WWE RAW Preview 5/8/2023

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network and emanate from the ystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, FL.

  • Fallout from Backlash
  • The launch of the new Raw roster, which was established in this year’s 2023 WWE Draft.
  • The World Heavyweight Championship tournament is set to begin. Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, The Miz, Finn Balor, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Damian Priest will be featured in the tournament matches.
  • The social media storyline between Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville is expected to continue.
  • Possibly see more on the feud between Beck Lynch and WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus

2023 WWE Draft Night 2 Results

Round One

  • 1. Rhea Ripley, Raw
  • 2. Austin Theory, SmackDown
  • 3. Seth Rollins, Raw
  • 4. Charlotte Flair, SmackDown

Round Two

  • 5. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn, Raw
  • 6. The Usos, SmackDown
  • 7. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio), Raw
  • 8. The LWO (Rey Mysterio, Cruz Del Toro, Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde & Zelina Vega), SmackDown

Round Three

  • 9. Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez, Raw
  • 10. Asuka, SmackDown
  • 11. New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods), Raw
  • 12. Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland & Butch), SmackDown

Round Four

  • 13. Trish Stratus, Raw
  • 14. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett), SmackDown
  • 15. Shayna Baszler & Ronda Rousey, Raw
  • 16. LA Knight, SmackDown

Round Five

  • 17. Braun Strowman & Ricochet, Raw
  • 18. Shotzi, SmackDown
  • 19. Bronson Reed, Raw
  • 20. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson), SmackDown from NXT

Round Six

  • 21. Alpha Academy (Otis & Chad Gable), Raw
  • 22. Rick Boogs, SmackDown
  • 23. Katana Chance & Kayden Carter, Raw from NXT
  • 24. Cameron Grimes, SmackDown from NXT

Supplemental Draft Picks, Raw Talk

  • Dana Brooke, Raw
  • Nikki Cross, Raw
  • Johnny Gargano, Raw
  • Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo, Raw
  • Akira Tozawa, Raw
  • Piper Niven, Raw
  • Xia Li, Raw
  • Tegan Nox, Raw
  • Emma, Raw
  • Madcap Moss, Raw
  • “Indus Sher” Jinder Mahal, Veer Mahaan & Sanga, SmackDown from NXT
  • Odyssey Jones, SmackDown from NXT
  • Tamina, SmackDown
  • Grayson Waller, SmackDown from NXT

Free Agents:
* Brock Lesnar
* Baron Corbin
* Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin
* Elias
* Mustafa Ali
* Xyon Quinn from NXT

WWE RAW Preview 5/1/2023

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network and emanate from the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

  • The Raw go-home show for Saturday’s Backlash
  • Brock Lesnar returns
  • WWE Draft continues

The following is eligible to be drafted tonight on Raw

  • Akira Tozawa
  • Alpha Academy (Otis & Chad Gable)
  • Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo
  • Asuka
  • Austin Theory
  • Baron Corbin
  • Braun Strowman & Ricochet
  • Brock Lesnar
  • Bronson Reed
  • Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin
  • Charlotte Flair
  • Dana Brooke
  • Elias
  • Emma
  • Johnny Gargano
  • Judgment Day (Finn Bálor, Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio)
  • Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)
  • Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
  • LA Knight
  • Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez
  • Nikki Cross
  • Piper Niven
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Rick Boogs
  • Riddick Moss
  • Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler
  • Seth Rollins
  • Shotzi
  • Tamina
  • Tegan Nox
  • The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland & Butch)
  • The LWO (Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde & Zelina Vega)
  • The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods)
  • The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso)
  • Trish Stratus
  • Xia Li
  • Select NXT Superstars

WWE Revealed Complete List Of Eligible Stars For 2023 Draft

The 2023 WWE Draft will kick off on tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown and then carry over to Monday’s edition of RAW.

On Thursday, WWE posted a complete list of stars eligible to be drafted on each night. While the NXT brand will be involved, the names who could potentially be called up from that specific brand have not been announced.

You can check out a complete list of the eligible names below:

Night One: Friday on SmackDown

  • Becky Lynch
  • Bianca Belair
  • Bobby Lashley
  • Candice LeRae
  • Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville
  • Cody Rhodes
  • Damage CTRL (Bayley, IYO SKY & Dakota Kai)
  • Dexter Lumis
  • Dolph Ziggler
  • Drew McIntyre
  • Edge
  • Hit Row (Top Dolla & Ashante “Thee” Adonis w/ B-Fab)
  • Imperium (GUNTHER, Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci)
  • Lacey Evans
  • Matt Riddle
  • Maximum Male Models (ma.cé, mån.sôör & Maxxine Dupri)
  • Mustafa Ali
  • Natalya
  • Omos (w/ MVP)
  • Shinsuke Nakamura
  • The Bloodline (Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa)
  • The Miz
  • The O.C. (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson & Michin)
  • The Street Profits
  • Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar w/ Valhalla)
  • Select NXT Superstars

Night Two: This Monday on Raw

  • Akira Tozawa
  • Alpha Academy (Otis & Chad Gable)
  • Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo
  • Asuka
  • Austin Theory
  • Baron Corbin
  • Braun Strowman & Ricochet
  • Brock Lesnar
  • Bronson Reed
  • Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin
  • Charlotte Flair
  • Dana Brooke
  • Elias
  • Emma
  • Johnny Gargano
  • Judgment Day (Finn Bálor, Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio)
  • Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)
  • Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
  • LA Knight
  • Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez
  • Nikki Cross
  • Piper Niven
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Rick Boogs
  • Riddick Moss
  • Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler
  • Seth Rollins
  • Shotzi
  • Tamina
  • Tegan Nox
  • The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland & Butch)
  • The LWO (Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde & Zelina Vega)
  • The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods)
  • The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso)
  • Trish Stratus
  • Xia Li
  • Select NXT Superstars

Vince McMahon reportedly made changes to Monday’s WWE Raw

According to F4WOnline, although Vince McMahon was not at tonight’s Raw in Chicago, he has still made major changes to Monday’s show.

