RAW: A challenger emerges for the WWE Title

TLC is two weeks from Sunday. Tonight, the challenger for the WWE Championship will be decided in a Triple Threat match. It’s no guarantee that Drew McIntyre is the one holding the belt, though, with the Miz running around with the Money in the Bank briefcase. It’s time to enter the ThunderDome.

RAW starts off with a Moment of Bliss. She is super excited to introduce Randy Orton to the show; he’s her favorite. Orton joins the show, but isn’t too eager to sit down. Alexa can’t believe that the Fiend cost Orton his match last week.  Orton knows Bray Wyatt, but he hasn’t been formally introduced to the Fiend. He knows he has a lot in common with the Fiend, but Orton keeps his pain bottled up. He knows what he has to do; find the Fiend’s vulnerability.  Orton thinks he has found it in Alexa. Bliss gets serious, wanting to know who is manipulating who. The ThunderDome starts to shutdown. When the lights come back on, Alexa is in Orton’s arms and the Fiend is in the ring. Orton hands her over and slips out of the ring.

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Jeff Hardy vs. Elias – Symphony of Destruction Match

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Various musical instruments surround the ring in this falls count anywhere, no DQ match. Hardy picks up a violin, but Elias cuts him down with a knee strike. Hardy is smashed off a piano, where R Truth is hiding with the 24/7 title. Several WWE superstars give chase. Elias and Hardy take out Drew Gulak, Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado. We go to commercial.

After the break, Hardy delivers a drop kick in the ring. Elias blocks a Twist of Fate and drives Hardy into a guitar. Elias studs his fist with guitar picks, decking Hardy in the face. On the floor, Hardy is smashed into a drum set, ala Step Brothers. Elias is whipped into a gong and then into the drum set. Elias get Hardy up on his shoulders, but Hardy counters with a head scissors. Jeff comes off the top rope, right into a guitar shot. Elias covers, but Hardy is able to get a foot on the ropes.

Elias tries to spear Hardy with the neck of the guitar, but misses and shocks himself when he buries it into a speaker. Hardy places several string instruments on Elias on a table and goes up to the top of the ring post. He delivers a swanton bomb through the table. He covers and gets the win.

Winner via pinfall: Jeff Hardy

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Ali wants Ricochet to see that he has suffered just like everyone in Retribution. Slapjack is thankful that Ali showed him the way to be a weapon.

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Ricochet vs. Slapjack w/Ali

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Ricochet knows he can’t save Ali, so he will be better then him. Ricochet opens with a cross body block and chops Slapjack into the corner. Slapjack yanks Ricochet off the turnbuckle, following with a cannonball. Ricochet answers with an elbow drop from the top and then a standing shooting star press. T Bar and Mace run down to help, only to get taken out by a flying Ricochet. Dana Brooke confronts Ali at ringside, slapping him. Ricochet takes out T Bar on the apron, and goes after Ali. Slapjack slams Ricochet to the mat and covers to get the pin.

Winner via pinfall: Slapjack

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After the match, RETRIBUTION taunts Ricochet in the ring.

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Miz TV

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Miz made some calls to get an exclusive interview with Sheamus, who they will be facing in a tag team match, tonight. Miz and Morrison want to talk about Drew McIntyre, though. They think McIntyre has forgotten about him. Sheamus didn’t want anything in return, though; he did the right thing returning Drew’s family sword. The Miz wants Drew’s title and when he win, Morrison is the first in line. Miz wants Sheamus to work with him to cash in the Money in the Bank. Sheamus laughs in his face. Miz calls Sheamus’s career a joke. The Irishman doesn’t take to kindly to that; punching Miz in the face. He tosses Miz from the ring and beats down Morrison. Miz takes out Sheamus with the briefcase and leave him laying.

Sarah Schreiber wants to know what her strategy is with Asuka to beat the tag team champions. We don’t get an answer.

Schreiber then interviews Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax, asking about their first loss last week. She wants to know how confident they are. Nia calls last week a fluke. Baszler doesn’t see it that way, accusing Nia of blowing the match. Nia points out Shayna took the pin.

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Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax vs. Asuka and Lana

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Baszler immediately dumps Lana on the mat. Lana shows some mat wrestling prowess, and Shayna kicks out of a pin. Asuka tags in and Nia is dumped from the ring with Baszler. Lana and Asuka get caught on baseball slides and slammed into the security barrier.

Back in the ring, Lana is able to lock in a sleeper on Nia, but is immediately slung to the mat. Jax crushes her in the corner. Baszler tags in, going to work on Lana’s ankle. She tosses Lana to the outside, where Jax slams her into the security barrier. Lana is able to run Nia into the ring post. Asuka makes a tag, hitting Baszler with a face breaker. She follows with a drop kick and a hip attack. Asuka misses a shining wizard and then both connect with kick.

Lana tags in and goes up top for a cross body. Shayna rolls through and the Kirifuda Clutch is locked in. Asuka makes the save with a kick to the head. Shayna is out and Lana covers to get the win.

Winners via pinfall: Lana and Asuka

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Nia chases Lana up the ramp.

Sheamus is nursing his injuries in the back and Drew wants to know if he is okay. McIntyre says it was kind of funny. Sheamus wants to know where Drew was, but says he is ready for tonight.

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Xavier Woods w/Kofi Kingston vs. Cedric Alexander w/MVP and Shelton Benjamin

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Kofi wants to celebrate because Xavier Woods has been named a host for the revived G4 network. Woods thanks everyone for the support. He then gives a rundown of the Hurts Business failure to capture the RAW Tag Team titles.

