Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (12/9/19)
A golden go-home to TLC!
The last Raw before TLC!
Not much is known about what TLC has in store for the WWE Universe, but Raw is going to be golden! Will Rey Mysterio retain the WWE United States title?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Matt Hardy VS Drew McIntyre; McIntyre wins.
- Raw Tag Team Championships Open Challenge: The Viking Raiders VS ???; The Viking Raiders win.
- Aleister Black VS Akira Tozawa; Aleister wins.
- Andrade Almas w/ Zelina Vega VS Humberto Carrillo; Carrillo wins.
- Zack Ryder w/ Curt Hawkins VS Buddy Murphy; Murphy wins.
- 2v1 Handicap: The Kabuki Warriors VS Becky Lynch; Lynch wins, by disqualification.
- Erick Rowan VS ???; No Contest.
- WWE United States Championship: Rey Mysterio VS AJ Styles; Mysterio wins and retains the WWE United States Championship.
PLAY BY PLAY
Jerry “The King” Lawler is already in the ring!
For weeks now, we’ve seen the apparent “demise” of the Rusev-Lana relationship. Jerry was hoping to save the marriage, but it is at “the point of no return.” For the first time ever on Raw, Jerry now presides over a divorce paper signing. First out is Lana, and her lawyer. The Ravishing Russian smiles as she heads down the ramp and into the ring. Fans chant for “Rusev Day! Rusev Day!” as Lawler reads a paper given to him. The restraining order’s distance stipulation has been temporarily waived, but the other conditions are still in effect. With that, Rusev is allowed to come out to the ring himself. Rusev even manages a smile, which upsets Lana. Rusev hugs Jerry before taking his seat and saying hi to the fans. Lana doesn’t like him interrupting her. She barely even started talking. No, she did.
And to get this off her chest, Lana wants Rusev to know he used to love him. Even when the WWE Universe didn’t, she did. But don’t make this about yourself, Rusev. That’s what he always does. Rusev, like so many other celebrities, turned out to be another statistic. When he got famous and rich, it went to his head! No one but Lana loved her, but when fans finally did support him, he let it go to his head. Lana says she is smart. It is not Rusev who made this marriage fail, it is the WWE Universe that made their marriage fail! Well no, now we all see the reality of this relationship. Lana needs to calm down. Then he better not step forward, the restraining order still has a personal space restriction!
Rusev says he needs a restraining order. Did anyone see what happened last week? Here’s a video of it! Lashley threatened and bumped the police and got arrested for it! And then Lana SLAPPED an officer and got herself arrested! Rusev sits back as the world sees how ill-tempered she can be. But Lana calls him the monster!? The Most Ravishing Woman is not to be trifled with! Rusev will never find another woman who loved him like she did! He will never find a woman like her again! Well why would he want a woman like her? Lana says Rusev is the selfish one, for choosing Rusev Day over Lana! She has a meltdown at the table… Rusev says she is being ridiculous. Just get to the point and sign those papers! Fans cheer, “YES! YES! YES!” With that, Jerry presents Rusev with the papers first, but Lana snatches them away! Lana says she will be first.
Always a competition with her, isn’t it? Lana says the fans need to stop booing her! The bottom line, she wants to be first. Rusev always loses, he’s a loser. She gets their dog! No, no, that’s his puppy. Well Lana gave him the puppy. Yeah, so she’s his puppy. Lana says she makes the rules! You Bulgarian son of a- Whoa, okay, c’mon now. She signs the papers and slams them down in front of Rusev. Rusev holds the papers up for the world to see, and figures this will end it. But on another hand… Rusev needs something in return. What? More sex?! Sex sex sex is all he wants! That is how sick sick sick Rusev is! Just like these sick sick sick people in the audience. No, no, that’s not all what he wants. He wants… A match with BOBBY LASHLEY! And speaking of, here he comes!
“This is ridiculous!” Lashley says Rusev must think this is all a joke. Making a joke out of Lashley and his Lana. After this divorce is over, Lashley will become her new husband! Yeah, that’s fine! Run off to Vegas and get married, who cares? Lana’s just bad now… At the end of the day, Rusev wants to be happy on RUSEV DAAAY~! Lana has to hold Lashley back. But Rusev says he will sign the contract, and take Lashley on any time, in any match. He signs, and Lashley bounces him off the table! And throws him out of the ring! The brawl is on and Lashley rams Rusev into barriers! And again! Lana smiles and applauds as Lashley puts Rusev in the ring. Lashley gets back in, but gets a MACHKA KICK! And then a belly2belly suplex through the table! Rusev is ready, Lana is livid, but will Lashley look for revenge in whatever match he wants?
Backstage interview with Kevin Owens.
Has he figured out why he was again attacked by the Authors of Pain? Yes. Because Rollins told them to. Rollins can deny it all he wants, but AOP follow his orders. And it started because Kevin told Rollins he was “full of crap.” Truth be told, Kevin was lucky to get away. Tonight, he will make the AOP regret letting him go. Because now, he’s going after them. WIth that, Kevin heads out in search of Akam and Rezar.
Kevin finds Rey Mysterio first and says sup. How’s it going? Good, but would be better if he could find the AOP. Mysterio offers the help of him and his homey, but Kevin says it’s his problem to solve. Well no, he meant his homey, the pipe. Oh. Well then thank you. Will Kevin need his new little friend once he finds big, bad Akam and Rezar?
Matt Hardy VS Drew McIntyre!
V1 is back again, but he might regret it against the Scottish Terminator. “This show has started a little depressing. In WWE, we’re all about putting smiles on faces.” But McIntyre has good news: the Hardys have a third child! Fans cheer for that. McIntyre says the kid’s a bit cross-eyed but that just proves Matt’s the father. But in all seriousness. They’ve known each other for a long time, and Matt has been very successful in the ring. Just not so successful outside, so reproducing might not have been good. But McIntyre’s a good guy, really he is! He’ll give Matt a chance to live to fight another day and hold his kid without being broken. Matt snaps and goes after McIntyre! Matt hits a TWIST OF FATE! McIntyre bails out but Matt is fired up, all as we go to break!
Raw returns and this really is a match! Matt throws hands, dodges McIntyre and gives endless clotheslines! But McIntyre powers out of the bulldog, only to get clothesline’d out! Matt goes out and throws more hands, only to be rammed into the steps! McIntyre puts Matt back in and kicks him while he’s down. McIntyre rains down rights, stomps away, and then puts Matt in a corner. McIntyre CHOPS, then whips corner to corner hard. Matt dodges and lets McIntyre hit post! Matt gets the SIDE EFFECT! Cover, TWO! But Matt won’t be slowed, he says, “DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!” But no twist, so Matt gets around for a backslide. Cover, ONE as McIntyre rolls through, FUTURE SHOCK! But McIntyre isn’t through. Fans boo as McIntyre waits for Matt to stand, CLAYMORE! Cover, McIntyre wins!
Winner: Drew McIntyre, by pinfall
The Scottish Terminator may have just broken Hardy after all. Who else will McIntyre maul in order to be on top of Raw?
Charlotte Flair meets with Becky Lynch.
The Queen and The Man are best of frenemies, and had common enemies. Would Becky Two Belts like to come back? Oh so she’s to help against the Kabuki Warriors? Well one issue trumps another, and Becky wants to collect her debt. So 2v1 like Charlotte tried? Good luck with that. Becky prefers that to what Charlotte offers, but will the results just be the same?
Kevin is still AOP hunting.
No one knows where they’ve gone, so Kevin keeps looking. Does Mojo Rawley know where they went? That way. Wait, no, maybe that way. Oh, no, it was both ways. Very funny, Mojo. Kevin SLAPS him! And now, he just went that way. Kevin leaves the jokester behind, but will he find his targets before the end of the night?
The Viking Raiders VS ???
Erik and Ivar want the entire world to witness their war on the Raw Tag Team Division, but no one has stepped up to be contenders to their tag title reign. They take to the mics now to speak. “For weeks, we have been searching for worthy opponents.” “But all we’ve encountered are victims.” Tonight, they issue an open challenge! To any team that thinks they can take this gold, “let the raid begin!” The team to answer the call is the STREET PROFITS! Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins had a similar opportunity when both teams were NXT, but what will the results be now that it’s Monday night?
Dave Bautista is going to be a WWE Hall of Famer!
The Animal and Hollywood star is finally being immortalized in wrestling history as part of the 2020 class!
Raw Tag Team Championships: The Viking Raiders VS The Street Profits!
Raw returns from break as the teams sort out. Ford starts with Erik, and Ford sees the knees coming! He leaps right over Erik, who ends up hitting buckles, and then Ford dropkicks Ivar off the apron! Tag to Dawkins, and the Profits take Erik down with a SPEAR! Ford FLIES onto Ivar! Ford hurries back as Dawkins gives Erik a SPINE BUSTER! Tag, Ford is up, WORLD STAR!! Cover, but Ivar breaks it! Fast and furious slows as Dawkins throws Ivar out and everyone catches their breath. Ford wants to get on the gas again, Dawkins Electric Chairs Erik. Ford is up top, but Erik escapes! Erik runs Ford over, tags in Ivar. Ivar gives Dawkins the seated senton! Ford cartwheels, Ivar cartwheels, they both cartwheel!
Ford fires up, but he gets a HUGE heel kick! Cover, TWO! Ford is dazed but Ivar brings him up. Ivar throws heavy hands in the Viking corner, tag to Erik. Erik throws a big forearm then another. Ford falls, Ivar tags back in, and Ivar brings Ford up for a back suplex. Ford lands on his feet, dodges, and tags Dawkins! Dawkins dodges, hits Erik then dropkicks Ivar! He manages an EXPLODER on Ivar!! Cover, TWO!! Dawkins tags Ford back in, the Profits double whip Ivar, but Ivar breaks the clothesline! Ivar handspring back elbows them both! Tag to Erik, who gives Ford those shotgun knees after all! Ace Ten Mao for Dawkins! Tag back to Ivar, Ivar feeds Ford to Erik, THOR’s HAMMER!! Cover, the Viking Raiders win!
Winners: The Viking Raiders, Ivar by pinfall; still Raw Tag Team Champions
A hard hitting fight right off the bat! But in the end, the raid continues as Erik and Ivar retain the titles. But the Profits once again won the respect of these two veterans.
But wait, Seth Rollins is coming out? The Architect heads right to the ring and “hates to interrupt.” He welcomes these two team to stay while he handles something. The Profits prefer to take their leave, and then so do the Viking Raiders. Rollins says that’s fine. He moves on to his business, and that means the AOP! Rollins doesn’t care if he’s got a bad hand, or if it is 2v1! He wants the AOP right here, right now! But instead, it’s Kevin Owens! Oh, and his little friend that he’s borrowed from Mysterio. Kevin goes to the ring, and Rollins says this is about him and the AOP. If Kevin wants to talk, fine, but just leave the pipe. No, this pipe isn’t for Rollins yet. And Kevin knows that Rollins knows that the AOP isn’t here. Otherwise, Kevin would’ve found them, they’re not that smart.
So Kevin wants to know when they are going to arrive, so they and Rollins can beat Kevin up. Rollins insists the AOP do not work with or for him. But wait, who is pulling into the arena? Why, it’s the Authors of Pain! Akam and Rezar are on the move, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns as Rollins keeps defending his innocence.
