The December 17th edition of WWE RAW was the first episode after TLC 2018, and it took place at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
– Fans are now being seated in the Golden 1 Center for tonight’s show.
– The stage has Christmas trees set up on it, and Vince McMahon comes out to the ring to kick off RAW. Vince says a lot of people have been wondering what’s happening with RAW, and that’s why he’s here tonight. Fans give Vince the “what” treatment as he talks about all of this being one man’s dream and vision. Vince then introduces his daughter Stephanie, and then they introduce Triple H, and then Shane McMahon. Stephanie gets on the mic and says they haven’t been doing a good job for the fans lately. Stephanie says they haven’t done what Vince taught them to, which is to listen to the audience. Stephanie says everything changes tonight, and we’re off to a fresh start. Triple H says the absentee management is over, and the four of them are taking over RAW. Shane McMahon then adds that the four of them are will be making sure they have the best possible experience on SmackDown too. Stephanie says they’re going to empower their superstars and fans, and Triple H says they’ll give them what they want – something new and fresh. Triple H says you’re going to be seeing new faces and match-ups, and now the fans are the authority. Vince says if they give the fans less of what they don’t want, and more of what the fans do want, then WWE will be there then, now and forever. Baron Corbin comes out to interrupt. Stephanie points out to Corbin that the fans are booing him. Corbin says he’s excited that the McMahons are running RAW, but he hasn’t been treated fairly, and he wants a conversation with them.
Corbin steps in the ring as the fans boo him. Corbin tries to get the fans to stop booing him and he tells them they have no respect. Corbin tries to talk about coming out and doing his best every week, but stops when the fans keep booing him. Vince tells Corbin he has a mic and the fans don’t,so get on with it. Corbin says it’s not fair that he got ganged up on last night, because he prepared for Strowman and not for all the people Strowman brought with him. Corbin wants them to overturn last night’s ruling and make him the permanent GM of RAW. The McMahons decline, but then Vince has an idea. Baron Corbin will have a chance to be permanent GM, but he has to win his match tonight, and that match is against Kurt Angle. Kurt Angle comes out to the ring, and the McMahons start leaving. Stephanie stops on the ramp and introduces the special guest referee for tonight’s match – Heath Slater.
– Baron Corbin vs. Kurt Angle: The opening bell sounds and Kurt immediately takes the fight to Corbin in the corner. Corbin misses a shot and Kurt hits a suplex. Corbin rolls outside for a breather. Triple H comes out to the stage and says he forgot to mention – this is a handicap match. Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode and Chad Gable come out and beat down Corbin at ringside. They throw Corbin in the ring, and Kurt grabs him for a series of German suplexes. Gable tags in and hits another German suplex. Roode tags in for a double team on Corbin, then Crews tags in and kicks him in the head. Corbin rolls outside again and he tries to leave through the crowd, but Crews grabs him and brings him back in the ring. All the wrestlers surround Corbin and stomp on him, while Slater looks the other way. Shane McMahon walks out to the stage and says they forgot something – this match is also a No DQ match. Slater now starts stomping on Corbin, and everyone else brings steel chairs in the ring and starts nailing Corbin with them. Roode and Gable double team Corbin, then Crews hits the frogsplash, and then Kurt hits the Olympic Slam for the three count.
Winners: Kurt Angle, Chad Gable, Bobby Roode, & Apollo Crews
– After the match, they bring a table in the ring and Kurt gives Corbin another Olympic Slam through the table.
– Coming up: Finn Balor vs. Dolph Ziggler
– The broadcast team introduces a video package looking at John Cena receiving the Muhammed Ali Legacy Award from Sports Illustrated.
– We see a replay of Dolph Ziggler assaulting Finn Balor backstage at TLC last night.
– Finn Balor vs. Dolph Ziggler: This one starts off back-and-forth, but Balor takes control after hitting a dropkick that sends Ziggler rolling out to ringside. Back in the ring, Ziggler tries to mount a comeback, but Balor stuns him with another dropkick. Balor appears to be selling a leg injury. Balor lays into Dolph with strikes, then he hits the double foot stomp. Balor looks for the Sling Blade, but Ziggler avoids it. Balor connects with a kick and then hits the Sling Blade. Balor charges forward, but Ziggler catches him with a DDT for a two count. Balor comes back with a kick to the face, then he goes up top but Ziggler knocks him down and hits the Zig Zag for a two count. Drew McIntyre comes out, and Ziggler leaps off the apron to brawl with McIntyre at ringside. Balor ends up hitting a suicide dive on Drew, then Dolph attacks Balor. Back in the ring, Dolph hits the Fameasser for a two count. McIntyre runs in and beats down Balor and Ziggler for the DQ finish.
