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With a few weeks left before the WWE Tables, Ladders, and Chairs (TLC), RAW has already start the build-up for the PPV. To find the next challenger for Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship, a Triple Threat Match between Keith Lee, Riddle, and AJ Styles was scheduled for this week’s show following last week’s qualifiers.
RETRIBUTION made their return during this week’s show, and Mustafa Ali went back to targetting Ricochet. Dana Brooke tried to interfere after RETRIBUTION'S Reckoning cost her the spot on RAW's Survivor Series team. This was followed by a match between Reckoning and Brooke.
The Hurt Business got back to business as MVP once again took an interest in the RAW Tag Team Championships. That wasn’t all, as Randy Orton appeared on an episode of 'A Moment of Bliss'.
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This week’s RAW was loaded with a lot of action and drama, and we will look at the five things WWE got right during the show.
#5 Jeff Hardy emerges victorious in the Symphony of Destruction match against Elias on WWE RAW
A video footage played to remind the fans of what had gone on between Elias and Jeff Hardy over the past several months before The Drifter made his way to the middle for the Symphony of Destruction match on RAW. Hardy came out to the middle, and we could see that various instruments and weapons had been set up all around the ring for the match.
The action did not stay inside the ring for long, as both men tried to use the weapons available, with Elias using the violin to gain advantage. Elias slammed Hardy onto the ring apron before sending him headfirst into a piano.
R-Truth made his way out of the piano and made a run for it after several RAW Superstars chased him in an attempt to become the 24/7 Champion. Hardy tried to use some conventional moves to keep Elias down but could not take The Drifter out, who continued to use the weapons around the ring.
The Charismatic Enigma went for Whisper in the Wind, but Elias hit him with a guitar. Finally, Hardy set up Elias on top of a table outside the ring and delivered a Swanton Bomb from the top of the steel post. However, he landed badly as his head hit the steel steps, but managed to pin The Drifter to pick up the victory.
While it seemed like WWE would use this match to push Elias on RAW, it seems like Hardy is going to benefit much more from this rivalry. Hardy has remained a fan-favorite for a long time, and no one will complain about him winning in a feud. Hopefully, his rivalry against Elias has now come to an end.
#4 Randy Orton plays mind games against Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss on WWE RAW
The night opened up with 'A Moment of Bliss', where Alexa Bliss welcomed her guest Randy Orton on RAW. With two small chairs and a small cage with a doll inside as part of the set, it was obvious that the segment was all ready to take a turn.
The Goddess did not waste much time and mocked Orton for being in a bad mood, following which she played a clip of Orton losing to Styles after The Fiend’s appearance on last week’s RAW.
The Viper spoke about how he’s had to bury a part of himself to blend in, and he also compared the voices he hears to the voices Bray Wyatt hears. He then said that he burned down the Wyatt Compound because it was his weakness, and he had now found that Bliss was Wyatt’s new weakness.
Bliss then looked Orton in the eye to ask who is manipulating who before the lights went out. After the lights came back on, Orton was holding Bliss in his arms as The Fiend appeared in the ring. The Fiend held out his arms, and Orton handed Bliss to him, following which he rolled out of the ring with a smile on his face.
This was a good segment that allowed a new chapter to be written in the rivalry between Orton and Wyatt without anyone getting physical. Bliss asking “Who is manipulating who?” builds up the relationship between Wyatt and The Goddess, and it will be interesting to see where RAW takes the rivalry between the two men.
#3 The Hurt Business get back into the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships picture
The New Day has already taken down The Hurt Business twice on WWE RAW. We saw Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods come out to the middle to talk about how many times they’d already defeated MVP and co.
This brought out The Hurt Business who looked to defend its name and image on RAW. Cedric Alexander was confident, and he challenged Woods to a match. Before the match could even start, Alexander took down Woods to gain an early advantage.
Woods tried to make it back into the match with a series of strikes in the corner, but Alexander took him down from the top rope to turn the match back in his favor.
Both men delivered some big moves, and Woods hit Alexander with the Honor Roll but could not put him away. He managed to save himself from a Suicide Dive and sent Alexander into the barricade.
After the two men got back in the ring, Alexander recovered to hit woods with the Lumbar Check to pick up a huge victory. This was a fun match that allowed Alexander to show his individual skills. A win against Woods will allow The Hurt Business to get back in the RAW Tag Team Championships picture.
Currently, no other team seems like a major threat to the Champions, and The Hurt Business is the perfect faction that could keep The New Day busy in the weeks to come.
#2 The Phenomenal Forearm seals the deal for AJ Styles on WWE RAW
Arguably the biggest match on RAW saw AJ Styles, Keith Lee, and Riddle compete in a Triple Threat Match to become the #1 contenders to Drew McIntyre’s WWE Championship.
Riddle and Styles kicked off the action right away, and Lee took both men out to with his power advantage. While Lee kept the advantage for some time during the initial phase, he couldn't hold on for long. Omos helped The Phenomenal One hit Lee with a running knee before Riddle took both men out.
Riddle set up for a Broton, but Styles managed to counter the move before Lee sent him out of the ring again. Even though The Limitless One started focusing on Riddle, he got caught in a triangle submission instead, and it took some effort to break the hold.
After the three men pulled out some of their best moves and came close to victory on a few occasions, Styles managed to hit The Original Bro with the Phenomenal Forearm to pick up the win on RAW.
This was a fun match that allowed the right man to win the contest while the two newer stars got a chance to work with a veteran. Styles is the perfect heel who can give McIntyre a good fight in the weeks to come.
#1 The WWE Championship picture in utter chaos at the end of RAW
Earlier in the show, Sheamus appeared on The Miz TV on WWE RAW where Miz and John Morrison questioned The Celtic Warrior about gifting a family heirloom to The Scottish Psychopath. The two got under Sheamus’ nerves, and The Irishman responded by taking both men down.
The main event of RAW saw Sheamus team up with the WWE Champion Drew McIntyre to take on Miz and Morrison. Before the match, The A-Lister tried to convince Styles to help him cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase against McIntyre.
During the match, Sheamus took control early on and delivered some thunderous blows to Miz. Once McIntyre tagged in for his team, things got even more difficult for Miz and Morrison.
While Miz and Morrison got back in the match and worked on Sheamus, McIntyre got the hot tag and cleaned house.
After a bit more action, Styles attacked McIntyre with a Phenomenal Forearm to cause disqualification. He then told The Miz to cash in his briefcase and handed it to the referee to make things official.
However, The A-Lister took the briefcase back from the referee, stating that he will cash-in on his own terms. In the meantime, McIntyre recovered to hit Miz with a Claymore Kick. The Scottish Psychopath then set his sights on Styles before Omos made the save.
This was a good match, and the final segment afterwards made things very interesting on RAW. It seems like Sheamus has turned face, and he could become a major part of McIntyre’s second reign as the WWE Champion. Styles’ rivalry with McIntyre will likely be different than what we saw between Randy Orton and McIntyre on RAW. The Scottish Psychopath will also need to have eyes in the back of his head, given the ever-so-wily Miz will be waiting to cash in his Money in the Bank contract.
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