WWE Raw live results: The Usos vs. Riddle & Elias tag title match
Date: December 5, 2022
Location: Capital One Arena in Washington, DC
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Show Recap —
The Bloodline entered to start the show.
They showed footage from earlier today of Bloodline arriving at the arena. Byron Saxton tried interviewing them but Matt Riddle blew past them on his scooter. The Bloodline didn’t appreciate that and said they’d take out Riddle tonight.
Elias happened to be nearby and asked what the commotion was about. Sikoa attacked him from behind and Bloodline laid him out. Zayn chucked upon realizing Elias was hurt.
Back in the ring, the Usos announced that the tag title match was cancelled — but they were still happy to defend their titles any time.
Riddle interrupted. He said it wasn’t very “Ucey” to run from a fight. Zayn told him, “hold up my dog” and the crowd was amused. Zayn called himself an Uce-ologist and he would decide what was Ucey and what wasn’t. Zayn said Sikoa and the Usos were both Ucey and the crowd said it along with him. Zayn suggested Riddle go home.
Riddle said he found himself another partner and there will be a title match tonight.
Kevin Owens entered.
The Usos (w/Solo Sikoa & Sami Zayn) defeated Matt Riddle & Kevin Owens to retain the Undisputed Tag Team Championships (14:06)
Owens was in control through an early commercial break but the Usos used a referee distraction to take control over Riddle through a second commercial break (eight minutes into the match).
Owens made a hot tag immediately after the break and hit Jimmy Uso with a Swanton Bomb for two. Jimmy blocked both a stunner and pop-up powerbomb and hit a superkick. Jey and Riddle tagged in and exchanged strikes until Riddle sent Jey out of the ring. Owens was about to go after him but Sikoa stood in his way so Riddle wiped out Sikoa with a dive.
Jimmy made a blind tag while Riddle was distracted by Zayn and the Usos gave him a 1-D for the pinfall win. Usos retain.
— The Usos put the boots to Riddle after the match. Owens attacked the Usos with a chair before chasing them and Zayn to the back.
Riddle was alone in the ring so Sikoa attacked him, hitting him with the Samoan spike and running hip attack. Sikoa put Riddle’s head and neck through a steel chair and hit another running hip attack.
Medical staff put Riddle on a stretcher as Sikoa calmly walked away like nothing happened.
(Either the crowd was pissed or they piped in a ton of fake booing.)
The announcers said that Drew McIntyre was medically disqualified from wrestling on Friday’s Smackdown so the Usos will defend instead against Sheamus and Butch.
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There will be two triple threat matches tonight and the winners of those matches will face next week to determine Bianca Belair’s next challenger.
Rhea Ripley cut a promo saying she would win her matches and beat Belair, then the whole locker room would be calling her “Mami.”
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JBL hosted his invitational poker tournament backstage. There were two tables and those participating (or just watching) were: Baron Corbin, Chad Gable, Otis, Dominik Mysterio, Mia Yim, Shelton Benjamin, Akira Tozawa, Dana Brooke, Tamina, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson and AJ Styles.
Dexter Lumis and Johnny Gargano showed up and Lumis plopped his bag of money on the table. JBL didn’t know what was in the bag and said Lumis and Gargano weren’t invited. Lumis dumped all the money from the bag on the table and JBL happily invited him to play.
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Bayley entered but before she could say or do anything, Becky Lynch interrupted and entered through the crowd.
Lynch mentioned that it’s been three years since they’ve had a singles match together and also gave Bayley credit for carrying the company through the Thunderdome era. Bayley told the crowd to cheer that but they didn’t.
Bayley told her to stop reminiscing. She was annoyed that the spotlight was always on Lynch when she was around and complained because the fans don’t respect her. The crowd chanted for Becky.
Lynch said two-thirds of Damage CTRL was successful because they had two champions and one loser. Lynch said if Bayley won her match tonight, maybe she’d finally be able to go one-on-one with The Man.
As Lynch left, Ripley entered for the match and they had a staredown in the aisle.
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Triple Threat Match: Bayley defeated Rhea Ripley and Asuka (15:17)
Ripley wiped out Bayley and Asuka with a dive off the apron ahead of a break.
[SECOND HOUR]
Ripley and Bayley worked together on Asuka but Asuka chucked Bayley from the ring before hitting Ripley with strikes and a Codebreaker for two. Asuka hit both women with Yes Kicks but Bayley caught her in a cradle for two. Ripley headbutted Bayley before Asuka gave Bayley a German suplex.
