WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 13

With Hell in a Cell just 13 days away, World Wrestling Entertainment rolled into Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, for Monday Night Raw!

Friday night on SmackDown, during the show's 15th anniversary special, The Miz announced that Dean Ambrose will meet John Cena in a No Holds Barred Contract on a Pole match. Moments later, Cena surprised the Lunatic Fringe with an Attitude Adjustment, ensuring that tempers would be flaring when the two top babyfaces in WWE were in the same arena Monday night.

What did The Authority have in store for Cena and Ambrose, further complicating their already murky relationship? Did Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and Kane leave their rivals lying, again, to close out the show?

Find out if Cena and Ambrose were able to coexist long enough to get one over on The Authority or if Rollins and company had the last laugh this week by clicking the little "next" button to your lower right.

Dean Ambrose and John Cena In-Ring Promo

Credit: WWE.com

Two men slated to square off at Hell in a Cell kicked off this week's episode of Raw, as John Cena joined Dean Ambrose in the ring for a promo. 

They took pot shots at one another until Triple H and Stephanie appeared. The King of Kings and COO poked fun at Ambrose and Cena's inability to stand each other long enough to wrestle a successful tag match but proceeded to book them in a Triple Threat match.

Highlights and Quotes

"Whoa Steph! A tag match? I don't think they can last five minutes without fighting each other." -Triple H

"I'm going to rip that pole down and beat John Cena with it!" -Ambrose

"I was born ready. I've been ready to beat you for years." -Ambrose to Cena

Grade

B 

Analysis

The mic work between Cena and Ambrose was strong here, establishing the fact that the tension between them is intensifying as Hell in a Cell approaches. Ambrose claiming to have been ready to beat Cena for years was a nice touch, as was Triple H and Stephanie's attempt to pull them apart, to instigate a full-on war between them.

Overall, the segment was a great way to kick off the show, even if it may not have been completely necessary.

Non-Title Match: John Cena and Dean Ambrose vs. Usos vs. Gold & Stardust

Set up by the night's opening segment, John Cena and Dean Ambrose were forced to partner up and face The Usos and WWE Tag Team champions Gold & Stardust in a Triple Threat match.

Cena was motivated and clearly had his working boots on, as he climbed the ropes and dove off toward his opponents in one of the best spots of an energetic, competitive opening contest. Ambrose mimicked his partner, diving at those same opponents.

Goldust took the brunt of the abuse, suffering Dirty Deeds and the Attitude Adjustment before falling to a pinfall at the hands of Cena. 

Result

John Cena and Dean Ambrose defeated The Usos and Gold & Stardust when Cena pinned Goldust.

Highlights and Quotes

"Forget the violin, he's beating him like a drum." -Lawler

"He's entertaining, but he's a nutcase." -JBL 

Grade

B+ 

Analysis

This was a really fun way to get the show off to a start from an in-ring standpoint. Ambrose and Cena may be dysfunctional partners, but they worked well enough to defeat the top two teams in wrestling.

Should the champions be losing a match like this? Probably not. But they were beaten by the top two babyfaces in WWE. And they are heels, so they don't lose nearly as much as they would if they were strong babyface champions.

AJ Lee and Layla vs. Paige and Alicia Fox

Credit: WWE.com

AJ's quest for a new friend in her rivalry with Paige and Alicia Fox continued this week as she turned to Layla.

The match was incredibly short, with Layla refusing to tag into the match, leaving AJ to overcome the odds and score the win off of a Shining Wizard to Fox.

After the match, the Divas champion understandably beat Layla to a pulp. 

Result

AJ Lee and Layla defeated Alicia Fox and Paige when AJ pinned Fox.

Highlights and Quotes

"You don't understand much about women, do you?" -Jerry "Puppies" Lawler

"You can't play mind games with someone who doesn't have a mind." -JBL

Grade

D 

Analysis

This story just is not clicking the way it should. Paige and AJ are far too talented to be stuck in a story as disjointed, nonsensical and somewhat boring as this one. Fox is a very talented female performer, as is Layla, and this had potential to be a competitive little bout. Instead, it was another excuse for WWE Creative to remind us that AJ is unstable.

