WWE Raw Results for Aug. 1: Full Recap, Becky Lynch Injury and Analysis

The Usos had their Unified Tag Team Titles on the line as they faced Rey and Dominik Mysterio in the main event. After a strong match, the Usos retained their gold after they hit the 1D on Dominik. 

Following the title bout, Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley stormed the ring and started beating down the Mysterios. That led Edge to the rescue, as happened at SummerSlam. Edge setup Balor for a Spear, but Ripley threw Dominik in his place at the last moment, so Edge accidentally cut down Dominik with a Spear. Edge chased Balor through the crowd, and Raw ended with Rey and medical staff kneeling over a pained Dominik.

This match was as good a reminder as any that Rey Mysterio is still awesome: This match was consistently fun whenever Mysterio was in the ring. Lots of great counters, like when The Usos attempted a 1D on Rey but he turned it into a Hurricanrana on Jimmy. 

The apex of the match came when, after a previous failed attempt, the Mysterios managed to hit stereo 619s on Jimmy Uso. Dominik followed it up with a Frog Splash, which the crowd definitely bought as the finish, but Jey Uso broke up the pin.

Jey Uso took out Rey on the outside, but Dominik crashed into him with a Suicide Dive. Back in the ring, Dominik setup Jimmy for another 619. Jey jumped on the ropes and got a blind tag, then The Usos cut an oblivious Dominik off with the 1D for the win.

Rating: 3.75 stars. Solid main event.

In the clearest sign that Triple H is now directing the ship, former NXT Champion Ciampa defeated AJ Styles in a fantastic match to become the No. 1 Contender for the US Championship. Both Styles and Ciampa won Triple Threat matches earlier in the night to earn a spot in this bout. 

This was clearly designed to establish Ciampa as a formidable force in WWE, a pivot from him being positioned as a generic lackey for The Miz. He won with the help of The Miz, but was presented throughout as being essentially on an even level with AJ Styles.

Miz first helped Ciampa by saving him from defeat towards the end of the match. After terrific back-and-forth action, in which Ciampa clocked AJ Styles with a knee strike in the middle of a Phenomenal Forearm attempt, Styles managed to land a Styles Clash on Ciampa. The ref nearly counted three, but The Miz placed Ciampa's foot on the rope.

AJ Styles then attacked Miz on the outside, tossing him over the barricade. Ciampa threw Styles into the turnbuckle, and then over the barricade. Ciampa ran inside to try and secure a countout win. Miz grabbed onto Styles' leg behind the barricade to stop him from entering, but Styles kicked himself loose and made it into the ring at the last second. 

Ciampa caught a flustered Styles with a Fairytale Ending for the win. Ciampa will face Bobby Lashley next week on Raw.

Rating: 4 stars. This match's main flaw was that the crowd wasn't that into Ciampa, due to him being presented in such lackluster fashion for weeks. Hopefully that changes as he's pushed into a better position.

Former NXT Women's Champion Iyo Sky made her main roster debut in a match against Bianca Belair. After a long bout with two break spots, the match ended with disqualification after interference from Bayley, Dakota Kai, Asuka and Alexa Bliss.

As that ending implies, there was a lot of interference in this match. It opened with a flurry, with Sky landing a Moonsault from the apron to the outside on Belair, leading into a break. Belair attempted a comeback when we return from break, but Sky cut her off. Sky grounded Belair and locked on a Crossface. 

Belair powered out with a Fallaway Slam, but before she could gain momentum Baylay and Dakota Kai came to ringside -- to huge boos from the crowd. After a few minutes of solid action, Belair and Sky fight on the outside. Belair swung Sky into the barricade in a gnarly spot, but Bayley and Kai sat on the apron to stop Belair from tossing Sky back into the ring.

Asuka and Alexa Bliss came to Belair's aid as the second ad break aired.

The break ends just in time for us to see a big Superplex from Belair to Sky. Belair attempted a Glam Slam several times, but Sky rolled through and hit a jumping stomp onto Belair, and then a running knee attack to Belair in the corner. 

Belair went for some offense but got tripped by Bayley and Kai on the outside. Sky rolled up Belair and put her foot on the ropes for extra leverage, but Asuka pushed her feet off. That led Bayley, Kai, Asuka and Bliss to all hit the ring and start brawling for the DQ.

All six women start brawling, but referees and various officials come to break it up as the crowd chants "let them fight!"

Rating: 3 stars. 

