Posted on 10/28/125 by Bob Magee
Live in front of a sell-out crowd in Anaheim, California.
CM Punk & Jey Uso Face to Face.
The vacant World Championship belt was on a podium in the
ring. Can I make the bold suggestion that while the crowd
really digs the entrance, it’s kind of death for the viewer
at home with nothing happening. As I typed that, Jey “ran it
back” so between the recaps to start the show and Jey’s
entrance, nothing really happened for almost ten minutes.
Jey finally welcomed us to “Mon-Jey Night Raw.” Jey
complained about having “everybody in my ear:” Jimmy, Roman,
his mama, your mama. But he’s only listening to himself now
and focused on winning the World Title.
Cue “Cult of Personality” and CM Punk came out to talk.
Punk and Uso circled the ring with the World Championship
belt between them. Punk asked the fans if they wanted him to
run his music back, and it actually started to, but was cut
off after only a few bars. “Sorry for stealing your stuff…
four letters, one word, PUNK.” Punk’s happy that Jey is
finally listening to himself. It’s no secret Punk and Jey
are friends (I literally did not know that) and that makes
it harder for Punk to face Jey.
When Punk mentioned Jey tossing Jimmy out of the battle
royal, the crowd boos and Punk admonished them for booing
since that was well within the rules. Punk asked Uso how far
he’s willing to go to be champion, because Punk needs to be
champion “like he needs air in his lungs.” How far is Uso
willing to go, Punk asks, when Punk has knocked Uso’s grill
out of his mouth and he’s “in a situation [he] can’t Yeet
[his] way out of?”
“Screw you, Punk!” Punk is trying to turn things around to
make Uso the bad guy, but Uso will show Punk who the best in
the world is on Saturday Night. Uso left, and Punk looked
longingly at the championship belt.
— In the back, Dominik Mysterio complained about Adam Pearce
setting up a contender’s match for his Intercontinental
title. Dom wanted some help, but Finn Balor and JD McDonough
were going to try and get their tag team titles back.
Roxanne Perez wanted to help, but Raquel Rodriguez wanted
her to focus on Nikki Bella. Dom walked off talking on his
phone, alluding to getting help from someone else.
— O’Shea Jackson and members of the LA Galaxy were shown in
the Anaheim crowd.
Penta v. Rusev in a #1 Contender’s Match for the
Intercontinental Championship
Winner gets a title match with Dominik at Saturday Night’s
Main event. I feel like the chances of a disputed finishes
leading to a three-way are quite high. Penta knocked Rusev
to the floor and hit a tope con hilo. Back in the ring,
Penta hit a springboard tornado DDT for a near fall. Rusev
dropped to the floor to regroup, and caught Penta with a
right hand when he followed him out.
Back in the ring, Rusev squashed Penta in the corner with an
avalanche. Penta came back with a back stabber for another
near fall. A sliding dropkick sent Rusev to the floor. Penta
followed again, but this time Rusev flap-jacked him into the
post.
After a commercial, Rusev went after Penta’s mask. Penta
jumped into a bearhug, but fought his way out of it. Penta
dodged a charge in the corner and caught him with the
“corner handstand kick” for a third near fall. Penta kicked
at Rusev who was out on his knees. The crowd was solidly
behind Penta.
Penta dove into a superkick from Rusev for a near fall.
Rusev went for the Accolade, but Penta countered with the
Penta Diver for a near fall. The crowd screamed “ref you
suck!” As Rusev and Penta fought, Rayo and Bravo Americano,
along with El Grande Americano, ran in and attacked both
Rusev and Penta. The match ended in a no-contest. After the
match, Rusev dumped Rayo and Bravo. Penta went after El
Grande, but he got away.
Match Result: Rusev and Penta ends in a no-contest (10:01).
— Jackie Redmond interviewed LA Knight in the back, and he
wants whoever wins the world title belt on Saturday.
— Bron Breakker still doesn’t understand why he and Bronson
Reed didn’t just go destroy everyone in the battle royal,
since that’s the clearest path to the world title. Paul
Heyman’s answer was that 20 is less than one. If Bron takes
out the one guy who is in the way of getting the next title
shot, Bron’s path to the world title is clear. And so
tonight, it’s LA Knight and Bron Breakker, YEAH.
— A video package on a decade of Asuka in WWE. Highlights of
Asuka tearing through NXT and WWE, highlighting her
undefeated streak, Royal Rumble win, Money in the Bank win,
Elimination Chamber win and other wins were shown.
— JD McDonough and Finn Balor went to Adam Pearce looking
for their tag team title rematch. Instead, JD got a match
with Sheamus. Pearce also had some news for Dominik
Mysterio, but that’s a plot thread to be resolved later.
Nikki Bella v. Roxanne Perez (w/ Raquel Rodriguez)
Perez mock-worshipped Bella, which earned her a slap. Perez
then got caught with a shot that might have legit stunned
her for a bit. Perez dropped to the floor after a face
buster and Bella tossed her about the ringside area.
