12/19 WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW RESULTS: Keller’s report on Becky vs. Bayley, Street Profits vs. Priest & Balor, Dexter vs. Miz in ladder match

WWE RAW TV REPORT
DECEMBER 19, 2022
DES MOINES, IOWA AT WELLS FARGO ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON USA

Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

Ring Announcer: Mike Rome

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[HOUR ONE]

-The show opened with Paul Heyman backstage with both of Roman Reigns’s belts. He introduced Reigns who talked about Raw being the home of Kevin Owens. He brought up Kevin Owens. He said he’ll need the entire Raw locker room to watch his back because he’s interfered in his business too much. He said now is the time to return the favor and showcase the resources and juice that they have because they’re not going anywhere. He said they’ll torture him and make his life a living hell. He said he wants everybody in the audience to acknowledge The Bloodline.

-They cut backstage to the Usos holding a camera up as Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa attacked Mustafa Ali backstage. The Usos were ecstatic.

-The Raw opening aired.

-Kevin Patrick introduced the show as the camera panned the audience. He talked about how cold it was outside.

(1) THE STREET PROFITS (w/Akira Tozawa) vs. DAMIAN PRIEST & FINN BALOR (w/Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio)

As the Profits and Tozawa came out to the ring, Patrick and Corey Graves hyped other matches on Raw. The match began 9 minutes into the show. Early in the match they cut backstage to the Usos, Solo, and Sami attacking Andre Chase. Patrick identified him since at least half of Raw’s viewers wouldn’t know him. Graves said Chase from NXT was on Raw to compete on Main Event this week. (How many viewers have no idea what “Main Event” is or that it’s typically taped before Raw?) They cut to a break at 5:00. [c]

Dawkins got a hot-tag after the break and rallied against Balor and Priest with a flurry of offense. Patrick said Dawkins was “feeling it!” He tagged Ford back in. Priest gave Dawkins a South of Heaven, but Ford surprised Priest with a frog splash. Balor entered and rolled up Ford for a quick two count. Nice rapid-fire sequence. They settled into Dawkins vs. Balor for a minute. As he was confronted by Dominik and Ripley at ringside, Tozawa splashed Dominik’s eyes with the contents of the red cup. Ford rolled up a distracted Balor for the win. Graves said he can smell the contents of the red cup and it wasn’t water.

WINNERS: Profits in 9:00.

-Ripley slapped Tozawa in the aisle after the match, then challenged him to a fight. She rolled into the ring. “Are we going to see this?” asked Patrick. [c]

(2) RHEA RIPLEY (w/Finn Balor, Dominik, Damian Priest) vs. AKIRA TOZAWA (w/The Street Profits)

Back from the break, the Profits were giving Tozawa a pep talk. Ripley took early control and punched away at him and then applied an armbar. She smashed his face into the mat and then slapped him. “This is one of the most baffling things I’ve ever witnessed on Monday Night Raw,” Graves said. (This isn’t in the top 500.) Rhea yelled down at the Profits, then cinched on a chinlock. Balor tripped Tozawa running the ropes. Ford and Dawkins landed running flip dives onto Priest and Balor at ringside near the announce desk. Graves said, “I just lost another cell phone.” Tozawa threw Ripley shoulder-first into the ringpost and then went for a top rope senton. Ripley moved and then gave Tozawa her Riptide for the win. Partrick said, “That was not on our Monday Night Raw bingo card.”`

WINNER: Ripley in 5:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: The announcers made too big of a deal out of a woman fighting a man, especially when she’s bigger and a more successful wrestler in WWE than Tozawa. There is a novelty factor, sure, but it’s not as crazy as they framed it.)

-A video package aired on last week’s angle ending with WWE official Adam Pearce firing Bobby Lashley.

-Backstage Pearce was about to be interviewed by Cathy Kelley who ranted to “Paul” (Levesque) about how he’s tried to reach him all week. He said it’s the third time he’s called him. He said he’d like to conduct business like professionals, so call him back. Kelley asked Pearce for his thoughts on the Lashley situation. He said it’s between him and Lashley. He said they met at the headquarters last week and it’s a matter of when, not if, Lashley comes back to work. MVP walked in and asked Pearce if he has a moment. Pearce took a deep breath and said they could talk in his office, but a referee ran up and said they needed Pearce elsewhere urgently. Graves said whatever is happening, Bloodline is probably behind it.

