Hell in the Cell accomplished last night what the draft didn’t; the show shook things up for Monday Night RAW. There’s a new WWE Champion in Randy Orton, who defeated Drew McIntyre and the Money in the Bank briefcase now finds the red brand home. The Miz took the contract off of Otis last night with a major assists from Tucker, Otis’ former tag team partner. Those two are on different shows, but El Gran Gordo may have something to say about how things went down. Into the the ThunderDome!
The former WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre, makes his way to the ring. He promises that he will become WWE champion, again. The new Mr. Money in the Bank, the Miz, with John Morrison, interrupts McIntyre. He tells them to chose their words wisely. Miz wants to hype up his win. They want to commend him for not letting the loss getting him down. And now, he won’t have to worry about facing Randy Orton since he has the MitB contract. Last time Miz had that contract he beat Randy Orton and it happened in Orlando.
Drew has had enough of these shenanigans, head butting Miz and slamming Morrison to the mat. Miz uses a chop block to save his friend and the two run up the ramp. McIntyre settles with just smashing Morrison’s shades to pieces.
Survivor Series is three weeks away?!? Tonight, the qualifying matches start.
AJ Styles w/Jordan vs. Jeff Hardy – Survivor Series Qualifying Match
Before the match, Styles brags about being 2-0 in the first two weeks that he has been on RAW. He wonders why he is even in a qualifying match; claiming he has proven himself around the world. Styles is incensed that he has to face Jeff Hardy, calling him the biggest cheater in WWE and if he tries anything like he did against Elias, he will have to deal with Jordan.
Styles kicks Hardy in the gut and lands a forearm strike. Hardy goes outside the ring, baiting Styles. Jeff flies off the top turnbuckle but gets caught by Jordan.
After an early break, AJ with a brain buster. Hardy dodges a splash and counters with an inverted atomic drop into a low drop kick. Styles is kicked in the corner and Hardy follows with a pendulum kick. AJ with an Ushigoroshi, but is staggered by a jaw breaker. Hardy stacks him up, but Styles kicks out. Styles with a rack bomb, but Hardy kicks out of the pin. Jeff hits a face buster and looks to go up top. He hesitates at the sight of Jordan, giving AJ the time to cut him down off the top.
Hardy looks for the Twist of Fate on the apron, but AJ counters, shoving him into the ring post. Styles rolls him into the ring and looks for the Phenomenal forearm. Styles connects and covers Hardy to get the win.
AJ Styles connects with the Phenomenal Forearm on Jeff Hardy to qualify for team RAW. Photo courtesy of WWE.com
Winner via pinfall: AJ Styles
After the match, Elias ambushes Hardy with a guitar shot across the back.
Sarah Schreiber asks 24/7 champion about everyone trying to get his title. Truth says he is going to scout the competition tonight, despite the danger.
Lucha House Party vs. Akira Tozawa and Drew Gulak
In the middle of the match, R Truth makes his way to the ringside, causing the match to fall apart, since they all want the 24/7 title. Lince Dorado takes advantage of the chaos with a cross body block to Drew Gulak. He covers to get the win.
Winners via pinfall: Lucha House Party
Why focus on a tag team match when you can win the 24/7 title. R Truth was able to keep his belt. Photo courtesy of WWE.com
After the match, Truth is nearly pinned several times, but is able to escape with his title.
The FireFly Funhouse channels their inner Lewis Carroll by having a tea party for Alexa Bliss. She has a special tea for Ramblin’ Rabbit made with a special ingredient; arsenic. Bliss then wants us to let him in. She returns to normal, but mentioning Randy Orton causes Bray Wyatt to lose it. The poison doesn’t kill Rabbit, so Bray finishes him off.
Keith Lee joins Charly Caruso, who wants to know how is will bounce back after losing to Strowman due to a low blow. Lee promises to show Brawn a real monster next time they meet, but tonight is about beating Elias to join the RAW team at Survivor Series.
Backstage, Nia Jax provides Adam Pearce a list of team members since she is team captain. Shayna Baszler has her own list, and Nia isn’t on it. Pearce promises to let them know who is on the team by the end of the night.
Elias vs. Keith Lee – Survivor Series Qualifying Match
Elias gives us a free concert before is match. He is still convinced that Jeff Hardy was the one that ran him down in a car. Keith Lee doesn’t give Elias the time; he’s ready to fight.