AOP will come down to kick Kevin’s ass but it has nothing to do with Rollins! Let them try! But it won’t be with Rollins in their corner. Why wait when Kevin can take Rollins out? No, no, no! Rollins bails out and says that he tried. Kevin says AOP just happens to show up? Such a perfect alibi! Well nothing Rollins says will convince them, but he’s gonna leave as the “right thing to do.” This is the only way he can prove he isn’t on the AOP’s side. Good luck and good night. Aww, Seth. Fine, leave! But when Kevin is down with AOP, he’ll still come looking for Rollins! Kevin points himself out as the loud one with the pipe.
But Akam and Rezar speak to Kevin via titantron in their native languages. Fans don’t understand, and Kevin can’t argue against anything. But he wants his chance to get even! “Let’s just do this!” Instead, it’s Sami Zayn? Isn’t Sami on SmackDown? There’s no Wild Card rule! Oh but Mojo is with him… Sami is just as surprised, too. He shouldn’t be here but he’s got a loophole! He’s a manager now! His managerial license lets him go where he is needed. And Kevin knows Sami isn’t a manager, an agent or an advocate. He is a Liberator. Sami helps free people! And Sami knows Kevin the best that Kevin feels imprisoned in his own head. That’s fine! Sami isn’t judging him at all. Sami knows Kevin has a lot with Seth and the AOP. Mojo, please join them in the ring. Sami wants Kevin to hear him out. What he did to Mojo was “way out of line.” That slap to the face was humiliating!
Sami knows how dangerous Kevin is when there’s no one to guide him. Sami can’t guide Kevin if Kevin doesn’t at least admit first that he was wrong. What we’re going to do now, in front of the fans, is to do the right thing and apologize to Mojo. Mojo demands Kevin look at Sami when he’s talking! Mojo won’t let Kevin disrespect Sami! Saim wants everyone to calm down. Mojo, trust Sami when he says you shouldn’t take that tone with Kevin, when he has that look and that pipe. Mojo doesn’t get it. Kevin is scary for having a steel pipe? Everyone’s tough with a steel pipe. Kevin tells Sami and Mojo that they have a point. Here, have the pipe, Mojo. STUNNER! Well, maybe not everyone is tough with a steel pipe in their hands. And then Kevin uses the pie to SMACK Mojo on the back! And again and again and again!
Fans fire up with Kevin as Mojo retreats, and referees hurry out to help him. Will Kevin get the fight he wants with AOP before the night is over?
Kevin Owens returns backstage.
He’s still got the pipe, still asking around, but still no sign of Akam or Rezar.
Aleister Black VS Akira Tozawa!
The Embodiment of the End returns for another fight in the ring to prepare for the big fight on Sunday! Aleister and Buddy Murphy finally face off in the ring, but will Aleister gain some final momentum before he makes Buddy #FadeToBlack?
The bell rings and Aleister stares down with Tozawa. They slowly circle, approach and tie up. Aleister headlocks, Tozawa pries his way out to a wristlock, and then a shoulder breaker. Tozawa wrenches more, but Aleister spins through to reverse the hold. Tozawa spins and throws Aleister, then gets a headlock, only for Aleister to slip right out. Aleister has the wristlock, but Tozawa reverses to snapmare. Tozawa headlocks again but again gets reversed. Tozawa breaks free, snapmares, but Aleister handsprings through! Aleister sweeps the legs and Tozawa gets up in frustration.
Aleister and Tozawa circle again, tie up, and Tozawa waistlocks. Aleister wrenches but Tozawa throws body shots. Tozawa shoves, Aleister rolls off his back, and the two speed up, big arm-drags from Aleister to Tozawa! Aleister wrenches, Tozawa throws hands but ducks a kick! Tozawa backs off but Aleister sits down, and fans cheer the exchange. Tozawa kicks but Aleister blocks it for kicks and forearms of his own. Aleister whips, Tozawa holds ropes and elbows back. Tozawa runs, dodges, and gets popped up, to huricanrana! Aleister bails out, Tozawa builds speed, to DIVE into a knee! Aleister drags Tozawa’s dead weight into the ring, stalks the Stamina Monster, and hits BLACK MASS! Cover, Aleister wins!
Winner: Aleister Black, by pinfall
One former Cruiserweight Champion falls, but now Aleister aims for another. Will the Best Kept Secret be put away and Fade to Black?
Backstage interview with Humberto Carrillo.
Ultimo Ninja is quickly being considered a cornerstone of the WWE’s future, and despite being brand new to Raw… Oh wait, ladies first. Zelina Vega and Andrade Almas want Carrillo to respect her. He tried to, they’re the ones having a problem! But then to even Zelina’s surprise, these two agree to a match tonight! Will El Idolo make Carrillo respect him and La Muneca by force?
Liv Morgan’s makeover is coming!
After being gone for months, what will the Juvenile Delinquent be like now?
Andrade Almas w/ Zelina Vega VS Humberto Carrillo!
The heated exchange takes to the ring! Who learns about respect while also learning about defeat?
The bell rings and Almas dropkicks Carrillo immediately! He stomps Carrillo around but Carrillo gets to the corner. Almas CHOPS Carrillo, stalks him to another corner, but Carrillo hits back. Almas knees and whips, but Carrillo comes back with wheelbarrow and arm-drag! Carrillo runs, Almas back drops him! Cover, TWO! Almas glares and wraps on a chinlock, digging his knee into Carrillo’s back. Fans rally up and Carrillo fights his way up. Carrillo fights back but Almas wrangles him back down. Almas cranks back on Carrillo’s head but Carrillo endures. Fans rally up again, Carrillo fights up again, and Vega grows worried. Carrillo fights out with body shots, runs, but into a back elbow! Only Vega applauds.
Almas drags Carrillo up, bumps him off buckles and CHOPS him again. Almas throws big forearms and then snapmares, to run and basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Almas grows frustrated but Vega coaches him to keep on Carrillo. Almas drags Carrillo up, whips him corner to corner, then runs in, but Carrillo kicks back. Almas CHOPS and shoves, but Carrillo kicks back! Carrillo runs in, Almas pops him up but he lands on the top rope! Flying crossbody! Carrillo runs, dodges, and springboard arm-drags! Almas bails out but Carrillo builds speed for a triangle top-of-the-post MOONSAULT! Vega is in shock as we go to break!
Raw returns as Almas CHOPS then whips. He back drops Carrillo but Carrillo flips through to land on his feet! Carrillo springboards for a crossbody! Almas kicks, Carrillo blocks and retaliates, but gets Almas on the enziguri! Somersault moonsault! Cover, TWO! Vega shouts at Almas but Carrillo is up first. Carrillo stalks Almas to a corner for a clothesline, then a CHOP! Carrillo puts Almas up top, climbs to join him, but Almas trips Carrillo up! Tree of Woe, WOE STOMPS! Cover, TWO!! Almas and Vega are both furious that Carrillo survives! Almas stomps away on Carrillo, then prepares the knees. He runs corner to corner, but gets buckles! Carrillo is on the apron, heads up top, and leaps for a missile dropkick! Almas is in a drop zone as Carrillo goes back up. Headstand, AZTEC PRESS! Cover, TWO!
Carrillo grits his teeth, but Almas calls to Vega. Carrillo waistlocks, Almas standing switches but Carrillo elbows out. Almas runs, Carrillo dodges both boot and elbow, but Almas dodges both kick and enziguri! Boot feint to ELBOW hits! Cover, TWO!? Vega is shocked but Almas starts to like this! Almas calls for the end as he puts Carrillo in a drop zone. Almas climbs up, moonsault! But Carrillo goes in, to get CIEN SHADOWS! Almas won’t stop there, he goes for more, but gets a HUGE dropkick! Both men are down and fans are fired up! Vega, however, can hardly breathe from all this. Crrillo fireman’s carries, but Almas slips out. He shoves Carrillo at Vega but Carrillo stops himself. Carrillo dodges, Almas runs into Vega!! Carrillo hops up, victory roll, Carrillo wins!!
Winner: Humberto Carrillo, by pinfall
The biggest win for Carrillo’s WWE career! He got the better of the devious duo, and puts the first blemish on Almas’s Raw record! Will Carrillo only fly higher from now on?
Wait, Almas blames Vega?! They argue, but will they be able to get over this defeat before Almas’s next match?
Rey Mysterio speaks.
“Tonight, I have the honor of defending my WWE United States Championship against former champion, AJ Styles.” This title means so much to Mysterio. It is the destination of his journey back from losing his confidence. If Styles is able to win, Mysterio will be the first to congratulate him. But Mysterio will do everything in his power to prove to everyone that he is still worthy of being Rey Mysterio and WWE United States Champion. But what will Styles do to make sure that all changes?
Kevin is still looking for the AOP.
They’ve last been spotted headed back for their van. Will Kevin get them before they get away?
Zack Ryder w/ Curt Hawkins VS Buddy Murphy!
We saw Aleister Black get a decisive victory, can the Aussie Juggernaut do the same to keep pace?
The bell rings, Ryder circles with Murphy and they tie up. Murphy knees low then bumps Ryder off buckles. Murphy stomps a mudhole and scrape his boot on Ryder’s face. Fans boo as Murphy grins, but Ryder comes back with rights! Ryder boots Murphy and hops up, but Murphy yanks him off the top! Penalty Kick tot he back, cover, TWO! Murphy ramps knees in then kicks again. Cover, TOW! Murphy wraps on a chinlock but Ryder fights up and jawbreakers free! Ryder whips, Murphy reverses, but Ryder hits a facebuster! Fans fire up with Ryder as Murphy flounders into knees! Ryder goes up, missile dropkick! Ryder runs in for a forearm smash, then has Murphy down. BROSKI BOOT! Murphy ends up outside, but the ref keeps Ryder in.
Hawkins keeps his distance, but Murphy still DECKS him! Ryder wrecks with a dropkick, checks on Hawkins, but gets the KNEE TRIGGER! Pump handle, Murphy’s Law! Cover, Murphy wins!
Winner: Buddy Murphy, by pinfall
Murphy leaves, having gotten the job done. But can he do the same to Aleister this Sunday?
Kevin finds the AOP van.
He walks up to it, but it’s hard to tell if Akam and Rezar are in there. He goes around to SMASH on the window! And the side mirror! He smashes more windows in, but clearly they’re not in there since they’re not responding. He still busts off the locks to open it up. Someone is in there, but it’s not the AOP because they attack from behind! And throw Kevin into a garage door! They haul Kevin up to throw into piping, and then rain down rights and stomps! AOP use the van door to BASH Kevin’s head! And the person in the van turns out to be… SETH ROLLINS! The Architect really was working with them all along! “It’s come to this, Kev! It’s a shame. I’m sorry.” CURB STOMP!! Kevin is out cold from hitting concrete, and now these Architects of Pain leave him for dead.
Seth Rollins returns to the stage!
Fans boo but Rollins asks them, “What do you want from me?!” He has been asking himself that for some time now. He and the fans used to get along! They used to see things the same. Somehow, it went wrong, and he is the one who wants to know why! He did everything right! No nights off, fighting through injury, and he tears it down in the ring for each and every fan watching. Rollins sticks his neck out for the fans both in the ring and in the media, and yet he gets spat on and disrespected. He’s sick of it! Rollins came out and told Kevin, the fans, he had nothing to do with the AOP. That was the truth. But then that wasn’t good enough! They thought he was a liar because some “flavor of the month” called him a liar?
