WWE RAW
Episode 1325
#RAW
Original Air Date: October 15, 2018
Event Date: October 15, 2018 (aired live)
City: Philadelphia, PA
Venue: Wells Fargo Center
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young
Ring Announcer: Jojo
Ring Area
Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre, and Dolph Ziggler head to the ring. All three of them are very happy about their team and what they’ve done so far. They are especially happy about beating The Shield last week and watching Dean Ambrose as he left Rollins and Reigns after the match.
McIntyre and Ziggler are both excited about their chances tonight and in the WWE World Cup, and they disagree on who would win if they happen to face each other. Strowman doesn’t care about any of that. He’s just interested in beating up Reigns and Lesnar.
Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins come out to the stage. Rollins says The Shield is fine. They are alive and well. Also, Rollins intends to prove that he is the best in the world by beating McIntyre tonight and going on to win the WWE World Cup. Ziggler thinks it’s funny that Dean Ambrose isn’t with Reigns and Rollins. Rollins says it’s fine, Ambrose shows up whenever he wants to, but he always shows up. Reigns chimes in and says after Crown Jewel, Strowman will be going to the back of the line. Rollins decides that he wants to fight, so he suggests that he and McIntyre have their match right now. McIntyre seems fine with that.
Match 1
WWE World Cup Qualifying Match
Drew McIntyre (RAW Tag Champ) vs Seth Rollins (IC Champ)
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: Seth Rollins wins via count out
Time: 10:00
Match Thoughts
Good match. I’d love to see these two compete for the Universal Title at some point. The finish was more about Dean Ambrose showing up and helping Rollins than settling anything between McIntyre and Rollins, but it worked for the feud. And the action was good before that.
Backstage
The Bella Twins watch their backs as they walk through the backstage are. Meanwhile, Bayley hugs Trish Stratus and Lita.
Backstage
Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns share some banter with Dean Ambrose, but Ambrose doesn’t appreciate being called a “lunatic” by his “friends.” Ambrose gets mad and walks away.
Video
Backstage, Undertaker and Kane talk about respect. They say that Triple H and Shawn Michaels are liars who have no respect. They also say HBK is scared. The Brothers of Destruction have three words for DX: Rest. In. Peace.
Match 2
Ember Moon & Nia Jax vs Tamina & Dana Brooke
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Ember Moon pins Dana Brooke after the Eclipse
Time: 4:48
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. It was nice to see Tamina back, and she showed some impressive strength when she hit Nia Jax with a Samoan drop.
Ring Area
After the match, Tamina kicks Nia Jax in the face. With Jax down, Tamina looks over at Ember Moon. Moon thinks about it for a moment before helping Tamina to lift Jax over the top rope and out of the ring. Moon then tries to do the same to Tamina, but Tamina struggles to reverse and throw Moon out. While they are struggling on the ropes, Dana Brooke pushes both Moon and Tamina out to the floor (this all being a short preview of the women’s battle royal at Evolution).
Video
Clips of the Bella Twins attacking Ronda Rousey last week.
Ring Area
Ronda Rousey heads to the ring. She seems sad and would like an explanation from the Bella Twins for what they did last week.
Nikki and Brie come out to the stage. Nikki says they don’t owe Rousey an explanation. Brie says Rousey disrespected them first by disregarding everything they have done for the women’s division. Nikki says seeing Rousey at the forefront of the women’s revolution makes her cringe. Nikki also says Rousey doesn’t deserve to be champ. She goes on to talk about being a Diva with reality shows and stuff.
Rousey says the Divas era made her sick to her stomach. She knows the Bellas did the best they could with what they had. When Rousey first came to WWE and the Bellas accepted her, Rousey was happy and excited. But now, she sees that the Bellas are the embodiment of a stereotype. They are the “do nothing Bellas.” They have impressed Rousey in how far they have gone with a bare minimum of talent though. Part of that is probably because they “leeched off the names of their men.” The Bellas aren’t pioneers, they’re relics of the past. Rousey says she will ruin the Bellas.
Brie thinks Rousey is just jealous. They did more last week than Rousey has done in her entire WWE career. Nikki talks about knocking down doors, but Rousey responds by saying she has knocked down doors in every aspect of her career. The only door Nikki has ever knocked down is the one to John Cena’s bedroom.
Rousey invites the Bellas to head to the ring and take a beating. They do, but they bring security with them. Rousey takes out three members of the security team as the Bellas flee with the remaining two security guards.
Backstage
Bobby Roode and Chad Gable loves Kurt Angle’s new straw hat and Hawaiian shirt. Roode and Gable head off to do some stuff, and No Way Jose passes by. Angle and Jose dance for a moment before Baron Corbin walks up.
Corbin has arranged a match for Angle tonight. Angle didn’t come prepared to compete, but Corbin doesn’t care. Angle has a handicap match with AoP whether he has his gear or not.
Match 3
WWE World Cup Qualifying Match
Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler (RAW Tag Champ)
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Dolph Ziggler wins via pinfall after a superkick
Time: 6:40 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Ziggler seemed to be able to take advantage of Ambrose’s angry state of mind. For his part though, Rollins fights well when he’s angry. This match ended up being, again, about Ambrose’s place in The Shield when Rollins came out to help him deal with McIntyre at ringside. It didn’t go very well, and that played directly into the finish of the match as well as the pot-match happenings.
