WWE Monday Night Raw 12/11/2023

WWE Monday Night Raw 12/11/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/12/wwe-monday-night-raw-1242023.html 

Jey Uso came out to talk. He said he got yeet back (there was an issue with who owned that phrase). He said CM Punk is in the building and asked the fans to say yeet if they wanted him to sign with Raw. He said we will gain a real one if he does sign. He said last week we lost a real one in Sami Zayn and tells him to get well. He said Drew McIntyre came after Sami after the main last week. He said he's not trying to be honest, he's two-faced. He said him and Drew go 1v1 tonight.

Drew then comes out. Drew said enough of the butt kissing and said to let CM Punk go. Drew said they won't want Punk in the locker room and said he will destroy the place from the inside out. He said he traveled the world with him and knows how the story ends. The crowd chants for Punk. Drew has words for Sami and said he may have a little to do with why he's home now. He said he ran his mouth a lot and crossed the line when he talked about his family. Drew then says, "that's what's called an apology, Jey". He said Jey is incapable of one when it comes to Drew. Drew says imagine someone hurt your family member and asks if you'd want revenge. He said imagine they never apologized and asked if you'd want to take revenge on them. Drew then points out someone in the crowd named Austin and said this guy is a coward and doesn't care about you. Drew then does Jey's hand motion and Jey said he can't dance. Jey then talks about giving him the yeetdown and we start.

Jey Uso vs Drew McIntyre

Jey hits punches and lariats Drew over the top while Drew still has his jacket on. We go to break and return. Jey hits punches then is kicked and clubbed. Jey enzugiri's him from the apron then top rope crossbodies him. They say Sami is out with a torn meniscus. Drew drops Jey with a boot to the gut then hits mounted punches. Drew deadlift suplexes him then stomps his head. Jey hits forearms and Drew back elbows him. Drew misses a claymore outside and lands on the announcer's table. Jey then topes him.

We go to our second break and return. They are fighting up top. Jey hits punches and Drew ends up in tree of woe. Drew then pulls him down by the neck. We see Drew catapult Jey's neck into the steel bars on the apron during the break. Jey hits punches on Drew then Drew headbutts him. Jey kicks him in the gut and samoan drops him. Jey misses a shot and gets neckbreakered.

Jey hits superkicks on Drew and Drew gets his knees up on Jey's splash. Drew hits a future shock ddt for 2. Drew takes off a turnbuckle pad then gets speared. Drew pokes Jey in the eye and hits a claymore kick. Drew then picks up the win.

I would have liked to have seen more hatred here. We lost a lot of this due to the break and maybe even too much for me to really accurately rate it. The finish wasn't that good, but I don't think this feud ends here.  

Shinsuke Nakamura talks about Cody Rhodes. He said he's been watching him talk about finishing his story yet he is no closer to doing so. He says he's a dog chasing a car and says despite great, he's not enough and never will be. He said Cody strives for the admiration of others and said he freed himself of that a long time ago. He says he paints his own story and has been reborn thanks to Cody. He says he will bring an end to Cody's story and is the real nightmare. He tells Cody he asked for this.

Judgment Day are in the back looking down. Finn gets mad at JD, saying the wheels are falling off when they aren't around for a week. Rhea said R-Truth continues to come into the club house. She says Dom and JD lost to the Creed's and said Dom lost his N-A title. Priest said it sucks he lost his N-A title, but it sucks that people haven't been showing up to Raw. Priest says they won't take the Creed's likely and will take care of them Judgment Day style. Rhea says saying you are the leader is easier than being the leader. Rhea and Priest argue. Rhea says it's time they remind everyone they run Raw. Rhea said she will make an example with her division tonight.

Alpha Academy talk in the back. Ivy Nile and The Creed's come in. Ivy says she will be out there tonight. R-Truth comes in with Christmas lights. He says he needs to decorate for the holidays and says everyone needs to get the Easter egg they deserve. Gable tells him to be careful. He says Judgment Day is dangerous and says Truth isn't really in the group. Truth tells him he's got it all wrong and they are just misunderstood. He then wishes them a Happy Thanksgiving. 

