WWE RAW
Episode 1374
#RAW
Original Air Date: September 23, 2019
Event Date: September 23, 2019
(aired live)
City: San Francisco, CA
Venue: Chase Center
Commentary: Michael Cole, Renee Young, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Video
The WWE intro before the show looks like it’s trying to break down (in a similar way to how RAW ended last week).
Video
Clips of last week’s RAW where Bray Wyatt and The Fiend stalked Seth Rollins.
Ring Area
Seth Rollins heads to the ring. Rollins says he’s done and seen a lot in his time in WWE, but he never felt the way he felt at the end of last week’s RAW. Rollins wants The Fiend to just be a dream he can wake up from, but that won’t happen. Rollins has a match against The Fiend in Hell in a Cell. So what will Rollins do? He will survive, and he will prevail just like he did against Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman.
Braun Strowman heads to the ring. Strowman says Rollins should say what he has to say to his face. Strowman gets in Rollins’ face, and Rollins responds by saying he has a lot on his plate, but the way Strowman is acting makes Rollins want to fight Strowman tonight. Strowman takes that as a challenge, nd he accepts.
Match 1
Viking Raiders vs Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson w/ AJ Styles (US Champ)
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Ivar pins Karl Anderson after the Viking Experience
Time: 7:13 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. I was a little disappointed in the outcome, but I wasn’t surprised. The action was good. I’m very glad that the Viking Raiders are finally wrestling teams other than just local talent. Now they’re starting to become interesting again. I just hope they face some adversity though. Winning all the time isn’t always terribly interesting.
Backstage
Charly Caruso asks Robert Roode why he thinks he’s going to win the fatal five way Universal Title number one contender match. Roode says he’s already beaten Seth Rollins, so with the Universal Title on the line, the results will be glorious.
Backstage
Michael Cole sits down with Becky Lynch. Cole asks Lynch if it was a wise move to challenge Sasha Banks in Hell in a Cell with her on a hot streak. Lynch says she wants to face Banks on a hot streak because that will make Lynch look even better. Becky says the cell isn’t to keep Bayley out, it’s to keep Sasha in.
Match 2
EC3 vs Rusev
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Rusev wins via submission with the Accolade
Time: 1:42
Match Thoughts
This was pretty much a squash.
Backstage
Rey Mysterio says he nearly quit wrestling during a moment of doubt, but his son Dominic stopped him. Now, Rey has a chance to earn a Universal Title shot. Tonight, Rey is dedicating his match to his son.
Match 3
Sasha Banks (SD Women’s Champ) vs Nikki Cross w/ Alexa Bliss (Women’s Tag Champs)
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: Sasha Banks wins via submission with the Bank Statement
Time: 12:36 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Banks and Cross were given a lot of time, and they certainly took advantage of it. This was a nice fight with some good psychology throughout. Except for some minor shenanigans near the end, Bliss and Bayley mostly stayed out of the action. The result wasn’t a surprise given that Sasha has a title match coming up, but the finish was still well done.
Ring Area
After the match, Banks stomps Cross. Bliss tries to helpe Cross, but Banks puts Bliss in the Bank Statement for a few seconds. So, after a few weeks where other people got the last strike in on Banks, Banks finally got left a segment looking strong.
Backstage
The OC complains about what happened to them earlier tonight. Styles says that Cedric Alexander isn’t on his level (Cedric attacked AJ during the opening tag match), and none of the other men in the fatal five way later tonight are on his level either.
Backstage
The Street Profits get excited about Lesnar, Rollins versus Strowman, and the fatal five way number one contender match. Also, Dawkins is still laughing about Ricochet’s face when Maria said he is the father of her child. As the Street Profits laugh, The Miz walks up. Miz announces that Maryse recently gave birth to their second child, and he says Hulk Hogan will be his guest on a special edition of Miz TV on RAW next week. The crowd boos when Miz says “Hulk Hogan.”
Match 4
Lacey Evans vs Ember Moon
(referee: Eddie Orengo)
Result: Lacey Evans wins via submission with a sharpshooter
Time: 5:32
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. Ember Moon looked very good. Ember used one of the strangest ways to get into a stunner that I’ve ever seen, so that was fun. Lacey didn’t look great, and she nearly fell over while trying to apply a sharpshooter (with no resistance from Ember). I also really dislike how Lacey is finishing matches now. She takes forever to put her opponent away, and it makes her opponent look bad.
Backstage
Sarah Schreiber asks Natalya about Lacey Evans using the sharpshooter. Natalya says Lacey hasn’t mastered the move yet.
