SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE RAW TV REPORT
DECEMBER 11, 2023
CLEVELAND, OHIO AT ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE
AIRED LIVE ON USA
REPORT BY MAURICIO POMARES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
Tonight after WWE Raw, join Wade Keller live with guest co-host Nate Lindberg from PWTorch to break down the show with live callers and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
•CALL: (347) 215-8558
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, SEARCH “WADE KELLER” ON YOUR PODCAST APP TO SUBSCRIBE AND THEN DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW TWO HOURS OR SO AFTER THE TV SHOW ENDS.
[HOUR ONE]
– The show opened with a video package recapping Drew McIntyre’s assault of Sami Zayn and Jey Uso.
– Jey Uso made his way to the ring to talk about getting “Yeet” back, to say that CM Punk should be signed to Raw and to wish Sami Zayn a quick recovery. He started talking about what Drew did, but was quickly interrupted by him. Drew said that Adam Pearce shouldn’t sign Punk to Raw because he would destroy it from the inside. Drew looked at the camera and apologized for what he did to Sami before pointing out that Jey couldn’t even do that. He called out the crowd for booing him and said that he should be right for seeking vengeance on a man who hurt his family.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Another excellent promo from Drew McIntyre who has been in peak form throughout his heel turn. He’s easily being the highlight of Raw for nearly a month and while this was short, it was still great.)
(1) JEY USO vs. DREW MCINTYRE
Jey immediately nailed Drew with numerous right hands and clotheslined him out of the ring, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Jey caught Drew with an enzuigiri, followed by a high crossbody for a two count. Drew hit Jey with a knee strike to the abdomen, following it with a vertical suplex. Drew blasted Jey with a series of chops to the chest, but missed a follow-up Claymore onto the announce table. Jey knocked Drew down with a suicide dive, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Drew launched Jey across the ring with a Spider superplex. fired up with a series of right hands, but Drew shut him down with a Glasgow Kiss. Jey evaded a diving move and laid Drew out with a Samoan drop for a two count. Drew avoided a hip attack and dropped Jey with a neckbreaker before kipping up. Jey blocked the Claymore with a couple of superkicks, but Drew blocked the Uso Splash with his knees.
Drew spiked Jey with the Future Shock DDT for a shocking nearfall. Drew exposed the turnbuckle before receiving a Spear for a close two count. The referee got distracted, fixing the turnbuckle pad. Drew took advantage of the distraction to gouge Jey’s eyes and knock him out with a Claymore.
WINNER: Drew McIntyre at 17:12
(Pomares’s Analysis: Pretty good opening contest that improved on their last match a month ago and did a great showcasing how far Drew is willing to go in his new heel persona.)
– A recap of CM Punk’s appearances on SmackDown and NXT Deadline was shown.
[Commercial Break]
– An animated video package was shown, recapping the rivalry between Cody Rhodes and Shinsuke Nakamura.
– Backstage, Finn Bálor and Rhea Ripley reprimanded Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh for losing last week and losing the NXT North American title. Damian Priest said that he and Finn would get to group back on track by beating the Creeds. Ripley confronted Priest for failing to act as a leader and claimed that she would make an example of Maxxine Dupri tonight.
– Backstage, the Creed Brother and Alpha Academy cheered on Maxxine Dupri ahead of her match against Rhea Ripley. R-Truth showed up with Christmas lights for the Judgment Day, only for Chad Gable to tell him that he is not really in their group. Truth insisted that he was before walking away and wishing them a happy Thanksgiving.
– Rhea Ripley made her way to the ring, ahead of her match against Maxxine Dupri.
[Commercial Break]
(2) RHEA RIPLEY vs. MAXXINE DUPRI (w/Ivy Nile)
Dupri slapped Ripley, only for Ripley to hit her with a series of clotheslines. Dupri countered a powerbomb with a hurracarrana before nailing Ripley with a dropkick. Ripley shut Dupri down with a big boot, setting her up for the Riptide. Ripley put Dupri in an inverted Cloverleaf for the submission victory.
WINNER: Rhea Ripley at 2:04
– After the match, Rhea Ripley and Ivy Nile had a brief face-off.
(Pomares’s Analysis: A fine squash with a clunky spot in the middle, but a strong ending. Ivy Nile will likely be a brief challenger to the title throughout the Holiday period. Kind of odd how much she has been showcased since her main roster call-up compared to NXT where she was never pushed beyond a certain point.)
– A video package was shown showcasing Katana Chance and Kayden Carter hanging out at a music festival, as well as their rise in the tag division.
– Backstage, Adam Pearce entered CM Punk’s locker room.
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR TWO]
– Adam Pearce stood in the middle of the ring to introduce CM Punk. Punk talked about this town and building not being very friendly towards him. Punk said that he made his debut in this city and was quickly told to go to OVW. He said that the next time he was in this city, he was kicked in the head by Randy Orton and woke up stripped of his world title. Punk said that 10 years he walked away in this city and doesn’t regret it, but apologized for those fans that wanted to see him.
