This week’s episode of WWE RAW aired live from the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, OH.
– RAW opens up with fireworks, and the stage has Christmas trees and gifts all over it. We go right to the ring with Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho. Owens welcomes us to the “Chris and Kevin show,” then shows us highlights from last night’s Roadblock pay-per-view. Owens says the Codebreaker he took last night didn’t hurt as much as when he thought Jericho was no longer his best friend. Jericho says giving Owens the Codebreaker hurt him more than it hurt Owens, but he had to make the referee believe it was a legitimate interference. Jericho says he’s going to give Owens a gift — the hug of Jericho, bring it in mannnnn. Jericho talks about Santa Claus, and accuses him of stealing his “list” gimmick. He calls Santa a stupid idiot, and informs him that he just made The List. Mick Foley comes out to interrupt. He defends Santa Claus, then shows the footage of Jericho and Owens getting beat down by Rollins and Reigns after their match last night. Jericho cuts a promo on Foley for wearing a leather sport coat, and tells him it’s the worst thing he’s ever seen. Foley says he hasn’t seen anything yet, and he takes off his jacket to reveal a Christmas-themed shirt and a fanny pack. Foley accidentally calls the crowd Pittsburgh, PA, instead of Colombus, OH. Foley corrects himself, and Jericho and Owens try to cover for him with some heel remarks. Foley says he has a Christmas gift for them, and then he lowers a shark cage from the ceiling. Foley says at the Royal Rumble, it’s be Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns, with Chris Jericho suspended above the ring in a shark cage. Foley makes fun of the way Jericho says “again.” Jericho and Owens complain about the shoddy and unsafe construction of the shark cage, and that it says “made in Ohio” so it must be crap. Jericho stands inside to examine the construction, and he tells Foley to demonstrate that the door is solid. Foley locks Jericho in the cage, but then has trouble finding the key in his fanny pack among he other items in it. Foley says he messed up and forgot the key, and Jericho starts freaking out. Foley gives the signal to raise the cage, and it raises Jericho up into the air as he screams at Owens to save him. Jericho yells instructions backstage to work on finding him a key, and until then, he’ll remain hanging above the ring.
– Jericho was let down during the commercial break, and we see him backstage recovering. It turns out Jericho has a horrible fear of heights, and Owens has to get him an oxygen tank.
– Rusev def. Big Cass via DQ: Enzo and Cass cut a promo before the match, but they’re cut short by Rusev’s entrance music. After only a couple of minutes, Cass starts stomping on Rusev in the corner and the referee instructs Cass to stop. Cass doesn’t stop, so the referee calls for the bell, and Rusev wins via disqualification. Rusev pushes Cass off of him and heads to the back.
– Sasha Banks comes out to the ring with a crutch and her leg in a cast, and talks about losing at Roadblock last night. She says Charlotte was the better woman, and that she doesn’t feel like a “boss” anymore. She asks for Charlotte to come out to the ring so she can congratulate her in person. Instead, Nia Jax comes out. Nia says Sasha will never be the boss to her because she’s weak. Nia kicks out Sasha’s crutch and throws her across the ring, then heads to the back.
– Mick Foley meets backstage with Sheamus and Cesaro, and he presents them with the new RAW Tag Team Titles, which have red straps with silver plates. Foley is quickly interrupted by a referee who says he needs to come help. We cut to Braun Strowman in the hallway beating up random people, looking for Sami Zayn. Foley confronts Strowman and tells him Zayn isn’t in the building. Strowman walks off angry.
– Cedric Alexander def. Noam Dar: Alicia Fox is at ringside in Alexander’s corner. Alexander takes control early on with an elbow to the head, but Alexander comes back with a boot to the head. Dar goes up top for a double foot stomp, but Alexander rolls out of the way and drops him with a spinning kick to the head. Alexander follows up with a springboard flying clothesline, then the Lumbar Check for the win. Dar cuts a promo after the match, saying he wants Alicia Fox.
– The New Day comes out to talk about losing their Tag Titles last night at Roadblock. They’re interrupted by Sheamus and Cesaro, who are arguing with each other. Gallows and Anderson interrupt next. They call The New Day nerds, and say that Sheamus and Cesaro wouldn’t have beaten them if it weren’t for them softening up The New Day beforehand. The Shining Stars interrupt next, and promote their resort and hotel. Cesaro rips up their hotel brochure, and all four teams start brawling in the ring as we go to commercial break.
– The New Day, Sheamus, & Cesaro def. The Shining Stars, Gallows, & Anderson: Gallows and Anderson take turns beating down Kofi early on. Anderson hits a spinning heel kick early on for a two count, then tags Gallows back in and works on Kofi in the corner with body shots. Gallows and Anderson continue to isolate Kofi and hit the Boot Of Doom for a near-fall. Kofi finally gets the hot tag to Big E, who hits Anderson with a series of three belly to belly suplex. Big E goes to follow up with a splash, but Sheamus tags himself in. Epico tags in, and immediately takes ten shots to the chest from Sheamus then a running senton. Cesaro tags in and assists Sheamus on hitting the White Noise on Epico. The aprons clear all eight men brawl in the ring until it’s down to Cesaro and Epico. Cesaro swings Epico then puts in the Sharpshooter for the win via submission.