Lee leapfrogs Elias and takes him down with a cross body. Elias rolls to the floor. He catches Lee in the ropes and kicks him into the barricade. Lee pounces, sending Elias flying over the announce desk. We go to commercial.
After the break, Elias fights his way out of a Spirit Bomb and delivers a knee to Lee. Elias runs Keith into the ring post and goes up top. He connects with a double axe-handle but can’t get the pin. Lee drives Elias into the mat with a body slam. He crushes him in the corner and launches Elias across the ring. Elias floats over and goes up top, but is distracted by Jeff Hardy’s music. Lee is able to deliver the Spirit Bomb and covers to get the win.
Winner via pinfall: Keith Lee
Keith Lee sends Elias flying. Photo courtesy of WWE.com
After the match, Elias gets a taste of his own medicine when Hardy smashes a guitar over his back.
Backstage, the Hurt Business shuts down some rando trying to use “their” bathroom.
Charly Caruso asks Randy Orton if he is concerned about the Fiend making an appearance while he is on A Moment of Bliss. The champ says only people that cross him need to be concerned.
The Hurt Business vs. Retribution – 8 Man Elimination Tag Team Match
MVP has an announcement. They never ran from Retribution and now they struck a deal with the higher ups. Once they take care of the problem; the Hurt Business expects to be paid. Paid in gold, that is.
Lashley and T-Bar lock up to start the match. Lashley pounds T-Bar into the corner, but then runs into a big boot. Lashley hits a flatliner and tags in MVP, who works over T-Bar in the corner. A low knee allows T-Bar the time to tag in Mace, who sets up MVP for Slapjack. A European Uppercut sends MVP into the corner. MVP hits a boot in the corner and suplexes Slapjack across the ring. Ali breaks the hold.
MVP works over T Bar in the corner. Photo courtesy of WWE.com
Reckoning leaps the apron and has a seizure in the ring. The distraction allows Slapjack to roll up MVP to get the win.
Eliminated via pinfall: MVP
After the break, we see that Reckoning was just acting. Lashley spears Slapjack and gets the pin.
Eliminated via pinfall: Slapjack
T-Bar and Lashley fight to the floor and T-Bar is sent over the barricade. The ref makes the count as they fight into the ThunderDome. The ref hits ten and calls for the eliminations.
Eliminated via count out: Lashley and T-Bar
Mace crushes Cedric Alexander in the corner. A low drop kick sends Mace to the mat and Cedric knocks Ali off the apron. Shelton Benjamin makes a blind tag as Cedric hits the Nueralizer. Benjamin hits Paydirt and covers Mace to get the pin.
Eliminated via pinfall: Mace
Benjamin catches Ali on a cross body and hits a fall away slam. Cedric tags in, slamming Ali into the turnbuckle. Benjamin is kicked off the apron, but Cedric with a back body drop. He kicks Ali to the floor. Cedric follows and Ali smashes him with a chair shot. The ref calls for the bell.
Winners: The Hurt Business
Lashley finds his way back to ringside to stop Ali from doing more damage. MVP and Benjamin cut off Ali’s escape up the ramp, so he exits through the virtual crowd.
Angel Garza tries to woo Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke. Mandy tells him she is still with Otis. Angel is distracted by Nia Jax, who tells him she has business. Dana tries to impose her will on the tag team champs, while Nia appears smitten wit Garza.
Drew McIntyre vs. The Miz w/John Morrison
Morrison tries to distract McIntyre, but Drew is ready for Miz. He decks him in the corner before stomping away at him. Miz strikes at the injured knee. Drew dumps Miz to the floor, but gets slammed into the ring steps. Miz hits a DDT, but Drew kicks out at one. Morrison gets in a cheap shot as the ref deals with Miz. McIntyre gets caught in the corner with a knee breaker, but explode out with a clothesline. Miz is sent flying with an over head suplex. McIntyre kips up, but favors the knee. Miz counters the Future Shock DDT and sends Drew to the floor. McIntyre stops Morrison from hitting him with the briefcase; he tosses the briefcase across the set. Miz nearly gets a pin with a roll up, but McIntyre kicks out and hits the Claymore kick. He cover Miz to the get the win.
Winner via pinfall: Drew McIntyre
The New Day is in the back, doing a Street Profit impression, hyping up the champions vs. champions matches at Survivor Series. Asuka interrupts and she wants the smoke from Sasha Banks. MVP wants to hype Bobby Lashley as the United States champion taking on Sami Zayne. He also has his sights set on those tag team championship belts. The Hurt Business is not amused by Kofi’s and Xavier’s antics.
