Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here aaand I kinda threw my hands up at trying to do previews this time around… they just, give me nothing to work with! The only thing they really announced was the AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton match which has already been covered here. But hey, it’s Monday which means another edition of WWE Raw and I’ll still be here giving you the live recap and results. Watch this space.
Seth Rollins opens the show. I’m wondering if maybe they should do away with the “Burn It Down” intro now, since it still baits people to sing along. Something to consider. He’s fairly popular tonight anyway it seems. Something of a mixed reaction once he gets in the ring. Says he wants to introduce the first two men who have chosen to be on the right side of history, brings out AOP who funnily are not well-liked at all. Seth says when he was in NXT and debuted on Raw, people clamored, “Seth Rollins is the future!”. All the way until he pinned Lesnar not once but twice, they said that. Not just one or two people, fans, critics, ownership, everyone in the back, everyone!
And then, all of a sudden, the mood changed. People started to question his leadership, as if he had done something wrong. Being a leader is not about being cool or making popular decisions, it’s about making decisions for the sake of progress. Not everyone understands that, what happened to Kevin Owens is a perfect example, what happened to him is a tragedy. But Owens resisted and he got made an example out of. Says he’s always been honest with people… he is a leader and he is a visionary. He will be the man who leads this brand and this industry into the next decade and beyond. Reasonable pop. Whether you like it or not, by hook or by crook, he will drag you kicking and screaming all the way into 2020 and he will impose his will. And if you resist… the AOP will enforce his will.
Says tonight, he’s got a score to settle and one way or the other it’s gonna be settled and you guys aren’t gonna like it. Says in advance, for what they have to do tonight, he’s sorry. Seth and the AOP make their leave.
Viking Raiders make their way out now. They’re getting a rematch from last night right up next. After commercial, the OC come out to say that the Viking Raiders seem unstoppable, but they’re the best tag team in the world!
The Viking Raiders vs. The OC
Gallows and Ivar start, side headlock, shove off, exchange of shoulder blocks. Gallows with an uppercut, tag to Anderson. Ivar scoops him up, pushes him to the corner, tag to Erik. Anderson nailed with a big knee to the face from Erik. Erik shoves him to the corner, tag to Ivar, body slam, Erik bodyslams Ivar onto Anderson! Pulls Anderson to his team, tag to Erik, measured punch to the jaw. The babyfaces are basically doing the isolation here and that’s funny. Erik with a lengthy delayed vertical suplex, drops him hard, pin for 2. Anderson with a thumb to the eye, tag to Gallows, but Erik rushes around to dodge his every shot, forearm takes him to the outside. Hits the ropes for a suicide dive but Gallows with an uppercut between the ropes stops that, fallaway slam takes him right into the barrier! Commercial break.
Anderson gets Erik with a big opening match spinebuster for a nearfall as we come back. Tag to Gallows, clubbing shot to the back. Gallows hits the ropes, running big boot. Side headlock. Erik fights to his feet, back elbows his way out but another clubbering shot puts a stop to his escape, Back Suplex takes him down. Erik with a big forearm, Anderson answers with a big boot but Erik fights his hardest, uppercut takes him to the corner though. Anderson wants a Back Suplex, Erik flips to his feet, barely avoids landing badly on his head there but makes the tag to Ivar who is a house of fire! Low Crossbody, cartwheel lariat! Crowd getting behind Ivar, always nice to finally hear people get into the Raiders. Running splash, Gallows has to break up the pin! Anderson with a neckbreaker to try and quell the momentum.
Gallows tags in, Back Suplex/Neckbreaker combo for a nearfall. Ivar breaks through the combined arms, handspring back elbow takes out both men! Viking Raiders in the ring alone… stereo suicide dives from the big men! Wow, second commercial for this match, aight. Three segment match. After the commercial, OC are suddenly back in control with another heat segment, Gallows with a roundhouse kick. Anderson helps Gallows get Ivar up onto his shoulders, Shotgun Dropkick into the Pancake for a nearfall! Anderson charges, Ivar gets a boot up, senton! Rolls over to tag in Erik, Gallows tags in as well. Exchange, big forearm from Erik, leads to an exploder suplex! Gallows runs in but takes an Inverted Hip Toss into the Knee Lift! Tag back to Ivar, clothesline, Buisaku Knee from Erik! Drives Ivar into Gallows, cover for a nearfall. This certainly feels like the definitive match between the two teams, doesn’t it?
“Let’s Go Raiders” chant as Erik tags back in, Ivar up top, but Gallows escapes Erik’s grasp, tag to Anderson who gets a hot shot in, driving european uppercut! Running big boot but Erik catches him out of the air for a spinebuster as Ivar blind tags in. Goes up top, Gallows tries to cut him off but gets taken off the apron. Erik stands… crowd rises as he spins around and treks all the way to the top rope! Moonsault, but Gallows pulls Anderson out of the air and he crashes and burns! Anderson with a running big boot takes Erik off the apron, Magic Killer and that is that!
