wrestling / TV Reports
Cook’s WWE Raw Review 11.9.26
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the latest edition of WWE Raw on Netflix! We’re done with the Saudi stuff for now, but Cody Rhodes is here tonight after his battle with Randy Orton. Cody isn’t the only SmackDown person here, as Michin will be taking on Bayley. Since she’s one half of the tag team champions now she can do that kinda thing. (I forgot about that, when’s the last time the women’s tag team champions have been on Raw?) Ethan Page will start his reign as Intercontinental Champion and there will be all sorts of other fun stuff too.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the 411Mania Wrestling Newsletter! Click here to do so, and then every Tuesday you’ll get some exclusive insight from your humble Chef on everything you need to know about the latest and greatest pro wrestling happenings! I guarantee it’ll be a good time, so make sure you check it out.
Cook’s WWE Raw Review 11.9.26
Then. Now. Forever. Together!
We’re in Greenville! After looking at the exterior of the arena we look back at Crown Jewel. Cody Rhodes beat Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match after punting him. Penta & Je’Von Evans won the World Tag Team Championship with a little help from Oba Femi. Chelsea Green beat Liv Morgan, but then Tiffany Stratton cashed in on her and took her belts & ring! Sami Zayn lost to Roman Reigns but earned the respect of the Tribal Chief.
Roman Reigns is WALKING! Jade Cargill, Michin & B-Fab are WALKING! Ethan Page is WALKING WITH FOUR WOMEN! Cody Rhodes GETS OFF HIS BUS! Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett are our hosts.
Je’Von Evans’ music plays! He signs a fan’s sign and then Penta’s music plays! The new World Tag Team Champions make their way to the ring. The fans are waving their arms side to side for some reason. Penta lets us know that they’re the new World Tag Team Champions. Evans says this is his first championship since he’s been here, and he wants us to say Yeahr. I’m not sure how to spell that. Penta hits his catchphrase and they embrace.
Bron Breakker spears Penta, then he drops Evans with a press slam and tosses him outside. Bron says there’s only one man that he’s here to fight, and he’s not leaving until Oba Femi comes out and they do this right here & now!
Oba Femi’s music hits! He’s in his gear, so this might be happening! They trade punches and Bron gets sent out of the ring. Oba agrees to the match! We go to commercial!
Oba Femi vs. Bron Breakker (w/Logan Paul, Austin Theory & Maxxine Dupri): The bell rings and Bron & Oba go back & forth. Bron gets knocked down and Oba picks him up. Bron sends Oba into the corner and delivers some shoulderblocks. Oba knocks Bron down with a right hand! Snake Eyes on Bron, then an elbow in the corner. Bron slips out of a slam attempt and hits a Breakkerline. Bron sends Oba head first into the turnbuckle. Oba hits a backbreaker on Bron and mounts him for some punches. Shoulderbreaker by Oba. On the outside, Bron drives Oba into the apron and bounces his head off the announce desk. Oba sends Bron into the post. Oba charges with an uppercut, but Bron sends him into the ringpost! Bron sets Oba on the desk and hits the clothesline sending Oba over as we go picture in picture.
Bron punches at Oba’s arm and sends him into the ring. Bron delivers a shot in the corner, then sends Oba into the opposite corner. Bron suplexes Oba for a near-fall, then locks in a front chancery. Oba lifts Bron out of it, Bron is sent into the corner and Oba hits the running uppercut. Oba misses the second and goes to the mat. Bron punches Oba on the mat.
Bron does Oba’s strut as we go back full screen. Bron goes for another suplex, Oba blocks but Bron eventually hits it for two. Bron goes for a third, but Oba reverses and suplexes Bron over. Bron is lifted up and uppercut on the way down. Oba hits three running uppercuts and Bron rolls outside. Oba hits the uppercut and they fly over the desk. Oba rolls Bron in the ring, Austin Theory grabs Oba’s leg and gets kicked away, then Bron charges and hits the ringpost. Chokeslam by Oba gets a two count. Bron blocks the chokeslam but gets booted. Bron with a strike of his own, Oba with another uppercut. Bron off the ropes, he hits the spear for a two count. Logan Paul slides Bron the brass knuckles, Bron misses the strike and gets tossed to the mat! Logan distracts the referee while Bron punches Oba to avoid the Fall From Grace. Bron puts his straps down and goes off the ropes for the spear, but Oba blocks with a pop up powerbomb! Logan & Theory attack Oba for the disqualification.