WWE Women's Title - Rhea Ripley (c) vs Maxxine Dupri

Max slaps her then Rhea hits short arm clotheslines. Max hurricanrana's her off the powerbomb and Rhea gets mad. Max corner dropkicks her and takes a running kick to the chest. Rhea hits a riptide and says, "you think this is funny" and "you ain't nothing". She says she is a stupid little girl then taps her out with a nasty brock lock type of move.

What we got of this wasn't good with those two botching nearly everything.

Ivy Nile gets in the ring after and stares down Rhea.

We get a video on Katana Chance and Kayden Carter. I'm pretty sure this was done a few years ago. They are at some festival. they say they ripped every door off the hinges that was closed and kept chasing their dreams. Chance says they set their sights on the tag titles and said it's only a matter of time. They said if you think you saw everything they can do, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Adam Pearce goes up to CM Punk's locker room then walks in.

Adam Pearce is in the ring and says the man he is about to bring out may not need an introduction. He said he is sure he will make a decision and brings out CM Punk. Punk said he thought he was in a sullen mood until he saw the signs and people. He said we have a huge decision to make. Punk said he sees ghosts in the building and said he debuted here with Mickie James on his arm. He said he did so good that he got sent to OVW. He said he embraced being uncomfortable and learned to love it there. He said he became champ then Randy Orton kicked him in the head. He said he was stripped of the title and no longer able to compete.

He said he say Roddy Piper wrestle in WCW as a kid and he understands how people felt when they saw him walk out of WWE. He said Nick Aldis gave him a big offer on SD and said Shawn Michaels gave him an offer to help him mold the next gen of superstars in NXT. He said Pearce put together a deal that is better than those two deals. He said his mind was made up when he looked at the calendar and saw Cleveland. He said he's here to right a few wrongs and said his future starts now. He said it's been 10 years since he walked out here and now he walks right back in. He says if you are mad about it, you better learn to love it because the newest Raw superstar is named CM Punk. He said CM Punk is home. They shake hands and CM Punk poses on the buckles.

Seth Rollins' music hits. They stare down. Seth says welcome to Monday Night Rollins. He says not to call this place his home. He said he abandoned this place 10 years ago and tried to tear it down. He said he spent 10 years slandering him and the locker room and wants to walk in and call it his home. Seth said this isn't his home, it's Seth's home. He said he will do everything to protect his home from people like Punk. He says he hates him but wants him on Raw. He said if he hasn't changed, he wants to slam the door shut on his legacy. He said if he has changed, maybe he will be good enough to fight him in a world title match. He says he will then expose him for the fraud he is. He said he will wrestle circles around him and let him understand what it means to be the best in the world.

Punk says this is his one pass to speak to him disrespectfully without him coming after him. Punk said he has never asked for anything to be handed to him and has always done things stubbornly the hard way. He says he is entering The Royal Rumble. He said when he wins, maybe it will be Seth he is coming after. This was a good segment. 

Ivar and Valhala talk. They say Reed is the sacrificial lamb that will waken the beast that is is Ivar. Ivar said they stopped it before they could destroy him last time. He said he will put him down in agonizing defeat. Reed said he's not a chosen one and said the security guards were out there to save him from Reed. He says this is Ivar's fighting funeral.

Bronson Reed vs Ivar

They collide and Ivar running boots him. Ivar hits a back elbow flurry in the corner then Reed bodyblocks him. Reed elbow drops him then Ivar is thrown into the buckles. They lariat each other at the same time and go down. They go outside and crossbody each other at the same time. Both go down and we go to break.

We return and they trade lariats. Reed superkicks him then Ivar sitout spinebusters him for 2. Ivar misses a bronco buster and Ivar lariats him on the apron. Ivar top rope cannonballs him on the outside, landing hard on the floor. Man, don't even try to catch that. They fight up top and Reed superplexes him to win it.

