RAW Recap - November 26th

Credit: WWE.com

This episode of RAW was used to build up more tension between storylines going into TLC. The PPV is 3 weeks away and RAW has a lot of work to do. 

*Winners are bolded*

•  Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Lio Rush kicked off RAW by bragging about their assault on Braun Strowman. 

•  Braun Strowman showed up on the jumbotron from a doctor’s office telling Corbin that he will “Get These Hands” at TLC.

•  The group is interrupted after Strowman’s video by Elias who mocked Bobby Lashley in the form of song. The two had a match after the opening. 

•  Men’s Singles Match: Elias vs. Bobby Lashley.

•  Elias is attacked by Lashley, McIntyre, Corbin after the match

•  Baron Corbin makes Alexa Bliss head of the Women’s Division on RAW.

•  Dean Ambrose cut a promo from a doctor’s office, receiving a series of immunization shots. He says he is preparing for the filth of RAW’s next date in Houston.

•  Lucha House Party Rules Tag Team Match: Lucha House Party vs. The Revival

•  Nia Jax gloats about her punch that took out SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. Jax claimed to be the best among the women’s division.

•  Ronda Rousey comes out and tell Jax her intentions at TLC and even challenged Jax to a match at that moment. Jax declined and with the help of Tamina the two were going to take out the RAW champ.

•  Natalya came to the aid of the RAW Women’s Champion, but was met with an attack from the Riott Squad.

•  RAW Tag Team Title Match: AOP with Drake Maverickvs. Bobby Roode and Chad Gable.

•  Women’s Singles Match: Alicia Fox with Jinder Mahal vs. Ember Moon and Curt Hawkins. 

•  As Moon and Hawkins celebrated the win, No Way Jose and his conga line join the celebration. No Way Jose has a match with Mahal.

•  Men’s Singles Match: Jinder Mahalwith The Singh Brothers vs. No Way Jose.

•  Seth Rollins issued an open challenge for is Intercontinental Championship. Dolph Ziggler accepted the challenge. 

•  WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler.

•  Alexa Bliss held an open discussion with Bayley and Sasha Banks.

•  After a few questions and attempts from Alexa Bliss to try and get Banks and Bayley to turn on each other. Mickie James, Alicia Fox, and Dana Brooke come out to ambush Sasha and Bayley.

•  The Main Event was initially Finn Bálor vs. Baron Corbin, but while the match was still going on he altered the match, making it a handicap match. Drew McIntyre entered the match to help Corbin.

•   2 on 1 Handicap Match: Drew McIntyre and Baron Corbin vs Finn Bálor.

•  The show ended with Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush coming to the ring to help Corbin and McIntyre assault Finn Bálor.

There are a few words to describe this episode of RAW, but I think that empty is a good one. It was absolutely horrible, one of the worst episode in the show’s long-running history. I have never been a fan of the 3-hour format. It is absolutely too much and especially at this moment in time. In my opinion, there are no good rivalries on the show right now. The best storyline is perhaps Rollins and Ambrose, but it isn’t doing anything for me. The Strowman and Corbin feud is something, but they are just buying time until the PPV. Having the group of Corbin, Lashley, and McIntyre destroy everyone in their path just isn’t good writing, there needs to be something more to the story. Not to mention, the Universal Champion was not even talked about on the show last night. The Rousey/Jax feud is another rivalry buying time for future matches with other opponents, but using the Jax botch a couple weeks ago to add heat is actually very smart. They made the whole Tag Team division, both brands a joke, which is another excruciating thing to watch. The Open Challenge for the Intercontinental Championship was a solid addition, but having Dolph Ziggler come out to face the Champ was exhausting. I’m not bashing the two performers, because they’re two of the best, but they have faced off so many times over the past few months. The same thing with Corbin and Bálor, we’ve seen this too many times and the value of providing the fans with the sensation of actual heat between competitors is almost non-existent. There were two promos at the scene of a medical facility, I think this is a sign that the show is hurting, sorry for the pun, but it is true. The show as a whole is in pretty bad shape and it’s almost painful watching the same recycled show every week. It seems as if the next three weeks will be a waiting game for the TLC PPV.