With only 5 days away from the return of the legendary WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, WWE Raw went to Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas. The show mainly focused on building the storylines for the upcoming Saturday Night’s PLE set to take place on Dec 14, along with a Women’s IC Championship Tournament match.
Announced in advance of Monday’s show:
- Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez – Anything Goes match
- The Wyatt Sicks vs. The Final Testament and The Miz in a 8-Man Tag Team match
- Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament: Lyra Valkyria vs. Zelina Vega vs. Ivy Nile
- The New Day’s Promo
- Seth Rollins Promo
- Promo segment featuring Drew McIntyre
Gunther kicks off WWE Raw
World Heavyweight Champion Gunther who is set to face Finn Bálor at the Saturday Nights came down to the ring to kick off this week’s edition of WWE Raw. Just as Gunther began talking to the WWE Universe, Finn Bálor along with his Judgment Day buddies interrupted the ring general. Both superstars had an exchange of words, with Gunther reminding Bálor when he became the WWE Universal Champion 8 years ago just for 1 night.
Gunter also told Bálor that at that one point, he looked up to him with respect and inspiration. But whatever he’s doing now with the Judgment Day, The Ring General has no respect for that. Gunther went wild on Bálor saying that eight years ago he was the best in the world, just for one night.
The Judgment Day then tried to attack the Gunther as they surrounded the ring before an angry Damian Priest made his presence felt. Priest along with Gunther took out the Judgment Day members before Gunther attacked Priest with a clothesline. Both Gunther and Priest started fighting outside the ring, Gunther tried to deliver a powerbomb to Priest on the announce table before Bálor took him out with a sling blade. Bálor then attempted the Coup de Grâce on Gunther from the ring apron as he was lying on the floor.
The remaining members of Judgement Day attacked Priest in the ring, and Bálor joined them too.
The remaining members of Judgement Day attacked Priest in the ring, and Bálor joined them too.
Bad News for Finn: Backstage Segment
After taking out both Gunther and Priest, Raw GM Adam Pearce told Balor that his championship match against Gunthar for the World Heavyweight Championship has now been turned into a triple-threat match with Priest also being added to the mix.
Adam Pearce also told Bálor that he along with JD McDonagh will be defending their World Tag Team Championship against War Raiders next week on WWE Raw. The cherry on top was that “The Judgment Day” would be banned from the ringside.
The Wyatt Sicks faces The Final Testament and The Miz in an 8-man Tag Team match on WWE Raw
A rivalry that has been brewing for weeks here on WWE Raw was set to be addressed inside the ring as The Wyatt Sicks collided with The Final Testament and The Miz. The match began with The Wyatt Sicks dominating the early going in the match before The Final Testament and The Miz got the upper hand. The situation was in control during the early moment of the match, but things started getting difficult for the referee as 8 men started fighting with each other.
After interference by Scarlett in the match Abby The Witch attacked her from the back — scaring Scarlett to death. The Witch then attacked Scarlett with a jump from the steel steps as she was trying to run away backstage from her. Meanwhile, inside the ring Uncle Howdy got Karrion Kross locked into the Sister Abigail before Miz came in just in time to save the match for his team.
Uncle Howdy then struck The Miz with the claw in his mouth before Paul Ellering threw powder on the face of Uncle Howdy — allowing Karrion Kross to pick up the win for his team. I think if WWE plays “The Wyatt Sicks” with patience, they might get a faction that will be loved by the WWE Universe.
Results: The Final Testament and The Miz def The Wyatt Sicks
Ratings: 6 /10
CM Punk in a backstage interview segment with Jackie Redmond
Redmond with wasting no time, jumped right into a question that we’re all hoping to get our answers for “What is the favor?” Punk also answers a few questions about Rollins, saying that he was once on the list of top guys who were going to be fired from the WWE. Punk also mentioned that everything that Rollins has done in his career he has been to that before him.
Dakota Kai vs. Liv Morgan
WWE Raw then featured a singles match between Morgan and Kai. Kai who’s a friend of Iyo Sky from the Damage CTRL, was looking to soften up her friend’s opponent before their match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event. Just as the match was going on Pure Fusion Collective made their way to the ringside. Kai who had a lot of control in the match was looking distracted by Deville and company on the ringside. This led to Morgan picking up the win after she hit the Oblivion.
The match was pretty good, but considering Liv as the Champion this should be a little bit more chaotic.
