The October 29th, 2018 edition of WWE RAW took place at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.
– RAW opens up with a video package looking at Roman Reign’s announcement last week.
– Baron Corbin comes out to the ring to address the WWE Universe regarding the Universal Championship. Corbin says last week was emotional, but that was then and this is now, and he hopes Reigns doesn’t come back to RAW when he returns to action. Brock Lesnar comes out to interrupt, and he’s with Paul Heyman. They hit the ring and Heyman takes control of the mic from Corbin. Heyman says he has a spoiler alert for Crown Jewel: Lesnar will be putting the Universal Title back over his shoulder. Heyman says the only way he could be more confident in that is if it were predetermined. Braun Strowman comes out to interrupt and he gets in the ring with a mic. Braun says he’s the one who will be the Universal Champ, because Lesnar is gonna get these hands. Braun and Corbin end up getting into a shoving match, which results in Braun powerslaming Corbin. Lesnar watches and laughs. Lesnar and Braun come face to face now. Braun turns his attention back to Corbin and gives him a running powerslam. The crowd chants for one more slam, so Braun gives Corbin another one. As Braun gets to his feet, Lesnar grabs him and gives him an F-5. Lesnar picks up his Title belt and heads to the back with Heyman. Braun gets to his feet in the ring and yells up at Lesnar as Lesnar walks back through the curtain.
– Michael Cole introduces a replay of Dean Ambrose turning on Seth Rollins last week.
– Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley: We see Corbin getting helped up the ramp as Balor makes his entrance. Lio Rush is in Lashley’s corner and he talks some trash to Balor on the mic before the bell. Lashley looks for a running powerslam early on, but Balor escapes and dropkicks him out of the ring. Balor follows up with a dive on Lashley at ringside and then takes things back in the ring. Back in the ring, Lashley turns it around and suplexes Balor down to the mat. Finn starts to fight back and he reverses a powerbomb attempt. Balor back body drops Lahley and then lays into him with strikes in the corner. Lashley comes back with a side slam for a two count as Lio encourages him from ringside on the mic. Lashley goes for his patented stalling vertical suplex, but Balor fights out and hits a Sling Blade on Lashley. Balor hits a running dropkick, then he goes up top. Balor gets distracted by Lio Rush and misses his shot, but he comes back with a kick to the face of Lashley. Balor goes up top again, and Lio Rush pushes him down to the ringside floor. The ref calls for the bell.
Winner via DQ: Finn Balor
– After the match, Lashley beats down Balor at ringside. Lashley drags Balor back in the ring as Lio talks trash and slaps Balor across the face. They taunt Balor while he’s down before leaving.
– Lashley and Rush head in to the trainer’s office to talk to Baron Corbin, who is being checked on by a trainer. Corbin says Balor is disrespectful and he’s glad to see what Lashley did. Corbin says Lashley is one of the best in the world, and he’s going to have a chance to prove it, because he officially qualified for the World Cup. Corbin says Lashley will be replacing John Cena.
– We see some footage from after last night’s Evolution show of Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch briefly coming face to face.
– Trish Stratus, Lita, Natalya, Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Mickie James, Alicia Fox, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan: Trish strarts off strong against Logan in this one and sends her back in to her corner. Morgan tags in and Trish tackles her and pummels on her. Lita tags in they go for a Poetry In Motion in the corner but it’s not perfectly executed. Lita follows up with a hurricanrana and a DDT. All of the women brawl out to ringside with the babyface team in control. Back in the ring, Fox turns things around against Banks and drops her for a two count. Mickie tags in and works over Banks some more before tagging in Logan. Logan continues the offense on Banks and slams her in their corner. Ruby tags in and stomps a mud hole in Banks in the corner. Fox tags in and knocks Trish off the apron, but then Banks tags in Natalya. Natalya cleans house and hits a dropkick on Fox. Natlya hits a spinning lariat for a pin, but Logan breaks it up. Mickie runs in but Trish takes her down. Banks hits a flying knee strike on Mickie, and then the Riott Suad attacks Trish and Sasha. Lita and Bayley come in and fight them off, and they hit a double Twist of Fate. Bayley throws Morgan down and Lita follows up with a moonsault off the top. Natalya and Lita follow up with the Hart Attack double team on Alicia. Natalya then applies the Sharpshooter for the win via submission.