– Punk discussed the offers he got from SmackDown and NXT before confirming that he was signing with Raw and was home. Seth Rollins made his way to the ring to have a face-off with Punk. Rollins grabbed a mic to order Punk to not call this place his home. Rollins said that Punk spent 10 years slandering him and the people on the back to just walk back in. He told Punk that this wasn’t his home and he would do everything to protect his home from Punk.
– Rollins told Punk that he hated him, but he wanted him on Monday Night Raw. Rollins told Punk that everyone knows that this was his last chance, wondering if he would self-destruct again or if he had actually changed, so he would expose him wrestling for the World Heavyweight title and show him what it means to be the best in the world. Punk told Rollins that he never asked for anything before announcing that he would be entering the Royal Rumble.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Outstanding promo segment, especially from Seth Rollins. Leaning into real life events has always been one of the strongest elements of any CM Punk feud and this is no different. It’s kind of odd to see such a major angle take place in early December, but it’s a welcome change from the lack of major story bits we often see at the end of the year.)
– A video package was shown recapping the rivalry between Bronson Reed and Ivar.
– Bronson Reed made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Ivar.
[Commercial Break]
(3) BRONSON REED vs. IVAR (w/Valhalla)
Ivar nailed Reed with a big boot and a barrage of back elbows, only for Reed to respond with a body block and an elbow drop. Reed and Ivar knocked each other down with clotheslines at the same time. They ran into each other with crossbodies at ringside, as WWE Raw went to a commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Reed clocked Ivar with a thrust kick, only for Ivar to respond with a spinebuster for a two count. Ivar knocked Reed off the apron with a clothesline, setting him up for a cannonball. Reed stopped Ivar atop the turnbuckle and laid him out with a superplex for the three count.
WINNER: Bronson Reed at 7:54
(Pomares’s Analysis: Pretty fun match for the time given. The ending was well-executed, but doesn’t feel definitive enough to be the end of this feud. It’ll probably finish with a Viking Rules match down the line.)
– Backstage, CM Punk confronted the Judgment Day, only for Damian Priest to tell him that if he finishes his story, he would be waiting with his briefcase.
[Commercial Break]
– The Judgment Day stood in the middle of the ring to put any new or returning star on notice. R-Truth interrupted to ask the Judgment Day why the lock to their clubhouse was locked. Truth entered the ring to say that they should kick JD out of the group and to tell Priest to stop calling himself the leader because it angered Mami. Priest laid Truth out with a lariat and started beating him down, until the Creed Brothers ran down to make the save. Julius launched JD and Dominik away with a double Xploder and sent Fin out of the ring. The Creeds planted Priest with a double spinebuster, forcing the Judgment Day to retreat.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Fine segment to keep on building the rivalry between the Judgment Day and the Creed Brothers. I like the dissension in the Judgment Day and I assume it will cost them the tag titles wherever they face the Creeds.)
– Backstage, Drew McIntyre told CM Punk that he didn’t care about his story and would only focus on finishing his own before walking away. Adam Pearce confirmed that Drew would get his rematch against Seth Rollins on the first Raw of 2024. Kofi Kingston, Chad Gable and Ricochet shook Punk’s hand before entering Pearce’s office.
– Katana Chance and Kayden Carter made their way to the ring, ahead of their match against Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell.
[Commercial Break]
– Chelsea Green and Piper Niven were on commentary for the next match.
(4) KATANA CHANCE & KAYDEN CARTER vs. CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL
Carter knocked Indi down with a dropkick, followed by a slingshot senton from Chance. Chance took Indi down with a headscissors takeover, only for Indi to respond with a big boot. Carter blasted Indi with a thrust kick before receiving a senton from LeRae. Indi and LeRae hit Carter with a backbreaker and neckbreaker combination for a two count. Indi laid Carter out with a spinebuster, only for Carter to block a splash from LeRae with her knees. Carter took care of Indi with a thrust kick before she and Chance finished LeRae with the neckbreaker and 450 splash combination.
WINNERS: Katana Chance & Kayden Carter at 2:36
(Pomares’s Analysis: This was fine, but way too short to give Chance and Carter a proper showcase ahead of their title match. Also, what is going on with Indi Hartwell and especially Candice LeRae? They haven been booked as essentially enhancement talent for so long and I don’t know why.)
– Backstage, DIY discussed teaming with a mystery partner to take on Imperium. Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci interrupted to make fun of them before Gunther appeared and asked them who would want to be associated with losers like them.
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR THREE]
– Becky Lynch made her way to the ring to call Nia Jax out, showing footage of their confrontation from 2018. Lynch recapped how Jax had double ACL surgery and was fired while she went on to main event WrestleMania. Jax showed up to say that she almost ended Lynch’s career with a lucky swing. Jax said that Lynch owed her career. Lynch said that she was tired of that narrative and she needed to end Jax. Jax said that Lynch needed her to prove herself, but claimed that she was more than the woman who made the man. Lynch dared Jax to punch her, but Jax simply walked away.
