WWE RAW
Episode 1328
#RAW
Original Air Date: November 5, 2018
Event Date: November 5, 2018 (aired live)
City: Manchester, England, UK
Venue: Manchester Arena
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young
Ring Announcer: Jojo
Ring Area
Many of the RAW superstars are gathered on the stage, looking towards the ring. Between the ring and the ramp stand some security guards. The superstars make space as Baron Corbin comes out and heads to the ring.
Corbin smiles as he watches footage of himself attacking Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar winning the Universal Title at Crown Jewel. He then begins talking about Survivor Series. He says that every match at Survivor Series is a chance for RAW to show its dominance. He also wants to make Shane McMahon pay for stealing the WWE World Cup victory from RAW’s Dolph Ziggler.
Corbin has appointed himself captain for the RAW men’s team at Survivor series, but he won’t actually compete in the match. He reveals that he has chosen Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre as the first two members of the team. He has also named Braun Strowman to the team, even though he knows Strowman is probably upset with him. For the women’s team, Corbin has named Alexa Bliss as the captain. Alexa Bliss heads to the ring.
Bliss says she is humbled and honored to be able to pick the women’s team. Like Corbin though, she will not compete. Bliss wants the women to earn their spots on the team, so she has decided to have the Riott Squad face Banks, Bayley, and Natalya tonight. She is about to announce that the match starts now when Kurt Angle interrupts as he comes out to the stage.
Angle says that he led team RAW to victory last year, and he wants to compete again this year. Corbin decides that Angle should take a permanent vacation. Angle says that when he was in charge, they settled things in the ring. He suggests that he and Corbin have a match tonight with the winner being team captain. Corbin doesn’t like that idea, but Angle goads him into accepting.
Angle leaves, and Alexa Bliss once again attempts to start the women’s tag match. Instead, Braun Strowman comes out and heads straight for Corbin. Corbin runs, and the male superstars on the stage start fighting when Strowman tries to go through them. Strowman pushes through the fight, but the brawl continues.
Backstage
Strowman searches for Corbin. He tells a random guy to go tell Corbin that he’s going to get Strowman’s hands tonight.
Backstage
Charly Caruso asks Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Natalya about their rematch with the Riott Squad tonight. Natalya says tonight will be special because she will be wearing her father’s sunglasses.
Match 1
Natalya & Sasha Banks & Bayley vs The Riott Squad
(referee: John Cone)
Result: the match ends in a No Contest
Time: 10:00 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Good match, though the Evolution match was better. The main point of this match was the ending where Ruby Riott broke the sunglasses that Natalya brought to the ring. Natalya started crying, and the Riott Squad just walked away, so there was never any actual finish to the match. I could get behind a Ruby Riott versus Natalya feud though.
Backstage
Braun Strowman is still searching for Baron Corbin. He looks for him in a bathroom. Corbin isn’t there.
Video
Clips of DX versus the Brother of Destruction at Crown Jewel.
Match 2
Jinder Mahal w/ Sunil Singh vs Apollo Crews
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Apollo Crews wins via pinfall with a standing moonsault
Time: 2:22
Match Thoughts
It was short, but Crews looked good tonight. Hopefully he can turn this into some nice momentum.
Backstage
Seth Rollins walks in the back with his IC Title around his waist and a RAW Tag Title over each shoulder.
Ring Area
Seth Rollins heads to the ring. Rollins had planned to be here with three title belts and a trophy, but the WWE World Cup didn’t work out for him. He’s also pissed that Baron Corbin chose to help Lesnar take back the title that Roman Reigns took from him. Rollins would say how pissed he is to Lesnar’s face, but Lesnar isn’t here tonight. Dean Ambrose is here though.
Rollins knows Ambrose isn’t going to be joining Rollins though. Rollins says that he doesn’t think he’ll be able to defend the tag titles by himself, so he’s about to possibly relinquish the titles when Baron Corbin appears on the tron. Corbin says he believes Rollins can defend the titles, and he has a match right now. Against AoP.
Match 3
RAW Tag Title Match
Seth Rollins (RAW Tag Champ) vs AoP w/ Drake Maverick
(referee: Chad Patton)
Result: Akam pins Seth Rollins after a tandem neckbreaker (Akam) and sit-out powerbomb (Rezar)
Time: 6:23 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
For a handicap match, Rollins made it pretty entertaining. The finish was a forgone conclusion that was all about the story line.
Ring Area
After the match, Dean Ambrose heads to the ring through the crowd. Ambrose asks Rollins if he wants to know why Ambrose did what he did. Instead of giving Rollins a reason, Ambrose hits Rollins with Dirty Deeds.
