12/21 WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT: Hazelwood’s “alt-perspective” on TLC fallout including Orton-The Fiend, McIntyre, Asuka & Flair, more

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW TV REPORT
DECEMBER 21, 2020
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. AT TROPICANA FIELD (THE “THUNDERDOME”)
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY BRUCE LEE HAZELWOOD, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Commentators: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe

Ring Announcer: Mike Rome

(Hazelwood’s Take: Did you know that Randy Orton set The Fiend on fire, then did his signature pose as The Fiend burned when TLC ended last night? Yeah…what a way to lead into the Raw after the pay-per-view. It does not give me hope. I’ve also heard debate on if this means The Fiend is written off as a character now. Let’s not forget that The Undertaker was locked in a casket that was set on fire and “died,” and he was buried alive by his kayfabe brother Kane only to return time after time, and The Fiend is at worst a supernatural character tangentially influenced by Taker. Then again, Mordecai kind of just disappeared…)

[HOUR ONE]

-The Raw intro video aired to begin the night. Tom Phillips welcomed us from the “award winning and critically acclaimed Thunderdome” while wishing a Happy Holidays. They hyped a 6-Man Street Fight for later in the night. Charlotte Flair’s music hit as she made her entrance, new Women’s Tag Team title in tow. Phillips reminded us of her return at TLC, and Byron Saxton called it one of the most “jaw-dropping moments of the year.” Flair made her long, leisurely entrance, then grabbed a mic as they shifted to a recap video from last night’s match.

Flair began by saying she is in the Thunderdome, and what would it be without The Queen? I guess what it’s been the past six months without her? She said when a friend asks for help, and there’s something in it for her, she responds. She called Asuka her friend and the “heartbeat of the division” as she introduced Asuka. Phillips said Flair has said multiple times that her toughest opponent has been Asuka. Samoa Joe questioned this “friendship,” saying he can’t reconcile being friends with someone he’s punched in the face multiple times (he has a point). Asuka started speaking in Japanese, then said in English that the Empress of Tomorrow is “DOUBLE….CHAMPION!” She said “Nia & Shayna were not ready for Asuka and definitely not ready for my partner, The Queen Charlotte Flair!” Flair butchered the pronunciation of “tomodachi” and was interrupted by Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler. The commentators hyped a tag match between the former champion and Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke.

Jax sarcastically said, “It’s so good to see you.” She said six months healed that broken arm, but not that robotic voice of hers. Flair laughed and said does this work, “This robotic voice kicked your ass last night.” They laughed and shifted into a Christmas-pun filled tirade about how they were going to give them “season’s beatings.” Rose & Brooke interrupted. Rose and Brooke asked if they look any different, they didn’t, but said Jax & Baszler look different. They shifted into jokes about Jax looking like a reindeer, then told them to move over. Flair said “Shayna Blazer” and asked for a ref so that the new Tag Team Champion could watch the upcoming tag team match. [c]

(Hazelwood’s Take: First, I incorrectly called Rose “Liv Morgan” last week, so I’m sorry to both of them, and thank you to the readers who pointed this out. To the segment, yikes…what a way to give it to marks by turning Flair’s robotic voice back around on the heels! Asuka brought her usual energy, but it may have been too much here. Jax & Baszler really had no chance to build anything because of the quick interruption. Also, if Flair just keeps mispronouncing things, she should pull a WWE Chris Jericho and purposefully do this; I still laugh at “Kurt Angel.”)

(1) NIA JAX & SHAYNA BASZLER vs. MANDY ROSE & DANA BROOKE

-They returned with Flair’s music still playing and the competitors waiting for the bell to ring. Baszler and Rose begin, and Asuka said she’s pulling for her “sexy muscle friends,” which Flair translated as Rose & Brooke. Rose and Baszler trade some mat wrestling holds, with Rose surprisingly gaining the upper hand for a short bit. The announcers hyped Asuka & Flair vs. Lacey Evans & Peyton Royce, a match made earlier on Twitter (but you would only that if you were scrolling Twitter). Jax and Brooke tag in as Jax gained the advantage with a headbutt and a corner avalanche that missed, but Brooke bumped like she was hit by a car. Asuka & Flair played some kind of bestie characters on commentary as Jax hit a biel and one of the worst Irish whips you’ll ever see. Brook countered, hit a head scissors (Jax stayed on her feet), tagged in Rose, and both women sent the heels to the outside. Rose & Brooke with splashes off of the apron, pose by flexing, and received an excited, “Sexy Muscle Friends!” from Joe. Another sloppy spot as Rose didn’t take a strike from Jax believably, then she was thrown into the barricade as they cut to break. [c]