(Pomares’s Analysis: A fine promo segment that gave a pretty solid reason as to why these are feuding. Not much else to say, the promos were alright.)
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Cody Rhodes about CM Punk declaring himself for the Royal Rumble. Cody said that he was happy for him, but only one story could finish at WrestleMania. Cody moved on to focus on how vicious Shinsuke Nakamura was, only to remind Nakamura that he asked for this.
– Imperium made their way to the ring, ahead of their match against DIY.
[Commercial Break]
– The Miz was revealed as DIY’s mystery partner.
(5) IMPERIUM (Gunther & Giovanni Vinci & Ludwig Kaiser) vs. DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) & THE MIZ
Gunther nailed Gargano with a big boot, followed by a chop to the chest. Gargano and Ciampa took Vinci down with a jawbreaker and clothesline combination. Kaiser low-bridged Ciampa, allowing Gunther to blast him with a big boot, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Gunther knocked Miz off the apron with a big boot while Vinci put Ciampa down with a lariat. Gargano got the hot tag to take Vinci and Kaiser down with a bulldog and clothesline combination. Gargano caught Kaiser with a slingshot Spear, but Vinci broke the pinfall. Kaiser nailed Gargano with a thrust kick, only for Gargano to respond with one of his own. Miz got the hot tag to pummel Gunther with a barrage of right hands and a corner clothesline. Miz clocked Gunther with a big boot, followed by a series of kicks to the chest.
Gunther shut Miz down with a chop to the chest, setting him up for a Boston Crab. Ciampa cracked Gunther with a running knee before receiving a High Low combination from Vinci and Kaiser. Miz and Gargano took care of Vinci and Kaiser with stereo Satellite DDTs. Gunther sent Gargano out of the ring with a big boot, only for Miz to trap him in a Figure 4. Vinci got the tag and crushed Miz with a springboard elbow drop. Miz evaded a powerbomb and knocked Vinci out with a Skull Crushing Finale.
WINNERS: DIY & The Miz at 10:40
(Pomares’s Analysis: Really fun match with an incredibly hot crowd for Johnny Gargano and The Miz. My only issue is that I’m not particularly interested in seeing a Miz vs. Gunther rematch.)
– It was announced that Judgment Day, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven would defend their tag titles on next week’s Raw.
– Shinsuke Nakamura made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Cody Rhodes.
[Commercial Break]
– A recap of CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ confrontation was shown.
– Backstage, Gunther reprimanded Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser for losing. The Miz confronted Gunther, asking for a rematch. Gunther agreed to give him a rematch, but if Miz lost, he wouldn’t be able to challenge for it again while he was champion.
(6) CODY RHODES vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Nakamura evaded the drop-down punch, but Cody caught him with a dropkick, followed by a series of right hands. Nakamura stopped Cody atop the turnbuckle to blast him with a rising knee to the abdomen and a sliding dropkick, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Nakamura stomped Cody in the corner and crushed him with a knee dropkick. Cody landed on his feet off a back suplex and clocked Nakamura with a drop-down punch. Nakamura countered the Cody Cutter with a cross armbreaker, until Cody was able to put his foot on the ropes. Nakamura hit Cody with a kick to the back before dropping him with a sliding German suplex and a diving knee strike.
Cody caught Nakamura with a dropkick to the knee, followed by a dragon screw into the ropes. Cody planted Nakamura with a delayed suplex into a facebuster, setting him up for a half Boston Crab. Nakamura was able to roll out of the ring before receiving a suicide dive, as WWE Raw went to its final commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, they knocked each other with clotheslines before starting a forearm strike exchange. Cody took Nakamura out with a snap powerslam, only for Nakamura to trap him in a sleeper hold. Cody managed to drop Nakamura on his back and clobber him with a Disaster Kick for a two count. Before Nakamura could react, Cody hit him with a series of strikes and the Cody Cutter. Nakamura blocked the Kinshasa and blinded Cody with the red mist, causing a disqualification.
WINNER: Cody Rhodes at 17:47 via DQ
– After the match, Shinsuke Nakamura nailed Cody Rhodes with a chop block before pulling out a steel chair. The Creed Brothers ran down to make the save, forcing Nakamura to retreat. Agents and referees helped Cody get up, only for Nakamura to return and knock him down with a Kinshasa.
(Pomares’s Analysis: I get the angle they are going for, but I’m really not a fan of ending the main event of the show in a pretty predictable non-finish. They’ll probably stretch this feud all the way to the first Raw of the year and they might even stretch into the Royal Rumble itself. The action was good, but no one is going to remember it.)
Tonight after WWE Raw, join Wade Keller live with guest co-host Nate Lindberg from PWTorch to break down the show with live callers and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
•CALL: (347) 215-8558
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, SEARCH “WADE KELLER” ON YOUR PODCAST APP TO SUBSCRIBE AND THEN DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW TWO HOURS OR SO AFTER THE TV SHOW ENDS.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.