Asuka knocked down Ripley with a kick but Bayley yanked Asuka out of the ring before she could follow up. Bayley wanted to work with Ripley again but Ripley didn’t trust her so they exchanged strikes until Asuka knocked them both down with a nice-looking double Codebreaker. Asuka tried to pin each woman but they both kicked out.
Asuka hit Bayley with a missile dropkick and applied the Asuka Lock but Ripley broke it up. Asuka put Ripley in an armbar but Bayley nailed Asuka with a diving elbow drop for two. Bayley gave Asuka Bayley-to-belly but Ripley broke up the cover.
Ripley repeatedly headbutted Bayley and hit a Northern Lights Suplex for two. Ripley went after Bayley outside the ring but Bayley dodged and Ripley splatted hard on the mat.
Asuka and Bayley had a back-and-forth exchange that led to Bayley hitting Rose Plant for the pinfall win. (Asuka got the most offence in the match but took the pin.)
— Ripley attacked Asuka after the match and laid her out with Riptide.
There was a messy exchange early on but this was pretty good for the most part. The crowd was fairly quiet for it.
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Bobby Lashley will face Seth Rollins next week in a US title number one contender’s match.
Seth Rollins / Bobby Lashley segment
Rollins entered. He cut a short promo and twice led the crowd in signing his song before Lashey entered. The crowd chanted for Bobby.
Lashley wanted to hear what Rollins had to say but told him to choose his words wisely. Rollins thought Lashley hasn’t been the same since losing to Brock Lesnar. Rollins knew what that was like but wondered why Lashley was so obsessed with Lesnar.
Rollins thought maybe Lashley was scared of Lesnar but figured he was actually jealous of Lesnar. Rollins said Lesnar had the career that Lashley wanted. Lashley grabbed him by the collar and basically warned him to watch it. Rollins didn’t listen and said Lashley can’t beat Lesnar.
Lashley attacked Rollins and they got into a brawl. Officials ran down to break it up but they kept breaking apart.
Eventually, Lashley went for a spear but Rollins dodged it and Lashley speared producer Petey Williams by mistake. (The announcers mentioned Williams by name. They also said Lashley would likely get fined.)
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Austin Theory did an interview with Saxton before Mustafa Ali appeared to mock him. Theory basically called Ali a loser and told him to just quit. Ali said he wasn’t a quitter like Theory and said he had to fight for every opportunity. Theory had enough of him and challenged him to a match to end this once and for all.
They aired a trailer for the upcoming Ric Flair documentary.
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At the poker tournament, Gallows called Gable a nerd for folding. They yelled “nerd” and “shoosh” at each other until Corbin told them to stop because he was trying to win but couldn’t get a read on Lumis.
Corbin called with a straight but Lumis won the hand with a full house (aces and jacks). Corbin accused Lumis of cheating and threatened him so Lumis put an axe on the table. Corbin backed down.
At the other table, Tozawa won a big hand and was taking his chips but Dominik tried to take some. Tozawa called him out on it but Dom told him this was his show so he could have whatever he wanted and if Tozawa had a problem with that, he’d have to deal with Judgment Day.
Tozawa didn’t care and told Dom he was the problem. They got in each other’s faces and Dom mocked him for being short like his deadbeat dad. JBL suggested they take their fight outside. Tozawa told Dom he’d see him in the ring.
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United States Championship match: Austin Theory defeated Mustafa Ali by disqualification (8:01)
This went through a break and ended in a DQ. They messed up a spot where Ali set up for a hurricanrana off the ropes but they fell over and landed awkwardly. The result could have been much worse. Ali followed right up with a tornado DDT that spiked Theory.
Theory fought back and hammered away at Ali in the ropes as the referee told him to stop. Theory didn’t listen so she pulled him off Ali when Dolph Ziggler suddenly superkicked Theory for the DQ.
— Ali confronted Ziggler for ruining his opportunity. As they argued, Theory decked Ziggler from behind before driving Ali into the ring post. Theory laid out Ziggler with A-Town Down as the crowd booed.
(So far, every match has been followed by a post-match beat-down.)
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Miz approached JBL outside the locker room because he wanted to play in the tournament. JBL didn’t know he played cards but invited him in as long as he paid the buy-in. Miz didn’t have it because he was cash short at the moment but claimed he’d be good for it. JBL didn’t believe him and politely turned him down. Miz offered up his Rolex but JBL told him it was fake.
Corbin appeared to win a hand with four kings but he had extra cards. AJ Styles called him out on it and they got into an argument. JBL yelled at him for ruining his tournament. Styles told Corbin to get his gear on so they could fight in the ring.