Non-Title Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Randy Orton

Credit: WWE.com

Intercontinental champion Dolph Ziggler squared off against Randy Orton in non-title action Monday night, as both men attempted to prove to the entire world why they are two of the most consistently great workers in the industry.

They did so with a pay-per-view-quality bout that saw each counter the other's signature maneuvers. With Seth Rollins watching from the stage, Orton and Ziggler wrestled a clinic that saw The Viper control the pace throughout, only for Ziggler to mount a comeback.

The finish was something truly outstanding, as Ziggler tried for the Fameasser but found himself thrown into the air and caught with the RKO. Orton covered for the win.

Result

Randy Orton pinned Dolph Ziggler.

Highlights and Quotes

"I can replace Dolph Ziggler, but I can't replace my hat." -JBL

"I don't know if he's hurting for confidence, but he's hurting." -Lawler on Ziggler

Grade

A

Analysis

There is nothing that does not sound awesome about Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler for 20 minutes on free television. They proved why with a phenomenal match Monday night and one of the best finishes of the year.

Does it hurt Ziggler to lose to Orton even though he is the Intercontinental champion? Absolutely not. Orton is a guy perceived by audiences to be better, to be a bigger star and to be Ziggler's superior in every way. Champion or not, fans believed he would have lost anyway.

The appearance of Rollins was a nice tease for what would happen next.

Jack Swagger vs. Seth Rollins

Credit: WWE.com

Jack Swagger again finds himself lost in the midcard shuffle, but with the opportunity to work with someone like Seth Rollins on Monday night, he put his skills on display.

Even if they came in defeat.

Swagger and Rollins wrestled a solid match, as you would expect. Swagger tried for his Patriot Lock repeatedly, but Rollins proved elusive. Even worse for Mr. Money in the Bank was that he was unable to put Swagger away, resorting to a rollup and a handful of tights to get a victory over the former World Heavyweight champion.

After the match, Randy Orton hit the ring and delivered the RKO to Swagger before exchanging a few words with his Authority teammate, with the tension between them being quite noticeable.

Result

Seth Rollins defeated Jack Swagger by pinfall.

Highlights and Quotes

"Did he forget the last two words? He is from Oklahoma. Three words are a lot to remember." -JBL

"The future isn't yet." -Orton to Rollins

Grade

B

Analysis

Swagger and Rollins have tremendous in-ring chemistry. They have wrestled quite a few exceptional bouts, including one on Main Event a few weeks back, and they continued their streak of great work Monday.

The interactions between Orton and Rollins, though, are as entertaining as any other story going on in the WWE Universe. It is clear that Orton sees a young star in Rollins threatening to overtake him in The Authority and in WWE as a whole and is not willing to step aside and let him do so yet. It is creating a schism that could ultimately be the downfall of The Authority.

The Big Show vs. Rusev

The much-anticipated battle of the big men occurred Monday night, as Big Show became the latest Superstar to test Rusev's undefeated streak. Would he be able to knock off the Bulgarian Brute, or would the Russian defector add another heavyweight champion to his list of victims?

After several minutes of hard-fought, high-impact action, not to mention some excellent commentary by Cole, Lawler and JBL, Rusev locked in the Accolade and seemed to be on his way to victory. It was then that Mark Henry made his way to the ring, cost Big Show the opportunity to fight out of the hold and win the match and drew the disqualification by punching Rusev.

Big Show then knocked Rusev out to end the segment.

Result

Rusev defeated Big Show by disqualification.

Highlights and Quotes

"Big Show is throwing him around like a rag doll." -JBL

"Just like Mark Henry, you will fail your stupid Americans." -Rusev

"Honor Columbus for finding this pathetic country." -Lana

Grade

B-

Analysis

The war between Big Show and Rusev was a decent big-man match, but the most intriguing part of it all was Mark Henry's involvement at the end.

Did he stop the match because he thought Big Show needed his help or because he didn't want Show to do something he could not? It is a nice, subtle hint at something much larger than a basic American hero vs. foreign fanatic story it was sold as. 

