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KELLER’S WWE RAW REPORT
DECEMBER 14, 2020
ST. PETERSBURGH, FLA. AT TROPICANA FIELD (“THUNDERDOME”)
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
Announcers: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe
[HOUR ONE]
-The Raw opening aired. Then as they showed the ThunderDome, the announcers hyped Raw’s key segments and matches including an Ascension Ceremony where the WWE Title belt will be raised above the ring for their ladder match on Sunday with Drew McIntyre and A.J. Styles, plus Sheamus vs. Styles and Bray Wyatt’s “Field Trip to the ThunderDome.”
-The Dirt Sheet: Miz sat on a stool center ring with the Money in the Bank briefcase next to him on a table and a ladder behind him. He plugged his reality TV series, “Miz & Mrs,” and his match later against Keith Lee. He read “Twas the Nightmare Before TLC” storybook. He said Styles was the protagonist of the story. Styles showed up in the ring smiling. Styles introduced Omas, but Miz said he didn’t make the director’s cut. The spotlight on Omas at ringside turned back off when Miz snapped his fingers. Styles then talked about McIntyre. Instead of Drew, John Morrison appeared in another corner of the ring, dressing somewhat like McIntyre and imitating his accent. Styles slo-mo smashed a chair across Morrison’s back to show what he’ll do to Drew. Styles ducked a few swings of a sword, then took the sword and stabbed Morrison with it. Styles climbed the ladder as Miz seemed to wrap up the fairy tale style reading of the book about TLC.
Miz continued, though, and read that Miz would cash in the MITB briefcase afterward. Styles angrily climbed off the ladder and told Miz that’s the end of the book he gave him. They bickered as Miz said he made the actual ending even better. Sheamus then walked out and said he thought he had seen it all in WWE. He said this community theater performance was “slightly entertaining,” but if they’re done running their mouths and playing with their swords, he’s prepared to fight with his fists. He entered the ring and got in Sheamus’s face. Styles said if he’s not part of the solution, he’ll be part of the problem. Sheamus said he’s fine being a problem for Styles. Styles backed away and then threw a Christmas tree at Sheamus. Sheamus threw a gift-wrapped giant box at Styles. He sold the cardboard box like it was a safe. With Styles down on the ground and Sheamus’s music playing, they cut to a break.
(Keller’s Analysis: If you tolerate or even enjoy Miz’s act, treating the World Title match at a PPV with frivolity and silliness like this segment diminishes the value of the belt and title matches where the belt is at stake.) [c]
(1) A.J. STYLES (w/Omos) vs. SHEAMUS
Five minutes in, Sheamus went for a powerbomb of Styles off the ring apron, but Omos grabbed Styles to save him. Sheamus stared up at him and they cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, Styles worked over Sheamus’s knee. Sheamus eyed Omos again when he dropped to ringside. Sheamus made a comeback with clubbing blows to Styles’s chest over the top rope and then a top rope clothesline for a two count. Phillips said a win by Sheamus would silence some of the doubters he’s run into in the locker room lately. Styles put Sheamus in a Calf Crusher a minute later. Sheamus powered out. Styles set up a Styles Clash, but Sheamus countered into a White Noise for a two count. Sheamus stood, but favored his leg as he walked over to Styles. Sheamus set up a White Noise off the second rope, but Styles slipped out and then hit Sheamus’s injured leg. Sheamus fell backward and Styles then made the cover and got the three count. Phillips said Styles now has momentum going into Sunday.
WINNER: Styles in 16:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid match. Good to give Styles a clean win over Sheamus going into TLC on Sunday.)
-When Styles gloated at Sheamus. Sheamus grabbed at him. Omos yanked Sheamus through the ropes. He hung upside down with his feet trapped between the lower and middle rope. Phillips said Sheamus is helpless. Styles began bashing Sheamus in the chest and legs with the chair.
