Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (2/22/21)
Is tonight’s Raw AWESOME?
The Raw after the Elimination Chamber has much to sort out!
The Hollywood A-Lister cashed in with help from The Hurt Business, but will he owe them a debt? Will Raw Women’s Champion, Asuka, react to recent developments?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Matt Riddle VS John Morrison; Riddle wins.
- The New Day VS Retribution; The New Day wins.
- Tornado Tag: Lucha House Party VS The Hurt Business; The Hurt Business wins.
- Damian Priest w/ Bad Bunny VS Angel Garza; Priest wins.
- WWE 24/7 Championship Hit the Lights: Bad Bunny w/ Damian Priest VS Akira Tozawa, Humberto Carrillo & Drew Gulak; Bunny retains the title.
- Asuka & Charlotte Flair VS Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler; Jax & Baszler win.
- Jeff Hardy VS Sheamus; Sheamus wins.
- Naomi & Lana VS Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose; Naomi & Lana win.
- AJ Styles w/ Omos VS Ricochet; Styles wins.
- Braun Strowman VS Bobby Lashley w/ MVP; Lashley wins and keeps Strowman out of next week’s WWE World Championship match.
PLAY BY PLAY
John Morrison is already in the ring!
“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you to the NEW WWE Champion, THEEEE MIIIIIZ~!” And here comes the Hollywood A-Lister and once again WWE World Champion, with the upside-down WWE logo to represent himself. And he gets a championship level bit of pyro, too! The Miz joins Morrison as the chairs are set out and the balloons are here for the Most Must-See WWE Talk Show, MizTV, “Champion’s Edition!” How do you like Miz now? Sixteen YEARS ago, Miz first stepped inside the WWE ring, and all of the fans and the wrestlers said he’d be fired within three months! But now, eh stands here before us on the flagship, Monday Night Raw, as THE WWE World Champion!!
“All the top superstars of my generation have come and gone, and here I am, still standing!” Miz has taken them all out! The Batistas, the Cenas, the list goes on and on! You name ’em, they just don’t measure up! Triple H, Big Show, Bobby Lashley, Daniel Bryan and even EDGE! All those titans don’t match up to Miz’s longevity and star power! And if this were poker, here’s his Royal Flush! Miz called his shot, like the Babe Ruth of the WWE! And it feels so good! He wasn’t being sneaky, he told everyone that he was going to cash in and beat McIntyre, and that is exactly what he did! Everyone thought they knew what would happen on the Road to WrestleMania, but Miz created a detour!
Miz is main event caliber, his career reads as a Jeopardy clue! “He is the only two-time Grand Slam Champion in the history of this business!” Who is The Miz? CORRECT! Miz has held every single major title there is to have multiple times! Miz holds this title in front of us because he deserves it. He didn’t ask for our respect, he demanded it! But then he’s interrupted by the man who helped him, it’s BOBBY LASHLEY! He and MVP head to the ring, but Miz and Morrison don’t look worried.
Lashley and MVP get mics as they stand face to face with Miz and MVP says on behalf of the Hurt Business, he congratulates Miz on the new reign. And what an impressive list of accomplishments! But uh, he omitted the part where Lashley wrecked and destroyed McIntyre, allowing Miz to cash in the MITB contract to become champion. Miz says he was getting there. Miz wants to thank MVP and Lashley for last night, too. Miz and Morrison are going to celebrate, these two can have a wonderful night. Oh no, Miz, this business meeting is not done. How about we reveal the deal that was struck? Morrison cost Lashley his belt, and now Miz owes Lashley. Lashley helped Miz, Lashley gets a title opportunity. Lashley says Miz owes them a debt, the Hurt Business is here to collect.
Miz acknowledges the deal but there was no agreement on when. Miz has media to do, there’s Fastlane and WrestleMania, his own reality TV series. There’s a lot that Lashley might not understand, but there’s just no time. No time? When Miz listed those “titans” that didn’t measure up, he had time to mention Lashley then. Lashley doesn’t measure up? That was out of context!
Lashley shuts Miz up and says they made a deal. Miz has ONE HOUR to come to his senses and give Lashley what he wants. If Miz makes the wrong decision, he’ll be in a new reality series called “How Lashley Sent Me to the ER!” Lashley is going to take that title in a painful, merciless and awesome beating! Lashley then smooths out Miz’s suit for him, and lets the clock start ticking. Will Miz make sure to do the right thing by the Rocky Mountain Machine tonight?
Lucha House Party find Matt Riddle
They congratulate the Bro on winning and he thanks them back. This was cuz they had his back. Riddle finally got his win in the WarZone. He got stuck in the gulag, then busted out. No not the game! They’re talking about the US Championship! True, true. Riddle likes the eagle on this. He’ll name him, “Travis,” in honor of his friend who was a huge metal had. But hey, what’s he doing here if he has a match up next? Riddle has his stallion at the ready! High-ho, Razor scooter, AWAAAY~! But will the Bro be ready for JoMo in the ThunderDo…me?
Matt Riddle VS John Morrison!
Was the Guru of Greatness the only reason Riddle took the title from the Chief Hurt Officer? Or was it just finally the Bro’s time? Whatever it was, Riddle and Morrison now go 1v1 on the Road to WrestleMania! Can Morrison get in the Fastlane and take Riddle’s golden ticket away from him?
The bell rings and Riddle circles with Morrison. They tie up, Riddle waistlocks and SLAMS Morrison down, then drags him to an armbar! Morrison rolls it to a cover, TWO! Riddle and Morrison reset, tie up, and Riddle gets to a waistlock again. Morrison elbows out, runs but slides under the boot to kick and calf kick! Morrison hits a standing shooting star, into a triangle! Morrison gets the ropebreak, Riddle lets off fast, and the two reset again. Riddle and Morrison circle, Morrison bobs ‘n’ weaves to ROCK Riddle, but Riddle stays up to block the kick. Morrison kicks, Riddle ducks, Morrison fakes Riddle out but Riddle still gets an ankle kick!
Morrison rolls to throw Riddle off, then gets his own ankle lock, but Riddle rolls to throw Morrison down. Morrison avoids the Penalty Kick, gives an Eddy Gordo, then is right on Riddle, only for Riddle to SNAP GUT WRENCH! Cover, TWO! Riddle grows annoyed, but he storms up to Morrison for forearms. Morrison forearms back and they brawl! The hits are hard, Morrison mule kicks but Riddle blocks the roundhouse. Riddle throws body shots, Morrison pokes him in the eye! Morrison rolls Riddle to a takedown, then shifts to a dragon sleeper. Riddle moves around but Morrison just uses that to bend him back!
Riddle fights up, Morrison inverted suplexes Riddle to the apron and then ROUNDHOUSES him down! Morrison TORNILLO PLANCHAS! But Morrison clutches his leg, that may have been a bit double-edged! The ref starts a ring count, both men get up and Morrison puts Riddle in the drop zone! Morrison gets in but Riddle gets away, so Morrison stalks him. Morrison runs at ropes but into a HEADSCISSOR! They end up on the apron,. Morrison ROUNDHOUSES Riddle again! Morrison gets up but Riddle CHOPS him! And CHOPS him! And KICKS! Morrison mule kicks again, but kicks into a FISHERMAN BUSTER TO THE APRON!! The Bro is fired up as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and Riddle is raining down rights on Morrison! Riddle drops a BROTON onto knees! Morrison fireman’s carries Riddle and shifts around for a ROLLING ALABAMA SLAM! Cover, TWO!! Riddle lives but Morrison wraps on with a chinlock! Morrison grinds Riddle to the mat, has an arm trapped for a pseudo straitjacket, but Riddle fights up and fights back. Morrison RAMS Riddle into a corner, fires off forearms, then lets off as the ref counts. Riddle hits back, backs Morrison down but Morrison shoves him. Riddle spins Morrison around to PELE! Riddle kips up, runs in and forearm smashes! Then side to side for another! Riddle hits a BROSPLODER!
Riddle runs, Morrison avoids the PK and the moonsault, but Riddle follows to the apron for another PENALTY KICK! SPRINGBOARD FLOATING BRO! Riddle puts Morrison in, gets around to GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Morrison escapes but Riddle keeps his cool. Riddle drags Morrison up, gut wrench but Morrison powers him to a corner again. Morrison rams his shoulder in more and more but Riddle fires off forearms! Morrison staggers, Riddle hops up but Morrison returns for a SPANISH FLY!! Cover, TWO!! Riddle survives and Morrison is beside himself! Morrison and Riddle rise and Morrison reels Riddle in, but no Moonlight Drive! BRO TO SLEEP!!
SUPERKICK from Morrison!! Riddle flops to the apron, Morrison staggers over but into a shoulder! Riddle slingshots to sunset flip, but Morrison rolls through to SHINING WIZARD! Riddle is in a drop zone, Morrison goes for the corner, but Riddle blocks the Starship Pain! Gut wrench to BRO DEREK!! Cover, Riddle wins!
Winner: Matt Riddle, by pinfall
That’s how it’s done, bro! The Bro-nited States Champion is rolling, will he make it through the Fastlane and on to WrestleMania?
Rhea Ripley is coming to Raw!!
We don’t know when, but the Aussie Nightmare is going to bring her brutality to Monday nights!
Backstage interview with Damian Priest & Bad Bunny!
It’s been a whirlwind week so what’s next? Bunny says this is just the beginning. With his boy, Priest, by his side, we can get used to Bunny having the 24/7 Championship for a long time. Priest tells Truth he already saw him and Truth pretends he wasn’t just about to bring the ref over and win his baby back. Don’t play dumb, Truth. No, that guy was just agreeing to be at Truth’s party. Truth says Bunny and Jordan saved the world! And then Booker T, that’s a great hit. Truth just wants an autograph! Oh man he left his marker and Bugs Bunny shirt in the locker room.
Priest tells Truth this is Bad Bunny. Oh, Truth’s bad, Bunny. Ok, DP got him this time! Truth runs off, but will he have a much, much better plan to get his baby back next time?
Miz complains to Adam Pearce!
He’s really going to allow Lashley to intimidate THE WWE World Champion?! Are we really rewarding this behavior? Did Miz not make a deal with Lashley? There’s nothing on writing! Pearce should be on Miz’s side! That punk, Bad Bunny, hitting Miz is bad enough! But now this?! Pearce surprisingly agrees with Miz. So many have doubted Miz but now Miz is champion. That means Miz needs to take on all challengers! And there’s none bigger than Lashley! Miz isn’t saying he won’t be a fighting champion, he just wants to delay this for when the time is right. Then Miz needs to make his decision quick. The clock is ticking, 20 minutes left. Miz makes a call, but who to?
The New Day VS Retribution!
Xavier Woods still can’t complete the series against Mia “Reckoning” Yim, but he and Kofi Kingston are more than happy to take on the towering T-Bar and menacing Mace! Will things finally be settled with Mustafa Ali’s horde so that they can all move on?
Raw returns and Retribution makes their entrance! The teams sort out and Woods starts against T-Bar. Woods talks smack to Reckoning but T-Bar DECKS him! T-Bar brings Woods up to CLUB him, then brings him back up. Woods body shots, wrenches, and goes after the arm! Tag to Kofi, Kofi climbs up, and he leaps to double stomp the arm! Kofi wrenches the arm, clamps onto the shoulder, and taunts Mustafa Ali now. T-Bar powers up to scoop Kofi and SLAM him! Tag to Mace, he storms over to drag Kofi up, just to dribble him off the mat! Mace then feeds Kofi to T-Bar’s BOOT! Cover, TWO! Tag back to T-Bar, and Retribution mugs Kofi.
T-Bar looms over Kofi, drags him up, and scoops him for a BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Kofi survives but T-Bar tags Mace back in. T-Bar BOOTS Woods, Mace drags Kofi up, Retribution combines for the HIGH JUSTICE!! Ali says not to cover off the double choke bomb yet, they need to hurt Kofi! Mace tags T-Bar back in, Mace dribbles Kofi, but T-Bar rushes Woods. Woods dumps T-Bar out! TROUBLE IN PARADISE for Mace! Mace bails out, T-Bar flounders back in, Kofi gives him TROUBLE IN PARADISE, too! Cover, NEW DAY WINS!!
Winners: The New Day, by pinfall
Ali is FURIOUS! But at the same time, it is kinda his fault… Ali grabs a mic while the New Day laugh all the way to the back. Ali shouts at his people, “AGAIN!? How much longer are we gonna do this?!” How many times are they going to fail? Humiliate and embarrass him?! How much longer will he have to deal with this crap!? He’s carried them all on his back and all they do is fail! Ali storms off, will he give up on Retribution before they can redeem themselves?
Lashley and MVP head back to gorilla position!
Time is almost up! What will Miz’s decision be?!
Adam Pearce is in the ring!
“It’s been an hour, and the deadline for The Miz to answer Bobby Lashley’s ultimatum is here.” He introduces Lashley, and both the Chief Hurt Officer and MVP return to the ring. They shake hands with Pearce, and Pearce introduces The Miz! Miz and Morrison both walk out and head back to the ring. Lashley is upset that Miz is NOT dressed to compete, but what did he expect from Miz after what he said while talking with Pearce? Miz and Morrison get mics and Pearce keeps the peace. Lashley issued his challenge for the title, Miz had an hour to think, and has an obligation to give his decision. Miz says he has made his decision. He needs more time!
Quit stalling, Miz! You’re wasting Lashley’s time, and wasting time is like wasting money! Lashley doesn’t like wasting his money. Miz says he’s not worried about money, but the honor that this title deserves! There are many superstars coming after this title! Morrison would love his opportunity, too! MVP says Miz didn’t make a deal with the other superstars! Miz wants them to understand, he just needs more time! MVP steps aside, and Lashley cracks his knuckles. Miz understands Lashley wants the WWE Championship, and he deserves that match.
