WWE Raw Pre-Show 11/16/15
– It’s Stanford, Otunga & Graves. I’m already groaning just looking at them.
– We learn the Undertaker and Kane will be at Raw, and that Raw will kick off with with some type of Taker & Kane/Wyatt Family segment.
– Rather than discuss the entire group of guys still in the WWE title tournament, the panel spends several minutes putting over Roman Reigns and how he turned down HHH’s offer last week. It’s almost like they KNOW he’s headed to the finals… Because he’s the answer to the ratings issue. 
– Okay, now we get a short video showing how all 8 men advanced last week. Some matches get a few highlights, but you can tell the guys they don’t care about because we get one quick clip of them doing the job like Barrett, Stardust, and Miz. I personally think Kalisto deserves better than what he has been given thus far in WWE, but can someone explain to me how he was “ranked” in the top 16 challengers? Tough break for Ryback too.
– Cesaro calls into the show, he has Reigns in the semi-finals tonight. God I hope Greenville isn’t a WWE mark town and cheer for Reigns. I’d love to see them bury the finish of Reigns over Cesaro. Just another big F-U from Vince to make sure Cesaro jobs to Reigns, IMO. Cesaro answers great questions from smart fans, for instance “Is a hot dog a sandwich”. Way to go WWE, show off the IQ of the average fan.
– There’s a contract signing tonight between Divas Champion Charlotte and Paige for the Survivor Series. I think WWE is on pace for a new record of contract signings in a year. How about something new? Same old crap. Why force the writers to come up with something CREATIVE when they can just keep recycling the same garbage every couple months. Blah
– Speaking of rehashing… We get Taker vs. Wyatt feud for the second time within the same year. So we got this Kane & Taker vs. Wyatts thing scheduled for Series. Not sure exactly how it’s supposed to play out.
WWE Raw Report 11/16/15 from Greenville, SC
Tribute To Paris Attacks
– A moment of silence with the Raw roster on the stage to pay their respects to the fallen victims of the Pairs attacks from this past weekend.
– Raw Opening Video. As Raw opens we learn that the first tournament match tonight will be Owens vs. Neville. They run down the tournament matches and then the DRUID chants begin…
Undertaker & Kane / Wyatt Family Segment
We’ve got druids making their way out. Some look pretty large to me… Hmmm…. After some druid chanting, Taker’s music hits and out come Taker & Kane. Michael Cole uses this time to promote “Undertaker Week” on the Network… Well that killed the aura of the entrance for me. The druids stand at ringside while Kane & Taker enter the ring. Hmmm x 2.
Taker speaks, he says he and Kane are the true Army of Darkness and vengeance awaits the Wyatts. No man living or dead contains the power of the darkside. Now it’s Kane’s turn. Apparently Kane has left a special part of hell open for the Wyatts this Sunday. Back to Taker, who says Wyatt’s evil is no match for theirs. Taker & Kane have been tested over and over again, Taker invites Bray to choose any 2 members of the Wyatts to face him and Kane. Taker says the Wyatts will never rest in peace….
Lights go out… Wyatt Family make their way out with entrance. Booo, they dropped the ball not making them the druids. The Wyatts stop at the top of the stage, Bray sits in his rocking chair to cut a promo. Taker has reigned over WWE for 25 years, and that’s long enough. Bray says it’s time for a new Army of Darkness to emerge, Bray’s army. Wyatt is getting MAJOR “What” chants… Definitely a mark crowd… LAME
Wyatt sas that he is now the one, and then summons thunder and lightning… He then says Taker’s creatures of the night are now his… As the lights go on, we see all the druids are wearing sheep masks…. There ya go…. The druids attack, but Kane & Taker beat them down easy and hit a pair of chokeslams.
Taker calls on the Wyatts, they starts to rush to ringside but Bray calls his men back. Their day of destiny isn’t until Sunday at Series. Follow the buzzards.
— Commercial Break —
– As the Quarter Finals get going, we learn the Semis and Finals will be at Series.
WWE World Heavyweight Tournament Quarter Final Match
1. Neville vs. Kevin Owens
Last week it was Neville over Barrett, and Owens over Titus (for whatever reason). Match starts off with some solid back and forth stuff. Neville lands a flying rana head scissors, Owens reverses an Irish whip but Neville does some flippies and ends up catching Owens with a boot to the face. Neville sets up for the Red Arrow, but Owens rolls outside. Neville quickly adjusts and nails a TOP ROPE MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR to K.O.!!!! Neville rolls him back inside for the cover. 1…………2………….Owens kicks out as we head to break!
Back from break, Owens now has control with a short arm clothesline for 2. It appears Owens took control during the break after an outside the ring brawl. Neville begins to fight back with fancy foot work, lots of kicks. But Owens backdrops Neville to the apron and then Superkicks him to the floor. Neville JUST beats the count back in. Owens with a nasty looking Gut Buster and a running Senton gets 1………2……….. Neville kicks out!