-Phillips plugged Bray’s field trip at ThunderDome. [c]
-An NXT commercial hyped Kyle O’Reilly vs. Pete Dunne this Wednesday with the winner facing Finn Balor at NXT New Year’s Evil theme show in three weeks. Also Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm and more about the return of Karrion Kross.
-They went to the announcers at ringside who plugged NXT and then threw to a video package on the Jeff Hardy vs. Bobby Lashley match and subsequent angle last week with Matt Riddle.
-Hurt Business were walking backstage when they happened upon a guy eating a doughnut. He explained he was eating an organic Bro-nut made by Riddle. He asked them to try one. They shoved him around a little to intimidate him. Lashley then said what goes good with doughnuts is milk and he poured a half gallon of milk over his head. Shelton Benjamin smiled and said, “It’s organic.” Sarah Schreiber was going to interview them, but began to leave. MVP called her over and she asked MVP about facing Riddle later. MVP said he’ll teach Riddle about respect. He said she should have asked about Cedric, Shelton, and Lashley sending New Day and Riddle away to whatever freak show will have them. Shelton said those clowns belong together. Lashley said they’ll send them all to their own world of hurt.
-Hardy and New Day were warming up backstage in matching blue and yellow colors. Riddle approached them and offered to run something by them. He said he knows they all miss Big E, so how about Hardy teams with New Day with “Bro E” in their corner. They liked the idea.
-Hardy made his ring entrance with Riddle. [c]
(2) NEW DAY (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) & JEFF HARDY (w/Riddle) vs. HURT BUSINESS (Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander & Bobby Lashley)
A few minutes in, Hardy made a comeback and then Kofi cleared the ring of Cedric. Xavier played his trombone and Hardy and Riddle danced. [c]
Shelton beat up Kofi for a while after the break.
[HOUR TWO]
Kofi eventually made a comeback and tagged in a fresh Hardy. Cedric blind-tagged in and took over quickly on Hardy. Hardy came back with a Russian leg sweep and a jackknife pin attempt on Cedric for a two count. Shelton intervened, but Kofi dropkicked him. Kofi then did a running leap onto Shelton on the floor. Xavier leaped over the top rope into Shelton, but Shelton caught him and rammed him into the ringside barricade. Lashley rammed Kofi into the barricade. Hardy and Cedric exchanged near falls in the ring. Lashley blind-tagged in and went for a Hurt Lock on Hardy. Hardy elbowed free. Hardy avoided a charging Lashley in the corner, so Lashley went shoulder-first into the ringpost. Cedric knocked Hardy off balance on the top rope. Lashley then finished him with a Hurt Lock.
WINNERS: Hurt Business in 16:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Instead of a distraction finish, we got interference from one of the wrestlers in the match, which is a heel tactic and less of a copout or cliched finish. Nice action.)
-They went to the announcers at ringside. Phillips talked about Lana facing Nia Jax. They played Jax last week talking about turning Lana ugly and twisting and contorting her body. Then they replayed Asuka telling Lana to say that she believes in herself, ending with Jax walking in and intimidating Lana.
-Lana and Asuka chatted backstage. Lana said she feels confident and strong about their chances to become tag team champs, but she’s scared to face Jax alone. Asuka said Nia is scary, but even though she’s scared, she’s going to walk out to the ring and face her anyway. ‘That makes you the bravest person I know,” she said. “I am proud to be your partner.” She told her to go out there and beat Nia Jax. They hugged.
-Lana made her ring entrance. [c]
(3) LANA vs. NIA JAX
Lana took Jax down with a head scissors seconds in. Jax didn’t like that and went after her in the corner and set up a Samoan Drop off the second rope. Lana slipped free and knocked Jax off the top rope and then leveraged her over with a jackknife pin for the three count. They showed Asuka celebrating backstage.
WINNER: Lana in under 2:00.