But Miz wants to be at his best so that the fans and the title get what they deserve! Miz just needs more time to give us all the caliber of match it deserves! At least wait a week! Right? Pearce can do that! Management is busy but this is best for business! But then here comes BRAAAUN!! The Monster Among Men storms his way to the ring, still upset that he wasn’t considered for the Elimination Chamber, and perhaps about a few other things. But Strowman says, “If anybody’s getting a WWE Championship match around here, it’s me!”
Pearce says Strowman can’t just barge out here but Strowman says he can do whatever he wants! It’s pretty clear that Pearce and Shane McMahon have a vendetta against Strowman, which is why they’re keeping him away from the title. The FORMER Universal Champion is way more qualified than Lashley! Miz says Lashley can’t let Strowman talk to him like that! MVP tells Miz to shut up, he’s not stirring the pot. Miz says he’s just defending- Shane appears?! Shane O’Mac is back again and he goes right to the ring! Shane gets a mic as fans clap and cheer on their screens.
Shane wants everyone to cool off, and says Pearce needs to be more stern. He tells Strowman he can’t just barge down and demand a title match. And to that point, if there’s a few neurons left that Strowman didn’t get the concept of this year’s Elimination Chamber, that was all for former WWE World Champions, not Universal. Strowman said it himself he was one, not the other. Well Strowman still thinks that idea sucks. He thinks Shane sucks, Miz sucks and Lashley sucks! Strowman wants his opportunity TONIGHT!! Shane says that idea sucks, so no. Then give Strowman a match with the challenger! Okay now that is intriguing! Strowman VS Lashley? YES!
Well Shane and Pearce love that match! The fans seem to like that, too, so here it is! Strowman VS Lashley, but the stakes are raised! If Strowman wins, next week we make it Strowman VS Lashley VS The Miz, Triple Threat for the WWE World Championship!! Miz is the only one who hates that idea. Strowman says that’s the smartest decision Shane’s ever made. But then Lashley CHOP BLOCKS Strowman from behind!! Morrison, Miz and MVP bail out as Strowman writhes and clutches his leg! Lashley stares Strowman down but Strowman still gets up to walk that sneak attack off! Will the Monster Among Men prove mightier than the Rocky Mountain Machine? Will things only get worse for Miz from here to WrestleMania?
Tornado Tag: Lucha House Party VS The Hurt Business!
MVP joins commentary as Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander take on Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik in this non-title tag! Will letting loose and forgetting the tags hurt the Hurt Business? Or will it make it that much easier for them to put the hurt on the Golden Lynx and King of the Ropes?
The bell rings and the brawling begins! Lince has Alexander, Benjamin has Metalik. Benjamin stomps Metalik down, Alexander corners Lince, Benjamin whips Metalik to CLOBBER him! Alexander snapmares and basement dropkicks Lince hard! MVP is proud of his pitbull, “Primed’ Alexander, and he stomps Lince down. Benjamin stomps Metalik in a corner, Alexander throws Lince around, but Metalik fights back! Benjamin shoves Metalik and back drops him! Alexander stomps Lince out of the ring and regroups with Benjamin. The Hurt Business work together, and Alexander snap suplexes Metalik! Cover, TWO!
Lince attacks but Benjamin is on him with knees! Benjamin gut wrenches Lince up to a Gory Especial! Lince endures but Alexander lines up a shot to dropkick Lince out of the Gory! MVP says that is just as they discussed! Cover on Lince, TWO! Alexander CLUBS Metalik to keep him away but Metalik hits back! Benjamin throws Lince out hard to go after Metalik. Benjamin brings Metalik around to snap suplex! Alexander drops a knee, and they coordinate on Metalik in a corner. Lince tries to make a save but Alexander RAMS Lince into barriers, then THROWS him into the LED apron! Metalik hits Benjamin with body shots and CHOPS, but Alexander bumps Lince off buckles.
Alexander stomps Lince, Metalik throws down fists on Benjamin, but Benjamin shifts and gets Metalik up! Benjamin gives Metalik a POWERBOMB! Cover but Lince breaks it! MVP says not to play with their food, just handle business. Lince hits Alexander, shields Metalik, but Benjamin CLUBS Lince. Benjamin kicks Lince to a corner, he and Alexander stomp away on him! They dig their boots in and Alexander scrapes Lince to the apron! Alexander mockingly shouts “LUCHA!” at Lince while Benjamin scoops Metalik. Alexander runs but Lince trips up his handspring! SUPERKICK for Alexander, ENZIGURI for Benjamin! Tilt-o-whirl DDT! And BIG SPLASH!! Cover, Alexander breaks it!
MVP claps that clutch hustle from Alexander, but now Alexander fights 2v1 against LHP! They CHOP Alexander in the corner, double whip him corner to corner, then whip Metalik in! Alexander puts Metalik on the apron and Alexander elbow shim down! Alexander BOOTS Lince, hops up, but Lince CHOPS him first! SUPER STEINER! Metalik goes up top, tightrope walks, and leaps, but Alexander dodges! Benjamin returns to POUNCE Metalik! Lince wheelbarrows but Benjamin sends him into Alexander’s KNEE! PAYDIRT!! Cover, the Hurt Business wins!
Winners: The Hurt Business, by pinfall
It was a close one, and MVP wants commentary to admit he was right about his guys. Will the Raw Tag Team Champions stay on top on the Road to WrestleMania?
Damian Priest w/ Bad Bunny VS Angel Garza!
The Archer of Infamy helped his buddy take the WWE 24/7 Championship off Akira Tozawa, and this could just be the beginning of big things for them both. Will Bunny return the favor and make sure Priest shoots down the Lethal Lothario tonight?
Raw returns and Garza makes his entrance, showing off his new red satin suit jacket. The bell rings and Garza rushes Priest, only for Priest to CLOBBER him! Cover, TWO! Priest ROCKS Garza to a corner, ROCKS him again, then throws heavy knees and even a headbutt! Priest ROCKS Garza again, stands him up and DECKS him! Priest drags Garza up, whips him to ropes then leg lariats him down! Cover, ONE, but Priest keeps his cool. Priest stalks Garza, kicks him to the corner, and drags him up, only for Garza to BUCKLE SHOT him! Garza ROCKS Priest, runs and CLOBBERS him! Garza takes off the tearaway pants and throws them at Bunny!
Garza stomps Priest, rains down rights, and stares Bunny down. Bunny says that’s fine, Priest will get him. Garza ground ‘n’ pounds, digs his fingers into Priest’s face, but Priest pushes him away. Garza basement dropkicks Priest to a corner! Then runs side to side, to BOOT WASH! Garza eggs Bunny on but Bunny just cheers Priest on. Garza pushes Priest around, paces, and looms over him for an armlock. Priest endures as Garza goes after the other arm, and puts on a camel clutch! Priest refuses to quit, and he fights up, only for Garza to KNOCK him down! Garza stomps away, then goes after the arms again.
Priest resists as Garza goes back for the camel clutch. Garza adds a neck wrench to the hold, and then talks trash to Bunny. Priest powers up and Bunny cheers as Priest gets to his feet! Priest turns things around but Garza hits Priest with a body shot! Priest is pissed and he punches Garza’s punch away! Priest blocks the kick to CLUB the leg! LEAPING ROUNDHOUSE! Priest roars to DECK Garza! Garza misses and swings into the BELL CLAP! ROUNDHOUSE, and Garza flops to a corner! Priest stomps the mat to power up, and he takes aim! Priest runs to LEAPING ELBOW! BROEKN ARROW! Cover, TWO!
Bunny says Priest has this, and Priest takes aim again. Garza slowly rises and Priest says it’s time to go home. Garza gest the ropes, Priest ROCKS him again! Priest stands Garza up, Garza blocks the whip to ROCK Priest back! Garza kicks low, underhooks Priest but keeps grinning at Bunny. Priest powers out of the Wing Clipper, but Garza LARIATS Priest out of the ring! Garza talks more trash to Bunny then dares the 24/7 Champion to get in the ring! The ref says no, one thing at a time. Bunny tells Garza to be more worried about Priest. Garza turns around into a ROUDNHOUSE! Priest goes up, FLYING WINDMILL KICK! Priest powers up, drags Garza back up, HIT THE LIGHTS!! Cover, Priest wins!
Winner: Damian Priest, by pinfall
Bunny and Priest celebrate another victory, and now it’s time- For the chase! Tozawa runs in, Priest DECKS him! Humberto Carrillo is here, Priest ROUNDHOUSES him! Drew Gulak runs in but Bunny dodges and tosses him out! The 24/7 Champion is still bad, will Bunny and Priest make sure the sun never sets on this reign?
Randy Orton speaks.
“Failure. Failure is not a word that I’m all too familiar with.” Orton’s record proves it, but recently, he finds himself surrounded by it! Last week, he should’ve won the gauntlet so that he would’ve been at the best advantage in the Elimination Chamber! But he didn’t win that or the Chamber, and he was the very first out! So what’s the distraction, Orton? Every time he gets distracted, he does whatever he is to take care of it! Just like The Fiend! He set the Fiend on FIRE! Orton has made The Fiend no more. Some like to think he’s coming back, but he’s not!
But Orton is now in limbo. He is wondering, “Why can’t I focus on what matters?!” And the answer is Orton is distracted not by The Fiend, but by Alexa Bliss. Alexa’s ThunderDome takeover, her creepy pentagram and laugh, and for some reason, Orton is feeling hot. Orton BARFS UP BLACK INK!! The same ink that Alexa was happily drooling! What in the Hell is going on with The Viper and the Fiend’s best friend?!
Asuka & Charlotte Flair VS Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler!
The Empress didn’t get to defend her Raw Women’s Championship, and the Queen only has more strain on her brain, all because of the fact Lacey Evans announced she was pregnant! There was no confirmation nor denial of who the father is, but can Asuka & Charlotte focus on the Irresistible Force and Queen of Spades for just a moment?
Raw returns and Asuka makes her entrance. Then the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions make their entrances. The teams sort out, Shayna and Asuka start. They circle, tie up, and Asuka wrenches around to a wristlock. Shayna wrenches back and has a wristlock, but Asuka spins through to wrench and wristlock back. Shayna kicks Asuka in the leg, but then Asuka catches the next kick tog et around to a waistlock. Shayna resists but Asuka CLUBS Shayna to put on an IRON OCTOPUS! But Shayna powers out to a STRETCH MUFFLER! Asuka rolls that down to get the arm but Shayna gets up. Asuka wrenches Shayna, brings her over, and Charlotte tags in.
Charlotte takes the hand-off, wrenches Shayna, but Shayna fights the grip to get away. Nia tags in and Nia ties right up with Charlotte. They go around the ring, Charlotte headlocks, Nia throws body shots and then gets free to ROCK Charlotte! Charlotte ROCKS Nia back, CHOPS her, forearms, CHOPS, repeat! Charlotte is backing Nia down but Shayna gets in only to get a kick and an EXPLODER! Charlotte kips up, Asuka joins in, and the Queens of Tomorrow DOUBLE DROPKICK Nia out! Asuka hip attacks Shayna out, and she holds the ring with Charlotte as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns again and Nia has Asuka in a cobra clutch! Asuka hip attacks and elbows free, but Nia RAMS her into the corner! Shayna tags in, she stomps away on Asuka, then lets off as the ref counts. Shayna drags Asuka up, snapmares her to KICK her in the back! Cover, TWO! Asuka growls as she sits up but Shayna is after her arm! Shayna twists the wrist and elbow as she stands over Asuka and stands on Asuka! The ref reprimands but Shayna steps off, just to switch feet. Tag to Nia, and Shayna hammerlocks Asuka’s arm to STOMP it! Nia then toys with Asuka as she writhes, and grabs the bad arm to put it around ropes! The ref counts, Nia lets off at 4, and Asuka clutches her arm.
Nia drags Asuka up, tags Shayna in, and they mug Asuka. Charlotte coaches Asuka, but Shayna clamps back onto the arm. Shayna stands over Asuka as she hammerlocks it again! Asuka avoids the stomp, rolls Shayna up, TWO! Asuka dropkicks Shayna down then tags Charlotte in! Charlotte bumps Shayna off buckles, fires off stomps, then lets off to throw forearms! Charlotte bumps Shayna off other buckles, then runs in, only to miss! Shayna kicks away on Charlotte’s leg, brings her over, and Nia tags in! Nia drags Charlotte around to club away on her! The champs work together to double suplex, but Charlotte lands on her feet to CLOBBER Shayna and CHOP Nia!
Charlotte whips but Nia reverses! Charlotte tumbles out then shoulders in! Charlotte BOOTS Shayna down, BOOTS Nia away, then Charlotte slingshots in to kick legs out! Nia staggers, Charlotte runs, but Nia pops Charlotte up to BOMB her down! Cover, TWO!! Charlotte survives but Nia is right on her again! Nia drags Charlotte up, wraps on a sleeper, and squeezes tight! Charlotte endures, fights up, and hits a jawbreaker! Nia CLOBBERS Charlotte in return! Nia drags Charlotte away, tags in Shayna, and Shayna fires off hands! Shayna wrenches Charlotte’s arm, has a hammerlock and chicken wings, but Charlotte cradle counters! TWO, and Shayna KICKS Charlotte down!