Charly Caruso gets a word with Drew McIntyre, wanting to know if this was the first step on the way to reclaiming the WWE title. He says sure and guarantees that Orton will have a moment, but it won’t be bliss.
Adam Pearce and Pat Buck introduce the RAW Women’s Survivor Series team. Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke are all on the team. Nia wants Pearce to slow down and wants to announce the selection. She argues with Shayna over who is the team captain. Pearce tells them that the fifth teammate will be decided in a Fatal Four way match.
Lana vs. Lacey Evans vs. Peyton Royce vs. Nikki Cross – Fatal Four-way Survivor Series Qualifying Match
Peyton Royce locks Nikki Cross in the ropes. She breaks the hold and sends Cross to the apron. Cross smashes Royce into the turnbuckle and takes out Lana on the floor. She then hits Evans with a DDT. Cross goes up top and lands a flying cross body. Royce kicks out.
Lana with a kick to Cross. Nikki drops to her knees, allowing Evans to land the Women’s Right on Lana. Royce slams Nikki onto Evans, but can’t get the pin. Cross fights Evans off the turnbuckle, only to catch a kick from Peyton. Lacey leaps to the top, but Peyton pulls them both down. All three women are down, as Lana leaps into the ring, after pulling Royce out. She covers Cross and gets the win.
Winner via pinfall: Lana
After the match, Jax offers an embrace, despite their history. Jax doesn’t let go, as Shayna clears the table. Nia drives her through the table for a sixth time in as many weeks.
Lana may have won a spot on Team RAW, but that doesn’t prevent her from going through a table. Photo courtesy of WWE.com
Charly Caruso wants to know if Randy Orton is still going to be on A Moment of Bliss. He’s a man of few words, but he will be there.
Ali calls Retribution family and they are the mission. They are willing to sacrifice everything for that mission. They decided when they will get shut down.
Matt Riddle vs. Sheamus – Survivor Series Qualifying Match
Sheamus hits Riddle with the Beats of the Belfry, but Riddle is able to lock in an armbar through the ropes. He has to break the hold, but connects on the PK and follows with a springboard moonsault.
After a commercial break, Sheamus connects with a back breaker. Riddle with an over head kick and follows with the Bro-ton. Sheamus kicks out. Sheamus fights out of the corner with a knee strike. Sheamus gets caught on the top rope. Riddle hits an exploder suplex, but still can’t get the pin. Riddle with the Floating Bro, but Sheamus blocks with his knees. Sheamus looks for the Irish Curse back breaker, but Riddle counters with a sleeper. Sheamus breaks free. Riddle dodges the Brogue kick and hits a German suplex. Riddle’s back gives way, though, allowing Sheamus to hit the Brogue kick. He coves Riddle to get the win.
Winner via pinfall: Sheamus
Sheamus qualifies for Survivor Series with this Brogue Kick to Matt Riddle. Photo courtesy of WWE.com
A Moment of Bliss
Alexa welcomes Randy Orton to the show. Orton is fine standing, as Alexa offers him a seat. Orton tells her that he wasn’t surprised he won. He wants to know if she has a surprise for him and wants to know where the Fiend is.
Randy Orton is ready for the Fiend’s tricks on “A Moment of Bliss.” Photo courtesy of WWE.com
Instead, he gets Drew McIntyre. The two brawl in the ring, as Alexa just laughs, sitting atop the turnbuckle. Drew sets up for the Claymore, when the ThunderDome powers down. The lights come up and Drew is all alone in the ring; Orton is on the ramp, retreating. The champ can feel a presence, as the Fiend is behind him.
Orton decides to take on McIntyre, again, and the two brawl at ringside. Orton slams McIntyre onto the announce desk and continues to pummel him as the show goes off the air. See you next week in the ThunderDome.
Monday Night RAW - 10/26/2020
The ThunderDome at Amway Arena, Orlando, Florida
The push toward Survivor Series started tonight. RAW was a tight show, focusing on qualifying for the Survivor Series team for the men and sowing seeds of discord among the women’s team. Drew McIntyre was focused on Randy Orton as The Fiend was thrown into the mix. The Hurt Business took care of Retribution, again, but Retribution just keeps retreating to the shadows to regroup. Solid wrestling tonight, too.