11/26 WWE Monday Night Raw: Live Recap

The Starman is back and is recapping tonight’s Monday Night Raw live as it happens from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

—

Raw opens with Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley (with Lio Rush) standing in the ring and talking about what they are thankful for. Corbin says he is thankful for the job he is doing as the acting GM, while McIntyre says he is thankful for the beating they gave to Braun Strowman last week. Corbin says he sent a video team to Birmingham, Alabama, where Strowman is getting ready for surgery. Strowman says that the surgeon says he will be out for a bit but when he will get his revenge on them when he returns and all three of them will “get these hands.” The three in the ring laugh the threat off and Corbin says their match at TLC is still on and when he will become the permanent GM when he wins the match by forfeit.

The lights then go off in the arena and Elias’ strums his guitar and says literally anyone else would be a better GM than Corbin and says even Drake Maverick would do a better job. Elias then turns his attention to Lashley and sings a song about how Lashley sucks. Elias then walks down to the ring for his match against Lashley as we head into a commercial break.

– Commercial break –

Match 1: Bobby Lashley vs. Elias
Elias hits a series of chops but Lashley quickly turns it around and powers him around. Elias is able to counter and tosses Lashley out to the floor. Lashley comes back in and hangs Elias on the ropes and begins beating him down. Lashley picks up a near fall and tosses Elias out to the floor. McIntyre gets in Elias’ face and the distraction is enough for Lashley to send Elias into the ring post as we head into a commercial break.

– Commercial break –

We return to see Elias taking Lashley down with a hard clothesline and a knee to the face. Elias heads to the top rope and nails a flying elbow, but the referee is pulled out of the ring by Lio Rush. The referee calls for a disqualification, but Corbin says it is a No-DQ match and the match restarts. Lashley then hits Elias with a flurry of offense before Corbin and McIntyre get involved. Elias pushes them away and grabs his guitar, but Corbin nails him from behind before he’s able to use it on Lashley. Lashley then stomps on the guitar as Corbin nails Elias three times in the back with a steel chair. McIntyre, Lashley and Corbin then take turns tossing him off the guard railing before McIntyre hits him with the Claymore Kick. McIntyre then tosses him face first into the steps and roll him back into the ring where Lashley poses on top of Elias to pick up the pin fall.

Winner: Bobby Lashley by pin fall in a no disqualification match.

The announce team hype upcoming matches with Finn Balor taking on Baron Corbin, the AOP taking on Chad Gable and Bobby Roode, Seth Rollins having an open challenge for the Intercontinental Championship, and we will see a video of Dean Ambrose coming up after the commercial break.

– Commercial break –

Baron Corbin is backstage and fires the guy who turned the lights out for Elias. Alexa Bliss walks over to Corbin and says she thinks he is doing an amazing job and not to hesitate to ask for anything. Corbin asks for her help to oversee the entire women’s division and Bliss happily takes the offer.

A video package highlighting the ongoing feud between Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose is aired. A video from earlier in the day is aired where Dean Ambrose says he is not in Milwaukee and calls them vermin, but promises to be there next week. Ambrose then shows off a series of shots he is getting and says he won’t go to Houston next week with a rabies shot. Ambrose then says at TLC he will put Seth Rollins out of his misery for good. Corey Graves then tries to press Renee Young for his current mindset but she says she doesn’t have an answer. They then hype the match at TLC as we Lucha House Party makes their way to the ring for the next match and we head into a commercial break.

– Commercial break –

Prior to the match, the Revival comes out and say how they don’t agree with the Lucha House Party rules where all three of them can participate in a tag team match. They say they don’t respect the traditions of tag team wrestling and don’t belong in their division. It is announced that the match will be under Lucha House Party rules and the Revival freak out.

Match 2: Lucha House Party vs. The Revival
All three members hit Dash Wilder with a flurry of offense as Corey Graves goes on about how unfair it is. Scott Dawson comes in and begins working over Kalisto and picks up a near fall. Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik make their way in and take Dawson down and hit a series of high flying moves to pick up the pin fall.

Winner: Lucha House Party by pin fall in a Lucha House Party Rules match.

A recap of Nia Jax breaking Becky Lynch’s face is aired and we see that Nia Jax will give us a lesson in championship history after the commercial break.

– Commercial break –

The announce team talk about the hottest free agent right now before a video package on Lars Sullivan airs and they hope he comes to Monday Night Raw.

Nia Jax makes her way to the ring with Tamina as the announce team hype the upcoming match with Jax taking on Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women’s Championship. Nia talks about what she is thankful for and that is being the sole survivor for her team at Survivor Series and breaking Becky Lynch’s face. She then turns her attention to Ronda Rousey and says she will be taking her title at TLC and video plays showing her dominate Rousey at Money in the Bank last June. Nia says that since then she was destroyed by Charlotte Flair at Survivor Series and that she took a beating like a champion. Nia, on the other hand, has been on a roll and says the top of the mountain belongs to her.

