WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Highlights and Reaction from September 23

WWE Raw celebrated its season finale Monday with a Fatal 5-Way match to determine the No. 1 contender to Seth Rollins' Universal Championship on next week's show.

The match featured current champions Robert Roode, Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles, as well as beloved babyfaces Ricochet and Rey Mysterio, vying for the opportunity to dethrone The Architect just 13 days before a title defense inside Hell in a Cell against "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt.

Who would emerge victoriously, how would Rollins respond and what impact would the terrifying Fiend have, if any?

Find out with this recap of the September 23 episode of WWE's flagship show.

Seth Rollins Kicks Off Raw

Credit: WWE.com

Universal champion Seth Rollins kicked off the broadcast to a sizable ovation, ahead of facing the dual threats of The Fiend and a new No. 1 contender to be crowned later in the evening.

Rollins addressed his face-to-face with The Fiend from last week's show and then vowed to fight and prevail against the enigmatic entity the same way he had in matches against Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman in recent months.

Strowman took exception to Rollins' words and hit the ring, suggesting the champion talk to him face-to-face if he has something to say. The Monster Among Men blamed him for their loss of the Raw Tag Team Championships at Clash of Champions.

Rollins said he is busy with upcoming title matches, but if Strowman wants some, the two of them could fight on this show.

The big man accepted, and the main event was made official after the commercial break.

Grade

B

Analysis

There was nothing inherently wrong with this, but it felt lackadaisical—a forced segment that set up a match with issues already settled at the last pay-per-view.

Sure, it was a star-studded main event to go head-to-head with Monday Night Football, but with everything else already announced for the broadcast, it felt like another excuse to overexpose a Superstar in Rollins who could probably benefit from not competing at the top of the card for a week or two—if only to freshen things up.

The Viking Raiders vs. The O.C.

Credit: WWE.com

The hard-hitting rivalry between The Viking Raiders' Erik and Ivar and The O.C.'s Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson continued in the night's opening match.

The Raiders dominated early, but the heels slowed their momentum and worked over Erik until a hot tag to Ivar sparked a momentary comeback. Interference from United States champion AJ Styles led to his dismissal from the ringside area and an attack from Cedric Alexander, who sought vengeance for a disappointing encounter with The Phenomenal One last week.

Back from the break, Anderson and Gallows continued their dominance, working over Ivar in their corner and cutting him off from his partner.

Erik finally received the hot tag and exploded into the match. He took the fight to the heels, but like his partner, he quickly found himself on the receiving end of a two-on-one beatdown, courtesy of The O.C.'s Boot of Doom.

Erik kicked out of two and escaped a Magic Killer attempt. He tagged Ivar in, and the duo put Anderson away for the hard-fought victory.

Result

The Viking Raiders defeated The O.C.

Grade

B+

Analysis

This was a good old-fashioned hoss fight between four big men with great explosion and some solid and dramatic near-falls late.

Anderson and Gallows looked as impressive as they have in recent memory, while The Viking Raiders were finally tested in a long-form main roster tag team match.

The right team went over, and the segment also added further heat to Styles and Alexander's rivalry. Intertwining these pieces has led to solid in-ring production to this point, and that should not change as things become hotter and more intense between all involved.

Michael Cole Sits Down with Becky Lynch

Michael Cole sat down for a special backstage interview with Becky Lynch.

He asked about Hell in a Cell on October 6 and whether it was wise to issue a challenge for a match against Sasha Banks inside the unforgiving structure when she is on such a hot streak.

Lynch said she wants The Boss on a hot streak; that is why she issued the challenge to anyone at any time. She wants to make history but cannot do that by herself.

Cole asked about Bayley and the likelihood that she will find a way to get involved.

Lynch said the Hell in a Cell stipulation isn't about keeping Bayley out but, rather, keeping Banks in, and she cannot wait to trap The Boss.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Lynch is a more convincing and engaging talker than she is an in-ring performer, and that is saying something.

The Man was completely believable here, as if she were invested in every word that came out of her mouth. That the promo was not overly long helped keep fans engrossed in what the champion had to say, a lesson the creative team can learn for other aspects of the show.

From both entertainment and sporting perspectives, this worked and added to the heat of the marquee bout.

EC3 vs. Rusev

Credit: WWE.com

Rusev's return to WWE television continued this week with a singles match against EC3.