They hyped Smackdown this Friday on Christmas, including a Women’s Tag Team Championship defense against unnamed opponents. Rose looked to fight back against Jax, but missed a running knee that looked like it was supposed to actually hit, then Jax hit a lariat. Baszler tagged in and began working the left leg of Rose, grounding her with a leglock. She dragged Rose to the corner as Jax tagged in. Tried-and-true strategy of cutting off the ring, punctuated by Jax stomping on Rose’s leg. Rose tried fighting back with body shots, then hits a haymaker, but is floored by another lariat. Rose fought off Jax, but Baszler tagged in and hit Brooke off of the apron. Rose took advantage with strikes and an exploder suplex, drove Baszler into the corner and hit a running knee. Brooke tagged in and hit a handspring splash for a two-count. Brook hit a step-up enziguri and went to the top to hit a senton. Jax pulled Brooke off of Baszler, then was hit by knee from Rose and a handspring elbow from Brook that sent Jax into the post. Brooke almost pinned Baszler with a rollup, but was hit with an around-the-world backbreaker. She looked to stomp the arm, missed, but locked in the Kirifuda Clutch for the victory.

WINNER: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler at 12:53

-After the match, they invite Asuka & Flair into the ring, but are attacked from behind by Rose & Brooke. They worked together to send Jax over the top rope in a subtle-not-so-subtle hint about the Royal Rumble match next month. Phillips then shifted to a package recapping last night’s Men’s Tag Team Championship change as The Hurt Business defeated The New Day. They showed The Hurt Business walking in the back as they approached a (bad acting) worker in the back wearing a shirt for The New Day. They tore his shirt off, said “Merry Christmas,” and put a new shirt on him: one of The Hurt Business. [c]

(Hazelwood’s Take: The match had many sloppy spots, and unfortunately for Jax, they all involved her though I’m not quite sure they all were entirely her fault. Still, with her reputation, I doubt fans are going to be generous in their evaluation. I thought they were going to go with the “sudden” rollup victory for Rose & Brooke, but glad they gave the former champ a definitive victory. I wonder if the advertised Women’s Tag Team Championship match for Friday will be a rematch based off of this victory?)

-They returned with The Hurt Business making their entrance, now donning the United States Championship (Bobby Lashley) and the Tag Team Championship (Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin). The three title holder held up their titles at the top of the ramp as M.V.P. looked on like a doting mentor. They hyped a tag match between Lashley & M.V.P. vs. The Hardy Bros (Jeff Hardy & Matt Riddle). It’s a “Champions” edition of the V.I.P. Lounge as M.V.P. said this is most certainly a time to celebrate. M.V.P. said the V.I.P. Lounge is for champions, for people who are “better than you.” Benjamin said they proved they’re better than any tag team in the locker room as Alexander cut in and said especially more than The New Day, and said the time of “Prime Alexander” is here. Lashley spoke next and guaranteed there isn’t a man alive that can beat him for the title. M.V.P. said to commemorate a historic occasion, he invited a photographer. They posed for a photo with their titles out with Benjamin making a “five-second pose” joke. R-Truth photobombed, then was chased off by the 24/7 crew (you know who they are at this point).

Hardy’s music played as he and Riddle made their entrance. This means Riddle is going to speak….crap. M.V.P. said they weren’t invited. Riddle said congratulations and he’s “really digging” the celebration, but he thinks they’re doing things wrong like spending too much money at the club. He said they should just be sitting back and kicking it with the “homies,” made some weed jokes, said listen to the Joe Rogan Podcast (no), watch a Dave Chappelle special (OK), and kept rambling. He said at the end of the day, we’re all “self-aware, carbon matter” on a rock hurling toward the depths of space. M.V.P. interrupted and said he has no idea what he’s talking about. Hardy said a man’s money isn’t the only “criterion” of a man’s worth. He said their faith is going to lead them victory, and that’s something money can’t buy. They hype a recap for the Orton-The Fiend match as they cut to break. [c]

(Hazelwood’s Take: That was just…bad. It was actually going well until, of course, Riddle had to open his mouth. Hardy didn’t help either, and that last little bit about “faith” and their reactions seemed SO forced. Just give The Hurt Business a clean win over the two and don’t define them down further having to feud with Hardy & Riddle.)