(Keller’s Analysis: Pearce is really good in this role.)

-As The O.C. made their entrance, Patrick said they have been gathering momentum lately. [c]

-Kelley asked Dolph Ziggler what happened. He was in pain and said it was The Bloodline. Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander were being helped in the background, also subjects of the attack.

(3) LUKE GALLOWS & KARL ANDERSON (w/A.J. Styles, Mia Yim) vs. ALPHA ACADEMY (Chad Gable & Otis)

They cut to a break at 3:00. [c]

Back from the break, Anderson scored the clean three count on Gable after a Magic Killer double-team move.

WINNERS: The O.C. in 9:00.

-As The O.C. celebrated, Sami, the Usos, and Solo attacked them from behind. The Usos gave Gallows their 1D. Graves said no one is safe. Pearce and Hurricane Helms led a group of security guys to the ring. [c]

-Back from the break, the Usos declared they had arrived on Raw and they run “this business.” Sami asked Pearce what his problem is. He said he’s the only angry one because the fans have no problem with what they are doing. Sami talked about the match on Dec. 30 on Smackdown with him and Roman against Kevin Owens and John Cena. As they walked to the stage, Styles jumped Sami. They had a pullapart brawl.

(Keller’s Analysis: Good use of The Bloodline on Raw so far. The Styles-Sami match is promising.)

-They went to Graves and Patrick at ringside. They threw to highlights of Becky Lynch attacking Iyo Sky at ringside. They also showed Alexa Bliss almost giving Sister Abigail to Bianca Belair.

-Backstage, Styles was yelling at Pearce and said he wanted a match against of any of them. Pearce booked him against Sami.

[HOUR TWO]

-Byron Saxton held a sitdown interview session with Bliss and Belair. He asked Bliss what happened after the match. Belair said she’s been asking herself that question too and she doesn’t trust her. Bliss said she can’t explain it, either. She said Bray Wyatt abducted her and turned her into a dark version of herself, then abandoned her. She said she had abandonment issues and was left alone. She went to therapy and she became “a shell of a human being she doesn’t even recognize and is still trying to work through.” She talked about the value of her friendship with Belair. Belair said she sympathized with her, but she was skeptical Bliss doesn’t know what went through her mind last week. Bliss assured Belair that Bray isn’t a threat to her, but she is. She told Belair that she was winning titles before she walked through the door. Belair said to “come do it then.” As they stood, Bliss hit Belair in the head from behind with a glass vase. Saxton called for help.

(Keller’s Analysis: I’m largely okay with them getting right to Bliss turning heel on Belair, but I think they could have milked this until during the match itself. Either way, having Bliss is a clear-cut heel role will be better than where she has been in recent months.)

-Patrick plugged that Bliss would challenge Belair in two weeks on Raw on Jan. 2. Graves said they’re kicking off the new year with a bang. They showed the ladder at ringside for the next match. Miz made his ring entrance. [c]

(4) DEXTER LUMIS (w/Johnny Gargano) vs. THE MIZ – Ladder match

Lumis slithered under the bottom rope to go after Miz at ringside to start. Miz took over until Lumis catapulted a ladder into him from ringside. Lumis smashed the ladder into Miz’s ribs in the corner. Then he stood on the bridged ladder in the corner and suplexed Miz off the top rope. They battled to the top of a ladder mid-ring. Lumis grabbed a bag of cash, but Miz punched him before he could release it from the hook. They tipped the ladder and both crashed to the mat. They cut to a break. [c]

Back from the break, Miz and Dexter were back on top of a ladder mid-ring. Dexter knocked Miz to the mat, but as Dexter reached for the sacks of cash, Miz tipped the ladder over. Miz eventually took control and trapped Dexter at ringside. He threw a bunch of chairs on him. Fans chanted, “We want tables!” Miz pulled a table out from under the ring and played to the crowd. The fans cheered. Miz shoved the ladder back under the ring. Gargano smiled. He charged at Miz, but the ref blocked him. Miz then attacked Gargano. Graves said Gargano was getting exactly what he deserved. Dexter recovered and chokeslammed Miz on a ladder and the lid to the announce desk. Dexter then cleared the announce desk and put Miz on it. Then Dexter leaped off a ladder, but Miz moved and Dexter crashed onto the desk.