The former TNA world champion attacked from the opening bell, looking to turn his fortunes around at the expense of The Bulgarian Brute, but Rusev cut him off and flattened him with a massive Machka Kick.

The Accolade earned the former United States champion the largely uncontested victory.

Result

Rusev defeated EC3

Grade

C

Analysis

There were two big takeaways from this: Renee Young's emphatic denial that Rusev is Maria Kanellis' baby daddy and the commentary team questioning where Lana has been.

The first part seemed to suggest WWE Creative has dropped the nonsense of any relationship between Rusev and Kanellis, and that is best for a Rusev trying to rebuild credibility.

As for Lana, she has been conspicuous by her absence these last two weeks, creating questions as to her future with WWE and her on-screen pairing with her real-life husband.

Perhaps the Kanellis storyline and Lana's whereabouts will be intertwined in the coming weeks.

As for the match, it is difficult to take any attempt to reboot Rusev seriously when the writing team continues to diminish him shortly thereafter.

Carmella Wins the 24/7 Championship

R-Truth and Carmella rushed to the squared circle, with Superstars following closely behind in hopes of defeating the former to capture the 24/7 Championship.

Carmella, frustrated and fed up with the daily grind of eluding them, took a microphone and begged for a momentary break. She pleaded her case to Truth and said she could not live this way anymore.

Suddenly, though, she rolled up her closest associate and won the 24/7 Championship.

Truth, almost proud of The Princess of Staten Island, raised her hand in victory as Sarah Logan and an official stalked toward the ring.

Carmella escaped through the crowd, leaving with the gold in her hand.

Result

Carmella defeated Truth to win the 24/7 Championship

Grade

A

Analysis

For months, we have waited for the inevitable moment Carmella betrayed Truth and won the 24/7 Championship, taking advantage of the closeness of the pair to capture the gold.

We finally got it here, though it never felt like a heel turn. Instead, her win was greeted with a big pop, and Truth's reaction was that of a supportive partner. He even piggybacked her out of the arena and away from the chasing foes.

The question now is whether Carmella is a long-term option or a quick bridge to someone else.

Nikki Cross vs. Sasha Banks

Looking to build momentum for herself ahead of a Hell in a Cell showdown with Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks battled women's tag team champion Nikki Cross in singles competition.

With SmackDown women's champion Bayley backing up Banks and Alexa Bliss supporting her tag partner, the combustible elements were in place.

A game Cross controlled early, frustrating Banks with an arm drag and working her left arm ahead of the break.

Back from the break, Cross was forced to fight her way back into the match. She did, scoring a roll-up and then blocking The Boss' double-knee attack. Banks answered, finally executing the double knees for a near-fall.

Banks worked over Cross, looking for a submission. The tag champion fired off a babyface comeback, though, delivering a big running bulldog for her own two-count.

Great awareness by Banks allowed her to take out the leg of her opponent. She worked over the limb, forcing Cross to fight from underneath again. The Scot showed her trademark tenacity, though, repeatedly creating separation, including sending Banks shoulder-first into the steel post.

Cross showed little regard for her own health, delivering a tope that wiped out Banks at ringside. A straightjacket neckbreaker earned her another two.

The pair continued their back-and-forth battle until Cross trapped The Boss in the ring apron and fired off some punishing forearms to the chest. She fought off the backstabber and answered with a twisting neckbreaker, but Bayley jumped on the apron and prevented a pinfall.

Bliss laid out the SmackDown women's champion at ringside and sent her into the timekeeper's position. Back inside, Banks rolled through a crossbody attempt and forced the tapout with the Bank Statement. The victor tapped Bliss to the same move after the bell.

Result

Banks defeated Cross

Grade

B-

Analysis

The psychology was all over the place here, with Banks working on Cross' knee, only to have her opponent completely disregard the injury in favor of a babyface comeback. It may seem like a little thing, but it was a complete disconnect from the rest of the match.

Add that to Bayley getting tossed around at the hands of Bliss when she is supposed to be one of the cornerstones of this current incarnation of the women's division and then never getting any sort of revenge for herself, and you have a puzzling bit of booking.

The effort was there, as was the foundation of an even better match between the two, but this was just a bit disappointing thanks to the failure of Banks and Cross to follow up on what had been established earlier in the bout.

Ember Moon vs. Lacey Evans

SmackDown's Ember Moon returned to the red brand for one night only, battling Lacey Evans in singles competition.

