WWE Raw live results: Season premiere
Date: October 25, 2021
Location: Toyota Center in Houston, TX
The Big Takeaway —
A four-way ladder match was by far the highlight of Raw. Seth Rollins won the match over Kevin Owens, Finn Bálor and Rey Mysterio to earn a title shot against Big E.
It seemed like they would have a hot crowd but they got quiet very quickly and only got up for RK-Bro and the main event.
Becky Lynch defends her title against Bianca Belair next week.
Show Recap —
Raw kicked off with the intro video, which now includes the host city name, and a big fireworks display.
WWE Champion Big E came out to start the show. Big E was excited to have the season premiere of Raw in Houston — a place that gave us DJ Screw, Mitchell & Ness Oilers throwbacks and a Pappadeaux on every corner. The crowd cheered and chanted, “let’s go Astros.” Big E wished them luck. (They don’t need luck.)
Big E gave a shout-out to Xavier Woods for winning King of the Ring. Big E also gave credit to Drew McIntyre for making him a better champion. He wondered who was next. Seth Rollins interrupted. Rollins danced to his own music and Big E did the same.
Rollins was in a good mood and said Big E knew why he was out there. Big E laughed and said he lost to Edge. Rollins’ mood changed. He wanted the title. Big E again reminded him that he lost to Edge. Rollins said he went through hell and wondered if Big E wanted to be like Roman Reigns or be a fighting champion.
Rey Mysterio interrupted. Mysterio said Rollins must not be seeing right after Edge bashed his head in. He and Rollins have never seen “eye-to-eye” but it was him who deserved a title match instead. Mysterio ran down his accomplishments and said he would do whatever it takes to win the title one more time.
Finn Bálor came out next. Bálor had nothing but love for Mysterio but ran down his own accomplishments while also reminding Rollins that he was the first-ever Universal title. Bálor has never held the WWE Championship and he wants it.
Kevin Owens entered next. Owens wanted to play along and ran down his accomplishments too, including winning the Universal title right here in Houston over Rollins. Rollins attacked Owens but they fought him off and Rollins bailed before Owens could give him a stunner.
Sonya Deville entered (and was booed) and made a fatal four-way match to determine Big E’s next challenger. She remembered it was the season premiere and decided to make it a ladder match. Rollins was displeased.
This was the usual WWE opening segment but the crowd enjoyed it.
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The winner of the next match earns a tag title shot against RK-Bro tonight.
Triple threat match: Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler defeated The Street Profits and Alpha Academy (10:27)
They went to break less than three minutes into the match after Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins cleared the ring. With no explanation, Roode was in control over Ford after the break. Ziggler tried a Fameasser but Ford countered into a sit-out powerbomb. Otis pulled Ziggler into his corner and tagged himself in, but Ford dodged a charge and Otis went into the post.
Dawkins tagged in and ran wild on everyone. He gave Gable the Silencer (double-underhook neckbreaker) but Roode broke up the cover. Otis and Gable did a combo clothesline/German suplex but Ford broke up the cover with a frog splash on Gable before wiping out Otis with a dive.
Omos marched out so Ford tried a dive for some reason but Omos caught him and chucked him into the barricade. Roode and Ziggler gave Dawkins a combo spinebuster/Zig-Zag for the pinfall win.
Roode and Ziggler will face Randy Orton and Riddle for the titles tonight. (Riddle was shown clapping at the result but Orton gave him a look so Riddle tried to act serious.)
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Queen’s Crown coronation
Queen Zelina wasn’t happy with Mike Rome’s introduction so she made him do it again. She bragged about winning and said we should have seen this coming. She continued to brag and ended by saying, all hail Queen Zelina. The crowd didn’t care about this. (Vega used an English accent for some of her promo but not the whole thing, which was distracting.)
Queen Zelina defeated Doudrop (2:32)
Vega only got a nearfall after a Codebreaker so she resorted to removing the turnbuckle pad. As the referee tried fixing it, Vega hit Doudrop with the sceptre for the pinfall win.
This was as quiet as a crowd has been for something on Raw since they returned to live fans.
[Second Hour]
Becky Lynch promo
As Lynch entered, Jimmy Smith mentioned the “contentious” title exchange on Smackdown.
Lynch received a strong reaction. She was happy to be Raw Women’s Champion again and said nobody ever beat her for the title. She also overcame the odds in her triple threat match over Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair.
Lynch didn’t think anyone wanted to see Belair anywhere near her title. It was time for some of the other women, like Rhea Ripley or Liv Morgan. She said the fans hated Ripley so they must want Lynch to beat her.
Belair interrupted. She said she wasn’t the one who lost the triple threat match and Lynch had to resort to cheating to win. Belair has beaten Banks, Bayley, and Charlotte Flair (last week via DQ) and wanted Lynch next. Belair wanted to be the face of Raw.
Lynch figured Belair might say that so she showed pictures of their faces following their match on Thursday. Lynch said Belair’s sad face was the face of a loser. She said Belair has had a straight ride to the top because she wasn’t there to stop her, but now that she’s back, Belair hasn’t had much success.
Belair said it bothered Lynch that the fans were cheering for her because Lynch was still seeking validation. Lynch was nothing without the title and they both knew it. Belair wanted a match but Lynch told her, “get to the back of the line, bitch.”
Belair attacked Lynch. Lynch tried attacking with a kendo stick but Belair simply caught it and attacked her with it. Lynch escaped a KOD and gave Belair a Russian leg sweep using the kendo stick. Lynch accepted the match — just not for tonight.
The crowd seemed to like both women but they got quiet once Lynch started acting like a heel.
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Owens approached Bálor in the back. Owens said he respected few people as much as Bálor but he was going to do whatever it took to win. Bálor said it was every man for himself and was perfectly fine with that.
