Matches for next week’s Raw

Three top matches have been revealed for next week’s WWE RAW from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

Johnny Gargano will make his in-ring return on next week’s RAW. This will be his first match since NXT WarGames on December 5, 2021, where he teamed with Max Dupri (fka LA Knight), Butch (fka Pete Dunne) and Tommaso Ciampa for a loss to current Unified NXT Champion Bron Breakker, current NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, Tony D’Angelo and Grayson Waller.

Gargano made his surprise return to WWE on the August 22 RAW, and was confronted by his former tag team partner Austin Theory. That segment ended with Gargano superkicking Theory. Last week’s RAW featured a segment where Theory confronted Gargano in an empty arena, accusing him of being jealous. The program continued on tonight’s RAW when Theory interrupted Gargano’s backstage interview with Sarah Schreiber. Gargano had just addressed Theory’s comments from last week on how Gargano needs to be careful when swimming with the sharks in WWE, saying he’s been swimming with sharks his whole career and Theory may have forgotten what he can do in the ring, but he’s anxious to remind everyone what he’s capable of. Theory interrupted and taunted Gargano, saying all he’s done is talk since he returned, so much that he should call himself Johnny Talking. Gargano then revealed that he will make his in-ring return next Monday night. He then looked Theory over and taunted him for what happened with Tyson Fury at Clash at The Castle and for the beating he took from Kevin Owens on tonight’s RAW, warning him that he should be careful when swimming with those sharks.

WWE later announced Gargano’s in-ring return for next week but his opponent was not named.

Next week’s RAW will also see Dominik Mysterio take on WWE Hall of Famer Edge.

After Dominik turned on his father Rey Mysterio and Edge at WWE Clash at The Castle on Saturday, Edge called Dominik out for a fight on tonight’s RAW. Rey came out instead and asked Edge to hear him out and to not do this because his son is messed up with The Judgment Day poisoning his mind. Edge said he loves Rey but his son is old enough to drink, old enough to drive, old enough to get in the ring and old enough to stand for his actions. This led to Rhea Ripley coming out instead, taunting Rey and Edge, and saying Dominik is no longer Rey’s little boy because she saw potential in him and made him into a man. Dominik then came walking out in all black with his hair slicked back. Rey told his son to snap out of it, but Dominik and Ripley walked to ringside, and Rey confronted them. Rey told Edge to do what he has to do, then walked away after telling Dominik he doesn’t have to do this. This led to Balor and Priest attacking Edge from behind in the ring. He fought them off at first, but they ended up beating him down after Dominik attacked from behind with a chop block. Rey came back down to ringside but Dominik shoved him and Rhea hit him from behind, then threw him into the steel ring steps. Priest and Balor finished Edge off in the ring, hitting him with South of Heaven and several chair shots. Balor then hit a Coup de Grace with the chair wrapped around Edge’s knee. Rey came back to the ring as Dominik and The Judgment Day watched from ringside.

Rey later stated in a backstage interview that he will not put hands on his son, but he needs to talk to Dominik in private. He also issued a challenge to The Judgment Day, and ended up losing to Priest in singles action after a distraction by Dominik. After that match, Dominik was seen smirking at what Priest did to his dad. The Judgment Day and Dominik then posed over Rey as Ripley promised that Dominik will send Edge back into retirement next week.

Corey Graves later noted on commentary that there was still no update on Edge’s condition, but the match against Dominik was confirmed for next week.

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles will also be on the line next Monday as Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah defend against IYO SKY and Dakota Kai.

Rodriguez and Aliyah became the new champions last week by defeating SKY and Kai in the tournament finals for the vacant titles. However, there has been speculation on a possible rematch since then because Kai wasn’t legal when Aliyah pinned her. Kai confirmed the controversy during tonight’s RAW and revealed that she and SKY will receive another shot at the titles next week. This will be the first title defense for Rodriguez and Aliyah, who defeated Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. in a non-title match on tonight’s show.