We didn't get to see a ton of this, but what we got was really good. Just two big guys nailing each other. I wish we would have gotten 10 more minutes here.

CM Punk goes up to Judgment Day and asks where's Rhea. Priest says welcome to our show. Priest says he hopes he finishes the story because he'll be the one waiting and holds up his MITB briefcase.

The Judgment Day come out to talk. Priest says he can't fight the need to remind the people who we are. They say all rise. Priest says everyone is put on notice, whether they are current, new or returning superstars. JD has a big pimple on the side of his eye. R-Truth comes out. He said he by the clubhouse and said they put a lock on it. He asks how they can have a holiday party and he doesn't get an invitation. JD tells him this isn't a holiday party and he wouldn't be invited if it was. Priest tells Truth to come in the ring.

Truth says he has a lot of ideas that could help the group out. He says they need to kick JD out and says nobody likes him. He says Priest needs to stop calling himself the boss. He says he's a fantastic boss but it makes mami mad. He said she gets upset, she gets confused and everyone gets confused. Priest and Finn said they like him and get why the fans like him. Priest says everyone loves R-Truth...except him. He then lariats Truth and Judgment Day beat up Truth 4v1. Wade says this is no way to treat a fellow Judgment Day member. The Creed Brothers then come out and are getitng beaten up. Julius double northern lights suplexes people on the floor then dropkicks Finn off the apron. Priest takes a double spinebuster and Judgment Day retreat. Dom says, "I told you, you gotta be careful with them". Priest says,  "yeah, I get it".

CM Punk walks up to Adam Pearce and Drew McIntyre in the back. Drew says he doesn't care about his story or Cody's story. He cares about finishing his story. Punk asked what he did. Pearce says Drew is getting a title shot vs Seth. Kofi, Gable and Ricochet walk in and greet him. Punk has to leave. Pearce then says he has an idea with the three of them for the Intercontinental Title and the segment ends.

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance vs Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae

Indi and Carter start us off. Indi shoulders her over and dances then Carter dropkicks her. Carter hits a corner splash then Indi is tripped into a baseball slide. Chance slingshot sentons Indi. Chance does a silly string off Carter and headscissors Indi. Carter superkicks Indi. Lerae does a step up senton on Carter's back. Carter takes a gutbuster then a flipping neckbreaker while she's there.

Indi spinebusters Carter. Lerae is flipped onto Carter then Carter low superkicks Indi. Lerae takes a neckbreaker + 450 splash and is pinned.

This was a total squash here and a short one. Green and Piper were on commentary and yelled at the KC's after.

Gargano and Ciampa talk in the back. Gargano is in his hometown and thrilled. They ask if they can trust their partner tonight. Kaiser and Vinci come in. Kaiser asks who their mystery partner is, wondering who would team with them. Gunther walks in as they argue. Gunther says very confident and good luck. He says he doubts they can find someone who wants to associate in public with two weirdos like them.

Becky Lynch comes out to talk. She talks about Nia Jax. She said they had never fought 1v1 but are linked together due to a match from 5 years ago where Nia punched Becky in the face and broke her nose. She said she had a kid and Nia got fired since then. Nia then comes out.

Nia said she's not fired anymore and said she's here and better than ever. Nia said the punch was a lucky swing that almost ended her career. She said she didn't even get all of the punch and says imagine what would happen if she punched her with her full force. She said she wouldn't get up. Nia said Becky can thank her for her career. Becky said it isn't about a broken face, it's about what she represents, getting up and fighting back. She said it's a lie that she's a star because of her and if she can't end the lie, she needs to end her.

Nia said she needs her and needs to prove she isn't just about that one moment. She also needs to prove that her career wasn't just an accident. She said otherwise, she will be the woman that made the men. Becky tells her to shut up and said she came here looking for a fight. Becky invites Nia to hit her. Nia said she needs this more than Becky does and walks away.

