WWE Raw live results: Number one contender’s match
Date: December 28, 2020
Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL
The Big Takeaway —
RIP Jon Huber / Brodie Lee.
Show Recap —
The show opened with a memorial graphic for “Luke Harper” Jon Huber.
Tom Phillips welcomed us with a version of Huber’s famous phrase: “It’s Monday and you know what that means.”
Drew McIntyre entered. He started with, “It’s Monday. You know what that means. Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
McIntyre spoke about his year and thanked the fans for actually making him the chosen one. He noted that he would be defending the title next week on Legends Night against either Sheamus or Keith Lee.
Sheamus entered. Sheamus said he technically kept his word last week when he said he wouldn’t touch Lee during the match. He didn’t do it until after the match. Sheamus said they were so close to getting the dream match they always wanted.
McIntyre said they’d make everyone uncomfortable with how physical it would get. Sheamus said he would kick Lee’s head off again and they would kick the year off the right way.
Lee interrupted. Lee thought McIntyre looked proud of Sheamus for what he did. Lee no longer trusted either of them. Lee said he would force an apology out of Sheamus during their match and warned McIntyre that Sheamus would just stab him in the back. Sheamus was sick of Lee accusing him of planning on turning on McIntyre.
McIntyre was sick of them talking and called out a referee to start this match now. A ref entered. McIntyre told them that he would be champion after next week no matter what.
Lee confronted McIntyre but Sheamus quickly Brogue kicked him twice. A ref checked on Lee as they went to break.
Keith Lee defeated Sheamus (12:54)
McIntyre joined commentary. He said both he and Lee should have seen that attack coming.
Sheamus worked over Lee until Lee grabbed him and suplexed him over the top to the outside. Lee tossed him around ringside before chucking him back in the ring. Sheamus caught Lee with a knee strike before he could re-enter the ring. Sheamus followed with a double axe handle off the top rope to the outside (which led to a break less than 5 minutes into the match).
They fought back-and-forth after the break. Lee took the advantage after tackling Sheamus as he came off the top. They seemed to mess up a spot where Lee hit a tackle but it’s possible Lee thought Sheamus was going to counter. Sheamus did fight back for a moment but Lee came back with a much more emphatic crossbody for two.
Sheamus managed to hit White Noise for a nearfall. Sheamus smacked Lee in the face before Lee no-sold getting headbutted. Lee followed with a big Spirit Bomb for the pinfall win.
McIntyre vs. Lee for the WWE title next week. They had a staredown after the match.
Elias played guitar in the back with Jaxson Ryker by his side. Someone knocked on the door but Elias told Ryker to ignore it.
Gran Metalik (w/Lince Dorado) defeated The Miz (w/John Morrison) (3:24)
This match happened because Lucha House Party thought it was dumb that Miz thought he should get his MITB contract returned to him.
Miz was ranting during the match about the contract. Metalik made a comeback and used a sunset flip pin for the win. The story is that Miz is pissed about losing the contract and despondent after losing here.
Someone was still knocking on Elias’ door so Ryker opened it. Omos and AJ Styles barged in. Styles said Omos was trying to listen to Mozart while Styles himself was on the phone with WWE management trying to right the wrong of him unfairly losing his WWE title match. Styles couldn’t concentrate because of Elias’ guitar playing.
Styles said Elias was no Johnny Cash — he was more like Johnny Trash. Elias told Ryker that Styles was just upset about losing what might be one of the final chances that he has left at this stage of his career. Styles said they should fight tonight so he could break Elias’ fingers and no one would have to listen to him again.
Shayna Baszler defeated Dana Brooke (w/Mandy Rose) (4:20)
Baszler put down Brooke outside the ring with the Kirifuda Clutch. Instead of taking a sure countout win, Baszler went after Rose. Brooke made the save and hit a swinging neckbreaker for two. Baszler dodged a splash, hit a knee strike, and still got the win with the Kirifuda Clutch.
As Rose checked on Brooke after the match, the ref began freaking out because Baszler made her way back into the ring. Rose somehow didn’t notice this and Baszler put her down with the Kirifuda Clutch as well.
[Second hour]
Alexa’s Playground with guest Randy Orton
This segment was done in the ring which had a swingset and a slide. Bliss spoke like a child as she swung on the swingset. Bliss was happy that “he” built this set but she hasn’t seen him since the inferno match. (Bliss dropped a “yeah, yeah, yeah” in here as well.)
Bliss called out Randy Orton. Orton’s music played but he didn’t show. She had his music played again but he still didn’t show.
The Firefly Fun House music played and Orton emerged inside the Fun House set. Orton tossed around the puppets as he yelled at Bliss. He thought it was funny that she thought that the Fiend was coming back. But, if he was returning, Orton wanted to ensure that the Fiend had nothing left. Bliss panicked as Orton continued to destroy parts of the set.
Bliss begged him to stop as he ripped the head off the rabbit. Bliss challenged him to be in the ring with her tonight. Orton figured this was a ploy for the Fiend to return — so he accepted.
(I was trying not to be negative tonight but this was quite bad.)
They played a clip of Nia Jax attacking Charlotte Flair months ago. Charly Caruso interviewed Charlotte. Charlotte was ready for Jax but knew how dangerous she was. “If there’s one person I’m willing to bet on, it’s me.” Charlotte said her new year’s resolution was to climb to the top and stay there. Asuka entered and said Jax was not ready for Charlotte.
