Detailed Results
The special Christmas edition of RAW kicks off in a big way with the return of the sixteen-time former World Champion John Cena. After giving his hat and shirt to a child in the crowd, John Cena wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, which sparks a “Merry Christmas” chant from the crowd. Cena then says that the holidays are about togetherness before saying that WWE is his “home” and the fans are his “family” before offering “cheers” to the fans for the “good times and the bad”. Cena is then interrupted by Elias, who says that WWE stands for “Walk With Elias” before entering the ring, asking Chicago “who wants to walk with Elias?”. Elias says that he’s had enough of getting interrupted so he figured he would come out there and interrupt John Cena. The Chicago crowd then starts their first “CM Punk” chant of the night with Elias responding to the chant by saying that he’s “sure as hell” not getting interrupted by CM Punk here tonight. Cena then says that Chicago loves their fellow Chicagoans before Elias says that he’s going to perform whether the fans chant or not. Cena then tries to give Elias some advice but Elias would hear none of it, shushing John Cena before, surprisingly, Cena gets a stool for Elias to sit on in the middle of the ring.
The spotlight is then put on Elias as John Cena stands by to listen to Elias’ special Christmas song but, when Elias starts to badmouth Chicago, Cena interrupts the performance. Cena says that Elias is a good musician but Elias always gets to the part where he calls the fans “jerks”, saying that Elias is the one who’s being a “jerk”. Elias then says that Cena might be right before asking for a second chance from the “Second City”. Elias then sings a nicer version of his holiday song before throwing to John Cena who starts to sing, only to get decked with a right hand from Elias! Elias then says that he doesn’t sing for John Cena or the fans before starting to leave the ring. However, Elias decides to come back and put the boots to John Cena before saying that Santa didn’t bring him anything for Christmas so he’s going to challenge to John Cena to a match right now.
A referee then comes down to the ring as the impromptu opening match gets underway with Elias going one-on-one with John Cena. During the match, Elias would show his frustration with his inability to put John Cena away before Cena catches Elias in the STF. Cena then drags Elias away from the ropes but this would give Elias the opening to fight out of Cena’s grasp before catching Cena with a knee to the face. Cena then battles back before locking in the STF again but Elias is able to get to the bottom rope to force the break. Shortly after this, Cena hits Elias with the Attitude Adjustment, pinning Elias to pick up the win.
Hideo Itami would then make his singles debut on RAW as the newest arrival to the 205 Live roster would go one-on-one with The Brian Kendrick, with Jack Gallagher in his corner. In the end, it was Hideo Itami hitting the GTS on The Brian Kendrick, pinning Kendrick to pick up the win.
In a rematch from last week’s RAW, the team of Sasha Banks, Bayley, & Mickie James would face Absolution in a 6-Woman Tag Match. During the match, Bayley would hit Paige with the Bayley-to-Belly, but Sonya Deville would pull Paige out of the ring, saving her leader from defeat. This would spark an all-out brawl between the two teams on the outside with Bayley rolling Paige back into the ring. With their respective teammates still brawling on the outside, Bayley would look for an elbow drop but Paige would deliver a kick to Bayley before pulling Bayley off of the top rope, spiking Bayley with the Ram Paige and pinning Bayley to pick up the win for Absolution.
As he prepares for his Triple Threat Match for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble next month, “The Big Red Machine” Kane would go one-on-one with Heath Slater, with Rhyno in his corner. Throughout the match, Heath Slater was apprehensive about facing Kane but Rhyno would push his tag team partner to toughen up. However, despite an impressive flurry by Heath Slater, Kane would prove too dominant for Heath, planting Slater with a chokeslam and pinning Heath for the win. After the match, Rhyno would enter the ring to check on his tag team partner before Kane decides to try and inflict some more punishment. Kane would grab Rhyno by the throat, but Rhyno would battle back, hitting “The Big Red Machine” with a shoulder tackle in the corner before sizing Kane up for the Gore but Rhyno would get caught by Kane as Kane plants Rhyno with a chokeslam. Kane then leaves the ring, leaving Heath Slater & Rhyno destroyed in his wake.
In an effort to end his 146 match losing streak before the end of 2017, Curt Hawkins would issue an open challenge on RAW and that challenge would be answered by Finn Balor. Although Curt Hawkins would try to catch Finn Balor off-guard with a couple of roll-ups, Finn Balor would ultimately make quick work of Curt Hawkins, hitting Hawkins with the Coup de Grace, pinning Hawkins to pick up the win.
Bray Wyatt would then make an appearance on the Tron, saying that she hated this time of year and Sister Abigail loathed most of those who celebrate Christmas because they remind her of someone like Matt Hardy. Bray then says that Matt is just using the fans for his “own personal game” before saying that Matt Hardy’s “Woken Warriors” by his “fireflies” and they are surrounded by Sister Abigail. Bray then announces “I’m here” before making his entrance into the arena. However, after blowing out his lantern, Bray is ambushed by Matt Hardy, nearly hitting Bray with the Twist of Fate before “The Eater of Worlds” is narrowly able to escape. As Bray stands perplexed on the stage, Matt Hardy laughs and makes strange noises on the microphone.
