Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso will retain the titles on WWE Raw
By Mark Justice
WWE Raw Season Premiere is continuing its road to WWE Survivor Series 2023, which is starting to shape up with some blockbuster War Games matches pertaining to any ongoing Raw feuds. On this week’s episode of WWE Raw Season Premiere, five matches have been officially scheduled: (1) Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso (c) vs. Judgment Day for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles, (2) Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Shayna Baszler in Non-Title Match, (3) Gunther (c) vs. Bronson Reed for the InterContinental Title, (4) Natalya vs. Piper Niven, and (5) Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ricochet.
In other news regarding WWE Raw, Seth Rollins’ next challenger is Drew McIntyre, who is also feuding with Judgment Day at the moment. Becky Lynch retained her NXT Women’s Title against Tegan Nox last week and looks forward to another challenger in Xia Li. New Day continue to feud with Viking Raiders, as Ivar defeated Kofi Kingston in an epic Viking Rules Match last week. DIY reunited and were attacked by Imperium last week on Raw. Speaking tag teams, Sami Zayn is all alone on Raw because his tag partner, Kevin Owens, got traded to SmackDown.
With that being said, the following will focus on the five announced matches and the idea of hell breaking loose on the road to WWE Survivor Series 2023.
WWE Raw Season Premiere is scheduled to take place on October 16 2023, live on USA Network, and hell will break loose en route to WWE Survivor Series 2023.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ricochet [Falls Count Anywhere Match]
Shinsuke Nakamura will defeat Ricochet because he needs a consolation victory after losing to Seth Rollins in their Last Man Standing World Title Match at FastLane. Ricochet was merely utilized as fodder in that world title feud, so this should get Nakamura’s momentum back on track in his nascent heel run. It is uncertain where this victory will take him because he’s not going to get a rematch against Rollins after losing to him twice, but Ricochet is also directionless so a loss for him here won’t matter much and will merely be a conclusion to this upper mid card feud.
Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura
Natalya vs. Piper Niven [Grudge Match]
Natalya will defeat Piper Niven because she has to prove herself as a worthy veteran tag partner to Tegan Nox in what seems to be a long term journey to tag team gold. After Tegan Nox defeated Chelsea Green two weeks ago, it has become clear that WWE is building up to a Women’s Tag Title Match between Chelsea Green & Piper Niven and Tegan Nox and Natalya. It is likely that Tegan Nox and Natalya will be successful in their chase because Nox needs a consolation prize after losing to Becky Lynch in their NXT Women’s Title Match, where Nox really had a strong showing in defeat.
Prediction: Natalya