Winner: Oba Femi (12:41 via disqualification)
Match Rating: ***
As Wade was saying on commentary, this is the type of match we would usually see on a PLE. We will again, they just gave us a little taste tonight. Nothing wrong with that.
Penta & Je’Von run down and prevent the Vision from doing further damage to Oba.
JACKIE REDMOND is with IYO SKY! Jackie wants to know who IYO’s mystery partner is, but IYO wants to keep it as an advantage. She can’t wait to see Roxanne & Raquel’s faces when it’s revealed.
Joe & Wade talk about Ethan Page winning the Intercontinental Championship last week and we see some clips before seeing Ethan doing a photo shoot with his new title & ladies. We’ll hear from him next!
Jaida Parker knocks on the back of the box truck and the rest of 946 get out.
Ethan Page’s music hits! All Ego makes his way to the ring with his new friends. Page tells us it was inevitable. He beat a man on the run of his life last week. Chad was great, but not a great champion. Chad was a man who trained hard, lost his confidence, threw a mask on and made a redemption tour with his wife & kids in the minivan. Now the IC title has a real man holding it, and he brings four potential wives on the road with him. The IC title is held by All Ego Ethan Page.
Chad Gable music hits! He’s in his gear and has no more tape on his neck & shoulder. Page tells the ladies to leave since he has some business to handle. Gable says he came out to congratulate Page since he beat him fair and square. This presentation would have bothered him a year ago, but it doesn’t change anything. Ethan is showing up in fancy cars with models on his arm and talking about Chad’s family. One thing will never change, Ethan is just an asshole!
Before Gable can go any further, Big Cass’s music hits! Cass says if it wasn’t for him, Page wouldn’t be the Intercontinental Champion. Cass says he deserves the first title shot. Rey Fenix is the next man out, and he beat Ethan Page the last time he was on Raw. He deserves the title shot! Page says they’re all making fantastic points. Gable is all dialed in and knows all there is to know about wrestling, but the IC title is his ceiling. Fenix is a top star, just not here. Cass is tall. Page says they can debate it amongst themselves, run it up the ladder and let him know. Adam Pearce agrees with Ethan, and says all three have a legitimate claim, so he books a triple threat match to determine the #1 contender.
WWE Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Chad Gable vs. Big Cass vs. Rey Fenix: We join the match in progress as Cass runs both Gable & Fenix over. Gable & Fenix are splashed in the corner until Fenix moves and kicks Cass. Page has joined Joe & Wade at the desk. Cass is sent outside and Fenix & Gable shake hands before going at it. Gable blocks the sunset flip, Fenix avoids the Angle Slam and arm drags Gable. Gable suplexes Fenix into the corner for a two count. Page wants to avoid the tall fella. Gable up top, Fenix avoids the moonsault and hits a rolling cutter for two. Gable blocks the superkick and goes to the ankle lock. Fenix eventually kicks Gable outside and Cass hits a Bossman slam on the floor! Cass tries to chokeslam Fenix on the apron, Fenix avoids that but gets booted down. Cass goozles Gable and sends him over the barricade into a crew member in the timekeeper’s area! We go to commercial!
Fenix superkicks Cass to block a chokeslam on Gable. Gable hits some rolling German suplexes on Fenix, then goes for one on Cass. Cass blocks that, but Fenix hits a lungblower and Gable Angle Slams Cass for two. Gable puts Cass in the ankle lock, Fenix is the next one to go in it. Fenix rolls Gable up for two. Cass boots Gable down. Fenix with some strikes to Cass, Cass misses a boot and Fenix kicks him before delivering the running PK. Gable goes for the Chaos Theory on Cass and hits it! Gable is favoring his shoulder after that. Fenix hits the running kick on Gable, goes up top and gets crotched by Cass. Cass boots Gable in the back and chokeslams him for a two count. Fenix broke it up with a frog splash and covers Gable for three!