With Christmas decorations adorning the ringside area, RAW would present a unique Miracle on 34th Street Fight, pitting the team of Cedric Alexander, Ariya Daivari, & Mustafa Ali against Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore, Drew Gulak, & Ariya Daivari. In a unique match that saw the use of Christmas trees and candy canes, it came down to Cedric Alexander and Ariya Daivari and, after Daivari fails to put Alexander away with a roll-up, Cedric hits Daivari with the Lumbar Check, pinning Daivari for the win, picking up some momentum heading into his Cruiserweight Title match against Enzo Amore next week.
The prestigious Intercontinental Championship would then be up for grabs on RAW as Roman Reigns would defend the Intercontinental Title against a man he’s had problems with for months in Samoa Joe. During the match, Samoa Joe would battle back after getting hit with the Superman Punch, locking in the Coquina Clutch on Roman Reigns but the champion is narrowly able to reach out and grab the bottom rope to force the break. Joe would then target the left arm of Roman Reigns, looking to injure Roman Reigns just like he played a major role in injuring Dean Ambrose. This would light a fire under Roman Reigns, who would relentlessly stomp on Samoa Joe in the corner and, when the referee tries to pull Roman off of Joe, the champion shoves the referee, leaving the referee no choice but to call for the disqualification.
Despite the match being over, Roman Reigns would send Samoa Joe out of the ring with the Superman Punch before the seething Intercontinental Champion would follow Joe out of the ring, leaping off of the steel steps, taking Joe down with a right hand. Roman then sends Joe shoulder-first into the ring post before picking Joe up and sending him into another ring post before picking up the steel steps and ramming the heavy steel into the right shoulder of Joe. Referees then come out to try and stop the assault but Roman was not through as the Intercontinental Champion hits Joe with another shot to the shoulder with the steel steps. Roman then grabs a steel chair, swinging for the fences but Joe is able to get out of the way before retreating up the ramp as referees and agents restrain Roman Reigns.
In a special 2-on-1 Handicap Secret Santa Match, The Miztourage would face a mystery opponent and that mystery opponent would turn out to be “The Monster Among Men” Braun Strowman. Braun would make quick work of Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel, flattening Bo Dallas with the running powerslam, pinning Bo for the win. After the match, Braun Strowman would give the same treatment to Curtis Axel, planting Axel with a running powerslam as well. Braun’s destruction then continues with another running powerslam for Bo Dallas and one final running powerslam for Curtis Axel. Strowman then stands tall over the fallen Miztourage, having shown off his dominance ahead of the Triple Threat Match for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble.
Following last week’s historic announcement of the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match, RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss would make an appearance on RAW to address the match. Alexa says that she is giving them the “gift of a Goddess” before saying that 2017 has been the “year of Alexa Bliss”, saying that she has “dominated” every challenge put in front of her. The RAW Women’s Champion then takes credit for the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match, saying that she is going to be keeping a close eye on whoever wins the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. However, Alexa is then interrupted by the arrival of the undefeated “Empress of Tomorrow” Asuka, who makes her way to the ring to confront the RAW Women’s Champion. Speaking for the first time since arriving on RAW, Asuka reveals to Alexa Bliss and everyone watching that she is entering the Women’s Royal Rumble Match! Asuka then vows to win the Women’s Royal Rumble Match because “no one is ready for Asuka”. Asuka then smiles at a fearful Alexa Bliss before Asuka makes an emphatic statement by dropping the RAW Women’s Champion with a kick to the head!
Then it was time for the main event as, in an unusual match made earlier in the night by RAW General Manager Kurt Angle, Seth Rollins would team with Kurt Angle’s son Jason Jordan to challenge Cesaro & Sheamus for the RAW Tag Team Titles. Towards the end of the match, Sheamus would take Seth Rollins out with the Brogue Kick before Sheamus locks in the Cloverleaf on Jason Jordan but Jason gets to the bottom rope. Cesaro & Sheamus then looks to put the finishing touches on Jason Jordan but Seth Rollins intervenes, taking Sheamus out on the outside before Cesaro takes Rollins down with an uppercut. Cesaro then takes a moment to check on Sheamus and that would end up costing him as it would give Jason Jordan the opportunity to catch Cesaro with his elevated neckbreaker, pinning Cesaro to win the match and the RAW Tag Team Titles for himself and Seth Rollins! Despite their reluctancy to be tag team partners, the brand new RAW Tag Team Champions would embrace in the ring, proudly raising the RAW Tag Team Titles up high to end the final RAW of 2017.
What did you think of the Christmas edition of RAW? Post your comments in the box below.