(2) ANGEL GARZA vs. DREW GULAK

-As Garza made his entrance, the commentators debated if Garza has enough focus to be a top player or if he’s too focused on women. The “Lethal Lothario” tore off his pants and threw them in Gulak’s face to gain the advantage with a Thesz Press and strikes, then hit Gulak with a running knee in the corner. Garza locked in an abdominal stretch, Gulak countered into one of his own, then Garza countered to regain the advantage. Gulak fought back, whipped Garza into the corner, but ran into a boot. Superkick from Garza into the Wing Clipper for the victory.

WINNER: Angel Garza at 2:11

-After the match, they showed replays as Garza posed by laying across the top rope. Phillips then shifted to hyping Miz T.V. with A.J. Styles and they showed a package recapping last night’s WWE Championship TLC match, which involved The Miz cashing in his Money in the Bank contract and McIntyre retaining. The best thing, besides McIntyre retaining, was how strong they made Omos look last night. They cut the Styles and Omos in the back as Charly Caruso approached and asked how he felt about The Miz cashing in. Styles said he was “Vesuvius hot.” Caruso asked if he’s so made, why is he appearing on Miz T.V.? Styles replied he wants to hear what The Miz has to say. Styles is also sporting a pretty good shiner underneath his left eye. They cut to break. [c]

(Hazelwood’s Take: Hey, Angel Garza on Raw! Last I saw he was on Main Event wrestling Keith Lee…yep, you read that right. A quick victory, even over someone as defined down as Gulak, still helps build Garza, though it’ll be interesting to see what ceiling they place on him with his current character. To the next segment, I’m hoping we start hearing more from Omos. Even in the little we’ve heard from him, there seems to be a definite personality behind his voice, and beyond his size, I can see why people, namely Vince McMahon, are so high on Omos.)

[HOUR TWO]

-They returned with The Miz & John Morrison already in the ring for Miz T.V. The Miz did his normal welcome without his usual bluster now that he doesn’t have the briefcase or the WWE Championship. He said you’re not presented with many opportunities to become WWE Champion and he failed in becoming a two-time WWE Champion. He failed himself and his family, and he said he’s sorry. Morrison said there’s another apology to be made as The Miz introduced Styles (w/Omos). Phillips said The Miz “is despondent” as he is one of the few people to unsuccessfully cash in Money in the Bank. Omos happened to be wearing a sweet, sweet blue suit. They hyped the 6-Man  match for later as Styles & Omos finally made it to the ring. Omos glared at the hosts, who looked afraid.

The Miz said he wanted to give an explanation and said he’s usually not an impulsive man. Styles interrupted and said, “Just shut your mouth, Miz.” He called him the biggest idiot on Earth, and to top it off, incompetent. He said they both lost because of The Miz and The Miz yelled, enraged, that he knows that. He said ten years ago he cashed in and main evented WrestleMania and it was supposed to be the same. He said nobody respects him even though he’s spent 15 years trying to be the posterchild for WWE. He said maybe they would all respect him if he was WWE Champion. He said he can only make this right, so “from the bottom of my heart, my soul, with every ounce of dignity, I apologize.” He said he blew it. He said as an early holiday gift, he would like to present Styles the opportunity to costar in the new installment of The Marine. Omos said tactically, it’s The Miz’s fault. Styles and Morrison argued a bit, Omos went out of the ring, The Miz interrupted the two before they could come to blows and said Morrison cashed in the contract, not The Miz, and as contract holder, he demanded to have it back since he didn’t cash it in.