Winners: The OC
Okay I literally thought this whole time this was a title match, they called it a rematch from last night and last night was a title match so to me that was the signal but nope, non-title victory. Okay then. Good match though.
We get more teasing as to what’s in Erick Rowan’s cage and backstage he is WALKING~!
OC celebrating backstage, AJ promises to take out Randy Orton tonight. Been waiting on this for weeks, he won’t just beat Randy he’s gonna hurt him! He will see those two motherlovers in the winner’s circle!
Erick Rowan vs. Dante Leon
Dante immediately leaves the ring, just wanting to run away. Rowan pursues and gets in front of him. Dante rushes under the ring to hide from Rowan. Slips out from the other side and sees the cage. Rowan spots him just as he’s about to touch it… rushes him, Dante trips, tries to leave through the crowd but Rowan grabs him, plows through him with a destructive crossbody! Ragdolls him into the ring. Iron Claw! Crowd feels so bad for the kid they chant “One More Time” as Rowan indeed hits a second Iron Claw, puts the boot on the chest, that’s all.
Winner: Erick Rowan
Presumably Rowan will be having feuds and wrestling people we recognize again some time in 2020. Interviewer Girl #1 is backstage with Andrade and Zelina Vega, talking about a gauntlet match of some kind? Humberto is also involved in this gauntlet match. Andrade and Zelina replies in Spanish, Zelina tells her she should roll her r’s when she says Andrade. Humberto thinks beating Andrade was the best thing that ever happened to him, but it was actually the worst thing that ever happened to him because now they’re taking him seriously.
Vignette showing Liv Morgan stare at herself in the mirror. Says she once let all her friends tell her what to be, how to act, how to dress. All she wants is to be comfortable in her own skin but she’s always self destructive. So she has no choice but to destroy herself to be her true self.
Lana and Lashley emerge. Lana says she knows yesterday everybody was busy scrolling through her instagram but if you missed her hot boyfriend’s very important match at TLC, she’ll let us relive history. Says her hot, hot boyfriend crushed and destroyed and devoured his opponent at TLC, putting him through the table, and the winner is Bobby Lashley. Lashley poses on the second rope. “Rusev Day” chant as Lana puts Lashley over. She demands everyone be quiet. Says Rusev Day is dead. “We Want Rusev” chant, Lashley demands they give her respect, boos. Lana says she wants Bobby and everyone should shut up and listen to what she has to say. Louder boos. She wants the world to know how much he loves her.
“Bobby Sucks” chant, Lana is mad about that one. She pulls out a wedding ring, says she wants to ask him… to ask her… to marry him! Lashley looks a little uncomfortable at that one. Says he doesn’t like when anyone tells him what to do. Tentative pop. “…Except you!” Lashley gets down on one knee and says she’s the most amazing female wrestler in WWE history, easily the best joke I’ve heard on this show in all of 2019. Asks her to marry him. Lana says this was exactly how she had him rehearse, says yes, she will allow him to marry her! Says this will be the most ravishing wedding in the entire universe and it will happen on Lana Day!
R-Truth comes out first for the Gauntlet. Talks about seeing John Cena’s Open United States Challenge as a kid, and how he wants to become the first ever WWE United States’ 24/7 Champion and take it all the way to WrestleMania. He goes to point at the WrestleMania sign but it’s not here yet.
Gauntlet Match
R-Truth and Akira Tozawa are the first two men in this Gauntlet. Lock-up. Side headlock from Tozawa. Truth shoots Akira away, holds onto the ropes to stop himself. Truth gets the crowd saying “What’s Up?”. Akira reverses a whip, Truth just stops and dances. Charges, Akira evades him in the corner, Truth just dives right into the ringpost! Dayam! Running Cannonball senton off the apron! Takes him into the ring, Missile Dropkick! Sunset Flip pinning combination, Tozawa eliminates R-Truth. The 24/7 Crew then chases R-Truth out of the arena. Ricochet is the next man to enter.
