WWE RAW Live Coverage - December 18th, 2023
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Gunther’s rematch with The Miz highlights three title match night on Raw
At Survivor Series: WarGames, a determined Miz pushed Gunther to the limit. Now the titleholder is set to once again put his Intercontinental Championship on the line against The A-Lister. If Miz loses the rematch, he will not be able to challenge Gunther for as long as The Ring General holds the gold. Will The Miz finally reclaim the workhorse title from the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time?
:raw:
– We are LIVE inside the Wells Fargo Arena where The Judgment Day's theme music hits to kick this week's show off.
Out comes the faction consisting of Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Rhea Ripley. They settle in the ring to start off this week's episode.
They all brag about running Raw and then each hype up their respective matches tonight, with Priest and Balor defending the Undisputed WWE World Tag-Team Championships against The Creed Brothers and Rhea Ripley facing Ivy Nile.
As Dominik Mysterio begins speaking, the theme for R-Truth hits and out he comes with his custom Judgment Day shirt on. He says last week's beat down initiation was a little rough. They tell him he's not in the group. R-Truth says he can see Priest likes him.
JD McDonagh speaks up and has words with Truth, who suggests they have a Miracle on 34th Street Fight tonight. McDonagh informs him that match is already scheduled and advertised. He says they better hurry because 34th street is way away from here. He suggests whoever loses leaves The Judgment Day.
McDonagh says no but Priest says hold on a minute. Ripley speaks up and tells Priest to stop, but Priest laughs and says it's not a bad idea.
Miracle On 34thg Street Fight: R-Truth vs. JD McDonagh
We're off-and-running with this one. Within one minute we see all kinds of Christmas decorations, trees and other holiday junk at ringside used as weapons.
At one point Truth thinks he and Dominik are friends. Dom smiles but when Truth turns around, Dom rams him into the steel ring post. On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When we return, we see the wild brawl continue, mostly outside of the ring. The Judgment Day guys keep getting involved. Truth finally fights back and uses a fire extinguisher to jump back into the offensive lead. Back in the ring, he taps into his inner-John Cena by doing his trademark moves.
Truth uses a Christmas tree as a weapon and then lays out McDonagh on a table set up in the ring. He heads up to the top-rope but McDonagh pops up and stops him. ruth and McDonagh fall forward and go through the table. Truth ends up on top of McDonagh and gets the win. Michael Cole immediately geeks out like Truth is replacing McDonagh in The Judgment Day. Wade Barrett corrects him.
Winner: R-Truth
– After the match, we head backstage where Katana Chance and Kayden Carter talk about the momentum they built up heading into their tag-team title opportunity tonight. They do a "Woop Woop!" and wrap up the quick segment.
– Back inside the arena, Nia Jax's theme hits and as she makes her way down to the ring, we head into a commercial break. When we return from the break, Jax is in the ring with a microphone. She smiles at the fans as they boo her. When she opens her mouth to speak, Becky Lynch's theme hits to interrupt her. Thank God.
Lynch tells Jax as she walks off that she clearly had something to say. She says was it about her? If so, say it to her face. Jax says she has more important matters and announces she is entering the Women's Royal Rumble. Lynch says she doesn't care nor does anyone else. Jax says they never fought again because they are afraid of what she will do to her.
She says Lynch is the money maker for this company and if they went one on one, that would end. She says Lynch is the size of her leg. She says she would literally squash her and break her face again. Lynch says Jax used to live off the name of her cousins and now she lives off her name and how she once broke her nose.
Becky says let's fight right now. Jax says ok and tells a referee to get out here right now. Jax heads down to the ring and heads inside the ring after a referee slides in. She exits the ring and decides against it. She says seeing how badly Lynch wants this, she's not gonna give it to her. The fans boo. She says this will happen on her terms. She says it'll happen in her hometown of San Diego, CA. in two weeks at WWE Day 1.
Jax makes a crack about how she's gonna make Lynch's daughter cry about how she is even uglier than usual after she beats her down at WWE Day 1. Lynch runs up and attacks her to end the segment.
– We see footage from before the show of Kofi Kingston coming out dressed up as Santa Claus. Backstage live, we see Kofi Claus giving out presents, such as "YEET!" shirts, to DIY.
