WWE Raw live results: Number one contender’s fatal five-way
Date: September 23, 2019
Location: Chase Center in San Francisco, CA
The Big Takeaway —
Rey Mysterio won a 5-way elimination match to earn a Universal title match against Seth Rollins on next week’s “season premiere” of Raw. It was the highlight of what was otherwise a lameduck show.
Rollins was once again frozen in fear at the mere sight of Bray Wyatt, who appeared in the main event to take out Braun Strowman. Strowman actually tried to fight back, but Wyatt put him down a second time as Rollins just sat there and watched.
Next week’s show will also include MizTV with guests Hulk Hogan (whose name was booed tonight) and Ric Flair. Brock Lesnar will also appear.
Show Recap —
The signature video that airs before the show was altered by Bray Wyatt, which then bled into a recap of what happened between Wyatt and Seth Rollins.
Rollins came out to start the show. Rollins said he has seen a lot over the last seven years that he’s been here, but has never felt what he felt like last week before. After getting attacked by five guys, he had the living embodiment of a nightmare in front of his face. All he could do is close his eyes and hope it was a bad dream he could wake up from.
But it wasn’t a dream and it gets worse because, at Hell in a Cell, he has to defend the title against Wyatt. Rollins said he would do what he always does — survive and prevail. Rollins spoke about surviving and prevailing against both Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman recently.
Strowman interrupted. He wanted Rollins to say that to his face. He also blamed Rollins for losing the tag titles and accused him of being afraid to fight him again. Rollins basically said he wasn’t afraid of Strowman, he just had a lot of his plate with two upcoming title defenses, both against Wyatt at HIAC and on Raw next week. This eventually led to Rollins challenging Strowman to a match, and he accepted. (The match was made official after a break.)
This wasn’t good. I don’t care that Rollins flubbed a couple of lines, he had a long script, but he basically admitted he was afraid of the Fiend.
The Viking Raiders defeated Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (w/US Champion AJ Styles) (10:44)
Michael Cole said, “Are you guys ready to join the raid?!” as the Viking Raiders entered (the way he yells “It’s boss time” when Sasha Banks enters). The OC have new music.
The Raiders were in control until Ivar got distracted by Styles. The referee kicked Styles from ringside. As he left, Cedric Alexander attacked him on the stage and chased him to the back.
After a break, the OC were in control. Ivar used a senton on Gallows, then tagged in Erik who ran wild on Anderson before tagging Ivar back in. Erik slammed Ivar into Anderson for a nearfall. Gallows pulled Ivar from the ring, then Anderson gave Erik a spinebuster for two. The OC followed with the Boot of Doom but Erik kicked out.
Erik fought out of a Magic Killer, then Ivar tagged in and they gave Anderson a Viking Experience. Erik took out Gallows with a dive and Ivar pinned Anderson for the win. The crowd got more into the Viking Raiders as the match went on and popped for the win.
Charly Caruso asked Robert Roode why he thought he could win tonight’s match. Roode was mad at the question and noted that he already beat Rollins when they won the tag titles. He said tonight’s result would be glorious.
During the previous match, there was a commercial in Canada for Smackdown moving to Fridays and they use a voiceover of Byron Saxton calling it the premiere show in WWE.
There was a commercial later for Total Divas with Ronda Rousey. Among the clips they used was Sonya Deville calling herself the first openly gay woman in WWE.
Becky Lynch sit-down interview
Cole interviewed Lynch. Lynch said she wanted Banks at her best. She said she left Smackdown’s women’s division in good shape before moving to Raw, where the division was in shambles after Rousey ran through everyone. Lynch knew she couldn’t make history on her own which is why she called out everyone, especially Banks.
Cole told her that there has only been one women’s HIAC match and Banks was in it. Lynch said Banks didn’t win that match and couldn’t wait to be in the cell with her. Lynch said Banks wasn’t just trying to fight her when she came back, she was trying to end her with all those chair shots. Lynch said Banks will get her chance at HIAC and she better take it. This was good.
Rusev defeated EC3 (1:41)
The match started with a “we want Lana” chant, which Corey Graves acknowledged. Rusev won quickly by submission after a superkick and Accolade.
Backstage, Rey Mysterio said this business has been his entire life and he overcame a moment of serious doubt thanks to his son Dominick. Mysterio dedicated the match to him.
Sasha Banks (w/SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley) defeated Women’s Tag Team Champion Nikki Cross (w/Alexa Bliss) (15:36)
They kept calling this a big match for Cross and a win would be perhaps the biggest of her career. Cross was in control for the first few minutes. She applied a sleeper on the outside but Banks dropped her back-first against the mats and they went to break.
