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The following report originally published 5 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE RAW REPORT
NOVEMBER 11, 2019
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
Announcers: Vic Joseph, Jerry Lawler, Dio Maddin
[HOUR ONE]
-The Raw opening theme aired. Joseph introduced the show.
-Becky Lynch made her ring entrance. Joseph said The Kabuki Warriors were supposed to face Natalya & Charlotte Flair, but Natalya couldn’t be there due to family obligations. They went to Joseph and Lawler at ringside. Lawler thanked Dio Maddin for stepping up to defend him last week and he wished him a speedy recovery.
Becky waited for nher song to fade. She said, “Look at us. The Man is in Manchester.” She said she stands before them as the Raw Women’s Champion and “the face of this whole damn business.” She said she also stands before them in the most dangerous time of her career because the list of people looking to take her out is getting longer. “To that I say, bring them on.” She said those who are training to try to take her scalp, bring them on. Fans began chanting, “Becky! Becky!” She said: “The only thing that I really fear in this life is not being the greatest.” She said she is ready to regain her legacy as Becky Two Belts ahead of Survivor Series by beating The Kabuki Warriors with a partner. Out came Charlotte to “wooos.”
-The Kabuki Warriors made their ring entrance. Formal ring introductions took place. [c]
(1) THE KABUKI WARRIORS (Asuka & Kairi Sane) vs. CHARLOTTE & BECKY LYNCH – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match
They took turns tagging in and out with back and forth action for five minutes. Then Shayna Baszler walked to ringside with her NXT Title belt over her shoulder. Joseph breathlessly wondered if more NXT wrestlers might arrive. [c]
Baszler remained at ringside. The Warriors dominated Charlotte after the break. Asuka applied an Asuka lock mid-ring and then transitioned into an armbar. Charlotte leveraged Asuka’s shoulders down for a two count, then lifted Asuka and landed a powerbomb. Kairi broke up the cover at two. Charlotte finally made the hot-tag to Becky at 17:00. Kairi also tagged in Asuka who charged at Becky. Becky clotheslined and pummeled her. She gave an interfering Kairi an exploder suplex. Baszler stepped onto the ring apron. Bayley then yanked Baszler off the ring apron. Asuka then rolled up a distracted Becky for the three count. After the match, Bayley attacked Becky at ringside as Becky was yelling at a retreating Baszler.
WINNERS: The Kabuki Warriors in 18:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: A fine way to fill the first couple segments of the show. Becky did a good job making it believable she’s want to be tag champs. The match itself was solid start to finish. The interference at the end logically built to Survivor Series. So nothing spectacular, but it all made enough sense.)
-They showed Ricochet talking with Randy Orton backstage. Orton told Ricochet he does whatever he wants. The camera panned to the left where The O.C. was yelling at Humbert Carrillo. Ricochet stepped to his defense. They made fun of Ricochet. Styles told Ricochet he’d like to challenge Ricochet and Carillo to a three-on-two match, but no one would allow that in WWE. He said he has to deal with Orton also, so he told him to mind his business and “start stepping.” Styles obnoxiously said Ricochet looks like he’s getting mad. He said if he can find someone to partner with them to face the three of them, bring it on. Orton then stepped up and said something tells him they won’t have to look all that far. He offered to team with them. Styles didn’t believe his ears. He stammered and asked Karl Anderson if that’s what he said.
-Drew McIntyre made his ring entrance. [c]
(2) DREW MCINTYRE vs. SIN CARA
Drew dominated most of the way. Sin Cara did land a dive through the ropes onto Drew at ringside. Drew powerbombed Sin Cara on the floor at ringside a couple minutes later and then back in the ring nailed his Claymore Kick.
WINNER: McIntyre in 4:00.
-A strange vignette aired with Erick Rowan looking through a screen and talking to the camera like he was talking to a baby.
-R-Truth made his ring entrance, singing his song. [c]
-A promo aired for WWE Backstage. Joseph plugged it.
(3) R-TRUTH vs. SAMIR & SUNIL SINGH – 24/7 Title match
A minute into the match, Sumir dragged Sunil out of the ring as Truth was going for an early cover. Sumil grabbed the 24/7 Title belt and left with his brother. The camera followed them. They ended up going into the women’s locker room briefly, leading to squeals, and then into another room where the lights where off. The light came on and it was Erick Rowan who beat up both of them and threw a couch into them. Truth entered and said they need some privacy and then turned the lights off and left.
WINNER: No decision.
-They showed Seth Rollins backstage. Joseph wondered if Triple H would regret lighting a fire in Seth last week. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-Seth made his ring entrance. They cut to a video package of last week’s show-closing angle with NXT wrestlers. As Seth entered the ring, Joseph said Triple H has told Seth he is either with them or against them. Seth’s music stopped and he was heckled a bit. Joseph called the crowd “finicky.” Seth reacted a bit with a smile. He said he digs their energy and told them to bring it. More boos. He said he came to the ring last week just a few days removed from losing his Universal Title to Bray Wyatt. He said he wasn’t sure what was next for him, but then Triple H came down there and put the NXT flag in the ring and said he knows what is next for Seth. He said he had nothing to lose and so agreed to battle Adam Cole. He said Triple H lit a fire in him. He said NXT is where he started, but Raw is his home. Fans responded with an “NXT” chant. Lawler said fans are indeed finicky.
