WWE Raw live results: King of the Ring finals
Date: September 16, 2019
Location: Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee
The Big Takeaways —
WWE has inadvertently created a new top babyface in The Fiend. The crowd chants his catchphrase, and cheers wildly for him. Of course, he is supposed to be a heel.
The Fiend is playing mind games with Seth Rollins, who could not beat up more than one guy on his own tonight, on a show where Braun Strowman left three of the four tag champs laying, and 52 year-old Kane beat up five men on his own.
Becky Lynch wants to destroy Sasha Banks inside Hell in a Cell. The attention paid to small details is differentiating this feud from the rest of the madness that is WWE storytelling.
Baron Corbin is now King of the Ring.
Rusev returned, and in storyline, impregnated Maria Kanellis. Maybe not in that order.
What a night.
Show Recap —
Seth Rollins started the show with a promo. He said that we have a lot to unpack tonight. He proceeded to recap his evening at Clash of Champions. “I didn’t even have time to celebrate before I was cloaked in darkness. I was taken down by something I can only describe as…”
Before he could finish his thought, the crowd interrupted Rollins with a “yowie wowie” chant.
Rollins said that the last thing he saw before he was choked out was the face of The Fiend. Rollins said he gets to face The Fiend inside Hell in a Cell in three weeks at… Hell in a Cell.
Firefly Funhouse music interrupted Rollins. Bray Wyatt appeared on the Titantron. Ramblin’ Rabbit tried to interrupt Wyatt, but Wyatt bopped him on the head.
Wyatt said that Rollins has made mistakes. Wyatt can forgive mistakes, but he said that The Fiend never forgets, and maybe that’s why The Fiend had something to say to Rollins at Clash of Champions.
Wyatt said that maybe The Fiend will have more to say to Rollins tonight, then bid us adieu with a cheery, “See you in hell!”
Rollins tried to sell fear or concern, but the crowd cheered The Fiend, and Rollins won’t be winning an Emmy any time soon.
**********
They advertised two matches for later tonight, Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross vs. Sasha Banks and Bayley, as well as Seth Rollins vs. Robert Roodw.
The match graphics appeared upside down. There might be a Fiend at the controls in the truck.
**********
Braun Strowman was shown arriving at the building. Charly Caruso stopped him for a word. She said that she was surprised that Braun was here tonight. Braun said that the next person he sees is going to get these hands.
**********
Robert Roode, Dolph Ziggler, and The Revival came to the ring for a “tag team summit”. Roode started to cut a promo. Strowman rumbled down to the ring and beat up Ziggler, Dawson, and Wilder. Roode managed to escape. All WWE tag teams are tackling dummies for the real stars.
**********
Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross were shown backstage, pretending to drink coffee out of their new mugs, available on WWE Shop.
Nikki said that they took out the trash last night. Alexa said, “Speaking of trash,” and verbally ran down Bayley and “Sasha Smurf”, and the two promised to beat Banks and Bayley later tonight.
Nikki is a babyface, who then aligned herself with Alexa, who was a heel. Nikki never turned. Now the two are de facto babyfaces, again without the benefit of a turn.
**********
AJ STYLES & THE CLUB DEFEATED CEDRIC ALEXANDER & THE VIKING RAIDERS
Alexander and Styles started off. Alexander hit a knee strike, then a penalty kick. He hit a series of punches in the corner, then tagged Erik. Styles managed a tag to Karl Anderson. Ivar made a blind tag, and Viking Raiders hit tandem offense on Anderson.
Ivar worked over Anderson’s left arm. Gallows and Erik tagged in. Erik missed a meteora in the corner, and The OC took over. On the outside, Styles dropped Erik face-first onto the barricade, as the show went to a commercial break.
Back from break, Erik hit Anderson with a knee strike, then made a hot tag to Ivar. Ivar connected with a senton, then a cartwheel.
The match broke down, and everyone hit a move. Alexander and Anderson were left legal. Alexander hit a handspring kick. Styles blind-tagged his way in, then nailed Alexander with a Phenomenal Forearm for the pin.
After the match, Gallows and Anderson went after Erik on the outside. Ivar hit a flip dive off the post, wiping all three out.
Back in the ring, Alexander crotched Styles on the top rope. He teased a superplex, but Styles blocked it, then hit a Styles Clash off the second rope. Alexander was handed another resounding defeat after his pre-show loss at Clash of Champions.