Back in the ring, Rodriguez snapped Bella’s neck against the
ring rope while Perez distracted the ref. Bella gave Perez
nothing during the opening few minutes.
After a break, Perez hit a running uppercut on Bella while
she was against the ropes. Perez hit a double jump moonsault
off the middle rope for a near fall. Perez cranked away at
Bella’s neck with a neck vice. Perez went after the back of
Bella’s neck with forearms, then did push-ups to taunt the
former Diva’s champion.
Bella double-legged Perez and caught her with a running
boot. Bella drove Perez’s face into the mat, which Perez
sold liked crazy. After both women struggled back to the
their feet, Bella hit a series of clotheslines and a
dropkick. Bella hit a version of the Disaster Kick for a
near fall.
Bella went for the Rack Attack 2.0, but Perez countered with
a sleeper. Bella escaped, but Perez tripped her up into the
ropes. Bella hit a spinebuster for a near fall. Rodriguez
jumped up on the apron, so Bella knocked her down. Perez
caught Bella with a cradle for two, Bella caught Perez with
a cradle for two. Bella went for charge in the corner, but
Perez ducked and Bella hit the middle buckle, jarring her
neck. Perez hit the Pop Rocks out of the corner for the
victory.
After the match, Rodriguez hit Bella, and Stephanie Vaquer
ran in to make the save. Vaquer and Rodriguez had a bit of a
stare down. Bella tried to interject herself into the stare
down, but it didn’t really work. I think the message was
supposed to be Nikki and Steph standing up to Rodriguez, but
it came off more like Nikki seeking attention, literally
sticking herself in where she didn’t belong.
Match Result: Roxanne Perez defeated Nikki Bella (11:16)
— In the back, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria psyched each other
up for their title match. But the Kabuki Warriors think
they’re the ones that deserve a title shot.
— Jimmy Uso yelled at Jey Uso for following the rules of the
battle royal last week. Jimmy also suggested that Jey was
afraid to find out what would happen if they went one-on-one
again. The crowd will be bored again like at WrestleMania
41?
Bron Breakker (w/ Bronson Reed & Paul Heyman) v. LA Knight
Knight held up a fan’s sign: “We Want LA Knight not Jey.”
Wade Barrett laid out the stakes for the match: “whoever
loses will not be in line for a title shot.”
After giving Knight a little bit of offense, Bron ran
through Knight with a clothesline. Bron legitimately looked
like a blur while he ran the ropes. Knight came back with a
crossbody, but Breakker buried a knee in his midsection.
Knight caught Bron with some left handed jabs and stomped
him in the corner. Knight caught Bron with a running knee
and Breakker dropped down to the floor to regroup.
Knight hit Bron with a dropkick to the floor heading into a
break. During the break, Reed distracted Knight which
allowed Bron to press-slam Knight onto the table.
Bron was back in control after the break, hitting an
avalanche knee in the corner and suplexing Knight over the
ropes to the floor. Bron ran halfway around the ring and hit
Knight on the floor with a flying tackle.
Back in the ring, Knight fought his way out of a chinlock
and hit a flying clothesline of his own. Knight caught
Breakker with a jumping neckbreaker, pop-up powerslam and a
jumping elbow. Knight went for the BFT, but Breakker escaped
and hit Knight with a knee. Breakker went for the top-rope
Frankensteiner, but Knight slipped off the buckles and sent
Breakker tumbling down to the mat in an ugly way.
Knight set up Breakker for a superplex. Bron pushed him
down, so Knight ran up the ropes and superplexed Bron off
the top rope for a near fall! Knight went for the BFT again,
but Breakker escaped. Bronson Reed distracted Knight, giving
Bron the opening for the spear. But Knight ducked and Bron
went to the floor. Knight went after Reed on the floor, then
sent Breakker headfirst into the commentator’s table.
Back in the ring, Breakker tried for a gorilla press, but
Knight escaped and hit a reverse DDT. Knight went up top for
an elbow, but Breakker kipped up as Knight jumped. Knight
rolled through, jumped up and ran into a spear from
Breakker, who got the pinfall. Honestly it felt like Bron
gave Knight too much.
Math Result: Bron Breakker pinned LA Knight (13:32)
— Backstage, Adam Pearce found Dominik Mysterio talking to
the Americano Familia. Pearce made Dom v. Rusev v. Penta for
the Intercontinental title at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
— Jey confronted Jimmy about him winning about the battle
royal, and they seemingly made amends.
JD McDonough (w/ Finn Balor) v. Sheamus
Sheamus brutalized McDonough in the opening. Sheamus
backdropped JD so high I think his ears popped. McDonough
clipped Sheamus’ leg and got a brief advantage, but JD
turned his back on Sheamus and got clotheslined to the
floor. On the floor, Sheamus and Balor had a staredown. Back
in the ring, McDonough hit a slingshot spinning splash but
barely got a one count. Sheamus set up McDonough for the
forearms against the ropes, but Finn pulled JD to the floor.
So Sheamus hit both Finn and JD with a clothesline off the
apron to the floor.
