WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 10

The October 10 episode of Raw was devoted to building toward Hell in a Cell, something the brand did to great results.

Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens were already on a collision course, with a match for the WWE Universal Championship already announced for the October 30 pay-per-view extravaganza. Thanks to Stephanie McMahon's creative idea, that singles match was in jeopardy of changing thanks to Chris Jericho's presence and an opportunity he had to join those two men inside Hell in a Cell.

Sasha Banks and Charlotte made history Monday as their rematch at the upcoming spectacular was announced as a Hell in a Cell bout, marking the first time two women have ever done battle in the popular gimmick match.

They would make even more of an impact later in the night as they competed in a rare Mixed Tag Team match in which The Boss teamed with Roman Reigns to battle the second-generation star and Rusev.

With all eyes on Hell in a Cell in just three weeks, the show featured the continuation of several high-profile feuds, the cruiserweights and a very special appearance by Paul Heyman, who had a monumental challenge to issue.

How did every segment, match and moment grade out?

Find out now with this look back at the October 10 broadcast.

Sasha Banks Opens Raw

On the heels of last week's historic victory, Sasha Banks kicked off this week's show and wasted little time in challenging former champion Charlotte to a Hell in a Cell match on October 30.

Before Charlotte could make it to the ring to either accept or deny the match, Rusev interrupted, stalking toward the squared circle. He said no one cares about The Women's Revolution, angering both females in the ring.

Banks and Charlotte each grabbed the microphone away from The Bulgarian Brute before Lana did the same, demanding the champion and her top contender learn their place. They responded by shoving the Ravishing Russian to the ground before Banks sent Rusev crashing to the arena floor.

Roman Reigns appeared and stared down Rusev and Lana to close out the segment. 

Grade

A+

Analysis

This was awesome.

Sasha and Charlotte, despite being intense rivals, set aside their differences in the name of promoting strong female characters fans can get behind. They each stood up in the name of gender equality, never backing down despite The Bulgarian Brute's intimidating presence.

Better yet was Rusev's willingness to allow them to get over at his expense. He watched as they grabbed the microphone from him, no longer willing to take a backseat to any man.

The arrival of Reigns teased a Mixed Tag Team match for later in the show—a match-type rare to the flagship show over the last decade.

Kofi Kingston vs. Cesaro

In a preview of the upcoming Raw Tag Team Championship match, The New Day's Kofi Kingston battled Cesaro, who was seconded by reluctant partner Sheamus.

Kingston frustrated Cesaro early, and a standoff between The Swiss Superman and The New Day ensued, all the while Sheamus sat on the ring steps and recorded a live Facebook session.

Later in the match, a physical interaction between Sheamus and Big E distracted Cesaro and provided Kingston with the opportunity to score a rollup for the win.

Result

Kofi Kingston defeated Cesaro.

Grade

C

Analysis

The fans were into the match, which bodes well for the rivalry going forward. Unfortunately, the this program's emphasis is not on the champions but, rather, the mismatched team of Sheamus and Cesaro.

WWE has long craved the "partners who hate each other" story, so do not be surprised to see the former United States champions band together and do what no one has been able to over the last year: knock off The New Day for the tag team gold.

Bayley vs. Cami Fields

Bayley entered the arena to a humongous ovation, competing in front of what was essentially a hometown crowd.

Her opponent, the unknown Cami Fields, got some offense in early, but Bayley was able to plant her with The Bayley-to-Belly and score the pinfall victory.

After the match, Bayley posed to the delight of the fans, but Dana Brooke, looking pleased with herself as the popular fan favorite writhing on the ground, attacked her.

Result

Bayley defeated Cami Fields.

Grade

C

Analysis

The match itself was nothing fans have not seen a thousand times out of squash matches. The post-match angle, though, set up a secondary feud between Bayley and Brooke that could go a long way in producing the next contender to the Raw Women's Championship.

More importantly, it gives Brooke the opportunity to learn from Bayley in a singles rivalry, without the safety net of a tag team partner to lean on.

Lince Dorado and Sin Cara vs. Drew Gulak and Tony Nese

Sin Cara made his Cruiserweight division debut Monday night, teaming with fellow masked Superstar Lince Dorado to battle Drew Gulak and Tony Nese.

Dorado found himself isolated from his partner, trapped in a Gory Special by Gulak before Nese's big kick added further damage.

The action broke down late, with Sin Cara executing a beautiful suicide dive. Inside the squared circle, Dorado delivered the Shooting Star Press to Gulak for the pinfall victory.

Result

Sin Cara and Lince Dorado defeated Drew Gulak and Tony Nese.

Grade

C

Analysis

The cruiserweight division's biggest pitfall has been the complete and utter lack of character development. Sure, the in-ring work has been solid-to-very good to this point, but the fact none of the Superstars really stand out spells trouble for the division's long-term potential.