McIntyre’s music hit as he interrupted them. He said he’s going to be the one to take them out, and he had a little celebration after he won last night. He mentioned the “present” he left Styles on his face (the shiner). He said he was with some friends, Lee & Sheamus, as well as Mr. Jim Bean and Mr. Jack Daniels and the “creative juices were flowing.” He read a poem, “The Nightmare after TLC.” Sheamus & Lee made their appearances as each member of the three read a line. McIntyre couldn’t find the finish, and Sheamus said “everything after 3 a.m. is a blur.” Lee said they could create a new finish in the street fight. They begin to brawl and Styles kicked Sheamus into Lee. They begin to argue as McIntyre separates them. Sheamus yelled about “taking away my moment.” The commentators then shifted to hyping Ricochet vs. T-Bar and a video package on this whole Ricochet-Retribution saga. T-Bar made his entrance, accompanied by the members of Retribution in Mace, Slapjack, Reckoning, and leader Mustafa Ali. They cut to break. [c]

(Hazelwood’s Take: The Miz’s earnestness almost made that segment worth it. The faces and their poem were just not a good look, in my opinion, as it made them come off like arrogant jerks more than confident heroes. The saving grace from the segment was Sheamus’ quip about his moment being stolen, another subtle hint at his eventual turn…maybe.)

-They returned with Sheamus and Lee bickering in the back, yelling at each other, with McIntyre trying to calm them down by saying he’s going “to kick both your asses” if they don’t calm down. He sent Sheamus off and turned to Lee and said he knows it was an accident. He said Sheamus is like a brother just looking out for him and they should get on the same page. Ricochet then made his entrance.

(3) T-BAR (w/Mustafa Ali & Mace & Slapjack & Reckoning) vs. RICOCHET

-Ricochet immediately began with a dropkick and strikes to T-Bar, targeting the knee, but is caught on a springboard attempt. T-Bar with standing knees to the ribs as he held Ricochet, then tossed him aside. T-Bar hit a huge lariat for a two-count, then grounded him with a modified Randy Orton Special (rear chinlock). Ricochet fought back be grabbing the mask, sent T-Bar to the outside, then hit a dropkick to the outside on Slapjack and a moonsault to Mace, but hit by T-Bar with a huge boot. Ali pulled T-Bar aside, then yelled at Ricochet about thinking with his mind and not his heart. Ricochet started punching Ali, but T-Bar hit him with the unnamed Feast Your Eyes for the victory.

WINNER: T-Bar at 2:42

-After the match, Retribution entered the ring. T-Bar spoke to the mic and said they’re not Ricochet’s enemies, but his allies. “You will either join us, or we’ll end your existence.” The commentators called this a “dilemma.” Ya think? They then shifted to a WWE Network Exclusive with The New Day from earlier in the day. They congratulated The Hurt Business with Kofi Kingston saying he lost pieces of a couple of teeth last night. They said they will bounce back. Lashley & M.V.P. made their entrance for their match against Hardy & Riddle as they cut to break. [c]

(Hazelwood’ Take: At least Retribution keeps getting victories. On the other hand, poor Ricochet. Also, does anyone actually benefit from this angle? When Retribution isn’t beating Ricochet, they’re losing to the likes of Brooke, so why would Ricochet want to join the group?)

(4) BOBBY LASHLEY & M.V.P. (w/Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin) vs. JEFF HARDY & RIDDLE

-They returned with Hardy & Riddle making their entrances. They replayed, in slomo, Riddle kicking off his slippers. Hardy and Lashley began the match with Hardy furiously striking Lashley. Riddle tagged in and looked for a sleeper, but Lashley flipped him off and hit him with a lariat. M.V.P. tagged in as they isolated RIddle in the corner. Shoulder thrusts and a European uppercut led to a Lashley tag, who stomped away at a prone Riddle, followed by a neckbreaker for a two-count. Riddle fought back with kicks, then tagged in Hardy, who hit Lashley with the inverted atomic drop-leg drop-basement dropkick-standing splash combo. Riddle back in as they hit “Broetry in Motion.” M.V.P. tried to interfere, but was hit with an assisted Floating Bro. They cut to break with the faces in the ring and the heels outside. [c]