(Keller’s Analysis: This is so flawed because people who attend Raw are by no means more Raw fans than they are Smackdown or NXT fans. Building a storyline around the “home team” experience in pro team sports makes no sense in the context of WWE’s ecosystem. And if they get the crowd response they want, it just works against the other brands in the ecosystem. When it doesn’t get the reaction they want, like here, it makes the wrestler look bad.)
Seth said it’s no secret he thinks he’s the best wrestler on the planet. He issued an open challenge for the United Kingdom’s best. He asked anyone to step out to make a name for himself. Out walked Imperium. Some cheers when the music began. Walter introduced himself. He said he is the WWE United Kingdom Champion. He said they are there to restore the order of their sport. He said the mat Seth is standing on in his dirty feet is sacred to them. He said just because he’s not in the United States doesn’t mean he’s safe from an NXT takeover. Seth accepted his challenge. “Now get your ass down here so I can burn it down!” he said. [c]
-A Smackdown commercial said Bray Wyatt would be there. They showed a split screen of Bray and The Fiend.
Check out the latest episode of “Acknowledging WWE” with Javier Machado, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
(3) WALTER vs. SETH ROLLINS
Joseph talked about having the honor of calling all of Walter’s matches in NXT UK. He said he’s currently the longest reigning male champion in WWE. Walter gave Seth an early nasty German suplex, then struck his pose mid-ring with his hands behind his back. He battered Seth for a few minutes. Seth powered out of a back suplex and then landed two superkicks. Seth leaned on the ropes and looked at the crowd. They booed. He stomped the mat. The other three Imperium members attacked Seth “like a pack of wolves.” The Street Profits ran out for the save. Kevin Owens joined in to even the odds.
WINNER: Seth via DQ in 5:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: I get they have a lot of TV time to fill, and that they’re in Europe, and that they’re promoting the Survivor Series brand warfare, but giving away Walter vs. Seth with such little build up takes away another “big first” that could have been saved for another time down the line when it would have been highly anticipated.) [c]
(4) SETH ROLLINS & KEVIN OWENS & THE STREET PROFITS vs. IMPERIUM
Lawler said Seth was already in a “long match” with Walter and now he’s still in the ring taking a beating at the start of this tag match. (Seth wrestled less than five minute before the run-in ended the match, so hardly a “long match.”) When Seth fought of the Imperium corner, Walter stopped his comeback with a dropkick. Joseph really sold the impact of the dropkick. Then he powerbombed Seth and jackknife covered him. Owens jumped in to make the save. Walter knocked the Street Profits off the ring apron. Then he climbed to the top rope, but Seth met him up there and superplexed him to the mat. Owens finally got the hot-tag. He leaped off the ring apron with a flip dive, then ran into the ring and superkicked three Imperium members rapid-fire. Then he leaped off the top rope with a swanton bomb onto Alexander Wolfe for a two count. Walter broke up the cover. The Street Profits entered and whipped Walter into a Seth superkick. Seth dove through the ropes onto Walter, then Ford landed his high flip dive onto Water at ringside. KO then gave a stunner to Barthel. Seth then gave the Stomp to Wolfe for the three count. Joseph and Lawler acted very excited for Survivor Series based on all of that action.
WINNERS: Seth & KO & Profits in 7:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good action.)
-Joseph plugged The O.C. vs. Orton & Ricochet & Carrillo. [c]
(5) ANDRADE (w/Zelina Vega) vs. CEDRIC ALEXANDER
After some early fast-paced back and forth action, Cedric landed a flatliner on Andrade for a near fall. Zelina sort of distracted Cedric and grabbed his leg, although it was poorly timed and pretty obvious Cedric was basically offering his leg to her. Andrade then gave Cedric his hammerlock DDT for the clean win a minute later.
WINNER: Andrade in 3:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: It appears they are building Andrade to move up to a higher tier on the roster with these TV wins, which is a good thing. Too bad the finish was so clunky.)
-Aleister Black spoke from his usual setting challenging someone to step up to face him. [c]
-A collage aired of WWE wrestlers Tweeting about Veterans Day and a soundbite from John Cena along with images of them meeting with the troops. Joseph and Lawler were then shown on camera thanking veterans for their sacrifices. Then a video package aired paying tribute to veterans.
-Backstage they showed Lana and Bobby Lashley seeming to have an argument. Lana stormed off. Joseph wondered if cracks were beginning to show. [c]
-Lana made her ring entrance. She said her boyfriend, the love of her life, doesn’t want her to come out there and tell the truth. She said she has flaws, and is very honest. She said the truth is she cheated on Rusev. She said Rusev cheated on her first, though, and she’s no doormat and won’t just sit around when Rusev is cheating on her. She said seven weeks ago, she had sex with Bobby Lashley for the first time. “TMI,” said Lawler. She said it was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful sex. “I mean, wow, wow, wow, wow. It continues to blow my mind each and every single day.” She said she was monogamous with Rusev, then with Lashley, because she believes in monogamy. She said last week when she fell, she was so embarrassed, but Lashley was supportive. She said Lashley looked out for her and sent her to a doctor, and she was evaluated as “a perfectly healthy woman who is nine weeks pregnant.” Lawler did the math. She said that means her soon-to-be ex-husband put a little brat inside of her. She began to lament her body getting bigger.
