WWE Raw Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From Nov. 10

John Cena returned home to Boston Monday night on WWE Raw for the kickoff of the Last Time Is Now Tournament.

What did the Unseen 17 have to say to his fans and the competitors vying or an opportunity to compete against the future Hall of Famer in his final match?

Find out with this recap of the November 10 broadcast, complete with grades and analysis for each match and segment.

Lineup

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Announced in advance of Monday's show were:

John Cena appearance

CM Punk appearance

Last Time is Now Tournament: Damian Priest vs. Rusev

Last Time is Now Tournament: Sheamus vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Women's World Championship Match: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Match: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Asuka and Kairi Sane

Triple H Introduced John Cena

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Last Time in Action: John Cena defeated AJ Styles (Crown Jewel, October 11)

Triple H kicks off Monday's show with a passionate promo arguing that Boston's own was the greatest of all time before introducing the man of the hour, John Cena, who entered the TD Garden to a deafening ovation.

Cena thanked the fans and revealed that on December 13, not only will he wrestle his last match, but that particular edition of Saturday Night's Main Event will also feature exhibition matches between main roster and NXT stars in an effort to open the door to the future while his door closes.

Intercontinental champion Dominik Mysterio interrupted to a chorus of boos, talked trash, and threatened to put Cena down. A more colorful version of a "you messed up" chant rained from the stands and the Unseen 17 fired up, warning Dirty Dom he had messed with the wrong guy, at the wrong time, in the wrong place.

"I'm not even at my peak and I'm better than you were at your prime," Mysterio insulted the hometown hero.

Triple H interrupted, agreed with the fans' assessment of the heel's actions, and made an Intercontinental Championship Match between the two official.

Grade

A

Top Moments and Takeaways

Triple H started the show by noting that we live in a divided era where people do not agree with each other on anything. It was as if he was making a point that did not need to be made for an audience that just wanted to cheer on Cena.

This was an outstanding opening promo that allowed Cena to take center stage in front of his friends and family, deliver the news about SNME, and set up the opener against Mysterio. Everyone handled their roles to perfect and the crowd was electric. This was a great segment of television.

Intercontinental Championship Match: John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio

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Last Time in Action: John Cena defeated AJ Styles (Crown Jewel, October 11); Dominik Mysterio defeated Rusev and Penta (Saturday Night's Main Event, November 1)

Mysterio weathered the early storm, shoved Cena into the ring steps, and proceeded to work over him throughout the commercial break.

Back from the time out, Cena fired up, delivering his trademark shoulder blocks and a Five Knuckle Shuffle. Dirty Dom countered out of the Attitude Adjustment and sent Cena into the ring post, halting his momentum. He removed the turnbuckle pad, drawing the official's attention, and grabbed a steel chair.

Mysterio tried to pull from Eddie Guerrero's book by feigning a steel chair shot but Cena did the same, leaving the official perplexed.

A ref bump ensued and the challenger applied the STF, forcing the champion to tap out. The injured referee missed it, though. Cena added an Attitude Adjustment, but Mysterio kicked out at two amid a new referee sprinting to the squared circle.

The champion recovered, delivered a 619 and tried for a frog splash but Cena caught him, rolled through, drove him to the mat with one last AA and scored the win, in the process acquiring the one title he had never held and completing the all-important Grand Slam.

Result

Cena defeated Mysterio to win the Intercontinental Championship

Grade

A

Top Moments and Takeaways

There will be some who will call the outcome here a short-sighted one that brought Mysterio's reign to an end unnecessarily, but this was an overabundance of fun and nostalgia. Cena had a blast out there, Mysterio proved his worth as a future headliner, and the crowd in Boston ate up every big spot and near-fall. It was far from a classic, but this was pro wrestling at its best and most enjoyable.

Kudos to Cena for getting a win and title reign that, arguably, mean as much to him and his legacy as the heel turn and the 17th title reign earlier in the year.

The Last Time is Now Tournament: Damian Priest vs. Rusev

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Last Time in Action: Damian Priest lost to Aleister Black (SmackDown, October 10); Rusev and Penta lost to Dominik Mysterio (Saturday Night's Main Event, November 1)

In a battle of hard-hitting heavyweights, Damian Priest battled Rusev with a chance to advance in the Last Time is Now Tournament.

The Bulgarian Brute worked over his opponent for the majority of the match, taking advantage of his vision issues, which were caused by Aleister Black recently.

Priest fought back and leveled his opponent with a big clothesline as he appeared to have momentum back on his side. Instead, Rusev gouged his eyes and delivered the Machka Kick for the win.

Result

Rusev defeated Priest

Grade

C

Top Moments and Takeaways

This was a step slower than expected and most of the action took place during the commercial break. Priest's comeback was incredibly abbreviated and the finish came from out of nowhere, even if it made perfect sense given the context of the babyface's ongoing storyline ailments.

Rusev has the deeper history with Cena so it makes sense that he would advance here but it really is alarming how much momentum Priest has lost since joining SmackDown.

CM Punk Promo

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Last Time in Action: CM Punk defeated Jey Uso to win the World Heavyweight Championship (Saturday Night's Main Event, November 1)

A fired-up CM Punk hit the ring to address Logan Paul betraying him and aligning himself with The Vision's Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed.

Paul claimed his eyes had been opened to a whole new vision after suffered a Tsunami from Reed and the heels appeared by the social media megastar's side.

