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WWE Mixed Match Challenge Results: Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Nov. 27
November 28, 2018
This week's Mixed Match Challenge exclusively featured Raw teams as the quarterfinals began, with the final four teams on the red brand competing for spots in the semifinals.
Let's take a look at everything that happened on Tuesday's show.
Mahalicia vs. Ember Moon and Curt Hawkins
With Braun Strowman out with an elbow injury, Ember Moon was forced to find a new partner. General manager Baron Corbin chose Curt Hawkins to represent Raw alongside her.
Hawkins is still on a losing streak of over 200 matches, so this was considered quite the downgrade for The War Goddess, especially since she was coming into this bout undefeated in the tournament.
Moon controlled the first couple of minutes, so Alicia Fox tagged in Jinder Mahal. Hawkins cheered on his partner until he realized he had to get in the ring with the former WWE champion.
The Maharaja dominated until Hawkins nailed him with a dropkick and a clothesline. The crowd got behind Hawkins, especially after he took out Sunil and Samir Singh at ringside.
This was a standard match for the most part. Moon was the most exciting competitor to watch, but even she can't carry a tag team bout by herself.
The only memorable moment was Hawkins thinking he could tag himself in and cover Fox for the pin. Mahal took advantage of his confusion and hit the Khallas for the win.
Grade: C-
Notes and Highlights
- Moon did a great job looking unsure about teaming with Hawkins during their entrance.
- It's time for WWE to put Hawkins and Zack Ryder back together as a tag team. The fans would love it.
- Michael Cole gave an update, saying Strowman's surgery was successful.
- Hawkins looks like he could be Buddy Murphy's older brother.
Country Dominance vs. B'N'B
Mickie James and Bobby Lashley took on Bayley and Finn Balor in the second match to see who would face Mahalicia in two weeks.
This bout was more interesting than the first because all four competitors had physical confrontations on Raw: Lashley decimated Balor, and James took part in an attack on Bayley and Sasha Banks.
Just like the first match, this one focused less on comedy and more on the in-ring action. The difference was that this bout was much better. This is not a knock on Moon, Hawkins, Fox or Mahal, but they didn't even come close to matching this contest in quality.
Lio Rush tripped Bayley at one point, so Balor made him pay by throwing him out of the ring and hitting a dive over the top rope. The Hugger scored the win for her team with the Bayley-to-Belly suplex.
Grade: B
Notes and Highlights
- Kayla Braxton is fitting in nicely as a backstage interviewer now that Renee Young is on commentary full-time.
- Lashley looked pissed when his music stopped a little early.
- Unlike when he tries to get a Lashley chant going, Rush was actually able to get the crowd to chant for James.
- Balor and Bayley made more of an effort to have matching attires than anyone else in the tournament.