Welcome to Ringside News’ coverage of Monday Night Raw!
Tonight’s show is set to kick-off with Seth Rollins giving a state of the union address in regards to Raw and Dean Ambrose. Last week Ambrose emerged with a new Bane-esque look, albeit it far less cool, and he went on to talk about how dirty the WWE Universe is. It’s a shame they didn’t just make him more like Tom Hardy’s Bane; a genius who can manipulate everyone around him. Ambrose with the jacket and a better mask, as well as a group of faceless goons could have been awesome.
It’s unclear if Finn Balor will be able to compete against Drew McIntyre at TLC, considering he was forced to leave the latest WWE Tour on the first night. This would explain why McIntyre beat down Balor last week, and why WWE.com is asking if Balor will be able to compete. If he is unfit, who will replace him to face Strowman? We’ll find out soon!
Speaking of finding out, tonight we will learn if Heath Slater has what it takes to be a referee! That’s right, last week Baron Corbin handed Slater a referee’s shirt and told him that was his new career. This could be a real fun new gimmick for Slater, who tends to make everything work, so I’m curious to see it play out tonight.
That’s the preview for tonight’s Raw. Let us know in the comments what you’re excited to see, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and download the Ringside News app! Enjoy the show!
Monday Night Raw
The show opens with the WWE Intercontinental Champion, Seth Rollins, already in the ring. Rollins says he has some things to get off his chest, and he asks Acting General Manager Baron Corbin to come out.
Corbin makes his way to the ring. Rollins says he has been so wrapped up with everything going on with Dean Ambrose recently, he hasn’t had a chance to tell Baron Corbin how he feels. He goes on to say that since Corbin has taken over Raw, the show has absolutely sucked. He says we’ve been made to endure urine jokes and Corbin has one of th best tag teams on the planet, The Revival, in Lucha House Rules matches. Rollins, mirroring us all, rhetorically asks Corbin, “What the hell is that?”
Corbin tells Rollins that he is allowing him to vent, but he should remember that he is still the Acting General Manager, so why don’t they go back to his office and talk about this privately. Rollins says he wants to do it here. He says Corbin doesn’t care about the roster, one of the most talented ever. He reminds everyone that Corbin handed the Universal Championship to Brock Lesnar, a man who hasn’t had a match on Raw since 2002! He points out how everything is at an all-time low, including TV ratings, and it’s all because of Corbin.
Corbin says he appreciates the feedback but next time Rollins should save him some time, write it on a piece of paper and leave it on his desk so he can file it under the “I don’t give a damn” category. Corbin says he does not care what Rollins, the roster, or the fans think. He says RAW is his show and he will be in charge for a long time. Corbin says if Rollins thinks it’s bad now, it’s going to get a lot worse for a guy like Rollins. Corbin says Ambrose will beat Rollins on Sunday at TLC, then he will defeat Braun Strowman by forfeit. Corbin says he will then make Rollins’ life a living hell, starting the next night on RAW. Rollins asks why wait, why don’t they have a one-on-one match tonight? The fans cheer but Corbin just says he will be permanent General Manager as of Sunday… Rollins interrupts and points out how there are tables, ladders and chairs all over… and Corbin just said he always wanted to have a TLC match, so why not have one tonight? Fans are keen on that idea. Corbin, of course, says no. He keeps talking but Rollins calls him a coward every time he tries to speak, even poking him. Corbin gets mad and agrees to the TLC match for tonight, but then stops and says the Intercontinental Title will be on the line! Corbin leaves as his music hits.
Well if this is WWE’s idea of bouncing back from some bad Raw’s and lowest-ever ratings, I’m on board. Later tonight Ronda Rousey and Nia Jax will be in a press conference, hosted by Alexa Bliss, and AOP will defend the Tag Team Titles against Bobby Roode and Chad Gable in a 3-on-2 handicap match!
*Commercial Break*
We catch-up with Seth Rollins backstage and Dasha Fuentes stops him to ask if he regrets calling out Corbin for such a dangerous match. Rollins says it may not have been his smartest choice but he can’t sit by anymore and watch this happen. He says if he wants to be a leader to the people in the locker room, and if he wants to call himself a Champion, he has to do it.
We return to the ring, where AOP are in the ring. Out come Roode and Gable, both wearing blue robes! Looking much more like a team now!
