WWE RAW
Episode 1323
#RAW
Original Air Date: October 1, 2018
Event Date: October 1, 2018 (aired live)
City: Seattle, WA
Venue: KeyArena
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young
Ring Announcer: Jojo
Ring Area
Dean Ambrose heads to the ring. In the ring, Charly Caruso asks Ambrose if there is any truth to the claims made by Ziggler and McIntyre that Ambrose is being used by Rollins and Reigns. Ambrose says there is some truth to what they said. Caruso asks Ambrose if he’s ever thought about leaving The Shield. Ambrose says he thinks about lots of things.
Caruso isn’t sure of Ambrose is being sarcastic. She’s also wondering about the moment last week when Ambrose hesitated before joining Rollins and Reigns in the ring. Ambrose is getting more and more annoyed. He thinks people should stop trying to assume what he’s thinking and should simply judge him by his actions. Rollins and Reigns are his brothers, and he will stand by them.
Ambrose begins to leave the ring when Baron Corbin comes out to stage. Corbin, responding to Ambrose wanting people to judge him by his actions, gives Ambrose some options for a match tonight. He can pick an IC Title match, a Universal Title match, or a match with Braun Strowman. Ambrose goes for option four, fighting Corbin right now. Corbin declines the challenge and brings out Braun Strowman.
Match 1
Dean Ambrose vs Braun Strowman
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Braun Strowman wins via DQ when Roman Reigns attacks
Time: 10:27 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was fine. It’s about what I expected it would be, a few minutes of Ambrose trying to figure out Strowman until the match ended in a brawl.
Ring Area
After the match, Reigns and Strowman brawl in the ring. Seth Rollins joins the fight, and Strowman is driven out to the floor. Strowman heads up to the stage where he is joined by Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre. Baron Corbin comes out and makes two matches: Rollins versus McIntyre and Reigns versus Ziggler.
Backstage
Seth Rollins checks on Dean Ambrose in the trainer’s room. Ambrose is pissed. Before he walks out, Ambrose says that he could be Intercontinental Champ right now. Rollins isn’t sure what to think.
Ring Area
In the ring, Roman Reigns has decided to put his title on the line against Ambrose. As the referee is about to start the match, Baron Corbin comes back out to the stage. Corbin says Reigns doesn’t get to make decisions like that. Corbin makes this next match non-title, and he says Reigns will not be able to put his title on the line until his match at WWE Crown Jewel.
Match 2
Roman Reigns (Universal Champ) vs Dolph Ziggler (RAW Tag Champ)
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: Roman Reigns wins via pinfall after a spear
Time: 9:14 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was pretty good. Ziggler looked good while Reigns continued to kick out of things.
Backstage
The Bella Twins, Natalya, and Ronda Rousey hang out in the back.
Selfie Promo
The Riott Squad loves unconventional beauty. Ruby beating Rousey will be beautiful.
Match 3
Ronda Rousey (RAW Women’s Champ) w/ The Bella Twins vs Ruby Riott w/ Sarah Logan, Liv Morgan
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Ronda Rousey wins via submission with an arm bar
Time: 6:49
Match Thoughts
Good match. Riott dominated a large portion of the match, and that was fun to watch. I’ve been wondering how they were going to make Rousey feel like she could be beaten, and Riott did that in this match. I really thought Riott was about to win late in the match. So yeah, this match really grabbed my interest.
Video
Clips of the feud between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.
Match 4
Bobby Roode w/ Chad Gable vs Konnor w/ Viktor
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Konnor wins via pinfall after a Dominator
Time: 4:16
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. It was similar to last week’s match with Konnor and Gable, though the finish involved a distraction this time. I like seeing Konnor given some credibility on RAW.
Backstage
In “A Moment of Bliss,” Alexa Bliss talks about her hero when she was growing up, Trish Stratus. Alexa says that when she first met Trish as a seven-year-old fan, Trish burped in her face, asked for $50, and tore up her autograph book.
Match 5
The B-Team vs The Revival
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: Bo Dallas pins Dash Wilder after a counter to a rocket launcher
Time: 3:39 (joined in progress)
Match Thoughts
This was okay. It seems the B-Team is back to their winning-at-the-last-minute ways. That’s fine.
Ring Area
As the B-Team heads up the ramp, AoP attacks them from behind. AoP drags the B-Team back into the ring and hits them with the Super Collider. Drake Maverick celebrates with Akam and Rezar.