But Rollins did what he does. He let it slide. He tried to say again that he had nothing to do with the AOP. It was still the truth. But once again, the truth wasn’t good enough. “So tell me, in 2019, what is good enough for you people?!” What does Rollins have to do?! GO into the ring and die? He took the title off Lesnar, and that was STILL NOT ENOUGH!? Fans chant, “You Suck! You Suck!” Rollins hears them. They want to push him? Time for “Seth Freakin’ Rollins” to push back! Their negativity has become a self-fulfilling prophecy of turning fiction into fact. Because now, Rollins now stands with “two men who understand,” the AOP! And with that, Akam and Rezar make their entrance.
Meanwhile, Kevin is being stretchered into an ambulance after what Rollins and the AOP did to him. What will the lasting effects of that beat down be?
2v1 Handicap: The Kabuki Warriors VS Becky Lynch!
Where the Queen of All Eras failed, The Man looks to succeed! Will the Raw Women’s Champion kick double the lass when she’s up against the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions? Or is she, too, not ready for Asuka and Kairi Sane?
The Empress of Tomorrow starts with the bell, and she circles with Becky. Becky throws hands and then bumps Asuka on buckles. Becky stomps a mudhole, but backs off at the ref’s count. She whips, Asuka reverses, but Becky dodges. Becky fires uppercuts and snap suplexes Asuka away. Asuka bails out to regroup with Kairi already but Becky is all fired up. Fans rally behind Becky as Asuka gets back up. Becky knocks Asuka back down then keeps her eyes on Kairi. Asuka distracts the refo, Kairi distracts Becky, Asuka attacks! Asuka kicks and stomps Becky while she’s down but the ref stops her as she stands on Becky’s head. Asuka comes back to stand on Becky in the corner, but lets up at 4.
Becky drags herself up, Asuka runs in with the hip attack! Asuka argues with the ref before she drags Becky up for forearms. Asuka brings Becky up for more, then snapmares to kick! Cover, ONE, but The Man is in trouble as we go to break.
Raw returns and Kairi Sane is now in, and she has Becky in the straitjacket stretch. But Becky endures and fans rally up. Becky gets up but Kairi wrangles her back down and shifts to a normal chinlock. Becky gets up, Kairi brings her back down and covers, ONE. Kairi keeps close and throws a back elbow, only for Becky to respond with a flying forearm! Both women are down, Asuka shouts for Kairi, but Becky anchors the Pirate Princess. Kairi kicks her away, tag to Asuka! Asuka is sent out fast! Becky wrecks Asuka with a dropkick then puts her back in. Asuka hurries to tag back to Kairi, but Becky rallies on them both with clotheslines! Calf kick for Kairi, and then Becky runs in for the Straight Firearm! Asuka runs in, but the hip attack gets knees! Becky fires off on Kairi, and uses a BECKSPLODER!
Becky runs into Asuka’s kick, but slips out of the suplex. Becky has the Kabuki Warriors in a double DDT combo! Cover on Kairi, TWO! Becky keeps her cool as she goes to the corner. Becky climbs up, but Asuka anchors a foot! Becky kicks Asuka away but Kairi SHORYUKEN! And Iconoclasm! Elbow drop, but Kairi laughs as she prepares that elbow drop. Asuka tags in just before Kairi jumps, but Kairi has to bail out as Becky dodges! Asuka climbs while Becky boots Kairi! Asuka leaps, but misses! Becky gives Asuka the BECKSPLODER! Fans fire up as Becky goes to the corner. She climbs up, for the Man’s Leg Drop! But it FLOPS! ASUKA LOCK!! Becky reaches, flails, but Asuka gets a rear mount! They get up, Becky reaches, ropebreak with a buckle bomb! BECKY LOCK!? Becky steals Asuka’s move, but Kairi drags Asuka to safety!
The ref tries to restore order but Kairi beats Becky down. Kairi helps Asuka get in and a ring count climbs. But Kairi grins as she throws Becky, only to get thrown into barriers! Asuka aims but her kick is caught! Becky throws Asuka down on the apron! Then Becky hops up, but leaps into a knee! The ring count climbs as all three women are down! It passes 5, Asuka is in and Kairi anchors Becky from below the apron! Becky breaks free and gets in at 9, to get a SHINING WIZARD! Cover, TWO!! Becky still lives and the Kabuki Warriors can’t believe it! Fans rally as Becky and Asuka brawl on the mat. Asuka waistlocks but Becky breaks free to mule kick. Kairi tags as Becky reverses the whip. Asuka shoves, Kairi runs in, and clobbers Becky from behind! The Kabuki Warriors coordinate in a corner, Becky is up in the Electric Chair, KABUKI DOOMSDAY!! Cover, TWO?!?
The Kabuki Warriors are enraged! How did Becky survive?! But Kairi drags Becky back to the drop zone and prepares to weigh anchor. Kairi is up top, InSANE Elbow gets knees! Becky has the arm, but Asuka runs in. MAN-HANDLE SLAM! DISARM-HER!! But now Asuka saves Kairi in return! Fans boo as the Kabuki Warriors survive again. Becky is fired up, she heads right for Asuka! She ROCKS Asuka with a right, but Asuka comes back from behind! Asuka uses a CHAIR!
Winner: Becky Lynch, by disqualification
A chair shot to the back, but the Kabuki Warriors aren’t done! They bring out a TABLE! They set the table up as Becky writhes in pain. Asuka kicks Becky and clubs away as Kairi climbs up top. Asuka puts Becky on the table, Kairi takes aim… InSANE Elbow through the table!! Asuka and Kairi stand over the wreckage, then take their leave with their tag team titles, laughing all the way. But will they make it through the holidays with those belts?
The OC speak.
It’s time for #OCBusiness. The Phenomenal One and the Best Tag Team in the World know that Gallows and Anderson got that title by beating the Raw Tag team Champions in the Crown Jewel Tag Team Turmoil. They’ll come for those tag titles against the Viking Raiders, and they’ll be celebrating with the Phenomenal UNITED STATES Champion! And if Randy Orton sticks his nose in their business, the OC will hurt him not just for a night, not for awhile, but for life. A Too Sweet warning, but will it be heeded?
The following announcement has been paid for by the New World Order.
That’s right, the nWo is going into the WWE Hall of Fame, too! Hogan, Nash, Big Kev and X-Pac will also be inducted as part of the 2020 class!
Becky Lynch is attended to by the trainer doctor.
She says she’s fine, but Charlotte Flair comes by to see how that match went. It’s obvious how it went. But if it means getting a shot at Asuka, Becky will help The Queen. But the Kabuki Warriors attack Charlotte as she leaves the room!! They use a chair, kicks and stomps to beat Charlotte down! The team-up and the match has been made, but will it even happen?
Erick Rowan VS ???
The Big Redwood has been very guarded about the critter that sits inside the cage. Will he make this quick work so he and his pet can get out of here?
The bell rings, and Rowan’s opponent rabbits out of the ring, and steals the cage?! He takes it up to the ramp, leaves it, and heads all the way around through the crowd to get to the ring! The ring count begins as Rowan checks on his little pet. But then he realizes what happened, and he runs down the ramp! He’s in at 8, and RUNS OVER his opponent! “What’re you doing?!” Now Rowan is enraged, IRON CLAW SLAM!! “What the heck is wrong with you!?” Then another!! And then with an Iron Claw vice, he gives ANOTHER slam! The ref has to call this off!!
Referee Stoppage
Rowan doesn’t care if he’s won or lost, he just wants to HURT! A fourth Iron Claw!! He keeps asking what’s wrong with the young man, but what is going on with Rowan!? Rowan marches all the way back to his cage and says it’s okay. But will it ever be okay to be around Rowan and his mysterious pet?
Backstage interview with The Kabuki Warriors.
What’s next for them? Asuka talks trash in Japanese over how they just beat down Becky and Charlotte individually. Right, sorry, Charly needs to learn many, many languages now. But if possible, in English? Kairi and Asuka breathe, and explain that they challenge Becky and Charlotte to challenge them for a title match! They continue laughing as they leave, but will they be laughing when The Man and The Queen come around?
Now Charlotte is in the trainer’s room with Becky.
They’ve both been beaten down tonight. They’ve both heard about the challenge. And they both accept the challenge. But they need to up the ante. Tables, Ladders and Chairs. The Women’s Tag Team titles will be on the line in the namesake match! Will Asuka and Kairi regret escalating things to this point?
The Monday After the Weekend Update premieres!
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are at the news desk to give us our top stories. As we just learned, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships will be on the line in a TLC Match. After all the green mist spitting, Asuka, “what are you eating?” Is it Baby Yoda? Hope not, the Mandalorian is great. Disney+ all day, fam. Now, when Bray Wyatt challenged The Miz, he mentioned the former Wyatt Family. The USA Network executives realized they could cash in on this, with a new reality show, Fiend & Mrs. Yikes…
But speaking of The Fiend, another monster with mood swings got her wish. She and Rusev are now divorced, but Rusev takes on Bobby Lashley in a Tables Match! Now that Lashley has Lana all to himself, here’s some advice. Run. There are plenty of jokes to make, but no seriously, GET OUT! Moving on, another TLC match will be Baron Corbin and Roman Reigns. Corbin tried to humiliate Roman with dog food, but this all clearly proves that the King of the Ring has a Napoleon Complex. That’s for short people. Corbin’s bigger than both of them. Not where it counts!
But in all seriousness, TLC is going to be off the chain. Before then, just remember this. #WeWantTheSmoke. Well, Dawkins is thinking Ford can have the smoke. He needs ice. The Viking Raiders hit hard. But that’s all for the premiere episode of the Monday After the Weekend Update!
WWE United States Championship: Rey Mysterio VS AJ Styles!
The King of Lucha Libre went through a double header to get this title off the Phenomenal One, but it seems he didn’t care for setting up obstacles for Styles to get the rematch. Will Mysterio regret letting Styles off easy? Or will he prove that he was right to keep going?
Raw returns once again, and the bell rings on this rematch. The two circle and tie up, and Mysterio headlocks. Styles powers out, Mysterio dodges and waistlocks. Styles bucks him off, then trips him up to cover. TWO as Mysterio gets a shoulder up. Styles tries again, TWO as Mysterio gets the other arm up. Styles goes to put his weight on Mysterio but Mysterio kicks back and wheelbarrows to a victory roll! TWO and Styles has the cover! TWO and Styles runs but misses. Mysterio wants Styles to relax as he and Styles circle again. Fans duel, but have more behind Mysterio than Styles. The two tie up, Styles whips and sends Mysterio into buckles hard! Then he catapults Mysterio into the buckles! Styles turns Mysterio around, and catapults him a second time!
Mysterio gasps for air, but Styles brings him around to another corner. Styles catapults, Mysterio catches himself, hops back and spins around, sunset flip! TWO, Mysterio runs but gets run over with an elbow! Styles is angry now as he drags Mysterio up. Styles pulls on Mysterio with a chinlock but fans rally up. Mysterio endures, fights his way up, and elbows out. Mysterio runs but Styles follows through, only to get thrown out! Mysterio then wrecks Styles with a dropkick, and springboards for an ASAI MOONSAULT! Direct hit takes Styles down, but Mysterio also needs to recover. The ring count climbs and Champion’s Advantage is in play. Mysterio kicks Styles while he’s down, but here come the Good Brothers. Mysterio puts Styles in but is distracted, and Styles attacks with a forearm! Then he RAMS Mysterio into the post! Mysterio tumbles down as Raw takes one last break.
