WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from December 3

The December 3 episode of WWE Raw continued the slow, steady and at times painful march to TLC: Tables Ladders & Chairs on December 16.

Storylines were advanced and feuds intensified, but for the second week in a row, it felt like much of what was happening on the screen was insignificant or underwhelmingly written.

Still, WWE Creative improved upon what was a lowlight for it last week. This week's show may not have been dynamic, but it sure as hell made more sense.

Find out how with this recap of Monday's USA Network broadcast.

Ronda Rousey and Natalya vs. Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka

There was no overly long promo to kick off this week's show. Instead, Ronda Rousey hit the ring for her scheduled tag team match with Natalya against Nia Jax and Tamina in what served as a preview for the December 16 showdown between the former UFC star and The Irresistible Force for the Raw Women's Championship.

Before the match could start, The Riott Squad provided a distraction that allowed Jax and Tamina to attack their opponents from behind. The heels fought Rousey to the floor and sent her into the steel steps. On the other side of the ring, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan drove Natalya through a table.

The heels left while Rousey struggled to make it to her partner, who held her elbow in obvious pain.

Grade

B

Analysis

After a lethargic, uninspired episode of Raw last week, this was a relatively strong start to this week's show.

Rousey is the biggest star in all of WWE, and having her kick off the edition and then endure a beating that helped the heels build heat was a fantastic use of her.

Delivering an injury angle that created doubts about Natalya's ability to battle at her friend's side builds drama and creates genuine interest in the rest of the story and how it will ultimately play out.

Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Another Open Forum

A week ago, Bayley and Sasha Banks joined Alexa Bliss for an open forum and were the recipients of a beatdown at the hands of Alicia Fox, Mickie James and Dana Brooke.

They returned this week and answered questions from fans, including who their dream opponents were, if they would turn on each other and what their dream superpower would be.

The biggest takeaway was Bayley answering a "fan's" question by insisting she and Banks want to be the first Raw women's tag team champions.

James, Fox and Brooke hit the ring to initiate another beatdown, but Bliss cut them off and announced a tag team match to take place immediately after the break.

Grade

D

Analysis

The open-forum segments can go ahead and disappear never to be seen again.

They are not funny, they are not entertaining and do nothing to really further any ongoing programs.

In reality, this was another lengthy promo segment that halfheartedly set up a match.

Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Mickie James and Alicia Fox

Heels Mickie James and Alicia Fox controlled the match, isolating Bayley and working her over after the break.

A well-timed dodge, though, sent James to the floor and allowed Bayley to make the hot tag.

Sasha Banks exploded into the match and wasted little time trapping Fox in the Bank Statement. Fox escaped, and the action continued until Bayley flattened James with a Bayley-to-Belly off a backstabber for the win.

Result

Bayley and Banks defeated James and Fox

Grade

C-

Analysis

This was a rushed match of little substance that accomplished nothing of any real note beyond giving Bayley and Banks a televised win.

The entire ordeal would be so much more tolerable if there were some sort of direction or story to be told, but this was just a match for a match's sake and, worse yet, the product of an in-ring promo segment that meant nothing.

Lucha House Rules: Lucha House Party vs. Scott Dawson

Gran Metalik squared off with Scott Dawson to start Monday's match as the rivalry between Lucha House Party and The Revival continued.

Quickly, Kalisto entered the match before tagging in Lince Dorado. It was against the feline-masked luchador that Dawson enjoyed the most success, grounding him and isolating him from his partners.

A big superkick allowed Dorado to create separation, and as action broke down, the luchadors each took their turn grounding Dawson before a senton from Metalik scored the babyfaces the win.

Result

Lucha House Party defeated Dawson

Grade

D

Analysis

Yes, it has been refreshing to see The Revival involved in something worthwhile on Raw, but can this feud go away now?

Lucha House Party is unlikable, and the trio bends the rules in its favor. It is not funny, it's barely entertaining and the matches have not been so outstanding that it covers up for any of that.

Let Dawson and Dash Wilder move on to better because, as it stands now, this is almost as bad as not doing anything Monday nights.

Baron Corbin Promo

The current general manager of Raw, Baron Corbin, was in the ring following a commercial break and basked in the boos of the WWE Universe.

He ran down the Superstars who have been a pain in his side since assuming the role and labeled Monday as "Drew McIntyre Appreciation Night" in honor of the man who has been by his side, eliminating the opposition one at a time.

