TLC is in the rearview mirror and now we’re on our way to Survivor Series and beyond. Asuka is now on the Raw roster and Braun Strowman is freshly murdered inside a garbage truck.
Opening Segment – Kurt Angle
Angle came out and loved everyone who said “you suck” in his general direction. Kurt Angle started to speak… insert “you still got it” chants here. Angle said he wrote a new chapter in his story at TLC. He said he was a dream come true to compete in a WWE after eleven years and his smile was huge. Angle said Survivor Series will be Raw vs SmackDown at Survivor Series.
Bliss will take on Natalya, Miz will face Baron Corbin, Seth and Dean will face The Usos, and Jinder will face Brock Lesnar.
Then he announced there will be two classic Survivor Series matches.
The Miz came out with The Bar and Curtis Axel. Miz said he’s sick of hearing Angle’s voice and it’s not his show. It’s The Miz’s show.
The Miz said Angle should resign immediately because he doesn’t deserve to be GM. Angle said he’s going to go to his office and Miz said he’s not going anywhere then everyone circled the ring.
Suddenly The Shield’s music hit and Ambrose and Rollins came down to help out their newest member. Angle was smiling big time at this point.
Then Angle scheduled The Miz and The Bar vs 2/3 of The Shield and “a Superstar who was at TLC and decided to stay an extra night”… then AJ Styles came out.
Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and AJ Styles vs The Miz and The Bar
AJ Styles was in the match first which was odd because he was probably the most tired out of everyone in the match.
There was a spot when all the heels found themselves outside the ring and Rollins, Ambrose, and Styles hit them all with a trio of dives.
Dean Ambrose started taking a brunt of the abuse for a bit next. The heels really kept the pressure on the babyface team. Cesaro kept Ambrose down with a headlock the best he could.
Rollins got the hot tag and hit everyone with one move or another. Sling Blade, Blockbuster, and a Broken Arrow. Styles came in and hit a Pele Kick and The Miz got the tag in. Miz almost scored a near fall.
The brawling spilled out into the crowd as Ambrose hit Cesaro with a dive from the barricade. After a great match which saw many high energy spots and back and forth, AJ Styles got the pinfall after hitting a Phenomenal Forearm on Cesaro.
Winners: Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and AJ Styles
After the match was over, Kane came down and laid waste to all the babyfaces. Kane stayed in the ring through the commercial break as his music played on.
Then The Big Red Machine cut a promo on Braun Strowman. Kane kept cutting the promo discussing Strowman like he’s no longer with us which makes seeing how everyone saw him murdered at TLC.
Kane said he is and will always be Raw’s only monster. “Now with Braun gone I want competition or else” and then Kane just stood there waiting.
Finn Balor came out to face Kane next. Neat!
Finn Balor vs Kane
Finn looked fine until he caught Kane’s boot to his face. That rocked him pretty good. Kane slammed Balor down and got a two count then Kane caught a headlock.
The Big Red Machine is still great but he can’t take the bumps he used to. However, he did look to be in good shape. Balor hit the kick from the apron but Kane didn’t fall. Kane just caught Balor to send him spine-first into the barricade and the ring post. Ouch.
Finn kept taking punishment to his lower back from Kane. The Devil’s Favorite Demon hit a backbreaker and held it on to really make it sink in.
Kane followed Balor outside and Finn caught a drop toehold to send Kane into the ring steps. Finn kicked Kane while he was getting in. He carried on with an onslaught but Kane didn’t sell it. Then Balor hit a Sling Blade and Kane sold that. He also sold the shotgun dropkick. But Kane sat up when he was going for the Coup De Gras.
Kane went to chokeslam Finn but Balor landed on the mat. That was either a botch or really cool. But Kane still hit Finn with two chokeslams and then hit another on top of that. 1-2-3 and Finn Balor didn’t get to win two nights in a row.
Winner: Kane via pinfall
It looks like Kane’s in the mood to murder. He’s really gearing up for politics by getting even more ruthless in the ring and around a garbage truck.
Kurt Angle was backstage and sudden Shane McMahon was there. Kurt thanked him for AJ Styles at TLC and tonight on Raw. Then Angle said he’d love to have AJ full time.
He accidentally insulated SmackDown had nobody when AJ Styles is out of the picture. It started a nice banter between the two and there was some hostility brewing. They remained professional and were all smiles though.
McMahon said SmackDown was going to beat Raw at Survivor Series and Angle just grinned while Shane walked away. It was a very interesting exchange and makes me wonder if a rematch 16-years in the making could be on its way? It is always a possibility at this point.
Asuka vs Emma
Emma was out to try Asuka once again. The commentary really discounted Emma for this match. Asuka hit some kicks early on and Emma showed a caginess though. She was able to get to the roped when Asuka wrapped her up in a submission. But she wasn’t able to dodge a hip attack that sent her plummeting to the floor.