Winner: Rey Fenix (6:58 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **3/4
Pretty good little sprint here. Cass played his role in the match well and Fenix & Gable were on point as usual. The match between Fenix & Page should be pretty good whenever it happens.
946 runs out of the crowd and start beating up Fenix, Cass & Gable! Royce Keys whispers to Jaida Parker, then she starts yelling orders while the rest of the group continues the beatdown. Ethan Page disappeared quickly from ringside, that’s for sure. Keys sits in his chair in the middle of the ring while Carmelo Hayes & Cruz Montana continue beating people down. Cruz spins Fenix’s block. Cass is taken out with OTM’s double rack bomb! Keys says one by one by one. This could be Roman’s family unless he brings his ass out here tonight and acknowledges Keys! Montana yells about how it’ll be one by one.
Moments ago, 946 beat up three people! Later tonight, Roman Reigns will meet Royce Keys in the ring face to face! Joe & Wade talk about Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton, and we see a video package of Cody punting Randy’s head off.
Cody Rhodes’ music hits! The American Nightmare makes his way to the ring. Cody will be the team captain for Team USA when they face Team Mexico at Survivor Series. Rey Mysterio will captain Team Mexico if he’s not too busy with Marisela Pena. Cody asks Greenville what they want to talk about. He beat Randy Orton on Saturday and was the last man standing. He didn’t need to punt Randy to win, but he did, and people are asking him how it felt. Cody liked it! No, he’d be a liar if he said he liked it, he actually loved it. Now that all that’s over, there will be a classic 5 vs. 5 elimination match at Survivor Series between Team USA & Team Mexico. As the captain, he wants to talk to the other captain.
Rey Mysterio’s music hits! Rey makes his way to the ring. Cody even opens the ropes for him. Rey says he wants to put together the best of Mexico versus the best of USA, and he can’t think of a better captain than Cody to represent. They have the opportunity to choose four other members, and that won’t be easy. Cody says that Rey is the greatest luchador of all time. He knows that Rey will put together a banner team, and he promises to do the same with Team USA.
“Dirty” Dominik Mysterio’s music hits! Dom & JD McDonagh, who really has no business in this conversation being Irish, make their way to the ring. Dom says Cody is forgetting about the King of the Luchadores, and he can’t believe that his dad is team captain. Rey is a deadbeat and cheating on Dom’s mom with an old hag! Dom doesn’t want their personal issues getting in the way of Rey picking top talent to Team Mexico, so Dom will join the team and take over as captain so Rey can go back to AAA. Rey tells Dom to get his punk ass out of the ring, his answer is no. Dom says Rey’s always been an idiot, but Cody is a man of vision and needs the King of the Luchadores as an asset to beat Team Mexico. Cody needs Dirty Dom on Team USA! Dom was born in this country. Cody shakes Dom’s hand, says it’s an incredible offer, but on behalf of his team he hasn’t put together yet, all of Greenville and the entire Unites States, he’s going to pass. Dom asks who Cody will get that’s better.
LIKE MUSSOLINI! CM Punk makes his way to the ring while some fans try to sing “Cult of Personality”. Punk tells Dom that’s how you light up a room, and it’s great to be alive in Greenville on a Monday night. Punk has a lot to say to everybody, he’s taken some big Ls recently. Last Friday he was on the bad end of a chain-wrapped fist. He’s not sulking or making excuses, he’s trying to get back in the win column. Punk hears “traditional 5 on 5 Survivor Series match” and that sounds like his kind of thing. Punk & Rey have been talking about going against each other for a long time, and he respects Rey except for the whole Dom thing. Punk asks Cody who’s more patriotic than him and leads a USA chant. Punk offers to be on Team USA, and Dom calls him a has been. JD shoves Punk after a head reference, and Punk kicks him down! Cody uppercuts Dom and sends him to the ropes with JD so Rey can hit both of them with the 619! Cody CrossRhodeses Dom while Punk delivers the GTS to JD! JD falls ass over teakettle out of the ring! Cody’s music plays while Punk’s picture is added to the USA vs. Mexico graphic.