They returned with Hardy and Lashley the legal men, and Hardy taking a nasty bump. Lashley shoved Hardy off of the tope rope as he went for Whisper in the Wind, but Hardy land partially on the steps. Remember when he hit the back of his head on the bottom step? Hardy barely made it back into the ring, favoring his left arm. Lashley began working the left arm, then tagged in M.V.P., who continued working the arm. Hardy fought back with strikes, but M.V.P. hit him with a facebuster and then the Ballin’ Elbow. Also, M.V.P. may have one of the best pins in the business with how he holds the head and leg. Looked for a running boot in the corner, missed, and Hardy hit Whisper in the Wind. Hardy made the tag and Riddle with a flurry of strikes to M.V.P. Riddle with running forearms, then an exploder into a broton followed by a fisherman’s suplex pin that was broken up by Lashley, who dragged his partner to the corner to tag himself in. He hit Riddle with a flatliner, then went for a delayed suplex. Riddle with knees to the head, Hardy tagged in, Riddle with a pump knee to Lashley and then to the outside to take out Benjamin. Hardy to the top, distracted by M.V.P., missed the Swanton, countered a spear with a knee, but then is trapped in The Hurt Lock. Hardy tapped. They showed replays after the match, really putting over The Hurt Lock. They shifted to the back showing Styles, The Miz, and Morrison still arguing as they cut to break. [c]

WINNER: Bobby Lashley & M.V.P. at 11: 32

(Hazelwood’s Take: A pretty much standard WWE TV tag team match. At least the distractions were minimal, which is a slight victory for WWE. The best thing is The Hurt Business keeps winning, as they should. I’m waiting for the day when Lashley bequeaths the United States Championship to M.V.P. as he challenges for the WWE Championship so that The Hurt Business can “fulfill the prophecy” of The Undisputed Era from NXT and hold all the gold. )

-They returned with a tweet from Orton, a still shot of him looking at The Fiend ablaze. Elias was in the ring (with his new associate Jaxson Ryker). He said Ryker “understands the Universal Truth.” He said his 2020 has been a whirlwind, but thanked his fans. He said to those who haven’t bought his music yet, he thinks they just haven’t heard it yet since it “changes people’s lives.” He said they test how powerful his music can be tonight, but is interrupted by Gran Metalik (w/Lince Dorado).

(5) JAXSON RYKER (w/Elias) vs. GRAN METALIK (w/Lince Dorado)

-Ryker took advantage early with power moves. Elias was sitting on the top turnbuckle strumming and singing until Metalik hit him with a head scissors. Ryker the hit a sit-down chokebomb for the win.

WINNER: Jaxson Ryker at 0:55

-Phillips then shifted to a video recapping last night’s “Firefly Inferno Match” between Orton and The Fiend. After, they showed Orton, with a devious smile on his face, making his way to the ring from the back as they cut to break. [c]

(Hazelwood’s Take: Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado deserve so much better than jobbing to such a problematic individual, so problematic they took him off TV while his stablemates were being pushed and had to repackage them…wait, that’s basically what they just did with Ryker, huh? WWE really does think the viewers have no memory, huh?)

-They returned with Orton’s music playing as he made his entrance to discuss his actions. On a side note, I’m actually kind of liking this zip-up hoodie and shorts with laced-up wrestling boots wearing version of Orton. The commentators discussed how vicious Orton can be. Orton kept looking at a certain spot in the ring as he did his pose on the middle turnbuckle; Phillips reminded us that’s exactly where he set The Fiend on fire.

[HOUR THREE]

Phillips said The Fiend was born of Orton’s actions years earlier when he burned down the Wyatt Compound (sure). Orton took the mic and began by saying his entire life he’s been called many different things: sick and twisted, deranged and demented, and he proved he is each and every one of those things last night. He said a normal person would have regrets for setting another man on fire (really now?), but The Fiend is no normal man, and neither is he. He said he enjoyed every second as he stood by and watched The Fiend burn. He looked over and slowly walked over to the spot, saying “this is exactly where it happened last night” and if he closes his eyes, he can see it, smell it, because the stench of burning flesh has a tendency to linger (I’ll take his word on that one). He said he didn’t sleep because the voices in his head were gone, they don’t exist anymore. He said he only hears the sound of The Fiend gasping for his last breath as the flames grew hotter, as they grew higher. He looked into the camera, laughed, and said The Fiend is gone, no more, and that, “I’m the evil son of a bitch that took him out.”

