WWE Raw Ratings Increase with Keith Lee vs. Sheamus; Randy Orton and Alexa Bliss

Monday night's episode of Raw, which featured a WWE Championship No. 1 contender's match between Keith Lee and Sheamus, saw its ratings improve compared to last week. 

According to Showbuzz Daily, Raw averaged 1.769 million viewers during its three-hour broadcast on USA Network, up from the 1.691 million viewers Raw garnered last week.

Raw opened with a tribute to Jon Huber, who wrestled as Luke Harper in WWE and Brodie Lee in AEW. Both announcer Tom Phillips and WWE champion Drew McIntyre said, "It's Monday, you know what that means," which was one of Huber's catchphrases.

McIntyre's promo was interrupted by his friends, Lee and Sheamus, who have had major issues with each other in recent weeks. McIntyre gave them a chance to settle their differences by putting them in a match for the No. 1 contendership.

Lee defeated Sheamus, meaning the former NXT champion will face McIntyre for the WWE title next week on Raw.

The main event segment of Raw was a confrontation between Randy Orton and Alexa Bliss after The Viper burned "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt alive at the conclusion of their Firefly Inferno Match at TLC.

Orton invaded and destroyed the Firefly Funhouse on Monday, which prompted Bliss to challenge him to a confrontation. Bliss covered herself in gasoline and pleaded with Orton to set her on fire as well.

The lights went out and the noise that usually signals The Fiend's arrival played. Orton lit a match and gave a sinister stare to the camera as Raw went off the air.

Also on Raw, The Miz lost to Gran Metalik in upset fashion, but the night wasn't a total loss for him. WWE official Adam Pearce handed him back the Money in the Bank briefcase, noting that since John Morrison cashed in for him at TLC, The Miz was still Mr. Money in the Bank.

Other major happenings on Raw included The Hurt Business beating New Day, Matt Riddle and Jeff Hardy in an eight-man tag team match, AJ Styles defeating Elias, Charlotte Flair beating Nia Jax by disqualification, Shayna Baszler defeating Dana Brooke and Mustafa Ali beating Ricochet.

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