Cody Rhodes is interviewed and is asked about Punk. He said good on Pearce for getting it done and he said he's happy for everyone. He said the Rumble is around the corner and said they can't finish two stories at once there. Cody said he'd be excited to fight Nakamura if he didn't mist him. He says he's vicious and vicious is okay with him. Cody said Stardust debuted in this building. He said Nakamura was right when he said Cody asked for this.

Imperium (Gunther, Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) vs DIY and The Miz

JG = Johnny Gargano

Gunther punches JG as he goes to tag in Miz. Gunther chops him down. Kaiser hits JG in the corner. Vinci gets in and back elbows him. JG tags in iampa and Vinci is hit by DIY. Ciampa lariats Vinci then Kaiser pulls the rope down on Ciampa. Gunther running face kicks Ciampa.

We go to break and return. Kaiser rolling death valley drivers Ciampa. Gunther face kicks Miz off the apron. Vinci hits a stiff crossbody on Ciampa. Vinci misses a corner charge and JG is tagged in. JG beats up on Vinci and Kaiser then hits a lariat + bulldog combo. JG slingshot spears Kaiser for 2.

JG superkicks Kaiser. Miz and Gunther both tag in. Miz hits punches on Gunther and flurries him in the corner. Miz flying lariats him in the corner then springboard crossbodies him. Miz facekicks Gunther and hits kicks. Gunther hits a big chop and boston crabs him. Ciampa breaks it up. Ciampa takes a high/low  then Vinci and Kaiser take stereo tornado ddt's him. Gunther face kicks JG then Miz figure fours Gunther. JG hits a gargano escape on Kaiser. Vinci is tagged in and springboard elbow drops Miz. Miz hits a skull crushing finale on Vinci and picks up the win.

It was good to see the faces win in their hometown even if I don't like them. It wasn't a bad 6-man at all. Not great or memorable but the crowd was into it.

Gunther yells at his partners in the back. Miz comes up to him. Miz says he wants an Intercontinental Championship match. Gunther says he's a pain and agrees to it. He says Miz can't challenge him again as champ if Miz loses. Miz agrees.

Cody Rhodes vs Shinsuke Nakamura

SN = Shinsuke Nakamura

Cody headlock takeovers him, SN headscissors him and they stand off. They go head to head. SN ducksa punch then Cody dropkicks him but doesn't really hit. Cody hits corner punches then gets caught up top. SN jumping knees him as he lays on the top buckle. Sn then baseball slides him out.

We go to break and return. SN foot chokes him and knee drops him for 1. SN hits a nice kick then Cody slips out of a reverse slam. Cody uppercuts him and SN reverses a cody cutter with an armbar. Cody rolls out of it and SN rolls out of cross rhodes with an armbar.

SN sliding germans him as he sits on the 2nd rope. SN 2nd rope knees him for 2. Cody dropkicks him in the knee then dragon screws him over the middle rope. Cody gordbusters him into the ring then half-crabs him. SN slides out and Cody topes him with both going into the rails.

We go to break again and return. They lariat each other and go down at the same time. They trade shots and Cody powerslams him.  SN gets a grounded sleeper on him then Cody lifts him and drops him back. Cody hits a disaster kick then hits the bionic elbow. Cody hits a cody cutter. SN red mists him out of a cody cutter and is disqualified.

SN hits knees on Cody then stomps his head. Cody gets a punch in then is hit in the legs. SN kinsasha's him in the back of the head. The Creed Brothers run down and save Cody. Cody is walked out by the refs then SN running knees him.

The main was pretty good up until the finish. Cody and Nakamura worked surprisingly well together and made it look easy. I just hope the mist is actually sold by next week this time.

Overall thoughts: Two big matches were given away here with lackluster finishers. Ivar and Reed had a short but good match and the Truth/Judgment Day segment was fun. The CM Punk/Seth Rollins segment was also good but the women's match with Dupri and Rhea was a disaster. It was a good show overall though it could have been better.