WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome in the Amway Center. It was the final episode of RAW before Survivor Series this Sunday. Randy Orton defended the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre in the main event.
RAW Results (11/16)
- Asuka, Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke def. Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, Lana
- New Day def. Hurt Business to retain the RAW Tag Team Championships
- RETRIBUTION def. Team RAW
- Bray Wyatt def. The Miz
- Drew McIntyre def. Randy Orton to become the new WWE Champion
Here are the takeaways from this week\’s show:
Orton & McIntyre Hyped Their Title Match Tonight
Drew McIntyre welcomed everyone to Monday Night RAW and noted that this Sunday is Survivor Series. McIntyre said Survivor Series was an American Thanksgiving tradition and brought up a couple things he is thankful.
McIntyre stated he was thankful for his friends, family, and the ThunderDome bringing him closer to the fans. Drew added that he was thankful for the doubters because it made him work harder.
McIntyre brought up Roman Reigns and claimed that he doesn\’t care about anyone but himself and has his head shoved up his ass. Drew vowed to win the WWE Championship off of Randy Orton tonight and said he was going to humble Roman Reigns at Survivor Series.
WWE Champion Randy Orton interrupted and said he was thankful for being a 14-time WWE World Champion. Orton added that he has been fined and suspended more than any other superstar but is still here because he is the greatest wrestler ever. Orton vowed to walk out of RAW tonight still the WWE Champion.
The Miz and John Morrison joined the party and hyped up Miz\’s reality show. The Miz hinted at cashing in the MITB briefcase tonight during the title match. Miz added that change is coming soon and the promo finally ended.
Opinion: This promo lasted about fifteen minutes and was about ten minutes too long.
Nia Jax Slammed Lana Through The Announce Table Again
Lana, Nia Jax, and Shayna Baszler faced Asuka, Mandy Rose, and Dana Brooke.
Before the match, Nia and Shayna approached Lana backstage. Lana said the match was her idea because she wanted to prove that she belongs on Team RAW. Jax and Baszler laughed at her before making their way to the ring.
Match Recap: Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler beat Mandy Rose down and stomped on her arm as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Asuka and Shayna were trading punches in the middle of the ring. Asuka hit a kick to the face but Nia broke it up at two. Shayna locked in the Kirifuda Clutch but Lana tagged herself in. Asuka applied the Asuka Lock to Lana for the submission victory.
After the match, Nia Jax cleared off the announce table and planted Lana through it for the 9th time.
Mandy Rose was taken to the doctor/ trainer\’s room and Dana Brooke waited outside. Reckoning (Mia Yim) attacked Dana from behind until referees broke it up. Adam Pearce announced that Lacey Evans and Peyton Royce will replace Dana and Mandy on Team RAW at Survivor Series.
New Day Retained The RAW Tag Titles
New Day defended the RAW Tag Team Championships against the Hurt Business (Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander). MVP and Bobby Lashley were ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Hurt Business controlled the match early and isolated Kofi Kingston in the ring. Kingston battled back with a Clothesline and went for a cover but Cedric kicked out at two. Woods tagged in and hit Alexander with an Elbow Drop for a two count.
Woods hit Benjamin with a Dropkick for a near fall. Shelton connected with a Spinebuster and tagged in Alexander. Cedric leveled Woods with another Dropkick for a near fall and tagged Shelton back in. Kingston tagged in and leveled Shelton with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Dropkick.
Kingston went for the Boom Drop but Benjamin countered into a Buckle Bomb as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Kingston connected with a Tornado DDT and tagged in Woods. Cedric tagged in as well and Woods greeted him with a kick to the face.
Xavier threw Alexander out of the ring and hit him with a Dropkick through the ropes. Back in the ring, Woods hit a Dropkick off the top rope for a near fall. Kofi tagged in and hit Alexander with a Double Stomp off the top rope for another two count.
Alexander hit Kofi with two Suicide Dives and then hit Woods with one. Benjamin tagged in and brought Kofi back inside the ring. Shelton connected with an Angle Slam and went for a cover but Kofi somehow kicked out at two.
Cedric tagged back in and hit Kingston with a Brainbuster but Woods broke up the cover at the last moment. Kingston hit Cedric with Trouble in Paradise and tagged in Woods. Xavier climbed to the top rope and hit Daybreak for the pinfall victory. New Day are still RAW Tag Team Champions.
RETRIBUTION Picked Up A Win
Team RAW (Braun Strowman, Keith Lee, Sheamus, Riddle) faced RETRIBUTION tonight. AJ Styles joined commentary for the match.