MVP points out that one time they won, but it was by count out. Next time the titles are on the line, they won’t be so lucky. Alexander is going to show Woods what the Hurt in Hurt Business stands for. Cedric attacks Woods before the bell.

After a quick break, Woods is taking the fight to Alexander.  Woods is caught and thrown into the top rope. Alexander chops him in the corner. Woods fires back with chops of his own and hits a chin breaker. He follows with a kick and a the Honor Roll. Cedric kicks out. Alexander counters a power bomb with a brain buster. Cedric kicks Woods to the floor, going for a suicide dive. Woods counters and slams him into the barrier.

Back in the ring, Alexander hits the Lumbar Check. He covers to get the win.

Winner via pinfall: Cedric Alexander

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Riddle approaches AJ Styles in the back to talk about the Sudden Death Triple Threat match. Jordan knows all about Riddle’s pets, which really makes AJ uncomfortable.

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Keith Lee vs. Riddle vs. AJ Styles w/Jordan – Sudden Death Triple Threat Match

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What does “Sudden Death” even mean? A pin or submission always ends the match. Riddle makes a bee line for Styles, who avoids the kick. Riddle and Styles go to the floor and scatter when Keith Lee thinks about taking flight. Styles with a shot to the throat of Riddle. Lee leapfrogs Styles and Riddle, and then takes down Riddle with a cross body. He then dumps Styles with a back body drop. Riddle kicks Lee to the apron. Riddle takes out Lee and Styles with a moonsault from the apron.

Styles blocks a Bro-ton, only to get whipped out of the ring by Lee, catching the ring post on the way out. Riddle fights off a Spirit bomb, trying to lock in a triangle choke. Lee uses Riddle to fend off Styles. Lee breaks the hold, hitting Riddle with the pounce. Styles with a spinning back fist to Lee and takes him down with a flying forearm. Lee cuts down Styles on the top turnbuckle with a head butt. Riddle catches Lee, trying to power bomb him. Riddle’s back gives out. Styles looks for the Styles clash, but Lee interrupts. An overhead kick takes down Styles and Riddle nearly gets a pin with a German suplex. Lee and Riddle trade strikes. A knee strike sends Lee to the floor. AJ Styles flies in with a Phenomenal Forearm to Riddle. He covers and gets the win. AJ Styles is going to TLC to face Drew McIntyre.

Winner via pinfall: AJ Styles

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Charly Caruso wants to know if Miz and Morrison have a plan, tonight. They do not.

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Dana Brooke vs. Reckoning

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Reckoning vows to get Dana Brooke for putting her hands on Ali earlier in the night. Reckoning loses her mask early on, and it’s Mia Yim! Okay, the announcers don’t even acknowledge this fact, or the fact we all knew who she really was. Brooke with a hand spring back elbow, as Ali jumps to the apron. She takes a swing at him. Reckoning goes for a kick, but Dana rolls her up and gets the pin.

Winner via pinfall: Dana Brooke

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After the match, Ali yells at Reckoning for losing.

Miz congratulates AJ for winning the triple threat match. Styles knows they want his help and says he will do it. Miz is sus. Styles knows it will be easier to beat Miz instead of McIntyre.

Backstage, Riddle is approached by MVP, asking what happened out there. Riddle points out that at least he has the opportunity. Riddle still wants to pitch MVP business ideas. Sounds like he wants to start a landscaping business. MVP has heard enough, shutting him down. Bobby Lashley then shuts him down with the Hurt Lock.

Elsewhere, Keith Lee tells Sheamus that some of the guys think he will turn on Drew, tonight. Sheamus tells him its none of his business.

Charly Caruso introduces Drew McIntyre to the ring. She asks Drew to take us through the last two weeks. He says it feels good to be WWE champion. He told Orton that he was going to Claymore his head off and he did it. He told Roman that he was going to bring him back down to earth, and he did. He frustrated Roman and they will cross paths again. Drew says he has no beef with Styles and as for the Miz; that briefcase is the only thing keeping him relevant.

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Drew McIntyre and Sheamus vs. the Miz and John Morrison

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AJ Styles joins the commentary team. Sheamus goes right after the Miz at the bell. McIntyre tosses Miz back into the ring. Morrison tags in, only to get stomped into the corner. Sheamus calls for AJ to join in on taking a beating and confronts him. He stops Miz from taking a cheap shot, but walks right into a kick from Morrison that sends him over the announce table.

Miz tags in to hit a DDT on Sheamus. Morrison tags in, hitting a knee strike and Miz follows with one of his own. Morrison locks in a chin lock. Sheamus powers out and hits a pump knee strike. McIntyre gets the tag. He tosses Miz across the ring and catches Morrison coming off the ropes. Sheamus wants the tag, but Morrison pulls him off the apron and dumps him over the barrier. AJ Styles flies in with a Phenomenal Forearm to Drew. The ref calls for the bell.

Winners via disqualification: Drew McIntyre and Sheamus

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AJ yells at Miz to cash in, while Morrison hits Drew with Starship Pain. Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale as AJ gets the briefcase. Miz yanks it out of AJ’s hands. Miz does want to cash it in, but Drew gets to his feet. He tosses Morrison to the floor and hit Miz with a Claymore kick. He stares AJ down. Jordan makes the save, carrying Styles away from the ring. See you next week in the ThunderDome.