Ronda Rousey’s music hits as she makes her way to the ring. Rousey says she gives Nia credit for winning the battle royal at Evolution but she promises to rip her arm off at TLC and slap Charlotte Flair across the face with it. Rousey then challenges Nia to a match right now. Nia refuses the challenge as Rousey is surrounded by Tamina and Nia. Natalya comes out to even the odds but she is quickly taken out by the Riott Squad. Rousey then goes to the aid of Natalya.

The announce team hype the match between Finn Balor and Baron Corbin and Seth Rollins’ open challenge. We then see footage of Drake Maverick peeing his pants and AOP being defeated by Chad Gable and Bobby Roode last week. Maverick is backstage and justifies his accident due to feeling true fear. Maverick says Gable and Roode will have the same feeling tonight against AOP, and that match is next.

– Commercial break –

Prior to the match, Bobby Roode and Chad Gable are backstage and Gable says this is the opportunity they have been waiting for. Roode says they are going to win the titles and make the division glorious.

Match 3: AOP vs. Chad Gable & Bobby Roode (Raw Tag Team Championships)
Drake Maverick distracts Roode early on by holding on to his robe as Akam goes on the attack. Gable makes a blind tag and takes Akam down with a missile dropkick and Rezar is tagged in. Gable and Roode try to take Rezar down with a double suplex, but it is countered and Rezar takes the down. Maverick then walks up the ramp wearing Roode’s robe as we head into a commercial break.

– Commercial break –

We return to see AOP working over Gable and we see Maverick backstage posing with Roode’s robe in front of a mirror. Roode is tagged in and takes control of the match but is distracted by footage of Maverick putting Roode’s rober in a toilet and then urinating on it. Rezar then sends Roode into Gable and they take Roode down with a double team move to pick up the pin fall and retain the Raw Tag Team Championships.

Winner: AOP defeated Chad Gable & Bobby Roode by pin fall to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships.

Bayley and Sasha Banks are backstage as Alexa Bliss comes in and tells them that she is giving them the opportunity to go into the ring and have an open forum so the WWE Universe gets to know them better. Ember Moon’s music hits as she makes her way to the ring and it is announced that Curt Hawkins will be her new partner in the Mixed Match Challenge since Braun Strowman is out of action.

– Commercial break –

Finn Balor is backstage and talks about Baron Corbin changing the rules on Elias earlier and talks about the consequences of not standing side by side with Corbin. Balor says he is going to stand up and fight for what he believes.

Match 4: Ember Moon (w/ Curt Hawkins) vs. Alicia Fox (w/ Jinder Mahal & the Singh Brothers)
Alicia Fox takes Ember Moon down with a boot to the face and a swinging neckbreaker to score a couple near falls. Ember comes back with a suplex and hits the Eclipse to pick up the pin fall.

Winner: Ember Moon defeated Alicia Fox by pin fall.

After the match, Curt Hawkins celebrates the victory like he just won the match. No Way Jose’s music then hits as the conga line comes out and he will be facing off against Jinder Mahal after the commercial break.

– Commercial break –

Match 5: No Way Jose vs. Jinder Mahal (w/ the Singh Brothers)
Mahal quickly takes No Way Jose down with a series of strikes and kicks. Mahal stays on the attack and picks up a couple near falls before slowing the match down with a headlock. Jose gets in a couple of offensive moves before Mahal hits the Khallas to score the pin fall.

Winner: Jinder Mahal by pin fall.

We see a clip of the Dean Ambrose video from earlier in the night. Seth Rollins’ open challenge for the Intercontinental Championship is up next.

– Commercial break –

Seth Rollins comes out to the ring to issue his open challenge for the Intercontinental Championship. Rollins says he is better than what he was last week running around the building looking for Dean Ambrose. Rollins says he is done chasing Ambrose around and doesn’t believe that he isn’t in Milwaukee tonight. Rollins then opens the challenge for the title and Dolph Ziggler comes out. Ziggler says he is going to go back being the Intercontinental Champion tonight by defeating Rollins.

Match 6: Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler (Open Challenge for Intercontinental Championship)
The match starts out slow with grappling back and forth until Rollins takes Ziggler down with a hip toss and clotheslines him out to the floor as we head into a commercial break.

– Commercial break –

We return to see Ziggler in control and scores a near fall after hitting a neckbreaker. Ziggler slows the match down with a headlock and picks up another near fall after hitting a dropkick. Ziggler continues to methodically pick apart Rollins and sends him out to the floor with a backdrop as we head into another commercial.

