WWE Raw live results: Rousey & Natalya vs. Jax & Tamina

Date: December 3, 2018
Location: Toyota Center in Houston, TX

The Big Takeaway —

Drew McIntyre suffered his first pinfall loss at the hands of Dolph Ziggler, with help from Finn Balor.

Show Recap —

They started the show with a 10-bell salute for George H. W. Bush. 

Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey & Natalya vs. Nia Jax & Tamina

As if they would start Raw with a wrestling match. With all four wrestlers in the ring ready to go, the Riott Squad’s music hit and they marched down the ramp with a table. As they did, Jax and Tamina attacked Rousey and Natalya. Jax and Tamina took care of Rousey, while the Riott Squad took out Natalya.

Rousey tried to fight back but was taken out with a leg drop by Jax. Ruby Riott then superkicked Natalya off the apron into a double powerbomb by Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan through a table outside the ring. Rousey and officials checked on Natalya as the crowd booed and the heels backed away.

They went to commercial and this was all within the first 8 minutes into the show. In a vacuum, this was a perfectly good beat-down segment. 

Backstage, Rousey helped Natalya walk through the back. All the officials just left? Rousey called for help and a couple of trainers showed up immediately to assist Natalya. 

Open Forum with Sasha Banks and Bayley

Alexa Bliss came out and wanted to try to open forum again because last weeks didn’t go according to plan. She introduced Banks and Bayley as Michael Cole and Renee Young accused Bliss of setting up the attack last week.

Bayley asked Bliss how long it would take for them to get attacked again. Bliss said she had no idea that was going to happen and has already reprimanded Alicia Fox, Mickie James and Dana Brooke. A fan asked the first question, asking what they thought of rumours that Banks was just using Bayley. They brushed this off and said they’ll be partners forever.

The next fan asked who their dream opponents would be and they answered Trish and Lita (at WrestleMania) at the same time. The next fan asked what their superpower would be, and Bayley said she would make Bliss disappear.

Another fan asked what changes they would bring to the division. Bayley said they want to be the first-ever women’s tag team champions, which got a modest pop. Fox, James and Brooke ran out, presumably to attack, but Banks saw them coming and Bliss demanded they stop. Instead, Bliss put them in a tag match. 

Bayley & Sasha Banks defeated Alicia Fox & Mickie James (w/Dana Brooke)

Banks gave James a backstabber and Bayley followed with Bayley-to-belly for the fairly quick win. The match was under five minutes.

Tonight is Drew McIntyre appreciation night. 

Rousey confronted Bliss backstage and said the Riott Squad crossed the line. Bliss said she sent them home and would address their actions next week. Rousey wanted Jax and Tamina tonight. Bliss offered to find her a new partner, but Rousey said Bliss didn’t have a conscience and would find her own partner.

A Corbin propaganda video package aired. They cut backstage to Corbin who was approached by Bobby Roode and Chad Gable, who wanted a rematch with AOP.

Corbin said they lost, so they’re owed nothing. However, they could get that match of Roode could beat Drave Maverick tonight. Roode chuckled and wondered what the catch was. Corbin said there was no catch, but Gable and AOP were banned from ringside. 

3-on-1 handicap match: Lucha House Party defeated Scott Dawson (w/Dash Wilder) (2:37)

Dawson cut a promo before the match, similar to last week, and said he would teach Lucha House Party a lesson in singles action. JoJo then announced the match would take place under Lucha House rules. Dawson and Wilder were again surprised to hear this.

Kalisto gave Dawson a Salida Del Sol and Gran Metalik won with a springboard senton. Corey Graves yelled about how ridiculous this was throughout the match as Cole tried to justify it. 

Smackdown tomorrow has a Women’s title contract signing and MizTV with Daniel Bryan. 

Drew McIntyre Appreciation Night

Graves plugged TLC, saying we’ll get to see Braun Strowman forfeit a match, and Cole plugged it like that’s completely normal and let us know it was in two weeks.

Corbin was in the ring and put over his journey to the top. The crowd booed and chanted “you suck.” He mentioned some bumps in the road along the way, like dealing with the Shield, Finn Balor, Kurt Angle and Braun Strowman, but things have been pain-free lately. He credited Drew McIntyre and played a video package for him.

McIntyre came out and Corbin had a gift for him. It was a gold medal. The “gold medal of excellence” to be exact. McIntyre said he did what no one else could. He wanted to eradicate complacency in the locker room. When he arrived a few months ago, guys were in the back playing video games, replying to fans on social media.

McIntyre wanted to reform Raw in his image, for those who were strong and mighty. McIntyre said Finn Balor likes to think of himself as a voice for the people, but he was a boy in a man’s world.