Without characters fans can get behind, the division will face the same fate WWE's last attempt at a similar concept did: complete and utter failure.

With that said, putting Sin Cara in the division, where he can be a big fish in a little pond, is an incredibly smart move.

Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon Address Hell in a Cell

Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon were inside the squared circle, prepared to make some huge announcements regarding October 30's Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.

Foley announced Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte and Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins will both take place inside Hell in a Cell, much to the fans' delight. There was no delight for Owens, though, who enters the arena in a suit, flanked by Chris Jericho.

Both Owens and Jericho denounced Foley's announcement, complete with Jericho putting Foley on The List of Jericho. McMahon, eager to make things more interesting, gave Jericho the opportunity to earn a championship opportunity, booking him in a match with Seth Rollins for later in the show.

A Jericho win and the October 30 championship match between Owens and Rollins becomes a Triple Threat match. 

Grade

B- 

Analysis

Anyone wondering where the Jericho-Owens story was headed got their answer Monday night as Jericho was presented with the opportunity to compete for the WWE Universal Championship.

From the moment Owens won the title, it has appeared as though Jericho has been gunning for it, waiting for the perfect moment to betray his "friend" in search of one last great run.

A win over Rollins in the main event brings that possibility one step closer to reality.

The Club Attacks Enzo Amore and Big Cass

Determined to prove "no one outlasts The Outcasts," Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel reunited to battle Enzo Amore and Big Cass in a tag team match.

Before the match could start, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows attacked Enzo and Cass from behind, leaving the former lying there with The Boot of Doom. From there, he laid waste to Cass with The Magic Killer, seemingly igniting a new tag team rivalry. 

Grade

B

Analysis

The segment's entire first half featured a prerecorded segment setting up Dallas and Axel's reformation of The Outcasts, only to have them stand by idly, never once becoming involved in the beatdown that ensued.

That is forgivable considering what we did get, which was a sneak attack by Anderson and Gallows.

The most misused act in WWE this year, Anderson and Gallows were missing the edginess and badass aura they should have had from the moment they arrived. Since last week, Raw's creative team has made it a priority to make up for its mishandling of the duo by booking them as a dangerous threat to anyone they encounter.

Another step in the right direction here.

Sami Zayn and Neville vs. Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas

Determined to get their match in, Axel and Dallas demanded opposition. They got it in the form of the makeshift duo of Sami Zayn and Neville.

Neville and Zayn made short work of the former Social Outcasts, courtesy of a T-Bone suplex into the corner on Curtis Axel and the Red Arrow.

The newly formed team celebrated its win to close out the segment.

Result

Neville and Sami Zayn defeated Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas.

Grade

C-

Analysis

While the team of Neville and Zayn may be appealing to fans of both Superstars, the duo is the result of lazy writing and an inability by those in management to come up with anything else for them to do.

It is the culmination of disappointing creative for both former NXT champions.

R-Truth vs. Titus O'Neil

Titus O'Neil attempted to bring The Titus Brand to the audience in a more effective and successful manner this week as he battled R-Truth in singles competition.

A nondescript match ended when Truth shook off minutes of a beating by O'Neil to score an upset victory. 

Result

R-Truth defeated Titus O'Neil.

Grade

D-

Analysis

Looks like the grand creative idea for O'Neil is a losing-streak gimmick, something that typically works out so well for Superstars.

The match was wholly unimpressive and the gimmick, though in its infancy, seems destined for failure.

Kind of like that Golden Truth debacle the company spent months building to but never felt the need to pay off with any substantial push of any kind.

Braun Strowman in Action

Braun Strowman's opponents this week? The Splash Brothers.

Not exactly the stiffer competition the former Wyatt Family member was looking for.

As has been the case with all of Strowman's recent squash matches, the big man bowled over the competition and delivered the reverse chokeslam to one of his opponents, down onto the lifeless body of his partner.

After the match, Strowman once again threatened Foley with harsh consequences if he is not provided better competition. 

Result

Braun Strowman defeated The Splash Brothers.

Grade

C-

Analysis

Strowman is an impressive big man. He looks like a guy capable of demolishing anyone put before him and has done a fine job of backing that up to this point.

More importantly, the story is progressing nicely, advancing to the next chapter before overstaying its welcome.

Roman Reigns and Sasha Banks vs. Rusev and Charlotte

Despite a verbal exchange earlier in the night, Charlotte teamed with Rusev to battle Raw women's champion Sasha Banks and United States champion Roman Reigns in a rare Mixed Tag Team match.

Banks and Charlotte kicked off the match but coming back from the break, it was Rusev who caught Reigns with a dropkick to wrest control of the bout away from the babyfaces.

Late in the match, Banks took the fight to Charlotte and trapped her in The Bank Statement. As Rusev entered the ring to break up the submission, Reigns exploded across the ring and delivered a spear to The Bulgarian Brute.