Emma returned fire by smacking Asuka against the ring post and threw her back in the ring for a two count. Emma hit a butterfly suplex for another two count. Then Emma started to look pissed so she wrapped Asuka up in a headlock.
Asuka caught Emma with a backslide for a two count and Emma returned with a lariat for another two count. Emma showed how it was all about her by tossing Asuka into the ropes but it was reversed into a missile dropkick.
Asuka started landing punches and a backhand then hit a German Suplex and a hip attack for a two count. “But Emma’s still in the game right now,” Booker T said as she reversed Asuka and sent her into the second turnbuckle.
Emma rolled Asuka up for a pin but quickly found herself in an Asuka Lock. She had no choice but to tap out at that point.
Winner: Asuka by submission
The Empress Of Tomorrow’s undefeated streak continues which is a relief.
Alexa Bliss Is Amazing But Try Convincing Mickie James
Bliss said she was going to dismantle Natalya at Survivor Series by calling her a cat lady in the process. She said she felt unappreciated because she had the match of her career at TLC.
Bliss said she worked hard at TLC and all Balor and Styles had to do was look each other in the eyes and they got a “this is awesome” chant. Alexa asked for her chant and her appreciation. She said everyone is jealous of her.
Then Bliss tried to get everyone to chant “you deserve it” to her, but they didn’t. They also didn’t chant “biscuit butt” like WWE wanted them to.
Mickie James came out with a huge smile on her face. James promptly kicked Bliss in the stomach and hit her with a huge DDT. “Alexa, you do deserve it” James said. Then she dropped the mic and walked away.
Backstage Segment
Kurt Angle was backstage and he was approached by Bayley and Banks. He was talking about who would be the captain of the women’s team at Survivor Series and the Foxy came up and joined the equation. It looks like there will be a match to determine this one.
Ladies And Gentlemen… Elias
The Drifter was in the ring and he was over until he insulted Aaron Rogers in Green Bay. Then he had incredible heat on him.
Elias brought up Jason Jordan and his produce shenanigans at TLC last night. Then he started to play his guitar. Suddenly there were some audio issues where it sounded like someone was blowing into a microphone or something. It was distracting enough for him to stop playing.
Elias grabbed a microphone and said he was going to bring Lance out and beat the holy hell out of him, whoever Lance is… the sound technician… anyway, Jason Jordan came out instead. It looks like they’re having a match next.
Elias vs Jason Jordan
The Drifter kept Jodan down with a headlock but then he got popped with a German Suplex. The two spilled out onto the floor for a bit and JJ drove Elias into a barricade right in front of a couple Green Bay Packers.
Suddenly Elias grabbed his guitar and broke it over Jason Jordan’s shoulder. At least he didn’t bust JJ open like he did Finn Balor. But it was certainly a hard shot. Jordan grabbed his shoulder as WWE officials surrounded him.
Elias just dragged his guitar up the ramp with him. Jason Jordan had a noticeable welt on his arm and it looked painful.
Brock Lesnar Responds To Jinder Mahal
Paul Heyman said it was funny how people react to Brock Lesnar because someone has a problem with the word undisputed. Then Heyman started listing all the people Jinder Mahal “barely survived” against including Orton, Nakamura, and eventually AJ Styles. Meanwhile, Brock Lesnar has defeated everyone on the best roster in WWE.
Heyman said the king of trash talk is the Advocate with the microphone in his hand right now because any man deemed worthy to step in the ring to fight Lesnar must be a real man. He didn’t trash talk Goldberg, Joe, or Braun Strowman instead, he praised them. He even added an “oh my god, and rightfully so” after Strowman.
But then he unloaded on Jinder Mahal. He said Mahal’s not Lesnar’s contemporary, he’s not only a worthy pretender to the throne of being WWE Champion. Then he dropped Bruno, and Hogan, Triple H, and John Cena as people he thought about when people said WWE Champion… they don’t think Jinder Mahal.
Mahal is the result of when Shane and D-Bry realized they got the shaft in the Superstar Shake-Up. Heyman said there is no comparing the brands because whoever has Brock Lesnar is the top show.
Then Heyman reminded us about the last time a SmackDown Superstar stepped in the ring with Lesnar (Randy Orton)… because they had to stop the match because he violated every rule of the PG Era… remember when he destroyed Orton’s forehead with an elbow? Yeah, that was fun… very dangerous and violent but totally fun.
Backstage Segment
Kalisto was backstage and interviewed about losing his Cruiserweight Title to Enzo Amore at TLC. Then he said he’s going to invoke his rematch clause. The babyfaces from 205 Live joined him and then they announced a 205 Live 10-man tage match tonight against Enzo Amore and the other 205 Live heels. Neat.