Sheamus vs. The Miz

Credit: WWE.com

Miz continued to put himself in position for a United States Championship match Monday night, as he squared off with Sheamus in singles competition, his trusty stunt double Damien Mizdow in his corner.

The two traditionally have solid chemistry, and that was the case again Monday night, as they wrestled a very competitive match for the time that it lasted.

Mizdow played a prominent role in the finish, as Sheamus became preoccupied with punishing him, allowing Miz to slide into the ring and score a cheap count-out victory.

Result

The Miz defeated Sheamus by count-out.

Highlights and Quotes

"You have a moneymaker on one, and Sheamus breaks everything he touches!" -JBL

"You're right, Michael, this is the weirdest thing I've ever seen." -JBL

Grade

B-

Analysis

The match was not long enough to be anything special, but as an angle, it was incredibly effective. After months of beating up on both Miz and Mizdow, Sheamus had the presence of the stunt double at ringside come back to bite him.

Suddenly, Sheamus not only has to deal with a very capable Miz coming after his title, but he has to concern himself with Mizdow, a foe he now realizes who could have a very noticeable impact on the continuation, or lack thereof, of his title reign.

Naomi, Brie Bella and Natalya vs. Cameron, Summer Rae, and Nikki Bella

Credit: WWE.com

The cast of Total Divas met in six-woman tag team action Monday night, mostly to get NeNe Leakes on television. More than she already is. Which should be illegal.

The heels isolated Natalya until the third-generation Diva made the hot tag to Brie. She took Summer down and tried to take a swipe at sister Nikki, who jumped off the apron and down to the floor. Action broke down from there leading to the finish, which saw Brie counter Nikki's torture rack backbreaker with an X-Factor for the win.

Result

Brie Bella, Nikki Bella and Naomi defeated Cameron, Summer Rae and Nikki Bella when Brie pinned Nikki.

Highlights and Quotes

"I've been to so many ostrich farms with my wife. She loves them!" -JBL

"Summer Rae has issues with everyone." -JBL 

Grade

C-

Analysis

What could have been a truly awful segment managed to evade "terrible" status and was simply "not bad." 

Brie pinned Nikki to further that story, which Michael Cole put over hard, leaving questions as to whether that was to be the blowoff to their rivalry. Hopefully not, because their feud has been decent to this point.

As for the wrestling...go watch literally anything else instead.

Contract on a Pole Match: John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose

Fans tuning into this week's episode of Raw were greeted with a pay-per-view-quality main event to determine just who would square off with Seth Rollins at Hell in a Cell, inside the Devil's Playground.

The Authority made their way to the ringside area as we headed to break for the last time.

Rollins, Randy Orton and Kane all made their ways to the ring to before the bell.

Ambrose and Cena fought up the ramp and to the top of the stage. The Lunatic Fringe appeared poised to retrieve the contract, but Cena stopped him. Ambrose responded by countering an Attitude Adjustment with a big clothesline. He bit his way out of the STF, capitalizing on the No Holds Barred stipulation.

Ambrose sent Cena into the barricade, then blasted a loudmouthed Orton, allowing Cena to take advantage. He tossed Ambrose into The Authority, and Orton responded by assaulting Cena. A five-way brawl ensued. Cena blasted Kane with the Attitude Adjustment, and Ambrose grabbed the contract for the win.

Result

Dean Ambrose defeated John Cena.

Highlights and Quotes

"If your name was on the contract, wouldn't you want to come down and get a closer look?" -JBL

"What good can come of all these people at ringside?" -Lawler

"Dean Ambrose may believe he has something to prove against John Cena tonight." -Michael Cole on Ambrose not seizing the opportunity to climb the pole and retrieve the contract

Grade

C

Analysis

This felt like a match that should have been far better than it was but instead suffered due to a lack of time. 

For a moment, it felt like the five-way brawl was leading to an announcement of a five-way Hell in a Cell match. Instead, Cena gets Orton in the most boring matchup possible, while Ambrose and Rollins have the opportunity to steal the show in the main event of the evening.

A decent way to end an exceptional episode of Raw, but nothing more.