WWE RAW
Episode 1383
#RAW
Original Air Date: November 25, 2019
Event Date: November 25, 2019
(aired live)
City: Rosemont, IL (announced as Chicago)
Venue: Allstate Arena
Commentary: Vic Joseph, Jerry Lawler
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Intro Video
“Legendary” by Skillet
Ring Area
The RAW roster surrounds the ring for a town hall meeting. Rollins enters the ring and agrees with the fans: NXT mopped the floor with RAW. Rollins has loved RAW for years, and he’s sad to see what it’s become. Rollins tells the roster that they sucked last night. He wants to right the ship and make RAW the “A” show again. Rollins then opens the floor for anyone who wants to speak.
Rollins calls out Orton and says he was the weak link on the Survivor Series team. Rollins invites Orton to speak, but Orton just walks away. Rollins then calls out Charlotte and insults her family name. Charlotte walks away. Rollins tells the Authors of Pain that they weren’t even at Survivor Series, so he doesn’t need them on RAW tonight either. AOP walks away. Rollins then tells Rey that he let everyone down. Rollins also calls Rey’s son “stupid.” Rey walks away, then the roster follows him. Rollins is left alone in the ring… except for Kevin Owens.
Owens enters the ring, but Rollins speaks first. Rollins says he loves RAW so much that he does everything he can to make it the best. What does Owens do? He doesn’t do anything. Does Owens want Rollins’ spot? Well, Rollins says Owens will never be Seth Rollins. Owens responds by hitting Rollins with a stunner. Owens then walks away.
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Seth Rollins. Rollins challenges Owens to a match so he can teach Owens something the hard way.
Video
Earlier today, Rusev was served with a restraining order. That means since Lana is in the arena for RAW tonight, Rusev can’t be there.
Match 1
Titus O’Neil vs Bobby Lashley w/ Lana
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Lashley wins via DQ when Rusev attacks him
Time: 1:03
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t a match. This was just a setup for Rusev to make a “surprise” appearance and attack Lashley.
Ring Area
After the match, Rusev continues to attack Lashley. Rusev beats up Lashley all the way over to the announce table on the stage. Before Rusev can use the table, Rusev is pulled away and handcuffed by police officers. While still cuffed, Rusev runs over and knocks Lashley backwards off the stage. Lana yells a lot, then Rusev kicks a lighting rig over onto Lashley. Rusev is finally taken away.
Match 2
AOP vs Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Rezar pins Curt Hawkins after a tandem neckbreaker (Akam) and powerbomb (Rezar)
Time: 1:24
Match Thoughts
Squash.
Vic Joseph asked Lawler when was the last time he saw tag team destruction like this. When? About every week for the past half year since the Viking Raiders have been destroying local talent week after week. I understand the need to build people up in pro wrestling, but ignoring stuff that is still going on all the time just to get in a good sound byte for a team is dumb. It makes the commentary kind of worthless in my opinion.
Match 3
Akira Tozawa vs Andrade w/ Zelina Vega
(referee: Chad Patton)
Result: Andrade wins via pinfall after a hammerlock DDT
Time: 2:29
Match Thoughts
I was hoping for more from this. I know they could have a better match, but this was just a showcase for Andrade. He looked good, but I would have liked to see Tozawa push him a little more.
Backstage
Alesiter Black is coming to collect from Buddy Murphy for knocking on his door.
Match 4
Matt Hardy vs Buddy Muprhy
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Buddy Murphy wins via pinfall after three knee strikes
Time: 2:27
Match Thoughts
It was good to see Matt back in the ring, but something about the whole situation made it feel like Matt wasn’t going to be winning tonight. Matt looked fine, but this was an exhibition for Murphy. Mutphy has been on a roll, and since he appears to be entering a program with Aleister Black, I wasn’t surprised by the outcome. It was good for being so short and predictable though.
Ring Area
After the match, Murphy calls out Aleister Black. Black quickly rises from the stage and heads to the ring. Murphy tries to attack, but he is quickly taken down with a few strikes from Black. Murphy retreats up the ramp.
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Charlotte Flair. Charlotte says Asuka is still bitter about her losses to Flair, and that’s why Asuka spit in Charlotte’s face last night. Tonight, Charlotte will remind Asuka why she is a ten-time champ and the queen.
Ring Area
AJ Styles heads to the ring to defend the United States Title. Humberto Carrillo comes out next, but he is attacks by Gallows and Anderson at ringside. Carrillo is destroyed when he takes the Magic Killer on the ring steps.
Styles gets on the mic and asks if Carrillo can compete tonight. Clearly he can’t, and Styles is super disappointed. Ricochet is as ringside checking on Carrillo, so Styles laughs about RAW’s superhero failing to rescue Carrillo. Ricochet challenges Styles to a title match right now, but Styles refuses.