3-On-2 Handicap
Raw Tag Team Championships Match
(C) Author’s of Pain & Drake Maverick Vs. Bobby Roode and Chad Gable
The match kicks-off with Akam and Chad Gable. Immediately one half of the Champions takes control of the smaller man and tags his partner. Akam and Rezar use double team tactics to maintain control of Gable. Maverick asks for the tag and he gets it, much to the chagrin of the fans.
He gets in one shot before tagging back out. Why he is allowed to be in this match is a mystery because it’s for the titles. Roode finally gets the tag and helps drive AOP out of the ring. Roode and Gable grab Maverick by the arms and launch him over the top rope onto them as we head to a break.
*Commercial Break*
We return to see Akam still firmly in charge of Gable. Maverick tags in and takes a few shots at Gable while he’s down. Gable gets back up and looks to turn the tables but Maverick runs to his corner to make the tag. Rezar and Akam double team Gable to keep him grounded.
Roode tags in and AOP continue to control the pace. Gable breaks up a pin and gets driven into the turnbuckle. AOP hit the supercollider, but Gable counters the powerbomb with a hurricanrana. AOP overpower him and hit a neckbreaker powerbomb.
Maverick begs to be tagged in, so that he can make the pin. He comes in and does Roode’s “glorious” taunt before pinning him. Only Roode reverses into a crucifix roll-up and scores the win!
New WWE Tag Team Champions: Bobby Roode & Chad Gable
Gable and Roode quickly evacuate the ring and celebrate with their belts, as AOP are livid in the ring!
Still to come, Drew McIntyre Vs. Dolph Ziggler, Rollins Vs. Corbin in a TLC match, and Ronda Rousey and Nia Jax’s press conference. Natalya makes her way to the ring, she’ll be facing Ruby Riott in a tables match on Sunday.
*Commercial Break*
*Commercial Break*
We return from the break and Gable and Roode are celebrating backstage. Charly Caruso comes up and congratulates them. She asks how they feel. Roode says he and Gable always knew that if they put in the work, they would be standing here as Champions. However they never thought it would happen under such circumstances. Gable and Roode yell “GLORIOUS”!
Natalya is in the ring and she thanks the fans for the warm reception. Natalya says Ruby doesn’t respect the wrestling business and talks about everything it took for her to get to where she is today. She says it hurt when Ruby broke her father’s glasses but she wants to channel it. She dedicates her match on Sunday to Jim Neidhart and says she will use all her anger to put Ruby’s ass through a table.
Riott and her Squad come out with something draped in cloth. Ruby says she knows she won’t be invited to any Hart family Christmas dinners this year, but she does have a present for Nattie. She pulls the tarp off of a table… a table with Jim Neidhart’s picture on it. Nattie looks distressed. Ruby says at TLC, she will make Natalya and her daddy a lot closer.
We get a handheld promo from Dolph Ziggler, in which he says he proved last week that he could beat Drew McIntyre, but a lot of people thought it was a fluke. He says he will prove tonight once again that it was no fluke, and he will send Drew back into obscurity.
*Commercial Break*
McIntyre makes his way to the ring, and on the way the announcers say he will face Balor at TLC – so clearly Finn is fit enough. Caruso stops Drew in the ring and asks him why he challenged Ziggler to a match tonight, when he has a match with Balor coming up. McIntyre says he is more dangerous than anyone in WWE’s history and he wants to prove it. Sometimes I wonder why we’re supposed to dislike McIntyre. Ziggler interrupts Drew and storms to the ring. He sheds his jacket before sliding into the ring.
Drew McIntyre Vs. Dolph Ziggler
The bell rings and Dolph hits Drew hard. Dolph beats McIntyre to the corner but then the big man clocks him and Ziggler drops. McIntyre chops Ziggler a few times and Dolph yells in pain. McIntyre lifts Ziggler and talks some trash before hitting a huge belly-to-belly suplex for a two count. McIntyre is in control as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
Drew McIntyre Vs. Dolph Ziggler (Continued)
We return to see both men fighting on the top rope. McIntyre grabs Ziggler on his back and hits a super White Noise! That looked gnarly, so they show some slow-mo replays. They fight out of the ring, onto the floor, where Ziggler counters a suplex on the floor and throws Drew into the ring post.