– Neville comes out to the ring to cut a promo. He gets mad at the crowd for cheering for him last night when he beat down Perkins and Swann. Neville warns the cruiserweight division that he’s going to obliterate them, and with that, Rich Swann interrupts. Swann interrupts, and Neville tells him he has no respect. Swann gets in the ring and says that as long as he has the cruiserweight title, he’s the best. Brian Kendrick interrupts next, and says he’s on Neville’s side and says Swann has no respect for the pioneers of the division. Kendrick and Neville beat down Swann. TJ Perkins comes in for the save, but Neville single-handedly drops him while Kendrick stands back and watches. Neville leaves and Kendrick hits the Sliced Bread on Perkins.
– Backstage, we see that Enzo Amore is ordered to attend a sensitivity training class because he exposed himself on RAW last month. He shows up to class, and also in the room are Darren Young, Bob Backlund, Jinder Mahal, and Bo Dallas.
– Titus O’Neil vs. Sin Cara – No Contest: Shortly after the bell, Braun Strowman interferes and lays out both men. Strowman throws Titus outside and hits a running powerslam on him onto the floor at ringside. Sin Cara comes flying out of the ring with a suicide dive, but Strowman catches him and slams him. Strowman carries Sin Cara up to the stage, where Mick Foley comes out and pleads with him to stop. Strowman throws Sin Cara through a Christmas tree and into a big pile of decorative gift boxes. Strowman leaves as referees help Sin Cara.
– Backstage, Jericho complains to Owens that he has “arachnophobia” and is scared of heights. Owens tells him to stop worrying about the cage, and focus on their match tonight. They say that tonight, Rollins and Reigns are going to get… it.
– Charlotte comes out and cuts a promo about now being a four-time Women’s Champion. Bayley interrupts and says she wants to congratulate Charlotte. Bayley says Charlotte vs. Sasha will go down as a great rivarly, and now it’s time for the Charlotte vs. Bayley rivalry to begin. With that, we have a match.
– Bayley def. Charlotte: After several minutes of evenly matched offense, Bayley takes control of the match with a series of clotheslines. She throws Charlotte out to the apron, and gives her a neckbreaker back in the ring throug hthe ropes. Bayley spears Charlotte in the corner and follows up with a running elbow to the head. Bayley goes for a tornado DDT, but Charlotte escapes it and follows up with a moonsault for a two count. Charlotte hits the chops to the chest, then talks trash to Bayley. Bayley rolls up Charlotte quickly and scores the win. The replay shows that Charlotte’s right shoulder was up before the referee got to three.
– We take a look back at Enzo’s sensitivity training class. Bob Backlund and Darren Young do a role reversal exercise where they impersonate each other. Enzo does Jinder and makes fun of him, and Jinder comes back saying Enzo has little man syndrome. They get in each other’s faces, but their teacher tells them not to fight. At the end of the class, the teacher goes to hand Enzo his certification, but Enzo says he’s already certified. He starts flirting with the teacher, but then gets surrounded by Rusev and Jinder. They both jump Enzo and beat him down together. Lana then walks in and slaps Enzo across the face, and Rusev Rock Bottoms him through a table.
– Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns – No Contest: Jericho and Owens control the opening moments of the match against Rollins. Owens and Jericho use frequent tags to stay on the offensive against Rollins. Rollins comes back with a suplex on Jericho, then gets the tag to Reigns. Owens tags in and Reigns starts working on him with right hands. Jericho and Rollins tag back in shortly after, but Owens pulls Jericho to the outside to avoid a splash from Rollins in the corner. Rollins and Reigns follow the heels to ringside and they brawl on the ramp until Rollins throws Jericho back in the ring. Reigns tags in and they double team Jericho. Owens tags in and Reigns goes to work on him with a series of clotheslines in the corner. Jericho runs in and Reigns drops him, then Reigns turns around into a superkick from Owens. Owens stomps on Reigns then tags in Jericho. Jericho works on Reigns, then levels him with a dropkick. After an assist from Owens at ringside, Jericho starts slapping Reigns in the back of the head. Owens tags in and he continues the beat down on Reigns. Reigns comes back with a Samoan Drop, then Rollins and Jericho tag in. Rollins hits Blockbusters off the middle rope on Jericho then Owens. He hits a neckbreaker and DDT combo on both Owens and Jericho at the same time. Rollins attempts a Pedigree on Jericho but he fights out, so Rollins kicks him in the head and clotheslines him to the outside. Rollins follows up with a suicide dive on both Jericho and Owens at ringside. Rollins throws Jericho back in the ring and hits a flying knee to the head. Rollins goes for a Frogsplash, but Jericho blocks it with his knees, then puts Rollins in the Walls of Jericho. Rollins reaches the ropes to break the hold. Jericho goes to hit a springboard dropkick onto Reigns on the apron, but Reigns superman punches him in mid-air. Reigns reaches for the tag from Rollins, but Braun Strowman comes out of nowhere and pulls Reigns off the apron. Strowman beats down Reigns at ringside as Owens and Jericho stomp on Rollins in the ring. Jericho and Owens run away, and Strowman beats down Rollins next. Owens and Jericho throw Reigns into the ring for Strowman. Strowman hits a running powerslam on Rollins, then on Reigns. Jericho and Owens head to the back as Strowman stares them down from the ring.