After the break, Tozawa catches a pump kick and flips Ricochet over. Ricochet rolls over Tozawa, handspring headscissors, standing dropkick takes Tozawa to the floor! Hits the ropes, Tozawa slides in, ducks under a clothesline, spinning roundhouse kick takes Ricochet outside! Suicide dive! Rushes back in, for another one, torpedo style! Throws Ricochet into the ring, WWE Headkick! Goes up top, Ricochet dropkicks him out of the air! Wicked chop in the corner. Takes Tozawa into an Octopus Stretch! Takes him down to a cover, kickout. Wristlock, kick to the gut, Torture Rack variation in deep, into a Facebuster! Nearfall. Tozawa with a flying Headscissor, turned into an Octopus Stretch of his own! But Ricochet fights out, enziguri! Pulls him up, back suplex, Tozawa lands on his feet, spinning back kick, snap german but Ricochet lands on his feet, enziguri ducked, Deadlift German Suplex! That was rad, nearfall. Ricochet out on the apron, springboard clothesline! Running Shooting Star Press, Tozawa gets the knees up! Superkick! Goes up top! Ricochet is up before he can hit the Senton though, Tozawa rolls over him, but Ricochet absolutely drills him with the Recoil! Akira Tozawa has been eliminated.
Matt Hardy is the next man up! We come back to a Side Effect for a nearfall. Matt with forearms. Power whips him into the corner. Slams Ricochet’s face into every single buckle. Poses for the crowd. Matt charges, slams onto him in the ropes. Pulls him to his feet. Hooks him, vertical suplex gets him good, floatover, nearfall. Ricochet tries to fight to his feet, but a back body drop takes him right back down, Matt sending fists into his face! Cravate locked in tight. Ricochet fights to his feet, but gets taken to the corner. Splash Mountain Sit-Out Powerbomb for a nearfall! Matt charges in the corner, Ricochet counters with an enziguri, roll-through dropkick! Spinning headscissor, shoulder thrust in the corner, big boot from the apron, Ricochet with a springboard clothesline but gets countered into a Side Effect out of the air! Nearfall. Matt goes up top, moonsault, Ricochet rolls out of the way and he crashes and burns! Standing Shooting Star Press for a nearfall! Ricochet flips out of the corner, Matt wants the Twist of Fate, Ricochet counters into a roll-up, that’s that. Matt Hardy has been eliminated. Takes the ring announcer too long to say anything so it was a bit awkward there but yeah.
Humberto Carrillo enters fifth. Handshake as he enters, Ricochet tries to turn this into an inside cradle! Kickout, Carrillo with a standing dropkick, almost got him with that alone. Sunset flip, pin escaped, Humberto dodges a running kick, big shot from Carrillo, Humberto with a Springing Lucha Arm Drag taking Ricochet to the floor, big tope! Carrillo with a kick to the arm of Ricochet. Takes him down, cover for 2. Drags him to the middle, armbreaker. Humberto takes him up, driving armbreaker, cover for a nearfall. Ricochet with body shots on his way up, but Humberto with a top wristlock takedown! Ricochet with chops, Carrillo reverses a whip, Ricochet tries a handspring but Humberto with a running kick to that bad arm! Deep arm drag, arm wringer in. Knee to the gut from Humberto. It really feels like he’s working as the heel here, but he was gonna be the guy coming to pick the bones of a beaten babyface regardless. Ricochet with a kick to the face, Fireman’s Carry Slam for a nearfall! Zelina Vega out now, as we have a commercial break.
Ricochet takes Humberto in the corner, big chops. Ricochet tries to fight back, floatover, knife edge chop. Tries to get both boots up on a charge, shoves to the apron, springboard clothesline, standing shooting star for a nearfall! Ricochet wants a pump kick, Humbero evades it, hangs his leg up on the middle rope, missile dropkick to the back, nearfall. The crowd is preeeetty silent. Humberto tries a moonsault, has to roll through, Pump Kicks and enziguris are exchanged, Ricochet with a crossbody takes Humberto over the top rope, Humberto faceplants on the apron off that! Ref making the ten count here, both men back in at nine! Ricochet charges, Humberto gets the boots up and Ricochet is down hard! Humberto goes up top, Ricochet with chops! Pursues, Humberto and Ricochet exchanging blows. Biiiig superplex from Ricochet! Cover, Humberto barely kicks out. Ricochet and Humberto trading blows to absolute silence. Wish this was happening in front of wrestling fans. Ricochet with a Northern Lights Suplex, rolled through into a vertical suplex, nearfall! Ricochet goes up top, Humberto with an enziguri cuts him off! Humberto with a Super Poison Rana, but Ricochet lands on his feet!!!! Springboard Flying Roundhouse Kick from Humberto, Canadian Destroyer, Moonsault off the top for the elimination. Ricochet has been eliminated.
Andrade out now, the last entrant. And he jumps Humberto from behind! Throws the jacket into his face, Meteora! And then a second one! Andrade throws Humberto out of the ring, rips the covering off the concrete! Throws him into the barrier. Hammerlock DDT onto the concrete! Geeze. Rey Mysterio out now, to chase Andrade away and tend to Humberto. Andrade is… just leaving out of the crowd and nobody is giving us a result, I think this match is just kinda ending now. Humberto is entirely dead.
