WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from September 29
The last episode of Raw for September 2014 is in the books, and in its wake, it has left an Authority seemingly stronger than ever, a rebellious young star making the most of his increased spotlight, a John Cena still determined to win back the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and a Brock Lesnar caught in the middle of a war between good and evil.
Dolph Ziggler continued to add to the legacy of the Intercontinental Championship by defeating The Miz and Cesaro in a Triple Threat Match.
AJ Lee found herself on the receiving end of a beatdown, courtesy of Alicia Fox and Paige, Brie Bella overcame the odds and won a handicap match and Layla downed Rosa Mendes as the Divas took over the show from an in-ring standpoint.
With plans for Hell in a Cell murky, no matches really apparent at this point in the build, WWE presented a shot that served largely as a placeholder.
What went down? Who emerged better, and who left looking to regain some momentum in the weeks to come?
Find out now.
The Authority Promo
1 of 11
The Authority kicked off the evening to a chorus of boos by the Chicago audience. Naturally, a CM Punk chant broke out, to which Stephanie McMahon had a comeback before attention turned to The Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose.
Triple H denounced Ambrose's treatment of the Money in the Bank briefcase and what he perceived to be disrespect for the business.
Seth Rollins joined The Authority in the ring but was interrupted by Paul Heyman, who spoke on behalf of his client, Lesnar, and what the Beast Incarnate thought was a blatant sign of disrespect by Rollins at SummerSlam. He threatened that the next time he comes to Raw, he'll be bringing Lesnar, and Rollins will have to answer to him.
Ambrose and Cena joined the mix and a brawl broke out, leading to the eventual announcement of a tag match pitting Cena and Ambrose against Kane and Randy Orton later in the night.
Highlights and Quotes
"Why do you people cheer for quitters?"—Stephanie on CM Punk.
"The briefcase is a symbol of this business, and we will not let anyone disrespect it."—Triple H.
"None of us, or at least I hope I speak for all of us, that no one wanted to see John Cena be champ."—Seth Rollins.
"Every time I look at you, it makes me want to take a needle and thread and sow my eyes shut."—Dean Ambrose on The Authority.
Grade
A
Analysis
It was a really great segment that continued the ongoing story involving Cena, Ambrose, Rollins and the rest of The Authority, while also reintroducing Lesnar to the equation. That element, and the fact that Lesnar now feels slighted by those in power, could result in some really strong and compelling storytelling in the weeks to come.
Don't forget, history tells us that Lesnar and Triple H are anything but friends.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Cesaro vs. The Miz
2 of 11
Dolph Ziggler's recent issues with The Miz and Cesaro manifested in a Triple Threat match for the Intercontinental Championship to kick off the in-ring portion of this week's show.
The match was full of back-and-forth action, with nearfalls reigning supreme. Counters, cool spots, even better sequencing fueled the match.
The Miz came off the rope late but was caught by an uppercut at the hands of Cesaro. The Swiss Superman turned around into a superkick from Ziggler, who then pinned the fallen Miz to retain his title.
Result
Dolph Ziggler defeated The Miz and Cesaro via pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
Highlights and Quotes
The finish was outstanding.
Grade
A
Analysis
What a way to kick off Raw. Ziggler and Cesaro can always be counted on for a great match, but The Miz was really good here, too, proving that he is not just a guy to be carried by his superior opponents. Ziggler's win would seemingly bring an end to his programs with the challengers, but given the lazy nature of WWE booking as of late, that is not likely to be the case.
Rosa Mendes vs. Layla
3 of 11
The ongoing rivalry between Natalya and Rosa Mendes and Summer Rae and Layla continued (unfortunately) this week as Layla squared off with Mendes. Nothing about that sentence sounded good, and the match that resulted certainly was not.
Tyson Kidd accompanied wife Natalya at ringside and was largely indifferent to everything going on between her and Summer Rae, including a physical altercation, not to mention the awful wrestling unfolding between the ropes.
Layla used the Layout to finish off Mendes.
Result
Layla defeated Rosa Mendes via pinfall.
Highlights and Quotes
"Love is grand; divorce is $100 grand!"—Jerry Lawler.
Analysis
Thank god for the awesomeness of Tyson Kidd. His antics at ringside made a segment that was truly awful somewhat more bearable.
Otherwise, the wrestling was awful, and the feud absolutely must end—if for no other reason than the viewers' sanity.
Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins In-Ring Promo
4 of 11
In an attempt to buck the system some more, Dean Ambrose was critical of WWE merchandise and attempted to sell it for cheap, going as far as to give the stuff away. This brought out road agents Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble, to which Ambrose sort of shrugged it off.