The Miz is interviewed before making his way out to the ring for his Intercontinental Championship opportunity against "The Ring General" and Imperium leader, GUNTHER. He heads to the ring as the commentators remind us that if he loses tonight, he can never challenge for the I-C title again.
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WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: GUNTHER (C) vs. The Miz
As Miz settles inside the squared circle for our first of three title tilts scheduled for tonight's show, we shift gears and head into a pre-match commercial break. When we return, GUNTHER heads to the ring. The bell sounds and off we go.
Miz jumps off to a surprising early lead, using a lot of submission moves on the ground that is not typical of a normal Miz match. Michael Cole points out he has been studying Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson matches. GUNTHER goes for a power bomb on the floor and nearly drops Miz on his head. He does on the hard part of the apron on a second try as we head into a mid-match break.
When we return from the break, we see GUNTHER in a healthy offensive lead. This lasts for a few minutes until the action spills out to the floor again, where we see GUNTHER blast the steel ring post with a punch after Miz moved. Cole questions if GUNTHER broke his hand on that shot as we head into another mid-match commercial break.
As we settle back in from the mid-match advertising time out, we see GUNTHER still controlling the action, but not for long as Miz attacks the injured hand of "The Ring General" and starts to take over. Miz hits a bunch of DDTs and a tilt-a-whirl DDT for a close near fall attempt.
GUNTHER hits a missile drop kick to take over. He slaps Miz in a Boston Crab and Miz desperately crawls to the ropes and makes it. Miz fights back and hits a Skull Crushing Finale for a scary-close pin fall attempt that nearly gave Michael Cole a heart attack. The fans chant "One more time!" Miz goes for it but GUNTHER takes over.
After some more back-and-forth action we see Miz and GUNTHER both on the top-rope. Somehow Miz connects with a second rope Skull Crushing Finale. The crowd explodes. Miz can't pin him, however, as GUNTHER rolls out to the floor. Miz crawls out after him but GUNTHER takes over. Back in the ring, he hits a power bomb and a clothesline and then another power bomb for the win.
Winner and STILL WWE Intercontinental Champion: GUNTHER
– We see a video package hyping up the momentum that The Creed Brothers have been on heading into tonight's title opportunity against Undisputed WWE World Tag-Team Champions The Judgment Day. After it wraps up, we get a trailer for this Friday's holiday edition of WWE SmackDown. We then head into another commercial break.
– When we return, we see GUNTHER walking backstage after his hard-fought victory in his I-C title defense against The Miz. Imperium are clapping as he walks by and they start sucking up. GUNTHER tells them they have nothing to be cheerful about. He says the whole year was a failure for them.
He says he's gonna step away for a few weeks and recharge. He tells Imperium to stay here and he expects them to grind and work hard and finally impress him. He walks off. Up walks Kofi Claus who asks him what's wrong. They tell him to get out of here. He gives him coal as a gift and laughs. Ludwig Kaiser slams it down and gets in his face.
– Now we shoot to a special video segment dubbed "The Nightmare Before Christmas with Shinsuke Nakamura," which shows "The King of Strong Style" in a Christmas setting reading a book in Japanese about his rivalry with Cody Rhodes as highlights are cut in.
At the end of it, Cody Rhodes attacks him and they brawl all throughout the backstage area and then into the crowd. They fight down to ringside where three or four security guards hold Cody back. He fights them off and beats them up and heads back to Nakamura at ringside.
He clears off the commentary desk but the guards pull Nakamura away. Cody dives through the ropes onto all of them and then goes to hit a Cross Rhodes on him through the commentary desk, but the guards pull Nakamura away again to end the segment.
– Backstage we see Akira Tozawa talking with RAW G.M. Adam Pearce, who asks if he's sure that's the match he wants. We never hear what it is, but Tozawa says it is. In comes the Undisputed WWE Women's Tag-Team Champions complaining about their title defense tonight. Pearce doesn't let them off the hook.
They walk off complaining and saying they're gonna call Nick Aldis. From there, in comes Bronson Reed who says they need to talk about the next challenger to Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.
– Back inside the arena, the former NXT women's tag championship duo of Katana Chance and Kayden Carter make their way out and head to the ring for our second of three scheduled title matches for tonight's show. As they settle into the ring, we head to a quick pre-match commercial break.