As he spoke about what he would do to Balor at TLC, Dolph Ziggler interrupted. Ziggler wondered if McIntyre had a memory problem. He didn’t see himself in McIntyre’s video package. He said they dominated together and wondered if maybe his invitation was lost in the mail. McIntyre said, “the truth is, you were never invited.”

McIntyre said Ziggler didn’t meet the height requirement. McIntyre said Ziggler was never the brains. McIntyre himself was the brawn and the brains, he was the whole damn package. He said Ziggler’s only role was to get him into a prominent position, then added, “you succeeded for once in your life.”

McIntyre sarcastically thanked him and told him to leave. McIntyre said he’s the reason Ziggler was relevant for the first time in ten years. Ziggler attacked and gave him a Zig-Zag. He was about to leave, so Corbin put them in a match… up next. 

Dolph Ziggler defeated Drew McIntyre

The match started during a break and McIntyre was in control when they came back. Ziggler tried a leaping DDT but McIntyre turned it into a suplex. McIntyre grabbed a mic and said that maybe he did still have a soft spot for Ziggler, so he would treat him like he was someone he didn’t like and pretend that he was Finn Balor.

McIntyre drove him into the side of the ring and barricade. Balor walked out onto the stage and they went to break. After the break, Ziggler was fighting back, but McIntyre cut him off and hit a reverse Alabama slam (which was missed by the director because the camera was on Balor).

Ziggler managed to hit a leaping DDT and then sent McIntyre to the outside. The crowd actually got behind him a bit and chanted “let’s go Ziggler.” McIntyre cut him off with a headbutt and crotched him on the barricade as the referee watched.

McIntyre slid Ziggler into the ring and Ziggler collided with the referee. With the ref temporarily distracted, Balor dropkicked McIntyre into the barricade. McIntyre just barely beat the ten count, but upon entering the ring, Ziggler caught him with a superkick for the pinfall win. McIntyre lost. 

Cole said he thought that was McIntyre’s first pinfall or submission loss since returning to WWE. The crowd did cheer for Ziggler’s win, but this didn’t come across like that of a big a deal. 

Backstage, Caruso asked McIntyre if it was smart to ditch his friend Ziggler when other superstars were after him. McIntyre was pissed and said Ziggler was never his friend, he was a means to an end.

McIntyre called the win tainted and said Ziggler has been living off potential for ten years. Ziggler’s been trying to reach the top of the mountain, but McIntyre was the mountain and he would come crashing down on Ziggler. He also said Balor was a marked man.

Elias was in the ring and cut his usual promo. He said he was looking for Bobby Lashley so he could wrap a guitar around his head. He was about to play a song but was interrupted by Lio Rush and Lashley on the stage. Rush directed Lashley to pose, so he did, including the one where he bends down so we can see his ass.

Elias saw enough, so he went after Lashley. Elias drove Lashley into the video board then chased Rush away. He chased after Lashley who crawled to the back and Elias had to pretend he wasn’t fast enough to catch him.

Elias came back out where he found Rush, who was pushed back onto the stage by Balor. Elias smashed the guitar over Rush’s back as Balor looked on smiling. 

Backstage, Jinder Mahal told Corbin he could take out Balor for him tonight. Corbin liked the idea. After Mahal left, Corbin was then joined by Heath Slater and Rhyno. Corbin said he’s been punching the numbers and there was only enough room for one of them on Raw.

Corbin said one of them could quit and make it easy. Slater didn’t want to quit because he has kids (the crowd laughed) and Rhyno said he worked hard to get where he is. Corbin put them in a match with their jobs on the line. 

3-on-2 handicap match: AOP & Drave Maverick defeated Chad Gable & Bobby Roode (3:32)

It started as Roode vs. Maverick, but quickly into the match, AOP were shown on the big screen beating up Gable backstage. Corbin showed up and announced it was actually a 3-on-2 handicap match and it was already underway. AOP left.

Roode gave Maverick a Glorious DDT and frantically went for a cover, but AOP ran in and broke it up. AOP worked him over for a bit until Gable gingerly walked to the ring. AOP cut him off and gave them a supercollider. They tagged in Maverick so he could pin Roode. 

They congratulated John Cena on winning the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award. 

Dean Ambrose promo

Sirens went off and red and blue lights flashed. Six guys wearing tactical vests and gas masks marched out. Dean Ambrose’s music hit and he came out, also wearing a gas mask. (The sirens kept going off alongside Ambrose’s music.)

Ambrose spoke with the gas mask on. He also wore a brown leather jacket, not unlike the jacket Bane wore in Dark Knight Rises. Ambrose made a crack about Houston, then took off the mask. Ambrose said it was easy to get Seth Rollins riled up. He called Rollins needy and emotional, just like the fans.