After a commercial, McDonough was in control with a
chinlock. Sheamus got to his feet and managed to send both
him and JD to the floor. McDonough caught Sheamus with an
Asai Moonsault on the floor. Back in the ring, McDonough hit
a 450 splash for a near fall.
McDonough tried kicking and slapping Sheamus, which only
fired Sheamus back up. Sheamus floored JD with a pair of
clotheslines and the Irish Curse backbreaker. McDonough
escaped the Ten Beats again and caught Sheamus with a cradle
for two. Sheamus finally gut JD tied up in the ropes and
mauled him with multiple forearms.
Sheamus went for the Brougue Kick, but McDonough caught him
with knee. Sheamus gave McDonough a crucifix powerbomb, but
Finn put McDonough’s foot on the ropes to break the count.
Sheamus dropped to the floor and gave Finn the big boot.
McDonough dove through the ropes for the save, but Sheamus
cut him off.
Back in the ring, Sheamus went to the top, but Balor hit
Sheamus with his shillelagh, and Sheamus fell on the
turnbuckles. McDonough then took Sheamus down to the mat
with a Spanish Fly off the top rope, and got the pinfall!
Wade Barrett sold this as the biggest singles win of
McDonough’s career.
Match Result: JD McDonough pinned Sheamus (13:39)
— Adam Pearce offered Maxine Dupri a third match with Becky
Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Dupri
isn’t ready for the match yet. “So it’s official,
eventually.”
— Jackie Redmond interviewed the Women’s Tag Team Champions,
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. Bliss said if you want a
title shot, all you have to do is ask. Flair and Bliss are
two successful title defenses away from having the most
defenses in history! The Kabuki Warriors interrupted to say
they’re the only ones who deserve to be tag team champions.
Charlotte replied she would be honored to defend the titles
against them.
— AJ Styles and Dragon Lee were asking Adam Pearce for
worthy opponents for their tag team titles. Finn Balor and
JD McDonough interrupted looking for their title rematch,
and Dragon Lee agreed to the title match for next week.
Next week on Raw (so far):
Nikki Bella & Stephanie Vaquer v. Roxanne Perez & Raquel
Rodriguez
AJ Styles & Dragon Lee v. JD McDonough & Finn Balor for the
WWE World Tag Team Championship
Lyra Valkyria & Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss for
the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
This is the fifth defense for Flair and Bliss. Bliss and
Bayley started out. Charlotte got a blind tag and caught
Bayley with a clothesline. Bliss got the tag again and took
Bayley down with a head scissors. Lyra and Charlotte tagged
in. They exchanged arm-ringers and creative escapes from
arm-ringers. The crowd did the fireflies thing with their
phones. Valkyria sent Flair to the floor and followed her
out with a dropkick through the ropes.
After a commercial, Valkyria was tying up Bliss with a
submission hold, then transitioned into the seatbelt cradle
for a near fall. Bayley got the tag and Bayley held Bliss up
in a fireman’s carry so Lyra could hit a running
blockbuster. Bliss came back with a double DDT on both
Bayley and Lyra.
Flair got the hot tag and came off the top with a crossbody.
Flair chopped away at Bayley and Valkyria. Flair hit a
cartwheel clothesline. Flair dumped both Lyra and Bayley
with fallaway slams, then hit them both with a moonsault.
Charlotte went for the cover on Lyra, but she got a shoulder
up at two.
Charlotte sent Bayley to the floor with a big boot, and
Valkyria caught her with a leg lariat. Bayley fired up
demanding a tag, got it, and ran in to give Charlotte a
knee. Bayley hit an elbow off the middle ropes on Charlotte,
dropkicked Bliss, and hit Charlotte with the belly to belly
suplex for a near fall.
Charlotte caught Bayley with a boot, and Bliss got the blind
tag. Lyra got the tag, and (not realizing who was legal) ran
right into the Sister Abigail DDT from Bliss for two, but
Bayley made the save. Bayley and Charlotte fought on the
floor. Bliss came off the top with a crossbody on Lyra, but
she caught her and turned it into the Night Wing for another
near fall with Charlotte making the save.
Charlotte and Bayley got tagged in, and Bayley hit a Thez
Press. Bayley and Charlotte brawled until Charlotte floored
Bayley with a boot. Charlotte locked in the Figure Eight.
Lyra kept Bayley from tapping out, and Bliss came off the
top with a Twisted Bliss. Charlotte and Bliss gave each
other a nod, then hit twin Natural Selections on their
opponents. Charlotte then pinned Bayley to retain the
titles. This was a fantastic TV match.
Match Result: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss beat Bayley &
Lyra Valkyria to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles when
Flair pinned Bayley (14:13)
After the match, the Kabuki Warriors ran in and attacked the
tag champs. Asuka held Flair open for an Insane Elbow. The
Warriors went after Lyra as well, but Bayley stood them
down. The Kabuki Warriors backed away while Bayley tended to
Lyra and the tag champs sold on the floor to end the show.