A three-on-one beatdown ensued but Jey Uso made the save. When that was not enough to even the odds, Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes hit the ring to make the save and stood tall with his fellow babyfaces.

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

Can you say, "War Games?"

This did not do much in terms of providing any real reason for Paul's decision to partner up with Heyman and Co., but it did bring all essential pieces together, the energy was great, and it finally felt like we might be en route to finding out who will headline Survivor Series in the men's War Games match. That is a vast improvement on some going-nowhere, repetitive promo segments of recent weeks.

Women's World Championship Match: Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez

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Last Time in Action: Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez defeated Stephanie Vaquer and Nikki Bella (Raw, November 3)

One week after earning a big tag team victory, Raquel Rodriguez sought to pay off her recent momentum by defeating Stephanie Vaquer to win the Women's World Championship.

She enjoyed early success, too, countering a Devil's Kiss and dropping La Primera face-first on the top turnbuckle before laying her out with a lariat clothesline entering the break.

Back from commercial and everything that Vaquer threw at her challenger, Rodriguez had an answer for, countering out of it and powering the champion down. Late in the match, Perez attempted to interfere but was neutralized by Bella on the floor.

Finally, after being cut off at every turn all match long, Vaquer delivered the Devil's Kiss, dropped her opponent, and delivered the corkscrew moonsault for the pinfall victory and successful title defense.

After the match, Perez attacked Vaquer, only for Bella to make the save. The babyfaces cleared the heels out of the ring and embraced. Except, moments later, Bella rocked Vaquer with the title and stood tall over her, making her desire to be champion abundantly clear.

Result

Vaquer defeated Rodriguez to retain the title

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

Backstage, Adam Pearce made War Games official for Survivor Series, telling Punk, Uso, and Rhodes to prepare for war, with a little help from William Regal.

Rodriguez looked great in Monday's title bout, really highlighted in the way the contest was laid out. She looked like a world-beater, using her size and strength to wear Vaquer down and prove herself a worthy contender. It was the post-match with Bella that really put this segment over the top and earned it its grade, though, as it set up a high-profile championship encounter at some point in the near future.

Last Time is Now Tournament: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sheamus

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Last Time in Action: Sheamus lost to JD McDonagh (Raw, November 3); Shinsuke Nakamura and Rey Fenix lost to The MFTs (SmackDown, October 24)

Shamus overwhelmed Shinsuke Nakamura early on in their Last Time is Now Tournament match Monday night, using his strength advantage to keep the former United States champion at bay.

Back from the break and The Artist teed off on The Celtic Warrior with kicks, only for his opponent to invite more of them. Sheamus fought his way back into the match, laid into Nakamura with the 10 Beats of the Bodhran and rocked him with a jumping knee for a near-fall.

The combatants continued to unload high-impact blows before Sheamus caught Nakamura with a Brogue Kick from out of nowhere to win the match.

Result

Sheamus defeated Nakamura

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

This one was a fun, high-impact match-up between two veteran competitors who are no strangers to each other. Sheamus is great, Nakamura was motivated, and the result was another in a string of fun, quality matches in front of a red-hot crowd that has helped each of them significantly.

Je'Von Evans of NXT vs. the returning Gunther and Solo Sikoa vs. a mystery opponent were announced as the next two Last Time is Now Tournament match-ups.

WWE Women's Tag Team Title Match: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Kabuki Warriors

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Last Time in Action: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss defeated Lyra Valkyria and Bayley (Raw, October 27); The Kabuki Warriors defeated Valkyria and Bayley (Raw, November 3)

A hot start by women's tag team champions Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss in their defense against The Kabuki Warriors in Monday's main event was negated moments before the break, when Kairi Sane blasted Bliss with a jumping forearm.

Sane and her partner, Asuka, dominated throughout the commercial but a hot tag from Bliss to Flair sparked the comeback and saw The Queen dominate the action. Flair and Asuka teed off on each other but a German suplex by The Queen allowed the babyfaces to seize control.

Asuka countered a Natural Selection from her opponent and applied her trademark Asuka Lock. The submission was broken but Flair still ate a big knee to the face and found herself trapped in a cross armbar.

Flair fought out of it, applied the Figure Eight, and looked to have the win in hand after Bliss delivered Sister Abigail to Sane. Interference from Nia Jax and Lash Legend at ringside, including sending Bliss over the announce table, allowed The Pirate Princess to deliver the In-Sane Elbow to Flair for the win and titles.

A post-match beatdown by the heels led to the return of Iyo Sky, then Rhea Ripley, and the challenge from Mami for War Games at Survivor Series.

Result

The Kabuki Warriors defeated Bliss and Flair to win the titles

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

A good, energetic match featuring some great one-on-one action from Flair and Asuka capped off the nights show. Add in the returns of Sky and Ripley, and the War Games challenge, and you have an exclamation point of a segment to close out a show that started red-hot.

Overall Grade

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The show was sold on John Cena's homecoming and as long as that delivered, everything else would be fine. Not only did it deliver, it provided a historic championship win in front of a red-hot audience that lived and breathed on everything their hometown hero did.

Beyond Cena's stuff, there was a lot to like about this broadcast, including the introductions of the War Games matches, some quality in-ring action, and a hot show-closing angle featuring the return of the most consistently over star in the company in Ripley.

This was a banger show and one that had a sense of urgency surrounding it.

Grade: A