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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Dec. 14, 2020) from the ThunderDome at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, featuring the go home show to the upcoming TLC pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for this coming Sunday night at the very same venue.
Advertised for tonight: Bray Wyatt brings the entire Firefly Fun House cast of characters on a field trip, Lana vs. Nia Jax in a singles match, AJ Styles vs. Sheamus, and Styles also promises to bring “The Nightmare before TLC” to Drew McIntyre, whatever the hell that means. All that, and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR DEC. 14
You’re too old to lose it, too young to choose it, and the clock waits so patiently on your song. You walk past a cafe but you don’t eat when you’ve lived too long. Me? I’m just here to liveblog this here pro wreslting show for these folks.
The show opens with a recap of last week’s handicap tag match wherein Sheamus accidentally Brogue Kicked Drew McIntyre.
Thence to the intro video.
Commentary hypes tonight’s show up.
The Miz is in the ring to welcome us to tonight’s edition of the Dirt Sheet, entitled The Nightmare Before TLC. He’s even got a picture book! He begins reading it and spotlights light up with the characters in the story, including AJ Styles, his Big Buddy Omos (who Miz has decided to make a directorial decision and cut, so his light gets turned out), and Drew McIntyre, who is just John Morrison dressed up like Mel Gibson in Braveheart.
Miz narrates the story of the match, which of course is Styles kicking McIntyre’s ass and... murdering him with his sword? Creative license, I suppose. He adds his own scenario, wherein he successfully cashes Money in the Bank in, at the end, as a “post-credits scene.” AJ doesn’t like this, and they bicker.
Enter Sheamus.
He says he thought he’d seen it all in WWE, but he clearly hasn’t. He says this community theater was slightly entertaining but he has a match against Styles, and while they’ve been running their mouths, he’s been preparing to fight. AJ tells him if he’s not part of the solution he’s part of the problem, and Sheamus says he prefers to be part of the problem.
Styles begs off and backs into the corner... AND THROWS A CHRISTMAS TREE AT THE CELTIC WARRIOR! He runs off but Sheamus dorks him in the head with a thrown Christmas present!
And so we go to break.
AJ Styles vs. Sheamus
Sheamus in control early, beating Styles down, AJ turns the tide and hammers him right back with shoulder thrusts in the corner. Whip reversed, Styles takes the turnbuckles hard and the Celtic Warrior stares Big Buddy Omos down. Snapmare, kick to the back, choking AJ with a knee before dropping the knee to his jaw!
Uppercuts in the corner, Styles fires back with leg kicks, uppercut, whip reversed, up and over, Sheamus drops him with a back body drop! Kneeling armbar, grinding him down, but AJ slips him loose and throws him to the floor! Referee John Cone counting, Sheamus back up on the apron at three, Styles hammering him with knees, punches and chops!
Huge release suplex, another one, Styles blocks with a throat thrust and a dropkick that sends Sheamus out to the floor next to Omos! Sidestep the dive, electric chair but AJ’s hanging in the ropes so the Celtic Warrior changes gears and goes for a powerbomb... BUT OMOS SAVES HIS LITTLE BUDDY AND SETS HIM DOWN GENTLE AS YOU LIKE!
The big men square up and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Styles is wrenching away at Sheamus’ leg, trying to soften him up for the Calf Killer. Overhead elbows to break, AJ stays on him but the Celtic Warrior gets his licks in to and keep it from becoming a rout, culminating with the Irish Curse! Exploding with axehandles, a fallaway slam throws Styles across the ring!
Hobbling, AJ gets the boot up but Sheamus hammers him with a knee strike for two! Again the Celtic Warrior ends up in front of Omos but he stays on target and traps Styles on the apron for the Beats of the Bodhran! Up top, perching, diving lariat lays AJ out but it’s only good for a nearfall! Fireman’s carry, Styles out with elbows and he locks the Calf Killer on!
Sheamus in screaming agony, posting onto his hands to try and relieve the pressure... and he gets the ropes! Calling for the Styles Clash, Sheamus reverses to White Noise... SO CLOSE! Fireman’s carry, climbing, his leg giving him problems and AJ slips out and chop blocks him...
AJ Styles wins by pinfall with a folding press.
Post-match, the heels trap Sheamus in the ropes by the legs and Styles wails on him with a steel chair, first hitting the torso before targeting the injured leg and then swatting him once in the gentleman’s area for good measure. He goes back for more dick shots!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get some hype for NXT New Year’s Evil.