"Show some appreciation for The Scottish Psychopath, Drew McIntyre!" Corbin demanded as the former intercontinental and tag team champion made his way to the ring.

Corbin presented McIntyre with Raw's Gold Medal of Excellence.

McIntyre said he was doing what no other Superstar was tough enough to do. He criticized the Superstars in the back for being soft, for playing video games and spending all their time on social media. He vowed to reshape Raw in his image before turning his attention to Finn Balor.

Dolph Ziggler interrupted, reminding McIntyre they were supposed to dominate Raw together, but he was seemingly not invited to the party. The Scot said he never was and then labeled himself the whole damn package.

"Your role was to get me in a prominent position and look at me now; you did it!" McIntyre mockingly thanked Ziggler.

The Showoff snapped and dropped McIntyre with a Zig Zag. Corbin immediately made a match between the former partners.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Was this another annoying promo segment used to set up a match? Yes, but where this succeeded was in meaning something and furthering a story arc.

For weeks, McIntyre has been helping Corbin and Bobby Lashley without any real acknowledgment of his former partnership.

We got that acknowledgment Monday, as well as a match between the two to put the final dagger in their on-screen partnership once and for all.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre

Back from the break, Drew McIntyre was in firm control of the match, overwhelming Dolph Ziggler with his size and strength advantage.

He tossed The Showoff to the arena floor and grabbed a microphone. He said he would eliminate any soft spot he had for Ziggler by treating him like he was Finn Balor instead. The leader of Balor Club made his presence felt heading into another commercial.

McIntyre continued his beating of Ziggler, but frustration set in as he failed to put him away.

At ringside, McIntyre continued his beating, rolling The Showoff into the ring. Balor seized the opening and delivered a dropkick to his TLC opponent, sending him into the guardrail.

McIntyre beat the referee's count but walked right into a superkick from Ziggler, who became the first Superstar to beat him since the Scottish Psychopath's return to the squared circle.

Result

Ziggler defeated McIntyre

Grade

B-

Analysis

As a match, this was nothing more than Ziggler selling an ass-kicking from McIntyre.

What it did, though, was allow Balor to capitalize on his rival's arrogance and cost him a match he otherwise would have won easily.

Is it lazy booking? Absolutely. It's a finish we have seen numerous times. But all things taken into consideration, it was solid enough to further the hype for a match that was thrown together and announced for TLC over the weekend.

Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush Interrupt Elias

Elias was introduced to the WWE Universe Monday night and wasted little time explaining how much he wanted to wrap one of his guitars around the head of Bobby Lashley after the beating he endured a week ago.

Lashley and mouthpiece Lio Rush interrupted, the latter talking his charge up some more.

Elias took the fight to Lashley, who momentarily gained the upper hand. Elias fought back and chased Lashley to the back.

Frustrated, Elias was left standing on the ramp, with his guitar in hand. From out of nowhere, Rush reappeared, and the sinister songster blasted him with the musical instrument.

It was revealed that Balor had thrown Rush back into harm's way. The NXT exports shared a brief moment of respect to close out the segment.

Grade

A

Analysis

After weeks of Lashley, McIntyre and Corbin teaming up, it was nice to see two babyfaces band together to fight back.

Rather than being individuals fighting the same battle, they unified for the greater good. That is strong storytelling. Two guys putting aside their differences to band together against the tyrannical authority and his handpicked soldiers is a great story that fans can sink their teeth into.

Rush continued to get Lashley over in a way the big man never could himself, so that's a positive in its own right.

Bobby Roode and Chad Gable vs. Drake Maverick and AOP

Bobby Roode and Chad Gable's shot at AOP's Raw Tag Team Championships hinged on Roode being able to defeat manager Drake Maverick in one-on-one competition in which Akam, Rezar and Gable were all barred from ringside.

Or so we thought.

As the match began, cameras caught AOP attacking Gable backstage. From there, Baron Corbin appeared and announced the match was now a 3-on-2 Handicap match.

AOP made its way to the ring and pummelled Roode. Maverick covered the former NXT and United States champion to score the win and rob the babyfaces of the tag title opportunity.

Result

Maverick defeated Roode

Grade

C

Analysis

As WWE Creative continues to look for a solution to its babyface star power issue, it has positioned Roode and Gable against Corbin in his reign of terror, and this was the latest chapter in their war against the authority.

The problem? There is nothing at all interesting or compelling about any of this.

Maverick's comedic factor has almost single-handedly killed AOP's aura, and the team of Roode and Gable is so bland there is no chance the duo can possibly bring anything to the table that makes this more watchable.