Everyone left so I guess the tournament was over. Gargano figured they won and had Lumis collect all the money. Lumis chucked a handful of cash at the dealer who took it and ran off.
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Cathy Kelley interviewed Bianca Belair who said she’d be ready for any challenger.
[THIRD HOUR]
They showed footage of Riddle being loaded into an ambulance to be taken to a local hospital.
Six-man tag team match: AJ Styles, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows (w/Mia Yim) defeated Alpha Academy & Baron Corbin (w/JBL) (14:30)
The heels gained control ahead of a break and worked over Styles after the break. A distraction allowed Corbin, the illegal man, to hit Styles with Deep Six but Gable only got a two count. Styles dropped Otis with a Pelé Kick and tagged in Anderson who ran wild on Gable. Anderson hit a spinebuster but Corbin broke up the cover and gave Styles a backbreaker.
Styles decked Corbin moments later and Gallows dropped him with a boot. Otis gave Gallows an impressive overhead suplex before Styles hit Otis with a Phenomenal Forearm. Gable suplexed Styles and rolled up Anderson for two. Anderson hit an uppercut and tagged in Gallows.
Gallows saved Anderson from Gable’s Chaos Theory and they gave him a Magic Killer for the pinfall win. Fun match, particularly the last few minutes.
(JBL missed the tag and was screaming about the illegal man getting the pin, even though that’s not what happened. He accused them of cheating like they cheated at poker.)
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Alexa Bliss was shown warming up backstage. Lilly the doll was with her. (Bray Wyatt’s logo flashed on the screen behind her for a brief moment.)
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Saxton interviewed Candice LeRae who spoke about her issues with Damage CTRL. LeRae said she was a new mom and has so much more to fight for now.
Gargano and Lumis showed up. Gargano bragged about their winnings in the poker tournament (LaRae was surprised they won). Gargano showed her how much money Lumis won and he had to stop her short of saying “what the f**k” when she saw the money. LaRae left the interview so they could deal with the giant bag of money.
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Dominik Mysterio (w/Judgment Day) defeated Akira Tozawa (2:50)
Tozawa took most of the match but he missed a diving senton (landing hard as a result) and Dominik followed with a frog splash for the pinfall win.
— Judgment Day was going to attack Tozawa afterwards but the Street Profits ran out and Judgment Day bailed.
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Adam Pearce approached Lashley as he was leaving the arena. Pearce wanted to address what happened earlier (spearing Petey Williams) and Lashley couldn’t believe he was serious. Pearce didn’t want to punish him but warned him that it can’t happen again.
Lashley said he was punishing the lion for one of his guys jumping in the lion’s den. Lashley understood Pearce’s request but warned him to keep his guys out of his way.
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Next week on Raw:
- Lashley vs. Rollins – US title number one contender’s match
- LeRae vs. IYO SKY
- Women’s title number one contender’s match
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Triple Threat Match: Alexa Bliss defeated Nikki Cross and Becky Lynch (16:32)
A small portion of the crowd buzzed when Bliss’ face turned serious and she set up for Sister Abigail but Lynch blocked it. (She never went for it again.) The first few minutes were mostly between Lynch and Bliss with Cross getting involved in spurts until they got rid of her. Cross eventually drove Lynch into the steps and gave Bliss a neckbreaker outside the ring.
Cross had Bliss in a rest hold after a break but Lynch jumped in and hit Cross with strikes, a bulldog, and a leg drop off the middle rope for two. Bliss wiped out Lynch and Cross with a dive off the apron (the same thing Ripley did in her match earlier) and covered Cross for two.
They did a tower of doom spot where Lynch powerbombed both opponents out of the ropes and covered Cross for two. Cross gave Lynch a high cross but Bliss broke up the cover. Cross shoved Bliss into the side of the ring and squished her with a crossbody against the ring.
Cross set up for a swinging neckbreaker off the middle rope but Lynch brought them both down with a diving leg drop. (Cross had to wait a long time for Lynch to set up so this didn’t look good.) Lynch covered Bliss for two.
Lynch gave Cross a Man-handle slam on the apron but Dakota Kai and IYO SKY yanked Lynch out of the ring before she could make a cover. Lynch tried fighting them off but they powerbombed her through the announce table.
With Cross still down, Bliss hit Twisted Bliss for the pinfall win.
Bliss faces Bayley next week and the winner earns a title shot against Belair.
(There was some good stuff in the match but they seemed off for a lot of it. The crowd cheered for Lynch at the beginning but were dead silent for the match itself until the finish.)