WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from November 9

High stakes provided the backbone for Monday's WWE Raw—Undertaker and Kane provided the violent climax.

With Seth Rollins out as world champ, WWE had to scramble to construct a new path to Survivor Series. In front of fans in Manchester, England, that meant delivering several first-round matches of the tournament to crown the next titleholder.

Roman Reigns and Cesaro were among those to knock over their competition to move on.

While the tourney took up the majority of Raw's airtime, WWE found space to have Paige enrage Charlotte, Natalya take another beating and Bray Wyatt find himself in the grip of the men he believed to have devoured.

WWE marched toward Survivor Series sans Rollins—and John Cena and Randy Orton, too—more smoothly than one might have imagined. 

Intrigue is in the air, along with all the lighting the Brothers of Destruction brought with them.

The following is a look at the night's performances, storytelling and booking decisions, complete with letter grades and forward-minded thoughts.

Triple H Tries to Recruit Roman Reigns

With the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on a red-cloaked pedestal behind him, Triple H talked up Seth Rollins' title reign before welcoming Roman Reigns.

Triple H offered Reigns a spot in The Authority. He talked about how Rollins was willing to do anything to win, and that quality was all that Reigns was missing. The attempted recruitment failed. Reigns refused to sell out.

The Game then forced Reigns to relinquish his No. 1 contender's spot. He'd have to go through the entire WWE title tournament like everyone else.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Fans chant, "Thank you, Rollins!"
• John "Bradshaw" Layfield on the tourney: "You talk about something that's going to blow away March Madness."
• Triple H to Reigns: "You have met with wall after wall after wall. I can make those walls go away."
• Triple H to Reigns: "Welcome to the back of the line!"

Grade

A

Analysis

It's really smart of WWE to address the situation of Reigns as No. 1 contender. Rather than it being a plot hole, it becomes an added element to the story.

Triple H trying to tempt Reigns had a Faustian feel to it. The babyface seemed to consider it just for a moment. That hints at a possible heel turn for him down the road a la The Rock in 1998.

The segment put Rollins more over than most of his actual reign did. Triple H painted him as ruthless, calculating and opportunistic. As a bonus, fans got the brooding, terse Reigns rather than the wordy, "poor man's John Cena" one.

Roman Reigns vs. Big Show (WWE Championship Tournament 1st-Round Match)

Big Show dominated a slugfest with Roman Reigns. The big man pounded on the babyface, roaring as he planted him into the canvas.

Reigns struggled to hit his normal power moves thanks to Big Show's girth. Still, he survived Big Show's barrage and hit a Spear to get the comeback win.

Result

Reigns wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Big Show flings Reigns into the barricade.
• Big Show stops an attempted Superman Punch by catching Reigns in midair before choke-slamming him.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Big Show and Reigns put on a standard babyface-comes-back-from-a-beating match. It's one fans have seen before, especially with as many times as WWE has pitted these two against each other.

Triple H using Big Show as a punishment for not coming to the dark side would have been far more powerful if WWE had made Big Show The Authority's goon more consistently of late.

The result had no suspense. Everyone expects Reigns to make it deep into this tourney. It's going to be a challenge to have the audience buy into the possibility of Reigns losing before the finals.

Kevin Owens vs. Titus O'Neil (WWE Championship Tournament 1st-Round Match)

Kevin Owens spat out insults to WWE, English fans and the Royal Family as he marched to the ring.

He then faced a tough challenge from Titus O'Neil. O'Neil steamrolled over the intercontinental champion and looked in control thanks to his power advantage.

Owens, though, struck with a surprise Pop-Up Powerbomb to advance.

Result

Owens wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Owens: "Change is exactly what WWE needs right now. Because the WWE Universe has been cheering for the same garbage for years."
• Owens to the Manchester fans: "You worship a false idol like the Queen of England. You pretend like the Royal Family is an actual thing."
• Owens barrels into O'Neil, knocking him off the ring apron and onto the announce table. 

Grade

B

Analysis

Owens did well to turn the crowd against him. It wanted to side with the heel, but he bucked it off masterfully with the British-centric insults.

He and O'Neil put on a solid match. It's odd, however, that O'Neil was in this tournament at all. He was such an underdog to Owens that it robbed the match of any suspense.

Paige vs. Becky Lynch

Before the bout, Paige mocked Renee Young backstage. She dismissed Becky Lynch's chances against her and promised to take down Charlotte at Survivor Series.