Winner via DQ: Dolph Ziggler
– Dolph throws Balor out to ringside, then he boots Ziggler in the face. Drew goes out to ringside and kicks Finn in the face next.
– Dean Ambrose is shown in his locker room with the Intercontinental Title belt. Dean starts heading towards the gorilla position with two guys in gas masks behind him.
– Ambrose comes out to the ring with four masked men with him. Ambrose trashes the fans and Seth Rollins. Ambrose says as the moral compass of WWE, he will give Rollins a chance to come out and tell everyone that Ambrose was right. Ambrose keeps on calling our Rollins, but Rollins doesn’t come out. Tyler Breeze comes out instead, and it appears we have a match.
– Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Tyler Breeze: Ambrose’s Intercontinental Title is on the line in this one. Breeze starts off strong and he dumps Ambrose out to ringside in the opening moments. Ambrose turns things around with a clothesline on the floor, then back in the ring he puts the boots to Breeze in the corner. Breeze fights back with a series of kicks for a two-count. Ambrose grabs Breeze by the hair, then hits the Dirty Deeds for the three count.
Winner & still Intercontinental Champion: Dean Ambrose
– After the match, Ambrose cuts a promo about how he’s a better Intercontinental Champion than Rollins ever was. Rollins’ music hits, and then one of the masked men gets in the ring and kicks Ambrose in the face. He pulls off the mask to reveal that he’s Rollins. Rollins then fights off the masked men as Ambrose retreats up the ramp.
– Charlie Caruso asks Shane McMahon backstage about what changes are coming to RAW. Shane talks about new opportunity and new faces, and then Drake Maverick and the Authors of Pain interrupt. Drake talks about the AoP’s Tag Titles being stolen, and Drake asks for a rematch against Roode and Gable. Shane says mandatory rematches are old news, but Shane will create an opportunity for them. Shane says the AoP will take on The B Team, The Revival, and Lucha House Party in a fatal 4-way match. The winner gets a shot at the Tag Titles.
– Cole tells us that after the break we’ll be taking a look at some of the new faces coming to RAW.
– Back from the break, we see a promo video for the Tribute To The Troops, and then we go to a video package looking at the new faces coming to RAW. We see Lars Sullivan, Lacey Evans, Heavy Machinery, Nikki Cross, and EC3.
– Lio Rush and Bobby Lashley are in the ring with a broken guitar, and the spotlight is above them. They talk about Lashley bashing that guitar over Elias’ back at TLC. Lio says Lashley will give you true performance and true work of art, not like Elias. Lio tells everyone to silence their phones, hold their applause and shut their mouths, and then Lashley poses under the spotlight. Elias hits the ring from behind in the dark and he smashes a guitar over Lashley’s back. Lashley gets back on his feet and Elias heads back up the ramp.
– The Lucha House party is backstage getting ready to come out for their match.
– We see a video package looking at Sami Zayn returning to RAW.
– Lucha House Party vs. The Authors of Pain vs. The Revival vs. The B Team: Axel and Linda Dorado start this one off. Lince hits a dropkick, then Kalisto tags in for the double team. Dawson tags himself in slaps Kalisto across the face. Dawson and Kalisto trade blows in the middle now and Dawson gets the upper hand. Dorado and Rezar are legal now, and Rezar slams Dorado into the corner then hits some knees to the body. Wilder tags himself in and beats on Dorado. Axel tags in, but Dorado springboards off the ropes and hits a Stunner on him. Dallas and Kalisto come in, and Kalisto hits a cross body and a springboard corkscrew elbow off the middle rope. Dallas drops Kalisto, then Dawson tags in. Dallas hits a neckbreaker on Dawson for a two count. The aprons clear and chaos breaks loose in the ring. The dust settles and it’s down to Dawson and Dallas trade pin attempts. Wilder tags in and they hit the Shatter Machine on Dallas for the three count while everyone else is at ringside.
Winners: The Revival
– Seth Rollins is backstage for an interview. Rollins says last night was a disaster for him, and everything went wrong. Rollins says he heard that crowd last night and everything they had to say – and that’s on him. Rollins says he has to own that and go forward. He says this is what he has dedicated his life to, and he’s going to right his ship by ending Dean Ambrose. Baron Corbin walks in and interrupts. Corbin blames Rollins for speaking up and getting Corbin fired. Corbin says Rollins is the reason the McMahons are back in charge. Corbin continues to talk trash, so Rollins decks him with a right hand.
– Still to come: Ronda Rousey is in the house.
– RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey comes out to the ring, and she’s got mic. Ronda talks about her dealing with Nia Jax, Charlotte and Becky Lynch, and getting even with them last night at TLC. Ronda says a real champion is more than a title in your name or an object in your hands – a real champion lives for the challenge and is the best the human race has to offer. Ronda says there should be a new tradition – after every pay-per-view, the champions show up to RAW and defend their Title. Ronda issues an open challenge to anyone in the back, and she waits for someone to accept. We see backstage that the entire women’s roster arguing over who will get to go out to face Ronda. Stephanie says tonight there will be an eight-woman gauntlet match, and Ronda will have to face the winner. Stephanie introduces Alicia Fox and Bayley as the first two entries.
– 8-Woman Gauntlet Match: The winner of this one faces Ronda for the RAW Women’s Title. Bayley starts off with a roll-up attempt on Alicia for a two count. Alicia fights back with strikes, but Bayley shuts her down with a belly to back suplex for a two count. Bayley starts selling a knee injury and Alicia strikes, but Bayley is able to roll up Alicia for the three count. Dana Brooke is out next, and she immediately starts working over Bayley and stomping on her. Dana starts working over Dana’s left knee now. Bayley comes back with a belly to belly suplex out of nowhere for the three count on Dana. Mickie James is in next. Mickie starts off strong and hits a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Bayley starts to fight back, but Mickie shuts her down with a facebuster. Mickie goes to the top rope and she hits a splash for a two count. Bayley looks for a roll-up pin, but Mickie hits a kick to the face for another two count. Mickie hits a kick to the midsection and looks for a DDT, but Bayley reverses into a belly to back suplex. Bayley knees Mickie in the head, then she starts selling the knee injury gain. Bayley hits a splash, and then a running knee strike. Bayley goes to the top rope and hits the flying elbow. Bayley pins, but Mickie grabs the bottom rope to break the count. Bayley hits a neckbreaker, then she looks for the belly to belly suplex, but Mickie grabs her by the hair and Bayley backs off. Mickie targets Bayley’s knee, then hits a DDT for the three count. Ember Moon comes out next and goes at it with Mickie. Mickie hits a series of kicks off the bat, then she chokes Ember in the corner. Ember fights back, but Mickie blocks a kick and fires back with some strikes of her own. Mickie misses a shot, then Ember hits a springboard cross body for two count. Ember continues the offense and hits a series of kicks. Mickie fights back with a facebuster, then Mickie goes up to the top rope. Mickie goes flying off the top, but Ember hits her in mid-air with a knee. Ember goes up top and hits the Eclipse for the three count. Natalya comes out next and she immediately takes down Ember and looks for the Sharpshooter. Ember kicks her away, then boots her in the face for a two count. Natalya comes back and rolls up Ember for the three count, and Ember looks shocked. Ruby Riott is out next, and Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan are at ringside. Ruby drops Natalya and attempts a guillotine choke on the mat. Natalya fights up and slams Ruby down, then they both charge and clothesline each other down. Ruby gets up first and hits a knee to the face of Natalya for a two count. Natalya plays possum then slaps Ruby across the face and kicks her. Natalya hits a series of suplexes on Ruby, then throws her into the corner. Natalya looks for a spinning lariat, but Ruby ducks and throws Natalya down to the mat. Ruby Riott misses a shot off the turnbuckle and Natalya rolls her up for the three count. Sasha Banks is in next. Sasha starts off with a knee to the face of Natalya, then she hits more strikes. Sasha lays Natalya across the corner and hits a double knee strike for a two count. Natalya starts to fight back, but Sasha stuns her with a DDT For a two count. Natalya trips up Sasha and fights back with a running dropkick for a two count. Sasha fires back with a kick, but Natalya shuts her down with a clothesline for a two count. Natalya follows up with the Sharpshooter, but Natalya reaches the ropes and slams Natalya’s head into the turnbuckle. Sasha applies a single Boston crab, then she switches to the Banks Statement. Natalya fights out and hits a German suplex on Sasha. Banks fights back and hits a flying knee off the middle rope for a two count. Banks looks for the Banks Statement, but Natalya pulls her off by the hair. Banks looks for a DDT, but Natalya counters and slams Sasha down face-first. Natalya applies the Sharpshooter and Banks taps out.
Winner: Natalya
– Natalya now has a shot at Ronda Rousey’s RAW Women’s Title belt, and that match happens on next week’s RAW. Natalya checks on Sasha, and then Ronda Rousey comes out. Ronda rises Natalya’s hand and hugs her, then they shake hands. Natalya and Ronda head up the ramp together as RAW goes off the air. Cole announces Elias vs. Lashley for next week, plus an appearance from Paul Heyman, and Seth Rollins vs. Baron Corbin.