We get footage from earlier of the Hurt Business walking backstage and harassing a crew member for wearing Matt Riddle merch and eating a Bronutt. Bobby Lashley asks him if he knows what goes with donuts before dumping half a gallon of milk out on him.
An interview rolls up and Montel Vontavious Porter talks about how he’s gonna teach Riddle some respectlater tonight.
Jeff Hardy and New Day are hanging out backstage when Matt Riddle rolls up to chat.
Xavier Woods says G4 isn’t going to greenlight a quiz show called Riddle Me This, but he’s not here for that, he’s here to pitch that he should be in their corner as Bro E. Jeff Hardy tells him they’re giving the Hardy Bros a go and they make their entrance together to send us to break.
Hurt Business (Bobby Lashley, Cedric Alexander, & Shelton Benjamin) vs. Jeff Hardy & New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods)
Lashley and Woods to start, Bob going right for the Hurt Lock but Xavier dodges. Kingston tags in, New Day try to double-team Lashley but he fights them off and Alexander tags in. He and Kofi fight hard, Hardy tags in, Cedric fights him of and tags Benjamin in! Fighting Jeff into the corner, hard right hands, and the match breaks down!
Babyfaces celebrating with a little bit of trombone music and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Benjamin is in control on Kingston, beating him down in the corner. Kofi with the up and over, off the ropes, leaping lariat connects! Going for Trouble in Paradise, Lashley gets a cheap shot in, pulling Kingston out of the ring! Back inside, cver for two, tag to Bob. Quick tags, keeping Kofi isolated as the heat segment rolls on.
Eventually Hardy gets the tag and comes in hot! Manhattan Drop to the double leg drop to the basement dropkick to the big splash, but Benjamin kicks out! Cedric gets a blind tag and cuts him off with a wicked knee outta nowhere! The match breaks down again, Kingston with a turning dive and Woods with a plancha but Xavier gets caught and thrown into the barricade!
Twist of Fate connects, Hurt Lock denied, the Charismatic Enigma up top but Alexander trips him up and Bob grabs it...
Hurt Business win by submission with the Hurt Lock from Bobby Lashley on Jeff Hardy.
Asuka and Lana are hanging out in Gorilla Position and Asuka is talking about how confident and strong she feels. She admits she’s scared to face Nia Jax tonight, and Asuka says yes, she’s scary, but she’s still going to walk out there and face her.
Lana makes her entrance and we go to break.
Lana vs. Nia Jax
Collar and elbow, Jax shoves her down and then smashes her into the corner. Shoving her down again, military press, Lana reverses to a Frankensteiner! Reverse roundhouse kick in the corner, headed up top, headbutt, jockeying for position, Lana trips her into the Tree of Woe, double stomp...
Lana wins by pinfall with a folding victory roll press.
Back in Gorilla Position, Shayna Baszler attacks Asuka and beats her down!
In the ring, Nia attacks Lana and lays her out, Baszler comes and joins her and Jax drops the leg! Shayna stomps her bicep and then her ankle repeatedly! Kneeling on the back of her knee, she pulls Lana’s kickpad up and then her shoe off before manually wrenching her ankle and holding her in place... FOR NIA TO DROP THE LEG DIRECTLY ON LANA’S ANKLE! ASUKA MAKES THE SAVE!
Codebreaker for Nia, running hip attack for Shayna, roundhouse kick sends Jax to the floor and she checks on her tag partner!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Elias is in the ring to sing us a song, accompanied by his new bodyguard, Jaxson “I took Forgotten Sons gimmick a little too seriously” Ryker.
He runs us through his schtick and Ryker says he’s been reborn by hearing his music and he’s here to stop him being attacked. Elias dedicates this performance to Lana, but R-Truth interrupts a few bars in.
He says he doesn’t want to interrupt, he’s just here to apologize for interrupting last week. Elias points out that he’s interrupting right now, and Truth clams up so as to avoid interrupting. Elias begins playing again and the 24/7 Championship scene runs down. Jaxson destroys Gran Metalik and then military presses Akira Tozawa to the floor!
Miz and John Morrison are hanging out backstage and chatting.
Miz says he thinks AJ Styles is trying to get on his good side and John says he’s got a point that Miz might have been easier to beat than Drew.
Keith Lee rolls up and says he’s got an idea. He brought a coin and offers a toss. They both call heads and it comes up heads. Keith tells them they both won, but that’s the only thing they’re gonna win.
And so we go to break.