Seeking redemption and re-entry into championship contention, Moon took the fight to The Sassy Southern Belle early in the contest. She dropped Evans with a springboard crossbody block, but a dropkick sent her crashing to the floor and deterred her onslaught.

Evans stomped away at The War Goddess in the corner and covered for a near-fall. She continued to ground-and-pound her opponent, but Moon mounted a comeback and dropped her rival with a stunner on the arena floor. Back inside the ring, she scored a two-count.

Evans grabbed hold of Moon's hair and blasted her with the Woman's Right, knocking her off the top rope. Back inside, she applied the Sharpshooter and tapped out Moon for a big win.

After the match, Sarah Schreiber caught up with Natalya, who said Evans hasn't mastered the Sharpshooter and vowed to make her tap.

Result

Evans defeated Moon

Grade

C

Analysis

The match was fine, if not a little clunky, but it was interesting to hear the commentary team spend as much time as it did selling Moon's quest for redemption, only to have her lose in her first televised match in well over a month.

Evans winning made sense given her ongoing rivalry with Natalya, so there are no complaints about that. Why it had to come at the expense of Moon, who is in desperate need of a reboot of any kind, is the question.

One can only hope the upcoming draft does wonders for Superstars like her and others in similar positions.

'Firefly Fun House'

Bray Wyatt welcomed the WWE Universe to the "Firefly Fun House" by hanging photos of The Fiend's victims to this point.

From there, he found Ramblin' Rabbit and Huskus the Pig fighting over a Seth Rollins action figure. They said they were big fans of the universal champion, but Wyatt warned them about getting too attached to someone, saying he knew what it was like to be abandoned by those you care about most.

He broke the figure in half and tossed it aside. "Sharing is caring," he said, before staring into the camera. "See you in hell!" he said before parting ways with his fireflies.

Grade

A

Analysis

The "Firefly Fun House" vignettes are every bit as good as The Fiend presentation, thanks to the combination of strong writing and stellar performances by Wyatt.

This was no different.

Wyatt taking on a different tone, even taking exception to his puppets' adoration of Rollins, was pitch-perfect, and his sudden switch from fun-loving kids' show host to intensely focused, clearly dangerous entity only further hammered home how sadistic the persona at play really is.

That he has been able to get the act over without being in the ring every week and overexposing it is a testament to Wyatt as a performer and a hint to the writing team that maybe putting on the same guys week after week serves only diminish its stars.

Chad Gable vs. Baron Corbin

The newly crowned King Corbin squared off with Chad Gable in a rematch of last week's instant classic but not before the heel knocked his opponent's size in a series of unfunny cracks.

Seeking revenge, Gable attacked early, leaving the former Raw general manager reeling. Just before the break, Corbin seized control of the match and retained it coming out of the commercial timeout.

The King of the Ring overwhelmed his opponent with his size and power advantage, but the unwavering will of the babyface proved frustrating for the heel. The Lone Wolf let the near-falls get to him, and every kick-out generated more and more support from fans.

Corbin eventually got in referee John Cone's face, questioning the count. He tried for a chokeslam, but Gable countered with a roll-up for two.

Corbin answered with the chokeslam but could not put away his opponent. His rival recovered and delivered a German suplex. He followed with a moonsault, but Corbin kicked out.

Corbin caught a charging Gable and tried for End of Days, but the Olympian slipped out and applied the ankle lock. The Lone Wolf crawled toward the corner and grabbed his scepter. He blasted his opponent with it, drawing the disqualification.

From there, he used it as a weapon again, laying out Gable and standing tall to a chorus of boos.

Result

Gable defeated Corbin via disqualification

Grade

A

Analysis

Gable and Corbin have wicked in-ring chemistry, and while this was not up to the level of last week's match, it was still fun and propelled the rivalry forward.

Corbin letting Gable's resilience frustrate him and then having to resort to cheating to save himself from defeat despite wisecracks about his opponent's size is expert heel work and the type of stuff he does extremely well.

Gable is such a fun and energetic underdog performer that it is impossible not to root for him as he endures and endures before firing his way back into the match with his speed, agility and mat work.

Whether this was always the plan or WWE Creative stumbled into something phenomenal with Gable vs. King Corbin, it now has one of the best and most simplistic programs in the company on its hands.