Once the bell rang, the match spilled over to the outside, with both women locked onto each other like pitbulls. Paige controlled much of the action, showing off her increased aggression. Lynch, though, rattled off a flurry of offense.

Lynch survived some of Paige's best moves and managed to roll her up for the win. Paige responded by bashing Lynch, torturing her with the PTO atop the announce table. Charlotte chased the heel away.

Result

Lynch wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Paige: "She's not a dragon. She's more like a rat."
• Paige bends an upside-down Lynch's arms around the ring post.
• Lynch escapes a three-count after the Ram-Paige by grabbing the bottom rope.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Lynch is at her best when the pace is quick, as it was here. She has been left behind for the most part by the Divas Revolution angle but showed flashes of why she deserves more spotlight.

Paige losing is odd, but the aftermath advanced the story. Charlotte has one more reason to dislike her old ally: Paige was made to look more dangerous. This increasingly nasty side of Paige is a welcome sight.

She's flourishing as a heel and is most compelling when she's her most cold-hearted.

The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler (WWE Championship Tournament 1st-Round Match)

A fast-paced match remained even until The Miz hurt Dolph Ziggler's left leg. The heel then zeroed in on the bad wheel, trying to wear down Ziggler.

The Showoff survived the figure-four leglock, even with all the prior abuse on his leg. A superkick stunned The Miz to earn Ziggler the win. The babyface held up the WWE title to survive.

Result

Ziggler wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Layfield: "Winning makes a you heal a lot faster."

Grade

B-

Analysis

The Miz looked to be a step off. His ring work has never been excellent, but he looked rusty on a few spots here.

While not a stunning bout, it had a strong story. Ziggler again played the resilient babyface gutting out a win. The Miz got a chance to look predatory in going after The Showoff's leg so much. 

The chants for Ziggler were not as loud as they have been in the past. Perhaps fans are becoming resigned to the fact that he's doomed to never get that genuine push his fanbase has been demanding for so long.

Viva MexAmerica

Zeb Colter took several digs at England. Alberto Del Rio added his own derogatory thoughts.

Colter announced that Del Rio will have his first-round WWE title tournament match on SmackDown. The manager promised that the U.S. champ will run the table.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Colter: "We would ask the English to join us if you weren't so despised around the world."
• Colter tells English fans that it wouldn't surprise him if Vladimir Putin took over their country.

Grade

D+

Analysis

What an odd segment. Colter focused solely on the English audience, gaining no heat with anyone else watching from home. And there seemed to be little purpose other than plugging Del Rio's appearance on SmackDown.

This would have been better served as a shorter backstage interview.

Colter and Del Rio are growing into truer heel territory, but the duo still needs work. It needs to add dastardly deeds to its vaguely antagonistic rhetoric.

Naomi vs. Natalya

Natalya called out Naomi on Twitter, wondering if she is the leader of Team B.A.D., which was the setup for this match.

A cheap shot from Sasha Banks gave Naomi the advantage. Naomi ran into Tamina Snuka by accident, opening herself up for a roll-up from Natalya.

Team B.A.D. then beat up the babyface, putting sunglasses on her face as she tapped out in vain. 

Result

Natalya wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Fans chant, "We want Sasha!"

Grade

D

Analysis

Natalya's win was a rushed bit of action that felt too much like a pre-Divas Revolution match. Natalya did more mocking than wrestling.

This feud has great potential. WWE will need to allow for more ring time, though, and showcase Natalya as a character. Right now, she feels too one-dimensional. She's just the nondescript victim of her more interesting foes.

Sheamus vs. Cesaro (WWE Championship Tournament 1st-Round Match)

With King Barrett at his side, Sheamus locked up with Cesaro. During the commercial break, Barrett insulted Wayne Rooney, who was sitting at ringside.

Cesaro out-wrestled Sheamus early , but The Celtic Warrior soon overpowered him. An up-and-down battle spilled to the outside, where Cesaro hurt his arm on the ring apron.

The action picked up speed and intensity. Rooney's presence distracted Sheamus enough to allow Cesaro to finish off the heel with an Inverted Chikara Special.

Result

Cesaro wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Barrett to Rooney: "I would hate for your little boy to sit there and watch his own father fail. Because let's face it, he gets to experience that every single time you step on a football pitch."
• Sheamus flips Cesaro off the top rope by his arms. 
• Byron Saxton: "How...good...is...Cesaro?" 
• Cesaro counters a Brogue Kick into a Sharpshooter.
• Cesaro uppercuts Sheamus over the guardrail.
• Rooney smacked Barrett.