[Second hour]
Banks was in control after the break and hit a double knee strike for a two count. Cross came back with forearm strikes, a running charge and bulldog for two. Banks again used a double knee strike again for two. Banks worked over the leg but Cross fought back and launched her into the turnbuckle. Cross then gave Banks a crossbody off the apron to the outside.
Cross yanked Banks over the middle rope, then used a neckbreaker for two. Banks used a baseball slide, but Cross then caught her between the ring and the skirt and clubbed away at her. Cross nailed her with the swinging neckbreaker but Bayley hopped on the apron as a distraction. Bliss then took out Bayley.
Cross went for a flying crossbody but Banks rolled through into the crossface for the submission win. Banks kicked Cross after the match, then attacked Bliss before she could make the save. The crowd was quiet for most of the match but got into the finish. The story was that Cross was Banks’ equal and should have won.
The OC had a meeting backstage. I guess Styles escaped Alexander at some point.
WWE congratulated themselves on having a lot of Facebook followers.
They announced that Lesnar will appear on Raw’s season premiere next week. Looks like there’s a new Raw logo too.
The Street Profits spoke backstage until they were interrupted by The Miz. Miz announced the birth of his and Marye’s second child, which the crowd cheered. He also announced MizTV next week with Hulk Hogan (who was booed) and Ric Flair.
They aired a clip of Lesnar attacking Kofi Kingston and plugged their Smackdown match on October 4th. On Smackdown tomorrow, Daniel Bryan speaks to Roman Reigns face-to-face.
Lacey Evans defeated Ember Moon (5:32)
Enemy number one in Canada Lacey Evans taunted Moon at the start so Moon kicked her in the neck. Evans took over by simply shoving Moon against the mat and kicking her out of the ring. Moon fought out of a rest hold and hit a Samoan drop. Moon then ducked a “women’s right” and hit a series of strikes.
With Evans on the outside, there was a cool spot where Moon was hanging upside down, using her feet to hold on to the bottom rope, then grabbed Evans and gave her a stunner. However, she only got a two count in the ring. Moon went to the top but Evans caught her with the “women’s right.” Evans then applied a Sharpshooter for the submission win.
Natalya told Sarah Schrieber that if Evans wanted to fight, she better be prepared to tap out.
Firefly Fun House
Wyatt hanged an empty picture frame on his wall to go with the pictures of Rollins, Kane, Kurt Angle, Jerry Lawler, Finn Bálor and Mick Foley. He said there’s always room for one more. The pig and rabbit puppets fought over a Rollins toy figure.
Wyatt said you shouldn’t get too attached to anything and he knew what it was like to be abandoned by those he cared about most. Wyatt said Rollins doesn’t like to share but thought his puppet friends could share. He ripped the Rollins toy in half. “See you in hell.”
The announcers put over last week’s NXT show.
R-Truth and Carmella sprinted to the ring and the usual losers ran after them. Before the group could attack, Carmella begged them to stop. She said this was consuming her life as she couldn’t eat or sleep. She then rolled up Truth to win the title, which got a good reaction.
Truth raised her hand as the others looked on. Sarah Logan, Billie Kay, Dana Brooke and Tamina ran out, so Carmella and Truth ran away through the crowd.
Backstage, Sami Zayn hyped up Shinsuke Nakamura until Nakamura cut him off in Japanese. Zayn apologized and settled down.
Chad Gable defeated Baron Corbin via DQ (14:52)
Corbin came out wearing custom king gear — a black crown, black scepter, and black leather cape with fur. He still wrestled in slacks and a tank top. Corbin told Gable that tonight’s match would be short and after tonight, he will no longer be facing anyone under 5’5”.
Corbin launched Gable over the barricade into two plants (people) and they went to break three minutes into the match.
[Third hour]
After the break, Gable seemed to be mounting a comeback until Corbin cut him off with a running elbow. Gable came back later with a springboard crossbody and strikes, but Corbin cut him off again, this time with a boot.
Gable fired back with three consecutive rolling back kicks and went to the top, but Corbin grabbed him and slammed him down. Gable countered a chokeslam into a sunset flip cover for two, then Corbin hit the chokeslam for a nearfall. The crowd got into it and began chanting “Chad, Chad, Chad.”