Keith Lee vs. the Miz & John Morrison (Handicap Match)
Miz and Morrison double-teaming Lee at the bell, cornering him and beating him down. Eventually he shrugs Miz out of the ring and shrugs off a forearm from Johnny Raw. Combination strikes, Morrison staying one step ahead of him until he gets nailed with an awkward spinning front kick. Miz back in, Keith hosses him into the corner, catches him on a dive and hits a belly-to-belly suplex!
Morrison cuts him off, right hands, clubbing away and taking the big man off his feet! Limitless One off the ropes... POUNCE! And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Lee is in control and launches Morrison across the ring! Clubbing away at Miz, throwing him into his partner, but John drop toeholds him into the turnbuckles and punches him! Awesome Clothesline sets up a superkick... NO GOOD! Off the ropes, kick, knee, again just a nearfall!
Hoisting the Limitless One up for a double gutbuster, basement DDT sets up a standing shooting star press... NOPE! Double whip, pass the A-Lister to the floor, Morrison to the apron where he lands a kick and some forearms only to get clobbered by Grizzly Magnum! Miz trips Lee up and lets John get another nearfall with a crossbody counter to a suplex!
Reverse chinlock applied, Miz grabs an ankle lock for additional leverage! He fights out of that and then reverses a double-team suplex! Lee biels Morrison into the Miz, going for a Spirit Bomb, John blocks but Keith just swings him into his partner! Slip out, enzugiri, springboard crossbody, chop block...
The Miz & John Morrison win by pinfall with a double pin.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Bray Wyatt makes his entrance.
The puppet pals from the Firefly Fun House are at ringside and Bray gets on the mic.
Before he gets to the fun stuff, he has an apology to make. He apologizes to Randy Orton for things getting out of hand last week. He says the Fiend has a sick twisted mind of his own and he knows he has things to fix about himself, but he hopes he and Randy had a chance to finish what they started, because after Orton wrestles the Fiend he’s not sure what’s gonna be left of him.
And there shall be no fun and games at TLC, instead there’s only going to be sadness and pain. And since TLC is going to be no laughing matter, his field trip tonight is, and he’s prepared some jokes especially for the Viper! His jokes follow.
What’s the best way to measure a viper? Inches, because they don’t have any feet!
What do snakes use to clean their car windows? Windshield vipers!
While he’s doubled over laughing at that last one, Randy Orton appears on the tron and gets his attention. He recounts last week’s events and says he was outmaneuvered by the Fiend. He guarantees that won’t happen this Sunday and he offers Bray a game to play tonight. Hide and seek, he suggests, and Wyatt laughs and laughs and says he can’t resist a game and he accepts.
Bray says he’s coming to find Randy and heads to the back.
We get a recap of some Retribution business, and they make their entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Mustafa Ali has joined the commentary desk and we get a replay of an Instagram promo where Mace says he’s gonna beat Ricochet.
Mace vs. Ricochet
Ricochet lighting Mace up with probing strikes only to get launched into the corner and hammered with a back elbow! Leg lariat wipes Ricky out but he kicks out at two! Overhead elbows, into a standing neck crank, action to the apron and Ricochet comes back in with a missile dropkick! Drawing himself up, duck a lariat, leg kicks, pump kick, springboard crossbody!
Running shooting star press from the One and Only... NOPE! SLAPJACK gets on the apron, Ricochet knocks him down, T-Bar suffers the same fate but Mace is ready for him, chokebomb... NOT ENOUGH! Ali tells Mace to shut him down, fireman’s carry...
Mace wins by pinfall with a fireman’s carry spun out into an Air Raid Crash.
Post-match, Retribution get in the ring and hold Ricochet up while Ali tells him that this doesn’t end until he joins Retribution.
Cut to Bray Wyatt walking the halls and looking for Randy Orton.
He runs into Matt Riddle and corrects him when he calls him Bro, saying his name is Bray. Riddle tries to sell him on Bro-Nouns and wants him to give a lesson about them on Firefly Fun House. Wyatt begs off that he’s busy and Matt tells him to have his people call his people.
Bray leaves and Rambling Rabbit pops up. Riddle says he reminds him of Baby Yoda, so he’s gonna call him Baby Broda, and he asks Rabbit to autograph a carrot for his own rabbit, Skipper.
Shayna Baszler makes her entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial we’re informed that Lana has been taken to a local medical facility with injuries to her arm and leg and she’s unable to compete at TLC.