**********
Renee Young, Michael Cole, and Corey Graves introduced a vignette taped earlier in the day at the Women’s College Basketball Hall of Fame.
R-Truth and Carmella were shown talking about the great basketball teams at the University of Tennessee. Mayor Glen Jacobs entered. R-Truth asked if he was Magic Johnson. Jacobs offered R-Truth a limo tour of Knoxville. R-Truth accepted.
Truth and Jacobs exited the scene, while Carmella looked on… concerned? Suspicious?
The King of the Ring final is up next.
**********
KING OF THE RING FINAL: BARON CORBIN DEFEATED CHAD GABLE
They started the match with some chain wrestling. Corbin forced a rope break, then hit a back elbow. Corbin began working over Gable at a snail’s pace, hitting a series of strikes in the corner, playing to the crowd between each punch.
Gable low-bridged Corbin over the top rope to the apron, then knocked him to the floor with a dropkick. Corbin stumbled to the timekeeper’s area. Gable charged in after him, and Corbin hit a backdrop onto an office chair, as we went to a commercial break.
Back from break, they were teasing a countout. Gable made it back in at 9. Corbin hit a series of elbow strikes, then used a chinlock. Gable took a flip bump off a lariat, and Corbin covered for a two count.
Corbin hit a double sledge to the back. Gable hit a couple of punches and a flying forearm, but Corbin cut him off right away, hitting a big boot. Corbin teased a superplex. Gable slapped on an armbar over the ropes, but Corbin broke the hold with a powerbomb.
Chinlock time. Corbin took a break from the chinlock to yell at the fans. Gable got a single-leg, then used an ankle lock. Corbin escaped, then missed a charge into the corner, posting his own shoulder.
Gable hit a missile dropkick, then three front-flip kicks. He went for a fourth, but Corbin hit a pop-up powerslam for a nearfall. Corbin dragged Gable to the floor, then sent him into the barricade.
Corbin missed a running attack and ran shoulder-first into the ring steps. Gable then posted Corbin’s left leg. Gable hit a dropkick to the leg, then a series of punches.
Gable hit the ropes, but ran right into a Deep Six. Corbin covered, but Gable kicked out.
Gable hit a victory roll into a bridging German for a nearfall. Gable went for a moonsault, but Corbin moved. Gable landed on his feet. Gable avoided End of Days, then applied the ankle lock again. After a long tease, Corbin forced a rope break.
Gable hit a series of strikes in the corner. He went for a tornado DDT, but Corbin reversed it into End of Days for the pin.
The first half of the match was boring. The second half was good. Corey Graves was insufferable on commentary throughout.
**********
They cut to a scene of Sarah Schreiber, Kayla Braxton, Titus O’Neil, Curt Hawkins, The Street Profits, and Maria and Mike Kanellis partying in the back.
The Kanellis Baby’s GENDER REVEAL PARTY is next.
**********
Maria revealed that her baby is a boy. She told Mike that Ricochet was her baby’s father. Ricochet denied it. Mike slapped Ricochet and told him to meet him in the ring.
Titus told Ricochet he better go to the ring and do something about it all of this.
Angelo Dawkins said he was surprised that Maria didn’t say that he was the father. The Street Profits made a stripper joke about Maria.
This led to…
RICOCHET DEFEATED MIKE KANELLIS
Ricochet beat Kanellis with a codebreaker in a quick squash. The announcers played all of this for laughs. Graves made references to divorce and paying child support.
**********
Another Firefly Funhouse segment was up next. Bray Wyatt showed us his wall of friendship, which featured photos of Mick Foley, Kurt Angle, Finn Balor and Jerry Lawler (The Big 4), all with their faces crossed out.
Wyatt said it’s time for him to make some new friends tonight.
**********
Back from break, Mike was still sitting in the ring. Maria stood on the stage. She cut a promo on Mike. She said Ricochet isn’t the baby’s father, she was only trying to motivate Mike to fight for her honor.
Maria then said that it was time to introduce the real father… Rusev.
Rusev made his triumphant return and stomped to the ring. Mike cut a promo. He said he’s having a bad day and a worse night. He congratulated Rusev and Maria and tried to beg off. Rusev beat Mike all around ringside. Michael Cole called Mike a loser on commentary.
RUSEV DEFEATED MIKE KANELLIS
Rusev hit some stomps, then used the Accolade, and Kanellis tapped out right away, losing his second squash in as many segments.
