WWE Raw Results: Biggest Winners, Losers and Moments from December 25

It was a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays for several stars of the Raw brand Monday night, including Elias, who wasted little time making a name for himself by targeting the returning John Cena.

The Drifter is but one of several NXT stars who stood out from the rest of the pack.

The brand's alumni, including Enzo Amore, Nia Jax and Mandy Rose, represented it well. The Superstars seized the holiday spotlight and delivered in ways that created genuine interest or excitement for where they may be heading in 2018.

Not everyone formerly associated with the black and yellow, though, were recognized as winners.

Seth Rollins was left to play babysitter while Hideo Itami was hurt significantly by a complete and utter lack of character traits that generate even the smallest ovation.

Delve deeper into those Superstars who stood out Monday night, for better or worse, and find out why they earned the label they did with this recap of the December 25 episode of WWE's flagship show.

Winners: Enzo Amore and Nia Jax

The backstage flirtation between Enzo Amore and Nia Jax continued Monday night. Whether you love or hate the idea of them being paired in an on-screen relationship or not, the continued tease of romance has resonated with the audiences, as evidenced by the reaction the fans in Chicago greeted their latest encounter with.

The suggestion they might kiss underneath the mistletoe earned a huge ovation, and when Alexa Bliss interrupted the proceedings, the lack of follow-through resulted in groans from fans who appear genuinely invested in seeing the two Superstars finally lock lips.

Say what you will about the blossoming storyline, but the fans are receptive, which is more than can be said for the first big loser from Monday's show.

Loser: Hideo Itami

Chicago is a hardcore wrestling city and thus probably should have received Hideo Itami with a great deal more excitement than they did. 

Instead, the internationally recognized star was greeted with silence, and his Go To Sleep on Brian Kendrick, in the hometown of CM Punk, drew little-to-no response from the audience.

An NXT alumnus whose run with that brand was disappointing, due primarily to a lack of character development, is falling victim to the same issues with his main roster run already.

He is still likely to enjoy a considerable push, but do not expect fans to roll over and accept him because of his pre-WWE accomplishments.

Winner: Mandy Rose

Mandy Rose did not have the luxury of television time in NXT. Barring a match or two, maybe even a Battle Royal once or twice, her in-ring work was relegated to live events. It was not a stretch by any means to suggest that she was clearly the weakest link of Absolution from an in-ring perspective.

Monday night, though, the Six-Woman Tag Team match that pitted her and her teammates Paige and Sonya Deville against Mickie James, Bayley and Sasha Banks, was laid out in a way that allowed her to showcase her abilities for the fans both live in attendance and watching around the world.

Though Corey Graves routinely expresses his love for Mandy Rose, his commentary, along with that of Michael Cole and Booker T, put her over strong for demonstrating abilities in the ring no one knew she possessed.

On Christmas night, she gifted fans with proof that she can work alongside an acclaimed Superstar like Sasha Banks and thrive.

It was a big step in the right direction for her, though there are still questions about her ability to succeed in a singles setting, where the safety net of a tag team partner does not exist.

Loser: Seth Rollins

One would think Seth Rollins regaining the Raw Tag Team Championships to close out Monday's show would earn him "winner" status, and they may be right under any other circumstance.

When he teamed with Jason Jordan Christmas night to defeat Sheamus and Cesaro, though, it felt a bit too much like he had been saddled with the task of getting Jordan over with fans.

The illegitimate son of Kurt Angle has been presented in a way that has earned him the disdain of the WWE Universe, a Superstar pushed too hard, too fast despite having a wholly unlikable on-screen personality. Now, he wins a title with former WWE champion Rollins, who was essentially assigned the mentor role to on commentary to close out the show.

Rollins is at the peak of his athleticism. He is as good now as he has ever been and should be fighting for world titles in main events.

Instead, WWE has handed him the role of being a heater for Jordan in hopes that, possibly, fans will hate the young star less if he has Rollins to mooch popularity from.

Winner: Elias

Elias received quite the Christmas gift from WWE Creative Monday night as he kicked off the show by interrupting a returning John Cena, then attacked him and fought him in a singles contest.

For 15 or so minutes, he dominated the action, showcasing his abilities against the measuring stick of WWE.

Of course, he ultimately dropped the match to the tried-and-true Attitude Adjustment but Elias was allowed to shine brightly in the first 30 minutes of the show.

The sinister songster is in a unique place right now because he does not win nearly as much as he should but he rebuilds heat through his promo work and routinely works upper echelon stars. He is teetering on the brink of breaking through and matches like Monday's against Cena is exactly what he needs more of to eventually shatter the glass ceiling and make sure the entire WWE Universe walks with Elias.