Bayley vs Sasha Banks vs Alicia Fox
Banks and Bayley really ganged up against Foxy in the beginning. They had a nice triple threat match and finally Foxy screamed “I don’t wanna play this game!” and she grabbed the timekeeper’s bell and started ringing it.
The ref told Foxy she couldn’t end the match and Bayley rolled her up but Fox kicked out. Bayley hit a Bayley To Belly but Banks broke up the pin. Finally Banks and Bayley ended up in the middle of the ring slugging it out.
Bayley hit a suplex on Banks and Foxy came up behind the Hugger and took her out with a Bayley To Bayley. Suddenly Banks slapped on the Bank Statement but Foxy rolled Banks up for the pin and Banks didn’t kick out.
Alicia Fox is the leader of Team Raw at Survivor Series.
Winner: Alicia Fox
10-Man Tag Team 205 Live Match
Enzo wore an eyepatch to mock the fact he poked Kalisto’s eye last night. Drew Gulak was given Enzo’s microphone and said Amore lost his voice. Then he read Enzo’s catchphrases and it was hilarious.
Gulak insulted the Green Bay Packers who were still at ringside. Enzo still ran around the ring like an over-excited mute. Then they all spelled out SAWFT and Enzo said “T” which was really horrible to hear. Enzo’s voice was done-zo.
Kalisto started out and wanted Enzo but he didn’t get him. Instead, Enzo jumped down. Gran Metalik and Tony Nese had a chance to wrestle around and Metalik is so good. He used the roped very well to employ his offense.
The heels soon powdered out of the ring and Drew Gulak got knocked off the apron while trash talking the babyfaces.
The heels gained an advantage tagging in and out to punish Rich Swann. Daivari and Swann hit each other with cross bodies at the same time and a brawl soon started on the outside of the ring.
Enzo soon found himself with the rest of the heel team down and Kalisto was on the other side. Enzo was tagged and ran outside to try and revive someone but it was no use. Kalisto got the tag and kicked him a few time and caught him with a springboard kick.
Kalisto tried for a pin but the heels broke it up. Enzo hit the DDT from the top and went for the pin but the babyfaces broke that up. Then the babyfaces hit all the heels with aerial maneuvers. Kalisto hit the Salida Del Sol and got the win.
Winners: The 205 Live Babyfaces
Kurt Angle Announces Team Raw
Angle said he can’t wait until Survivor Series. He hyped the matches and then said he was about to announce Raw’s 5 best men…. but before he could start Shane McMahon came out… in the crowd with the entire SmackDown Live roster following him to the ring. Everyone except for Jinder Mahal that is.
“Nakamura” chants started breaking out while Shane and Angle looked at each other in the ring. Angle looked a bit perplexed. “Under siege” Shane said.
Then Angle left the ring and started walking up the ramp.
“Blue team! Go get ’em!” Shane said and then the SmackDown Live roster went walking up the ramp and headed toward the ramp into the backstage area.
They shot to the Blue Team screaming and taunting them. They walked up to Titus and Apollo who were wearing their suits and just chilling and they demolished them.
Then Baron Corbin assaulted some production assistant and they destroyed some production equipment. Everyone started running from them at this point and then Goldust and Curt Hawkins jumped in but quickly got beat down.
This felt very real and had a different feel to it. The SmackDown Live guys ran in the locker room and jumped Jason Jordan and Matt Hardy. Heels and babyfaces alike tore through the Raw locker room and destroyed everyone. The Club got hit next.
Then the mob ran into the women. Becky, Tamina, and other SmackDown Live ladies ran up and pummelled them to the ground as well.
Shane McMahon was shown in the ring and he looked pleased with what he saw.
Suddenly Rollins and Ambrose jumped on the mob from above but they were quickly overtaken as well. AJ Styles, who just tagged with them earlier in the night was one of the main people doing the damage.
Suddenly, Baron Corbin and Rusev led Kurt Angle up to the mob and they dragged him out in the arena. Angle looked scared and irritated and Shane McMahon didn’t look phased. McMahon waved to bring Angle back to the ring
Shane looked at Angle in the eye and said: “at Survivor Series I want you to bring your gold medal, the rest of your Raw roster and we’re all gonna finish what we started. It’s true, it’s damn true.” After Shane spoke the SmackDown Live roster surrounding the ring pounded on the apron like they were rallying their troops even more.
It was a primal display ganglike display and very unsettling to watch in all reality. This felt different and kudos to WWE for pulling it off. The SmackDown Live roster exited up through the crowd from where they came as the show went off the air and Kurt Angle stared up blankly as his adversaries at Survivor Series left the building.