Gable avoided a double axe handle, then hit a German suplex and moonsault for a nearfall. The crowd chanted for Gable who countered an End of Days into an ankle lock. Corbin fought for the ropes, then grabbed his scepter and clocked Gable with it for the DQ.
Corbin continued the attack as the crowd booed (Gable was bleeding from the mouth a bit, which made it look better). The crowd really got into Gable here and it’s the loudest they’ve been all night.
There was a new AOP promo. This was different. It began with AOP sitting down and speaking as they did last week, then they got up in the middle of it, left the locker room and went down the hallway where they found and attacked Heath Slater and one other person (I didn’t notice who it was). The camera went black for a moment, then came back on and AOP were back in their seats. AOP said they just showed why nobody wants to face them.
Rey Mysterio defeated Ricochet, Robert Roode, US Champion AJ Styles and Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura (w/Sami Zayn) in a 5-way elimination match to become number one contender for the Universal Championship
It was randomly announced as the wrestlers entered that this was an elimination match. Ricochet did a lame interview before the match. Graves wondered where Ziggler was.
Ricochet and Mysterio had a brief staredown but were interrupted before they could interact. Mysterio dove on Styles and Ricochet dove on Namakura, then they went to break one minute into the match.
Styles and Roode stared each other down which led to a brief “TNA” chant. They worked together for a moment until Roode tried to attack Styles, but Styles gave him a Pelé kick. Nakamura kicked away at Ricochet until Ricochet caught him with an enziguri. Mysterio took out Nakamura with a seated senton.
Mysterio and Ricochet finally went at it and the crowd buzzed somewhat. Ricochet countered a DDT into a suplex for two. Styles attacked Ricochet but Ricochet caught him with a dropkick. Ricochet gave Roode a springboard clothesline and Recoil, but Nakamura flew in and gave Ricochet a Kinsasha for the pinfall. Nakamura eliminates Ricochet (9:43).
The crowd seemed surprised that Ricochet was out first. After a break, there was a tower of doom spot where Roode powerbombed Styles and Nakamura as they suplexed Mysterio. Roode tried for covers on each guy but they all kicked out. Nakamura caught Roode with a kick and a knee strike off the middle rope for a nearfall.
Styles and Nakamura tried strikes, which Namakura got the better of, leading to a two count. Mysterio gave Nakamura a 619 but Styles gave Mysterio a brainbuster on the apron. Styles then gave Nakamura a Phenomenal forearm for the pinfall. Styles eliminates Nakamura (17:47).
Roode then flew in and gave Styles a Glorious DDT for the pinfall. Roode eliminates Styles (18:03).
The crowd really got behind Mysterio as Roode sized him up. Mysterio went for a 619 but Roode caught him with a spinebuster for a nearfall. Mysterio countered a DDT and hit a 619 followed by a frog splash for the pinfall win. Mysterio eliminates Roode and wins the match (20:21).
This was fun. The crowd was very happy that Mysterio won. It’s Mysterio vs. Rollins for the title next week.
Backstage, Rollins told Caruso that facing Mysterio was a dream match. He knew he still had to also face Wyatt and face Strowman tonight. It sounded like he was complaining about having to wrestle too many matches. He said he would beat them all and burn it down.
They plugged next week’s show and announced Bliss vs. Banks.
Non-title match: Universal Champion Seth Rollins vs. Braun Strowman
Strowman was in full control and they went to break 90 seconds into the match. After the break, Rollins avoided a running charge but still ate a headbutt. Rollins avoided a charge again and sent Strowman shoulder-first into the post. Rollins then chop-blocked him and drove his leg into the post. Rollins followed with a flying knee and superkick but barely got a one count.
Rollins nailed a blockbuster off the top for two. Rollins followed with consecutive frog splashes for a nearfall. Rollins slipped out of a powerslam attempt and hit consecutive dives. He went for a third (and almost tripped) but Strowman caught him and slammed him against the edge of the ring. Strowman then ran over Rollins with running shoulder tackles.
Strowman gave Rollins a powerslam on the floor and rolled him into the ring. Instead of going for a cover, Strowman just stared at him for a while. He picked him up for another powerslam attempt when the lights began to go out.
Wyatt appeared and put Strowman down with the mandible claw. Wyatt turned his attention to Rollins who once again backed into the corner and yelled as he became frozen. Strowman actually got to his knees and tried to attack but Wyatt put him down again with the mandible claw.
Rollins had ample opportunity to get up and attack, or maybe leave, but instead, he just looked on, frozen in fear. The lights went out, Wyatt’s laugh played over the speakers, and the show ended.