Ring Area
After the match, Seth Rollins approaches Dean Ambrose. Rollins tries to talk to Ambrose, but Ambrose shoves Rollins as he walks away. Rollins chases down Ambrose and the two men argue. Roman Reigns comes out to calm things down.
Baron Corbin comes out next, and he says he’s going to let The Shield work out their differences. Tonight, The Shield will once again face Strowman, Ziggler, and McIntyre in a rematch from last week. Ambrose walks away, leaving Reigns and Rollins to stare at Corbin.
Backstage
Ziggler and McIntyre are happy about what just happened in the ring. Strowman doesn’t seem to care, and he says that if they screw up tonight, they will both get his hands.
Match 4
Finn Balor w/ Bayley vs Jinder Mahal w/ Samir Singh, Sunil Singh, Alicia Fox
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Finn Balor wins via pinfall after the Coup de Grace
Time: 1:50
Match Thoughts
This was super short and rather one-sided. It was good to see Samir Singh’s return at ringside (even if he didn’t do anything).
Ring Area
Immediately after the match, Lio Rush and Bobby Lashley head to the ring. Lashley poses in front of Balor as Rush talks about Lashley’s physique.
Match 5
Bobby Lashley w/ Lio Rush vs Tyler Breeze
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Bobby Lashley wins via pinfall after a Canadian backbreaker rack spun into a side facebuster
Time: 3:26
Match Thoughts
This was mostly just a pose-off for Lashley narrated by Rush. Breeze got a minor flurry of offense part-way through the match, but he was quickly shut down.
Ring Area
Trish Stratus and Lita head to the ring together. Lita starts talking about Evolution when Alexa Bliss and Mickie James interrupt. Alexa and Mickie mock (and sort imitate) Lita and Trish. It’s kind of an IIconics thing, but not as funny.
Mickie brings up the point that Trish and Lita haven’t competed in a very long time, while Alexa says that nostalgia is fleeting. They say Trish and Lita don’t have a chance against two women who compete every night. Trish and Lita thinks it’s funny that Mickie mentioned “practice” and talk about “practice” by saying “practice” over and over (they’re referencing an Allen Iverson interview from a long time ago).
After the talking, Trish and Lita want a fight. Alexa and Mickie refuse the challenge.
Backstage
Bayley encounters the Riott Squad. They laugh at and mock Balyey. Bayley does not appreciate it.
Match 6
The Conquistador vs AoP w/ Drake Maverick
(referee: Shawn Bennett; watching from the stage: Baron Corbin)
Result: Akam pins the Conquistador after a tandem sit-out powerbomb and neckbreaker
Time: 0:58
Match Thoughts
Super squash.
Ring Area
After the match, AoP removes the Conquistador’s mask. It’s some random guy. From the stage, Kurt Angle comes out and hits Corbin with an Angle Slam.
Backstage
The Riott Squad defaces Natalya’s dressing room door.
Match 7
Ruby Riott w/ Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan vs Natalya w/ Bayley, Sasha Banks
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Natalya wins via DQ when Sarah Logan attacks her
Time: 2:56
Match Thoughts
There wasn’t a lot to this match. It was good for what it was, but it was ultimately just a prelude for the brawl after the actual match.
Ring Area
After the match, everyone begins to brawl. The Riott Squad sets up Natalya for a move, but Bayley and Sasha run in for the save. The Riott Squad is forced to retreat.
Backstage
Elias tests some guy about his guitar picks. The guy fails.
Ring Area
In the ring, Elias plays his guitar. He also talks about a sports guy while insulting Philadelphia. Apollo Crews interrupts. Elias warns Crews to be careful, because when he steps into the ring with Elias, Crews’ career is in Elias’ hands. Elias does think Crews is talented though, even if he’s never seen it.
Crews is tired of keeping his mouth shut. He’s tired of watching people pass him by, including Elias. Crews is sick of it. Elias wonders who Apollo Crews is. Elias prepares to make an example of Crews, but Crews fights back and shows his strength as he presses Elias over his head. Elias retreats.
Backstage
Roman Reigns discusses something with Dean Ambrose.
Match 8
Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre (RAW Tag Champs) & Braun Strowman vs Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins (IC Champ) & Roman Reigns (Universal Champ)
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Dean Ambrose pins Dolph Ziggler after a triple-team powerbomb
Time: 11:04 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. I think the issues within both teams worked very well in this match. It made the match somewhat unpredictable since you weren’t sure which team would turn on themselves first. I also liked how the finish kind of turned the story around a bit, forcing Strowman’s team to reap a little of what they’ve tried to sow. This was fun to watch.
Ring Area
After the match, The Shield celebrates and leaves the ring together.
Meanwhile, Strowman is pissed. He enters the ring and grabs Ziggler by the hair. Strowman hits Ziggler with a running powerslam, but Strowman takes a Claymore Kick from McIntyre immediately after. McIntyre leaves the ring by himself.
Show Impressions
Though not entirely original, I kind of liked the Ambrose story tonight. It is somewhat more of the same from over the last few weeks, but I liked the continuity throughout the show and the payoff at the end of the night. I hope McIntyre starts to take more control on RAW.
Other things I liked were some of the returns (Tamina, Samir Singh, Sasha Banks) even if they didn’t do a lot tonight. I also liked seeing Apollo Crews (maybe, finally) getting a decent feud.
Match of the Night
The Shield vs Strowman & Ziggler & McIntyre
This was totally story driven, but it was chaotic and fun.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2018-10-15