PWInsider said they were told there had been some major changes to Monday’s Raw script, which were done remotely at Vince McMahon’s request.

PWInsider in their Elite subscription section said that McMahon changed finishes on several matches. The report also notes the match between The Street Profits and Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin was added to the show after McMahon’s changes. 

Fightful reported that Piper Niven and Candice LeRae were scheduled for a backstage segment, then a match, but that The Street Profits vs. Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin was done instead.

PWInsider Elite and Fightconcluded by noting It was also reported that “a number of segments” with the female talents were cut from the show. That would include a backstage segment that was planned with Candice LeRae and Piper Niven. There reportedly was another segment cut that involved Adam Pearce, Sonya Deville, and other female talent. The decision to cut that segment was reportedly made so that they could spend more time on setting up the six-woman tag team match with Damage CTRL. It is interesting that LeRae and Niven were cut because they were also cut at the last minute on the Raw after Mania. Vince McMahon was backstage and running that show.

Source: WrestleView

WWE RAW Preview 4/24/2023

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network and emanate from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.

  • The host of WWE Backlash Bad Bunny returns to Raw in search of payback
  • Rey Mysterio vs. Damian Priest
  • More build up for Backlash

WWE RAW Preview 4/17/2023

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network and emanate from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, AR.

New WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Crowned On RAW, Trish Stratus Turns Heel

We have new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions in the form of Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez.

During Monday night’s episode of RAW, we saw a segment where Lita was found laid out in the backstage area. Following a commercial break, Trish Stratus offered to step in to help Becky Lynch defend her and Lita’s WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships in a previously scheduled match with Morgan and Rodriguez. The finish of the match came when Morgan ducked a Chick Kick and quickly rolled Stratus up for the win.

While Lynch wasn’t thrilled with losing the titles, she raised Stratus’ hand and hugged her. At that point, Trish turned heel and nailed Becky with the Chick Kick.

When backstage correspondent Byron Saxton attempted to get an explanation immediately following the betrayal, Stratus simply walked on by. So for the time being, the WWE Universe will only have certain questions to sit on. Until we get an explanation from Stratus herself, there’s going to be a lot of speculation. For the time being, fans may take some solace in the fact that this is already her second match of 2023. Given her actions Monday night, it seems certain that there’s more to come.

Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus has been rumored to be taking place for several months now. It was reported last month that there were plans for Stratus to turn her heel and work a program with Lynch through SummerSlam. 

Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that this is still the plan as WWE is going to extend the feud through the summer, leading to a SummerSlam match on August 5. 

Sources: eWrestlingNews and Wrestling Inc.

WWE RAW Preview 4/10/2023

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network and emanate from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA.

Talent Morale Sinking Backstage In WWE, Reaction To Vince McMahon, RAW Changes

There were some big changes made to both WrestleMania 39 and Monday night’s episode of RAW.

Fightful Select is reporting that talent morale took a huge blow backstage Monday night on RAW. Many talents were frustrated after noticing how firmly Vince McMahon was back in control of WWE creative, especially considering that Triple H and Nick Khan held a meeting immediately before RAW promising that nothing would be changing.

Vince McMahon rewriting RAW before the show went live and even while it was airing, as well as being in gorilla position all night and having his own office at the venue struck fear in the heart of the locker room.

Some talent didn’t even necessarily consider that the creative decisions were poor, just that the whole matter was handled dishonestly after what Triple H had informed talent at the meeting, and that McMahon has a dirty history of firing so many wrestlers on the current roster.

Female talent grew increasingly demoralized and frustrated after WWE scrapped the mini-tournament to determine the #1 contender to the RAW Women’s Title. Many resented Vince McMahon’s return to creative considering how smoothly the past several months have been under Triple H.

Omos vs. Elias was a last-minute addition, as Omos wasn’t even planning on wrestling and was in catering and scrambled to get his ring gear ready.

The Cody Rhodes – Brock Lesnar tag team angle was finalized on Monday morning.

The report suggests that talent morale hit its lowest point since before WrestleMania 38 when it reached near all-time lows. Some talent opined that WrestleMania weekend was a passage for Vince McMahon to get himself back in control, with Friday’s SmackDown after WrestleMania already being eyed as a crucial event to determine how involved McMahon was at RAW and whether his involvement was a one-off scenario or the new normal.

At least two top WWE Superstars cited that they might request their releases if things continue like Monday. Many wrestlers are already looking into their options if Vince McMahon does indeed continue to be heavily involved with respect to the creative and overall WWE product.

Source: eWrestlingNews