Winner: Nobody
That sure was an hour of television.
After we come back from commercial, Humberto is being stretchered away. Rollins and AOP emerge… Rollins is holding the steel pipe that Rey gave to Kevin Owens last week! AOP swarm in on Rey in the ring, it’s a three-on-one assault! Seth tells Rey they didn’t come to fight, chastises him for attacking the boys. Says they just came to give him what belonged to him, after all this steel pipe is his. Akam and Rezar with a double team assault. Rollins notes how Rey gave Owens the pipe to use on him. Says an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But that’s not him, he is a merciful leader! So tonight is your lucky night, Rey. Tells him to remember this one though, because now, he owes him one. Turns to walk away as his music plays… then suddenly turns and rushes to nail the Curbstomp on Rey!
Afterwards, backstage, Seth says the only reason he didn’t leave Mysterio hospitalized is because next week, he’s challenging Rey Mysterio for the WWE United States Championship.
Asuka out now for a special match against Deonna Purrazzo, who gets a highlight reel vignette on her way out. Big boot to Asuka taking her to the floor before the bell even rings!
Asuka vs. Deonna Purrazzo
Brawl, Deonna with a kick to the gut, Fujiwara Armbar in deep! Asuka reverses for a cradle, then tries to turn it into an Asukalock, Deonna fights this but Asuka gets a kneebar switch! Grapevine in now! Turns into an STF! Deonna is in trouble, Asuka grinding her forearm against Deonna’s face! Reverse STO from Deonna for a nearfall! Asuka with a pop-up knee to the gut, then some vicious Kawada Kicks! Cinches her into the Asukalock, and Deonna has no choice but to tap out.
Winner: Asuka
Aight then.
Becky backstage says at first she thought the powers that be were trying to bury her but now she realizes it was something much worse. They’re trying to protect her because they don’t think she can beat Asuka. This Raw Women’s Championship is supposed to mean she’s the best but right now, Asuka is the best. She proved that at TLC, at last year’s TLC, at last year’s Royal Rumble. Tells Asuka that usually she tells her opponents that they need her but now, she needs Asuka. She needs Asuka to go one-on-one with her so she can put this demon to rest – this demon being the one woman Becky has never beaten.
Main event time now. Right after this promo from Rey Mysterio where he accepts Seth Rollins’ challenge.
Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles
Randy with several shots in to start with. AJ with a kick to the gut, rams Orton’s head into the top buckle, chops him into the corner, throw to the opposite corner, pursues, Orton tries for an immediate RKO but AJ tosses him away and bails! Orton pursues, but AJ slips into the ring to mess with him. Orton slides in, kick sends him back out. AJ pursuing now, Orton with his throwing Back Suplex slamming AJ onto the apron! Orton grabs him by the hair, slams his face into the steps. Throws him into the ring, stomps the leg of AJ! Grinds his foot into AJ’s face. AJ with a hot shot! Phenomenal Forearm attempt but Orton cuts him off, forcing him back onto the apron. Randy wants his Draping DDT now, AJ escapes, trips him up for the Calf Crusher but Orton fights it… no, it’s locked in! In deep now! Orton fighting towards the ropes! AJ slides him back towards the middle, has to re-apply the hold but he gets it again! Orton finally gets to that bottom rope to break up the hold.
AJ rushes allll the way across ringside for a huge chopblock to Orton’s bum leg! Commercial break. AJ still working over the leg as we come back, Orton fights to his feet, thumb to the eye to get AJ to let go of him. Flapjack sends AJ facefirst into the turnbuckle! Both men fight to their feet, AJ throws some shots and hits the ropes, right into the Snap Powerslam! Inverted Backbreaker, but Orton collapses due to his bum knee. Cover for 2. Randy takes AJ up top and pursues. Wants a superplex, but AJ slips through his legs, trips him onto the top turnbuckle. Hits the ropes, another chopblock nailed! Springboard Moonsault gets a nearfall! Orton reverses, throws him into the ropes for the Draping DDT! Crowd rises as Orton spins, stalks for the RKO but AJ counters it into the Calf Crusher! It’s right back in, Orton making his way to the ropes, AJ stands with his leg in hand but gets kicked away. AJ gets taken to the apron, wants the Phenomenal Forearm, Orton jumps for the RKO counter, AJ was feigning, Orton sells the knee on his landing so AJ tries for it again – but Orton counters with the RKO any-damned way for the win!
Winner: Randy Orton
Immediately after, Gallows and Anderson rush into the ring to stomp Orton down. Viking Raiders out now to make the save! The two teams brawl, but the OC wins out on this anyway. Magic Killer on Erik. Babyfaces suck! The OC stands tall.
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