Raw returns once more as Styles has Mysterio down in a chinlock. The OC watch as Mysterio fights out with elbows. Mysterio throws haymakers then runs, but springboards into a dropkick! Cover, TWO! Mysterio still lives and The OC grow frustrated. Styles drags Mysterio up, whips him to ropes and slides him out to the floor! The ref tells the OC to stay back, and a new ring count begins. Mysterio is down as the count passes 5, but he gets up at 7. Mysterio gets in at 9.5! Styles grits his teeth as he puts Mysterio in a corner and CHOPS! Styles whips corner to corner, then runs in, but Mysterio dodges! Mysterio runs back in but gets a boot. styles is on the apron, but misses his forearm to get an enziguri! Down goes Styles, Mysterio slingshot sunset BOMBS Styles into barriers! Both men are down but fans fire up!
The ring count climbs up again as Styles and Mysterio stir. They reach the apron at 7, and are in at 9! They’re slowly rising but fans rally up. Mysterio and Styles trade forearms, Mysterio kicks, whips, but Styles reverses. Mysterio tilt-o-whirls to headscissor Styles! Styles puts Mysterio on the apron but Mysterio hits him away. Mysterio springboards, seated senton and a leg drop! Cover, TWO! Mysterio keeps his focus and fans rally up again. Mysterio whips Styles, Styles reverses, Mysterio springboards but gets caught, only to tornado DDT! Cover, TWO!! Styles survives and The OC is relieved. Styles is in the corner but Mysterio goes after him. Mysterio whips, Styles reverses, but Mysterio boots back. Mysterio runs and rolls, but into an inverted bomb! Both men are down again but the OC coach up Styles.
Styles drags Mysterio up, but Mysterio slips under and out to enziguri! Styles is on the ropes! The OC are worried as Mysterio dials it up, but Gallows takes the hit for Styles! And Anderson is up, only to get a dropkick! But Styles has Mysterio, USHIGOROSHI! Cover, TWO!! Mysterio survives the OC’s coordinated attack, and he trips Styles up top! Mysterio climbs up to join Styles, but the Super Steiner is blocked just enough! It takes a moment for Styles to reset, he has Mysterio for a POWERBOMB! And then, STYLES CLASH! But Randy Orton is here! He doesn’t touch Styles, though, he simply winks and slithers out. Styles drags Mysterio back up, but Mysterio cradles!! Mysterio wins!!
Winner: Rey Mysterio, by pinfall; still WWE United States Champion
The Viper didn’t care about the OC’s warning, he still showed up! And that keeps the title still with Rey Mysterio! What will AJ Styles have to say about Orton’s defiance?
My Thoughts:
A pretty good go-home to a TLC PPV that we didn’t have a lot of matches advertised. Granted, one match in particular from tonight was given away by the venue’s own advertisements. But I did like the route they took to getting to the WWE Women’s Tag Team match, Kabuki Warriors VS Man & Queen. Becky had a pretty good match with Asuka and Kairi, just as Charlotte, but it seemed WWE wanted to protect Becky in terms of win-loss by having it be a DQ finish. But I suppose a chair attack and then that truly insane table spot was the hint of what we were getting. The attack on Charlotte was also a nice touch. And whereas Corbin VS Roman is a TLC match of pinfall and submission victories, I would hope this TLC title match is where they have to climb the ladders. It would make for a great moment where Paige comes out to screw over Asuka and Kairi to help her original teammates of Team PCB.
Aleister and Murphy each won a pretty fun filler match just so each man has momentum going into their match at TLC. The math would say it could go either way, but I’m thinking Aleister wins. We got a great match out of Almas VS Carrillo, and Carrillo winning was great. Seeing tension and dysfunction between Almas and Vega would be a good twist in their overall story. McIntyre VS Hardy was pretty good, and between the Claymore to the face and using the word “broken” in his trash talk, I wonder if McIntyre will be the reason a truly more Broken Hardy returns. It may be the only way for Vince to keep the Hardy Boys actively wrestling in the WWE rather than AEW. Woken was a good try, but if the Hardys were allowed to go 100% with the Broken gimmick that fans were all hoping to get, it would help everyone out.
The Street Profits got a lot of good stuff tonight. It may have been a fast match with The Viking Raiders, but it was a good match, and it was good to see respect between the teams just like in NXT. I almost expected the Viking Raiders to stand their ground against Rollins but it seems with the OC’s promo, we’re heading back towards that rivalry, which is actually fine. And as always, Ford and Dawkins are hilarious, especially now in their segment that references SNL’s Weekend Update. They did pretty good in making jokes about everything else tonight, which of course included the “divorce proceedings” tonight. I think the only bad part of that was Lana’s over acting. She was of course going for “selfish celebrity having a meltdown,” but she was trying way, way too hard, and it just felt grating. And while I was hoping this would be a ladder match for those divorce papers, we get a Tables Match instead, which I suppose is fine, too. Especially since a ladder will be involved in the two different TLC matches in different ways.
It wasn’t confirmed but it was pretty obvious Rollins was going to be joining forces with the Authors of Pain. They went about it about as well as they could have, with the mysterious man in the back of the van being Rollins. Rollins’s promo after was pretty good, it furthers my belief that this is all in response to Rollins’s behavior and fan reception of it in real life. And after that beating, I expect Kevin to call upon the Street Profits to help him against Rollins and the AOP on the way to the Royal Rumble. Another interesting thing to come out of all this was that Sami is now a dual-brand star because he is acting as a “Liberator,” aka a manager, meaning Team Sami can expand. I don’t know if Mojo will want to be on Sami’s team after what happened, but there is potential for a Raw star to move up thanks to Sami helping him out.
We got a great main event out of Mysterio VS Styles, but it seems the time constraints almost got lost in it all. Thankfully they wrapped it up quick, but it was close. I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear between now and TLC that Styles and Orton have a match over this, but they could also escalate things to head towards the Royal Rumble. The OC wants to be golden like they were for a time as The Club, but I can’t be sure it happens any time soon. I’m also not entirely sure where Mysterio goes from here, unless the Orton-Styles story is also intertwined with the US Championship.
My Score: 8.5/10
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Coverage
Andrew’s TNA Xplosion Results & Match Ratings: 4.12.2024
Okay now, I’m just happy Kevin Knight gets a little time to shine. with New Jersey’s own Steve Maclin!
Xplosion has been a waste of time since the new regime took over completely, and I can’t really see anything special about this episode. Still only promoting 1 match, prolly have an old match, an ICYMI and Gia’s interview.
It looks like the Around the Ring interview will be with Rosemary. So maybe that will be interesting, and I was recently talking about what’s been up with Kevin Knight since the Referendum match; so its nice to see him around. Knight shouldn’t win, but as long as he looks good, we might finally get a match worth sitting through old footage and a useless Top 5.
Ratings:
Steve Maclin vs Kevin Knight: Maclin wins via KIA – ** 1/2
Results:
TNA+Throwback Moment: Team 3D vs Motor City Machine Guns, Genesis 2007
Now I’ve said many times that I’m tired of all the clips and vault matches, but I’m also a MCMG fanboy…and this was prime TNA, so I’m at least amused. Plus to validate the match, we’ve got MCMG versus The System coming up on iMPACT!, so its just a nice old match to get the blood pumping.
Don West, You’ve Got to be Kidding Me! Trending Topics of the week:
5. New Full Blooded Italians.
4. Hammerstone vs Alexander, Last Man Standing
3. Myron Reed returns to The Rascalz
2. Nic Nemeth beating Alex Shelley
1. Jonathan Gresham officially signs with TNA
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, this Top 5 is legitimately a waste of air. Its just dumb dirt sheet highlights mostly from 2 weeks ago because their filming schedule makes the topics old and uninteresting.
Gia’s Around the Ring interview is with Rosemary. She stays in gimmick, not quite as over the top as the one Alicia Atout interview from a few years ago, but Gia is leading “the demon” on why they picked Courtney. They talk about Gia visiting the Undead Realm and that they still don’t know where Taya is. She also reveals a Bunny top of her cane, and very obviously hints to Allie. So I wonder if this is her trying to speak it into existence or if it’s actually a hint. Did something finally make a point for foreshadowing in storylines?
TNA+Throwback Moment: MCMG vs Beer Money, 2 out 3 Falls, 8.12.2010 iMPACT!
Steve Maclin vs Kevin Knight
So basic opening, but when Maclin tries a Hip Toss, Knight also attempts to counter it and it looks really ugly and car crashy. Nothing dangerous, just a fall down “didn’t get all of it” kind of spot. If that’s the only misstep, at least it was at the beginning.
Maclin tries to slow things down, but a huge Twisting Crossbody off the rope keeps things going for Knight. Another miscue where Knight tries to dodge a Chop in the corner, but is hella slow and eats the chop to the eyes. I mean in a way the ugly execution makes the match feel more like a dirty brawl from the 80s, but with how choreographed everything is nowadays, its just odd. Maclin whips Knight to the ropes, Knight jumps over the rope to the outside, revels in his landing, turns around and eats a SCUD Missile from Maclin!
Fully in control, Maclin is working over Knight until Knight catches him with a desperation strike and then rides the momentum into a few nice High spots. There is a locomotion Cradle spot which is also a little wonky to put it nicely, Knight tries to jump on Maclin for a Jumping DDT, but Maclin shrugs it off and heads to the corner. Knight charges, Maclin throws him over his shoulder but Knight catches himself and lands on the ropes, Maclin just shoves him forward to crotch him on the top buckle, Tree of Woe, Caught in the Crosshairs into KIA, and Maclin wins.
Overall Score: 4/10
Given this the old Bret Hart special. The main event was tolerable if not sloppy, the throwbacks having the Machine Guns made the fanboy side of me giddy, but I still hate all the old footage stuff. The main reason for the higher score than the last few weeks is as I already said, decent main event and my hope the convenient Bunny on the cane is foreshadowing and not just acknowledging. Depending on availability, Su Yung could always return to TNA with an “Undead Bunny”. Hell the possibility of a Suzie and Allie tag team is comedic gold.
But we’ll see if that goes anywhere. Its also sad when a 4 is a pretty big upgrade to the last month or so of these shows. Xplosion really is a waste of damn time when I have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find crumbs of entertainment.
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Will it be a victorious homecoming for Sami Zayn?
Tonight on Raw, Sami Zayn returns home to Montreal as NEW Intercontinental Champion, but will he lose that title already to Chad Gable?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Sheamus VS Ivar; Sheamus wins.
- WWE World Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Match: #DIY VS The New Day VS The Creed Brothers; DIY wins and will challenge The Awesome Truth for the titles.
- Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri; Candice & Indi win.
- Dominik Mysterio w/ JD McDonagh VS Andrade El Idolo; Andrade wins.
- Chelsea Green & Piper Niven VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance; Chelsea & Piper win.
- Jey Uso VS Finn Balor; Jey wins.
- WWE Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn VS Chad Gable; Sami wins and retains the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
Rhea Ripley is here!
Montreal fires up for Mami as she makes her way out to the ring, but her arm’s in a sling! She holds up the Women’s World Championship with her good arm before going to the ring, clearly not in a good mood. Adam Pearce is waiting in the ring, and Rhea gets a mic. The fans cheer “MAMI! MAMI!” but Rhea says, “So… Obviously, you guys know what’s going on right now, yeah? After the attack last week from Liv Morgan… I’ve now been told that I’m stuck on the bench for quite a few months.” Fans are upset but Rhea says she’s also been informed, told, whatever, she’s pissed! Y’know why? Because she has to vacate the one thing that means the most to her, her world title!