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They announced that WrestleMania would be two nights once again.
There was a graphic during the next match letting us know that Bearcat Lee was clawing his way to Raw tonight.
Non-title match: US Champion Damian Priest defeated T-Bar via DQ (2:39)
Priest has a new entrance, which is not an improvement.
They were having a competitive match until T-Bar chucked a leather chair at Priest for the DQ. This pissed off Priest who clotheslined T-Bar, dropped the chair on him and clobbered away until finishing him off with the Reckoning.
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Carmella called herself the diamond of WWE and talked about how good-looking she is.
Carmella defeated Liv Morgan (3:06)
Carmella wrestled in her mask. The crowd lightly chanted for Morgan who planted Carmella face-first into the announce desk but only got a two count with a roll-up in the ring. Carmella came right back with a facebuster for the pinfall win.
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Keith “Bearcat” Lee defeated Cedric Alexander (w/Shelton Benjamin) (2:27)
This was a squash match and Lee won with the Big Bang Catastrophe.
Lee has new music which starts with the roar of a bear. Lee also roars before entering the ring. The announcers are still calling him “Keith,” so his first name hasn’t been eliminated.
After the match, Benjamin sized up Lee as his back was turned but backed off once he turned around.
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Earlier tonight, Dominik approached Rey in the locker room. Rey said it’s been a while since he had a ladder match. Dominik was confident he could win.
Austin Theory approached and asked for a selfie with Rey before asking Dominik to take the picture. Dominik got in his face and said he wasn’t a photographer and this wasn’t Theory’s locker room. Theory challenged him to a match and he accepted.
Austin Theory defeated Dominik Mysterio (2:57)
Theory mocked Eddie Guerrero’s pose after some quick offense. Dominik fought back briefly but Theory took him down with a backbreaker for two. Dominik used a small package for two followed by a bulldog. Theory cut him off and hit his new version of the ATL for the pinfall win.
(Dominik towers over his dad but looked very small next to Theory.)
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Riddle ran over Halloween costume ideas with Orton who wasn’t interested in talking about Halloween until after they won tonight. He warned Riddle about how dangerous Roode and Ziggler were. Riddle agreed that they should focus and clean up those dirty dogs. Orton didn’t appreciate the humour.
[Third Hour]
There was a video package informing us that Veer is coming to Raw. He was on Raw last week.
Randy Orton & Riddle defeated Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships (11:39)
The crowd had been quiet all night since the opening segment but they woke up for Orton and Riddle.
The heels took over before a break after Roode dropped Riddle on the apron. Riddle dodged a charge after the break and made the hot tag to Orton who gave Roode clotheslines and a powerslam. Orton set up for a draping DDT but got distracted by Ziggler who was just yelling at him and this allowed Roode to launch him into the barricade.
Roode held a chin lock but Orton hit a back suplex and tagged in Riddle who handed out kicks and suplexes and sentons to both opponents. Riddle covered Ziggler but Roode broke up the cover. Orton gave Roode an RKO but Ziggler superkicked Orton.
Riddle and Ziggler traded cradles until Riddle caught him in a small package for the pinfall win.
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Kevin Patrick asked Rollins if he thought he had a target on his back. Rollins said of course he did because he was the biggest threat to Big E and everybody knew it. Rollins said none of that mattered because he was a revolutionary and visionary and would tonight before becoming the next champion.
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There was a recap of Goldberg beating Bobby Lashley on Thursday.
Lynch will defend her title against Belair next week.
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Owens was pumped before the match and bashed his own head against a ladder during his entrance (cutting his forehead in the process). Rollins, the only heel, entered last.
Fatal 4-way ladder match: Seth Rollins defeated Kevin Owens, Finn Bálor and Rey Mysterio (approx. 22 min.)
Big E was shown watching this in the back, with his back completely turned to the TV, which was a funny visual.
Owens was the dominant man early on using ladders to his advantage. However, Rollins dodged a senton and Owens crashed onto a ladder which sent us to break.
Rollins stood tall following the break, using the ladder on all three opponents until Bálor stomped a ladder on him. Bálor also gave Owens a back body drop on the same ladder, crushing Rollins in the process. Bálor and Mysterio battled atop the ladder until Owens pushed it over. Rollins gave Owens a buckle bomb but Owens superkicked him before falling over.
Owens had his hands on the contract but Mysterio stopped him. Owens fought off Mysterio before attacking Bálor and Rollins with a ladder. Owens set up a table but he and Bálor were wiped out by a Rollins suicide dive. Mysterio gave Rollins a bulldog but Rollins prevented him from trying a 619 on Owens.
Mysterio managed to use a 619 to kick a ladder into Owens’ face before doing a senton with the ladder. Mysterio and Rollins were then wiped out by a Bálor flip dive which led to break.
Mysterio climbed the ladder as Rollins gave Owens a DDT but Rollins also managed to knock the ladder over. Bálor gave Rollins a slingblade before dropkicking him into a ladder. Everyone traded moves until Owens dropped Mysterio.
A ladder bridge was set up outside the ring as Mysterio once again tried to climb but Bálor cut him off. Owens yanked Bálor down and gave him a stunner. Mysterio went after Owens but Owens powerbombed him through a table.
Owens again had his hands on the contract but Rollins stopped him. Owens tried to powerbomb Rollins out of the ring but Rollins gave him a back body drop through the ladder bridge.
Rollins gave Bálor a curb stomp, climbed the ladder and grabbed the contract. Rollins earns a title match against Big E.
Very fun match.
Big E entered and had a face off with Rollins before Rollins left. Rollins was greeted by Sarah Schreiber in the back. He basically said that this was his show and he would be the next champion.