Results: Monday Night RAW - 23rd December 2013

Austin, Texas

The pre-Christmas edition of WWE RAW opens with a vignette where Mark Henry and Damien Sandow tell the story of RAW before Christmas. The “world’s strongest man” is depicted as “Good Santa” while Sandow is “Bad Santa”.

The Authority, i.e., Triple H, Stephanie and Kane then make their way down the ring, with all of them wearing Santa hats. An elf helps Kane give out candy canes on the way to the ring. They announce several matches for the evening and wish Yuletide cheer to the audience.

The night’s main event will feature The Shield vs CM Punk, Big E. Langston and John Cena. Stephanie and Triple H declare that they encourage their talent to serve in soup kitchens and volunteer during this season. While Triple H attempts to leave, the World Heavyweight Chamions’ music hits and Orton enters the ring saying his Christmas gift to the WWE Universe is that he is the Champion. Orton also thanks the The Authority for giving him the night off. Group hugs follow and Kane finishes with a holiday wish – “Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight”. The pyro around the ring is set off by Kane.

Match 1: 12 Diva Jingle Ball Match: Team Total Divas vs Team Tamina

Total Divas

AJ Lee joins Jerry Lawler, JBL and Michael Cole on commentary for the match. Tamina and Nikki start the match, but Tamina gets caught with a hurricarana. Kaitlyn and Eva both get the tag. The constant tagging occurs continuously. The match quickly turns into a showcase of each Diva hitting a move before tagging out. Inevitably everyone hits the ring. All the members of Team Total Divas link arms one by one and do a hootenanny around the ring. As each Diva joins the chain they take out one of the opposing Divas with a clothesline. Everything looks staged and unexciting, and the crowd responds by booing. Natalya is eventually left in the ring with Aksana, and she wins with a Sharpshooter.

Winners: Team Total Divas

Match 2: Curtis Axel vs Sin Cara

Sin Cara wins!

Sin Cara appears in a box screen before the match and wishes the crowd a Merry Christmas. He actually speaks! It must be remembered, of course, that Sin Cara is now being played by Hunico and not the former Mistico (of Mexico fame). A hurricarana from Cara sends Axel out of the ring and Cara tries to follow that up with a jump from the apron but Axel tugs at his feet.

Back inside the ring Axel works the back of his opponent with a stretch. Axel hits a high dropkick and goes for a cover but Cara kicks out. Cara knocks Axel out of the ring and follows that up with a Summersault Plancha. Axel is rolled back into the ring where Cara hits a crossbody, then sends Axel towards the ropes with a tilt-a-whirl that disorients him. Cara cartwheels into an elbow when Axel smashes him in the mouth and goes for a cover, but he can’t stop the momentum. Cara hits a back body drop and gets the win with a Swanton bomb.

Winner: Sin Cara

‘The Animal Returns’ to hunt again on January 20th.

Vignette airs with Bad News Barrett working a Salvation Army stand.

Match 3: Daniel Bryan and The Rhodes Brothers v. The Wyatt Family

The Wyatt Family

Cody and Rowan start the match and Cody targets Rowan’s leg. Goldust soon gets the tag but is pushed into the corner. He somehow manages to get his way forward and tags Bryan. Rowan is kicked ruthlessly by Bryan but he is finally able to push him away. Cody gets the tag and keeps Rowan isolated in the corner to tag in his brother. Rowan pushes Goldust across the ring to tag in Harper. Harper then attacks the eyes of Goldust and follows it with a few uppercuts. Goldust is able to tag Cody back. Cody hits a dropkick before bringing in Bryan. Harper punches off a kick which Bryan dodges in the corner which sets Harper up in a tree of woe. Bryan charges from across the ring for a delayed missile dropkick. Harper falls towards his corner.

Cody and Rowan both get tagged as the fight goes on. Harper gets the tag and hits Cody hard with an elbow. Cody is dragged down to the mat and is then swirled around with a gator roll. Cody starts bleeding from his nose. Cody gets to his feet only to be struck with a headbutt. Luke responds with a clothesline. Goldust gets a hot tag and pushes Harper into the corner for a ten-count punch, then he blocks a splash and hits a hurricarana. Harper responds by hitting a boot to his face. Bray enters to face the fallen Goldust. He drops several elbows before punching Goldust repeatedly. Bray collides for a splash and then goes into crab mode for a moment.