Finally, Rollins brought police with him to the squared circle, hoping to retrieve the Money in the Bank briefcase he cherishes so much.
Ambrose returned the briefcase and then watched as Rollins opened it and was caught in the face with some green slime that resembled the stuff Nickelodeon has been dousing people with for years.
Highlights and Quotes
"How dare they call me unstable."—Ambrose.
"Are you real security? I swear you were Rosebuds last week."—Ambrose.
"They sent the cruiserweight division out here to get me."—Ambrose.
Grade
B-
Analysis
There was a lot to like about this segment. Ambrose looked like a million dollars, especially with his mic work. It came off as fresh, natural and fun, something not always said about WWE promos.
The lines about new stooges Mercury and Noble were excellent, as was the shoot comment about the security being Rosebuds on last week's show. It was completely different from the type of promos fans come to expect from WWE Superstars.
Unfortunately, the hot program between Ambrose and Rollins descended into child's play, with Ambrose using slime to get one over on Rollins. If The Lunatic Fringe is to be one of the saviors of WWE going forward, he cannot be involved in stupidity such as the slime. This isn't Double Dare; this is pro wrestling.
Mark Henry vs. Bo Dallas
5 of 11
It has been a frustrating few weeks for former world heavyweight champion Mark Henry, and Monday night was no different. After apologizing for his emotions getting the best of him last week, Henry squared off with Bo Dallas.
He dominated the third-generation star early, but it was a running Bo-Dog by Dallas that led to a major upset victory for the inspirational Superstar.
Result
Bo Dallas defeated Mark Henry via pinfall.
Highlights and Quotes
"Mark, don't apologize to the WWE Universe. Apologize to yourself. You're not living up to your potential. Enjoy the hall of Bo-Lievers. The Hall of Bo-Lievers is where you don't have to say you're sorry."—Dallas.
Grade
B
Analysis
As a match, it was nothing. As an angle, though, it was spectacular. The recent losses are clearly eating away at Henry and leading him to revert back to his meaner, nastier tendencies. See the assault backstage following his latest defeat.
Henry is the type of star who can still make an impact as a world-beating heel. But the handling of his impending turn is paramount. A strong turn could help him climb back into the heavyweight title picture. A sloppy one will see him descend further into mediocrity and meaninglessness.
Brie Bella vs. Cameron and Eva Marie
6 of 11
Last summer, Brie Bella watched from her home as sister Nikki was booked into handicap matches against the most villainous Divas on the roster. As both Nikki and Stephanie McMahon looked for new ways to torment Mrs. Daniel Bryan, they opted to book her in a two-on-one handicap match against Eva Marie and Cameron.
Unlike her sister, Brie proved more resilient, overcoming the same odds that Nikki could not to score a big victory, covering Cameron to smite her enemies.
Result
Brie Bella defeated Eva Marie and Cameron.
Highlights and Quotes
"I watch Total Divas all the time but not for the drama."—Jerry Lawler echoing the sentiments of male fans everywhere.
Grade
B-
Analysis
This was actually a much better segment than it may appear on the surface. Sure, the wrestling was not exactly pretty, but the storytelling was.
Here was Nikki, forced to watch as Brie did what she could not. Despite all of the negativity dealt her way by her selfish and egotistical sister, Brie overcame the odds and scored a big win. While things will likely get worse before they get better, it is a bit of character development that will only help to enhance the story.
Los Matadores vs. Slater Gator
7 of 11
The most epic storyline of all time continued this week as the The Bunny played a key role in the match between Slater Gator and Los Matadores.
With Adam Rose and The Bunny at ringside, Heath Slater and Titus O'Neil picked up a win that could help slow their recent skid.
Unfortunately, their celebration was cut short as The Bunny hit a top rope splash to Slater. The segment ended with Jesse Jackson raising The Bunny's arm.
You read that correctly.
Result
Slater Gator defeated Los Matadores via pinfall.
Highlights and Quotes
"That Bunny could feed a family of Big Shows."—JBL.
"The Bunnymoon is over."—JBL.
Grade
Is there a letter grade worse than F?
Analysis
This segment featured bunnies, matadors, alligators (Hornswoggle) and Jesse Jackson. If that is not the most eclectic mix of performers in wrestling history, nothing is.
Still, even with the circus-like atmosphere and the involvement of the underrated Slater and O'Neil, it ranks as one of the absolutely worst segments in recent Raw history.
Next!
Big Show and Rusev Promo
8 of 11
Just days after knocking Rusev unconscious on SmackDown with a single punch, Big Show interrupted a promo involving the Bulgarian Brute and the Ravishing Russian, Lana.
