WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Oct. 24

The menacing nature of the Hell in a Cell finally emerged on the final WWE Raw before the pay-per-view of the same name.

Sasha Banks and Charlotte had been talking about making history and wanting to make the most of an opportunity ahead of their Hell in a Cell bout. On Monday night in Minneapolis, Raw general manager Mick Foley warned them of what awaited them inside that steel structure.

He should know. He's been thrown off, through and on top of The Devil's Playground.

After weeks of buddying up with Chris Jericho and cracking one-liners, Kevin Owens' sadistic side stepped forward on Monday's Raw. He began to talk of the damage he will to do Seth Rollins in their own Hell in a Cell encounter.

Owens followed up with a visual demonstration, leaving Rollins writhing on the floor.

These moments advanced stories, increased bad blood between enemies and made a lasting impression. The show didn't manage to accomplish that all night, though.

WWE flat-out wasted a Brock Lesnar appearance. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows watched their momentum slip down the drain once more. And the company managed to inspire "Boring!" chants in a segment involving the beloved Bayley.

The following is a breakdown of the ups and downs of Monday's Raw, starting with Jericho's longing for "the list."

Chris Jericho's Search for the List

A despondent Chris Jericho announced that the Triple Threat match involving him, Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens for later in the night was canceled because someone stole the List of Jericho. He promised not to do anything until he got it back.

Owens offered to help find the list, but only if his friend pulled it together. Stephanie McMahon promised to retrieve the list, too.

Rollins soon joined the party, list in hand.

He claimed that both McMahon and Owens were on the list. The Architect talked about the dangers of Hell in a Cell before leaving with Jericho's prized possession.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Jericho: "I will stay here all damn night if I have to."
• Fans chant, "Where's the list?" to Owens.
• Rollins: "I will stop at nothing to win that Universal Championship from you and burn your whole little establishment to the ground."

Grade

C-

Analysis

When McMahon told Jericho to stop being ridiculous, she could just as easily have been talking to the segment itself.

For a scene designed to lead into a vicious battle inside a career-threatening structure, this was awfully silly. The list was the focus rather than Owens' title, the rivals' bad blood or what's at stake inside the Hell in a Cell.

Rollins' fiery rant at the end touched on all that, but that should have been the core of this showdown. That version of him was far more compelling than the trickster hiding a stack of papers.

Enzo Amore vs. Karl Anderson

Enzo Amore and Big Cass' entrance routine was interrupted when Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson turned off their microphones. The babyfaces then did their call and response sans mic with the help of the crowd.

Once the bell rang, Amore flustered Anderson with rapid-fire strikes. 

The heel took control with kicks to the head. Chaos soon overtook the match as Cass and Gallows distracted the referee. Cass cheap-shotted Anderson to help his pal get the win.

Result

Amore wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Gallows: "Gallows and Anderson are all about being mean and making green."
• Anderson smashes Amore's head into the turnbuckle.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Gallows and Anderson are about as threatening as punching bags at this point.

WWE continues to pin losses on them, including two in a row for Anderson. It's hard, then, to convince the audience that this duo is a legit threat to the tag team division. As a result, Gallows and Anderson remain front-runners for 2016's most misused talent.

Amore and Cass doing their act a cappella was hugely entertaining, though. 

The spark that moment created was a clear indication of just how popular those two are. Showcasing them moving forward has to be a priority.

The New Day vs. Sheamus and Cesaro

The New Day mocked Sheamus, saying he deserves to be shamed. The tag champs promised to beat Sheamus and Cesaro at Hell in a Cell and retain the gold.

Cesaro and Sheamus bickered on the way to the ring.

Kofi Kingston tasted a Cesaro uppercut early. The Swiss Superman and Sheamus soon showed off surprising teamwork when double-teaming Kingston.

Big E's power helped The New Day to even things up, but only briefly. A Brogue Kick to the jaw earned Sheamus a three-count.

Result

Sheamus and Cesaro win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Kingston: "Shame on all of us for letting Sheamus walk down this ramp week after week."
• Kingston leaps off Big E's back to smash into Sheamus.
• Cesaro uppercuts Kingston out of the air.

