Match Ratings For 10/19/20 WWE Raw From Sean Ross Sapp

Opening

• A new Raw theme- “The Search” by NF.
• Having The Fiend’s full entrance on the season premiere of WWE Raw is a good idea.
• Retribution comes to the ring and surrounds The Fiend and Alexa Bliss.
• Nightmare before RawMas tonight
• The Fiend disappears and Hurt Business shows up. Cedric does a giant tope con hilo on everyone.

Hurt Business defeated Retribution
5/10

• An oddly timed Matt Riddle vignette plays as they wait to have a match.
• Slapjack is getting his stupid ass mask tossed around the ring.
• I thought Dio Maddin was solid on commentary, especially when you saw more of him than the produced WWE style. Glad to see him in the ring, though
• Both teams face off outside the ring and Fiend’s music plays before a commercial.
• Back from the break after Ali works the majority of the match.
• T-Bar taps to a full nelson. Lol what!? They lost already.
• Fiend comes out and attacks Retribution. T-Bar saves Mustafa Ali.
• Amazing. They already beat this team.
• Later in the night, Mustafa Ali reveals himself as the Smackdown hacker.
• Titus O’Neil pitches himself to The Hurt Business. They say they’re in business, and then they attack him.

AJ Styles (w/ Jordan Omogbehin) defeated Matt Riddle
5.75/10

• AJ Styles is joined by Jordan Omogbehin.
• The ref threatens to disqualify AJ if Jordan doesn’t leave. Jordan grabs his hand.
• Riddle does rolling gutwrench suplexes.
• Riddle does a great deadlift fisherman’s suplex.
• Riddle runs into Big Jordan and walks into an AJ kick.
• Styles Clash was a struggle, but Riddle gets pinned.
• This was their third match since the summer. A Raw tradition.

Other stuff

• Drew McIntyre speaks about the upcoming Hell in a Cell match. He says there will be no honor.
• Elias performs a song and it doesn’t suck. Jeff Hardy interrupts and swings a guitar at Elias’ head. Elias challenges Jeff Hardy to a match at Hell in a Cell.
• Wow, dropping Wu Tang Clan lyrics on Raw! It happens during Firefly Funhouse. Alexa Bliss joins him.

WWE Raw Women’s Championship
Asuka (c) defeated Lana
4.5/10

• Asuka almost immediately grabs an Asuka Lock, but Lana gets to the ropes.
• There’s a wonky kick-trade spot, but Lana ends up landing some good ones.
• Asuka Lock, submission.
• This was harmless.
• Nia Jax comes out and attacks Asuka. Shayna Baszler attacks Lana.
• Lana gets put through a table AGAIN. Asuka attacks the tag champions and run off.
• Can we not do the thing where Asuka feuds with the tag champs? Highlight more women’s wrestlers, not fewer.

Nia & Shayna defeated Lacey Evans & Peyton Royce, Riott Squad and Dana & Mandy
5/10

• Nia and Shayna say they run both division, and challenge anyone to come out and do something about it.
• Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke come out, and they’re followed by Lacey Evans, then Peyton Royce. Royce and Lacey keep trying to steal the spotlight from each other.
• Then….the fucking Riott Squad. THEY’RE ON SMACKDOWN.
• Break up the IIconics, have Peyton team with someone else! Have the Riott Squad move to Smackdown, then show up on Raw!
• This is so stupid. It took them A WEEK.
• Riott Squad look good as usual.
• Ruby Riott gets dragged outside and choked out.
• Lacey Evans eats a Samoan Drop and gets pinned.
• Why did Riott Squad need to be in that match?
• WWE badly need an honest to god Showrunner charged with making sense of the shit they go out of their way to mess up. It insults the intelligence of the viewer.
• They don’t often do subtle, so don’t tell me we’re to assume rules as opposed to them just not caring.

Kofi Kingston (w/ Xavier Woods) defeated Sheamus
6.25/10

• Sheamus calls Kofi Kingston and Xavier TWO TURDS of the New Day. They go back and forth in a time-killing promo.
• Kofi Kingston and Sheamus have had eight one-on-one matches. Before Monday, they’d only had one in the last nine years!
• Kofi gets caught mid-air and slammed on the apron.
• Kofi hits the second rope when adjusting from a missed Trouble in Paradise
• Sheamus did an awesome Gunnslinger on Kofi.
• Kofi counters a super White Noise with a big second rope leg sweep.
• Trouble in Paradise gets the win.
• This was the longest Sheamus & Kofi match ever.

Maquinaria Pesada defeated Miz & Morrison
4.75/10

• Tucker confronts Miz & Morrison and says he’s getting a tag team partner tonight.
• Raw was like “we’re tired of our rematches, let’s draft Smackdown’s”
• Tucker brings out El Gran Gordo. It’s Otis in a mask. Miz and Morrison are livid. It means THE BIG FAT in Spanish.
• Miz cuts a passionate promo about Otis being a joke and making a mockery of what he’s worked for.
• El Gran Gordo gets a hot tag.
• R-Truth, Akira Tozawa, Lucha House Party and Gulak distract Miz.
• Caterpillar and Vader Bomb win it.
• They’re backstage celebrating with New Day and Mandy after the match.