They get back into the ring and Ziggler lines up for the superkick and collapses to the mat before he can hit it. McIntyre talks trash and kicks Dolph in the head. He grabs Ziggler by the face and lifts him up, but Ziggler hits a kick to the knee and the Zig Zag for a close two count! Ziggler crawls to his feet and stomps up the band. He runs for the superkick but McIntyre hits the Claymore out of nowhere for the pin and the win.
Winner: Drew McINtyre
Well I guess 50/50 booking returns. We see replays of the match. McIntyre isn’t done yet though, he throws Ziggler into the ring post. Dolph falls out of the ring and Drew chases after, beating on him. McIntyre then lifts Ziggler and looks to powerbomb him on the steps but referees come down and stop him. Drew starts to back up but runs and hits another Claymore to Ziggler, against the LED apron! McIntyre rolls around on the floor laughing before walking away.
The announcers bicker over Baron Corbin before showing a replay of Corbin forcing Slater and Rhyno to fight each other, then making Slater a referee. Later tonight, Corbin will face Rollins in a TLC match! Bayley and Sasha Banks make their way to the ring, Bayley will face Alicia Fox next!
*Commercial Break*
Banks and Bayley are still in the ring and out comes Jinder Mahal with The Singh Brothers, before Foxy.
Bayley W/Sasha Banks Vs. Alicia Fox W/Jinder Mahal & The Singh Brothers
Bayley forces Foxy to the corner at the start of the match. Alicia turns the tables and forces Bayley to the opposite corner. Bayley kicks her away and hits a springboard back elbow for a two count.
Foxy slams Bayley before applying a headlock. The fans rally Bayley to her feet but Foxy takes her right back down. Bayley tosses Fox to the corner and runs but Foxy reverses with a sunset-flip pin. Bayley escapes and connects with a clothesline. Bayley fires some hands before landing a back drop. Bayley forces Fox to the corner and lands some shoulder thrusts. The Hugger drapes Foxy through the ropes and hits a neckbreaker. She ties her hair, signalling the Bayley-To-Belly but one of the Singh Brothers gets on the apron and distracts her. Fox attacks Bayley from behind.
Apollo Crews makes his way to the ring – he’s Bayley Mixed Match Challenge partner – and he attacks The Singh Brothers. Apollo gives one of them a back body drop, then clotheslines another. Sasha comes off the apron with a meteora to one of the brothers. Sasha then asks Apollo to throw her onto all three of them and he acquiesces. Inside the ring, Foxy misses a big boot and gets hit with the Bayley-To-Belly and that’s all she wrote!
Winner: Bayley
We see Dean Ambrose standing backstage, he’ll be out live, next!
*Commercial Break*
Charly Caruso is backstage with Dean Ambrose for an interview. Ambrose immediately tells her not to call him The Lunatic Fringe again. In fact, he doesn’t want anyone calling him that. Ambrose talks about how the Rollins he knows isn’t “The Architect”. He says Rollins is doing everything for his big fat ego, including the TLC match with Baron Corbin tonight. Ambrose says Rollins always stepped on him and Roman Reigns to get ahead. Ambrose goes on and says he will take the title from Rollins on Sunday, if he still has it after tonight. Charly asks Ambrose what Reigns would think about everything going on. Ambrose says who cares. Charly asks him about this – a video package showing the events from the night Reigns announced his leukemia diagnosis, up to what happened with last week. Charly holds the mic to him but Ambrose just walks away.
Still to come, Alexa Bliss moderates a face-to-face between Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey. We see Elias backstage with his guitar. He has a special song for Bobby Lashley coming up. Back to commercial.
*Commercial Break*
We’re back and Elias is in the ring. He introduces himself and plays some guitar. He asks the fans if they heard Bobby Lashley on the radio earlier today? He tells them that Lashley said he would like to move every team from San Diego to L.A. He then says he knows the folks in San Diego wouldn’t even want someone like him in their city. Elias says he’d rather play here tonight than in L.A anyway. We see the replay of Elias hitting Lio Rush in the back with his guitar last week, and Elias says he doesn’t want to make a habit of hitting children. He says he has a match up next against Lio, but before that, he wants to play them a song. He plays his song and out comes Rush with Lashley. The match is next!
*Commercial Break*
Before the match can begin, we need a referee, and out comes Heath Slater.