Firefly Fun House
Bray Wyatt adds an empty picture frame to his wall of friendship. Meanwhile, Huskus the Pig Boy and Rambling Rabbit are fighting over a Seth Rollins action figure. Wyatt says sharing is never easy, but it’s never good to get too attached to something. Loving something too much makes you weak, and it opens you up to terrible feelings. Wyatt knows what it’s like to be abandoned by people he cares about. The Fiend doesn’t like to share, but Bray’s friends can. Wyatt breaks the Rollins figure in half and laughs.
Ring Area
R-Truth runs to the ring followed by Carmella. After a few seconds, Drake Maverick, Curt Hawkins, Kalisto, Lince Dorado, Zack Ryder, and Mojo Rawley run to the ring. Carmella begs everyone to stop chasing her and R-Truth. R-Truth tells Carmella not to worry, but Carmella is exhausted. She can’t do this anymore. R-Truth hugs Carmella, but Carmella puts R-Truth in a schoolboy. Carmella is the new 24/7 Champ. Everyone around the ring is surprised. After a moment of hesitation, R-Truth celebrates with Carmella.
Their celebration doesn’t last long. Sarah Logan, Billie Kay, Tamina, and Dana Brooke emerge from the back. Carmella hops onto R-Truth’s back, and they run away just ahead of the four women.
Backstage
Bayley and Sasha Banks revel in what Sasha did earlier tonight. Sasha’s also brushes off the words Becky Lynch said in her interview with Michael Cole.
Backstage
Shinsuke Nakamura sits while Sami Zayn tries to fire him up. Nakamura tells Zayn to calm down (though not in those words exactly).
Match 5
King Corbin vs Chad Gable
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Chad Gable wins via DQ when Corbin hits him with his scepter
Time: 11:33 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match, but their match last week was a lot better. That match actually had some stakes, while the winner of this one didn’t matter. Even a moral victory for Gable would’ve felt like a consolation prize, but we didn’t even get that. We just got Corbin spiking the ball. I’m bored.
Video
The Authors of Pain show us who they are by beating up Heath Slater and some other guy we don’t get a good look at.
Backstage
Sarah Schreiber welcomes Ricochet. Ricochet says this is his time to soar. A victory for Ricochet will prove that superheroes are real, and his time is now.
Match 6
Fatal Five Way Elimination Universal Title Number One Contender Match
Rey Mysterio vs Ricochet vs Robert Roode (RAW Tag Champ) vs AJ Styles (US Champ) vs Shinsuke Nakamura (IC Champ) w/ Sami Zayn
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Rey Mysterio wins and will face Seth Rollins for the Universal Title next week on RAW
1. Shinsuke Nakamura pins Ricochet after Kinshasa (6:13 – 1 break)
2. AJ Styles pins Shinsuke Nakamura after the Phenomenal Forearm (4:12 – 1 break)
3. Robert Roode pins AJ Styles after the Glorious DDT (0:16) 47:12 – 47:28
4. Rey Mysterio pins Robert Roode after the 619 and a springboard frog splash (2:19)
Time: 13:00 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. I think the first half was a lot better than the second half, but I enjoyed the entire thing. The first half of the match was crazy with everyone hitting everyone with all sorts of fast and fun moves right from the opening bell. After the first elimination the match slowed down somewhat, then the last three eliminations all came really quickly one after the other. It wasn’t bad, but the first part of the match was just so much more fun. I enjoyed the result, though I would have been perfectly fine with any of these men getting a title shot.
Backstage
Charly Caruso asks Seth Rollins for a reaction to the match that just happened. Rollins isn’t trying to look past next week, but he is still focused on fighting Bray Wyatt in Hell in a Cell, and he’s focused on facing Braun Strowman tonight. Rollins has a lot to overcome, but he will survive, prevail, and burn it down.
Match 7
Braun Strowman vs Seth Rollins (Universal Champ)
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: the match ends in a No Contest when the lights go out and The Fiend appears
Time: 8:08 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. There was no finish because of the appearance of The Fiend (which wasn’t a surprise but was still fun), but the action was entertaining. Their Clash of Champions match was better, but this was a fine main event. It was all just a setup for the post-match stuff though.
Ring Area
The lights in the arena go down and the match ends. The Fiend is attacking Braun Strowman was The Fiend’s spotlights illuminate the ring. Strowman goes down to the Mandible Claw. The Fiend crawls over to where Seth Rollins is cowering in the corner of the ring. Strowman stirs and begins to crawl towards The Fiend, so The Fiend puts on another Mandible Claw. Strowman is out, and The Fiend laughs.
Show Impressions
There seemed to be a strong emphasis on wrestling tonight, and I liked that. Not all the matches were great, but most were at least good, and I appreciate the focus on progressing stories more through in-ring action rather than just talking.
Match of the Night
Fatal Five Way Elimination Match
Even though the first half was better than the second half, the whole match was still very entertaining. The Banks/Cross match came in at a close second place tonight.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/wwe-raw-sept-23-2019