Dana Brooke vs. Shayna Baszler
Baszler right off with a swinging backbreaker, Brooke rallies, handspring elbow, she barely breaks out of a Kirifuda Clutch attempt, enzuigiri, short-arm lariat connects and she stomps Shayna! Nia Jax runs interference and shoves her off the top...
Dana Brooke wins by disqualification.
Post-match, Mandy Rose makes the save with a kendo stick, gets beaten down, Asuka makes the save for her and finally they overwhelm the tag champions together and check on Dana.
R-Truth is backstage cutting a promo about how, despite PlayStation 5 being sold out, he was able to get a PlayStation 6. He says he wants to make his little cousin happy, and we pan over to see that he’s speaking with Huskus Pig when Bray Wyatt rolls up. Bray warns him about talking to strangers and Truth tells Huskus to listen to his father.
Bray runs off, shouting “Hide and seek!” to avoid his paternal duties, and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get some hype for tonight’s edition of Raw Talk.
Bray Wyatt is wandering the concourse looking for Randy Orton when he spots a rocking chair rocking under a flickering light and walks into the room with it. He sits in the chair and Orton attacks him from behind, beating him down! He brawls Bray around the area before locking him in a box! Randy heads over to a road case and grabs a jug of gasoline!
HE POURS THE GAS ON THE LID OF THE BOX THAT WYATT IS TRAPPED INSIDE! Orton grabs a lighter... AND SETS THE BOX ON FIRE! THE BOX OPENS AND THE FIEND GETS OUT, LOCKING THE MANDIBLE CLAW ON THE VIPER AND SLAMMING HIM INTO A GARAGE DOOR! ORTON’S OUT!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of what we just saw, because Raw is three hours long. (And it was pretty cool, to be fair.
Matt Riddle vs. Montel Vontavious Porter
Porter sidesteps a knee and hammers Riddle with strikes! Knee of his own, Matt fights back, ripcord knee sets him up...
Matt Riddle wins by pinfall with the corkscrew moonsault.
Post-match he waves his box of BroNutts around and taunts Bobby Lashley.
Drew McIntyre is shown walking backstage to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Tom Philips is in the ring to emcee the WWE Championship ascension ceremony.
He introduces first the challenger, AJ Styles, and second the champion, Drew McIntyre.
Styles tells McIntyre this is the last time he’ll have the WWE Championship around his waist, and he brings up that this is a first-time singles match and he felt like he needed to do his research and find out exactly who Drew is. He was a little surprised, shocked even, that it took him nineteen years to climb the WWE mountain and become the champion.
How is this possible? McIntyre can’t handle the pressure, his performance at Hell in a Cell showed that. Yeah he got the title back, but it changed him and he’s taking too many risks. AJ brings up that he’s successfully defended the WWE Championship in a TLC match and says if it takes every table, ladder, and chair in the ThunderDome to get the title back, he’ll do it.
Drew offers the facts as he sees it— they’ve never wrestled before, and this is a match he’s always wanted. He always thought his goal was just to become WWE Champion, but losing it and winning it back have made it clear to him that what he wants is to stay at the top, and who is Drew McIntyre? He’ll tell you, he’s the champion that lead WWE through uncharted waters in 2020.
He’s the champion that does not crack under pressure, he’s a frickin’ diamond and his nineteen year journey made him that way. He’s gonna tear AJ apart on Sunday. Every man dies, he says, but not every man truly lives, and in doing so he becomes the Braveheart parody that John Morrison offered up earlier.
Drew takes the title off his waist and straps it onto the hook. Styles says he thinks he’s got it figure out, and good for him. But what if it’s not just him he has to face in a TLC match? MIZ AND MORRISON ATTACK! MCINTYRE MANAGES TO FEND THEM OFF AND SLINGS A LADDER OUT OF THE RING! He’s got Styles lined up for a Claymore when Omos throws the steel steps in the ring to distract him!
AJ Styles chop blocks Drew and goes to the apron... PHENOMENAL FOREARM! Omos feeds AJ a ladder and he uses it to lay McIntyre out again before throwing it at him! He wails on him with a chair briefly before wedging it into the corner, smashing Drew’s face into it! Omos clears a table and slides it in the ring to complete the trifecta.
STYLES DROPS AN ELBOW OFF A LADDER AND THROUGH A TABLE! HE CLIMBS THE LADDER AND RETRIEVES THE TITLE TO EXPLAIN HOW ONE MIGHT WIN THE MATCH ON SUNDAY.
That’s the show, folks.