Elias Vs. Lio Rush W/Bobby Lashley
The match gets underway and Rush crawls through Elias’ legs before hitting the ropes several times. He looks to kick Elias but his foot is caught and Rush is thrown high into the air and lands on his stomach. Elias lifts Rush high with his arm and drops him. He looks to do the same again but Rush gets underneath him. Elias lifts him via the neck and throws him across the ring with a biel.
Elias chops Rush in the corner before whipping him hard into the opposite. Rush falls through the ropes to the floor. Elias goes after Lio and throws him back into the ring. Lashley distracts Elias, who then kicks Bobby away. Rush takes advantage and dropkicks Elias through the ropes. Elias makes his way back into the ring and Rush performs some impressive agility. Elias catches Lio and hits him with a huge powerbomb but Lashley runs in and attacks Elias.
Slater doesn’t ring the bell, he doesn’t know what to do. Lashley comes face-to-face with Slater and warns him not to ring the bell. Bobby spinebusters Elias before instructing Lio to get Elias’ guitar. They bring it inside and Lashley smashes it across Elias’ back. Lio Rush makes the pin and Slater reluctantly counts.
Winner: Lio Rush
Slater leaves, ashamed of himself, but Graves reminds us, “morals don’t pay the bills.”
We see Alexa Bliss backstage taking to an official. She will moderate a face-to-face between Ronda Rousey and Nia Jax, next!
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break and get replays of the open of tonight’s show, Natalya and Ruby Riott, Dolph Ziggler Vs. Drew McIntyre, as well as Bobby Roode & Chad Gable winning the Tag Team Championships.
We see Heath Slater backstage, upset. Baron Corbin comes in and tells him he did a good job. Slater starts to take off the shirt and says he’s going home. But Corbin tells him no, he has another match to referee tonight.
Out comes Alexa Bliss. She goes to speak but is interrupted by Nia Jax’s music. Jax and Tamina make their way to the ring. She says before this gets going, she wants to make a statement. On Sunday, she will become the new Women’s Champion. And that will come at the expense of Ronda Rousey. She says getting beat with gloves in UFC has made Ronda slow. She says if Ronda had any sense left, she would come out now and hand-in her belt to avoid a beating on Sunday. She says she doesn’t need to talk trash to build-up a fight, that’s because she’s a 6ft Samoan woman. And she will beat Ronda, with the same fist that broke Becky Lynch. This time though, she won’t stop punching until Ronda taps out. Nia says she isn’t stupid, she is a strategist. She says she knows Ronda has been a Champion every where she went, so if Ronda gets a hold of her arm, she will simply pry her off and punch her in the face. She screams into microphone about taking her title back and then Ronda finally interrupts.
Rousey starts talking on her way to the ring. She says she didn’t come here to talk or pose, she came here to fight. Ronda storms the ring and Nia, Tamina, and Bliss leave. Tamina and Nia surround Ronda on the apron but then Ember Moon comes out to Ronda’s aid. Ember will face one of them, next!
*Commercial Break*
Ember Moon W/Ronda Rousey Vs.Tamina W/Nia Jax
We return to see the match in progress. Moon gets Tamina out of the ring, and Jax approaches her. Rousey gets near her and intimidates her. Moon goes for a springboard, but Tamina superkicks her out of mid-air. Moon falls out of the ring, Ronda checks on her, and she gets back in. Tamina applies a chin lock, but Moon fights up. Tamina powers her down and keeps the chin lock applied.
Moon fights up while the fans stamp their feet, but Tamina takes her right back down. Moon avoids an avalanche and kicks her back. Moon kicks away at Tamina and sweeps the feet. Moon hits a reverse STO for a near fall. Tamina quickly slams her down for a two count. Moon hits a Codebreaker and gets to the top rope. Jax climbs to the apron to distract Ember. Rousey pulls Jax off the apron and throws her over the barricade and into the crowd. Moon knocks Tamina off the top rope and hits the Eclipse for the win.
Winner: Ember Moon
Rousey and Moon celebrate! Rousey will face Jax on Sunday, at TLC!
Seth Rollins will take on Baron Corbin in a TLC Match with the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the line in tonight’s main event.