The fans chant “NO! NO! NO!” but there’s no getting around this. Rhea takes a long look at the belt and the fans call BS. Rhea says it sure is BS. This title right here, this means the most to her in her entire life! And that’s why this is so painful. Rhea sets the belt down on the mat, and gives it one last look. Rhea pulls at her hair in frustration, but the fans chant, “Thank You, Mami!” Rhea says, “Revenge tour? This is all because your stupid little revenge tour, Liv! Are you kidding me?” Rhea could’ve actually had respect for Liv, if she’d done this face to face! Instead, she blindsides Rhea like the coward Rhea knows Liv is!
And Rhea knows why Liv did it! It’s because Rhea would’ve dropped Liv right where she stood! So this is a warning to whoever wins her Women’s World Championship. When Rhea comes back, she’s coming back for BLOOD! And not just because of injury, but because when she finds Liv back there, they’ll have to lock her up in Montreal jail! But speaking of, here comes Liv! Pearce already goes to the ropes and security is there to keep Liv back. Liv is laughing, Rhea storms out after her! Security stays between them both, Liv dares Rhea to try something with one arm! The fans want to “LET THEM FIGHT!” but Pearce says nope!
Pearce ushers Liv away, Liv laughing all the way. Rhea is frustrated, so she HEADBUTTS a guard! The fans cheer, but when and where will Rhea’s revenge tour come looking for Liv?
Rhea returns backstage.
Judgment Day is there to see her off with a group hug. Damian Priest says they know when she comes back, she’ll make Liv regret ever messing with her, and even more badass than she is right now! Cuz she is Rhea Bloody Ripley, and they love her. She thanks them, and tells them to keep Judgment Day on top. Rhea heads out, will the boys be able to keep things together without Mami?
Sheamus VS Ivar!
After months away with his own injury, the Celtic Warrior is back! And that means Monday Night Raw is now Fight Night, fellas! He’s never felt better, but will the Viking Raider make him feel awful already?
The bell rings and the two circle. The fans rally and welcome Sheamus back. Sheamus smiles and ties up with Ivar. They go around, break, then tie up again. Sheamus headlocks, Ivar powers up and out, but Sheamus RAMS him! Ivar rebounds, RAMS Sheamus, but Sheamus steadies himself. The fans chant “Let’s Go, Sheamus!” and the forearms start flying! Sheamus gets the edge, whips, but Ivar reverses. Sheamus ducks ‘n’ dodges and CLOBBERS Ivar! The fans fire up while Ivar goes to the apron! Sheamus storms up and grabs the arms, but Ivar HOTSHOTS Sheamus away! Ivar goes up, but Sheamus ROCKS him first!
Sheamus fires haymakers, then climbs up after Ivar to fire more! The fans fire up as Sheamus fireman’s carries Ivar, into the SUPER WHITE NOISE! Sheamus fires up and the fans are with him as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and Ivar has Sheamus in a chinlock. The fans rally, Sheamus fights up, and Sheamus throws body shots. But Ivar UPPERCUTS back! Ivar runs, but Sheamus scoops to POWERSLAM! The fans fire up and Ivar goes back to the apron. Sheamus storms up, brings Ivar up, and hooks him in the ropes! The fans fire up as we get BEATS OF THE BODHRAIN! And Sheamus goes all the way to TEN! Ivar slumps down, flops into the ring, and Sheamus hauls him up. Fireman’s carry, but Ivar elbows free! Ivar BOOTS Sheamus, then HEEL KICKS! Sheamus falls, Ivar goes up! VIKING SPLASH!! Cover, TWO!!
The fans fire up as Sheamus survives and Ivar pulls at his hair in frustration! Sheamus goes to a corner, but he eggs Ivar on! Ivar storms up on Sheamus to rain down fists! The fans boo, the ref counts, and Ivar lets off. Sheamus still eggs Ivar on! Ivar and Sheamus throw hands and Sheamus gets the edge! Ivar shoves, cartwheels, and knees low! Ivar runs, springboards, but into a KNEE! Ivar staggers around, Sheamus brings the kneepad down, for the KNEE CAP! Ivar falls, the fans are thunderous as Sheamus beats his chest. Ivar stands up, into the BROGUE!! Cover, Sheamus wins!
Winner: Sheamus, by pinfall
The Celtic Warrior is back, as is his classic theme song! He feels better than ever, looks better than ever, is he going to make one more run at the top of the mountain?
Triple H is here!
Montreal fires up as The Game walks out to the ring! He joins Adam Pearce in the ring, and there’s a podium with a cover on it. HHH gets a mic to say, “You guys are on fire tonight, I gotta tell you that.” The fans cheer again, and HHH continues by saying it is hard to believe that only eight days ago, we were in the midst of the biggest WrestleMania of ALL time. “WrestleMania 40, kingdoms fell, nightmares began, and a whole knew era started.” The fans cheer that, too! Pearce says the new era certainly started for the Tag Division. It has never been bigger, better, or deeper. WWE walked in with one set of champs, and walked out with two.
That is why Raw and SmackDown deserve titles they can be proud of going into the new era. So what does the boss say? Should we bring the champs out? Then please welcome The Awesome Truth! Fans fire up as Miz & R-Truth make their way, carrying the red tag team titles. Miz & Truth get mics, and the fans chant “You Deserve It!” Miz pats Truth on the shoulder cuz he really does. The fans cheer as Miz raises Truth’s hand, and Truth lets Miz hold on to the belt so he can do the splits! He’s still got it, too! HHH then says he wants to be the first to say, what’s up? Also, congratulations. HHH shakes their hands as he says they won probably the biggest tag match in history.
And Truth, HHH has to say from a certain perspective, seeing Truth have that Mania moment, to quote The Miz, it was awesome. But the thing is, this is a new era. So if they are going to represent this brand and those titles, then they need to do it in a way that represents an all new era. So going forward, they will now be the WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS! And as such, they will be carrying THESE! Brand new belts that look like miniature World Heavyweight Championships! Truth is losing his mind! Now, now, he has seen a rabbit come out of a hat, and birds come out of a hat. Even a lady got cut in half and walked away from it. But he’s never seen a trick like that!
What? Truth says he knows good magicians, and HHH just made titles appear outta thin oxygen! That boy good! Right? The fans cheer, but only Truth is the one confused here. HHH asks Miz to explain. HHH is not a magician. That’s what a magician wants you to think. But Truth doesn’t really trust magicians. Not after Lil’ Jimmy. Everyone used to be able to see Lil’ Jimmy. So what else is HHH hiding? Miz says this is what they wanted. This is one of the most important times in WWE history! This is their chance to elevate the Tag Division! Their chance to take these new belts to new heights! That is why Pearce and HHH-
HHH!? WHERE?! Truth, that’s this guy! Man, Houdini’s got Miz fooled, too? He’s one crafty little genie. But Truth sees right through you, Tommaso Ciampa! Miz sighs and says he’ll try one more thing. Because we are in Montreal! Fans sing “OLE~ OLE OLE OLE~!” and Miz is pretty sure they’re ready for Sami Zayn. But Miz tells Truth in French, that they’re getting new belts. OMG really!? “OUI! OUI! OUI!” So they can take ’em? Oui! OUI! As in yes, but anyway, HHH speaks up. Can he just go? He takes the old belts, then hands over the new belts. HHH wishes Pearce luck on handling it from here.
HHH leaves, Awesome Truth hold up the awesome new belts, and Pearce asks why Truth made the boss leave. Who? HHH. He just left. That wasn’t HHH! Pearce says while we still have brain cells that function, the only thing left is to figure out some new challengers! Time for a Triple Threat #1 Contenders Tag Match! And that’s right now!
WWE World Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Match: #DIY VS The New Day VS The Creed Brothers!
Speaking of Ciampa, the REAL Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are still in that title hunt, but so are Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods, and so are Julius & Brutus! Which team defies the odds to head for an awesome showdown with Miz & Truth?
Raw returns and the Creeds make their entrance, followed by The New Day. There’s a QR code that flashes on screen… Then the teams sort out and one man starts for each. Brutus steps to Woods and Gargano, and Montreal rallies with “NEW! DAY ROCKS!” Woods says “O~ CANADA~!” The three approach, feel out, then Brutus DECKS Gargano! Woods CLUBS Brutus, has him in a corner and rains down fists! Brutus shoves Woods away before five but Gargano runs up to add on! Gargano gets five, Brutus shoves him away then ROCKS Woods! Brutus ROCKS Gargano, scoops Woods, but Woods rolls him up!
Gargano rolls Woods! Brutus rolls Gargano! Then deadlifts to BOMB him into Woods! Brutus breaks through their double clothesline to DOUBLE LARIAT back! Tag to Julius, the Creeds get one each, and they suplex! Kofi and Ciampa save their tag partners, then they all DROPKICK the Creeds! The fans fire up as DIY and New Day brawl! DIY get the edge, they whip, but New Day dodge to BLAST the Creeds! DIY then TOSS New Day out, and they BLAST the Creeds! DOUBLE PLANCHAS, but the Creeds catch DIY! But then New Day both FLY out! Down goes everyone, Awesome Truth applaud New Day, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and there’s a collision in the ring! The fans fire up as Ciampa, Julius and Kofi all slowly sit up. Kofi CHOPS Ciampa, Julius ROCKS Kofi! Ciampa ROCKS Julius, Kofi ROCKS Ciampa! Ciampa CHOPS Julius, Kofi mule kicks Ciampa, Julius ROCKS Kofi! Ciampa ROCKS Julius, BOOTS Kofi, then brawls with Julius! The fans rally up as the forearms go faster and faster! Ciampa CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS! But theN Julius JUMP KNEES! Kofi returns, TROUBLE IN- NO, Julius blocks the kick to an ANKLE LOCK! Ciampa KNEES Julius down! Brutus CLOBBERS Ciampa, Woods MISSILE DROPKICKS Brutus!
Woods turns around, SLINGSHOT SPEAR from Gargano! Kofi JUMP KNEES Gargano! Julius clinches Kofi for an EXPLODER! Julius kips up to STANDING MOONSAULT, onto knees! Gargano SUPERKICKS Julius, Kofi rolls Gargano! Gargano slips out to BUZZSAW! Gargano goes up and out to the apron, he and Ciampa meet to ENZIGIRI KNEE COMBO in the corner! Then Gargano CANNONBALLS onto everyone else! Ciampa hauls Kofi up for PROJECT CIAMPA!! Cover, TWO!!! Kofi survives and even Miz & Truth are surprised. The fans cheer for “TRIPLE H!” to keep Truth’s illusion going. Ciampa tells Kofi “SUCK IT!”
Ciampa gets Kofi up, Kofi wrenches out to dodge and hot tag Woods! Woods GAMANGIRS then TORNADO DDTS! Gargano shoves Woods to a corner, but Woods BOOTS! HONOR ROLL! Brutus gets in but Woods BELL CLAPS! Woods ducks ‘n’ dodges, slides under, ROLLING ELBOW! Woods calls to Kofi, tags him in, but Ciampa BOOTS Woods! Kofi uses Woods to POMMEL HORSE KICK! New Day POSTS Ciampa, then WHEELBARROW FAMOUSER!! Cover, Julius drags Kofi right up! OVERHEAD SUPLEX! But Woods is back up top! Woods leaps, into an OVERHEAD SUPLEX! Gargano runs up, Julius blocks a kick! OVERHEAD SUPLEX!