Harper gets the tag and ensures that Goldust cannot make a tag. Goldust then dodges an elbow while Harper charges in to knock Bryan and Cody off the apron. Rowan gets the tag. Harper is quickly brought back in but gets caught with a modified Code Red. Goldust reaches over to Daniel Bryan. Rowan also comes in off a tag. Bryan is charged up as he unleashes two consecutive dropkicks. Bryan dodges a clothesline and kicks out the leg of his opponent. Bryan heads to the top and delivers a headbutt. Bray charges in to make the save. Bryan follows him out of the ring but only ends up being destroyed by Rowan. The Rhodes Brothers stare down The Wyatts.

Bray then establishes control over Bryan. Rowan gets the tag and slams Bryan in the middle of the ring. He stares towards the opposing corner before attacking Bryan’s back. Bryan and Bray start to brawl; Bryan flies from the top rope with a crossbody and falls out of the ring with Bray. Goldust runs off the apron and attempts a Tommy Dreamer flip. Meanwhile, inside the ring Cody hits a Disaster Kick on Harper while Bray tags himself in and gets the win by hitting Sister Abigail.

Winners: The Wyatt Family

After the match the Wyatt Family drags Bryan into the middle of the ring and start their work on the Superstar of the Year. Bray tells him to follow the buzzards. The lights go out and when they come back on Bray is in his rocking chair and his minions stand guard. Bryan looks on from the ring.

Meanwhile, Bad News Barrett is still on the street collecting money.

Renee Young hosts a singing contest in the ring. R-Truth & Xavier perform ‘Oh Holy Night’ against Drew McIntyre & Jinder Mahal performing ‘Jingle Bells’ and Santino & The Great Khali performing ‘Deck the Halls’. Santino and Khali win by an audience vote. The members of 3MB try to go on the attack after the contest but the other teams send them out of the ring and then proceed to sing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.

Match 4: Christmas Present on a Pole Match: Dolph Ziggler v. Fandango w/Summer Rae

Fandango with his Christmas present

At the start, they brawl around the ring. Fandango is the first to make a pole attempt but is pulled back into the ring. Fandango makes another attempt but Ziggler grabs him and delivers a hurricarana. Ziggler hits a Fame-Asser and goes to the corner. Fandango kicks Ziggler and knocks him from the turnbuckle to the outside of the ring. The momentum causes Fandango to pass out. Summer helps him back up the corner. Ziggler follows, and punches Fandango down. Fandango responds with a powerhouse kick.

Ziggler is draped over the corner. Fandango stands over him and reaches for the present which is dangling. Just then Ziggler bolts upright and knocks Fandango onto the top rope. Fandango tries to stop Ziggler; he pushes his head into the pole. Ziggler crashes face first into the steel steps as he falls out of the ring.

Winner: Fandango

As a result of the win Fandango has earned a title shot for Big E. Langston’s Intercontinental Championship next week on RAW.

Titus O’Neill is in the ring with Darren Young. Young starts to speak but incorrectly calls the town ‘Houston’, which makes Titus take the mic away. He says that they want two things for Christmas. They want the Tag Team Championships and for people to join them in dancing.

Match 5: The Primetime Players vs The Usos

The Usos

Titus hurls his opponent across the ring and then tags in Young. Titus lifts up Young to drop him on to Jimmy. Young strikes with an elbow. Jimmy makes a tag, and Young is hit by a splash by Jey. The crowd chants, “This is Austin”. Jimmy makes a tag and comes in to attack the arm of Young. He pulls Young’s arm behind his head and then tags in his brother. The two deliver a double elbow. Young kicks out, but then is forced into the corner and gets hit with a hard butt splash. Titus charges in to make the save. Young gets caught by a Superkick. Jey makes the tag and, while wearing a Rudolph nose, flies off the top rope for a decisive splash.

Winners: The Usos

After the match The Usos dance with The Primetime Players.

Match 6: Good Santa vs Bad Santa

Match of the Santa’s

Mark Henry unveils a gift in the ring, and it turns out to be a toilet. Sandow’s head is pushed down into the bowl. Sandow leaves the ring and retrieves a fire extinguisher from under a gift. He tries to use it without pulling out the pin. Henry laughs and pushes him away, and then unleashes the extinguisher all over Sandow. Sandow walks up the entrance ramp and catches a giant candy cane, which he uses to hit Henry. Sandow then goes to work on the Christmas set. Henry and Sandow then make their way down to the ring. Sandow again attempts to use the fire extinguisher, but makes a fool of himself again. Mark Henry hits the ‘world’s strongest Slam’ and gets the win. The grinch is defeated!