*Commercial Break*
We return to see Baron Corbin in his office. Charly Caruso comes in to interview him, and asks if him facing Rollins for the Intercontinental Championship is abuse of power. Corbin says that kind of question could get her shipped to SmackDown Live. He says it isn’t an abuse of power, because Seth challenged him. And if he didn’t accept, the fans wouldn’t get to see him swing a chair or climb a ladder – because on Sunday he will beat Braun Strowman via forfeit. Charly says there are rumours that Braun may appear at TLC. Corbin laughs and says Braun is the one-armed man because of him. So after Sunday, we’ll all be saying “all hail Corbin”.
The announcers rundown the entire TLC card, happening this Sunday. Corbin will face Seth Rollins, next!
*Commercial Break*
Seth Rollins makes his way to the ring first and stares at the title suspended above the ring. Corbin is out second and we get ring introductions for both men.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match
(C) Seth Rollins Vs. Baron Corbin
The bell rings and Rollins attacks Corbin, beating him into the corner and stomping a mudhole. Corbin fights back and whips Rollins into the ropes, knees him to the gut, and lifts him for a suplex but Rollins knees him in the head. Rollins then knees Corbin in the back and knocks him from the ring.
Rollins goes out after the General Manager Elect and slams his head on the ring apron. Rollins grabs a chair but Baron gets back in the ring. Rollins tries to jump back into the ring but Corbin kicks him in mid-air and he falls to the floor. Corbin then grabs referee Heath Slater and tells him to bring a ladder into the ring. Slater obliges, meanwhile Seth Rollins springboards off of the ropes and clotheslines Corbin. The GM rolls to the floor as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
We return to see Corbin punch Rollins and grab a steel chair. Corbin cracks the chair across the back of Rollins, then does so again. He stands his boot on Rollins neck before jamming the chair into his ribs. Rollins rolls from the ring and Corbin follows him. Corbin tosses Rollins into the barricade, then another barricade. He talks trash to Seth and walks around the ring to grab a ladder. Corbin is putting the ladder into the ring when Rollins comes from nowhere and dropkicks the ladder into Corbin.
Seth then brings the ladder into the ring and tries to set it up but gets attacked from behind. Corbin lays the ladder in the corner and suplexes Rollins onto it! Rollins tries to throw Seth out of the ring but the GM slides back in the other side of the ring post and clotheslines Seth. The announcers talk about how impressive Corbin is. Corbin tosses Rollins over the top rope and sets a ladder up in the middle of the ring. Corbin is climbing the ladder and gets near the top when Seth springboards onto the ladder and punches him off. Rollins kicks Corbin and looks for The Stomp but Corbin avoids it and shoves him head-first into the steel ladder! Corbin then dropkicks Rollins out of the ring.
*Commercial Break*
We come back just in time to see Baron Corbin catch Seth Rollins with a Deep Six and both men are down. Corbin then picks Rollins up and punches him repeatedly. Rollins manages to dodge Corbin, sending him into the chair wedged in the corner!
Rollins then dislodges the chair as the fans chant “burn it down!”. Rollins proceeds to beat Corbin with the chair over and over, until he rolls from the ring. Rollins hits Corbin with a suicide dive, and a second, and a third… but the third time Corbin caught him and chokeslammed him through a table at ringside! Both men are down and out.
Corbin gets the ladder set back up in the centre of the ring and starts to climb. Rollins comes in and cracks Corbin in the back with the chair! Corbin dodges Rollins, who inadvertently hits Slater with the chair and they both fall out of the ring. Cobin goes out and grabs Rollins for Deep Six but Seth lands on his feet and suckers Corbin into hitting the steel steps. Rollins places Corbin on a table at ringside and scales to the top rope, before hitting a frog splash!
Rollins returns to the ring, readjusts the ladder and starts to climb. Just as he nears the belt, Heath Slater grabs the ladder and tips it over – sending Seth crashing into the ropes! Slater then lifts Corbin and brings him into the ring. Corbin slowly climbs the ladder but then Rollins returns and knocks Slater down, before grabbing Corbin and powerbombing him through the table propped up in the corner. Seth turns to climb the ladder again but Slater is there and he tries to explain to Seth that he has to help Corbin win, but Seth hits a huge superkick and Slater rolls from the ring. Seth then hits Corbin with The Stomp and scales the ladder to retrieve his belt.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Rollins holds his ladder atop the belt, while Dean Ambrose comes out onto the stage and they share a staredown.
That’s it for this week’s Raw! A much better show than past weeks. Let us know what you thought in the comments and we’ll see you back here tomorrow for all your wrestling news! Until then, safe travels.