Neville makes a comeback with a SNAP GERMAN SUPLEX, a dropkick to a laying Owens’ face!!! Phoenix Splash from the middle rope!!! 1……….2….. Owens kicks out! Enzuigiri kick drops Owens again, Neville goes up for the Red Arrow, but Owens knocks him off the ropes!!! Owens goes for the Pop-Up Powerbomb, Neville jumps over top. Superkick by Neviller, REVERSE FRANKENSTEINER BY NEVILLE ON OWENS!!! HOLY SHIT!!!! 1…………2………..Owens kicks out!!!! WTF
Neville drags him to the corner, he goes up for a SHOOTING STAR PRESS, Owens rolls away, but Neville lands on his feet!!! Neville charges right into a POP UP POWERBOMB….. And Owens gets the win in 10:14.
This was perfectly fine for a ten minute match, even if 3 of it went on during a break. Not spectacular, but worth a watch if you just enjoy watching wrestling. I liked the last few minutes, some good spots in there. Would like to see these guys go longer in a WWE environment.
Anywho, Owens advances to Survivor Series and will meet either Ambrose or Ziggler.
— Commercial Break —
– Backstage, HHH is taling with Kevin Owens. We can’t hear the conversation but we see the two shaking hands.
– Quick update on Rollins. A successful surgery and he’ll be out 6 – 9 months.
– Tyler Breeze in action next.
— Commercial Break —
2. Tyler Breeze (w/Summer Rae) vs. R-Truth
What’s Up R-Truth? What’s up is you’re back on Raw to do the job. I’m not big on Breeze’s gimmick, his gear, or his facial expressions, but I can look past that crap if he can get it done in the ring. R-Truth gets Breeze on the mat and hits a gettin jiggy with it legdrop. Truth continues with his token splits and hip toss spot. Tyler takes a time out for Summer to apply lip balm on his lips. lol. Tyler takes over and locks a half crab. Truth makes it to the ropes for the break. R-Truth with the comeback, he lands a sit out gourdbuster and the axe kick finisher! But Tyler kicks out. Truth sells his leg from the half crab earlier, and Tyler escapes a suplex. Breeze shoots Truth into the ropes, Truth hobbles out on his bad knee and right into the “Beauty Shot” spin kick from Breeze for the win in 4:06.
— Commercial Break —
WWE World Heavyweight Tournament Quarter Final Match
3. Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler
This one really intrigues me for so many reasons. Hoping the match lives up to my expectations, and at the same time curious to see how it plays out. I’m thinking right now Ambrose goes to the finals of Series and either he or Reigns turns heel there. Still sad to think Ziggler got the big payday last Series with the win over the Authority and this year he might not even be on the show. As they feel each other out, we See Owens watching in the back. Lots of back and forth tit for tat, holds and counters. Ambrose clotheslines Dolph outside, but Ziggler dodges a suicide dive and the two men go back inside. Ziggler locks in a bow and arrow type stretch but Dean escapes. Standing dropkick by Dolph gets 2. Ambrose comes back with a backbreaker for his own 2. Now Dean works a half crab. Ambrose comes off the top for his flying elbow but Dolph rolls through and lands on top for a near fall. Ziggler with his sleeper, but Dean escapes and they trade quick pinfall attempts. Dean blocks a superkick, Dolph ducks a wicked clothesline and the two men collide with body blocks. The two men end up fighting on the top rope, trading shots, until they both fall off to the floor outside, and we’re off to break.
So far it’s been about 8:00 of almost nothing. I know I typed a lot, and honestly they did what they did very well, probably as good as you can entertain someone with 8:00 of feeling out, but they honestly have done nothing of note heading into the break. Even the announcers called it “slow and methodical” and “conservative”. But I guess you gotta do what the “producers” tell you to do.
Back from break, Ambrose with a suicide dive on Ziggler. Back inside, Dolph counters Dean’s bulldog and hits a dropkick, Dean comes back with the rebound clothesline, but Dolph counters that too and lands the Famouser for a near fall. Dean comes back with a backslide for 2, and Dolph right back on top with the jumping DDT for another near fall. Dolph sets up for Sweet Chin Music, but Ambrose blocks and catapults Ziggler into the ring post for a near fall…. Ziggler comes back with a sleeper, but Dean escapes and naisl the wicked CLOTHESLINES for a near fall!!!
Dean goes up top but Dolph leaps up and lands a top rope Facebuster!! Dean rolls to the outside to prevent being pinned. Dolph rolls Dean back inside and Ambrose tries another cradle but gets 2. Ziggler comes right back with the SUPERKICK!!! 1……..2…………Dean kicks out!