Shayna has Charlotte’s arm again and drags her from Asuka. Nia tags back in, the champs mug Charlotte, then whips her in. Charlotte DECKS Shayna, but leaps into Nia’s arms! Charlotte clubs away, sunset flips and rolls her into the corner! Shayna tags back in and DECKS Asuka before Charlotte can get there! But Charlotte trips Shayna up to the FIGURE FOUR! Shayna resists, Nia DROPS A LEG! The ref reprimands but Nia makes sure Charlotte couldn’t finish Shayna! Shayna keeps Charlotte anchored but Charlotte kicks at her. Charlotte gets away, hot tag to Asuka! Asuka goes up, leaps, missile dropkick for Shayna!
Nia tags in, she runs at Asuka but Asuka dodges to ROUNDHOUSE! Asuka hip attacks Shayna! And hip attacks Nia! Back to Shayna, and then she sends Nia into Shayna! CODE BREAKER! SLIDING WIZARD! Cover, TWO, to an ARMBAR!! Shayna KICKS Asuka, drags her off Nia and wants her Kirafuda! Asuka turns things around, Shayna resists the Asuka Lock, Charlotte runs in! Shayna sends the BOOT into Asuka!! Shayna throws Charlotte out, Nia DROPS A LEG!! Cover, Nia and Shayna win!!
Winners: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler, by pinfall
The tag team champions win, and Nia pins the Raw Women’s Champion! Will this mean the Irresistible Force has her ticket to Fastlane? Charlotte reaches a hand out to Asuka but Asuka slaps it away! Asuka is upset with Charlotte, even if it was a miscommunication. Charlotte says she has enough on her plate so she’s done with this. Is this the end of the Queens of Tomorrow tandem?
Jeff Hardy VS Sheamus!
The Charismatic Enigma and Celtic Warrior didn’t have the fortune of taking the title off Drew McIntyre in the Elimination Chamber, but the Road to WrestleMania is still clear! Will one cut off the other and head for the Fastlane?
Raw returns and Sheamus makes his entrance. The bell rings and Sheamus rushes Hardy with hard kicks and forearms! Sheamus clubs away on Hardy, drags him up and throws more hands! Sheamus whips, Hardy goes up and kicks him away to then headscissor Sheamus down! But Sheamus gets up to CLOBBER Hardy with an elbow! Sheamus stands on Hardy’s head at the ropes, lets off at the ref’s count, and then drags Hardy up to ROCK him with a EuroUpper! Sheamus wrenches Hardy, clamps onto the arm and grinds it down! Sheamus elbows away on the arm but Hardy throws haymakers!
Hardy arm-drags Sheamus out but Sheamus returns fast! Hardy hammers Sheamus, stomps him to a corner, but the ref backs him off. Sheamus comes back to CLOBBER Hardy! Sheamus drags Hardy up, fireman’s carries, but Hardy fights free! Hardy puts Sheamus on the apron but Sheamus CLUBS him in the back! Sheamus goes to tie Hardy up on the ropes but Hardy elbows free! Hardy dropkicks the legs out then WRECKS Sheamus with another dropkick! Hardy goes out, takes aim, and runs in to CALF KICK Sheamus into the barriers! Both men are down as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns again and Sheamus elbows away on Hardy’s shoulders while he clamps onto the arm! Hardy endures, Sheamus claws at his face but Hardy throws haymakers! Sheamus knees low then hits the IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! And then another! And another! Cover, TWO!! Hardy survives but Sheamus sits him up to give him Beats of the Bodhrain! Sheamus digs his knee into Hardy’s head and neck, claws at his face, and hammers away again! Hardy flounders to a corner, Sheamus drags Hardy up but fans rally on their screens. Hardy fires off body shots, hits a jawbreaker, and Sheamus staggers away! Hardy kicks, but no Twist as Sheamus KNEES Hardy!
Sheamus back suplexes, Hardy lands on his feet and POSTS Sheamus! WHISPER IN THE WIND! Both men are down but still stirring as fans clap on their screens. Hardy blocks Sheamus’ punches to give haymakers, then whips only for Sheamus to reverse. Hardy still forearms Sheamus down, atomic drop to leg splitting leg drop! Basement dropkick and the SPLASH, but onto knees! Cover, TWO!! Hardy narrowly escapes, Sheamus shakes out the cobwebs, and Sheamus runs in but into boots! Sheamus is down, Hardy heads up! Hardy leaps for a SPLASH, covers, TWO! Sheamus is still in this as he gets himself to a corner.
Hardy waits for Sheamus to stand up, kicks but Sheamus blocks! Hardy spinning mule kicks, then goes after Sheamus in the corner. Sheamus BOOTS the Hardyac Arrest! But Hardy kicks back for a TWIST OF FATE! Sheamus is down again, Hardy heads for the corner and climbs up fast! Hardy aims but Sheamus gets under the leap! Hardy hobbles, Sheamus back drops but Hardy sunset flips! Sheamus rolls through, denies the Twist but misses the Brogue! Hardy rolls Sheamus up, TWO!! Sheamus pokes Hardy in the eye then KNEES him in the head, for a BROGUE!! Cover, Sheamus wins!
Winner: Sheamus, by pinfall
The Enigma just fell to the Fella! Will this prove that Sheamus should be next in line after the Road to WrestleMania clears up?
Ric Flair talks with Charlotte backstage.
She just can’t do this anymore! She can’t focus on her matches, on what she loves doing, and that is wrestling! Ric having the audacity to dance around with Lacey like that’s his unborn child is not okay! This isn’t about who is better, but about the legacy of the Flair name! This isn’t funny anymore! Does Ric see Charlotte out there? This is not the performer she is supposed to be! She’s sorry but he has to go home! Ric never said he was the father. And he saw a lot of potential in a genuinely good human being. He sees “potential” in a lot of young women. But doing it on Charlotte’s time with a coworker is not okay!
Ric says he was just trying to motivate Lacey like he did Charlotte! He doesn’t want to say Charlotte became who she is because of him, but he did have a part in it! Charlotte is an all-time-great already, but what about the tough love and advice, their time together? He was just trying to expand the Ric Flair brand! The man behind the Raw Women’s Championship title! He wants the women’s division to be the biggest thing ever! So sorry if she thinks he’s doing something trashy! He wants “Flair” to again be a household name! Well, Charlotte isn’t seeing that. Ric wants to be her dad, he wants to support women, he’s their biggest fan, but then he is taking the spotlight! Her time in the ring is her time!
Charlotte says she is working to prove she isn’t just “Ric’s Daughter,” but that she is Charlotte! He is still trying to be the Nature Boy, at her expense. She is thankful for everything he has given her, but let her be that person on her own. She still loves him, but… Charlotte storms off and Ric doesn’t seem to know what to do. Will the Flair family still be a family after this?
Naomi & Lana VS Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose!
The #RavishingGlow have a title shot in their back pockets, but the #SexyMuscleFriends are not out of the chase! Will Dana & Mandy prove that their #FlexAppeal is more than enough to earn their own shot?
The teams sort out, Dana and Naomi start. They tie up, Naomi puts Dana in a corner, KICKS her down, then tags in Lana. Naomi feeds Dana to Lana’s ax kick and BULLDOG! Cover, TWO! Lana drags Dana up while the tag champs watch backstage. Dana rolls Lana, TWO! Dana ROCKS Lana, drags her over to the corner, and Mandy tags in. They coordinate, scoop slam to KNEE! Cover, TWO! Mandy bumps Lana off buckles, stomps her down, then lets off as the ref counts. Tag to Dana, Dana handsprings in to back elbow Lana! Tag back to Mandy, and Dana feeds Lana to Mandy’s scoop! Lana fights out, reaches for Naomi, but Mandy holds her back!
Lana ROCKS Mandy and tags in Naomi! Mandy whips Lana but Lana RAMS Dana! Lana and Naomi combine for a DOUBLE FACEBUSTER! Cover, Naomi & Lana win!
Winners: Naomi & Lana, by pinfall
The best friends celebrate and hurry away, will they be able to make Nia & Shayna #FeelTheGlow on the Road to WrestleMania?
AJ Styles w/ Omos VS Ricochet!
The Phenomenal One and the One & Only revive an old rivalry, but with Styles’ colossal cohort ringside, will Ricochet stand a chance?
Raw returns as Ricochet makes his entrance. The bell rings and Styles runs at Ricochet but Ricochet dropkicks him down! Ricochet fires off kicks and KICKS Styles out of the ring! Ricochet dares Styles to come back, and Styles downs, into a scoop and SLAM! Ricochet drops an elbow, runs to drop another, then covers, ONE!! Ricochet KICKS Styles while he’s down, drags him up and reels him in, and suplexes, only for Styles to slip out. Styles goes to a corner, boots but Ricochet blocks, so Styles kicks the leg out! Styles snap suplexes Ricochet into buckles! Styles checks his jaw while hobbling over to Ricochet.
Styles drags Ricochet up and hits a BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Styles wraps onto Ricochet with a chinlock and grinds him down. Ricochet endures, fights up, and Ricochet throws body shots. Ricochet is free, he runs, but into Styles’ dropkick now! Styles seethes a bit and he kicks Ricochet to the corner. Omos says Styles to show Ricochet who he is, but Ricochet blocks the stomp to fire off hands! Ricochet has Styles in the corner, hammers away but lets off as the ref counts! Ricochet runs corner to corner but Styles throat chops him! Ricochet sputters, Styles brings him around and kicks low to suplex and hang Ricochet out to dry! Styles wanted that rebound catch, but Ricochet RANA COUNTERS! Cover, TWO!!
Styles and Ricochet get up, Ricochet ROUNDHOUSES to a GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Ricochet pushes Styles to a drop zone, goes up top, and leaps for the- No, he has to bail out as Styles moves! Ricochet fireman’s carries but Styles KNEES him down! Styles drags Ricochet up, gets him in the STYLES CLASH! Cover, Styles wins!
Winner: AJ Styles, by pinfall
It wasn’t quite phenomenal, but Omos says that was quick work! Omos then looms over Ricochet, and Styles wants him to finish it! Omos dead lifts Ricochet right up, for a TOWERING TWO HAND SLAM!! Styles is phenomenal, Omos is one of a kind, will these two start to take over Raw on the Road to WrestleMania?
Miz and Morrison talk backstage.
If Lashley wins, Miz still faces Lashley. If Strowman wins, Miz faces both of them! This is not the plan! Morrison says root for Lashley. But that’s not good enough! It’s better than both! Strowman comes over and Morrison asks what’s up. Miz and Morrison hurry away, but the battle of behemoths is finally upon us! Will the Monster Among Men manhandle the All Mighty to then mangle The Miz?
Braun Strowman VS Bobby Lashley w/ MVP!
The Hollywood A-Lister put his foot in his mouth and now he’s facing down a massive challenge next week! Will these kaiju of wrestling both be going after The Miz’s gold? Or will the Rocky Mountain Machine be able to derail the Strowman Express?
Surprisingly, The Miz heads to ringside now! He surely wants to keep an eye on this battle since it determines his own fate. The bell rings and the two titans tie up! Lashley puts Strowman in a corner but Strowman powers up and they go around the ropes. The ref wants a break but Strowman puts Lashley in a corner. The ref counts, Strowman lets off at 4, and Miz joins commentary. Lashley gets around Strowman to waistlock and SLAM Strowman down! Strowman gets right up, Lashley gets him in another waistlock but Strowman switches to SLAM Lashley! Cover, ONE! Strowman hammers Lashley and Lashley gets to a corner.
MVP coaches Lashley but Strowman whips Lashley corner to corner! Strowman throws elbows into Lashley over and over as Miz says he didn’t really need to honor the deal he made. Strowman runs to SPALSH Lashley, then he scoops him! Lashley grabs ropes to resist the slam so Strowman TOSSES him out! The ref wants Strowman to wait but Strowman goes out the side! The express builds speed, but Lashley LEAPS to avoid it, and Strowman hits steel steps! Miz says this is the type of match he loves! Lashley LEAPS and CLOBBERS Strowman! Lashley puts Strowman in the ring, but Strowman is right up! Lashley runs to dropkick a leg out!
Lashley drags Strowman up for a COMPLETE SHOT! Cover, TWO!! Strowman is still in this but Lashley hammers away on him! Miz says there is no denying the talents of these two men, but as THE WWE Champion, you have to earn a match to even beat him! Lashley stalks Strowman, and he wants the full nelson! Strowman keeps the Hurt Lock unlocked, but Lashley kicks low! Lashley manages to suplex Strowman up! But Strowman fights out, kicks Lashley and runs, to CLOBBER Lashley! Strowman glares down at Lashley while foaming at the mouth! Lashley is in the corner, Strowman runs in to SPLASH, and scoop! MONSTER SLAM!!! Cover, TWO!?!?
Strowman is shocked and so is everyone else! How did Lashley survive that slam?! MVP is rabid as Strowman drags Lashley up and scoops him again! Lashley slips out, to MILE HIGH SPINEBUSTER Strowman?! Lashley builds a lot of speed to SPEAR Strowman down!! Cover, Lashley wins!!
Winner: Bobby Lashley, by pinfall
And the All Mighty keeps the Monster away from Miz! But he adds on to CHOP BLOCK Strowman’s leg again! Lashley wants to make Strowman pay for butting into his business! HURT LOCK!! Strowman is a rag doll! But Miz gets in to rush Lashley, only to get a MIGH HIGH SPINEBUSTER for his trouble! Lashley aims at Miz as Miz slowly sits up. MVP demands Miz get up to pay for trying to go back on their deal! SPEAR!! Lashley decimates a monster and a champion, will he be all of that and more after next week?!