Deville and company attacked Kai after the match was over. The remaining members of the Damage CTRL then arrived to help Kai. In all the mix of that Morgan attacked Sky with an Oblivion.
Results: Liv Morgan def Dakota Kai
Ratings: 7 /10
Backstage promo segment featuring Drew McIntyre
After the match ended, WWE shared a cinematic-style promo for Drew McIntyre. Where he revealed that he was the one who attacked Jey Uso and Sami Zayn. It looks like “The Scottish Warrior” is back with a vengeance.
Ratings: 7 /10
Promo segment featuring Seth “Freakin” Rollins
Seth Rollins then walked down to the ring. Rollins blamed CM Punk for playing the victim card throughout his career. During his promo, Rollins mentioned that he and Punk were friends at one point in life. Rollins also said that when Punk left the WWE 11 years ago, he called him and texted him as a friend and nothing but out of respect.
He also mentioned that for the last 10 years when Punk was nowhere to be seen in WWE, he tried everything in his power to bring WWE down and out. Rollins also said that the only reason Punk has returned to the WWE is that he had no options left for him and the money here in WWE was exactly what he needed. Rollins also said that what CM Punk has been able to do in WWE, Rollins has done twice, even main-eventing WrestleMania. Something Punk has never been able to do in his career.
Sami Zayn then interrupted the Promo as he walked down to the ringside. Zayn apologized to Rollins for blaming him for the attack on Jey Uso. After Rollins leaves the ring, Zayn announces that he is not going to sit down every week while McIntyre is gonna come down to this ring and tell everyone how he is right and everybody else is wrong.
Zayn then announced that he had talked to Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and that now he will be facing McIntyre at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event PLE. Just when Zayn was walking out of the ring to backstage, McIntyre attacked him on the stage from the back.
Lyra Valkyria vs. Zelina Vega vs. Ivy Nile “1st round match in Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament”
The show then featured a 1st round match in the Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament. The match featured three of the most promising superstars from the women’s division all looking to change their careers. The double German suplex by Nile was pretty impressive to see. The three women did everything in their power to qualify for that next round but Lyra Valkyria made it look so easy as she picked up the win.
Results: Lyra Valkyria def Zelina Vega & Ivy Nile
Ratings: 6 /10
The New Day’s Promo segment
The New Day began their promo as they stole the camera from a crew member backstage and started walking to the ringside. The crowd completely turned their back on New Day as they walked down to the ringside.
WWE Universe chanted:
New Day Sucks! New Day Sucks!
Woods and Kingston tried to talk, but the people present in the arena were just not in the mood to hear them.
The crowd chanted:
Big E, Big E
Leaving Woods Kingston with no option to leave the ringside.
Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez – Anything Goes match
In the main event of this week’s WWE Raw, Ripley went one-on-one against Rodriguez in a No DQ – Anything Goes match. Ripley attacked Rodriguez before she could even enter the ring to start the match. The two women went brawling into the WWE Universe. Ripley unleaded his fury of office as she started using the kendo stick to her advantage.
Ripley looked incredible throughout the match and Rodriguez really needs to build some sort of character for herself. Just as the match was going on, Morgan came down to the ring. Ripley then started attacking Morgan allowing Rodriguez to advantage of the situation for the moment. Morgan even hit Reha with Oblivion before. Iyo Sky then came down to the ringside to help Ripley delivering a missile dropkick and suicide dive on Liv.
Ripley then put Rodriguez through the table inside the ring with a Riptide to win the match.
The ending moment of this week’s WWE Raw showed both Ripley and Sky trying to get their hand on the Women’s World Championship.
Results: Rhea Ripley def Raquel Rodriguez
Ratings: 8.5 /10
WWE Raw, Dec. 9: Results Highlights
8-Man Tag Team Match:
The Final Testament and The Miz def The Wyatt Sicks
Singles Match:
Liv Morgan def Dakota Kai
1st round match in Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament:
Lyra Valkyria def Zelina Vega & Ivy Nile
Singles Match:
Rhea Ripley def Raquel Rodriguez
My thoughts on this week’s edition of WWE Raw
This week’s edition of WWE Raw was not much big one, just a normal Monday episode. The show was mainly focused on adding the final touches to the match card for WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event and setting this for the road to WWE WrestleMania 41.
My Ratings for the show: 6.5 /10