Backstage
Charly Caruso asks Baron Corbin if he’s afraid of Strowman. Corbin says he’s not afraid, and he’s not running. As he’s talking, Strowman appears. Strowman beats up Corbin’s security as Corbin runs away.
Ring Area
Dolph Ziggler heads to the ring. He says that Shane McMahon is not the best in the world. Everyone is looking at the best in the world right now. It’s typical though. Ziggler works hard, but then a conspiracy kicks in. As Zigger explains the conspiracy of the WWE World Cup, Elias appears on the stage.
Elias sums things up for Ziggler. Elias says Ziggler is just a loser. Elias also has a song, and it happens to be about Ziggler. He plays it. Ziggler gets tired of listening and invites Elias to the ring.
Video
Some clips of the Lucha House Party are shown.
Selfie Promo
The Revival says tag team wrestling isn’t a party, and it isn’t a joke. There’s no room in the RAW tag division for Lucha House Party, and The Revival will send them back to 205 Live.
Match 4
Dolph Ziggler vs Elias
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Elias wins via pinfall after Drift Away
Time: 11:10 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. This one went the distance, and it was nicely competitive. The finish made it seem like either man could have won, and I like that about it.
Backstage
Charly Caruso asks Kurt Angle if he has any concerns about tonight. Angle says Corbin is a threat, but Angle knows how to beat him.
Ring Area
Ronda Rousey heads to the ring. Rousey addresses what Becky Lynch said last week, that she’s going to rip Rousey’s arm off. Rousey thinks that’s adorable. Rousey says she respects Lynch, but don’t mistake her respect for weakness. Rousey talks about fighting her entire life. She says it’s going to take a lot more than a new attitude to defeat her. Lynch might call herself “the man,” but Rousey says she’s “the baddest bitch on the planet.”
Before Rousey can leave the ring, Nia Jax comes out and joins her. Jax thinks everything that Rousey just said is great. Jax knows that Rousey won’t let the women on RAW down at Survivor Series, but she should remember that Jax will be waiting for her afterwards.
Ember Moon comes out and heads to the ring.
Match 5
Nia Jax vs Ember Moon
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Nia Jax wins via pinfall after a Samoan drop
Time: 4:58
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. Jax started strong, but the match quickly became mostly about Ember Moon running around while Jax stood around and deflected her attacks. It was fine, but it was also pretty uneventful.
Ring Area
After the match, Tamina heads to the ring. Tamina looks at Nia Jax before hitting Ember Moon with a Samoan drop. Jax looks hesitant at first, but she joins Tamina’s attack on Moon after a few seconds. Jax and Tamina are now friends. I guess.
Backstage
Kayla Braxton welcomes Finn Balor. Balor didn’t appreciate it when Lio Rush slapped him last week. But he feels good tonight, because Manchester is Balor Club.
Backstage
Charly Caruso catches Baron Corbin as he’s leaving the arena. Corbin says he won’t be competing tonight, so Angle will face Drew McIntyre. He then quickly gets in his car and drives away as Braun Strowman runs up behind him. Corbin gets away, and Strowman looks at his hands.
Ring Area
Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush head to the ring. Lashley bends over and shows his butt to people. Lio Rush laughs.
Match 6
Bobby Lashley w/ Lio Rush vs Finn Balor
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Bobby Lashley wins via pinfall after a Canadian backbreaker rack spun into a side slam
Time: 6:30
Match Thoughts
Good match. I don’t think the outcome was any surprise since Balor has won the last few matches they’ve had, but this was still mostly enjoyable. Balor is fun to watch even when you know exactly what’s likely to happen. I do wish WWE would figure out how to not just do rematch after rematch in their feuds though.
Ring Area
After the match, Drew McIntyre heads to the ring. McIntyre gets in Lashley’s face, but Lio Rush gets Lashley to walk away. McIntyre helps Balor to his feet, but he only does that so he can hit Balor with a Claymore Kick.
Match 7
Drew McIntyre vs Kurt Angle
(referee: Chad Patton; stipulation: if Angle wins, he will be the captain of the RAW Survivor Series team)
Result: Drew McIntyre wins via submission with an ankle lock
Time: 11:05 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. I was enjoying it as just an entertaining match between two guys I like, but it turned into something else towards the end. McIntyre hit Angle with a Claymore Kick, and after that McIntyre started taunting Angle. He offered his leg for Angle to take, and he got in Angle’s face repeatedly. McIntyre made a point to try to embarrass Angle and destroy any confidence he might still have. This felt like a big match for McIntyre.
Show Impressions
I think this was another average show. There were some things I liked, but there was probably just as much that I didn’t care a lot about. There were too many rematches on this show for my taste. That sort of thing kills unpredictability.
Match of the Night
McIntyre vs Angle
Mostly because of the ramifications it might have for both men.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2018-11-05