Suddenly, the lights started to go out in The Fiend fashion. Orton exited the ring looking shocked, muttering, “No, no, no” to himself. When the lights turned back on, there was a purple glow and Alexa Bliss was in the ring on a children’s swing set. She said, “Expecting someone else?” She said The Fiend built “Alexa’s Playground” for her, and she invited Orton to “come play.” She said she bets he’s wondering where The Fiend is. She said he could be at a tanning salon, or the beach (but she hopes he doesn’t get sunburnt!), at his favorite restaurant eating his favorite food (BBQ). She laughed at her own jokes, then stood and went to the spot and said he’s “home” underneath all those layers of earth. She said if he does return, it will be to her playground, and menacingly turned to Orton to say, “It will be like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

-The commentators looked shocked after the segment, with Joe looking particularly flabbergasted. They shifted to another recap of Asuka & Flair winning last night. Flair made her entrance after as they transitioned to that atrocious 2020/2021 package from last week’s Smackdown. Seriously, if you haven’t seen it, you should just for how bad it really is. It’s a bunch of finishers being performed on 2020, looking like a germ from those Mucinex commercials. It’s truly, truly bad television. They cut to break. [c]

(Hazelwood’s Take: Orton was fine, Bliss was fine, the segment was fine. It wasn’t special, it wasn’t bad, it was just fine. This does answer the question though: they’ve left the door, er, “earth” open for The Fiend to return at some point.)

(6) ASUKA & CHARLOTTE FLAIR vs. LACEY EVANS & PEYTON ROYCE

-They returned with Schrieber asking Evans & Royce about their chances, and they said they don’t need no handouts. They made their entrance, but Royce stayed back to say she was the one who garnered them the match as she challenged Flair. They hyped a Tik Tok video with Royce and Gordon Ramsay. Asuka and Royce began, with Asuka gaining the early advantage. Evans made a blind tag, which saved Royce who was in the Asuka Lock. Evans looked to gain the advantage, but made a tag to Royce that Asuka didn’t see. Royce hit a spinning wheel kick to the face for a two-count as they cut to break. [c]

Back from break, Evans & Royce had the advantage on Asuka. Evans looked for her jump-up moonsault, but Royce tagged in for the pin and only scored a two-count. As Royce went to the top, Evans tagged in and hit a slingshot elbow for a two-count. The two argued, nearly letting Asuka make the tag. Royce must have tagged back in because she was legal. Asuka made the tag to Flair, who started cleaning house including a high-angle belly-to-back suplex to Evans. She hit a big boot to the legal Royce, but intercepted Evans as she looked for the Figure 8 on Royce. Royce rolled Flair into a single crab, Evans tried her best to distract Asuka, but Asuka broke up the sub and kicked Evans in the head on the outside. Royce reversed another attempt, but had her leg kicked out from under her. Flair locked it in, and Royce tapped.

WINNER: Asuka & Charlotte Flair at 8:05

-After the match, Phillips reminded us of their first defense on Friday as they shifted to showing McIntyre giving Sheamus & Lee a pep talk, with Sheamus glaring at an unsuspecting Lee the whole time. They cut to break hyping “Raw Legends Night” with Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, The Big Show, Torrie Wilson, and more in two weeks. [c]

(Hazelwood’s Take: At least this match made sense: the new tag team is still finding their chemistry and teamwork, which doesn’t necessarily apply to the Tag Team Champion who have developed a relationship through their rivalry. Evans & Royce just don’t have that history. That being said, it should probably have been three minutes shorter. This is all leading to a WrestleMania rematch between Asuka & Flair, right?)

-They hyped the Royal Rumble match as they returned, then shifted to highlighting Titus O’Neil’s work in the community. They rewarded a school staff member of 27 years with a new car. O’Neil wasn’t wearing a mask even though she was, so come on, Titus! They recapped the events that intensified the upcoming 6-Man match. They then showed The Miz & Morrison in the back, the former on the phone pleading his case about the contract. Styles (w/Omos) approached, said to get off the phone, The Miz wouldn’t, so he just grabbed the phone and walked off. McIntyre made his entrance first, holding the sword by the pommel yet again. They cut to break. [c]

-They returned hyping Raw Talk with Ricochet, Flair, and Alexander & Benjamin. They cut to McIntyre and Sheamus chowing down on some cookies that were at ringside, meaning they’re going to be involved in the match. Lee made his entrance next. The Miz & Morrison followed with their slomo entrance, then Styles & Omos.