Miz made his way back into the ring and climbed the ladder. Dexter met him up there and shoved him down. He then reached for the sacks of money from the hook. Patrick said he’s a rich, rich man again. Bronson Reed then entered the ring and yanked Dexter down. Graves said they haven’t seen him in a while and never before on Raw. Reed landed a top rope splash on Dexter. Reed helped guide Miz up the ladder. Graves said this should be a Hallmark move as he was getting emotional. Miz then pulled the cash down from the hook to win the match. Patrick said, “Back to the Hollywood lifestyle.”

WINNER: Miz in 18:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: This was on the lower end of ladder matches and the crowd was pretty quiet. Fans just don’t seem all that into Dexter and Gargano. This does seem to set up Miz & Reed vs. Lumis & Gargano.)

-They went to the announcers at ringside. They commented on Seth Rollins being from Iowa. He showed off his shirt that says “Sing my song” on it. Then the announcers plugged Bayley vs. Becky Lynch. Then they commented on highlights of the angle earlier that set up the next match.

-A.J. Styles made his ring entrance alone. [c]

-They showed postcard shots of Des Moines, Iowa.

(5) SAMI ZAYN vs. A.J. STYLES

They fought back and forth for a few minutes. Sami knocked Styles off balance as he slingshot himself into the ring. Styles crashed to the floor as they cut to a break at 4:00. [c]

At 10:00 Sami set up a Helluva kick. Styles countered into a Calf Crusher. Sami cried out in pain and nearly tapped out. He then grabbed the bottom rope to force a break. Solo walked down the steps through fans. Sami rolled up a distracted Styles for a two count. Styles threw Sami around at ringside and then back into the ring. As he signaled for the Phenomenal Forearm, Solo gave him a Samoan Spike and rolled him into the ring. Sami scored the three count. As Sami celebrated in the aisle, Pearce came out and yelled at him.

WINNER: Sami in 12:00. [c]

-Seth Rollins made his ring entrance. Graves said Austin Theory would defend against Seth in two weeks on the first Raw of 2023. Seth soaked up some Iowa cheers. He said he had a message for Reigns. He said Raw doesn’t belong to the Tribal Chief, it belongs to him. He listed his nicknames. Theory then interrupted and made his ring entrance.

[HOUR THREE]

Theory told Seth that nothing belongs to him. Theory said Seth had previously said the U.S. Title is the most important title on Raw, so that means “the champ is here.” He said the Austin Theory Era is here and this is just the beginning. He said whether Seth likes it or not, he’ll pass the torch to him. He said if he doesn’t pass it to him, he’ll take it from his dead cold fingers. Seth said, “Merry Christmas to you too, kid.” He said to watch it or he’ll end up like Lashley. Theory said the only reason he’s standing there is because Lashley took his frustrations out on referees and officials and not him. Theory said Seth has been lucky his entire career.

Seth told Theory he has grown up. He said he’s not Mr. Selfie anymore and he’s not Daddy’s Little Boy anymore. He said he is the U.S. Champion. Seth said when he goes to bed at night and wakes up, he will “never be me.” He said he isn’t on his level. Fans “oooh’d.” Then they sang his song a little. Seth said it will eat Theory up inside because he knows he’ll never be at his level. Theory asked Seth how many times they’ve handed him the ball and he’s fumbled it. He said Seth has seen the mountaintop, but that’s just a peak and he’s coming for Everest. He said when Seth falls off that peak, he can go home and realize that he was just the third most successful member of The Shield. “How’s that sound?” Theory said.

Seth said he’s been the mountaintop and seen it up close. He yelled, “You got it wrong, kid. I am the damn mountain top.” He said the title doesn’t make the man, the man makes the title. He got the crowd fired up when he said they should sort this out “right here, right now.” The Usos then showed up. Seth said, “We got company. We’ll deal with this later.”

Theory and Seth stood side-by-side as the Usos approached the ring. Theory then ducked out of the ring and left Seth alone. Seth fought off the Usos, but they soon overwhelmed him. Kevin Owens’ music then played and he marched out. He beat up a charging Jimmy Uso at ringside and then entered the ring to take on Jey. Seth joined in and punched away at Jey. They stood side by side in the ring as Pearce and other officials ran out to hold the Usos back.

