back because he has unfinished business to attend to. That unfinished business has to do with the Bloodline. Orton has made a career of putting guys on the shelf, sometimes permanently. Orton can forgive but not forget. Orton has a bagful of receipts for every single member of the Bloodline. When he says “every single member,” he means EVERY single member. Nashville knows what those receipts are going to come in the form of. They’re the three most dangerous letters in all of sports entertainment: R-K-O! The crowd chants, “RKO!”

“THIS IS MY BRUTALITY!”

Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley makes her way to the ring without The Judgment Day. The Eradicator gets in the ring with the Viper. Ripley sarcastically welcomes Orton back. She says she didn’t think he was someone who would do favors for others or team with someone who tried to end his career. She didn’t think he’d have his big return after a year and a half upstaged. The crowd lightly boos. Ripley says Orton looks more dangerous than ever. It would be a shame to have all of that wasted because Orton doesn’t seem to have realized that the landscape has changed. The Bloodline has fallen and the Judgment Day has risen to be the dominant force in WWE. When it comes to WarGames, that was just a bump in the road. The reality is, they’re all dripping in gold. She wiped the floor with Zoey Stark. Her Latino Heat “Dirty” Dom is your NXT North American Champion. When it comes to Finn Bálor and Damian Priest, they hold the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship that Orton nearly lost everything to get. If it weren’t for Orton, Damian Priest would be your World Heavyweight Champion. Orton has come in here and made a lot of enemies who can make his life a living nightmare. Orton needs to stop focusing on the Bloodline. Unlike the Bloodline, the Judgment Day gets the job done and will put him out permanently.

An “RKO” chant fires up. Orton looks knowingly out into the crowd. Orton says he stated that he kept in touch and watched the product while he was gone. Every week, it’s all about Rhea Ripley. Mami this and Mami that. Guess what? Daddy’s back. The crowd roars, and a”Daddy” chant fires up. Orton says a lot of things have changed, which is true… a “Who’s your Daddy” chant picks up. Orton says the one thing that hasn’t changed and never will as long as he is here is nobody tells Randy Orton what to do. Ripley laughs heartily. She sees that Orton made his bed. She tried to warn him and give him an out, but he has made the Judgment Day his enemy now.

JD McDonagh, in a neck brace, and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio attack Orton from behind! They double-team him in the corner, but Orton fights out. Orton sends McDonagh shoulder-first into the ring post. Orton grabs Mysterio and swings him to the apron for a hanging DDT, but McDonagh cuts him off. Orton drops McDonagh with an RKO. Mysterio escapes the ring and runs to Ripley.

Orton tells Mysterio not to go far. As soon as he leaves this ring, he’s going to find Adam Pearce and make sure he gets Mysterio in the ring tonight!

The Judgment Day’s Locker Room

Finn Bálor comes in and says they cannot take the Creed Brothers lightly. Damian Priest isn’t listening, but he says he heard him. Priest says he can see on their faces that they appointed him the leader of WarGames, but they lost, and he let them down. Rhea Ripley says that Judgment Day is a family. They rise and fall together. Bálor says they’re still the Tag Team Champions. It’s all good. Ripley says just because they made Priest the leader of WarGames and it didn’t turn out in their favor, they’re not going to blame him. Priest says he appreciates it. Priest asks how JD McDonagh is doing. Bálor says he’s still being checked out and suggests they check on him. Priest agrees.

Source

Video Package: Women’s World Championship is shown

Women’s World Championship: Zoey Stark vs. Rhea Ripley (c)
They talk trash to each other as the bell rings. Ripley slaps Stark in the face, so Stark answers back with a stiff slap to the jaw. Ripley charges, but Stark takes her down and punches away at her. The crowd is cheering Ripley and booing Stark. Stark dropkicks Ripley out of the ring and crushes her with a quick cross-body block off the top rope to the floor. Stark gets Ripley in the ring and hits a springboard missile dropkick for a two-count. Stark charges Ripley in the corner, but Ripley drops her on the apron. Stark knocks her back and goes for a slingshot, but Ripley head-butts her in the jaw. Ripley gets on the apron, and a “Mami” chant picks up. Ripley goes for a suplex on the apron, but Stark fights it. Stark then turns Ripley inside out with a DDT on the apron. Stark pushes Ripley into the ring and hits a slingshot corkscrew senton for a two-count. Ripley quickly rolls out of the ring to recover. Stark goes to the apron and kicks Ripley in the chest. Ripley avoids a diving knee and ducks a kick. Ripley lifts Stark and drops her on the apron face-first before sending her into the ring post.

Ripley shouts at Stark and throws her into the ring. Ripley punches away at Stark and talks trash. Ripley shouts that this is her division and Stark is nothing. Ripley powers Stark up for a nice vertical suplex for a two-count. Ripley knees away at Stark’s ribs and clubs her in the spine. Ripley digs her knee into Stark’s spine and pulls back on the arms for a surfboard stretch. Stark tries to fight up, but Ripley slings her down and pulls back on the arms for a curb stomp. Ripley does it again before pulling her up a third time for another slam. Ripley then dropkicks her. Stark forgets her spot, so they stand there for a moment. Stark fights back and hits a jawbreaker, but Ripley cuts her off. Ripley puts Stark on the top rope before punching and chopping her. Ripley climbs to the second rope. Stark fights back, but Ripley cuts her off. Ripley goes for a slam, but they do… something. I think Stark was supposed to land on her feet, but she didn’t stick the landing at all.