Edge came out to his old theme music (!) for a short but impassioned promo. Edge admits he's been "acting like an asshole" over the past few months, but that all he wanted to do with Judgement Day was get the most out of underutilized talent like Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest, that he hoped to pass down knowledge he'd accumulated over his 30 year career. 

"I gotta be honest with ya, it felt like we were just getting started, we were going somewhere, but apparently that first taste of power clouded their judgement," Edge said. "They thought they'd learned all there is to learn from me, but they were damn wrong."

Edge said that, along with Finn Balor, they pulled one over on him and put him on the shelf for several months. But now, Edge said, he's going to kill what he created.

"Finn, Damien, Rhea," Edge said. "I am going to end Judgement Day."

Short and sweet promo from Edge. 

WWE confirmed that Becky Lynch will have to take "several months" off due to injury. The storyline reason is the attack she sustained at the hands of Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai at the beginning of the night, but really it's due to legitimately injuring her shoulder at SummerSlam. 

Chad Gable did a great promo on the way to the ring. He basically just made fun of Houston -- saying he's got a brain double the size of the city, and calling the Houston Astros cheaters -- but Gable comes off more naturally than the vast majority of talkers in WWE, who mostly feel stilted. 

Good action at the beginning from this trio, but a muted crowd reaction. Dolph Ziggler is the babyface, but the crowd is only moderately behind him. The story was that Gable and Ciampa were teaming up to pick apart the babyface. There was a cute moment where the two heels were bickering as they beat on Styles and Ciampa "shooshed" Gable.

"You don't shoosh the shoosher!" Gable shot back.

After a break, Gable had Ziggler in an Ankle Lock. Ciampa joined the action by putting a Crossface on Ziggler. Their teamwork was broken up by Ciampa, who attacked Gable after realizing that there would be no clear winner if Ziggler tapped out to both of them.

From there it was every man for themself. Ciampa hit a Fameasser on Gable as Gable had a half-Boston Crab on Ziggler. Ciampa planted Ziggler with a White Noise from the middle rope, only for the pin to be broken up by a flying headbutt from Gable.

The match really picked up with a great spot where Gable went for his Rolling German Suplex, but Ziggler flew in from nowhere with a Zig Zag on Ciampa in the middle of the suplex. The final two minutes were filled with great action, as all three men traded roll-up attempts and big moves. 

It ended when Gable attempted a Backslide Rollup on Ciampa for a two count, but Ciampa kicked out. Ciampa then landed a running knee and then a Fairytale Ending for the win. 

Rating: 3.5 stars. A good match with a super final few minutes. 

Asuka and Alexa Bliss was setup with the idea of someone getting a win that would put them on a radar for a Raw Women's Championship match. Alexa Bliss took control early, beating down Asuka with some loose-looking knee strikes, but Asuka eventually fought back. After she blitzed Alexa Bliss with a sweet Shining Wizard, Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakotai Kai hit the ring and attacked both women.

Dakotai Kai hit a huge bicycle kick to Asuka's face in the corner, and Bayley took out Bliss with a running knee. Iyo took to the turnbuckle to hit an acrobatic move on Asuka on the outside, but Bianca Belair came to their recue. 

Belair demanded a match with one of the three imposing women, and Iyo Sky pointed to herself as the segmented ended. 

After duping Angelo Dawkins, Ford ran into the ring to begin a match with Seth Rollins. 

After chasing Rollins around the ring, Ford managed to catch Rollins in the center of the ring with a Superkick for a near two count. Ford attempted a Frog Splash, but Rollins rolled out of the ring before Ford could leap from the turnbuckle. Rollins then tried a Pedigree on the outside, but Ford reversed it and Rollins fled into the ring. 

He attacked Ford on the way in, and hung Ford up on the ring ropes to begin the heat. On the outside, Rollins picked up Ford and rammed his ribs into the turnbuckle, leading Ford to almost get counted out. 

Rollins worked over Ford's ribs with knees and a bodylock, but Ford began a comeback with a huge crossbody from the top rope. Ford hit a wicked backfist on Rollins, then a flurry of offense concluding with a big Enziguiri and then a standing Moonsault for a two count.

It was all back and forth from there. An Enziguiri, Superkick combo from Rollins gets a two count, as does a Tornado DDT from Montez Ford onto Rollins. Rollins comes back with a Buckle Bomb into a Falcon Arrow for a two, which gets a "This is awesome!" chant. 