My Thoughts:
This was a pretty strong Raw to follow Elimination Chamber and steer things towards Fastlane. I will say there were some straight up filler with Lana & Naomi VS Dana & Mandy and Styles VS Ricochet, mostly to keep Lana-Naomi and Styles strong. Poor Ricochet… Now, I know Sheamus VS Hardy wasn’t really for anything, so in a way it’s filler, but because of how much longer and how much more competitive that match was, it doesn’t feel as awful as the filleriest filler that those other matches were. Riddle VS Morrison was a great opening match, but was also lengthier and more competitive so it isn’t really filler but showing Riddle’s on a roll now that he’s champion.
New Day VS Retribution wasn’t filler because after New Day’s win, Ali gets pissed at the team and acts like they’re at fault. This is progress for the Retribution story, where the other members might actually kick Ali out of the group and either go on their own or finally be themselves again. The Tornado Tag wasn’t really filler, it was showing that Alexander & Benjamin can be on the same page when there’s no tagging, and they dominate that way. With so few tag teams on Raw, I feel like the only team strong enough to challenge the Hurt Business is once again the New Day, which is a sign of how poorly WWE/Vince is treating the tag division during this time.
I liked the interaction with R-Truth, Priest and Bad Bunny. Priest and Bunny are faces for now but Truth constantly getting things confused could push Priest into hitting Truth and getting him some Heel heat. Priest VS Garza was good, and not really filler as Garza was getting at Bunny as much as he was taking the fight to Priest. Garza was 24/7 Champion, he might go after Bunny at some point, and I really hope we get a lot of stuff from now to Fastlane, and a lot of stuff at Fastlane, for this title. Truth already kinda wasted his Elmer Fudd shtick before this but he might bring it back around just for his part in this story.
Asuka & Charlotte VS Nia & Shayna was a very good match and definitely not filler, it was a great way to adjust for the changes with Lacey Evans being shoot pregnant. I still don’t like that they were work-shooting it, but I guess “distracted” Charlotte accidentally booting Asuka and that’s why they lose works out. The backstage segment with Ric and Charlotte did a LOT to salvage this story, because it got all the feelings out and even framed it, as should have been framed all along, that Ric really was just helping Lacey. Charlotte and Ric still have tension, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they ruined this moment by having Ric just latch onto, say, Peyton Royce. Also Rhea Ripley coming to Raw, HELL YEAH!
Orton had a good promo on what Alexa is doing to mess with him, but what made it a great segment was the barfing of the black goo! Alexa’s powers are growing, Orton is being haunted, The Fiend is coming back, it will be great. The main story being the world title was all great stuff. There was a deal between Miz and Lashley, Miz wants to chicken out of it, and then things just get worse as Strowman gets pissed. We do get a great match out of it, and I’m a bit surprised that Lashley won. I would think Miz finds a way to use the two behemoths against each other next week, but I suppose it’s just easier to book if it’s him and Lashley 1v1.
McIntyre didn’t play a part tonight but that perhaps makes the most sense of anything because he won the Chamber only to get the crap kicked out of him by Lashley and Miz. But surely, McIntyre will confront whoever wins next week, maybe that’s a Fastlane match, then maybe we circle back to McIntyre VS Sheamus for Mania. There are still a lot of variables, but this is going to be some good stuff that will slowly but surely help Raw get back up in ratings. Or at least up in my scores here. Speaking of…
My Score: 8.5/10
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The Hollywood A-Lister’s got his own nightmare before Christmas!
Christmas is just a few days away, but things aren’t merry and bright for Raw! The Miz must face his fears as he faces Dexter Lumis 1v1!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Opening Round Triple Threat: Natalya VS Alba Fyre VS Iyo Sky; Iyo wins and advances to the next round.
- Chad Gable w/ Team American Made VS Akira Tozawa w/ The Alpha Academy; Gable wins.
- Dominik Mysterio VS Damian Priest; Damian Priest wins, by disqualification.
- The Miz VS Dexter Lumis; Lumis wins, by disqualification.
- Sami Zayn VS Drew McIntyre; McIntyre wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Drew McIntyre walks to gorilla.
The Scottish Terminator makes his way through the curtain and to the stage, and the fans have a mixed reaction as he goes to the ring. McIntyre grabs a mic, and he says, “After Hell in a Cell, I’ve never been so beat up in my entire life. 16 staples in my head, my back almost broken from landing on the steel steps. And I went home to Scotland. The reason I went home, and I haven’t really talked about it publicly, is because a very close family member passed away. Some people probably feeling sympathy right now. Some guys in the back are probably talking to each other, saying, ‘I didn’t know.’ Maybe if you cared enough, you would’ve asked.
“Over these past two months, guess how many people phoned me to check. Not how I was doing mentally but how I was doing physically after Hell in a Cell. ONE PERSON! These past 17 years, I’ve been led to believe we’re all a big happy family in the back. We’re brothers and sisters, we travel the world together, we spend more time with each other than with our actual families, but it’s all BS! My brother, John, in Scotland wouldn’t stab me in the back to take my spot, but people like Jimmy, Jey and Sami 100% would.” The fans boo that, then chant “YEET! YEET! YEET!” McIntyre says that proves his point.
After watching everything The Bloodline did, Jey says he is a changed man. He does a cute hand sign, he says a made-up word, and the fans just forget about it and move on. That’s the other thing McIntyre realized: He has given and given and given all this time, and the fans turned on him for a guy who was gone for years and has told the WWE fans to go screw themselves! McIntyre was fighting for the fans, he thought they believed in him, so he believed in the fans! McIntyre bled out in the cell, and while he was gone, the fans instantly forgot him! The fans boo, that’s not true! But McIntyre says from now on, he gives no more for anybody!
McIntyre will take and take and he will tell the truth! The real villains are Roman Reigns and CM Punk! And if you choose to prop them up, as he already said, Jey, Jimmy & Sami, the things Roman did to you… Roman took a vacation, then simply snapped his fingers and they were by his side again! McIntyre suggests everyone who ever wronged McIntyre should sleep with one eye open. But wait, here comes Sami Zayn! The fans cheer and sing for Sami but Sami says hey, McIntyre is angry, he doesn’t have to believe Sami in place of believing everyone has ulterior motives. Sami doesn’t blame him.
But personally, man to man, Sami did not know what happened with McIntyre’s family. They figured he was recovering from one of the most vicious matches of all time. Sami thought that, all the guys ‘n’ girls in the back thought, and that’s all the fans thought. Believe that or not, fine, but Sami wants to level with McIntyre. Talk about 17 years, Sami has 22 years in this game. Sami’s been through what McIntyre’s been through. Sami’s had losses. Trust him. He has had losses he had to put on the side and go to work that week. The same sacrifices, from birthdays to weddings to funerals that he should’ve been at? Sami’s done it all.
Sami has put unnecessary stress on his wife, on his kid, and why? Because this is the life that they both chose! They are WWE SUPERSTARS! The fans cheer that! And as such, they are LUCKY to be WWE Superstars! And you think this is just your story or Sami’s story? Y’know who else has stories like this? Every single person sitting in the stands. Every single person at home! The kids who struggle at school, the adults who struggle at work, who struggle economically, physically, and they have their losses and sacrifices, but they still get up every day to do what they gotta do to soldier on, without pointing a finger at everyone else!
The fans fire up for that passion. Sami says McIntyre dares pointing a finger at the fans for forgetting him?! They didn’t forget, brother! They MADE McIntyre! And McIntyre still thinks the world revolves around him just because once upon a time, someone told him he was “The Chosen One.” But newsflash, just because you’re mad doesn’t make you special. And now McIntyre thinks everyone else is somehow tied to him? What Jimmy does has nothing to do with McIntyre. What Jey does has nothing to do with McIntyre! What SAMI does has nothing to do with McIntyre!
But McIntyre, if you want to still walk around all angry and pointing fingers at the fans, at Sami, at Jey, at Jimmy, at Punk, at Roman, and still be mad about The Bloodline, fine. No one is stopping McIntyre. But Sami has no problem being McIntyre’s problem and facing him in this ring right now! McIntyre says if Sami wants to know the truth… IT isn’t just anger. McIntyre’s anger comes from pain, and he doesn’t doubt what Sami just said. There was so much truth and passion, but it’s never the whole truth, is it? Sami has a way of spinning things. Because Sami can fly back home every week to his family. McIntyre is halfway across the world from his!
And no one here in Boston ever leaves Boston, they’re with their families 24/7! McIntyre doesn’t have that luxury! The fans boo that veiled insult, but McIntyre says he will remain calm and ask Sami why he wants this fight. They both know the result, we saw it time and time again, Sami has NEVER beaten McIntyre. So McIntyre suggests, given Sami isn’t 100%, and Sami’s wife and kid are here tonight… Sami should just walk back there, take their hands, and leave this arena. Of all those in the Bloodline, Sami is the least of McIntyre’s worries.
Sami says McIntyre is right about a couple things. When it comes to win-loss records, McIntyre has Sami’s number. And Sami is not 100%. Haven’t been since Saturday Night’s Main Event. And yes, the smart thing would be to just go home, celebrate and get healthy over the holidays. But Sami would so much rather do this. Sami fires hands! The fans fire up but McIntyre shoves Sami away. McIntyre swings, but gets caught! Sami lifts but McIntyre fights free, then GLASGOW KISS HEADBUTT! McIntyre takes aim, but here comes JEY USO! The fans fire up as Jey runs down the ramp, slides in, and then dodges McIntyre to SUPERKICK!
The fans fire up as Jey & Sami DOUBLE LARIAT McIntyre up and outta the ring! The fans “YEET! YEET! YEET!” with Jey & Sami Uso! Will the Scottish Terminator’s mission be ended when Sami and/or Jey shut him down?
Adam Pearce is met by Pure Fusion Collective.
The Raw General Manager asks Sonya Deville what he can do for her and she says not much. She knows how stressful this job can be since she once had it. She’s just here to make things easier. And how’s that? Well, Kairi Sane is not cleared to compete, there is an opening in the tournament, and Sonya wants it. Oh, is that so? Y’know, Sonya, that is a terrible idea. They caused this scenario so he’s just gonna reward them? Are they outta their minds? And zip it! Plus, he already filled that vacancy with Iyo Sky. Happy Holidays! PFC is upset by that since Iyo just lost to Liv Morgan, but will there be nothing to stop the Evil Genius now?
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Opening Round Triple Threat: Natalya VS Alba Fyre VS Iyo Sky!
Just as Pearce said, PFC taking out the Pirate Princess will not mean they get away with murder! The Queen of Harts and the Fire Keeper must now figure out how to handle this change to the program. Will Iyo redeem herself for losing Saturday Night’s Main Event by moving on to the next round?
Raw returns and Alba makes her entrance, Isla Dawn seeing her to the ramp, and then Natalya makes her entrance. The bell rings and Alba kicks Natty then ELBOWS Iyo! Alba whips but Natty reverses and Alba tumbles out of the ring! Iyo rolls Natty, TWO! Iyo whips, Natty dodges in the corner and gets Iyo up! REBOUND SIT-DOWN, and then Natty steps on Iyo, only for Alba to trip Natty up! Alba brings Natty out to send into steel steps! But then Iyo DIVES onto Alba! The fans fire up with Iyo and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Natty brawls with Abla. Alba knees low, but Iyo CROSBODIES them both down! The fans fire up and Iyo SHOTEIS Alba! And SHOTEIS her again! And then DROPKICKS her down! Iyo brings Alba around, whips, but Alba reverses. Iyo goes up and out, then blocks a shot to ROCK Alba! The fans fire up, Iyo spirnboards, and MISSILE DROPKICKS! Iyo handsprings up and the fans fire up again! Iyo gets the fans going, but Alba wrenches and facelocks, TORNADO DDT! Alba gets Iyo up again to GOURD BUSTER her onto Natty! Alba then rearranges them into the drop zone!
Alba goes up, the fans are torn, but Alba grins as she SWANTON BOMBS! Cover on Iyo, TWO! Cover on Natty, TWO! But into a KOJI KLUTCH! Natty endures, flails, fights around, but Alba holds on tight! Natty pushes, stacks Alba, TWO!! Natty has the legs! Alba flails now, but Iyo runs up! Natty trips Iyo onto Alba, and she has them both! Natty turns them both over, DOUBLE SHARPSHOOTER!! Iyo and Alba both flail, both claw at the mat, and Alba gets the ROPEBREAK! No disqualifications so Natty can hold on! But now Iyo drags herself under the ropes, and there’s no room left, so Natty has to let go!
Natty rises up and she stalks Iyo to the apron. Natty drags Iyo up but Iyo HOTSHOTS Natty! Natty staggers, rebounds, but Iyo jumps the baseball slide! Natty hits Alba down, and then Iyo PENALTY KICKS Natty! Iyo fires up and springboards, ASAI MOONSAULT! Direct hit on both targets and the fans fire up! Iyo hurries to get Natty up and into the ring, then she drags Natty into the drop zone. Iyo climbs, but Alba CLUBS Iyo first! Alba snarls as she climbs up, but Iyo holds onto ropes! Natty CLUBS Alba and she adds on! SUPER GERMAN SUPLEX on Alba! But Iyo stays up top to go OVER THE MOONSAULT! Cover, Iyo wins!
Winner: Iyo Sky, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)
The Genius of the Sky moves on, ready to fly against The Morrigan! Will Iyo be able to get past Lyra Valkyria and head for the title?
Judgment Day sulks in the clubhouse.