The two now trade blows and Ambrose wins that battle… Ziggler with a headbutt and tries the Zigzag!!!! Dean holds on for the block. Dolph charges back with a roll up, but Dean spins out and back to their feeeeet……. DIRTY DEEDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1………..2……………3 Ambrose advances to face Owens at Series in 16:44.
Pretty much what I figured after the first half was all teasing and feeling out, they spent the second half going back and forth with spots. This was fun, a lot of going through the usual spots but it was a good match. Again, if you just like watching wrestling I’d say check this out.
– Ambrose gets on the mic. Dean is throwing all the rules out the window at Series. When he becomes champion no more suits, no more ties, more wrestling, less talking, breakfast for dinner, Michael Cole will be replaced by a fish tank. I might like that fish tank thing. Ambrose reiterates everything will change at Series and he’s throwing all the rules out. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. He promises the entire WWE will be the Ambrose Asylum after Series… I WISH.
Dean gets random mic time, this should foreshadow something.
— Commercial Break —
– AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW Don’t you dare be sour!!!!
– We learn that Kevin Owens has gotten into it with Melissa Joan Hart on Twitter and he blocked her.. lol… ok. Cole says Kevin Owens has blocked Sabrina the Teenage Witch… And yet Cole is always giving the other guys shit for “outdated” references.
4. The Usos & Ryback vs. New Day (Kofi, Big E, & Woods)
Forget 25 years of the Undertaker, today marks one year of NEW DAY. They mock the Usos & Ryback. Crowd is dead for their promo. Jey Uso takes control and dives out over the top onto all of the New Day. Wow that was dangerous after just coming back. New Day finally get Jey into the heel corner and beat him down. Kofi & Big E destroy Jey while Woods takes time out to play the trombone. Big E with a big splash gets 2 on Jey. Big E follows up with the abdominal stretch. Jey makes a tag, but the ref misses it due to a New Day distraction. Old School!
New Day continue to just beat Jey down in their corner. Jey tries to make a leaping tag but leaps into Big E who launches him backwards. Ryback is SICK OF IT…. Ryback enters the ring, he’s had enough of the shit… Ryback tosses the referee aside and starts beating down all three New Day. The ref calls for the bell… WTF??? Ryback backdrops Kofi outside, Meat Hook clothesline on Big E. Usos double superkick to Woods and Ryback presses Woods outside onto Kofi & E….
So New Day wins by a DQ in something like 7:00. Again I ask, WTF was that? Jey Uso gets beat down for 7:00 and then Ryback just runs in and beats the shit out of everyone and throws the ref down. That was some of the weirdest booking yet.
— Commercial Break —
– HHH comes into Cesaro’s locker room to talk business. Unlike the Owens conversation, we can hear this one. HHH says it’s time Cesaro grabs the brass ring and be the man. HHH says he’s been watching Cesaro and he knows how good he is. HHH says he will be sitting in his own Cesaro section tonight. He tells Cesaro to DO ANYTHING to be the man.
Roman Reigns Promo
– Roman Reigns on his way to the ring. Oh dear God it’s a Roman Reigns promo, and these sad fans are marking out for him…. LAME. So why does Reigns get this mic time? Favoritism much? Whew, it was short. Wow, I didn’t expect this match to go on before the Kalisto/ADR match. So what’s tonight’s main event??? Hmmm, the plot thickens!
— Commercial Break —
Thinking outside the WWE creative bubble, but what if Cesaro wins here and Reigns kills Kalisto to get another spot later tonight. Just doesn’t make sense for this match to go on before ADR and Kalisto without good reason. And I still can’t figure out what’s closing the show. Surely not the Divas contract crap. Hmm
WWE World Heavyweight Tournament Quarter Final Match
5. Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro
Nice feeling out begins the match bt Cesaro is schooling Reigns at every corner. Cesaro goes to the top rope, Reigns charges, CESARO FUCKING CARTHWEELS ACROSS THE TOP ROPE TO ESCAPE! Reverse sunset flip from Cesaro off the middle rope gets 2. Cesaro continues to school Reigns on the mat and lands a dead weight gut wrench suplex on Roman for 2…
Reigns comes back with a tilt-a-whirl slam for 2. Reigns misses a clothesline and Cesaro hits a SPRINGBOARD FLYING UPPERCUT!!!! Cesaro goes for the Swing but Reigns counters. Roman misses a shoulder charge in the corner and Cesaro dropkicks Reigns shoulder first back into the post again. Nice. Cesaro with a running UPPERCUT on the outside, smashes Reigns into the barricade. And we head to break.