Stark rolls Ripley up for a two-count. Ripley elbows out of a German Suplex and stuns her with a kick to the skull. Ripley slams her down on her face and connects with a northern lights suplex for a two-count. Ripley talks trash, so Stark challenges her to hit her hard. Ripley obliges and goes for a Riptide, but Stark slides out and hits a German Suplex. Stark connects with a running knee for a near fall. Ripley blocks the Z-360 and elbows her. Stark hits a kick, but Ripley stuns her with a head-butt. Ripley follows up with the Riptide for the win.

Winner by Pinfall and still Women’s World Champion: Rhea Ripley

Mens War Games match…

The clock counts down… and no Randy Orton! Instead, Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley runs down with a referee and the Money in the Bank briefcase!

“I HEAR VOICES IN MY HEAD!”

RANDY ORTON makes his return after more than a year. He is clean-shaven. The crowd gives him an incredible ovation. Orton gets in the ring and closes the door. The bell rings to officially start WarGames.

LET THE WARGAMES BEGIN. Orton clotheslines Mysterio twice and hits a snap powerslam. Orton then this McDonagh with a snap powerslam. Orton had double fusion back surgery, but he’s moving around great. Orton sends Mysterio and McDonagh into the cage wall. Orton hooks Bálor’s head and gives him a hanging DDT!

McIntyre stares at Orton from the second rope. McIntyre gets into the first ring and stares down his old nemesis. Priest attacks Orton from behind. The Judgment Day beats down Orton in the corner. Rhodes, Jey, Rollins, and Zayn cut them off. The entire Judgment Day is in between the ring the two rings. Rhodes, Zayn, Rollins, Jey, and Orton hit stereo-hanging DDTs on the Judgment Day. Orton drops down for an RKO, but then he turns toward Jey to let him know that he hasn’t forgotten what he did to him. Jey superkicks Priest before he attacks Orton. Orton then gives Mysterio an RKO. Rollins gives Priest a Stomp on the diamond plate. Rhodes hits Bálor with a Cody Cutter, and Zayn hits McIntyre with a Cody Kick. Jey leaps off the top rope from the first ring into the second ring with an Uso Splash on McIntyre.

McDonagh is the last man standing and tries to scale the cage wall to save himself. If McDonagh leaves, he’ll forfeit the match for his team. Zayn and Rollins follow him to the top of the cage and attack him. Orton looks up at McDonagh on top of the cage. He’s ready! Rollins and Zayn push McDonagh off the top of the cage into an RKO from Orton! The crowd explodes. Orton sends Priest into Rhodes. Rhodes hits Priest with Cross Rhodes for the win.

Winners by Pinfall: Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, and Randy Orton

Source

Match Number One: Finn Balor and Damian Priest (with Rhea Ripley) versus Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford for the WWE Men’s Tag Team Championship

Dawkins and Priest start things off and Priest with a kick and forearm. Priest with a leaping back elbow and he bows in front of Ford. Finn tags in and he punches Dawkins in the midsection. Dawkins with a punch and Ford tags in. Ford with a drop kick and Ford bows to Priest. Dawkins tags in and they hit a double flap jack for a near fall. Ford runs into a boot from Balor and Priest tags in.

We see Bobby Lashley with BEVERAGE in BACK watching MONITOR and B-Fab joins him.

Ford with a kick and he clotheslines Priest over the top rope to the floor. Finn has a kick blocked and he is sent to the floor. Ford with a pescado onto Finn. Priest with a POUNCE that sends Ford over the announce table.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Ford punches Priest and Priest with a rolling elbow. Priest with a jumping kick and Ford falls to the mat and goes into the corner. Priest misses a leaping elbow into the corner and hits the ring post. Finn tags in and hits an elbow to the back of the head. Ford lands on his feet on a belly-to-back suplex and Dawkins tags in and connects with a clothesline to Finn and he punches Priest off the apron. Dawkins with a forearm and a flying back elbow. Dawkins with a twisting splash into the corner. Dawkins with a twisting butterfly neck breaker. Ford goes up top and hits a blockbuster while Dawkins hits the Electric Chair drop. Ford gets a near fall. Ford kicks Balor from the apron and he goes up top and leaps over Finn and rolls through. Finn with sling blade and a back breaker. Priest with a leg drop and Priest gets a near fall. Dawkins sends Finn to the floor.

Priest with a forearm and he sets for South of Heaven on Ford but Ford escapes. Ford and Dawkins hit Revelation but Finn breaks it up. Dawkins misses a shoulder in the corner and hits the ring post. Ford with a super kick and he goes up top. Rhea gets on the apron and distracts the referee long enough to allow Balor to kick Ford. Priest hits a tombstone slam and Finn with Coup de Grace for the three count.

Winners: Damian Priest and Finn Balor (retain championship)

After the match, Rhea taunts Ford.