Finn Balor tells JD McDonagh that he can’t believe this. This was supposed to be a Merry Christmas, Finn was supposed to be celebrating with two titles, and now he has none! Liv Morgan tells Raquel Rodriguez to tell Finn that the reason she suggested he stay away from Damian Priest is because she knew this would happen. Raquel starts to relay the message, but Finn has JD tell Liv that she’s got her own problems to worry about and to stay off his back. But then Liv tells Raquel to tell Finn that the reason she’s “on his back” is because he lost the tag titles. JD, tell Liv that Christmas is-
Dominik speaks up to stop the arguing. Christmas IS around the corner, and now they’re not even talking to each other? Dom says he’s gonna go talk with Pearce and get a match with Priest! Dom’s gonna step up for this family. Oh, Dom thinks he’s better than Finn? No, it’s not even like that. Dom has a plan. He’ll talk with Pearce then fill everyone in later. Dom heads out, JD prays for one week of no drama while it’s Christmas. Will Dirty Dom make sure The Punisher pays for screwing Finn & JD over? Or will Priest be given the gift of sending Dom South of Heaven?
Sami and Jey regroup backstage.
Sami can’t believe Jey didn’t text or call about the comeback. Jey says, “My bad.” But Sami says it’s fine, he’s happy Jey is back. And thanks for having his back out there tonight and every night, Sami appreciates Jey. Jey thanks Sami for that, and says you know he had to come back for payback. Jey is gonna handle business! Actually, Sami was kinda hoping he could handle McIntyre. Sami talked a big game, he’s gotta back it up. But Sami, you’re not even 100% tonight. Sami knows, but he started something so he has to finish it. Jey says alright. He’s got next! They secret handshake and Jey wishes Sami luck. Will Sami finally get a win on McIntyre in a Christmas miracle?
Chad Gable w/ Team American Made VS Akira Tozawa w/ The Alpha Academy!
As “Master” Gable said last week, it was about time he settled things with his past. Will Gable prove to the world that he was always the reason the Alpha Academy was relevant? Or will he find out he can’t keep up with the Stamina Monster?
Raw returns and the #AlphaBabes make their entrance, showing off that new merch while they’re at it. The bell rings and the fans rally up. Tozawa and Gable tie up, Gable wrenches and talks trash right to Tozawa’s face! Gable CHOPS Tozawa down, stands him up, CHOPS him down again, repeat! Gable whips and CLOBBERS Tozawa, then raises the fist. The fans boo more but Gable talks smack on Otis. Gable drags Tozawa up, suplexes, but Tozawa slips free! Tozawa SOBATS, spins, slides under, and SPIN KCIKS! Gable goes to a corner and Tozawa puts him up! But Gable gets Tozawa for a HANGING ARMBAR!
Otis protests, the ref counts, and Gable lets off at 4. Gable says he didn’t break a rule, and Otis never learns. Gable SLAPS Otis, slides into the ring, but Tozawa victory rolls! TWO, but Tozawa SUPERKICKS Gable down! Tozawa rips the shirt off, goes up top, and SUPER SENTRONS onto knees! Gable saves himself and hauls Tozawa up to GERMAN SUPELX! And then GERMAN SUPLEX again! Gable GERMAN SUPLEXES again! But he isn’t done, Gable spins Tozawa around, and POWERBOMBS him! ANKLE LOCK!! Tozawa flails but he’s so far from the ropes! Tozawa TAPS, Gable wins!
Winner: Chad Gable, by submission
But Gable won’t let go! The fans boo, the ref reprimands, but Gable just drops into a GRAPEVINE! So Otis storms in and he drags Gable off the leg! Otis TOSSES Gable! The fans are thunderous, but Team American Made steps up to support Gable. Gable says Otis never learns! But Otis’ hips are moving! He’s shaking, quaking, and the fans fire up, but American Made backs off. Will Gable finally fight Otis and put this beef to rest?
The New Day talks backstage.
They still don’t understand how everyone here doesn’t see things their way. But then Dirty Dom walks over, clapping with “New! Day Rocks!” Finally, someone who understands! Dom says he never liked Big E, but uh, no, what they did was crazy. Well, whatever, Broke Ass Tom Selleck! Dom says Tom Selleck wishes! Dirty Dom heads for gorilla, ready to fight for the Judgment Day. But will Dom go from “Broke Ass Tom Selleck” to just broken?
Dominik Mysterio VS Damian Priest!
Judgment Day’s history has always been a rocky one, but it has never been rockier than right now. Betraying Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest probably has a lot to do with it, but will Dom be able to smooth things over by taking Damian down? Or will Priest finally beat some sense into #LatinoCheat?
The bell rings and Dom bails right out! Dom dares Priest to come get him, but Priest says Dom needs to get back in the ring. Priest will even give him a free shot! Dom storms up to the apron, steps in, and takes that swing, but Priest blocks it! Then Priest BELL CLAPS Dom, DECKS him, then DECKS him again! Dom staggers around, Priest picks him up to SLAM DUNK! Dom staggers back up, into a torture rack! Priest bends Dom with the Argentine Backbreaker! Priest then THROWS Dom down and the fans fire up. Priest paces around, powers up his arm, and Dom rises. The fans rally and Priest runs, but Dom ducks a lariat!
Dom kicks, CLUBS and KICKS again! SUPERKICK! Then DROPKCIK! Priest staggers but Dom hurries to stalk behind him. Priest sits up first and glares at Dom. Dom panics, but he DUMPS Priest out! Dom builds speed to DIVE, but into Priest’s hands! FLATLINER onto the desk! The fans fire up and Priest drags Dom up to then POST him! Dom falls in a heap, but Priest puts Dom in the ring. Priest then notices a very suspicious Santa Claus. Priest snatches the beard away, and tada! It’s JD! Priest TOSSES JD and the fans cheer! JD wants mercy but Priest SLIDES him across the desk! The fans fire up as Wade narrowly avoids getting hit!
Priest then has a Spider Sense moment, and he looks under the ring! Carlito spits out his apple in surprise! Priest drags Carlito up and TOSSES him into the timekeeper’s area! But then Finn attacks!
Winner: Damian Priest, by disqualification
Finn fires hands, but Priest blocks the desk bump! Priest body shots and SMACKS Finn off the desk! And again, and again! Priest puts Finn in the ring, Dom runs up, but Priest DECKS him! Priest fires more hands on Finn, but the Judgment Day regroups! They mug Priest 4v1 as usual, and JD even drops elbows! The fans boo but the Judgment Day stand Priest up. WAIT! Here comes the War Raiders! Erik & Ivar fire hands on Dom & Carlito, and Priest TOSSES JD! Finn realizes he’s alone, and Priest SUPERKICKS him down! Priest stomps a mudhole into Finn, the Raiders put Carlito and Dom in the ring!
Ivar KNEES Carlito, then feeds him to Erik’s KNEE! The fans cheer, JD gets up, but Priest LARIATS him inside-out! Dom is fed to the WAR MACHINE!! Finn staggers up, but Priest grabs him! And Finn goes SOUTH OF HEAVEN!! The Judgment Day just got further embarrassed, and that’s not even considering JD’s Santa costume. Will the War Raiders be some unlikely allies for Priest in this ongoing war with the Judgment Day?
Sit-down interview with Seth Rollins.
Jackie Redmond thanks The Visionary for taking this time to talk with her, and he says it is his pleasure. Jackie talked with CM Punk and heard what he had to say, what Punk believes, when it comes to Rollins’ hatred for Punk. And we have heard from Rollins, as well, but Jackie’s still just curious. What is the root cause, the driving force, of this disdain he clearly feels for CM Punk? Rollins says the thing is, he has tried to explain how he feels many times over the years, and it sort of… Well, he won’t say he’s talking into the wind, but Rollins just feels Punk has needed the WWE more than the WWE needed him.
And so that hypocrisy from Punk is what just eats at Rollins. It is hard for Rollins to let that go. Jackie mentions how Rollins has talked about getting rid of it by “cutting it out” and fighting through it, and how this fight with Punk has to happen as a catharsis. What does “cutting” Punk out look like? What should we expect from, not even so much a match, that doesn’t feel like the right word now. Rollins says it’ll be fight. That’s what we’re getting, no question. It is the biggest fight in their sport right now, and Rollins needs it now. After Survivor Series, seeing Punk hand-in-hand with Roman Reigns… Roman’s finger in the air, Punk doing the stupid Go To Sleep thing…
Rollins just wanted to throw the remote through his TV, he was so viscerally, internally destroyed. Rollins felt that was it, no more waiting. The world needs to see it. This is perfect. The Netflix debut, the world will be watching. But to answer the question, he doesn’t know what it’ll look like. You might see a side of Rollins that no one’s ever seen. No pun intended, it will be raw, visceral, violent. Rollins needs to exorcise this demon from his soul, he has to cut the cancer out of his brain, or he is going down. Then the only way to process the betrayal is to go through a fight, and we get that on January 6th, Raw in LA for Netflix.
Jackie thanks Rollins for the time and his honesty. Rollins says yeah, he can’t wait. Will Rollins truly #BurnItDown when it comes to fight CM Punk?
The Miz VS Dexter Lumis!
The Hollywood A-Lister has his own history with the man now turned buzzard, and things are only worse now that this is about the Final Testament and the Wyatt Sick6. Will Miz manage to bury the past once and for all? Or will he get no mercy from Lumis?
Raw returns as Miz waits. A message flashes, “I OPENED THE DOOR,” and then the lights go down. And from that mysterious door to the other side, out steps Lumis. He takes off the Mercy the Buzzard mask, then rushes the ring! Miz scrambles right out as Lumis slithers along the mat! The fans cheer Lumis on while Miz tentatively returns to the ring. The bell rings, Miz wants Lumis to hold on, but Lumis swings hands! Miz bobs ‘n’ weaves, then throws a punch! Lumis just glares at Miz! Miz runs away, Lumis gives chase, and they go around the outside, then back inside! Lumis drags Miz out of the ring to ROCK him!
Miz staggers, Lumis THROWS him into barriers! The fans cheer, Lumis ROCKS Miz again, and then Lumis SMACKS Miz off the apron! Lumis pushes Miz into the ring, Miz bails out, but Lumis goes out to the apron. CANNONBALL! The fans fire up and Lumis brings Miz up. Lumis CLUBS Miz, stalks him, then puts him in the ring. Miz again asks for mercy, but then he tries a cheap kick! Lumis blocks and UPPERCUTS! Lumis scoops, Miz slips free and Miz BOOTS Lumis! Miz runs, but into a THESZ PRESS! Lumis rains down fast hands, then runs to AX HANDLE! The fans fire up and Lumis brings Miz up.
Miz breaks free to throat chop! The ref reprimands but Miz runs, only for Lumis to catch him! URENAGE! Lumis storms around, then goes looks to the corner. Lumis climbs, but wait, the Authors of Pain are here! So Lumis CANNONBALLS onto them! The fans fire up but Kross attacks!
Winner: Dexter Lumis, by disqualification
The Final Testament beats Lumis up and puts him in the ring. Miz stands, confident now that he has reinforcements. Kross says they’ve got Lumis where they want him, but Lumis looks to the sky. Seems it’s the other way around! The lights go down, and when they come up, the rest of the Wyatts are here! They brawl with Final Testament and then send them running! Nikki wants uppies, and Erik Rowan pops her up to POWERBOMB her out onto The Final Testament! Nikki is all fired up as the Wyatts stand together! Will The Final Testament be the one buried and forgotten after all is said and done?
The War Raiders regroup backstage.
Erik & Ivar are fired up after getting the better of Judgment Day, and then Priest walks in. He says what’s up, and they give him some pushes and shoves of excitement. Priest says okay, okay, settle down. But that was good, and he appreciates the save. Ivar says hey, they’ve all known each other a long time. And while they haven’t always seen eye to eye, there has always been honor here. They may not be friends, but Priest had their backs in a big way last week and they don’t forget that. They owed him, they got him. Priest respects that. If the War Raiders are at war with the Judgment Day, then he’ll go to war with them.
They all fist bump, and Erik & Ivar say they like the sound of that. Could these three finally tear down Judgment Day once and for all?
The zero symbol returns…
And now it’s joined by a pentagram? What could these clues be leading to?
The New Day barges out to ringside.
And Kofi Kingston tells Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett on commentary that no no no no! You do not get to speak about them like that! Woods asks what is going on around here? What happened to unbiased journalism? How long has Tessitore even been with the WWE? Not that long, right? Certainly not long enough to know that his job is not to have an opinion but to tell the TRUTH like they have! But it seems in 2024, no one wants the truth! Certainly not these fans. Wade was sympathizing with E as well! Well that’s fine, because Wade and Big E have something in common. They’re not man enough to lace up their boots again and get in the ring!
The fans boo now but Kofi says speaking of getting back int he ring, allow the New Day to do that and continue to tell everyone what they were trying to tell people before. They did NOT put hands on Big E. They could have, laid him out here in the ring, stretchered out of the building again, but they didn’t! So why is everyone so upset!? The fans keep booing but Kofi says this was supposed to be a homecoming for Kofi, and for the woman he bought a plane ticket for to come all the way here to Boston from Ghana, and that is Kofi’s mom! Kofi’s mom is in the front row! Miss Elizabeth Kingston is here, but she doesn’t seem very amused.
Kofi says his mom sat in the middle seat for 20 HOURS, just to see Kofi, and the fans are ruining her experience! This is his mother! The woman who taught him how to be the man that he is today! She does not deserve to see her son get booed out of his own hometown! Woods says they gave the fans ten of the best years of their LIVES…! Kofi steps back outside to apologize to his mom for the fans. She does not deserve this. Kofi doesn’t understand why they’re doing this. Kofi wants a hug. Miss Elizabeth stands up, but she pushes Kofi! She’s upset with HIM, not the fans! Miss Elizabeth takes her coat and leaves! Kofi is confused, what’s this about?