Fatal 5-Way No. 1 Contender's Match

Credit: WWE.com

Intercontinental champion Shinsuke Nakamura, tag team titleholder Robert Roode, United States champion AJ Styles, Rey Mysterio and Ricochet battled in a Fatal 5-Way match to crown a No. 1 contender to Seth Rollins' universal belt.

Ricochet was red-hot early, wiping out Roode and Nakamura with a dive. From there, he took the fight to his heel opposition and followed with a big suplex to Mysterio. Roode, Styles and Nakamura all starred in between, as the action was fairly nonstop throughout the early portion of the bout.

The Artist scored the first fall of the match, somewhat shockingly dispatching a rolling Ricochet with a Kinshasa heading into the commercial break.

Styles revisited his dominant 2018 rivalry with Nakamura, delivering a Phenomenal Forearm and sending the IC champion packing back to SmackDown Live.

Roode came from out of nowhere and dropped Styles with the Glorious DDT to eliminate him.

This left Roode and Mysterio.

Roode blasted Mysterio with a spinebuster that would make Arn Anderson proud. He followed up with an attempted Glorious DDT, but the veteran escaped into a roll-up for two.

Another attempt at the Glorious DDT failed as Mysterio sent Roode into the ropes, delivered a 619 and finished him off with the top-rope splash to pick up the win.

Result

Mysterio defeated Roode, Nakamura, Styles and Ricochet to become No. 1 contender

Grade

A

Analysis

There was a ton of action to digest here, as the five Superstars never gave fans the opportunity to get bored with what they were watching.

The booking was questionable, to say the least, as Nakamura defeated Ricochet despite the latter's status as a fairly significant player on Raw. Is that an indicator of The One and Only's descent down the card or evidence of a renewed push for The Artist, whose screen time has increased since his pairing with Sami Zayn?

Styles losing to Roode, despite hints of a loose alliance between The O.C. and Raw tag champions Roode and Dolph Ziggler, was interesting but will likely have no emphasis whatsoever in the coming weeks.

Mysterio winning is an interesting choice if only because it was the logical culmination of his ongoing redemption story. After a frustrating month full of losses, he questioned his ability before his son, Dominic, reminded him of who he was and why he does what he does.

This win presents him with his most significant match to date since returning to WWE. While it will be a fine one with the consistently great Rollins, it will likely be another excuse for an attack by The Fiend, leaving Mysterio's story arc in jeopardy.

Seth Rollins vs. Braun Strowman

Credit: WWE.com

The rematch from Clash of Champions pitting Rollins against Strowman headlined this week's show.

The Monster Among Men was his typical brute-force self from the get-go, bowling over Rollins in search of a victory to get him back to winning ways. He overwhelmed the universal champion with his size and fury, hoping to curb his momentum.

A blockbuster by Rollins turned the tide in his favor, allowing him to create separation and mount a comeback. Strowman kicked out, but The Architect followed with consecutive frog splashes for another two-count.

Rollins unleashed a pair of suicide dives, but Strowman caught him in mid-flight during a third one and chokeslammed him on the ring apron. From there, he stampeded around the squared circle and flattened his rival before delivering a running powerslam on the floor.

Back inside, he set up Rollins for another of his trademark moves when the lights went out. Then the familiar screeching and light show engulfed the arena, and The Fiend trapped The Monster in the Mandible Claw. He came face-to-face with The Architect, only to reapply the hold to a suddenly recovered Strowman.

The Fiend again stared down Rollins as the arena went dark and the laughter of Bray Wyatt filled the auditorium.

Result

Strowman and Rollins fought to a no-contest

Grade

B+

Analysis

Earlier in the night, Wyatt told his "Firefly Fun House" audience that he knew what it meant to be abandoned by those who meant most to him. Fast-forward an hour or so, and he attacked one of his former Wyatt Family members, Strowman, with the vaunted Mandible Claw.

It is possible that is a coincidence, but given the intricacies presented in the "Firefly Fun House" vignettes, it is highly unlikely.

The consistent excellence of those vignettes, coupled with the star appeal of The Fiend character, have provided Raw with a spark it desperately needed in the form of a performer some left for dead after the Deleter of Worlds debacle.

Forget Rollins and Strowman having the same good-to-very-good match we knew they were capable of. The whole thing served as the background to the reappearance of the horrifying character.

As long as WWE can resist the urge to overexpose him, Wyatt could be in the middle of the type of career renaissance that sees him finally become the defining persona fans and critics alike have been waiting for.