[HOUR THREE]
Rusev came out to his music. He looked emotional and asked if she’s really pregnant. Lana said he shouldn’t be surprised because he is a sex addict. Lana thought Rusev was suggesting she might be lying. She accused Rusev of calling her manipulative. She said her stomach was growing as they were standing there. She freaked out and began slapping him over and over. Out came Bobby Lashley. Lana jumped onto Rusev’s back and raked his eyes. Lashley then clotheslined Rusev and then pummeled him with punches. Lana smiled as she watched the beatdown. When Lana and Lashley walked up to the stage together, Lana laughed and said she can’t believe Rusev believed she was pregnant. Then she made out with Lashley.
(Keller’s Analysis: This is just cringe-inducing. Lana speed-talked through it all. I think people watch intently because they care about Lana and Rusev, but this storyline is just so out there to the point of seeming unintentionally comical. It feels like poorly acted trashy daytime TV, and I think it’s not the best use of WWE TV time. I also don’t know how many parents want their kids watching this.)
-Rowan was shown walking backstage with a big covered cage. [c]
-An NXT commercial hyped Io Shirai vs. Mia Yim and Lio Rush vs. Angel Garza.
-WWE Fact: Seth Rollins is the only WWE wrestler to have held the WWE Title, Universal Title, and NXT Title.
(6) ERICK ROWAN vs. SONER DURSON
Rowan put his covered cage on the announce desk. The announcers were worried something was moving in there. Rowan destroyed Durson and won after a claw-slam. Rowan went to ringside and retrieved his covered cage. He asked if they touched it. Joseph nervously assured Rowan he didn’t touch it.
WINNER: Rowan in 1:00.
-They hyped that Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews, the NXT UK Tag Team Champions, would face The Viking Raiders next. They showed some highlights of their dives.
-The Viking Raiders were backstage getting psyched up by staring menacingly into the camera. [c]
(7) THE VIKING RAIDERS vs. FLASH MORGAN WEBSTER & MARK ANDREWS
Morgan and Andrews got in an early flurry of high-flying spots including a stereo flip dive onto the Raiders at ringside. Lawler said he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. They scored an early two count after a flip senton by Morgan onto Erik’s leg. Erik then made a comeback as Joseph said The Raiders weathered an early storm. Indeed they won shortly thereafter with their double-team Viking Experience finisher on Andrews.
WINNERS: The Viking Raiders in 4:00. [c]
-Backstage Ricochet told Orton he knows he’s going to try to RKO him out of nowhere just as he tried last week. Orton told him to relax. He said the last thing he needs to do to himself is let him get in his head. He said it in a way that would get in anyone’s head.
-The announcers threw to what Brock Lesnar did to Dio Maddin last week. Then they hyped the Survivor Series line-up.
-Orton made his ring entrance. [c]
(8) RANDY ORTON & RICOCHET & HUMERTO CARRILLO vs. THE O.C. (A.J. Styles & Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows)
Orton took control of Anderson early, then offered a tag to Ricochet, but instead slapped Carrillo on the chest to tag him in. Humberto and then Ricochet got in some offense against Styles. Styles charged, but Ricochet side-stepped him and shoved Styles into Orton. Orton entered the ring and got in Ricochet’s face. Carrillo stepped between them to try to calm them. [c]
Carrillo took an extended beating before hot-tagging Ricochet. Joseph mentioned that A.J. Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Roderick Strong was added to Survivor Series, a battle of the U.S., IC, and North American champions. Ricochet then took an extended beating before hot-tagging in Carrillo. Gallows took a cheap shot at Orton a minute later, knocking him off the ring apron. Carrillo rallied and tagged in Orton. He powerslammed Styles, then delivered his draping DDT off the middle rope. Next he signaled for the RKO. Anderson ran in and hit Orton. Chaos followed with a flurry of moves. Carrillo flip dove off the top rope onto Anderson and Gallows. Orton stood over the fallen bodies of Ricochet and Styles. Lawler wondered what Orton’s next move would be. Orton turned his back to Styles as he watched Ricochet stand up, but then quickly turned around and gave Styles an RKO. Carrillo then tagged in and landed a moonsault for the three count on Styles.
WINNERS: Ricochet & Orton & Carrillo.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Fun main event, and as always, Orton keeps everyone guessing. I’m high on the featured spot they’ve put Carrillo in before defining down as a mid-carder. The Ricochet-Orton dynamic can celebrate Ricochet, too. I’m off to podcast live. Join me. Details below.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: The Rock admits to urinating in bottles on movie sets, cries BS on other claims
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