Kofi calls after his mom but she tunes him out. Though, it might be hard to hear over the fans. Will it ever get through to the New Day that they are in the wrong?
The New Day regroups backstage.
And then they cross paths with Rey Mysterio. Woods asks if he’s gonna pile on. Rey says no, it’s not like that. Rey thought about what they said last week, being a locker room leader and all. Rey definitely could’ve handled things better, so he’ll apologize to them. Rey just has the responsibility to help everyone as much as he can. So hey, what New Day did was out of pocket, all foul. And if they want to start fixing things, they can start by apologizing. Whoa, hold up. Them? Apologize to Rey and the locker room? No, they aren’t apologizing, because they didn’t do anything wrong! This is ridiculous!
Rey is just as bad as Big E and everyone else! Why not let Woods pop that mask off again so he can hear them better. New Day did nothing wrong. Rey says okay, fine, que pasa nada. Just don’t say he didn’t try. From this point on, New Day is on their own. And oh, get used to hearing this. “New! Day SUCKS!” With that, Rey takes his leave. After hearing that, will Kofi & Woods have anything but a Merry Christmas?
Sami Zayn VS Drew McIntyre!
The Honorary Uce may have just lost to the Scottish Terminator at Saturday Night’s Main Event, but he isn’t going to give up the fight. Will Sami finally get a win over McIntyre as a Christmas miracle? Or will McIntyre ruin the holidays with a Claymore?
Raw returns and Sami makes his entrance. The bell rings and McIntyre kicks low! McIntyre fires hands, then CHOPS Sami in a corner! McIntyre ROCKS Sami, stands him up, and then CHOPS again! The fans are torn but McIntyre paces while Sami sits down. Sami rises up, and he avoids a chop to fire hands! The fans fire up as Sami CHOPS and fires more punches! The ref backs Sami off, but Sami comes back to stomp and punch! The fans rally behind “SAMI USO!” and Sami whips Mcintyre corner to corner. McIntyre reverses, Sami goes up, but McIntyre KICKS him out of the air!
McIntyre snarls and then he deadlift suplexes Sami! Sami writhes and clutches his back, but McIntyre storms over to him. McIntyre STMOPS Sami’s hands! Then he ROCKS Sami with a right! Sami goes to ropes but McIntyre CHOPS him again! The fans “WOO~!” as that chop echoes out! The fans rally for Sami but McIntyre grins. McIntyre whips but Sami KICKS him in return! Mcintyre comes back but Sami TOSSES him out! The fans fire up and Sami builds speed, but then Mcintyre moves so Sami Arabian Presses to land back inside. Sami smiles as he gets the better of McIntyre, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Sami is in the corner. McIntyre storms up to stomp away on him again! The ref backs McIntyre off but then McIntyre storms back up. McIntyre drag’s Sami up to the apron, and he suplexes Sami up and into the ring! Sami flounders to the ropes and the ref checks him. Sami says he’s still in this, so McIntyre drags Sami back up. But Sami CHOPS McIntyre! And CHOSP! And fires forearms! Sami whips, McIntyre reverses but Sami ducks ‘n’ dodges, only for McIntyre to tilt-o-whirl BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Sami survives and McIntyre grows annoyed. The fans rally up but Sami writhes form all the damage.
McIntyre stalks Sami to the ropes, eggs him on, and then whips him to ropes. Sami ducks ‘n’ dodges again, and this time Sami tilt-o-whirls to DDT! Both men are down and the fans fire up! Sami and McIntyre both rise up, and McIntyre bails out. Sami storms up to ropes, grits his teeth, and he PLANCHAS! But McIntyre catches him! And then he aims for the desk! Sami fights free, and he DRIBBLES McIntyre off the desk! Sami backs off as the ring count climbs, but Sami goes back for McIntyre. McIntyre stops the step bump to SMACK Sami off the steps! McIntyre refreshes the ring count because he wants to do more damage!
McIntyre stalks Sami up the steps, then lifts him for an APRON BACKBREAKER!! Sami falls and writhes, and McIntyre has a manic look on his face as he watches Sami suffer, but Raw goes to break.
Raw returns once again and Mcintyre has Sami in the Inverted Alabama Lift! INVERTED ALABAMA- VICTORY ROLL! TWO!! McIntyre escapes and runs up, but Sami dodges! McIntyre POSTS himself! The fans fire up as McIntyre flops back, and Sami hurries to the corner! Sami climbs, but his back slows him down! McIntyre ROCKS Sami first! And then CHOPS him! McIntyre climbs up after Sami, fires some shots, then fireman’s carries Sami! SUPER WHITE NOISE! A shoutout to Sheamus and McIntyre covers, TWO!! The fans fire up while McIntyre grows frustrated. Sami stirs but McIntyre watches him closely.
The fans rally and McIntyre drags Sami back up. But Sami cradle counters! TWO! McIntyre GLASGOW KISS HEADBUTTS! Sami falls and McIntyre snarls. McIntyre goes to a corner, and he takes aim at Sami. Here comes the countdown! “THREE! TWO! ONE!” But Sami LARIATS McIntyre! And then a clinch, EXPLODER into the corner! Sami goes to the other side and the fans fire up! Sami aims as McIntyre rises, but that back tightens up. Sami fights through the pain, gets running, but CLAYMORE!! Cover, McIntyre wins!
Winner: Drew McIntyre, by pinfall
That was perhaps the closest Sami’s come, but he was still so far away from victory over McIntyre. 3-0 in 2024, 10-0 overall, and McIntyre stands over Sami to rub it in. Sami is already dazed, but McIntyre rains down fists! The fans boo, the ref reprimands, but McIntyre shoves the ref away to HAMMER Sami down! But here comes Jey, just like earlier tonight! Jey runs in, dodges again, and this time, SPEAR!! Jey has Mcintyre down, but now he goes up! But wait! TAMA TONGA SHOVES JEY OFF THE TOP!! Solo Sikoa & The Bloodline are here! McIntyre is just as surprised, but given the truce they called on Friday, McIntyre takes his leave.
The Bloodline beat down Sami & Jey, which McIntyre loves to see. Tama Tonga rains down fists on Main Event Jey in a corner, but the fans chant for “O T C! O T C!” Instead, Jacob Fatu gets running! But Jey dodges the hip attack! SUPERKICK for Tama! Jey fires haymakers on Jacob! “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Solo steps in to swing, but Jey dodges! Jey ROCKS Solo! Jacob SUPERKICKS Jey! The fans boo as the Samoan Werewolf gets all geeked up! Solo adds his SAMOAN SPIKE!! Solo throws off his jacket, sits Jey back up, but Sami gets in! Sami fires hands, but Tama TACKLES Sami! Tama beats Sami down and fans boo again.
Solo tells Tama to set Sami up, and Tama stomps Sami into the corner. Jacob runs in, to HIP ATTACK! Jacob isn’t done, he puts Sami in the drop zone to go up, up and BEST MOONSAULT EVER! The fans boo but Solo adds on another SAMOAN SPIKE!! Solo roars, then he and his Bloodline stand over the OGs. Jacob adorns Solo with the ula fala, will not even Roman Reigns be able to stop the “Undisputed” Tribal Chief? Will all of the WWE have no choice but to acknowledge Solo Sikoa?
My Thoughts:
A great Raw here to build both the last Raw of 2024 and the first Raw of 2025, aka the Netflix debut. Rollins had a very good interview promo to add just a little more to things, but I feel like there’s little left that they need to say. Very good stuff with Judgment Day, such as the classic “X, can you tell Y…” gag from Finn and Liv. Dom thinking their plan to screw Priest over would work is hilarious, as was how it all fell apart. Priest gets the win from disqualification, but then great save from the War Raiders. Good promo from Priest and War Raiders, love the reference to ROH by saying “honor” there, and that’s a solid Six Man Tag right there.
Fun little bit from Pearce with Pure Fusion Collective, and of course Sonya thought she’d get a second chance, and of course Pearce uses real logic to say no way. Iyo Sky replacing Kairi Sane was announced last week on social media, so I guess Sonya didn’t check between shows. Great Triple Threat from Iyo, Alba and Natty, and of course Iyo won or else why put her in there? Iyo VS Lyra next round will be great stuff, as will Dakota Kai VS Zoey Stark, and whatever combination we get for the title match is going to be great. I don’t think we’ll get DMG CTRL VS DMG CTRL, so if Dakota wins, Iyo loses, and then vice-versa.
Great stuff with American Made and Alpha Academy, but of course Tozawa takes the loss. Otis standing up to Gable & The Creeds was a great moment, and I really hope we get Gable VS Otis for the big Netflix debut. Win or lose, Otis should definitely have a moment where he rallies through Gable and both Creeds, really get the crowd hot before the finish. Miz VS Lumis was good but could’ve been better. With only two hours, I guess they had to trim things down to the basics. Another disqualification finish tonight is a bit much, but I guess it keeps things going until we can come up with some kind of new 8 Man Tag, or even a really wild Mixed 10 Person match so Nikki and Scarlett can get involved legally.
Great stuff with New Day, from their interaction with Dom, then their “interrupting” the show to try and get their point across. It was great to have Mama Kingston there, and I just knew she would be disappointed in Kofi. Good promo with Rey, too, as Rey now leaves New Day out in the cold. I feel like we need a big tag team match to not only have Heel New Day show their stuff against like LWO, Alpha Academy, etcetera, and then they earn their way to a match with the War Raiders to revisit their feud, just with flipped Heel and Face dynamics. That could be some really good stuff as Raw on Netflix paves the road to WrestleMania 41.
And great stuff with McIntyre and the extended Bloodline. He and Sami had a great promo to again bring up family and sacrifice, but also how Roman’s OG Bloodline came back together without Roman ever changing a thing. Great brawls, great saves by Jey, and of course McIntyre won the match. Jey will of course get next, probably also for the Netflix debut, but good stuff with Solo Sikoa and his Bloodline showing up. They beat down Jey & Sami to send a message to Roman, who was obviously not going to be here tonight. There will surely be a response in part on SmackDown, but maybe more verbal than physical.
I feel like the “Transfer Window” will need to put all Bloodline members, old and new, on one brand so the story can be told all on one show. It’d just be easier while Jimmy’s foot is healing, because what can Roman do without backup against Solo, Tama & Jacob? And honestly, still waiting on when and where Hikuleo is going to show up. This is a good time to bring him in with Tonga Loa also hurt, so Solo can get the numbers edge on Roman again.
My Score: 8.8/10
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The Road to the Tokyo Dome goes through KOPW!
As 2024 nears an end, Great-O-Khan defends the KOPW Championship one more time, against a former KOPW Champion in Taichi! Who will be THE 2024 King of Pro-Wrestling?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff – Chase Your Dream Match: Shoma Kato VS Hiromu Takahashi; Hiromu wins.
- Boltin Oleg VS Satoshi Kojima; Boltin wins.
- Triple Threat Tag: Jeff Cobb & Jakob Austin Young VS Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson VS Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi; Narita & Yujiro win.
- DOUKI & Taka Michinoku VS El Desperado & Master Wato; Desperado & Wato win.
- Fatal 4 Way: Kevin Knight VS Robbie Eagles VS Francesco Akira VS “Drilla” Dan Moloney; Eagles wins.
- Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club War Dogs; LIJ wins.
- Shota Umino & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita; ZSJ & Fujita win.
- KOPW Championship Three Stages of Hell: Great-O-Khan VS Taichi; Khan wins and is the definitive 2024 KOPW Champion.
PLAY BY PLAY
After the Triple Threat Tag…
The House of Torture of course cheated to win, but they wouldn’t leave it at that! They waited until the United Empire and TMDK argued with each other to then attack them all! Yujiro Takahashi CLUBS Oiwa down while Narita shoves Cobb into big Hartley Jackson! And then Narita JAMS Cobb with the pushup bar! The fans boo but Narita JAMS Oiwa up, too! The Souled Out Son of Strong Style is so proud of himself as he holds up his NJPW World TV Championship, but wait. Christmas music starts playing? The fans clap along as surprise! Santa and his reindeer are here! Well, one reindeer. But shouldn’t the House of Torture be on the naughty list?
Santa Claus walks over, and he gets the mic. He sounds familiar as he tells, “Narita-san… You have a Christmas present waiting. Would you like it now?” Narita asks what the heck is going on. Santa steps into the ring and offers Narita the little tiny bag. Narita snatches the bag, then he and Yujiro look at it. The fans asks, “Nani nani? <What is it?>” Narita tells them to shut up. Narita gets the bag open and pulls out… Blue sunglasses! With LED lights! The fans cheer as the lights go down! “E! L! P!” EL PHANTASMO IS HERE! The Headbanga has been battling cancer, but he’s here in Korakuen Hall!
Narita is furious but ELP slides right into the ring! Narita & Yujiro run away, but the fans cheer ELP on as he stands side-by-side with Jado Claus. ELP gets the mic now, and the fans cheer him on. ELP takes a moment before saying, in Japanese, “Cancer. Cancer… I’ve beaten cancer! And I love Korakuen!” But ELP asks Jado-san how to say a certain something in Japanese. He whispers it, but then Narita & Yujiro attack! The fans boo these cowards, but then Narita says Merry Christmas! But ELP BOOTS him, ELBOWS Yujiro, then dodges Narita to SUDDEN DEATH! Jado Claus DECKS the Tokyo Pimp!