-After the match, Jax attacked Lana and gave her a leaping legdrop. Shayna Baszler then twisted her legs as Lana begged for her to please stop. Jax then legdropped Lana’s twisted and vulnerable leg. Asuka came out for the save and knocked Baszler and Jax to ringside. She checked on Lana, who sat up crying. Asuka consoled and comforted her. [c]
-Elias sat mid-ring on his stool with a guitar. He talked about being nearly electrocuted, and doctor’s said it would have ended any ordinary man, but he’s no ordinary man. He said he was baptized with lightning. He said he had visions of his purpose. He introduced Jaxson Ryker as part of his future. Ryker said he is there to stop Elias from being attacked and wronged by others. Elias dedicated his next performance to Lana, but was interrupted by R-Truth. He apologized for interrupting his performance last week on WWE Main Event. “I’m not an interrupter,” he said. Elias asked if he understands that he just interrupted him. Truth didn’t answer. He said he didn’t want to interrupt. Elias strummed away on his guitar, but the 24/7 Title contenders ran out including Erik, Akira Tozawa, Drew Gulak, and Gran Melalik. Ryder beat them up and then Truth fled.
-Miz said he thinks Style is trying to get on his good side, but he doesn’t appreciate what he said about him the other week when he said it’d be easier to beat him than Drew. Morrison said he had a point. He asked Miz if it’d be easier to beat Styles if Styles cash in on Drew than to just cash in against Drew. Keith Lee walked in with a coin. Miz called heads, but wondered what the rules were. It was heads. He celebrated. Lee said they both won, but that’s the only thing they’re going to win. Miz and Morrison looked at each other concerned and confused.
-Phillips plugged that Miz and Morrison would battle next two-on-one. [c]
(4) KEITH LEE vs. THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON
Miz and Morrison double-teamed Lee at the start. He swatted them away at first. Morrison eventually took over on Lee and kneed him in the head. Lee lifted and dropped Morrison, then gave him a Pounce. The timing was not pretty, as Lee hesitated before charging at Morrison, and Morrison was leaping over the top rope before Lee made contact. They cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, Miz and Morrison were taking it to Lee two-on-one. Miz tripped Lee as he had Morrison lifted, and Morrison fell onto Lee for a near fall. Miz and Morrison applied a double-submission, but Lee suplexed both of them to escape. Phillips called it freakish strength. Lee corner splashed them both in opposite corners. Then he set up a Spirit Bomb on Morrison, but instead swung Morrison into Miz. Miz and Morrison came back with a flurry. Miz tripped Lee and Morrison landed on top. Miz piled on top and they got a three count. Saxton called it a lucky win. Joe said luck had nothing to do with it.
WINNERS: Miz & Morrison in 10:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Lee’s timing wasn’t great nor was his cardio, as Miz and Morrison kept up the pace and ultimately bumped all over the place for him.)
-They cut to the announcers who threw to clips of the Orton-Wyatt segment last week. Saxton said Wyatt’s “Field Trip to ThunderDome” is next. [c]
-Phillips thanked Corey Taylor’s for “HWY 666,” the official theme of TLC.
-Bray Wyatt came out onto the stage as the Firefly Funhouse jingle played. Saxton said he’s been wondering what this will be like and he has no idea. Bray walked into the ring. His puppets were at ringside cheering him on. He wore a Christmas sweater and said he owes Randy Orton an apology. He said it was all just a giant misunderstanding. He said he knows that “he” has a sick, deranged, twisted mind of his own. He said he knows he has things to fix about himself, but he wishes they had a chance to finish what they started because this Sunday, after he takes on “him,” he’s not sure what’s going to be left of Orton. He said there will be no fun and games at TLC, only sadness and pain. “Yowie wowie, that’s alright,” he said. “That sounds splended.”
[HOUR THREE]
Bray said decided to celebrate tonight with some jokes. He asked what’s the best way to measure a viper. “Inches, because they don’t have any feet,” he said. He laughed uproariously. The puppets joined in laughing. He next asked what do snakes use to clean their car windows? Windshield Vipers. He laughed uproariously again. Orton interrupted the laughter.