Grade

B+

Analysis

In a welcome curveball, Sheamus and Cesaro showed more unity than they have in the past. That led to them looking like formidable foes.

The New Day and the No. 1 contenders have excellent chemistry. Their styles mesh well. That was on display on Monday night in a fun bout. 

WWE's only mistake here was giving fans the PPV bout before the PPV. That will make the champions and challengers have to work harder on Sunday to get fans invested in them clashing again.

Bayley vs. Dana Brooke (Arm Wrestling)

Dana Brooke refused to call her win over Bayley last week an upset. She announced that their rematch would be an arm wrestling contest.

Bayley, wearing Kinesio tape on her injured shoulder, lost in an instant. She tried again with the left arm. Bayley closed in on a win, but Brooke clubbed her with a forearm shot.

The heel's attack was short-lived as Bayley suplexed her rival to the mat.

Result

Brooke wins the first round of their arm wrestling contest.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Fans chant, "We want wrestling!" and "This is stupid!"

Grade

D-

Analysis

It's a sign of equality that women are subject to the same garbage segments as the men, right?

The fans rejected this early for good reason. Even Sylvester Stallone couldn't make arm wrestling interesting. There had to be a better way to advance this feud.

Bayley's excellence at playing the babyface saved this from being a complete disaster. WWE is going to have to pen some better material for her in the future, though.

Curtis Axel vs. Bo Dallas

Reflecting on his supposed friend Bo Dallas turning on him last week, Curtis Axel talked about returning to his roots. He revved up his hometown crowd before awaiting his opponent.

Axel pounced on Dallas, but the heel recovered. Dallas grounded his foe, slowing the bout down.

After the crowd got behind Axel, Dallas rolled him up for the win. 

Result

Dallas wins via pinfall. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Axel: "I carry the legacy of my father, Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig."
• Corey Graves: "We can all agree that Bo Dallas doesn't have both oars in the water."

Grade

B-

Analysis

Being in his hometown obviously helped Axel, but he created quite the buzz here. This is the most intriguing version of Axel we have seen thus far—impassioned, angry, focused.

WWE needs to let Axel off the leash like this more often.

The company seems more intent on building up Dallas, but the better bet would be to get behind Axel instead.

The Golden Truth vs. The Shining Stars

Mark Henry accompanied The Golden Truth. Titus O'Neil stood in The Shining Stars' corner. 

Primo and Epico dominated Goldust early. R-Truth seized momentum with fast-paced offense. The match unraveled from this point.

O'Neil helped the heels but had to deal with an angry Henry. The Real Deal then knocked over Primo by accident. R-Truth capitalized on all the chaos to score a three-count.

Result

R-Truth and Goldust win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Epico and Primo hit double dropkicks on Goldust.

Grade

D

Analysis

This rivalry has little point. It has no energy and involves wrestlers with zero momentum. This is clearly just a way to fill time.

There's been no real explanation for why Henry has aligned himself with The Golden Truth. And the O'Neil-Shining Stars connection feels random.

Sasha Banks and Charlotte Contract Signing

Credit: WWE.com

Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte

Mick Foley talked up the importance of Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte, the first women's Hell in a Cell match ever.

Banks and Charlotte both pushed their chairs away from their table. The women shouted at each other, promising to win at the PPV.

Foley hesitated to hand over the contract, ranting about the impact Hell in a Cell has had on his life. Banks and Charlotte eventually signed their names to make the bout official.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Foley: "This is a New Era in WWE where women can accomplish anything."
• Charlotte to Foley: "I know you're missing an ear, but I said, 'Hand me the contract.'"
• Charlotte: "I will go to hell and back to win it back."
• Foley: "You have not one opponent, but two! You face not just each other, but the demonic structure itself!"
• Banks: "I know I might have to crawl up that ramp, broken, broken, broken."

Grade

A

Analysis

This is what this feud needed. Entering the Hell in a Cell couldn't be an accolade for these women as much as it was a journey into pain and danger.

Foley did a tremendous job of recalling his own experience with the structure to play up its brutality. That setup made the moment between Banks and Charlotte more powerful. They should be hesitant to sign up for this match.