ELP again asks Jado, and Jado says on behalf of ELP, that ELP is going to wrestle tomorrow night! And… Then he’ll be at the Tokyo Dome! ELP grabs the NJPW World TV Championship! ELP looks it over, and looks to the crowd, and then to Jado, but then Jeff Cobb and Ryohei Oiwa get in the ring. Cobb asks if ELP’s good. ELP is good. Are they good? Then let’s turn it up a notch! FATAL 4 WAY for the TV Championship! Narita snatches his belt, gets out of the ring, and tells everyone to shut up! The odds just got stacked against the House of Torture, will the New Year have a NEW NJPW World TV Champion one way or another?
Shota Umino & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita!
Ahead of battling for THE IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, The Roughneck and The Front Man bring some back up! The Ace is also preparing to fight Evil, will he and Shota bring a Once in a Century Paradigm Shift? Or will ZSJ and the Japanese Young Punk prove The Mighty Don’t Kneel?
The teams sort out and Shota starts against ZSJ. The fans cheer this WrestleKingdom preview, and Korakuen duels between “SHOTA! SHOTA!” and “ZAKU! ZAKU!” ZSJ and Shota feel things out, then knuckle lock. ZSJ clinches but Shota fights back with his own clinch. ZSJ slips around to chinbar but Shota wrenches to a wristlock. ZSJ rolls, tries another chinbar but Shota cranks the wristlock. ZSJ bridges, spins, slips around and wrangles Shota! Shota kips up to WRING the arm, but ZSJ UP KICKS! The fans cheer as the two reset. Shota and ZSJ circle, feel things out, and knuckle lock. ZSJ then stands on Shota’s hand!
ZSJ has another hand and twists the wrist! Then he has both arms for a motorcycle stretch but Shota fights up. Shota turns things around, and he fights ZSJ as ZSJ tries to turn them back. ZSJ keeps trying, and he pushes through, but Shota spins things right back around! The fans cheer while Shota digs a foot into ZSJ’s back. ZSJ flips, kips up, spins things around, but Shota spins them back! The fans cheer, and Shota spins ZSJ. ZSJ dodges the lariat, Shota blocks a kick, but ZSJ ducks the enzigiri! Shota avoids the Penalty Kick and arm-drags ZSJ, but ZSJ headscissors! Shota kips free, avoids a leg pick, and the fans cheer!
Shota dares ZSJ to go for the leg but the two reset again. They feel things out, knuckle lock, and each man breaks free of one. They back off, and Shota tags in Tanahashi. The fans cheer, ZSJ tags in Fujita, and Korakuen strongly supports President Ace. Tanahashi and Fujita circle, tie up, and Tanahashi powers Fujita back. The ref counts, Tanahashi lets off slowly, but then Fujita turns things around! Tanahashi turns things around, and repeat! The ref counts, Fujita lets off slowly, but then both men block a kick! They argue over who lets go first, and eventually agree for a mutual break. They set the feet down, but then Fujita holds on!
Fujita CHOPS Tanahashi, then whips. Tanahashi reverses but Fujita ducks ‘n’ dodges to GAMANGIRI! The fans fire up and Fujita aims from a corner. Fujita runs corner to corner but Tanahashi BOOTS him! Shota CLOBBERS Fujita, then eggs ZSJ on! ZSJ runs up, Shota blocks a kick and he sends ZSJ into Tanahashi’s ELBOW! Shota CLOBBERS ZSJ and the fans fire up. Shota pursues ZSJ to the outside and CLUBS him down! Shota clamps onto ZSJ with a chinlock but the ref reprimands. Tanahashi CHOPS Fujita, but Fujita CHOPS Tanahashi! The fans fire up as Fujita storms back up, but he blocks a boot!
Fujita DRAGON SCREWS Tanahashi’s leg! Fujita kips up, ZSJ sends Shota into railing, and Fujita stomps Tanahashi. The fans rally and Fujita brings Tanahashi up to CHOP! Fujita eggs Tanahashi on, CHOPS him again, then CHOPS again! Tanahashi flounders and ZSJ tags in. ZSJ drags Tanahashi up to UPPERCUT! Tanahashi ends up in the TMDK corner, ZSJ UPPERCUTS him again! ZSJ says, “Mada mada!” and he UPPERCUTS again! Tanahashi falls, ZSJ tags in Fujita, and Fujita brings Tanahashi up. Fujita CHOPS again, and then CHOPS again! Tanahashi is stinging and using the ropes for defense while the fans rally up.
Tanahashi storms up but Fujita CHOPS! Tanahashi CHOPS, Fujita CHOPS! Tanahashi falls and Fujita BLASTS Shota! Tag to ZSJ and he grabs a leg. Fujita also grabs one, they drag Tanahashi to center, and then they both go after arms. Then they shift, ZSJ has an arm while Fujita has a leg! Then they both have legs again! Then ZSJ has a leg and Fujita has an arm! Then back to the arms! They both isolate the arms for DOUBLE STOMPS! The fans cheer, the ref reprimands and ZSJ “apologizes” with a bow. ZSJ stands on one of Tanahashi’s legs to then twist the other! Tanahashi endures, even as ZSJ TWEAKS the ankle!
ZSJ twists the foot the other way, flips Tanahashi over, and shifts around to have a headscissor and armlock! Shota stomps ZSJ but Fujita goes after Shota! Fujita TOSSES Shota, ZSJ tags Fujita back in. Fujita stomps Tanahashi, KICKS him in the back, but Tanahashi gets mad! Fujita KICKS Tanahashi but Tanahashi fires up! Fujita KICKS and CHOPS, but Tanahashi fires forearm after forearm! Fujita CHOPS again! Tanahashi grits his teeth but Fujita CHOPS again! And CHOPS again! SHOTEI! Fujita falls but so does Tanahashi! The fans rally up while both men crawl, hot tag to Shota! Shota rallies on Fujita with big forearms and elbows!
Shota whips, Fujita reverses, but Shota dropkicks the legs out! ZSJ runs up and RAMS Shota! Then ZSJ runs, but into Shota’s DROPKICK! The fans fire up and Shota goes to Fujita. Shota whips corner to corner, runs up, and UPPERCUTS! Shota reels Fujita in, FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Not quite perfect but Shota doesn’t mind. Shota clinches but Fujita fights the suplex with elbows. Shota runs up, but Fujita wrenches, waistlocks, but Shota ELBOWS free! Shota whips, Fujita reverses and DROPKICKS! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! Fujita crawls, hot tag to ZSJ!
ZSJ runs up to BOOT Shota! Shota stays up so ZSJ runs to BOOT him again! And BOOT him again! Shota roars and ROCKS ZSJ! Shota runs to ROCK ZSJ again! ZSJ UPPERCUTS, Shota eggs him on, repeat! Shota UPPERCUTS and ZSJ roars! ZSJ UPPER- NO, Shota hooks the arm, but ZSJ wrenches out of the backslide to PELE the arm! Then ZSJ basement DROPKICKS Shota! The fans fire up while Shota clutches a leg and an arm. ZSJ kicks him around, scuffs him and taunts him. The fans rally, the ref checks Shota, but Shota is okay to continue. ZSJ stands Shota up to UPPERCUT! And UPPERCUT!
Shota clinches to EXPLODER! Both men are down and the fans rally again! Shota crawls, hot tag to Tanahashi! Fujita runs up, but Tanahashi blocks a kick to DRAGON SCREW! Payback for earlier! Tanahashi runs up at ZSJ in a corner, blocks a boot, and DRAGON SCREWS! Tanahashi put some stank on that one! Then he goes up the corner for a SUNSET SENTON! Cover, TWO! ZSJ stays in this but the fans continue to rally! “GO ACE! GO ACE!” echoes out as Tanahashi runs, but ZSJ catches him into a COBRA TWIST! Tanahashi endures, then throws elbows into ZSJ’s leg. Tanahashi gets free to DRAGON SCREW again!
ZSJ writhes, Tanahashi ties the legs up, but ZSJ kicks at him! Tanahashi blocks a kick to GROUND DRAGON SCREW! And now, TEXAS CLOVER- NO, ZSJ fights the turnover and reels Tanahashi into a TRIANGLE HOLD! Tanahashi endures and the fans rally up, but Shota gets in! Shota stomps away on ZSJ, but then Fujita MISSILE DROPKICKS Shota! Fujita brings Tanahashi up but Tanahashi SHOTEIS him down! ZSJ is after Tanahashi but he avoids the shotei! ZSJ SLAPS Tanahashi, then PENALTY KICKS! Cover, TWO!! Tanahashi survives but ZSJ gives him a NECK TWIST! The fans fire up as ZSJ stand Tanahashi up.
ZSJ scoops but Tanahashi fights that, to a TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! The fans fire up but Tanahashi isn’t done! TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Tanahashi stands ZSJ up again, but ZSJ scoops to ZACK DRIVER!! Cover, ZSJ & Fujita win!
Winners: Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita, by pinfall
Shota can’t believe The Ace fell, but this is why ZSJ is the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion! Will ZSJ do this all to Shota when they’re 1v1 in the Tokyo Dome? Or will Shota prove he’s mightier than The Mighty?
KOPW Championship Three Stages of Hell: Great-O-Khan VS Taichi!
The Dominator has, well, dominated as KOPW Champion for a long stretch of 2024, but the Holy Emperor did close out 2023 with this title. Granted, Taichi says that win, lose or draw, this is his final KOPW Championship match. As such, tonight’s stipulation is a sort of “Best Of” compilation as we go Best 2 Out of 3. Part one: a no ropes Sumo Rules match! Part two: Yoshinobu Kanemaru as special guest referee? Well, he would be a neutral party… And part three, if needed, will be a LAST MAN STANDING MATCH! Will Taichi “retire” from this truly freestyle division standing tall? Or will Khan truly conquer KOPW for the United Empire?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, but Taichi also brings back the trophy for the occasion, and it’s time to end the year in style!
Sumo Rules!
Both men finish preparations with weight belts and some stretching. They square up, the ref says go and they RAM into each other! The fans rally as both men go for those weight belts to use as leverage. They go around, get very close to the ring edge, but then Khan moves things away. Khan THROWS Taichi, but Taichi stays on the ring so the sumo match continues. They reset and go again! Taichi pushes Khan back with both hands, but Khan digs in his heels! They clinch, go around, and Taichi goes for the edge! Khan pulls on Taichi’s leg to get around, but Taichi uses that to steer Khan to another edge! But Khan hits a fireman’s carry takeover!
Khan drags Taichi up but Taichi fights off the throw! They clinch and fight for control again. They each try to lift with the belt! Khan has Taichi near the edge, but then Taichi has Khan near the edge! Khan is teetering and the fans fire up! Taichi THROWS Khan to the floor, Taichi wins the fall!
Khan: 0; Taichi: 1
Special Guest Referee!
The fans are thunderous as Taichi takes the Sumo Rules fall, but now we go to a much more complicated situation. The ropes have to be put back up, sure, but now the Heel Master of all people is going to be the referee! The time it takes to set up the ropes is a reprieve for both sides, especially Khan as he has to catch his breath and refocus. Once the ropes are up, both men wait in the ring. All that is left is the buckle pads, and of course, Kanemaru himself. Kanemaru gets a proper introduction and entrance before he goes to the ring, and wow, he’s even wearing an official NJPW referee shirt with the lion mark on it.
Referee Kanemaru does his check and he even tells Taka Michinoku to watch himself. Kanemaru does a far less thorough check of Khan than Taichi! Did the Empire pay Kanemaru off?! Kanemaru has Taichi cool off, then whispers something to Khan! The bell rings, the fans rally for Khan, and Khan circles with Taichi. They tie up, Taichi powers Khan to ropes, and Kanemaru calls for a ropebreak. Then he has a fast count! Taichi lets off before 4 and argues with Kanemaru! Kanemaru says that’s his count, deal with it. Khan and Taichi reset, tie up, and Khan puts Taichi on ropes. Kanemaru pays more attention to Taka than Taichi!
The fans can’t help but laugh as Kanemaru finally does count, and now it’s really slow! Taichi protests, but Khan pulls Taichi’s arms. Then he CHOPS Taichi and stops at “3!” Khan then goes after Taichi, wrenches and wristlocks, and Kanemaru is asking if Taichi gives up!? Taichi tells him to shut up, but Khan kicks and CLUBS Taichi. Khan whips, Taichi BOOTS Khan down, then covers! Kanemaru strolls over to count! And it’s so slow! “TWO” and the fans cheer. Taichi is upset, but Khan rolls Taichi up! SO FAST!! TWO!! Taichi is getting pissed but Kanemaru backs away. Taichi stomps Khan, and Kanemaru’s untying a buckle pad?!
Taichi stomps Khan around, Khan leaves the pad there loosely, and Taichi whips. Khan reverses, and SURPRISE! bare buckles! Taka protests but Kanemaru SMACKS him with the pad! Khan plays dumb, and then he stands on Taichi’s lower back. Taichi has the ropes, but Kanemaru kicks the arm away! Khan has Taichi’s other arm, Taichi keeps grabbing for ropes but Kanemaru keeps kicking the hand away! Khan drags Taichi up, brings him around, and ROCKS him in the back! Taichi goes to a corner, Khan Mongolian Chops him on the back! And Mongolian Chops again! And Mongolian Chops again! Kanemaru doesn’t bother counting at all!