:womenstag:
Undisputed WWE Women's Tag-Team Championship: Chelsea Green & Piper Niven (C) vs. Katana Chance & Kayden Carter
When we return, we see a video package wishing Trish Stratus a happy birthday. From there, we see Chance and Carter in the ring awaiting the arrival of the champs. On that note, "I'm A Hot Mess" plays and out comes the reigning and defending championship duo of Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.
The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Kicking things off for their respective teams are Green and Carter. Carter jumps into the early offensive lead. Both tag out and we see Piper Niven take over for the champs. Niven hits a splash off the middle rope on Chance and Carter.
She goes for the cover but only gets two. On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this title tilt continues. When we return, we see Chance and Carter hit their double-team Keg Stand spot for a close near fall, which Green breaks up.
Green goes for the Unprettier but it's broken up. Chance and Carter hit their double team Afterparty finisher for the win. We have new women's tag champs.
Winners and NEW Undisputed WWE Women's Tag-Team Champions: Katana Chance & Kayden Carter
– We see Alpha Academy backstage hyping up Ivy Nile ahead of her showdown with Rhea Ripley. Akira Tozawa comes in and reveals who his match tonight is against. It's Ivar. Chad Gable says when he told him to go big in the new year, he didn't mean that big.
Ivar vs. Akira Tozawa
Back inside the arena, The Viking Raiders theme hits and out comes Ivar accompanied by Valhalla. They head to the ring for our next match of the evening. As he settles inside the ring, we head to a quick pre-match commercial break.
When we return, we see highlights of Katana Chance and Kayden Carter capturing the Undisputed WWE Women's Tag-Team Championships. We shoot backstage and Kofi Claus is there to congratulate them. He asks what they want for Christmas this year. They say they got everything they want tonight.
Up comes Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell as well as Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark and the team of Natalya and Tegan Nox. LeRae and Hartwell go off to party with the new champs, while the other two teams agree that they need new contenders to challenge for their titles. They both want the spot.
We return inside the arena where we hear Alpha Academy's theme music. Out comes Akira Tozawa accompanied by Maxxine Dupri. He settles in the ring and the bell sounds to get our next match of the evening officially off-and-running.
After some back-and-forth action, which surprisingly saw Tozawa fare well early on, Ivar ends up flattening the junior cadet of Alpha Academy for the pin fall victory.
Winner: Ivar
– After the match, we see a recap package of the CM Punk and Seth Rollins promo battle from last week's show. We head to a break.
– When we return from the break, we hear the familiar sounds of the theme music of the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth "Freakin'" Rollins. Out he comes to his home state fans in Iowa singing along with his music. He settles in the ring and welcomes us to Monday Night Rollins.
Rollins says things around here have been heating up for this Iowa boy. After his little confrontation last week with CM Punk, he is feeling more motivated than he ever has to continue to be the best World Heavyweight Champion in this entire industry. He promises bigger and better things in 2024.
He says it starts at WWE Day 1 when he defends his title against Drew McIntyre. As he goes on to talk about the good fight McIntyre gave him at Crown Jewel, he is interrupted when McIntyre's theme hits. "The Scottish Warrior" makes his way out and heads down to the ring as Rollins lays the title down in front of himself and takes his jacket off.
Seth tells Drew before he begins, he remembers the headbutt from him the last time they saw each other. He tells him to tread lightly. Drew says he's not out here to fight. He's actually proud of Seth. He says there's a lot of people back there kissing CM Punk's ass, but you looked him in the eyes and told him what needed to be said like a true leader.
McIntyre goes on to talk about family members he wanted to travel back home to so he could be by their side while they were sick, who told him not to come and to continue chasing his dreams. He says they died and are no longer here. He says that can't be for nothing. He needs to beat Rollins for the title at WWE Day 1.
Rollins responds by saying he's not sure whether to believe McIntyre or call him on his crap. He goes on to tell McIntyre that he doesn't hate him like he does CM Punk, but he does pity him. He tells him happy holidays and tries to walk off, but McIntyre attacks him and beats him down, yelling at him that he doesn't need his pity.