AJ Styles (w/Omos) defeated Elias (w/Jaxson Ryker) (14:02)
This went through a break. A few minutes after the break, Ryker walked toward Styles outside the ring but backed up and fell down upon seeing Omos. Styles kicked out of Elias’ finisher and knocked Elias off the top with a Pelé kick but Elias came back with a TKO for a nearfall.
Styles fought back with kicks and hit a Phenomenal forearm for the pinfall win.
They replayed Ricochet’s promo from last week’s Raw Talk.
Mustafa Ali (w/Retribution) defeated Ricochet (11:49)
About three minutes into the match, Slapjack and Mia Yim distracted the referee which allowed T-Bar and Mase to drop Ricochet outside the ring. The ref didn’t think anything of this, I guess. Ali followed with a damn frog splash off the top to the outside… which led to a break.
Ali hit a backstabber for two. Ricochet came back with a backflip into a German suplex. Ricochet turned Ali inside out with a clothesline and hit a Benadryller but Mase pulled Ali out of the ring, which was not a DQ. Ricochet fought off every male member of Retribution as the referee just watched.
Ricochet tried a shooting star press but Ali got his knees up and applied a Koji Clutch for the submission win. (Ricochet looked great but there was way too much outside interference.)
Ali asked Ricochet to join Retribution. Ricochet responded, “I will… not.” Ali was about to go after him but Ricochet hit Recoil and bailed from the ring.
Caruso interviewed Jax (with Baszler) about Charlotte. Jax had resolutions of her own: end Charlotte’s journey to the top before it starts, win back the tag titles, and enter the Rumble before going on to WrestleMania to win the title. Baszler was initially caught off guard by the Rumble announcement but told Caruso she liked the idea too.
[Third hour]
Caruso interviewed McIntyre. He wanted to give the legends a championship match that they would be proud of. He was also happy to see Lee step up his game. He knew Lee could beat anyone in WWE when motivated — except Drew McIntyre.
Tag Team Champion Charlotte Flair (w/Asuka) defeated Nia Jax (w/Shayna Baszler) via DQ (10:55)
I deleted my match recap when I saw the finish. Charlotte applied the Figure Four but Baszler put her in a Kirifuda Clutch for the DQ. Asuka chased off Baszler and Jax.
(There was a spot before a commercial break where Jax blocked a Figure Four attempt by yanking Charlotte into the corner which caused the back of her head to hit the turnbuckle.)
The Hurt Business bullied some guy in the back.
Angel Garza walked through the back with a rose. He stopped upon seeing a poster on the wall with the headline “Great Garza” (referring to former Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza). Caruso approached him for an interview and said it was great to see him again. Garza said he had a great year which included meeting Caruso. She asked about 2021.
Garza looked forward to the new year and thought he might introduce himself to the legendary women next week. She asked who the rose was for tonight. Truth ran into him because he was running away from Akira Tozawa, Erik and Drew Gulak. The rose was destroyed but Garza gave it to her anyway and said, “it’s the thought that counts.” She seemed disappointed.
They recapped Big E winning the Intercontinental title.
Jeff Hardy congratulated Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods on Big E winning the IC title. Riddle had ideas for their four-man team name including the “Positivity Hard Bros.” New Day backed away without answering and made their way to the ring. Hardy suggested “Rain-bros” to Riddle and he loved it. (I’d go with Non-Threatening Bros.)
Eight-man tag match: The Hurt Business defeated Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Jeff Hardy & Riddle (13:45)
Before the match, Bobby Lashley announced he was entering the Rumble match.
The good guys were in complete control but Hurt Business were in control (over Riddle) after a break. Kingston made a hot tag and ran wild on Cedric Alexander. Woods tagged in and Kingston took out Shelton Benjamin with a dive. Hardy wiped out MVP with a dive as Woods hit Alexander with a discus clothesline (which Phillips called a Harper clothesline).
Hardy seemed to have it won after a Swanton but Lashley broke up the cover. This led to everyone trading moves, leaving Lashley and Hardy alone in the ring. Hardy avoided a spear but Lashley got him in the Hurt Lock and Hardy tapped out again.
After the match, Hurt Business went after New Day but New Day fought back before escaping. Riddle hit Lashley with a knee strike before leaving with his partners.
Morrison tried consoling Miz by reminding him that even John Cena once lost to Kevin Federline. That didn’t make Miz feel any better. Adam Pearce showed up holding the MITB briefcase. Miz thought he was going to rub it in his face. Pearce said he would love to throw it in his face. Really hard. Instead, he was there to return it to Miz.
Pearce said they were right: Miz was not the one who technically cashed in, so it still belonged to him. So, Miz is still Mr. Money in the Bank. Miz and Morrison celebrated like they just won the championship.
Alexa Bliss / Randy Orton main event segment
Orton asked Bliss where the Fiend was. Bliss said this wasn’t about him, this was about her. She brought a Christmas present into the ring and opened it. It was gasoline and a box of matches. She placed them by Orton’s feet and challenged him to do to her what he did to the Fiend.
Orton didn’t bite so she created a trail with the gas to make it easier for him. She laid down in the ring and begged him to do it. He just stared at her.
Bliss said Orton didn’t have the guts to do it because he wasn’t as sick and demented as he says he is. She called him a little bitch. She dumped the gas over her body. Orton smirked.
Orton said, “you think I won’t do it?” Orton said he wanted to do it but also knew she wanted him to. He liked seeing people suffer.
The lights turned off. When they came back on, Orton lit a match. The announcers begged Orton not to do it (while remaining seated at their desk).
Orton smiled. He motioned as if he’d drop the match as they went off the air.