Rollins tried a top-rope splash, but Ford moved out of the way. Ford then attempted his Frog Splash, but Rollins got his knees up. Rollins then Curbstomped Montez Ford for the win. 

Afterwards, Rollins began to setup for another Curbstomp but Angelo Dawkins came to his rescue. 

Rating: 3.75 stars. Very good TV match. Corey Graves made a big effort to put over Ford afterwards, noting that there was a lot of speculation about Ford's future -- that is, that the Street Profits are on the verge of breaking up -- and that Ford made many believers tonight.

This was clearly designed for Montez Ford to get over in losing a competitive match against a top star. WWE made several hints that the Profit's are indeed on the cusp of breaking up, and this was a good way to continue the build of Ford as a potential singles star. 

After backstage interviews with Bayley's faction and then The Usos, in which nothing of major note was said, Seth Rollins made his way to the ring. He cut a promo on Riddle, saying he showed guts by calling him out on Saturday -- but also stupidity. The silver lining, Rollins said, is that now Riddle is out of action just like his "big bro" Randy Orton. 

Rollins said that, now that Riddle is out of the way, he can pay attention to Roman Reigns and the WWE Universal Championship. At that moment, Rollins is interrupted by the Street Profits. 

Rollins made fun of the Street Profits for losing to The Usos back to back at Money in the Bank and then SummerSlam. "You suck so much as a tag team, you should probably break up," Rollins said.

"Isn't this the guy who got his ass whooped by Cody Rhodes," Montez Ford replied, "when Cody Rhodes only got one boobie?" 

Ford and Angelo Dawkins determine they'll play "Scissors, Paper, Rock" to see who will face Rollins tonight. A referee comes out and, before The Street Profits can finish their game, Ford yanks the referee and runs to the ring to begin the match. 

WWE is holding a pair of Triple Threat matches to determine the No. 1 Contender for Bobby Lashley's United States Championship. The first one, pitting AJ Styles against Mustafa Ali against The Miz, is up first. Styles beat Miz and Ali after pinning Ali with a great Styles Clash. 

The Miz came out with taped-up ribs, selling the Frog Splash through a table given to him by Logan Paul on Saturday. It may just be because he's involved in an angle with Paul, who WWE obviously cares about, but it's worth noting that it's unusual that a wrestler is selling an injury -- that was rare in the late Vince McMahon-era.

There was a creative spot where AJ Styles had Miz setup for a reverse DDT but was cut off by Ali, who did a rolling Neckbreaker on Styles. It was one of two spectacular moves Ali did on AJ Styles. Minutes later, after Styles beat down Miz on the outside, Mustafa Ali came out of nowhere with a gnarly Tornado DDT to the ringside floor. 

Ali pushed Miz in the ring, but Miz caught him with a Skull Crushing Finale when Ali was in the middle on the ring ropes. Miz sold his ribs for about 10 seconds before covering Ali, allowing Ali to count out at two. Great spot. 

Miz took Ali to the corner, but quickly ate a Superkick from Ali. Ali then scaled the turnbuckle and landed a 450 Splash on Miz -- but rolled straight into a Styles Clash. Styles did his finisher on Ali onto The Miz, then pinned Ali. Excellent finish.

Rating: 3.75 stars. A super fun Triple Threat match to kick off Raw. It would have been great with an extra few minutes, but it was awesome for a TV match.

"The Man" Becky Lynch comes out to kick off WWE Raw. Lynch is wearing a shoulder sling after sustaining a legitimate injury during her match with Bianca Belair at SummerSlam.

Lynch gave a total babyface promo, solidifying her turn from villain to hero. She said that during her SummerSlam match, she remembered who she was -- "and it ain't fancy clothes" -- and that gritted her teeth through 20 minutes of torture at SummerSlam after separating her shoulder at the beginning of the match. She says a title doesn't define her, she defines the title -- and that she's not defined by a man, she defines The Man.

Lynch then credited Bianca Belair for pushing her over the last year, and asked her to come out. "You not only define the man," Belair said to Lynch, "you are The Man." Lynch and Belair hugged before Lynch left to give Belair the ring, getting a big "Becky" chant on the way out. 

Belair gave a short speech about how there's a mutual respect between her and Lynch, and she knows there's now a target on her back. But her promo was interrupted by a camera feed from the back -- Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai attacked Becky Lynch, lodging her injured shoulder in a chair and smashing it.

Belair ran to the backstage area, but Bayley and her new faction fled before Belair could get to them.