It grades out at a "C" solely for the fact that it helped add heat to Corbin's evil GM character.

Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose Continue Their Rivalry

Dean Ambrose, accompanied by men in SWAT attire, made his way to the ring clad in a gas mask.

The Lunatic Fringe attributed the mask to protecting himself from the scum of Houston and then turned his focus to Seth Rollins ahead of their match on December 16 at TLC.

Ambrose laid out his plan to use The Architect's emotions against him and take the Intercontinental Championship in the process.

Rollins attacked from behind, taking the fight to Ambrose and avoiding the SWAT team. When the security team caught wind, it attacked, but The Architect fended it off.

Ambrose looked to escape and threw obstacles in his former Shield teammate's way, going as far as to pull one of the SWAT team members in front of a diving Rollins.

A gas mask to the face of Rollins gave way to Dirty Deeds on the arena floor.

Back in the squared circle, Ambrose dropped him again with another Dirty Deeds and left as the sirens blared throughout the arena.

Grade

A

Analysis

Ambrose continued to build heat, doing just enough to make fans want to see him get his comeuppance at TLC when he challenges Rollins for the IC title in what is likely to be a sanctioned brawl.

Ambrose got the best of Rollins here again, building anticipation for the moment The Architect finally gains a measure of revenge.

A quality angle, even if it was similar to the other times we have seen Ambrose one-up Rollins to this point.

Heath Slater vs. Rhyno

One man would be jobless Monday night after former SmackDown tag team champions Rhyno and Heath Slater squared off in one-on-one action.

Rhyno blasted Slater with a cheap right hand early. He backed Slater into the corner and tried for a shoulder block, but his opponent ducked out of the way, delivered a neckbreaker and scored the win.

Result

Slater defeated Rhyno

Grade

D

Analysis

What was the point?

Once the most unlikely tag team champions and an immensely popular SmackDown team, Slater and Rhyno's partnership came to an end, not with a bang, but a whimper.

Not that it matters, because Rhyno and Slater were nonfactors on Raw, making their sudden addition to this show all the more head-scratching.

Finn Balor vs. Jinder Mahal

Credit: WWE.com

Finn Balor battled Jinder Mahal in a match set up earlier in the night by Baron Corbin.

Mahal grounded Balor early and worked him over with his size and strength advantage.

Balor mounted a comeback and was en route to a victory when The Singh Brothers interfered. That drew out Apollo Crews, who neutralized the interfering siblings, and the Irishman delivered the running dropkick before finishing off The Maharaja with the Coup de Grace for the win.

Result

Balor defeated Mahal

Grade

C+

Analysis

This is not the first time Balor and Mahal have worked together. They actually had a few solid matches back in 2007, right after the Irishman's return to the ring. This was not in the upper echelon of their matchups.

Balor winning made sense; Crews interfering...not so much, unless the goal is to put him and Mahal together in a midcard match.

After the break, Drew McIntyre attacked Balor backstage, brutalizing him to further build their TLC pay-per-view match.

For the first time since he relinquished the Universal Championship in 2016, Balor was booked like a legitimate main event star throughout this show.

Ronda Rousey and Ember Moon vs. Nia Jax and Tamina

Credit: WWE.com

Ronda Rousey recruited Ember Moon to be her tag team partner against Tamina and Nia Jax in the main event of Monday's show.

The Raw women's champion and Moon frustrated their opponents heading into the final break of the night but paid for it coming out as the bigger, stronger, nastier heels seized control. They isolated Moon and worked her over in their corner of the ring for the majority of the bout, punishing her as Rousey watched on.

When the champion finally received the hot tag, she exploded into the match, taking the fight to both opponents.

When Moon took Jax out of the equation, Rousey was able to focus on Tamina, trap her in the armbar and score the tapout win.

Jax backed up the ramp, her eyes locked on Rousey and Moon to close out the show.

Result

Moon and Rousey defeated Tamina and Jax

Grade

B

Analysis

This was a solid, if unspectacular, tag team match that focused the attention on Raw's biggest star and her upcoming match with Nia Jax.

It also did a fine job of protecting Moon, who is a Superstar that Raw officials seem to be high on but have not gone all-in with to this point. She is dynamic, charismatic and can benefit exponentially from being associated with Rousey in this fashion.

Jax looked strong, but it feels as though her momentum has slowed after two weeks of wicked heat attained after breaking Becky Lynch's face.