Last Monday, Bayley talked some smack to Jade Cargill & the Baddies and got beat up as a result. On Friday, Bayley went to SmackDown and joined with Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss & Tatum Paxley to drive their rivals out of the ring. (I know it was on Monday too, but the graphic says Friday and I just type whatever the graphics tell me.)
Bayley vs. Michin: Bayley gets a quick near-fall on Michin and dominates early. Clothesline in the corner by Bayley. Bayley dropkicks Michin and tosses her into the barricade. Back in the ring, Michin clips Bayley’s leg and hits a gutwrench suplex. Michin kicks Bayley around the ring. Michin goes up top and Bayley punches her and meets her for a superplex. Michin headbutts Bayley off the turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick. We go to commercial!
Bayley stuns Michin on the ropes and covers for two. Michin rolls Bayley up out of a Roseplant attempt, then sends her into the corner & Germans her for two. Michin hits a sitout powerbomb for two. Bayley goes for the Bank Statement, but Michin goes to the ropes. Backdrop by Michin, but a Bayley to Belly gets a two count. That usually wins matches for Bayley. Michin blocks the Roseplant, Bayley blocks the Eat Defeat then locks in a half crab. Michin kicks Bayley out of it and hits Eat Defeat. Michin charges Bayley and ends up hitting the post. Bayley sunset powerbombs Michin in the corner for two. Bayley basically landed on the turnbuckle that time. Bayley to the turnbuckle, she & Michin trade shots before Michin gets tossed off the top rope so Bayley can hit the elbowdrop for three!
Winner: Bayley (6:44 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
I know some fan out there has been hoping for a Davina Rose vs. Mia Yim match for decades and has to be pumped that it finally happened. This was fun, it’s always nice to see Michin get a chance to do stuff and hopefully she’ll pop up on Raw a lot more often. All due respect to Jade & B-Fab, but she’s the star of that group in my eyes.
B-Fab grabs Bayley and tosses her into a Jade big boot! Jade & the Baddies beat up Bayley for a few seconds when Charlotte Flair’s music hits! Charlotte, Alexa Bliss & Tatum Paxley come down only to get cut off by Fatal influence! Jacy Jayne kicks Charlotte and rolls her into the ring so Jade can hit her with Jaded! Jacy, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid enter the ring with Jade & the Baddies and Jacy & Jade shake hands to solidify their alliance. Play Jade’s music!
Rey Mysterio tells Penta that he & Je’Von are the most exciting Tag Team Champions of recent times, then asks him to be on Team Mexico. They wouldn’t be complete without Cero Miedo. Mexico has given Penta everything in his life, and now he’s fighting for Mexico. They shake hands and embrace.
IYO SKY & ? vs. Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez (w/Liv Morgan): I don’t really mind seeing Liv out here for the match, but any of the Judgment Day theme songs would be better for this team than hers. After IYO does her stage posing, Becky Lynch’s music hits! Becky has more than a few problems with the Judgment Day girls, so she probably didn’t need much persuading from IYO. Becky & Roxanne start. Roxanne rolls away from Becky while the fans chant for The Man. Becky yanks Roxanne off the ropes and sends her into the corner before stomping a mudhole. Roxanne avoids the Manhandle Slam and quickly tags Raquel. Becky gets shrugged off on a go-behind attempt, then gets caught on a crossbody. Becky slips out of a slam before getting tossed down. Raquel splashes Becky in the corner and hits some elbows. Becky kicks Raquel out of the ring, tag to IYO. Becky slides through IYO’s legs to kick Raquel. Roxanne comes over and Becky sends her over by Raquel. IYO hits the springboard moonsault onto Raquel & Roxanne. We go to commercial!