(7) DREW MCINTYRE & SHEAMUS & KEITH LEE vs. A.J. STYLES (w/Omos) & THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON – 6-Man Holiday Street Fight

-Sheamus and Morrison started the match with Sheamus utilizing his power to gain the early advantage. Morrison hit a nice, fluid forearm into an ankle pick. Styles tagged in, but Sheamus gained the upper hand. Apologies here as the player on the USA website kept freezing. Unfrozen, McIntyre tagged in as he and Sheamus wishboned Morrison. McIntyre chopped Morrison, then stomped on his hand. Morrison kicked the taped up knee of McIntyre to gain the advantage, and continued working the leg with a dragon screw. McIntyre hit the Glasgow Kiss to crate space, then tagged in Lee as they hit a double suplex, well, toss on Morrison, sending him across the ring and nearly out of the ring. They cut to Sheamus, who has a shocked look on his face. Sheamus tagged in and he and Lee hit Morrison with a double shoulder tackle, then double back elbows to a charging The Miz, and a double hiptoss to a charging Styles. They “playfully” slap each other, with Lee giving Sheamus a rather “gentle” Grizzly Magnum as McIntyre jumped in as they cut to break. [c]

(Hazelwoods Take: That “gentle” Grizzly Magnum would have still killed me.)

They returned with Sheamus in control, working the arm of Styles (whose shirt is still on). Sheamus tossed in The Miz just for fun, McIntyre came in to take out Morrison, and they hit Ten Beats of the Bodhran on each of their foes. They then tossed both to Lee on the outside who caught them, then drove them into the ring. He threw Morrison into some presents and did the same to The Miz. It’s funny how in a street fight, there’s still tags; need some sense of decorum, right? Styles fought back against Sheamus, aided by Morrison throwing a present at Sheamus. Sheamus into the post, The Miz tagged in, then the faces cleared the ring. Sheamus then hit Morrison with a rolling senton and went to the top rope, but is distracted by Styles. This allowed Morrison to run up the turnbuckle and shove Sheamus off to the table outside, Sheamus’ face partially hitting the table. Styles threw a cookie at Lee on the outside as Morrison rolled Sheamus into the ring. Sheamus looked a bit wobbly. The Miz tagged in, double gutbuster, then raked at Sheamus’ face. The Miz kept Sheamus away from the corner with a DDT for a two-count. Stream froze again (not a good night for the USA player). Back now with McIntyre in control, hobbled, but in control. Lee hit a huge Pounce on Styles, but was hit by a springboard kick by Morrison, who was hit by an Irish Curse. The Miz sent Sheamus to the outside, McIntyre sent The Miz outside, then was struck over and over again by Styles with a candy cane kendo stick. He then powerbombed Styles through a table outside. Sheamus and Morrison just whacked each other with kendo sticks multiple times. Sheamus tagged in as McIntyre looked for a Claymore, then Lee tagged in. Morrison was sent off the ring apron into Omos’ arms, who slammed him through a table. Lee hit the Spirit Bomb for the victory.

WINNER: Drew McIntyre & Sheamus & Keith Lee at 17:44

-After the match, Sheamus hit Lee with a Brogue Kick. An incredulous McIntyre asked why Sheamus did that and that he “vouched for you.” He said they just “won the damn match, what’s wrong with you?” The show ende with McIntyre in Sheamus’ face.

(Hazelwood’s Take: I’ll take a three hour story from WWE as long-term storytelling. They hinted at Sheamus being upset at Lee for “trying to take his moment,” and it came to fruition even after they won. McIntyre’s reactions seem like the reactions you would expect from anyone in that situation, so that partially worked. Still, I don’t know what this says about the other six men, but the person who draws my attention the most when they’re on screen is Omos. It’s NOT just due to his height. I’m not sure what to expect, but whatever it is, at least I’m interested in what’s to come with Omos.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Did WWE really get the message about the ratings? Tonight’s show exhibited little to no improvement from last week. It was just another bad show. At least there’s some booking consistency at times, and even if the matches and angles weren’t great, they were coherent? If that’s the best I can say about Raw, then who am I trying to fool, really?