The World's Largest Athlete made it abundantly clear that he planned to beat Rusev and then added insult to insult by ripping down the Russian flag. He finished by sending Rusev out of the ring and standing tall to close the segment.
Highlights and Quotes
"He shows his true colors by attacking Rusev from behind."—Lana.
"I want to jam my fist down your throat and pull your guts out."—Rusev.
"Enough, enough, we don't speak Russian. How about it, Chicago? We go Lebowski and knock down a White Russian."—Big Show.
Grade
B
Analysis
Big Show is the perfect foil for Rusev at this point. The Bulgarian Brute has knocked off two former heavyweight champions already, each one increasing in size. To defeat Big Show would be the biggest feather in Rusev's cap to this point and would almost assuredly put him in title contention, regardless of whether it is for a midcard championship or one of the top prizes in the industry.
AJ Lee vs. Alicia Fox
9 of 11
Alicia Fox made her return to Monday Night Raw, squaring off with AJ Lee in a battle of the crazies.
AJ was clearly the better wrestler throughout, appearing to be on her way to victory before Paige appeared, providing a distraction that led to a scissors kick by Fox and a pinfall victory for the leggy, yet unstable, young woman.
After the match, former rivals Fox and Paige double-teamed AJ in a two-on-one beatdown. The segment ended with the Brit flattening AJ with the Ram-Paige and standing tall.
Result
Alicia Fox defeated AJ Lee in a non-title match via pinfall.
Highlights and Quotes
"We had bunnies, bulls and gators. Oh my! Why not have three crazies as well?"—Jerry Lawler.
Grade
C
Analysis
It is always good to see Alicia Fox back on television. Those of you who have been longtime readers know of this writer's fondness of the Diva.
Still, her presence alone does not make up for a disappointing segment. It still feels like WWE Creative does not have a clear plan as to what it wants to do with Paige and AJ. Does it want the feud to be edgy, to feature a sort of underlying lesbian aura, or is Paige yet another crazy Diva on a roster full of them?
Until it answers that question, it will be difficult to fully define the program.
Sheamus vs. Damien Sandow
10 of 11
After a backstage confrontation earlier in the show, The Miz watched from ringside as stunt double Damien "Mizdow" Sandow squared off with United States champion Sheamus.
Despite turning in a solid effort, Sandow proved no match for Sheamus, who sent the stunt double crashing into The Miz at ringside. From there, he rolled the former Money in the Bank winner into the squared circle, destroyed him with the Brogue Kick and scored a big win days ahead of a big tag match pitting him and Ziggler against Sandow and The Miz on SmackDown.
Result
Sheamus defeated Damien Sandow by pinfall.
Highlights and Quotes
"My movies bring in millions of dollars. You tell that to Mr. Chaperone."—The Miz.
"How much do stunt doubles cost?"—JBL.
Analysis
Sheamus vs. Damien Sandow is a match that was both competitive and set the stage for a big tag match on SmackDown. Not only that but it also was the payoff to a backstage segment earlier in the show in which The Authority, Triple H in particular, took to tearing down The Miz and Sandow. Whether that is a new development that ultimately blossoms into a nice side story remains to be seen.
For now, Sheamus picks up a big win over Sandow, who is a glorified jobber at this point, and continues the Hollywood tandem's war against midcard champions.
John Cena and Dean Ambrose vs. Randy Orton and Kane
11 of 11
This week's main event was a showcase for the continuation of the feud between Ambrose and Rollins, with a little Kane and the biggest star in the sport mixed in for good measure.
As is the case with all WWE tag team main events, the match featured some great drama late but was derailed, thanks to the finish, which saw Ambrose and Cena score the disqualification victory after Rollins interrupted the referee's count, which would have put The Lunatic Fringe over Orton.
After the bell, the numbers game proved too much for the popular babyfaces. Rollins delivered a vicious Curb Stomp to Ambrose, into the Money in the Bank briefcase, while Orton caught Cena with the RKO, and Rollins repeated his finish on the former WWE World Heavyweight champion.
The Authority posed to close the show.
Result
Dean Ambrose and John Cena defeated Randy Orton and Kane via disqualification.
Grade
B+
Analysis
As difficult as it may be to sit through a Kane match at this point in his career, it becomes much easier when he is surrounded by as many talented guys as he was Monday night. Was the tag match anything extraordinary? No. But was it an entertaining way to close out the show and a quality chapter in the ongoing story being told by WWE Creative? Yes.
Rollins recovered from being made a fool of earlier in the night and was left standing tall, while Orton and Kane, who are showing signs of cracking under the oppressive rise of Rollins, stood by his side. How long that lasts remains to be seen.
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