Ambrose said he used to be proud of the Shield, but after a while, all Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns cared about was being a role model for the fans. The crowd chanted for Rollins. Ambrose said he’s the only one who hasn’t changed, he has remained constant.

Ambrose called himself the moral compass of WWE. Ambrose said the fans probably didn’t know what that meant because the schools in Houston aren’t too good. He said that Rollins would lose control at TLC, but not to worry, because the IC title would fall into his hands.

Rollins’ music hit and some of the fake swat guys matched up the ramp. Rollins appeared from behind and took out a few of the swat guys. He then powerbombed one guy out of the ring onto four other guys. Rollins then went after Ambrose in the crowd.

Rollins was all over him until Ambrose clocked him with the (plastic) gas mask. Ambrose hammered away at him then gave him on a Dirty Deeds on the black mats. Renee Young said, “we’ve seen Dean Ambrose come unhinged before, but what we’re getting from him now is next level.”

The swat guys shoved Rollins back in the ring so Ambrose could give him another Dirty Deeds. A child wanted a high five from Ambrose. He didn’t get it. 

After a break, Graves pestered Young to tell us more about Ambrose and stopped short of telling her to “do your job.” It ended with Young telling him, “Listen, no one is entitled to know what goes on behind closed doors between husband and wife. How dare you.”

After taking a powerbomb through a table onto the floor, they announced Natalya had an injured… arm. Backstage, Caruso informed Jax and Tamina that Rousey’s partner tonight would be Ember Moon. Jax and Tamina tried to intimidate Caruso and said Caruso being Rousey’s partner would be just as ridiculous as Moon.

Jax said the only reason they attacked Rousey from behind was so they didn’t have to see her face. Jax said they would have to see her face tonight, so they would rearrange it, just like she did to Becky Lynch. Jax then screamed into the mic, which surely blew out a few speakers. Jax said she would regain her title at TLC. 

Heath Slater defeated Rhyno (1:06)

Cole thought it was ridiculous that Graves was crunching numbers during the show. I guess Cole has never had a real job. Slater and Rhyno came out together and argued on their way down.

As soon as the match started, Rhyno clocked Slater as the crowd chanted “he’s got kids.” As Rhyno worked him over, Slater suddenly hit a neckbreaker for the pinfall win. Rhyno was stunned. Slater looked on in concern for his friend. 

Backstage, Corbin congratulated Slater on the win and said he was glad to have him on Raw. Slater was grateful, but wanted to know what he could do for Rhyno. Corbin didn’t care about Rhyno and told Slater to get into uniform. Slater didn’t know what he was talking about, then Corbin presented him with a referee shirt. Corbin said he could have a long career as a referee. The crowd gasped when they saw the shirt. 

Finn Balor defeated Jinder Mahal (w/Singh Brothers) (7:26)

After a few chin locks and a commercial break, Balor came back with a double foot stomp, enziguri, slingblade and running dropkick. Sunil distracted the referee, so Samir pushed Balor off the top. Apollo Crews ran out to take out the Singhs. Cole said, “look who’s here, Apollo Crews!” and Graves responded, “why!?”

Mahal kicked Crews to save his friends, then Balor wiped him out with a flip dive. Balor followed with a dropkick and Coup de Grace for the win. 

Caruso was about to interview Balor backstage, but McIntyre attacked him from behind. He beat the hell out of Balor until referees stepped in. McIntyre backed off, then continued the beating until more officials jumped in.

Lars Sullivan video. 

Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey & Ember Moon defeated Nia Jax & Tamina

Rousey marched out with a stern demeanor. Jax and Tamina attacked Rousey before Moon’s entrance, then Moon sprinted out to make the save. Moon hit Tamina with a crossbody, then gave Jax a Codebreaker and Rousey knocked Jax out of the ring. Moon gave Tamina sliding kick and Rousey knocked down Jax with a forearm strike off the apron.

With ten minutes left in the show, they went to commercial. After the break, the heels were in control but Moon fought back on Tamina. Jax distracted the referee allowing Tamina to hit a superkick. Moon went for a tag but Jax knocked Rousey off the apron.

Moon dodged a charge and Tamina knocked Jax off the apron. Rousey made the hot tag and hit three consecutive clotheslines. Rousey kicked Tamina into the corner and told Jax to tag in. Tamina tagged out, but Jax tagged her right back in, which brought some booing.

Rousey used strikes on Tamina. She went for a step up enziguri (I think) but completely missed and Tamina sold it anyway. Rousey kicked Jax out of the ring, Moon gave Tamina an Eclipse and Rousey applied the armbar for the submission win. This wasn’t good. Moon stuck out as being the best of the bunch.