Backstage
Roman Reigns asks Dean Ambrose if he’s alright. Ambrose says he’s fine, but he seems a little upset that Reigns interfered in Ambrose’s match earlier tonight. Ambrose also says he could be Universal Champ right now if he wasn’t such a nice guy.
Backstage
Baron Corbin is happy with AoP and Drake Maverick and what they’re doing.
Ring Area
In the ring, Charly Caruso introduces a video about WWE joining forces with Susan G. Komen. After the video, Caruso introduces some guests at ringside: Dana Warrior, Dr. Candice Grzelak, Patty Bulger, and Jennifer Teeler.
Backstage
Dolph Ziggler thinks Ambrose is going to turn. Strowman would like Ambrose to join them. Strowman says Ambrose is a winner, and they don’t need any weak links. Ziggler and Strowman stare at each other after that last comment. Strowman and McIntyre walk away, leaving Ziggler by himself.
Match 6
Seth Rollins (IC Champ) vs Drew McIntyre (RAW Tag Champ)
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Drew McIntyre wins via pinfall after the Claymore Kick
Time: 8:10 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. I think they can (and will) have better matches, but I liked this. It led up to a big distraction from Ziggler and was ultimately a story segment more than a match, but the action was good while it lasted.
Ring Area
After the match, Ziggler and McIntyre attack Rollins. Reigns runs down to the ring and brawls, but Strowman heads down to the ring next. As Strowman is about to enter the ring, Ambrose runs down with an axe handle. Ambrose chases people around, but Strowman, Ziggler, and McIntyre overpower him. The Shield gets beat up.
Backstage
Kevin Owens is impressed with the food and drink Elias has ordered to be prepared for him. Unfortunately, there are cashews when Elias wanted almonds. A crew member gets a face full of cashews as Owens chews on some spinach.
Ring Area
In the ring, Elias plays guitar while Kevin Owens listens. Owens is happy to walk with Elias, and he’s excited about their tag match against Cena and Lashley at Super Show-Down. Owens and Elias think they are a great team, but the team of Lashley and Cena doesn’t make sense. It makes about as much sense as having a team in Seattle. The crowd commences to booing Elias and Owens mercilessly for a long, long time.
Owens and Elias try to continue by talking about Cena. They say what they need to say, but they have to practically yell over the crowd. Eventually Lio Rush comes out to the stage. Rush talks about Super Show-Down, but he tells Owens that he better not look past tonight’s match with Bobby Lashley.
Match 7
Kevin Owens w/ Elias vs Bobby Lashley w/ Lio Rush
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Kevin Owens wins via pinfall with a schoolboy (after a distraction from Elias and Lio Rush)
Time: 7:28 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was pretty good. Not great, but it did a fine job of giving a preview of Super Show-Down.
Ring Area
After the match, Owens and Elias beat up Lashley. Rush tries to dive from the ropes onto Elias, but Elias swats him out of the air. Owens hits Lashley with a powerbomb before Elias and Owens celebrate.
Match 8
Bayley w/ Finn Balor vs Alicia Fox w/ Jinder Mahal, Sunil Singh
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Bayley wins via pinfall after the Bayley to Belly
Time: 3:34
Match Thoughts
This was fun. I was pulling for Alicia to win, but regardless, I liked the match. It was a good preview for tomorrow night, and I really enjoy watching both teams.
Ring Area
Shawn Michaels heads to the ring. He’s known all along that Super Show-Down will be historic, but it got personal when The Undertaker forced him to choose who he stands behind. Shawn will always pick his best friend Triple H, and The Undertaker got mad. Now both Undertaker and Triple will have their brothers in their corner, and Michaels says he will kick Kane in the face if he tries to get involved in the match.
Kane appears behind Shawn in the ring. Michaels gets a punch in the face when he turns around. The Undertaker appears in the ring, and he and Kane slowly approach Michaels. Undertaker picks Michaels up, and that’s when Triple H runs down to the ring. All four men brawl until Michaels and Triple H take a pair of chokeslams. After a few moments, Undertaker tombstones Triple H. Undertaker and Kane walk away as the show ends.
Show Impressions
This was an okay episode. I kind of liked how the main of RAW was split into three matches. The final segment was fun as well.
Match of the Night
Ronda Rousey vs Ruby Riott
This match grabbed my attention the most tonight.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2018-10-01