Winner: Alicia Fox
– After the match, Cole introduces some highlights from last night’s battle royal at Evolution.
– Nia Jax is backstage for an interview. She says after Ronda faces Becky at Survivor Series, Nia is waiting for her shot at Ronda. Ember Moon comes in next and talks about how great last night was. Nia and Ember exchange words and Ember challenges her to a match. Nia agrees, and says she beat her last night and she’ll do it again tonight.
– Michael Cole talks about Nia and Tamina paying tribute to Roman Reigns last night, and then we go to replays of last week’ RAW when Dean Ambrose turned on Seth Rollins.
– Elias is in the ring or a song. He shows us a replay of him bashing a guitar over Baron Corbin last week. He says since Corbin probably can’t hear him in the ring, and Elias is a giver, he’s going to go to the back and give that music right to Corbin’s face. Elias gets to the back. He runs into Dana Brooke who asks for a song, but Elias declines. Elias keeps walking and he knocks on Corbin’s locker room door. Baron won’t come out, so Elias tells him to keep his mouth shut through the door, and then he starts playing a song next to the closed door. Elias trashes Corbin in the song until Corbin comes out and gets mad. Corbin goes back in his room and slams the door. Jinder Mahal comes out of nowhere and attacks Elias from behind. Jinder beats down Elias, and then Corbin comes out and informs Elias he’s in a match with Jinder next.
– Elias vs. Jinder Mahal: Jinder backs Elias into the corner off the opening bell, but Elias fires back with strikes. Jinder comes back with a slam and then he puts the boots to Elias while he’s down. Samir Singh hits a cheap shot on Elias from ringside while Sunil distracts the ref. Jinder works over Elias’ ribs now, which Elias is selling from the backstage beat-down before the match. Elias finally breaks free and hits a flurry of strikes. Jinder misses a shot in the corner and Elias catches him with the Drift Away for the three count.
Winner: Elias
– Still to come: A message from Kurt Angle.
– We go to the broadcast table where Cole runs down the card for Crown Jewel. He then introduces us to a video package looking at Kurt Angle and his journey to the Crown Jewel World Cup tournament.
– We see a pre-taped promo from Kurt Angle in the gym. Kurt says people think he’s out of his mind to think he can win the World Cup, and he says he is out of his mind – just like he was when he won King of the Ring, the WWE Title, and the Olympic Gold Medal. Kurt says winning the World Cup at this stage in his career is more important to him than anything else – it’s true, it’s damn true.
– The Ascension vs. Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs. The Authors of Pain: There’s a melee between the teams at ringside before the opening bell sounds. The teams pull apart and get on the aprons, and this one gets underway. Akam and Gable go at it early on. Konnor tags himself in and gets in Akam’s face, but Gable takes them both down. Viktor tags in and goes at it with Gable until Roode tags in for the double team on Viktor. Gable and Roode do a double team German suplex/elbow drop for the three count on Viktor after a short match.
Winners: Bobby Roode & Chad Gable
– After the match, The Authors of Pain beat down Roode and Gable, and they hit the super collider.
– Michael Cole sends us to a video package looking at Roman Reigns and his decision to step away from WWE. He then sends us to a video package looking at Ambrose turning on Rollins.
– WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins comes out to the ring next. Rollins steps in the ring and he’s got a mic. He thanks the fans for the support they’ve shown for Roman Reigns since his announcement. Rollins wonders if maybe Ambrose turning on him was his fault because of Rollins turning on him four years ago. Rollins says he knows where to find Ambrose, and that’s in the ring, so he asks Ambrose to come out to the ring and explain why he attacked last week. Ambrose’s music hits, but there’s no Ambrose. Rollins looks around and finds Ambrose standing in the crowd. Rollins tells Ambrose come in the ring and face him like a man and give him the answer he deserves. Ambrose has a mic but hesitates before talking. Rollins calls Ambrose a cold hearted bastard, and he spit on everything the Shield stands for. Rollins says he’s going to make Ambrose’s life hell, and he’s going to come up there and beat an answer out of him. Rollins threatens to go up through the crowd, but he decides against it as Ambrose makes his exit out of the arena.
– Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush are backstage for an interview. Lio Rush talks about Lashley being put in the World Cup tournament, and how it would be another championship for Lashley’s trophy room.
– Michael Cole throws us to a video package looking at the Brothers of Destruction vs. D-X feud, and their upcoming Crown Jewel match. Corey Graves says that Undertaker, Kane, Shawn Michaels and Triple H are all in the house tonight in Charlotte, NC.
– Nia Jax vs. Ember Moon: Ember starts off strong with some kicks off the opening bell. Nia comes back with a clothesline and then applies a bear hug. Ember fights out and dumps Nia outside, then hits a senton bomb off the apron onto Nia on the floor. They get back in the ring and Nia starts fighting back. Tamina’s music hits, and the distraction leads to Nia punching Ember down. Nia follows up with a running leg drop for the three count.
Winner: Nia Jax
– Tamina gets in the ring and comes face to face with Nia. Tamina backs off and heads up the ramp.
– We see a promo video for the Lucha House Party, making their debut on RAW next.
– The Revival vs. Lince Dorado & Kalisto: Kalisto and Wilder trade chops and strikes in the opening moments of this one. Kalisto hits a springboard moonsault and then some dropkicks. Dorado comes in and hits a suicide dive on The Revival at ringside. Back in the ring, Wilder turns things around with a suplex on Kalisto. Dawson tags in and suplexes Kalisto down, then drops an elbow on him for a two count. Dawson misses a shot and Kalisto fires back with kicks. Kalisto knocks Wilder off the apron and then kicks Dawson away. Dawson knocks Dorado off the apron, and Wilder hits a cheap shot on Kalisto behind the ref’s back. Dawson gets distracted and Kalisto hits the Salida Del Sol. Dorado takes out Wilder as Kalisto pins Dawson for the three count.
Winners: Lince Dorado & Kalisto
– Up next: Dolph Ziggler
– Dolph Ziggler comes out to the ring, and he’s accompanied by Drew McIntyre. Dolph talks about the upcoming World Cup tournament, and he trashes Kurt Angle. Dolph says he’ll be the one to win the World Cup and cement his legacy. Dolph says tonight he’s going to show Kurt a preview of what’s going to happen in the World Cup. Ziggler says he’s the best to ever walk down to the aisle, and he’s he best damn thing to ever happen to this business.
– Apollo Crews vs. Dolph Ziggler: Crews connects with a couple of big kicks in the opening moments and Ziggler is hurt. Crews goes up top, but Ziggler knocks him down. Ziggler stomps on Crews and then looks for a superkick, but Crews blocks it. Crews misses a kick, but he connects with a facebuster and then a gorilla press slam. Apollo follows up with a standing moonsault for a two count. Crews goes up top for a frogsplash, but Ziggler just barely gets his knees up to block it. Ziggler hits the Zig Zag for the three count.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
– We go to pre-taped footage of Undertaker and Kane throwing dirt on mock graves for D-X.
– Kane and The Undertaker come out to the stage and head to the ring. Taker picks up the pic and says it’s not easy to reach the end, but when the reaper calls, it’s your time to go no matter how hard you fight. Kane gets on the mic too, and they talk about beating D-Generation-X at Crown Jewel. The mention of Crown Jewel seems to get some boos from the live audience. Taker says DX is in for slow, agonizing pain. The DX music hits and Triple H comes out to the stage. Kane starts heading towards Triple H on the ramp, and then Shawn Michaels runs in the ring from out of nowhere and superkicks Undertaker. Kane gets back in the ring and hawn rolls outside to join HHH on the ramp. Taker sits up in the ring and his music plays as HHH and Shawn back up the ramp.