Winner: Good Santa

After the match Henry unwraps another gift and plays with some jingle bells. He discovers some cupcakes and takes a bite before splashing them all over the face of Sandow.

CM Punk is in the back with Renee Young. He reveals that he has requested for assistance, which is something that he never does. He brings in his tag team partners for the night. Langston and Cena come forward and cut a promo for their match with Punk against The Shield tonight.

Match 7: The Real Americans w/ Zeb Colter vs Los Matadores w/ El Torito

To begin, Cesaro starts fighting against Diego. He unleashes a hurricarana and follows that by a head trap. Cesaro sends him into the corner but is blocked on a splash attempt. Cesaro catches him and starts a swing, but Diego slides out of the ring. Cesaro follows him but the Los Matadores let out their version of ‘twin magic’. Back in the ring a roll up is attempted but Swagger makes the save. Fernando fights him off. Fernando then sets up with a headscissor that lets him roll up Swagger for the win.

Winners: Los Matadores

Match 8: Kofi Kingston vs Ryback

Ryback wins it!

Ryback almost gets into a fight with the referee at the start as he is fuming about an attack that Kofi made to his skull. Kofi kicks him off the apron. He then follows him out and splashes Ryback. They get back into the ring but Ryback clotheslines Kofi back out of the ring. He then grabs Kofi for a Bearhug. Kofi is able to get free and attempts to regain the momentum by hitting a Boom Drop. Ryback dodges a ‘Trouble in Paradise’ but ends up getting struck by a see saw kick. Ryback then finishes with a Shellshock for the win.

Winner: Ryback

Match 9: The Shield vs CM Punk, Big E. Langston & John Cena

Cena and Punk for the win!

The night’s main event sees Cena start the match against Rollins. Cena knocks Rollins down to the mat and quickly attempts a 5 Knuckle Shuffle. Rollins avoids that by rolling out of the ring. He then gets back inside and tags in Roman. Reigns and Cena have a classic stare-down.

Rollins gets back in the ring and forces Cena into the corner. Ambrose gets the tag, but he is caught by several punches to the gut. Ambrose then catches Cena in a Sleeper hold. Cena is forced down to the mat in the middle of the ring. Punk gets tagged and sends Ambrose out of the ring. Once back inside Punk unleashes a swinging neck-breaker. He follows that with a big boot in the corner. He tries to head up the turnbuckle but Rollins heads over for a distraction.

Ambrose knocks Punk off the apron to the outside. Ambrose follows him and hits a Suplex outside the ring. He pulls Punk back in and goes for a cover. Punk kicks out. The Shield try very hard to keep Punk from making a tag. Rollins comes in and climbs over Punk before letting fly a series of punches. Punk is whipped hard into the corner. Rollins keeps him away from the saving corner by constantly kicking him. But then Punk reverses a whip which seemingly knocks the wind out of Rollins.

Ambrose gets the tag and comes in to prevent Punk from making a tag. He pushes him back so that Reigns can tag himself into the ring. Punk attempts to fight back but is caught in a Bearhug. Reigns turns that into a belly-to-belly suplex. Punk kicks out of the cover. Reigns, seemingly astonished, tags in Rollins. Seth strikes with a leg scissors. Punk then lifts him up for a back body drop and heads to the corner. Ambrose gets the tag and manages to keep him cut off, knocking Cena off the apron in the process. Ambrose lifts Punk up but is kicked in the skull. Reigns gets the tag and again prevents Punk from making a tag.

Langston is finally able to reach Punk’s arm and comes in to clear house. He slams Rollins down on to Ambrose and then hits a splash on both of them. Rollins tags in Ambrose. He tries a cover but Cena makes the save. Rollins flies off the top rope but Cena catches him and lifts him up for an attempted AA, but is speared. Everyone jumps into the ring. Langston and Ambrose are the two men left standing. Langston unleashes the Big Ending on Ambrose. Reigns and Rollins come in to make the save so the referee calls for the bell. After the match Cena and Punk help clear the ring.

Winners: John Cena, CM Punk and Big E. Langston