Julius kips up but into Ciampa’s waistlock! Julius switches, to GERMAN SUPLEX! The straps come down, Brutus tags in, and the Creeds get a team each! Brutus SPLASHES DIY to then O’Conner Roll! Gargano runs up, NORTHERN LIGHTS! Julius DOUBLE NORTHERN LIGHTS New Day!! Quadruple cover, TWO!!! All four other men kick out, Julius tags back in! Brutus goes up, Julius Electric Chair Lifts Ciampa! “This is Awesome!” and then Kofi SHOVES Brutus off the corner, into Woods’ SUPERKICK! Kofi goes up, Julius fights Ciampa off. Julius goes up but Woods sneaks a tag! SUPERPLEX for Julius, but LIMIT BREAKER from Woods!
MEET IN THE MIDDLE by DIY!! Cover, DIY WINS!!
Winners: DIY, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contenders to the World Tag Team Champions)
Awesome Truth loved every minute of that match, but now they’ve got to face their friends in #RegenerationX. Will Miz & Truth be able to hold on to their newly minted titles? Or will Ciampa & Gargano prove when it comes to becoming World Tag Team Champions, you gotta do it yourself?
Drew McIntyre watches the highlight reel of last week’s main event.
And he’s smiling? Maybe even chuckling? Jackie Redmond says that after watching it back, she was not expecting this reaction. McIntyre laughs, as he BOOTS the TV screen in! Jackie understands now as McIntyre storms off. CM Punk got the better of McIntyre last time, but will it be no laughing matter when the Scottish Terminator gets his hands on him?
Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri!
The first time around, the Poison Pixie bullied Maxxine the Alpha Queen into such a state that winning was easy. But then The Diamond Pitbull helped Maxxine get even with Candice, though it was Indi Wrestling that took the hit. Who finds the way to win this tense tiebreaker?
The teams sort out and Indi starts against Ivy. They tie up, Ivy waistlocks then headlocks, but Indi rolls to a cover. ONE, Ivy holds on, and they go around. Ivy facelocks, floats around to then flip Indi to a cover, ONE! Ivy’s right back on the headlock, but Indi fights up. Indi powers out, Ivy sunset flips, TWO! Indi scrambles up but Ivy DROPKICKS her! Ivy kicks, Indi blocks but the DRAGON WHIP hits! Tag to Maxxine and she climbs up, to CROSSBODY! Maxxine eggs Indi on, kicks low and facelocks, then talks trash on Candice. FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Not quite perfect, but Maxxine dares Candice to make a move.
The ref reprimands, Candice stands down, but Indi short arm LARIATS! Indi then tags Candice, Candice CLOBBERS Maxxine and hammers away! The fans boo but Candice SMACKS Maxxine off the mat. Candice soaks up the heat, then digs her boots into Maxxine. The ref counts, Candice lets off, and then Candice smiles as she drags Maxxine up. Candice whips Maxxine into the corner, taunts Ivy, then runs up to SLAP Maxxine! Candice fires off hands, the ref counts, and Candice lets off. Tag to Indi, she keeps Maxxine from Ivy, but Maxxine BOOTS her away! Candice tags back in, runs up and drags Maxxine back again.
Maxxine hops up, ENZIGIRI misses as Candice ducks! Candice swipes at Ivy, but Ivy dodges! Maxxine knees low and DDTS! The fans fire up while both women are down! Maxxine and Candice crawl, their partners reach out, but then Indi rushes in! The ref stops Indi, but that means he misses seeing the hot tag! The fans boo as Indi gets sneaky like Candice as she BOOTS Maxxine down! Indi puts Candice on top for the cover! The ref sees that, counts, Candice & Indi win!
Winners: Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell, by pinfall
What in the world is going on here? Is Candice’s toxicity poisoning Indi’s mind? Or are these Indi’s true colors? Either way, are Candice & Indi going to find the way to the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships?
WWE takes a look at Damian Priest’s rise to the top.
2019, Orlando, Florida, the Performance Center. What did Priest want out of life? One thing: his name to live forever. From Punisher to homeless to NXT to main roster, Priest has proven if you bust your ass and never give up, anything is possible, even your dreams. The first Puerto Rican world champion in literal decades, he desired championships, and he knew championships would come. Legacy and infamy wait for no man, you have go grab them for yourself. He became Senor Money in the Bank, bided his time, suffered losses, and struck when the moment was right! HE had the biggest moment at the biggest WrestleMania ever, ALL RISE for the NEW World Heavyweight Champion!
Judgment Day is in the clubhouse.
The others sulk, but Priest tells them to snap out of it. They’re The Judgment Day, right? Right. And they still run Raw, right? Dom is gonna teach Andrade a lesson about messing with their group! And JD McDonagh, you have his back so they can get this done! The Irish Ace is fired up, he heads out with Dirty Dom, but Finn stays behind to talk with Priest. Finn feels their focus should be getting the tag titles back, but now Finn’s in this match with Jey? What’s up with that? Priest says Finn’s focus needs to be on what’s happening tonight. Priest needs The Prince to teach Jey Uso the meaning of the word “loss.” And then at Backlash, Priest teaches Jey the meaning of the word “pain!”
Is Finn good with that? Finn smiles and nods. Of course he’s good with that! They fist bump and Finn goes to warm up. So far, the group looks solid, will Mami have nothing to worry about?
Raw shares an interview from before the show.
Jackie Redmond was ringside as Chad Gable got some training in with the Creed Brothers to prepare for his title match with Sami Zayn. Jackie says it looks like Gable is ready. A huge opportunity tonight, the biggest match perhaps of his entire career. How much would winning the title mean to him? Gable says it is everything. Validation, vindication for all the training, his 10+ years here in the WWE, and proving it to himself. His mood is high, it’ll be a good night. But then Jackie would be remised if she didn’t ask about the crowd factoring in. They’ll be in support of Sami, how has Gable prepared for that?
Gable says when he was on the Olympic team in 2012, he was a Minnesotan in Iowa. That means not one person in Iowa wanted him to win, but he did. So he’ll do the same time. Sami’s one of the best WWE has, but Gable training Sami helped Gable find the weakness. Tonight, Gable exposes those weaknesses. Gable goes back to grappling with the Creeds, will Gable be razor sharp for his golden opportunity?
Dominik Mysterio w/ JD McDonagh VS Andrade El Idolo!
The Prodigal Son thought he was getting The Idol of Lucha to join Judgment Day, or at least was united with him against Rey Mysterio. Neither of those things turned out to be true, and now Andrade has found himself in Judgment Day’s crosshairs. Will El Idolo make Raw tranquilo? Or will he pay for pulling one over on Dirty Dom?
Raw returns as Dom makes his entrance and Montreal boos. The bell rings, Dom and Andrade circle, and Dom wants a handshake? Andrade refuses so Dom CHOPS! Andrade rushes Dom but Dom runs away to the corner. Dom then gets a cheap shot, a headlock, but Andrade powers up and out. Dom pulls on Andrade’s hair to get him back in the headlock. Andrade powers out more thoroughly this time, and he runs Dom over! The fans cheer, Andrade storms up and he CHOPS Dom to a corner. Andrade whips corner to corner, Dom reverses, but Andrade goes up and out then ROCKS Dom! Andrade goes up the corner, to CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO!
The fans rally as Andrade brings Dom up and snap suplexes! Uno Amigo and the fans cheer! Dos Amigos and the fans cheer more! Andrade gives Latino Heat, but Dom suplexes! Dom has Uno Amigo, then Dos Amigos! Fans boo this time, but then Andrade hits his THIRD AMIGO! The fans cheer as Andrade puts Dom in the drop zone. Andrade climbs again, but JD gets on the apron! The ref stops JD but that lets Dom trip Andrade! The fans boo but Dom drags Andrade off the corner to stomp him! Dom then soaks up the heat and flexes, Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Andrade fights up while in a chinlock. Andrade throws body shots, then ROCKS Dom! And ROCKS him, and ROCKS him! Dom shoves, kicks, but Andrade blocks to DRAGON SCREW! And DRAGON SCREW again! Dom swings a lariat but Andrade dodges to CLOBBER Dom! Andrade kips up, the fans fire up and Dom is in the corner. Fans chant “SI! SI! SI!” as Andrade goes corner to corner, CIEN SHADOWS! Cover, TWO! Dom survives but Andrade puts him in the drop zone. Andrade climbs, SPLIT LEG MOONSAULT FLOPS as Dom moves! Dom goes to the apron, drags Andrade up, but Andrade fights the suplex!
Andrade throws body shots, CHOPS, and Dom flops back! Andrade goes out to the apron but Dom KICKS the ropes! That jams Andrade up, Dom reels him in! APRON DESTROYER!! Andrade flops to the floor, JD coaches Dom to hurry! Dom gets Andrade back in, covers, TWO!! Andrade survives and the fans fire up! Dom is frustrated, as is JD, but Dom wants Andrade to rise. Andrade stands, Dom DROPKICKS him onto ropes! Fans boo but Dom talks trash before he dials it up. But Andrade gets up, boot feint to ELBOW! JD gets up but Andrade DECKS him! Then the underooks, for THE MESSAGE! Cover, Andrade wins!
Winner: Andrade El Idolo, by pinfall
But JD attacks now! No celebrating for El Idolo, the fans boo as JD and Dom get Andrade to his feet. The mugging continues, but here comes Ricochet! Ricochet also has beef with Judgment Day and he sends Dom & JD running! Will the King of Flight help The Idol put Judgment Day in their place once and for all?
Backstage interview with Jey Uso.
Cathy Kelley is with Main Event Jey and knows that he’s preparing for Finn Balor, but she was hoping for any comments on Tama Tonga joining The Bloodline to attack Jimmy Uso last Friday. Yeah, messing with The Bloodline, you go down a deep, dark and dangerous road. They adding members Jey didn’t even know about. As far as Jimmy goes… Well, Jey told him to come with Jey. But hey, Jey’s gotta focus on Finn. Finn about to catch a YEETDOWN here on Monday Night Raw. YEET! Jey is ready for The Prince, but will he make it through to face The Punisher?
Chelsea Green & Piper Niven VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance!
The Hot Mess and “Lil Miss P” wanted a match and got a match on Friday, but it didn’t go their way when it turned out they were facing Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill. Management is getting an earful over and over, but will the complaints stop if Chelsea & Piper win? Or will KC Squared only add to Chelsea’s bad mood?
The teams sort out and Piper starts against Kayden. They tie up, Piper shoves Kayden down, then dares Katana to try. Katana tags in, runs up and dodges, then KC Squared pinball Piper around. They both run, but into DOUBLE LARIATS! Piper fires up, then she drags Katana up. Piper clamps on a COBRA CLUTCH and she thrashes Katana around! Chelsea tags in, RIPCORD FOREARM, then short arm LARIAT! Chelsea covers, TWO! Chelsea says this is easy work, but she runs into a BOOT! Katana then drop toeholds Chelsea into buckles! Tag to Kayden, and they meet at the corner, MULE KICK METEORA COMBO! Kayden covers, TWO!
Kayden drags Chelsea up, but Chelsea SLAPS her! Then she panics and reaches for Piper! Kayden reels her in, hammerlock and clinch, to CHOP! CHOP! And CHOP! The fans “WOO~” with every CHOP, then Kayden FLATLINERS! Kayden fireman’s carries Chelsea, Katana goes up and leaps over to go after Piper! But Piper catches her! FALL AWAY SLAM! Kayden hits a SWINGING LEG DROP SLAM! Cover, but Piper SPLASHES Kayden! Chelsea covers Kayden, she and Piper win!