The level of hype for this match has been through the roof. Banks and Charlotte will no doubt be under immense pressure to live up to it.

Brian Kendrick vs. Rich Swann

T.J. Perkins sat in on commentary as his Hell in a Cell opponent stepped into the ring.

Rich Swann threw Brian Kendrick off his game, showboating in between offensive flurries. The dancing babyface pulled a variety of eye-catching moves as he tested his opponent.

Kendrick tried to end things with the Captain's Hook, but Swann countered it and rolled up the No. 1 contender to the cruiserweight title.

Result

Swann wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Swann hits a corkscrew dive on a standing Kendick outside the ring.
• Swann hits a diving double foot stomp on a bent-over Kendrick.

Grade

B-

Analysis

Swann looked fantastic here. He is so graceful and energetic that it's easy to imagine him catching on in a big way in the near future.

It's an odd move to have Kendrick drop a match just before his title bout. The announcers hinted at Perkins being in Kendrick's head, but WWE hasn't effectively told that story.

Perkins has a long way to go on the mic. He was plain-toast bland on commentary.

Sami Zayn Stands Up to Braun Strowman

Credit: WWE.com

Braun Strowman

Braun Strowman dismissed Sami Zayn, saying that he wasn't competition. He tried to walk away, but Zayn tagged him from behind.

That set off the monster. Strowman flung Zayn into the security barricade. The Underdog from the Underground kept urging the big man to come after him, but Strowman walked away.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Strowman: "I don't see any real competition." 

Grade

B

Analysis

WWE was right to delay the official collision between these two. Even if Zayn loses badly, there's drama to milk by having him push back against the bully.

And their meeting here did enough to create intrigue about what's ahead. 

The story has great potential to show off Zayn's heart and Strowman's monstrous nature. WWE has to keep the spotlight on the hero and the villain here. Good things will come of it.

Brock Lesnar's Response

An indignant Paul Heyman trashed Goldberg and insulted a fan who chanted for the former WCW champion. The manager detailed all the ways Brock Lesnar will hurt Goldberg.

Chants for Lesnar's opponent riled up Heyman. The beast and his handler soon left.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Heyman: "Those chants are really starting to piss Brock Lesnar off."
• Fans chant, "Goldberg sucks."

Grade

F

Analysis

Even the puppet master that is Heyman couldn't pull the strings in the right direction here.

WWE clearly wanted to get the crowd rooting for Goldberg, but it failed. Lesnar's ties to Minnesota made for a pro-Beast Incarnate audience. 

This segment also lacked urgency and purpose. That's what happens when you book a response to an accepted challenge. What was Lesnar going to say here, especially with Survivor Series still so far away?

Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho searched for the list backstage, running into many of WWE's colorful characters, including Jinder Mahal and Braun Strowman. Kevin Owens, meanwhile, delivered an interview about what to expect from him on Sunday.

In the ring, Owens and Jericho teamed up against Seth Rollins. The Architect, though, managed to fend off both foes temporarily. 

The heels dominated for a long stretch, but Rollins rolled up both Owens and Jericho for the win. The universal champ then assaulted Rollins in response.

The rivals brawled on the entrance ramp and at ringside.

Result

Rollins wins via pinfall. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Jericho: "I want the list, not breathing!"
• Owens: "I am going to dismantle The Architect piece by piece."
  
• Owens: "I am going to leave a permanent scar on Seth Rollins and anyone watching."
• Owens and Jericho celebrate together outside the ring mid-match.
• Jericho hurls Owens into Rollins.
• Owens power-bombs Rollins on the ring apron. 

Grade

B+

Analysis

The solid match is not the story here. The post-bout fight is. Owens looked like an absolute beast as he throttled Rollins. He left Rollins hurt and vulnerable heading into their Hell in a Cell clash.

That will add an interesting dynamic to the match. Rollins will have to gut it out in the steel structure, which is sure to generate some pathos for him.

And Owens' promo showed a glimpse of what the ideal version of the champ looks like. The Jericho stuff is entertaining, but the more fans see of snarling, threat-issuing Owens, the better.