Match Recap: Riddle got Slapjack in a Sleeper Hold but he quickly escaped and tagged in T-Bar. Riddle slammed T-Bar to the canvas and hit him with a Broton for a one count. Sheamus and Strowman started arguing about who should tag in and AJ Styles interrupted. Styles told them to calm down and Braun shoved him. AJ\’s bodyguard then stared at Strowman as RAW went to a break.
When RAW returned, RETRIBUTION had Riddle trapped in the corner of the ring. Slapjack hit Riddle with a knee to the face but Riddle responded with a Suplex. Keith Lee tagged in and Clotheslined Mace and T-Bar out of the ring. Mustafa Ali hit Lee with a Suicide Dive and rolled him back into the ring.
Sheamus leveled Slapjack with a Brogue Kick outside the ring as Keith Lee geared up in the corner. Sheamus tagged himself in and set up for the Brogue Kick. Strowman tagged himself in and the two started arguing again. Riddle tagged himself in and started arguing with Strowman. Ali capitalized with a roll-up for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: RETRIBUTION is taking over one roll-up victory at a time. It is tough to care about Team RAW not getting along when there are zero stakes at Survivor Series.
Bray Wyatt Defeated The Miz
The Miz came down to the ring for a match against Bray Wyatt. The Miz noted that a couple months ago, Wyatt sent a demonic doll to his home to torment his daughter and wanted to just talk things out. Alexa Bliss came to the entrance ramp and said that Bray Wyatt said no. Nikki Cross interrupted and once again tried to tell Alexa to get away from Wyatt. Bliss slapped Nikki in the face and a brawl broke out. WWE officials separated them and Bray & Alexa made their way to the ring.
Match Recap: Wyatt dominated early and slammed Miz into the steel steps. The Miz battled back and hit a Dropkick for a one count. Bryan went for Sister Abigail but Miz escaped. Bray hit a Clothesline and followed it up with a massive shoulder tackle. Wyatt connected with a Uranage but got tripped up by John Morrison. Alexa Bliss leaped onto Morrison and the two fell over the barricade. Wyatt planted Miz with the Sister Abigail for the pinfall victory. Bliss then walked across the top of the barricade and held hands with Bray as they made their way up the entrance ramp.
Drew McIntyre Captured The WWE Championship
Randy Orton defended the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre in the main event. Earlier on RAW, Sheamus said he found something that McIntyre had thought he had lost forever. Sheamus gave Drew a sword from his ancestors and McIntyre brought it to the ring in an awesome entrance.
Match Recap: McIntyre and Orton locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the match. McIntyre hit Orton with a shoulder tackle and knocked him to the canvas. Orton popped up and the two superstars circled each other.
Orton and McIntyre traded punches in the corner of the ring. Drew got the better of the exchange and sent Orton to the canvas with the Glasgow Kiss. Randy left the ring and tried to make his way backstage but McIntyre stopped him. Back in the ring, McIntyre went for the Claymore but Randy got out of the way.
Randy once again rolled out of the ring and tried to head backstage but Adam Pearce stopped him. Pearce said that this match is now a No DQ match as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Orton was in control and brought a steel chair into the ring.
Orton hit McIntyre across the back with the chair and started taunting McIntyre. The action spilled out of the ring and Orton bashed Drew in the face with the steel steps. Orton poked McIntyre in the eye and then slammed McIntyre on top of the announce desk.
Orton unloaded several punches to McIntyre\’s face and shouted that Drew will never get the title again. McIntyre battled back and slammed Orton on top of the announce table. McIntyre went for the Claymore but Orton dodged it and Drew crashed on top of the announce table.
Back in the ring, McIntyre connected with a couple Belly to Belly throws that sent Orton flying across the ring. Drew followed it up with a Neckbreaker and went for the Future Shock DDT but Orton escaped. Drew climbed to the top rope but Orton caught him with a punch to the face.
Randy planted McIntyre with a Superplex for a two count. Drew connected with the Future Shock DDT and went for the cover but Orton was able to kick out at two. McIntyre sent Orton to the apron and then slammed him through a table beside the ring.
McIntyre brought Orton back into the ring and set up for the Claymore. Orton countered into a Powerslam and brought McIntyre back to the announce table. Randy connected with the draping DDT off the announce table and then hit another one in the ring.
Orton went for the RKO but Drew McIntyre blocked it. McIntyre then hit Orton with the Claymore for the pinfall victory. Drew McIntyre is the new WWE Champion and will face Roman Reigns this Sunday at Survivor Series.
Opinion: McIntyre and Orton put on a great match tonight and I\’m looking forward to Drew versus Reigns this Sunday. Overall, RAW was a decent show this week. Both title matches tonight delivered and carried the show.