Winners: Chelsea Green & Piper Niven, by pinfall
Chelsea celebrates like she did something, btu we know it was all Piper. But a win is a win, will this team find their way back to the tag titles? Will Chelsea never stop bugging management until they do?
Backstage interview with Liv Morgan.
Cathy Kelley is with Liv to ask about Rhea Ripley vacating her title. Is this the conclusion of the revenge tour? Liv can’t even lie, she is confused by the reactions. They’re all mad at her, but for what? She isn’t the villain here. Where was the sympathy for Liv when Rhea literally ripped Liv’s shoulder out of its socket? Oh, there wasn’t any. So eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, arm for an arm. This is karma at its finest, Rhea got what she deserved. But the best part is that this isn’t the end of the revenge tour. This is just the beginning, because the end will be Liv crowned as the NEW Women’s World Champion. #WatchMe. Then when and where will this revenge tour go on the road to a new champion?
Cody Rhodes is here!
Montreal fires up for the American Nightmare, aka the NEW Undisputed WWE Champion! They sing along, “WHOA~ OH~!” and Cody gets his pyro. Cody high-fives the front row as he makes his way down the ramp, then he steps into the ring for “WHOA~ OH~!” and more pyro. Cody gets the mic while the fans chant his name, and he revels in the cheers a moment. They sing “CODY~ CODY CODY CODY~!” and he smiles. Cody then asks, “De quoi voulez-vous parler?” The fans cheer his French, and Cody says he has to thank Adam Pearce allowing Cody to still hang out on Raw even though now he’s a SmackDown superstar.
But don’t worry, Cody ain’t going nowhere. We cannot reflect on WrestleMania 40 forever, especially with a pending challenge. The first Premium Live event of the new “season,” Backlash, is going to Lyon, France, where Cody faces for this title either the fastest rising star, LA Knight, or The Phenomenal AJ Styles. But we can certainly reflect just a little. There’s a man he could talk about for hours but will keep it brief. There was a man who said he’d be Cody’s Shield… The fans sing “WHOA~ OHH~ OHHH~!” for The Visionary, and Cody says that man certainly kept his word. That man is watching at home, so thank you, Seth Freakin’ Rollins.
The fans cheer and chant, “Thank You, Seth!” Cody continues by saying another “friend” that did reflecting was The Rock. The fans boo and chant “ROCKY SUCKS! ROCKY SUCKS!” Cody says it was news to him that Rock did a ten week training program, that he flew in the best talent of different skillsets and the greatest conditioning team money could by. Rock doesn’t have one more match left in him, he’s got many more. And in typical manic Rock fashion, Rock said that he’d make Cody bleed again. Cody says Rock’s probably right. Maybe Cody will bleed. But no amount of training and preparation, nothing Rock does can stop the fact that if Cody’s gonna bleed, Rock bleeds with him.
The fans cheer and Cody says when we talk Rock, we gotta talk Bloodline. The fans boo again, but Cody says he’s confused. The introduction of Tama Tonga “by order of The Tribal Chief,” yet Roman Reigns was nowhere to be found? More questions than answers, so one more bit of reflection. Cody wants to bring out a former member of the Bloodline, a man who is a friend of Cody’s, and a man whose energy you can feel from your head to your yeet. Well, thanks for laughing at the dad joke, but here is Main Event Jey Uso! Jey makes his way out and Montreal bounces with him! Even Pat gets on the desk to join in!
Jey hugs it out with Cody, then the bouncing continues. Cody tells Jey that he is the #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship, Monday Night Raw is about to be his, and no one has earned it or deserves it more than Main Event Jey! “YEET!” Cody says Jey helped him #FinishTheStory, and Cody knows when one member of Judgment Day is present, the others aren’t far behind. Cody would love to have Jey’s back like Jey had his. The fans like the sound of that, and the two hug it out. Jey appreciates that, Uce, for sure. YEET! But hey, Jey’s gotta do this on his own, gotta just be him, The YEET Master! Mr. YEETDOWN!
Oh, how about this for a name? The NEW World Heavyweight Champion, Main Event Jey UUUUSO~! So then he doesn’t need Cody out here? Cody gets that. Good luck, friend. They hug it out one more time, the fans cheer, and Cody moves on. But oh, one other thing. Cody looks over and says, “Until we yeet again.” Jey responds with “YEET!” Will Jey be able to handle things when it’s just him? Or will The Prince be bringing backup to stack the deck against him?
Backstage interview with Nia Jax.
Cathy Kelley is now with the Irresistible Force and hopes for her initial reactions to Rhea Ripley giving up the title. Nia says there are two types of people in this world: those who care about Rhea and those who want to see her get her revenge. Nia’s neither. She doesn’t give a damn about Rhea, and last time she saw Rhea, Nia had her. Now, Nia looks at the Women’s World Championship and wonders, who is gonna stop her from taking it? Liv Morgan? Last time they met, Nia had Liv, too. Becky Lynch? Nia had her, too.
In two weeks, there is the Draft. Nia might face someone she’s never seen before, and to them she says there are two types of people in this world: Those who fear Nia Jax, and those who learn to fear Nia Jax. No one on this planet is taking that title from her, because that is hers! Nia storms off, is she going to make everyone fear her then, now and forever?
Jey Uso VS Finn Balor!
Raw returns and The Prince makes his entrance. FROM BEHIND! He CLOBBERS Jey, stomps away, and the fans boo! The ref reprimands, Finn HAMMERs away on Jey, then lets off to throw off the jacket. The bell rings, Finn BOOTS Jey and fires off body shots in the corner! Finn RAMS into Jey, whips him to ropes, then CLOBBERS him again! Finn flexes, the fans boo, but Finn stalks Jey to ropes. Finn CHOKES Jey, the ref counts, but Finn lets off at 4. Finn brings Jey up, but Jey ROCKS him first! And again! And again! “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Jey whips, Finn reverses but Jey sunset flips! Finn rolls through to basement dropkick! Cover, TWO!
Finn drags Jey up to ELBOW him in the head, then he clamps on a chinlock. Priest watches as Finn squeezes the air out of Jey. The fans rally, Jey fights up and he throws body shots. But Finn knees low! Finn ROCKS Jey, RAMS into him, then CHOPS! The fans “WOO~!” while Jey sputters. Finn CHOPS Jey again, taunts the fans, “This your boy? This the guy you all like?” Finn RAMS into Jey again and again, then CHOPS again! Finn whips corner to corner, Jey reveres, then runs up, but Finn puts him on the apron! Jey ROCKS Finn first, goes up, but Finn anchors Jey! Jey throws hands, but Finn YANKS Jey down!
The fans boo as Finn fires off hands in the corner. The ref counts, Finn lets off at 4, but runs up to SHOTGUN Jey outta the ring! Jey flounders on the floor while Finn mocks the bounce, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Finn RAMS into Jey at the corner again and again, then CHOPS! Finn whips corner to corner, runs up to CHOP, and then he whips the other way. Finn runs in again but into BOOTS! Jey storms up, headlocks, but Finn powers up. Jey switches sides, Finn headlocks, but Jey powers out. Finn ducks ‘n’ dodges, blocks the kick but the DRAGON WHIP hits! The fans fire up while both men are down! The fans “YEET! YEET! YEET!” as jey and Finn rise. Jey counter punches again, and again, and again! “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Jey pops ‘n’ locks and puts some stank on the HAYMAKER! Finn staggers into a mule kick!
Jey fireman’s carries for a SAMOAN DROP! Cover, TWO! Finn flounders to a corner, Priest is upset so he moves on from the clubhouse. Jey says “UCE! OH!” and runs in, but Finn dodges! Hip attack hits buckles, Finn runs up, but into another fireman’s carry! Finn CLAWS eyes, then hits a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Jey goes to ropes but Finn stomps away! Finn stomps and stomps and stomps, but the ref counts. Finn lets off, but comes back to SLINGBLADE Jey down! Finn aims from the corner while fans boo, but Jey SUPERKICKS first! Jey goes up top and the fans fire up, for the USO- NO, Jey has to roll through as Finn moves!
Finn SHOTGUNS Jey down! Finn hurries up top, COUP- NO, Jey dodges the double stomps! And SPEARS! Jey hurries back up top, USO SPLASH! Cover, Jey wins!
Winner: Jey Uso, by pinfall
Montreal bounces for Jey as he bounces back to win this one. But then Priest storms out here and stares down his challenger. They get face to face, the fans “YEET! YEET! YEET!” but Priest holds up the world title. Jey looks at the belt, but then JD & Dom ATTACK! Priest is upset, he didn’t want that, but Finn says this is what Judgment Day does, right? They all start mugging Jey, the fans boo and chant for Cody, but Dom kicks Jey out of the ring. Dom then leaps off the apron, but Jey SUPERKICKS him! JD chases Jey down, but Jey sends JD into Finn! Jey goes up into the crowd and the fans cheer. Priest stares Jey down from afar, will Jey YEET that title right off Priest?
The cameras follow Jey backstage tot he pavilion where he high-fives fans and makes his way through to the back exit. The fans all “YEET! YEET!” as he says deuces, uces! Jey goes right outside, and he finds Sami Zayn looking up at the marquee. What’s he doing out here? Sami says over 25 years ago, the first show he ever saw in his life was right here. And now Sami is back here as the champion! Tonight, he walks in the same way he did those 25 years ago: through the front door! The fans cheer and Jey wishes Sami good luck. Sami tells the world if they wanna see the best wrestling city in the world, just follow him.
Sami now walks through the pavilion and he throws stuff around in excitement! The fans are fired up with him, they all high-five and get pictures, and he goes down the same bleachers Jey just came from. Sami is ready to give Montreal the champion they deserve, and even all of Canada by extension! Will Sami create a moment everyone will remember for the rest of their lives? Or will Chad Gable SHOOOOSH them all with a major upset?
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn VS Chad Gable!
Raw returns and Gable is at gorilla. Bronson Reed steps to him and wants to let him know that whoever wins tonight, whether it’s Gable or Sami, they won’t be champion for long. Because then the winner will have to answer to Big Bronson Reed! The theme song says it for Gable, “SHOOOOSH~!” Gable makes his entrance, not sweating what comes after, only what’s happening right now. The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who wins this massive main event in Montreal!
The fans sing “OLE~ OLE OLE OLE~!” Sami and Gable take a moment to soak it all in, then Sami fires up again. The bell rings and the two circle. They feel things out, tie up, and Sami wrenches to wristlock. Gable rolls, spins, wrenches, headlocks, drop toeholds, then headlocks. Sami fights up, powers out, then drops down to hurdle. Sami arm-drags Gable, Gable arm-drags back! Sami slips around, arm-drags again, and Gable bails out. The fans cheer as Sami builds speed, but Gable gets in! Sami dodges, then he dumps Gable out! Gable stumbles from the apron, Sami builds speed, but he fakes Gable out to Arabian Press!