– Commercial break –

The match continues and we see Rollins has fought his way back into the match and takes Ziggler down with an enziguri and again with a springboard shoulder block for a near fall. Rollins then misses with a frog splash and Ziggler follows with a Fameasser but Rollins is able to kick out of the pin attempt. Ziggler then applies a sleeper hold and Rollins breaks out of it and kicks Ziggler in the face for a near fall. Rollins then misses with a couple curb stomps and Ziggler connects with the Zig Zag but Rollins kicks out.

Ziggler then gets in Rollins’ face and is rolled up for a near fall. Ziggler comes back with a DDT for another near fall. Ziggler then heads to the top rope and Rollins gets up and takes Ziggler down with a superplex from the top rope and follows with the Falcon Arrow to pick up the pin fall and retain the Intercontinental Championship.

Winner: Seth Rollins by pin fall to retain the Intercontinental Championship.

Rollins celebrates the victory by swinging his championship around. The announce team then hype the match between Finn Balor and Baron Corbin and the Open Forum with Sasha Banks and Bayley, which is coming up after the commercial break.

– Commercial break –

Alexa Bliss comes out to the ring and says Charly Caruso is hanging out in the ringside area to get questions from the WWE Universe. Bayley and Sasha Banks come out and take a seat in the ring. Bliss starts scanning the crowd for questions and the fan asks if they could change anything in the women’s division what would they change. Sasha says she would ship Alexa back off to Smackdown. Bayley says she would ship her off to hell, where she came from. Mickie James, Dana Brook, and Alicia Fox then come into the ring and attack Sasha and Bayley from behind. Sasha and Bayley fight them off as Alexa leaves the ring and heads backstage.

The announce team then hype the main event of Finn Balor and Baron Corbin as we head into a commercial break.

– Commercial break –

Match 7: Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin
The match starts and Balor and Corbin trade off going on the offensive until Corbin goes out to the floor. Balor then connects with a kick that knocks Corbin down as we head into a commercial break.

– Commercial break –

We continue the match and see Corbin send Balor into the guard railing a few times. The match returns to the ring where Corbin picks up a near fall. Corbin continues on the attack and levels Balor with a clothesline for another near fall. Balor stalls Corbin’s momentum with a double leg takedown and a stomp to the chest. Balor follows with a Slingblade but Corbin comes back with a Deep Six for a near fall. Balor comes back and goes for the Coup de Grace. Corbin then rolls out of the ring and makes it a 2-on-1 match with Drew McIntyre. McIntyre runs out and nails Balor from behind before nailing him with the Claymore kick to pick up the pin fall.

Winners: Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre defeated Finn Balor by pin fall in a 2-on-1 match.

Bobby Lashley then comes out and takes him out with a slam and Corbin hits the End of Days. Corbin and Lashely pick up Balor and McIntyre connects with another Claymore Kick. The three then celebrate the victory in the ring as Raw comes to a close.

Quick Results
– Bobby Lashley defeated Elias by pin fall in a no disqualification match.
– Lucha House Party defeated The Revival by pin fall in a Lucha House Party Rules match.
– AOP defeated Chad Gable & Bobby Roode by pin fall to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships.
– Ember Moon defeated Alicia Fox by pin fall.
– Jinder Mahal defeated No Way Jose by pin fall.
– Seth Rollins defeated Dolph Ziggler by pin fall to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
– Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre defeated Finn Balor by pin fall in a 2-on-1 match.

Starman’s Thoughts
What a night to come back after not writing recaps for several years. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw did nothing more than spin its wheels and filled three hours of air time with mostly filler matches and segments. With just two more episodes remaining before TLC, you would think there would be a little more substance on this show but there wasn’t.

The biggest noteworthy item was probably Alexa Bliss being put in charge of the Women’s Division. I loved how the announce team made it seem like a huge deal that Baron Corbin put someone in charge who is on the active roster but failed to realize that Baron Corbin himself is indeed on the active roster (and was a participant in the main event).

Also, while more Alexa Bliss is a good thing, the amount of Baron Corbin we got tonight wasn’t.

Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler have had some great matches in the past, but tonight’s match won’t be put on that list. Their match tonight was a snooze-fest that spanned two commercial breaks before it got remotely interesting. I thought the finish was well done and was actually surprised that Dean Ambrose didn’t show up.

I am hoping that Drake Maverick putting Bobby Roode’s robe in the toilet and urinating on it is a sign of things to come. Bobby Roode has milked the glorious gimmick for all that it’s worth and I feel that it’s time for him to change it up. I’d be up to see him go on a heel turn of some sorts. It was pretty bad tonight, though, that a robe meant more to him than winning the tag team titles.

Finally, I got a huge smile on my face tonight during the Open Forum segment. While the segment itself was fairly terrible, I did enjoy seeing the fan in the audience, who is an indy wrestler named Kara Noia that wrestles a lot in independent shows in my area. Good to see her get a little bit of camera time on a national level for once.

Thanks for following along with me tonight!