– Backstage we see The Creed Brothers warming up before their big tag-team title opportunity against The Judgment Day later tonight. Cody Rhodes walks up and thanks them for having his back. They mark out like fan boys over Cody being the G.O.A.T. as he walks off.
– Back in the arena, Kofi Kingston (still dressed as Santa Claus) appears at ringside bearing gifts for fans. Imperium attacks him, but Jey Uso runs down to the ring to provide Kingston with a hand. He goes flying over the top rope to level Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci on the outside. He then challenges Kaiser to a match. We head to a commercial break.
"Main Event" Jey Uso vs. Ludwig Kaiser
Back from the break, the bell has rung and Kaiser delivers a shoulder tackle to Jey. Jey fires off right hands on Kaiser, but Kaiser responds with a clothesline and delivers a right hand to his spine. He then clotheslines Jey out of the ring and lands a running uppercut.
Back from the break, Kaiser delivers an uppercut to Jey in the ring. Jey connects with a series of right hands and a kick to Kaiser's midsection, then delivers an enzuigiri and a Hip Attack in the corner. He follows it up with a superkick and looks for a splash off the top, but Vinci pushes him down. Kaiser then delivers a kick and goes for a pin, but Jey kicks out. Kofi Kingston reemerges and delivers a Trouble In Paradise to Vinci, opening the door for Jey to hit a Spear and an Uso Splash off the top for the win.
Winner: "Main Event" Jey Uso
– After the match, we head to another break.
– When we return from the break, we see The Judgment Day all talking backstage. Rhea Ripley loses her cool. Damian Priest wants JD McDonagh out of The Judgment Day. McDonagh says R-Truth made the stipulation and he's not even in the group.
Priest loses his cool and tells McDonagh he doesn't call shots. McDonagh says please don't kick me out of the group. Priest says he's not out -- for now. Ripley says they need to make an example. He says he spoke to Adam Pearce and she will be putting her WWE Women's World Championship on-the-line against her at WWE Day 1.
– The commentators announce Ripley-Nile for Day 1, as well as Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark vs. Natalya & Tegan Nox in a women's tag-team title eliminator, as well as Lynch-Jax and Rollins-McIntyre for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
:rawtag::sdtag:
Undisputed WWE World Tag-Team Championship: The Judgment Day (C) vs. The Creed Brothers
Now we return back inside the Wells Fargo Arena where The Creed Brothers duo of Julius and Brutus Creed make their way out and head to the ring for our third of three title matches tonight and our final overall match of the evening.
They settle inside the ring and their music dies down. The Judgment Day theme plays and out comes the reigning and defending Undisputed WWE World Tag-Team Champions Damian Priest and Finn Balor. They are accompanied by Rhea Ripley, who tears down the Christmas tree at the entrance area.
Samantha Irvin handles the formal pre-match ring introductions for this our championship main event of the evening and then the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. Early on we see The Creed Brothers faring well. We head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
As we settle back in from the break, we see Julius fired up on offense and taking it to any-and-everything that moves. Priest and Balor get some help from ringside and then begin shifting the offensive momentum into their favor. Priest sends Creed flying across the commentary desk at ringside as we head into another mid-match commercial break.
We see Brutus and Priest duking it out and trading shots in the middle of the ring when we return from our latest mid-match commercial break. Brutus catches Priest in mid-air and muscles him up before suplexing him down to the mat with authority. He crawls over and makes the tag to Julius as Priest also tags in Balor.
Julius hits an impressive Shooting Star Press off the top-rope for a super close near fall. He goes to set Brutus up for the Brutus Ball, but it is broken up before they can connect with it. A double clothesline knocks both men down. Rhea Ripley attacks Ivy Nile from behind and hoists her up. Nile escapes and she hoists Ripley up the same way before slamming her face-first on the apron.
In the ring, Julius hoists Balor up and we see Brutus connect with a Brutus Ball. He goes for the cover, but Priest hits the ring just in time to break it up. We see another Brutus Ball connect but during that pin attempt on Priest, Balor connects with a top-rope Coup de Grace to break it up. Priest hits his South of Heaven choke slam on Julius for the pin fall victory to retain in an excellent main event. That's how this week's show goes off the air.
Winners and STILL Undisputed WWE World Tag-Team Champions: The Judgment Day