Randy Orton comes out and walks towards the ring. Orton says Humberto can’t compete right now, but Orton can. Orton challenges Styles to a title match right now. Styles reminds Orton that they last time they competed, Styles won. Styles has nothing to prove to either Orton or Ricochet, so neither of them will get a title match.
Drew McIntyre comes out, and he has a solution. McIntyre has never faced Styles, so he’s never lost to Styles. McIntyre also wants a title match. Styles says he’s a little sore after stealing the show last night.
Rey Mysterio comes out and heads to the ring. Rey is also sore after last night, but he’s not complaining. Rey won’t let The OC cheat Chicago out of a title match, so Rey wants a title shot. Styles says all these guys are so entitled, so on principle, Styles declines everyone. Ricochet suggests a fatal four way to decide who will face Styles tonight. Styles thinks what Ricochet just said is very dumb. Gallows and Anderson kind of like the idea, and that makes Styles angry. Styles reluctantly agrees to Ricochet’s idea.
Match 5
Fatal Four Way US Title Number One Contender Match
Ricochet vs Randy Orton vs Drew McIntyre vs Rey Mysterio
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Rey Mysterio pins Ricochet with an inside cradle
Time: 11:07 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Highlights were definitely seeing McIntyre versus Orton and Ricochet versus Mysterio. both of those matchups were fun, and this was an overall entertaining match. The OC came back down to ringside to watch the action, and they did get involved once when someone they didn’t want to win was making a pin attempt. I liked how all of this went down.
Match 6
United States Title Match
Rey Mysterio vs AJ Styles (US Champ) w/ Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Rey Mysterio wins via pinfall after a frog splash (and an RKO from Randy Orton)
Time: 12:07 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Great match. Despite one awkward and poorly executed referee bump, this was a highly entertaining title match. Anderson and Gallows were at ringside and coused some shenanigans, and that led to a lot more drama and shenanigans late in the match. There were maybe a little too many shenanigans for my taste, but the result was nice and the spectacle was fun. I pretty much always like a clean finish better than an interference-filled finish, but the ends justified the means tonight. Rey and AJ were great.
The cynical side of me feels a tiny bit like this was a consolation prize for Rey considering some of the stuff he’s endured over the past few weeks, but the match did make me happy.
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Kevin Owens. Owens has a message for Rollins. Owens says he’s always known who he is as a wrestler, and he’s never changed no matter what anyone says. Rollins, however, has always tried to be what people expect him to be or what he thinks people want him to be. It has made Rollins miserable, and it makes Owens sick. Tonight, Owens turns Monday Night Rollins into the Kevin Owens Show.
Match 7
Charlotte Flair vs Asuka w/ Kairi Sane (Women’s Tag Champs)
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Asuka wins via pinfall after the green mist
Time: 14:17 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Great match. Kairi Sane got chased away from ringside pretty early in the match, so that allowed Asuka and Charlotte to compete one on one with very little interference for most of this lengthy match. This was a battle of wills and endurance as both women looked like they were really fighting and struggling to get an advantage of their opponent. I liked this a lot.
Match 8
Erick Rowan vs Kyle Roberts
(referee: Darryl Sharma)
Result: Erick Rowan wins via pinfall after two iron claw slams
Time: 1:23
Match Thoughts
Squash. Roberts looked inside the cage Rowan has been carrying to the ring, and that pissed Rowan off.
Video
The IIconics and and R-Truth try to sell us stuff from the WWE shop.
Backstage
In a split-screen, Owens and Rollins each prepare for their match.
Backstage
AJ Styles is distraught. Sarah Schreiber asks him what’s going through his head. The only words he gets out are “Randy Orton.”
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Lana. Lana says WWE should fire and deport Rusev.
Match 9
Seth Rollins vs Kevin Owens
(referee: Chad Patton)
Result: Kevin Owens wins via DQ when the AOP attacks him
Time: 9:59 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
The match was good, but there wasn’t a good finish. This ended up being about setting up a new story line, so we got no decision for ROllins versus Owens tonight.
Ring Area
After the match, the AOP continues to attack Owens. Akam and Rezar walk over to Rollins, but they don’t attack him. AOP walks away. In the ring, Rollins stomps an already hurting Kevin Owens. Then he stomps again.
Show Impressions
This was a fine show. There were a few matches that really made this night worth watching (those being the fatal four way, the US Title match, and Asuka vs Charlotte). This show did set up a lot of things for later which is nice. Being the first RAW after Survivor Series, a PPV which always seems to derail any and nearly all story lines in favor of one cross-branded story, I kind of expected this to be a show of rebuilding.
Match of the Night
Asuka vs Charlotte
I could watch them wrestle each other over and over again.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2019-11-25