Seth asked KO if he’s thinking what he’s thinking. KO said Des Moines wants to see them kick the Usos’ asses. KO asked Pearce, and Pearce then made the match official.

-Backstage Becky said she wants to face the best version of Bayley, which is the solo act. She said they both have careers they’re very proud of and they’ve done things they’re both not proud of. She said the difference between them is that she has done things herself. She told Bayley if she’s going to stab her in the back, at least be the one holding the knife. She said she’ll face her either way.

-Bayley made her ring entrance. She was accompanied by Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai. [c]

-A graphic touted the WWE has 20 million followers on TikTok.

(6) BAYLEY (w/Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai) vs. BECKY LYNCH

They battled on the ring apron at 2:00. Bayley dropped down and drove Becky face-first into the middle turnbuckle. They cut to a break. [c]

They battled back and forth for several minutes. When Sky and Kai went after Becky, Becky picked up a monitor from the announce desk in self defense. The ref ordered Kai and Sky to the back. Becky stomped away at Kai when she tried to interfere before returning to the back. Bayley then gave a distracted Becky the Rose Plant for the win.

WINNER: Bayley in 14:00.

-They showed the Usos backstage as Graves hyped the main event.

-A Smackdown commercial hyped Ricochet & Braun Strowman vs. Imperium in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight and a gauntlet match for a Women’s Title match. [c]

-They plugged an Undertaker one man show.

-Graves commented on the angle earlier setting up the main event tag match.

-They cut backstage to KO and Seth talking. Seth said it’s been a long time since they teamed, but they were good. He asked why it stopped. KO said he tried to steal his WrestleMania spot. Seth played dumb. KO said he remembers it vividly. KO said, “I’m 98 percent sure it was you.” He then said he’s actually 100 percent sure and was just being nice. He said Seth looked marvelous back then when he crossed him. Seth agreed. KO said that proves it was him. KO said tonight, though, is about beating the hell out of the Bloodline and they can do it well. Seth cackled with pleasure and walked away. KO said, “You still got that laugh, huh?”

-The Usos made their ring entrance. Graves asked if they will have to answer for their sins. [c]

(7) KEVIN OWENS & SETH ROLLINS vs. THE USOS

KO made his entrance. Seth made his entrance next. They brawled before the bell, which rang 46 minutes into the hour. Patrick said this is the “last match we expected tonight.” (I’d say The Young Bucks vs. The Elite would have been less expected, to name just one. I’d even rank Ripley vs. Tozawa lower.) They cut to an early break. [c]

Seth rallied after the break against Jey after both tagged in. KO tagged in and climbed to the top rope and landed a frog splash on Jimmy for a near fall. Seth was beating up Jey at ringside. KO went for a top rope swanton next, but Jimmy lifted his knees. Solo Sikoa showed up at ringside, but Gallows and Anderson attacked him. Jey dove onto them. Seth then flip dove at Solo and Jey. He overshot them, but they both bumped anyway. Let’s just say they were ducking with enthusiasm. Back in the ring, Jimmy battled KO and set up a superplex. KO blocked it. Theory KO’d Seth at ringside with the U.S. Title belt. Fans booed. Jimmy punched away at KO and tried for the suplex, but KO blocked it and headbutted himself free. When he charged, Jimmy caught him with a superkick for a near fall.

KO went for a stunner, but Jimmy blocked it. KO landed a superkick and went for a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Jimmy ducked, but KO tried again and hit it and scored the three count. Seth was writhing in pain at ringside as KO’s music played. Graves said the Tribal Chief surely isn’t happy with this outcome.

WINNERS: KO & Seth in 11:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Wow, that’s a big win for KO and Seth. The Usos losing a tag match clean on Raw is not nothing.)

-As Patrick said many statements were made by The Bloodline tonight, Sami ran to the ring. Sami had a few words for KO, but then ducked out to the floor and mouthed off some more before joining Solo and the Usos at ringside. Graves plugged the big Smackdown tag match on Dec. 30 again. Patrick plugged the Theory vs. Seth match on Raw on Jan. 2.