Drew McIntyre defeated The Miz (w/ John Morrison)
5.25/10
- Drew McIntyre comes out and says he has no excuses, but he'll be WWE Champion again.
- The Miz and John Morrison interrupt and gloat about what they have, and what McIntyre doesn't have.
- The shiznit goes down and Drew McIntyre throws them both around. We have a match later tonight.
- Drew dominates early, but has his ribs attacked. Drew kicks out of a DDT at 1.
- Drew has a great overhead belly-to-belly. Both Miz and Morrison feel it.
- Claymore out of a quick pin attempt from Miz.
Survivor Series Qualifier
AJ Styles (w/ Jordan) defeated Jeff Hardy
6/10
- AJ Styles says he doesn't have anything left to prove anything to, and should be the captain of team Raw.
- WWE should consider bringing up Jeff Hardy's struggles with addiction during one of his wrestling programs. It's the type of thing that adds emotion and realism to the show, since it's never been broached on-air before!
- This is the sixth match they've had together in some capacity since August, but this is a good one.
- I spent many of days in wrestling training busting my ass trying to do that Jeff Hardy corner dropkick.
- Styles using the Ushigoroshi more these days is good. He also does a rack powerbomb.
- Hardy had a front suplex, too.
- Styles sends Hardy into the post and gets the Phenomenal Forearm for the win.
- AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy had a good one. They have outstanding chemistry. Hardy working a slower pace seems like it works well for him.
- Elias cracks Jeff Hardy with a guitar after the match. It makes sense. They're just going to need to do more to get anyone interested.
Lucha House Party defeated Drew Gulak & Akira Tozawa
3.75/10
- This is so stupid and pointless.
- R-Truth runs out to the ring and people try to win his title. Why is he there?
- Are there any DQs in the tag match? Because R-Truth is beating people up.
- Dorado pins Gulak, I think. Who gives a shit?
- More shenanigans outside.
Survivor Series Qualifier
Keith Lee defeated Elias
5.75/10
- This is a pretty good match that we haven't seen a bunch. I did not need the funky finish. Lee can't get clean wins.
- Lee tosses Elias all over the place.
- Elias does a nice huracanrana out of a Spirit Bomb, but I don't know why someone would continue to hold someone up while getting punched.
- Monday Night Monkey's Paw! Keith Lee wins, but it's because his opponent was distracted by Jeff Hardy's music.
- Hardy breaks a guitar over Elias' back. Breaking a million guitars, not drawing dimes.
Elimination Match
The Hurt Business defeated Retribution via DQ
3.5/10
- Why would we need another Retribution vs. Hurt Business match? Hurt Business won last week and Lashley beat Slapjack last night.
- It's a good thing that they're going to run back the classic Sami Zayn/Bobby Lashley feud.
- Why didn't they just do this Elimination match last night!!?
- The camera work during the Retribution entrance is vomit inducing. This is so bad.
- This is a match where at least four people have to get pinned.
- Mia Yim starts scratching herself and freaks out. MVP gets rolled up off a distraction. She was playing possum. Obviously.
- She gets ejected.
- T-Bar and Bobby Lashley both get counted out.
- At some point Slapjack gets beaten. Oh okay. Same with Mace.
- Retribution have zero wins in four matches. Ali gets DQ'd for using a chair.
- The booking drags this down to stupid levels. This is in no way a reflection of the nine very talented people involved.
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Never forget Retribution was hastily thrown on TV along with Raw Underground after investors peppered Vince McMahon with questions about new talent, fresh ideas, creative and declining viewership on a quarterly call. There's another quarterly call this week!
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Ali cuts a promo backstage that makes no sense, but he did his best. "We win when you suffer." They don't win at all by the looks of it.
Other Stuff
- Xavier says Kofi went "full Dawkins." They're cutting a promo on Street Profits. Asuka shows up and wants the smoke, apparently. Asuka vs. Sasha Banks, Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns added to the show. Hurt Business show up and talk some trash about coming for the tag team titles.
Survivor Series Qualifier
Lana defeated Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce and Lacey Evans
5.75/10
- Nia tells Adam Pearce she's the Raw captain, and Shayna disagrees. Shayna didn't even have Nia on her list.
- Backstage, Angel Garza is flirting with Mandy. Nia comes along and flirts with him, and he likes it. Nia and Shayna argue with Mandy and Dana.
- All four women are named to the team, and a fatal four way is up for the fifth spot.
- These women are competing for the right to be eliminated in three minutes at Survivor Series.
- Nikki Cross goes crazy and has great offense.
- Peyton Royce has a nice Gory Bomb as well. She and Nikki stood out the most here.
- Lana sneaks and gets a pin on Cross off of a Tower of Doom.
- I will pop every time at this spot. Lana gets Samoan Dropped through a table for the sixth time.
Survivor Series Qualifier
Sheamus defeated Matt Riddle
7/10
- Matt Riddle does a shoot double leg takedown on Sheamus.
- They're very physical here. Big clubs, backbreakers and the like. You know the drill with Sheamus.
- Riddle messes up a flying armbar, but does a nice springboard Floating Bro to the outside.
- Riddle has an unreal series of kicks.
- An Exploder Superplex hits for Riddle, but Sheamus gets his knees up on a Floating Bro.
- Riddle is fantastic at selling.
- White Noise countered into a rear naked choke. Brogue Kick missed, Riddle hits a German suplex, but a kick out.
- Sheamus wins with a Brogue Kick.
Moment of Bliss
- Alexa Bliss brings up Randy Orton....burning the house down.
- Alexa Bliss is good here.
- Drew McIntyre comes out and beats up Orton while Alexa Bliss laughs.
- The lights go out and Drew is in the ring alone. Orton is on the ramp.
- At this point, I think The Fiend is better off as a peripheral character that changes people when they need it.
- Fiend is behind Orton, and Orton walks back towards McIntyre to fight him.
- They brawl to go off the air.
Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor
Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!