Charlotte had no choice but to tap out, earning Banks and Reigns the victory.

Result

Sasha Banks and Roman Reigns defeated Charlotte and Rusev.

Grade

B

Analysis

This one felt like it could have gone much longer and still been tremendous fun.

The action was fast-paced, and all four Superstars got their time to shine. Most importantly, though, it did not overexpose the interactions and do anything to hurt the audience's desire to see the two Hell in a Cell matches it will spawn.

The finish was exceptionally good and popped the crowd, leading to a red-hot end to the match and momentum for each of the programs involved.

Paul Heyman Addresses Goldberg

Credit: WWE.com

Last week, Goldberg joined Jonathan Coachman on ESPN's SportsCenter and mentioned he would love to face Brock Lesnar.

The advocate for the former WWE and UFC champion Brock Lesnar had a rebuttal Monday night.

Heyman talked about Goldberg's dominance and how his career paralleled that of his client Lesnar. He then reiterated that Goldberg had one up on Lesnar—a win over The Beast from WrestleMania XX. From there, he proceeded to issue a challenge on the behalf of The Beast for a fight, with time and place to be determined.

There would be no fantasy land of WWE 2K17 to hide behind, he said, before claiming that in reality, Goldberg is next.

Grade

B+

Analysis

And with that, WWE has on it hands one of the great dream matches that still exists in pro wrestling.

Sure, Goldberg and Lesnar wrestled once before, but it was an abominable match fans have actively shoved to the back of their memory banks. Now, some 12 years later, they have the opportunity to erase the bad taste of their first showdown while simultaneously cementing their legacies as two of the greatest phenomenons in wrestling history.

Heyman did his typically magnificent job of selling the match to the audience. It almost seems commonplace to praise the master of the mic, but Heyman truly has an innate ability to drive his point home in the simplest and most effective way imaginable.

He speaks to the audience in a way it can understand, but he also does it with such passion that those watching know how much it means to him. That passion endears him to fans and forces them to sit up and pay attention to what he has to say.

T.J. Perkins vs. Ariya Daivari

Credit: WWE.com

With his Hell in a Cell opponent Brian Kendrick watching from the announce position, Cruiserweight champion T.J. Perkins battled Ariya Daivari Monday night.

Perkins trapped Daivari in the kneebar but the brother of former Superstar Shawn Daivari grabbed onto the bottom rope, necessitating the break. From there, Ariya fought back, delivering a running knee that allowed him to wrest control of the match away from the titleholder.

The resilient champion, though, seized an opening and scored the win with the kneebar submission.

Result

T.J. Perkins defeated Ariya Daivari.

Grade

C+

Analysis

The segment's most intriguing element was Kendrick's insistence he is not a bad man. Instead, he is intelligent and will use that intelligence to net him the Cruiserweight Championship come Hell in a Cell.

Perkins is a great babyface, especially when fighting from underneath, but it still feels like his character is lacking that one element that really convinces fans to invest in him emotionally. At this point, Kendrick is the more interesting and compelling performer—a problem as the company attempts to build the Cruiserweight division around the dabbing champion.

Seth Rollins vs. Chris Jericho

Credit: WWE.com

The main event of this week's show featured extraordinary stakes for Jericho, who battled Rollins for the right to battle for the WWE Universal Championship at Hell in a Cell.

The Superstars waged war in a highly competitive match that saw control change hands several times. Owens made his presence felt midway through the contest, but Rollins wiped him out with a suicide dive.

Back inside the squared circle, he caught Jericho with a springboard knee to the face that was anything but pretty.

Jericho answered with the Lionsault for a two-count, but it was Rollins who scored a rollup for the win.

After the match, Jericho and Owens attempted a two-on-one attack on Rollins, but The Architect fought back and planted Y2J with a Pedigree as the universal champion retreated to close the show.

Result

Seth Rollins defeated Chris Jericho.

Grade

B+

Analysis

The match was the really solid affair one would expect from the two Superstars involved. With that said, it was not as good as their previous bout and was even clunky in a spot or two. Not that it mattered, though, because the most important part of the entire ordeal was the post-match activity, which established Rollins as the undeniable babyface.

More importantly, it continued to fracture the relationship between Owens and Jericho.

At any given point, the universal champion could have hit the ring and prevented Y2J from enduring a Pedigree at the hands of Rollins, but he did not. The champion's selfishness has become apparent, and Jericho is certain to figure it out sooner or later.

That Y2J himself has been not-so-secretly positioning himself for a title shot suggests there is, in fact, no honor among thieves.

While Jericho has been entertaining as the obnoxious, often oblivious, veteran clinging to his days of greatness, there has been an air of danger surrounding him. It is as if he is smarter and more calculating than he lets on.

How soon Owens finds that out is the question.