Grade

A-

Analysis

Barrett is highly underused as a talker. He showed why he's one of the better mic workers in the company, something we don't get to see on display nearly often enough.

It's good to see WWE keeping up the Barrett-Sheamus alliance. Entering them in the tag team title race is a smart use of both men for the moment.

The tournament match that was hardest to predict, not surprisingly, turned out to be the best of the night. An amplified, more intense and more compelling version of the story The Miz and Dolph Ziggler told earlier was the latest example of Cesaro's excellence.

The crowd was rabid for him, which has become an increasingly familiar sight.

Tyler Breeze vs. Dean Ambrose (WWE Championship Tournament 1st-Round Match)

Tyler Breeze derided Renee Young backstage before he sauntered to the ring with Summer Rae next to him.

Dean Ambrose brawled his way to the advantage early. Breeze battled back, though, smacking around The Lunatic Fringe.

Ambrose hurt his shoulder hitting a missle dropkick. Breeze jumped on the injury, attacking the arm with a fury. Nevertheless, Ambrose managed to roll up Breeze for the win.

Result

Ambrose wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Breeze says he will send "Dean Ambrose back to that trash heap where he found that awful ensemble that he wears."
• Layfield on Breeze: "Sounds a lot like a young Muhammad Ali."
• Ambrose mocks Breeze's trademark pose on the guardrail. 
• Breeze to Ambrose: "You're not better than me!"

Grade

B+

Analysis

WWE is going quite the unique way to introduce Breeze. His first match is a loss, but it's a fluky defeat after controlling much of the matchup.

Prince Pretty looked good here. He was not out of place in the least against The Lunatic Fringe.

Chances of him attacking either Ambrose or more likely Dolph Ziggler when those two meet in the second round are high. Breeze has a feud to dive into with The Showoff, where he stands to get a number of big wins to combat going 0-1.

The New Day vs. Neville and the Usos

The New Day bemoaned the fact that none of its members got a spot in the WWE title tournament. The trio recalled its recent triumphs, tipping its hat to Seth Rollins.  

Xavier Woods, Big E and Kofi Kingston took turns punishing Jey Uso. Neville went on a rampage, gaining the momentum for his team. But a cheap shot from Big E and Woods using the ropes illegally netted the champs a victory.

Result

The New Day wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Woods: "We all know that European magic is garbage." 
• Big E hits a big splash onto Jey's back.
• Neville hits a modified Red Arrow out to the floor on just about everybody.

Grade

B-

Analysis

The New Day killed it again on the mic. It is the most entertaining act going in WWE right now.

As for the action inside the ring, this was just a spot-fest that did little to advance the burgeoning feud between the champs and The Usos. Neville got all the highlights. The Usos didn't have any particular intense moments against their would-be rivals.

It's odd that Neville decided to dive onto his own teammates to get at The New Day. One would think a babyface would be less reckless.

The New Day getting a cheap win is smart. It looked formidable during the majority of the match and then played up its villainous ways by stealing a victory.

Bray Wyatt Pays His Respects

Bray Wyatt wished to celebrate Kane and Undertaker's spirits as if both men were no longer of this world. He talked up the Brothers of Destruction, bowed his head in silence for them before dismissing them as "relics."

Video of Kane and Undertaker popped up on the big screen before lightning struck the arena. Undertaker and Kane both emerged, marching toward Wyatt.

The rest of The Wyatt Family surrounded the brothers before a brawl broke out. Wyatt was left alone and suffered a double chokeslam.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Fans sing, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands."
• Wyatt: "There was no passing off the torch. I took that torch. And I used it to burn Kane and Undertaker into ashes."
• Layfield: "You're not going to extinguish Hell."
• Kane and Undertaker hit simultaneous chokeslams on Luke Harper and Erick Rowan.

Grade

A-

Analysis

A welcome surprise capped off a Raw powered by the WWE title tournament. The Wyatt Family-Brothers of Destruction feud needed to have a change of pace. There are only so many times the monsters can come out and brag about the ruin they caused.

The big question moving forward, though, is if this steamrolling of the heels is a sign of things to come or just the preamble to Wyatt leading an assault to pay Kane and Undertaker back.

It's good to have some back-and-forth here, but WWE would do itself a disservice if the end result of the story is Wyatt and his crew being toppled with little effort.