Orton said he vowed last week that when the time came, he’d look the Fiend in the eye and tell him that the most evil son of a bitch on earth has come home. He said he didn’t realize at the time that The Fiend would give him that chance hours later. He told Bray that after he gave him an RKO, “you changed and you appeared out of nowhere.” He said for the first time in a very, very long time he was outmaneuvered, not by Bray, but by “him.” He said he won’t outmaneuver him tonight. He said he loves to play games, and he can’t help himself. He said he should extend his little field trip to pay him a visit tonight. He suggested they play a little game of hide and seek. Bray laughed and said he can’t resist a game. “I accept,” he said. Orton told him to come find him.
-A video package aired of last week’s happenings with Ricochet and Retribution. [c]
-A soundbite aired with Mustafa Ali and Mace from Instagram. Mace said that for years wrestlers like Ricochet stepped over him, but tonight Ricochet is the one getting stepped on.
(5) RICOCHET vs. MACE
Ali joined the announcers on commentary. He said some wrestlers need to get hit to see clearly, and he sees a lot of himself in Ricochet. When Ricochet went to the top rope, Ali sent T-Bar to the ring. Ricochet fended him off, but Mace took over and got the win as a result.
WINNER: Mace in 3:00.
-Afterward, Mace, T-Barr, and Slapjack held Ricochet as Ali said this won’t end until he joins Retribution.
-Backstage, Bray was looking for Orton. He asked Riddle if he’s seen Orton. Riddle said, “Hey, Bro.” Bray said, “No, it’s Bray.” Riddle said he’s got a great idea for Bro-nouns. He showed his target market on an ink board being people who talk. He asked to go on the Firefly Funhouse and give a pronoun lesson. Bray said he’s a little busy these days. Riddle told him to have his people call his people. Ramblin’ Rabbit showed up. Riddle asked him to sign a carrot for his pet rabbit at home, Skipper.
(6) SHAYNA BASZLER (w/Nia Jax) vs. DANA BROOKE
Baszler took early control. Brooke made a comeback and showed fire. Jax shoved her off the top rope. The ref DQ’d Shayna.
WINNER: Brooke via DQ in under 2:00.
-After the match, as Nax and Baszler double-teamed Brooke, Mandy Rose ran out and made the save. Asuka ran out, too, and helped Rose beat up Baszler. Rose kneed Baszler in the face, but it showed a lot of light. Asuka, Rose, and Brooke stood together as Asuka’s music began playing. Phillips said Asuka now has to find a new partner since Lana is too hurt to compete. Saxton said it could be Brooke or Rose or someone else.
-Backstage, R-Truth talked about PlayStation 5 selling out everywhere. The camera panned over and it turned out he was talking to Huskus the Pig. Bray told Huskus not to talk to strangers. Truth told Huskus, “Listen to your father.” He asked if Bray is his father. Bray said, “Hide and seek.” Then he ran away. Truth said they’re a wonderful family.
-Phillips hyped Rose & Brooke, Ryker & Elias, and Lashley & MVP would be on Raw Talk.
-Bray kept looking around for Orton in the concourse. He saw an empty rocking chair in a room and walked in and studied it. Then he sat down on it. The room was dark otherwise. Orton walked up behind him and attacked him. They piped in boos. Orton beat him up for a minute, then threw him into a crate. He locked the lid shut, but looked around on edge. He saw a gasoline can and poured it over the crate and lit a lighter. He then set the crate on fire and walked away. The announcers gasped and had to try to sell Bray being incinerated on live TV. Orton smiled and laughed. The Fiend popped out of the crate. Orton got wide-eyed and applied the Mandible Claw on Orton. They piped in cheers. [c]
-Phillips commented on the Fiend-Orton angle.