Taka protests, Kanemaru warns him, but then Khan hops up to sit on his throne! The fans cheer while Taichi endures, and only now does Kanemaru count! Khan asks hold on, hold on, so Kanemaru stops counting! Khan hops down, and then he puts Kanemaru up on the throne! Khan gets the fans to join in on the “Ohh…! HMPH!” Kanemaru isn’t into it so he hops down. Khan apologizes to Kanemaru, then he kicks Taichi around. Taichi gets up to fire hands! Khan kicks low, whips, but Taichi reverses to wrench and HOOK KICK! The fans fire up while both men are down. Taichi stands, and he drags Khan up into SEITEI JUJIHOU!
Kanemaru might be stuck, he can’t ignore Khan tapping. But then Kanemaru drags Khan over to the ropes! Taichi is frustrated with Kanemaru but Kanemaru says that’s a ropebreak. Taichi storms up on Kanemaru, but then Khan waistlocks! Ripcord and SAYANAGI! Both men are down again and the fans rally up! Taichi goes to a corner, Khan runs in, but Taichi dodges! GAMANGIRI! The fans fire up and Taichi snarls. Taichi TAKES OFF THE PANTS! The pants were a bit stubborn, but still. But then Kanemaru “checks” Khan just to stay between him and Taichi! Taichi says move or else! Kanemaru says he’s the ref!
Kanemaru kicks Taichi, CLAWS Taichi’s eyes, then traps his arms! Khan gets up to IRON RIGHT!! Kanemaru “scolds” Khan, then “checks” Taichi. Khan rests in a corner and Kanemaru drags Taichi up for him. Taichi CHOKES Kanemaru! Kanemaru kicks low! Kanemaru whips Taichi into a corner, ELBOWS him, then Khan LARIATS! Khan snapmares and covers, Kanemaru wants more first! Khan sits Taichi up for a BASEMENT DROPKICK! Now cover, TWO!! Taichi survives so Kanemaru hurries to get his whiskey! Khan takes a swig, and Kanemaru sets Taichi up! WHISKEY MIST into Kanemaru! Taichi hits the GEDO CLUTCH, but Kanemaru really can’t count now!
Taichi lets off of Khan since there was no count to be had. Taichi drags Kanemaru up, but Khan WHISKEY BOTTLE SHOTS Taichi! IRON CLAW!! Kanemaru calls for the bell? He just hands the win to Khan without counting, so now we’re all tied up!
Khan: 1; Taichi: 1
Kanemaru has fulfilled the contract, Khan gives him the envelope of money. Khan even makes sure we all see how many thousands that is! Kanemaru heads out, is he going to party hard for the holidays? But that aside, it is time for the final fall!
Last Man Standing!
Taichi gets the mic first, and tells Khan that if that’s how Khan wants to do it, then Taichi will get down and dirty with Khan! No lumberjacks, no special guests, just the straight up ten count, and it can happen anywhere in Korakuen Hall! Khan says bet! The announcement is made for the official rule change, and now we have the final fall! Khan rushes Taichi on the outside, then whips him into railing! And we’re already going into the crowd! Khan throws Taicihi at English commentary, but big Hartley is a solid wall for Chris. Khan then drags Taichi up into the bleachers, and the fans clear out of the way!
Khan CHOKES Taichi with a chair, then lets off to clear chairs out of the way. The Young Lions try to help but Khan gets mad at them and pushes them aside. Khan drags Taichi up, knees him low, and then reels him in! But Taichi fights the sayanagi! Taichi SHOVES Khan, Khan falls to the floor but gets up, only for Taichi to CROSSBODY! Down goes Khan and Red Shoes hurries over. Both men are down but Taichi sits up. The count starts and Khan is still down at 5 of 10! Khan hurries to get up, and Taichi stomps him down! Taichi drags Khan back up into the bleachers, but we go the other way.
Taicih KICKS Khan down, Young Lions keep the fans back again, and Taichi drags Khan along. They keep moving through the crowd, and Taichi shoves Khan into chairs! Khan sputters but Taichi drags him up again. Taichi KNEES Khan, then drags him up. They go back down to floor level, and then Taichi aims at chairs! Taichi whips but Khan reverses and he BOWLS Taichi into chairs! Not quite a strike but he got a good number of those chairs! Khan pops the railing loose from the special corner piece, and he brings that corner piece over! Khan SMACKS Taichi with the steel! Taichi staggers away but he sits in a chair.
Khan starts folding chairs to stack them on the floor. Khan then uses one chair as a leash to drag Taichi over! Khan CLUBS Taichi, adds that one chair to the pile, and then snap suplexes Taichi onto the chairs! Taichi writhes but Khan rises up. Khan roars and the fans fire up! The count begins again but Taichi slowly sits up at 4. Taichi rises up, and he stands at 8! Khan brings Taichi around in a headlock, and they go to the orange bleachers! Khan uses the gate to smother Taichi, then they go up to the higher level! The fans fire up but then fans have to move! Khan KNEES and CLUBS Taichi, then whips Taichi at the exit door!
Taichi tumbles into the hallway! Khan drags Taichi back into the arena and uses the HITSUJIGOROSHI against the chairs! Taichi endures as Khan chokes him, then Khan lets him go! Red Shoes checks on Taichi, Taka coaches him, but the count begins. Khan sits in a chair to relax while he waits. Taichi sits up at 7, and stands at 9! Khan storms up on Taichi to CLUB him on the back! Khan headlocks Taichi, brings him to the other section, and he gets up close to the fans for photo ops. Khan then whips, but Taichi reverses, and Khan is sent into the wall! Taichi leaves Khan behind while the count begins again.
Khan sits up so Taichi KICKS him back down! Taichi drags Khan up, KICKS him again, and Khan falls to his knees. Taichi drags Khan up by his ponytail, and he goes close to the stairs that lead to the back! Khan fights the suplex, and for his life, but then he turns things around! Taichi fights the suplex, throws hands, and then DDTS Khan to the floor! Red Shoes checks both men, then starts the count. Taichi shakes out his arms and sits up at 4. Taichi stands at 6 but Khan is still down at 8! Khan drags himself up at 9! Taichi CLUBS Khan down, then brings him back up. Taichi brings Khan back to ground level, then snapmares him hard for a KICK!
Khan is in agony but Taichi drags him back up. But Khan RAMS Taichi into the railing! Taichi sputters while also sitting in a chair. Khan staggers away to ringside, and he goes looking under the ring. Khan brings out a trolly cart? Khan JAMS Taichi up using his own mic stand, then leaves him behind. Khan brings out a TABLE! Fans rally up as Khan puts the table on the trolly, then he staggers over to Taichi. Khan CLUBS Taichi down, then SHOVES him onto the table trolly combo. Khan has fans clear out, and then he SNOW PLOWS the chairs with Taichi on the cart!! The fans fire up as Khan stands over Taichi.
Khan drags Taichi up, and he brings the table along, too. Khan kicks chairs out of the way as he returns to the upper deck! Khan SMACKS Taichi off the edge, then he clears out space. Khan sets the table up, then he goes up to fetch Taichi. Khan JAMS Taichi up with a chair, then SMACKS him! Taichi writhes, fans rally, and Khan drags Taichi up. Khan vows to end this! IRON CLAW, and ELIMI- NO! Taichi fights Khan off! Taichi stumbles away through the crowd, but then grabs himself a chair. Taichi runs up to JAM Khan right in the face! Taichi then steals Khan’s idea to choke grip and CHOKE SLAM down through the table!!!
Khan writhes and the fans go nuts! Taichi hobbles around while Red Shoes counts Khan. Khan is still down at 5! Still down at 7! 9! KHAN GRABS RED SHOES’S HAND!! Khan survives, and though he has a couple bloody cuts on his back, he crawls his way to the ring. Taichi eggs Khan on and the fans are thunderous! Khan drags himself into the ring, Taichi runs, AX BOMBER!! The fans fire up and the count returns! Khan is still down at 5, stirs at 6, sits up at 7, and he rises at 8! So Taichi just runs up to AX BOMBER!! Khan drops to his knees, flops over, but he’s already pushing himself back up! Taichi runs again, AX BOMBER!!
Khan staggers around but he stays on his feet! Taichi says fine, AX- SAYANAGI!! Khan turns things around, and he AX BOMBERS in return!! Both men are down and the fans rally as hard as they can! The count is on both men, and Khan crawls for ropes at 5! Taichi slowly sits up at 6, and both men go to corners at 7! Red Shoes waits on them to rise up, and then Taichi fires up! Taichi runs up, DOUBLE LARIATS collide! Neither man falls, so Taichi BOOTS! Khan BOOTS back! Taichi URAKENS! Khan MONGOLIAN CHOPS! Taichi SOBATS! Khan BODY BLOWS! Both men drop to knees, but they also grab at each other.
The fans rally as Khan and Taichi slowly rise. They are forehead to forehead, and then Taichi AX BOMBERS! Khan drops to his knees, Taichi BUZZSAWS, but Khan blocks it! Khan ROCKS Taichi with a right! And then Khan reels Taichi in, but Taichi Alabama Lifts! BLACK- NO, Khan fights into a GUILLOTINE! Taichi is stuck in the body scissors!! Taichi flails, even taps out, but that’s not how Last Man Standing works! Khan squeezes tighter and tighter, Taichi fades, and Red Shoes checks! Khan lets Taichi go and the count begins! Khan rises at 6, and Taichi is somehow up at 9!! So Khan clamps on an IRON CLAW!
Khan lifts Taichi, but Taichi slips free! Taichi shoves Khan and ROCKS him! DANGEROUS SAIDO!! But Khan is staggering to his feet?! Khan goes to a corner, flounders along ropes, but he isn’t down yet! The fans rally hard while both men fight to their feet! SUPERMAN PUNCH from Khan! PELE from Taichi! Both men are down again! Red Shoes starts the count on them both, and the fans rally even harder! Taichi is up at 7! Khan grabs Red Shoes at 9 again!! Taichi roars, Korakuen is with him, and he powers up! TENSHI JUJI- NO!! Khan blocks, and he hooks Taichi! Taichi CLUBS away on Khan, but Khan still lifts! ULTIMATE ELIMINATOR!!
Both men are down again and the fans rally as hard as they can! The count is on both men, and they’re both down at 5! At 7! 9! Khan pushes up, but he FLOPS back down!! DOUBLE TEN! IT’S A DRAW!! What does that mean for the belt!? Red Shoes goes out to talk with Abe-san, and then the announcement is made. In the end, with it being 1-1-1, a true draw, it all goes to KHAN!
Winner: Great-O-Khan, by pinfall (DEFINITIVE 2024 KOPW Champion)
Khan flips Taichi off, one last insult added on top. Khan is given the belt back, but Taichi grabs his trophy. Taichi steps up to Khan, and gives him the trophy, saying it is rightfully his now. Taichi shows Khan that respect, and Khan returns it with a handshake. Khan “retires” Taichi from KOPW, what will the Holy Emperor look to do in 2025?
As for Khan, he grabs the mic, and he asks Taichi to wait a moment. “You served this title for three years. We will honor your glory!” The fans applaud that, and Khan asks the previous champion to come closer. No, closer. The fans cheer Taichi on as he steps closer to ringside. Khan says Taichi served this title well, so here is his reward. Khan is giving the trophy back? Taichi says no, he gave that to Khan out of respect. Khan says to Taichi and to everyone to listen well. “We are the last KOPW Champion!” Everyone is a bit surprised to hear that.
Khan says, “As an alternative, on January 4th in the Tokyo Dome… as THE last KOPW Champion, We demand that the January 4th match determine the next IWGP World Heavyweight Championship challenger!” The fans are really intrigued by that idea! Khan throws down the belt, and Chris makes sure English speakers understand what Khan is suggesting. The New Japan Ranbo determining a #1 contender? Khan says that these are the words of the final KOPW Champion, The Great-O-Khan! “HAIL US, PEASANTS!” A New Year, a new era? Will Khan’s revolution bring glory to the United Empire?
My Thoughts:
A very good night for Road to Tokyo Dome, though I did skip a lot just because I didn’t have a lot of time today. But luckily I was skimming through, or I would’ve missed ELP’s great return. Congratulations on him beating cancer, and I like that they’re adding him to the NJPW World Television Championship match. It makes sense given ELP’s beef with the House of Torture, and honestly, why not just have ELP win? Not even so much for getting over cancer (though kind of that, too) but because fans love ELP and it’d help him solidify his singles run with Hikuleo long gone for WWE.
Really good stuff in the other tune-up matches, such as #DespeWado winning and the chaotic end to the Fatal 4 Way. Eagles won to help him and Fujita have momentum, but there is still more to the Road to Tokyo Dome first. Honestly that tag Fatal 4 could really go any which way they want so I’m not sure how the go-home math would even work. And Gedo of course took the loss against LIJ. Yota Tsuji is aiming for David Finlay and the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, but who knows how things go before we get to WrestleKingdom.
Very good tag match from Shota & Tanahashi VS ZSJ & Fujita, and it was technically a surprise for Tanahashi to take the loss. This works on many levels, as Tanahashi should be figuratively on the ropes going into his match with Evil, and this gives Fujita equal momentum alongside Eagles. And then great main event, Khan and Taichi really went the distance with this one. And it all makes sense after Khan reveals this is the end of the KOPW Division. Khan wants to make the New Japan Ranbo to basically be the Royal Rumble and that is pretty cool. I think they could keep the belt to represent that contender’s status the same as the G1 Climax having a briefcase, because that KOPW belt actually looks pretty nice.
My Score: 8.8/10
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Mitchell’s ROH Final Battle Results & Report! (12/20/24)
Is this the end of the Forever Reign?
DWI Podcast Classic: Scrooge McBitch
As the snow falls, enjoy this holiday classic from 4 years ago!
Mitchell’s ROH Results & Report! (12/19/24)
One last stop before Final Battle!