**********
Mayor Jacobs was shown giving Truth a tour of the University of Tennessee’s football stadium. Jacobs put over the local police, and introduced Truth to a police officer. The officer took off his uniform, revealing a referee’s shirt.
Truth tried to run away, but ran into the goalpost. Mayor Jacobs covered, and became the new WWE 24/7 Champion.
**********
REY MYSTERIO DEFEATED CESARO
Cesaro came to the ring in running shoes, a track suit, and sunglasses. He announced that the next time he sees Rey’s son, he’s going to beat the hell out of him.
Rey, the valiant babyface fighting for his son’s honor, was immediately cut off, as Cesaro hit an uppercut forearm for a nearfall. Cesaro took the first several minutes of the match, using Irish whips to send Rey around the ring.
Rey made a comeback, then hit a suicide dive, which led to a commercial break.
Cesaro was in control when we returned from the break. Cesaro used a chinlock. Rey teased a seated seton, but Cesaro countered with an uppercut forearm. Cesaro hit a slingshot senton for a two count.
Cesaro used another chinlock. Rey went for a sprinboard crossbody. Cesaro blocked it, but Rey was able to hit a crucifix bomb, then a springboard DDT. Rey teased La Mistica, but Cesaro blocked it, then hit an uppercut.
Cesaro used a crossface. Rey reversed into a cradle for a nearfall. Rey hit an enziguri. He went for a 619, but Cesaro caught him, then hit a gutbuster for a two count.
Cesaro went for Three Amigos. Before the third Amigo, Rey blocked it, then hit a hurricanrana. He followed up with a 619, then hit a Canadian Destroyer for the pin.
This was a solid match, but I would like to ban chinlocks. Everyone learn some new holds.
**********
Back in the Firefly Funhouse, a cherubic Bray Wyatt was shown hanging a photo of Rollins on his wall.
**********
The announcers plugged the upcoming WWE Draft, and promised an end to the Wild Card Rule, then threw to a hype video for the Authors of Pain. This was an excellent vignette.
**********
Bayley and Sasha Banks, who owns zero bad ring jackets, entered for their match.
It’s… BOSS TIME.
SASHA BANKS & BAYLEY DEFEATED ALEXA BLISS & NIKKI CROSS
Bliss and Bayley started the match. Bliss worked on Bayley’s left arm, then hit her double knees-standing moonsault combo.
Bliss hit a code red out of the corner. Bayley rolled outside, and Banks went to check on her. Bliss took both out with a flip dive off the apron. Bliss sold as though she injured her leg on the landing.
Bliss tagged Cross, and Bayley cut her off with a knee lift right away. Bayley and Banks used quick tags, working over Cross. Banks hit a vertical suplex for a nearfall on Cross, then kicked Bliss for good measure.
Banks missed a knee drop in the corner. Bayley and Bliss fought on the floor, where Bayley sent Bliss’s injured leg into the steps. Banks continued working over Cross inside.
After a commercial, Bayley had Cross in a chinlock. The announcers explained that Bliss was taken to the back for medical attention.
Banks used Bayley as a springboard and hit a splash in the corner. They looked to repeat the move with Bayley delivering the move this time, but Cross used Banks a springboard instead. That was the idea, at least. Cross slipped jumping off of Banks.
Cross made a comeback. She trapped Banks in the ring skirt, then sent Bayley into the barricade. Cross hit a crossbody off the top for a nearfall. Cross hit some forearm strikes, then hit a bulldog.
Cross hit a dropkick to Banks, freeing her from the ring skirt. Cross hit Bayley with a tornado DDT, then hit her draping neckbreaker. She covered, but Banks made the save.
Banks tagged in. Cross used a cradle for a nearfall. Banks hit a backstabber, then used the Bank Statement, and Cross tapped out.
This was sloppy in places, but everyone worked hard, and overall I would call it a good match, but the crowd didn’t care.
After the match, Banks grabbed a chair. She teased using it on Cross. Becky Lynch ran down with a chair for the save.
Banks and Lynch had a sword fight with their chairs. Bayley jumped in with a chair. Charlotte tiptoed to the ring in the highest heels I’ve ever seen. Bayley went after Flair. Flair hit her with a big boot, then used the chair on Bayley.
Back inside, Lynch ducked a chair shot, then sent Banks packing with a chair shot. The crowd came alive and chanted for Lynch.