(7) MVP vs. RIDDLE
A screen graphic hyped the Drew McIntyre-Styles “Ascension Ceremony.” Riddle finished MVP with a Final Flash knee strike and a Floating Bro for the quick win.
WINNER: Riddle in 1:00.
-Lashley ran into the ring afterward. Riddle left quickly, grabbing his box of doughnuts. He took a bite of one. [c]
-With 13 minutes left in the show, Phillips stood in the ring and introduced Styles first and then McIntyre second. Saxton and Joe talked about the ruthlessness of Styles bashing Sheamus earlier with the chair when he was helpless. Saxton talked about the pressure McIntyre must be feeling. He carried his grandfather’s sword to the ring with him. Saxton said it brings him inspiration every night as WWE Champion.
Phillips spoke in a serious, somewhat quiet tone as he talked about the belt being raised in a moment, but first they could address each other one final time. Styles said Drew should address his championship, because it’s the last time he’ll wear it around his waist. Styles noted that they’ve never faced each other one-on-one. He said he needed to dive deep into who Drew is and find out exactly who he is. He said he was a little surprised, even shocked, that it took him 19 years to climb the WWE mountain and be the champion. “How is this possible?” he asked, with no display of irony.
Styles said he’s got muscles, height, and strength going for him. He said then a month ago he lost to Orton that he can’t handle the pressure. He said he knows he beat Orton and regained his title belt, but it changed him. He said he’s making mistakes now and taking too many risks. He asked why he’s taking the risks he’s taking as champion. He said volunteering for a TLC match is a mistake. He said Drew has never been in one before, whereas he defended the championship at a TLC match and won. “I know what it takes to be a champion.” Styles said he’ll break and bend the tables, ladders, and chairs across his back to take the championship. He told Drew to kiss it goodbye because it’ll look phenomenal around his waist.
Drew said that was quite a compelling speech. He told Styles he’ll present him with the facts as he’s seen them. He said this is a match he’s long wanted, and fans have asked when they’d finally get to see the match. He said their match has TLC stips, and Styles is right that he’s never been in that match before. Drew said in winning and losing and then winning the title again, he learned he doesn’t just want to win the title, but he wants to keep it. He said if Styles did the research, he should know this already, but he is the WWE Champion who led WWE through uncharted waters throughout 2020. He said he’s a champion who thrives under pressure. He said he’s a diamond, and his journey made him who he. “I am the champion who is going to tear you apart this Sunday,” he said. He said every man dies, but not every man truly lives. He said on Sunday, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to himself, and he’ll do whatever it takes to Styles to retain the title. He told Styles to ask himself if he will do the same thing.
The belt was then raised above the ring as dramatic music played. Styles asked Drew, “What if it’s not just me you have to face in a TLC match?” Miz and Morrison suddenly jumped Drew from behind and knocked the ladder into him. Styles joined in the beatdown. Saxton said this was a set-up by Styles. Joe said it was perfectly executed. Drew came back with Claymores to Miz and Morrison, then a Glasgow Kiss to Styles. He threw a ladder out of the ring and into the barricade. Saxton said Drew looks ready for Sunday. Omos threw the base of the steps into the ring. Drew turned and yelled down at him. Styles clipped Drew’s leg from behind, then landed a Phenomenal Forearm. He jabbed Drew with the ladder a few times, then threw him head-first into a chair wedged in the corner. Omos slid a table into the ring as Styles slid a fresh ladder into the ring. Styles put Drew on the table and then landed a leaping flying elbow, driving Drew through the table. Styles then climbed the ladder and grabbed the belt to signify what he believes can happen on Sunday. Phillips proclaimed that Styles made a statement at the expense of McIntyre as the show ended.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good show-closing angle that put the champ in some jeopardy due to a four-on-one attack, and suggested that Miz and Morrison have an incentive to help Styles win.)
Orton applied the Mandible Claw on Orton?
I wonder if a certain “queen” is going to be Asuka’s partner on Sunday @ TLC.