The fans cheer this chess game, but Gable storms in to get in Sami’s face. The fans again sing “OLE~ OLE OLE OLE~” as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Gable fires hands on Sami in a corner, but Sami fires back! Sami headlocks, Gable powers out and he runs Sami over! Cover, TWO! Gable stalks Sami, waistlocks, but Sami fights the lift. Sami throws elbows, then knuckle locks, CHOPS, then goes up and up, but Gable trips him up! Sami gets caught up on the ropes, gets loose and goes to the floor, but Gable goes up! SUPER CROSSBODY! Direct hit and Sami’s wife is worried. Gable puts Sami in the ring, he climbs back up, and DIVING HEADBUTTS! Direct hit again and Gable covers, TWO! Gable is frustrated that Sami survives, and Sami hobbles his way to a corner.
Gable is on Sami and the bad legs! Gable puts one in the ropes, then DRAPING DRAGON SCREWS the other! Gable drags Sami to then step over and drop toehold! And then he YANKS the leg! Gable steps through, leans on the toehold, but the fans rally as Sami endures. Sami keeps his shoulders up, kicks Gable away, and Gable lets go. Gable hurries to whip Sami to ropes and CLOBBER him! But Sami’s right up to LARIAT Gable! The fans fire up as Sami goes to a corner. Gable runs up, but Sami ELBOWS him away! Sami goes up, and FLYING ELBOWS! Sami hobbles again, but he goes to a corner. Gable runs in, into a clinch!
But Gable turns exploder into victory roll, TWO! Gable gets Sami’s leg for an ANKLE LOCK! The fans rally as Sami endures, and he rolls! Gable gets sent out of the ring, and Sami takes aim! But Gable hurries back up to grab the bad leg and drag Sami down! ANKLE LOCK on the apron! Sami kicks free and stands on the apron, to ARABIAN PRESS SAULT! Direct hit and the fans are thunderous! The ref checks Sami given his leg, but Sami says he’s good, and Raw goes back to break.
Raw returns once again and Gable has Sami up top! Sami resists, but Gable throws body shots. Gable brings Sami up for a SUPER OLYMPIC SLAM!! Both men are down and the fans are going nuts! Gable stirs, as does Sami, and Gable finds Sami first. Gable waistlocks, GERMAN SUPLEXES, but holds on! GERMAN SUPLEX again! Montreal is becoming Suplex City, but Sami throws elbows! Sami switches, and he GERMAN SUPLEXES! Sami holds on, GERMAN SUPLEXES again, and still brings Gable up. Gable throws elbows now, switches back, and GERMAN SUPLEX! Sami switches, to GERMAN SUPLEX!
Gable throws more elbows, switches again, but Sami throws elbows to switch! They switch and switch and switch, then Sami GERMAN SUPLEXES!! Gable flops over from his head and shoulders, but both men are down on the mat! The ref checks, Gable is conscious so the match continues. The fans rally up as both men rise, and Sami fires a haymaker! Gable fires one, Sami fires back, they keep going! Gable ROLLING KICKS! Sami flops and ends up in a corner. Gable runs up but Sami clinches! CORNER EXPLODER! The fans fire up with Sami, he runs corner to corner, but Gable rolls to pick the leg! ANKLE LOCK!!
The fans boo Gable and rally for Sami as he endures! Gable leans on the leg, he says this is his moment that Sami took from him! Sami still fights up, rolls and throws Gable away again! But Gable’s right up tot he top rope! MISSILE- POWERBOMB!! Sami’s antiair works, and now he gets Gable’s legs, to step through and tie up! The fans go wild for the SHARPSHOOTER!! But Sami’s own leg gives up! Sami couldn’t hold the hold, but now he clutches his ankle area. Gable’s game plan is working out better than expected! Sami hobbles to a corner, Gable goes to the other. Sami grits his teeth, runs corner to corner, but Gable shoots around! CORNER GERMAN!!
Gable has Sami in the drop zone, goes up top, MOONSAULT into BOOTS! But Gable blocks to have the ANKLE LOCK!! Gable has Sami caught, but Sami endures and reaches out! The fans rally as hard as they can, but Gable drags Sami away!! Gable leans on that Ankle Lock, but Sami rolls to a victory roll, TWO!! Both men stand, Gable runs in, into a CORNER EXPLODER! Sami hurries to the far corner, the fans are thunderous as he powers through the pain, HELLUVA KICK!! Sami crawls to the cover, SAMI WINS!
Winner: Sami Zayn, by pinfall (still WWE Intercontinental Champion)
Montreal rejoices as Sami has une victoire incroyable! Sami sets the belt down so that he can look to Gable. Gable is emotional but Sami wants to tell him he’s got nothing to be ashamed about. Sami offers Gable a hand, and Gable takes it. The two stand, Sami raises Gable’s hand, but then Gable raises Sami’s hand. The fans cheer the sportsmanship, but Gable still has to go back to the drawing board. What will it take for Gable to finally have his first singles title in WWE?
Sami celebrates with his family at ringside, but then GABLE GERMAN SUPLEXES SAMI TO THE FLOOR!! Gable has snapped!! He POSTS Sami, shoves him around, and then TOSSES him over the desk! The fans boo as Gable drags Sami back into the ring, then storms his way up. Gable POSTS Sami again, then has the ANKLE LOCK in the ropes!! The fans boo but Gable wants Sami’s family to watch him suffer!! Sami flails, referees rush out, but Gable lets go when he feels like it! Gable is affreux, méprisable and horriblé, but is he serving Sami up on a silver platter for the Colossal Aussie?
My Thoughts:
A great Raw, but with a real shame about Rhea Ripley. Proof that doing things live, no stunt doubles, adrenaline running high has its moments where things backfire, as many believe the injury happened during last week’s episode with Liv’s attack. It does work towards story, though, so that Rhea can have heat with Liv, and a new world champion to be crowned next week in some big kind of match. Good promos from Liv and Nia, those two are definitely the top choices for new champion. And then after The Draft happens, possibilities are endless for who the new champion faces for Backlash, if they want to have this title on that event so quickly after all this.
Good stuff out of Judgment Day even as they have to say see-ya-later to Mami. Priest is of course stepping up as leader since he’s the World Heavyweight Champion, but nothing really went their way tonight. Andrade beat Dom and then of course Ricochet shows up to back him up against Dom & JD, there’s a tag match there. Jey beats Finn and then escapes the beating, we might even get a Six Man Tag to hype everything up. Great video package to look back at Priest’s career, and then Priest being reluctant in Judgment Day beating Jey down, is something gonna give where Priest retains the world title, but then gets kicked out of the group even after all this time?
Great promo from Cody to hype up a lot of stuff all in one go. He got us fired up about Styles VS Knight this Friday, the Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash, he kept the hype going for his far future feud with The Rock, he thanked Rollins and Jey while also plugging this new form of Bloodline that’s happening. Cody also had a great moment with Jey before Jey’s match with Priest. Jey also had a really good promo before that to relate his feelings about new Bloodline, it would be awesome if somehow the Usos reunited for the sake of saving the family from this new age of tyranny, but that probably happens closer to Survivor Series so it can be done in WarGames.
Really good stuff for the tag divisions, men’s and women’s. I figured after splitting the Undisputed titles that the show-branded titles were going away. And while the modern World Tag Team Championships look great, they really are just smaller, rounder World Heavyweight Championship belts. I was hoping for truly original designs here, but you can bet right now that Friday, the new WWE Tag Team Championships are gonna be akin to the Universal title. But great promo bit from Awesome Truth with HHH and Pearce to show off these new belts, and then give us an awesome tag team triple threat. DIY winning makes sense on many levels, such as Truth mistaking them for DX and the friendship with them, to DIY being HHHBK Guys.
Really good story stuff in the Women’s Tag Division, though the matches could’ve each been a bit better. But we got the point of each story: Indi is starting to turn Heel like Candice has, because she’d rather win than look like a dummy; and Piper does all the real work in her team, as always, but she and Chelsea are also getting their way back up. I’m still betting on Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill as the next WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, but they’ll get quite the fight out of all these Heel teams on top of Kabuki Warriors.
Great return match for Sheamus. If we’re talking title feuds for him, I’d really love if Sheamus got back in on the Intercontinental Championship scene. That’s still the missing piece to his ultimate WWE accomplishments list, and if he’s built up strongly through the next couple months, he could get that title at Clash at the Castle in June or some other point over the Summer. That is, unless Gunther comes back for Bash in Berlin. Well again, the Draft is coming, we still have to hope and pray Sheamus is on the brand that ends up with the Intercontinental Championship.
Speaking of, awesome main event from Sami and Gable, and Sami of course retained, but I had a feeling Gable was gonna snap. Gable was shouting during the match that Sami stole his moment, this was secretly personal for Gable the whole time, and this is was the last straw. Bronson Reed also wants next, so the walls are already closing in on Sami. Sami could put on a great series of matches through the Summer to build to a rematch with Gunther at Bash in Berlin and that moment in and of itself would be amazing.
My Score: 8.7/10
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Hockey Talk- Metro Mayhem [040924]
Hockey Talk looks at an absolutely wild playoff situation taking shape in the Eastern Conference while, out West, the battle...
The Pick N Roll: Sweet Sixteen
Join Patrick O'Dowd and PC Tunney as they breakdown the sweet sixteen of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
Hockey Talk- Reverse Psychology [032624]
Hockey Talk looks at the resurgent St. Louis Blues & Washington Capitals. Plus, the Rangers stay hot, and can anyone...
Down the Wire: Filling Out Our Brackets and Drafting Draft Busts
Join the Brothers Wortz as they cover professional sports in unprofessional ways!
The Pick N Roll: March Madness Bracket Breakdown
Join Patrick O'Dowd and PC Tunney as they break down the field of 64 teams in this year's Men's NCAA...
Bandwagon Nerds #231: Disney News & Superhero Madness
Round two of Superhero Madness begins this week. Cinema Con gives us plenty of Disney news and a trip to...
Bandwagon Nerds #230: Superhero Madness- Resident Aliens
Superhero Madness continues with first round battles in the Aliens bracket, plus Invincible Season 2 comes to an excellent conclusion.
Mitchell’s Hyrule Puro-Resu Results & Report! (4/1/24)
We got five on it!
Bandwagon Nerds #229: Superhero Madness- Science & Magic
Superhero Madness continues with first round battles in the Science & Magic bracket, plus Invincible Season 2 nears what promises...
Talk the Kēki: The Top 30 Anime of 2023 Part 2
It's time for the final episode of Talk the Kēki! Mat and Ethan are once again joined by Starman and...
Andrew’s TNA Xplosion Results & Match Ratings: 4.12.2024
Okay now, I'm just happy Kevin Knight gets a little time to shine. with New Jersey's own Steve Maclin!
Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (4/15/24)
OLE~, OLE OLE OLE~!
Mitchell’s NJPW Wrestling World Results & Report! (4/14/24)
NEVER give up!
Mitchell’s NJPW Windy City Riot Results & Report! (4/12/24)
Will the winds of change blow?
Mitchell’s AEW Battle of the Belts Results & Report! (4/13/24)
Rumble, bad man, rumble!
Mitchell’s AEW Collision Results & Report! (4/13/24)
The Don Callis Family is out for blood!
Mindless Wrestling Podcast: WrestleMania Roundtable!
DJ, Rob and Jason are joined by Johnny to discuss the entire WrestleMania weekend.
Mitchell’s AEW Rampage Results & Report! (4/12/24)
Julia Hart is on a Rampage!
Mitchell’s WWE SmackDown Results & Report! (4/12/24)
And NEW...!
DWI Podcast #425: WrestleMania XL Phenomenal in Philly
AJ Balaz and PC Tunney review WrestleMania XL nights 1 and 2!
