Raw: Holiday fun and heartache

Raw is live tonight as we get closer to the WWE holiday break.

We kick off with Judgement Day sounding off on the Diamond Mine, who are challenging for the Undisputed Tag Team Championship and World Women’s Championship upcoming. This is all fine and dandy until R-Truth comes out.

Now far be it from me to editorialize, but Truth coming into the picture against your supposed main event heels make the group look worse. I appreciate Truth’s comedy, much more than Tozawa, but it just doesn’t sit proper against J-Day.

R-Truth vs. JD McDonagh (Loser Leaves J-Day Miracle on 34th Street Fight)

We get this match every year and every year it’s a groaner of a crap battle.

Usual stuff, including a candy Singapore cane, Truth paying tribute to his “childhood hero” John Cena (a joke that should’ve left with Truth’s injury) and other chicanery that just isn’t amusing. In the end, both men go through a table and Truth weakly covers JD.

Winner: R-Truth

Is this stipulation going to stick? Tune in next week to find out!

Backstage time! Nia! Party People!

Nia Jax is out for promo time and it doesn’t take long for Becky Lynch to make her presence felt. Usual stuff here, with Becky beckoning a fight only for Jax to tease and leave. Becks doesn’t let bygones be gone and a brawl erupts. The two will square off at Day One.

More backstage time! Kofi (I guess Woods is injured again)! Gargano! Ciampa! Miz! Redmond!

GUNTHER vs. The Miz (IC Title Match)

Miz gets some good ground action early including a side leglock, but Gunther fights out before Miz can transition to a Figure 4. Going into commercial Gunther gets a powerbomb to the apron after nearly dropping Miz on his head.

Back from break Gunther destroys Miz with a Mafia Kick. More kicks from Gunther and Miz’s chest is looking like it’s been raked by a cheese grater. More strikes from Gunther and I’m reconsidering my vote for Male Superstar of the Year.

Miz tries to fight back but it’s useless. Miz gets a bit of hope but Gunther turns it around quickly. This would be ugly but there’s not a lot that’s actually brutal here. On the outside, Gunther misses a chop and slams into the post going into a second break.

Back from break Miz is fighting back but can’t sustain offence. Miz tries to block a crab by reaching for Gunther’s hand but Gunther goes into a series of submissions including a reverse Crossface. Miz breaks out with a basement DDT. Gunther fights back soon after though and hits a big Powerbomb. Miz breaks but Gunther transitions to the Boston Crab.

Miz tries to fight back again but Gunther gets the Sleeper. Miz reverses into a pin for two. Soon after hits the SCF… for two.

Slugfest results with Gunther on top, then heading to the top rope. The two fight on the ropes. Miz goes for the SCF from the second rope and hits but he can’t cover as Gunther evades by heading tot he outside.

Gunther gets back in the ring and hits a Lariat-Powerbomb sandwich to win. Great match once again from Gunther and Miz has lots his last chance at the IC gold.

Winner: Gunther