Back from break, Cesaro maintains control, Reigns escapes a should wrench but is tossed outside. Cesaro follows Reigns outside but runs into a Big Boot from Reigns on the floor. Back inside, Reigns with a clothesline, but Cesaro battles back with a series of charging uppercuts. Reigns blocks one and Reigns starts his big clotheslines-o-doom comeback. Reigns tries the Drive By apron dropkick, but Cesaro moves and catches Roman’s legs… CESARO SWING!!!! SHARPSHOOTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reigns tries to break out, and Cesaro turns it into THE CROSSFACE!!!!!!! Crippler Crossface in the middle of the ring on Reigns!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reigns powers his way up and escapes it with a Samoan Drop. Reigns tosses Cesaro outside and Cesaro’s arm bounces off the apron. Cesaro now sells his elbow and eats a Drive By apron dropkick. BOOO.
Back inside, it’s 80 trillion clotheslines from Reigns. Cesaro blocks one but Reigns lands a One Armed Sit-Out Powerbomb for 2!!!
Reigns calls for the Superman Punch, but Cesaro shoots him up into the air and down into an UPPERCUT!!!!! 1……….2…………Reigns kicks out!
Cesaro places Reigns on the top rope and dropkicks him to the apron. Cesaro tries to Superplex Reigns from the apron, but Reigns breaks free and nails the Superman Punch from the apron!!!!
Reigns back inside for the Spear… Cesaro blocks it with an UPPERCUT!!!!! Cesaro sets up for the NEUTRALIZER!!!!! Reigns counters with a backdrop, but CESARO LANDS ON HIS FEET!!!!! Reigns tries another Superman Punch, Cesaro ducks!!! BACKSLIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1………….2…………….Reigns kicks out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both men pop up… Reigns with a SUPERMAN PUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SPEAR. Ends it after 20: 21…. Holy Shit what a match. Cesaro continues to be frickin awesome but Reigns gets the push.
Yeah, watch this match.
— Commercial Break —
– A short moment is spent paying tribute to the legendary Nick Bockwinkel.
6. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Ascension.
I’m not really sure where this match fits into building Survivor Series or how the Ascension even still have jobs, but here we are. Bubba slings Viktor back with a release back suplex, and then a big boot. Konnor tags in and somehow the Ascension manage to take control. Crowd is DEAD for them. Bubba land a Rock Bottom on Konnor and hot tags to D-Von. D-Von goes off on both, he sends Konnor out of the ring TWICE and just treats them both like jobbers. And then 3D ends it in a near squash match after 3:10.
– Renee Young tries to interview Alberto Del Rio, but Zeb Colter is the spokesperson for Mex-Americans. HHH interrupts. Trips says with the right allies Del Rio can be “The Man”.
— Commercial Break —
WWE World Heavyweight Tournament Quarter Final Match
7. Alberto Del Rio (w/Zeb Colter) vs. Kalisto
Del Rio takes control to begin but Kalisto picks up the speed, hopping around and causing ADR to take a bump outside. Kalisto lands a running huracan rana off the apron to the floor and Raw heads to break.
back from break, ADR with a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Kalisto comes back with a handspring elbow, but ADR counters with a Back Stabber. ADR pretends to try and rip the mask off of Kalisto… Trouble is HE RIPS THE MASK COMPLETELY OFF KALISTO, and they have to pretend to fight over it while Kalisto puts it back on. lol… Kalisto gets tied in the tree of woe but sits up and ADR misses a charge and hits his shoulder into the post.
Kalisto takes over with plenty of flippy and spiny moves. With ADR on his knees Kalisto hits a rana driver for a near fall. Kalisto goes for Soleil Del Sol but ADR drops him across the top rope… Nice. ADR sets Kalisto up in a tree of woe for the double stomp but Kalisto fights his way out. Kalisto goes for a top rope Frankensteiner, but ADR blocks it and ties Kalisto back up. Double Stomp off the top ends it for ADR to get the win in 10:04.
ADR meets Reigns in the semis.
— Commercial Break —
Contract Signing: Charlotte vs. Paige
Michael Cole is hosting, and THIS closes the show… Paige cuts a promo first putting herself over, then signs the contract. She was never really Charlotte’s friend. Charlotte’s turn on the mic, as she cries and talks about her younger brother Reid who passed away and how she’s doing this to help him live out his dream. Paige says she used Charlotte, but Charlotte points out she’s the champion and the entire Flair family fight hard. Paige responds and says apparently Reid wasn’t much of a fighter since he died… WOW…. That was a Vince line if I’ve ever heard one… Just poor taste. Very poor.
Charlotte snaps and explodes over the contract table and attacks Paige. They brawl in the ring, out of the ring. Charlotte spears Paige into the barricade at one point. The fight goes back into the ring, table gets thrown, Paige gets away and crawls to the top of the ramp. Charlotte is held back as her music plays… I don’t believe Charlotte ever even signed the contract.
And that ends Raw.