**********
Banks cut a promo on Lynch in the locker room area. She said that she’s the talk of the division, and she’s cashing the winner’s check. She challenged Lynch to a rematch at Hell in a Cell, “…that is, unless you’re man enough to accept.” Obviously she misspoke and should have said “unless you’re NOT man enough to accept.”
I feel bad pointing out a flubbed line on live TV.
Banks recovered and ended the promo strongly with a “Your move, bitch.”
I don’t make it a secret that Banks is my favorite wrestler. I may be biased, but I liked the promo.
**********
R-TRUTH DEFEATED MAYOR JACOBS TO WIN THE 24/7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Truth rolled up Jacobs as he arrived at the building, and regained the title. Jacobs teased firing up and becoming Kane, as he grabbed Truth by the throat. Truth talked him down, and they walked into the building together.
**********
The announcers threw to a backstage promo by Lynch.
Lynch said she loved going to war with Banks last night. Lynch said that Banks brought Hell in a Cell into their business, just like she brought a chair into their business. Just like she used the chair against Banks, Lynch promised to use the cell against her.
Lynch said she’s not interested in facing Banks at Hell in a cell, but she is interested in destroying Banks in Hell in a Cell.
I don’t make it a secret that Lynch is my second favorite wrestler. I may be biased, but I liked this promo too.
They are doing little things to differentiate this feud from the rest of the gaga on the show, right down to having these two deliver their promos straight to the camera instead of to a backstage interviewer. Good stuff.
**********
LACEY EVANS DEFEATED DANA BROOKE
Evans threw her skirt at Brooke at the opening bell. Brooke overcame the distraction and hit a handspring back elbow in the corner.
Evans rolled outside. Brooke hit chops on the floor. Evans used a leg sweep and a slingshot dropkick. Brooke came back with clotheslines and a bodyslam.
Evans used a hair pull, then hit the Woman’s Right. She then used a Sharpshooter, which sent a message to Natalya. Brooke tapped out.
They kept this short, and it was fine. The crowd was so quiet that you could hear a single heckler yelling.
**********
The announcers plugged NXT on USA on Wednesday. Seth Rollins was shown warming up in the back. The main event is up next.
**********
SETH ROLLINS DEFEATED ROBERT ROODE BY DQ
This was an above average Raw match.
They started with some basic tackles, dropdowns, leapfrogs and armdrags. Rollins used an armbar, a bodyslam, and a knee drop. Roode cut Rollins off with a knee to the midsection.
Rollins sent Roode outside, but Ziggler distracted him. Rollins overcame the first distraction. Ziggler then distracted him again, and Rollins was not smart enough to pay attention to his opponent. Instead, he focused on Ziggler.
Roode knocked Rollins off the apron, sending him flying into the barricade. Ziggler hit a cheap shot while Roode took the ref. Rollins was on the floor selling as we went to commercial.
Roode used a waistlock, then a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Roode sent Rollins outside. Ziggler tried a superkick, but Rollins ducked it and hit his own superkick.
Rollins sent Roode into the barricade. Back inside, Rollins hit slingblade. They did a couple of teases. Rollins blocked a DDT, while Roode avoided a springboard knee.
Rollins hit a falcon arrow for a nearfall. Cole said that the fans were looking to “will Rollins back into this match” as we was firmly in control and climbing the ropes to deliver an offensive move.
Roode attempted to cut Rollins off. He teased a superplex, but Rollins dropped him face-first to the mat. Rollins hit a superkick, which is the setup for the Curb Stomp.
Rollins hit the Stomp. He covered, but Ziggler broke up the pin for the DQ. So, Braun can make three tag champs look like dweebs, but the champion of the universe can’t pin one of the tag champs? You hate to see it.
Ziggler and Rollins had a back and forth fight in the ring. A.J. Styles and The OC ran down, and it became 4-on1 against Rollins. It would have been 5-on-1, but Roode was still selling the Stomp.
Styles laid out Rollins with a Styles Clash. Roode woke up and it became 5-on-1.
Kane’s music played, and he lumbered to the ring, where the 52 year old mayor then beat up five men by himself.
After clearing the ring, Kane teased shooting fire from the ring posts… but The Fiend’s special effects started.
The Fiend used a Mandible Claw on Kane, sending himm rolling to the floor.
The Fiend then focused on Rollins. Did he attack him? No. Did he stare at him? Yes.
The show ended with a distorted version of the Firefly Funhouse graphics and theme song.