WWE Fixes Punk-McIntyre Mistake, Joe Tessitore Aces Announcing Debut, More Raw Takes

The September 2 edition of WWE Raw delivered on the promise of Bash in Berlin fallout with an intense night of action.

Drew McIntyre got his revenge against CM Punk after a tough loss in Germany. The Scottish Warrior destroyed The Best in the World's friendship bracelet while battering him with repeat Claymores.

Sami Zayn stepped up to Gunther and challenged him for the World Heavyweight Championship. The Ring General refused, for now.

Alpha Academy tried their best to finally pick up a big win over American Made but fell short once more.

Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane fought hard in a WWE Women's Tag Team Title No. 1 Contender's match but fell short against Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn, particularly after a brutal bump from Sane outside the ring.

Joe Tessitore guided the night in his first Raw as play-by-play commentator and made a strong impression on a dramatic night.

Killing the Friendship Bracelet Saves Punk-McIntyre Feud

CM Punk and Drew McIntyre are not done just yet, despite the best efforts of The Best in the World. The Scottish Warrior delivered the most intense physical statement yet on Monday night.

Claymore after Claymore might have been enough, but the most important moment was when McIntyre snapping Punk's friendship bracelet.

The bracelet has been too involved in a pure blood feud, honestly hurting the impact of the first Punk vs. McIntyre match.

Breaking it came off as a strong statement that nothing but pure action will define the final stage of this rivalry.

This was the best segment of the rivalry to date after a much improved second match at Bash in Berlin. The feud is finally back on track and ready to deliver inside Hell in a Cell at Bad Blood on October 5.

Maxxine Dupri Enjoys Best Performance of Her Career

Maxxine Dupri has come under serious scrutiny in the last year. As a competitor who never got a serious shot in NXT, she had to learn fast when she went from manager to part-time in-ring competitor.

It wasn't a pretty transition. The 27-year-old has struggled to compete with the top names in WWE. Her athleticism was never in doubt, just the knowledge to put it all together in the ring.

However, her work in recent months has shown a rising confidence and more focused work, but it did not all come together until a six-person mixed tag team match on Monday night.

She and Ivy Nile showed out in a contest that included four of the most exciting men to watch on Raw. Dupri stole the show and the moment from all of them.

If this is a sign of things to come, she may have finally turned a corner and could become a more regular in-ring performer in the future.

Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane Are Best Women's Tag Team By Far

The women's tag team division has struggled since its true introduction with the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships, but that could finally change now.

Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill have found their chemistry as a unit, standing atop the division as champions. This is a duo that can go on a historic run.

Several teams are stepping up as potential challengers, but nobody is making a bigger weekly impact than Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane.

Damage CTRL has had a tough 2024. After forming a new-look group with Sky, Dakota Kai, Sane and Asuka, injuries and major losses have slowed their potential upside.

However, with Asuka and Kai out indefinitely, The Genius of the Sky and The Pirate Princess have looked great working together, putting on some of the best matches on Raw every week.

At this point, the consistent output of Damage CTRL in a situation that was less than favorable prove the fact that Sky and Sane are the best women's tag team in WWE.

Hopefully, a rough bump for Sane does not put her out of action for long, allowing the group to rise the ranks and begin a feud that can redefine the division with Belair and Cargill.

Gunther vs. Sami Zayn II Arrives at Perfect Time

WWE risked alienating fans with the aftermath of Sami Zayn's victory over Gunther at WrestleMania 40.

It was one of the best matches of the year, yet The Ring General refused to acknowledge it while commentator Michael Cole intimated it was a fluke.

Gunther went on to win King of the Ring and the World Heavyweight Championship. Zayn had the longest title reign of his career with the intercontinental belt before losing it to Bron Breakker.

This set the stage for a rematch that is certain to come at Bad Blood. The "fluke" label lingers while Zayn's ultimate goal remains. He has made clear since the beginning of the year that he wants the world title at least once in his career.

This first exchange since WrestleMania was strong, selling that Gunther could still be concerned about whether Zayn is the one man he cannot beat.

The Austrian may have acted confident, but he refused to give Zayn a shot. He was not so concerned when Randy Orton stepped up to him.

Alongside beating The Viper, Gunther is clearly removing all doubts from his world title pedigree first as champion. Defeating Zayn will establish him as nearly unbeatable.

Great First Impression for New Play-by-Play Joe Tessitore

WWE typically develops talent over time, bringing them up through the ranks from the Performance Center to NXT to the main roster. Commentary is a little different, though.

Commentators are often thrown into the deep end if WWE trusts the talent, but it did not work out for Adnan Virk, Jimmy Smith or Kevin Patrick recently.

Joe Tessitore was the next man up, and he delivered as much as could be expected for his first night.

His play-by-play work was on point, clearly showing a passion for the business. As WWE continues to commit to a sports-focused approach, his style—helped by his ESPN fight night experience—paid major dividends.

His style did not translate as well to the storytelling aspect of WWE, but that is where Wade Barrett shines as a color commentator.

Not every good start ends well. Smith also sounded good early, but he lasted just over a year. Hopefully, Tessitore can grow into all aspects of this role and give WWE a new quality play-by-play analyst.