Roxanne chokes IYO on the ropes as we return. Roxanne kicks IYO and then hits a cartwheel into a kneedrop for two. Fun! Roxanne locks in the Camel Clutch to make IYO humble. IYO flips Roxanne and hits an uppercut, but Raquel keeps her from tagging. Raquel is kicked out of the ring, then IYO rolls Roxanne into the double stomp. Becky tags in and clotheslines & dropkicks Roxanne. Raquel tries to splash her, Becky moves, kicks Roxanne out of the ring. Becky tries the Manhandle, Raquel avoids that but gets clotheslined over the top. Roxanne with a shot to Becky, she goes up top & Becky joins her. Becky hits the superplex into a DDT for two. Roxanne hits a roll out of the Manhandle Slam, she goes for Pop Rox but that’s blocked Manhandle Slam on Roxanne gets two thanks to Raquel. Becky with punches to Raquel. Liv grabs Becky’s boot, which leads to a big boot & Tejana Bomb for two after IYO breaks the count. IYO tags back in, kicks Raquel and goes up top for the crossbody. IYO does her crazy pose and sets up the Bullet Train Attack…she hits it! IYO goes up for the moonsault, but Liv is on the apron again distracting the referee. Becky yanks Liv off the apron, then knees Roxanne. IYO avoids the Tejana Bomb, kicks Raquel down and hits Over the Moonsault for three!
Winners: IYO SKY & Becky Lynch (8:21 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **3/4
It still takes some getting used to seeing Becky get along with other people. That hasn’t been her thing in like ten years. Pretty good match here, good to see somebody get one over on the Judgment Day for once.
Becky asks Judgment Day where they’re going. They’re not done with each other, and Liv needs to leave them at home and face her one on one in the ring unless she wants to prove she’s the biggest coward of all time. Liv looks almost crestfallen as Becky continues shouting.
Roman Reigns will go face to face with Royce Keys!
Adam Pearce enters the Judgment Day locker room and tells JD he can go wherever the hell he wants. Liv insists that Becky doesn’t deserve a title shot, but Pearce says she’ll get it at Survivor Series. Then he tells a mocking JD that Raquel will be defending her championship against IYO next Monday! That works for me, it’s been a month or two since they last met.
We see a video package covering John Cena announcing the Classic and inviting Cody Rhodes. I figured they would also cover Zilla Fatu getting invited on NXT, but that didn’t happen. I kind of want to engage in baseless speculation on why that is.
Cody tells Je’Von that they’ll be in touch. Penta comes in after Cody leaves, and Je’Von asks if Penta is ok with him joining Team USA at Survivor Series. Penta informs Je’Von that he’ll be on Team Mexico. They say they won’t take it easy on each other but seem ok continuing on as champions.
Roman Reigns’ music hits! The OTC makes his way to the ring mostly during the commercial break. The fans try to sing for Roman. Roman says it’s good to see them too, a lot of people want to see the Tribal Chief tonight. Roman asks Royce Keys if he wants him to acknowledge him, but before they can talk about that he needs acknowledgement from Greenville. After he gets it, the lights go out. We see Royce walking down through the crowd with a police escort. Royce gets a microphone and enters the ring. The fans sing for Roman. Keys can respect the fact that Reigns is a man of his word and came out here to face him. Royce is not a man of his word. He didn’t come out here alone. Roman asks Royce if he thinks that Roman is alone. 946 heads to ringside, but on the tron we see The Usos & Solo Sikoa standing by the 946 box truck, which is on fire! Jacob Fatu is there too!
Reigns delivers a Superman punch to Keys! One for Carmelo! Cruz gets the upper hand and OTM join in until the Uso music hits! Jimmy, Jey, Solo & Jacob walk down and the fight begins! The Usos superkick Price out of the ring and dive onto him and a couple others! Solo with a spike to Bronco Nima! Royce takes over on Roman in the ring and sets him up, but Jacob locks in the Tongan Death Grip on Keys! Carmelo forces him off only to get Samoan dropped! Running hip attack to Hayes! Jacob clears the announce desk, Solo knocks Carmelo onto the desk! Jacob splashes Carmelo through the table! 946 exits through the crowd. Roman grabs the microphone to tell Royce he’s challenging him. 946. The Bloodline. Houston, Texas. War Games! Roman’s music hits while the Bloodline stand tall in the ring and 946 glares on from the crowd. Our live event has come to an end, so long for now!
If you’d like to chime in with your own thoughts on tonight’s show, feel free to join your fellow 411 Maniacs down in the comment section! As the legendary Larry Csonka always said: Have fun and don’t be a dick. When I’m not here you can catch me on social media from time to time. To be honest, e-mail is a better option and you can reach me at [email protected]. I’ll be more likely to respond there.
