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WWE RAW ON-SITE REPORT
DECEMBER 3, 2018
HOUSTON, TEX.
REPORT BY WILL F., PWTORCH CORRESPONDENT
If you attend a live event, please send results in the format of the following report to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. Thanks!
TAPED FOR MAIN EVENT
(A) Tyler Breeze beat Curt Hawkins. This lengthened Hawkins’ losing streak and may have ended a lengthy one for Breeze.
(B) Zack Ryder & The B-Team (Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas) beat Mojo Rawley & The Ascension.
DARK MATCH AFTER RAW
(1) Elias & Finn Balor & Dolph Ziggler beat Baron Corbin & Bobby Lashley & Drew McIntyre. This began as Elias vs. Corbin, but Corbin made it a six-man tag instead. This went about five minutes ending with Balor pinning Corbin.
RAW NOTES
-The upper deck was totally tapped off. On the hard camera side there were maybe 100 people out of a few thousand seats. There was even a whole row on the floor level that wasn’t even filled. I paid $65 for my ticket and I was opposite the hard camera about 20 rows up. I like going to live sporting events because I love heckling people. Being my first event in a long, it was a lot of fun.
-This was actually my first live WWE event since 2002. I became a lapsed fan when I went into college in 2003, but Raw 25 ads brought me back and now I’ve been watching since. Then I started listing to podcasts like the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show. It’s made me more of an engaged viewer to WWE Network to sit there and understand the background and what people are thinking and the psychology and everything else.
-Ronda Rousey got a medium pop, below Seth Rollins and Finn Balor. When she came out later, the crowd seemed ready for the show to end at that point. They actually weren’t that into the main event. I think Ronda’s promos have hurt her. Even at the beginning of the show, it felt like she was overacting everything. There was a little girl in front of us with a homemade sign for Rousey, so she has her fans. I prefer Becky Lynch to be The Man, so I’m personally biased there.
-Bayley and Sasha were over with the crowd, probably about the same as Rousey.
Check out Wade Keller’s new podcast covering last night’s episode of WWE Raw…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by cohost Rich Fann from the PWTorch Livecast “Deep Dive” to discuss WWE Monday Night Raw from Houston, Tex. including an on-site reporter along with live callers and a lot of mailbag feedback on Ronda Rousey wrestling, Drew McIntyre turns on Dolph Ziggler, Dean Ambrose addresses fans, Sasha & Bayley Q&A with Alexa Bliss, Baron Corbin’s power trip continues, Lucha House Party rules, and more.
-On Tune In Radio HERE
-On Apple Podcasts HERE
-Or search “Wade Keller” on your podcast app of choice
-Drew McIntyre seemed to be similar to Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton with the “I’m better than everybody else” type character with that type of confident. He seemed like he deserved that top spot he’s in.
-I like to watch every single special WWE has about the backstage stuff, and it was interesting for me watching them change the ring mat three or four times. Also, just how well-oiled their ring crew is stood out to me. It’s been said before, but the ring and bell are mic’d so well. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience overall and part of it was getting noticed by starting chants during some quiet parts.
-Seth got the biggest pop of the night. Everyone was kind of anticipating his arrival because of where the cameraman was set up where Seth made his run-in. The crowd popped for Dean Ambrose with a mix of cheers and boos, and there was a lot of Ambrose merchandise worn by fans.
-Top Babyface Reactions: Seth, Balor, Rousey. Apollo Crews and Dolph Ziggler get honorable mention for big pops at key moments for them.
-During the match with Drew and Dolph Ziggler, there were “Let’s Go Ziggler” chants. During the dark match, when Ziggler came out to join the six-man tag, he got a big pop from the crowd.
-The little kids really reacted to Lucha House Party. The adult guys were reacting to The Revival. People were having fun with it. Once the match started, the crowd just kind of died.
-For Rhyno and Heath Slater, Rhyno got a standing ovation after he lost. There were also “ECW” chants for Rhyno, of course.
If you attend a live event, please send results in the format of the following report to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. Thanks!
Kudos to Vince and the writers for actually figuring out that RAW is Not only for, of and by the heels. Slipped in a few places (Rhyno-Slater,AOP, but at least watchable!!!!!
Did they announce when they’d be back in Houston?