Match Ratings For WWE Monday Night Raw 12/23/19 For Sean Ross Sapp

No DQ Match
Kevin Owens defeated Mojo Rawley
6/10 (Segment and Match)

• Kevin Owens comes out after a video recap runs about his last few weeks.
• Mojo Rawley comes out, without his licensed manager Sami Zayn. That renders Zayn’s appearance on Raw pointless. He wants an explanation for the pipe attack last week.
• Owens makes some pretty solid jokes and says he just wants to beat up Mojo Rawley. This exchange was pretty good. Both guys are fantastic talkers.
• Mojo calling Owens a pretty boy was great.
• Mojo does a nice fireman’s carry face-first slam into chairs, after Owens got a great pop for getting a table out.
• Owens hits a nice Swanton Bomb, Stunner and Pop Up Powerbomb through a table to win. This was a lot of fun.
• Owens says he knows AOP and Rollins are going to jump him, so they might as well do it.
• I find myself incredibly interested in everything heel Rollins and AOP do. Owens attacks Rollins and they all beat him up.
• The camera zooms and shakes have to stop.
• Rollins ends up stomping Owens, who stumbles out of the ring after.
• There was a really good monologue from Samoa Joe that went a long way in putting AOP over.

WWE 24/7 Championship
Akira Tozawa defeated R-Truth (c) to become champion
Santa Claus pins Akira Tozawa (c) to become champion
R-Truth pins Santa Claus (c) to become champion

• R-Truth is walking around outdoors, saying the Rock invited him to light his Christmas tree. Nope. Tozawa ambushed him.
• They gotta do something else besides the roll-up. I get that the title is good natured, but c’mon.
• Tozawa was running away from Truth, who was hiding next to a statue.
• SANTA HITS TOZAWA WITH A BAG AND WINS THE TITLE.
• Missed opportunity by WWE to have R-Truth slip on Micro Machines and get pinned by Macaulay Culkin for the 24/7 Title.
• Santa is having a low-speed chase with Tozawa/Truth on horse drawn carriages.
• Truth pins a worn down Santa for the title. The ref gets mad and leaves because he’s tired of chasing people around.
• Tozawa and Truth call a truce.

Bobby Lashley (w/ Lana) defeated Cedric
5.75/10

• This is a good matchup for both from a stylistic standpoint.
• Cedric is all over the place and getting some good offense in.
• I like that Lawler said Lashley was too worried about his wedding next week to focus on the match.
• Lana gets in the ring on the mic. She says they need to have a Greco Roman match to avoid strikes to Lashley’s face.
• This stalls through the commercial and Lashley takes over. He does a nice elevated reverse STO.
• Cedric gets great offense, springboard clothesline, tope con hilo.
• Lashley hits a Yokosuka Cutter, and sets up for the spear. Cedric stifles him briefly, but eventually it lands.
• This was a good match that had the momentum halted by the Lana spot, but it did what it was supposed to do, I guess.

Drew McIntyre defeated Zack Ryder (w/ Curt Hawkins)
SQUASH

• Drew crushes Zack Ryder, then beats up Curt Hawkins after this.
• We’re finally seeing some flavor, character and humor out of Drew.

Becky and Asuka

• Becky Lynch says she has to face Asuka next.
• She wants to collect her debt.
• These segments were a nice way to buy Kairi Sane some time to heal up over the holidays, hopefully.
• Asuka wants to be Asuka 2 Belts.
• Becky Lynch seems surprised that Asuka would want a title match for some reason, but says she’ll do it.
• Becky speaks Japanese to Asuka.

Aleister Black beats Jobber
SQUASH

Buddy Murphy defeated Jobber
SQUASH

• The rematch between Black and Murphy is set for next week.
• Black crushes a jobber who sells really well.
• Buddy Murphy’s theme sucks ass. They meet each other on the ramp.
• Murphy knees his jobber and hits Murphy’s Law and wins. He raised the jobber up just like Black did.
• This is a lot of fun.
• Murphy passes on a handshake and get Black Massed.

Ricochet defeated Tony Nese
5/10

• This is a great opponent for Ricochet.
• I’ve always loved that Nese uses that Randy Savage hangman over the top rope.
• Recoil beats Nese.

Charlotte Flair defeated Chelsea Green
5/10

• There’s a Chelsea Green package that airs. She looks like a million bucks.
• She does a great turnbuckle stomp and a dropkick.
• Green has a good showing and gets in good offense, but Charlotte wins with a big boot and a Figure Eight.

Backstage Crappenings

• Another Liv Morgan vignette. She says she’s anything but typical.
• More Street Profits segments backstage that are totally pointless.

The OC defeated Randy Orton & Viking Raiders
5.75/10

• This is solid work, but the crowd isn’t there early. There’s some crowd sweetening though.
• Orton gets tagged in after Erik is worked over. The crowd comes alive.
• I like Orton as the utility player who can be a face or heel depending on the situation.
• Orton still selling the knee, having it taped up and selling it just getting dumped to the outside is good.
• Orton one leg suplexes, then Erik is in throwing some of his own. The crowd is awake for this now.
• The Viking Experience gets broken up.
• Orton hits an RKO on Anderson, but his leg gives out and Styles wins with a Phenomenal Forearm. This was an outstanding finish.
• If this wasn’t largely pointless, it’d hit higher. It was good, though.

Rowan crushes jobber
SQUASH

• The jobber offers candy canes to Rowan, and whatever is in the crate.
• Nope. Iron Claw slams. This was MESSY.

Rusev defeated No Way Jose (w/ Conga Line)
SQUASH

• Rusev cuts a promo, he’s not upset that Lana is getting married to Bobby Lashley. He says it’s the biggest punishment Bobby Lashley can endure.
• No Way Jose dances and chops Rusev, who doesn’t sell.
• Machka Kick. Pin.
• Rusev helps Jose up and dances. He then takes the conga line.
• Rusev has leaned out so much.

WWE United States Championship
Rey Mysterio (c) defeated Seth Rollins via DQ
5.75/10

• Mysterio misses a 619, and then Rollins ends up sending him outside.
• The ol’ SUNSET FLIP WALLBOMB hits, but Rollins gets a Buckle Bomb of his own.
• Mysterio hits a 619, but Rey gets attacked by AOP.
• I guess I don’t get why they would get Rollins DQ’d but wouldn’t let him get pinned.
• AOP want to put Rey through the announce table. Joe says if he has to get up, it’s AOP’s asses.
• Rollins tries to play peacemaker, but then has AOP finish him.
• Rey gets Stomped on the stage.
• AOP put Joe through a table.

Rating guide

10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!