WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for November 27

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WWE Intercontinental Championship Match

Elias vs. Roman Reigns (c)

Result: Roman Reigns defeated Elias via pinfall

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

You know, every time I think Elias has peaked, he goes out and does something like this. The pre match concert tonight was his masterpiece. I’m 99% sure that this one really was the peak, and he ain’t topping this. He embodies this gimmick in a way few have been able to in the past. It’s as if he was born for this. And his schtick did the unthinkable – he got the crowd chanting “We want Roman.” (Or maybe that was the harmonica stylings of Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel.)

Speaking of peaking, to this point this is Elias’s best match in WWE in a walk. The commentary team was working overtime to make him seem like a credible threat to walk away with the Intercontinental Championship. And what he was doing in the ring made it easy to visualize such a development.

The best part of John Cena’s open challenges with the US Title was the unpredictability. Not just in terms of who was going to accept, but whether they could win or not. Most of the time, even knowing Cena would come out on top because Cena, his opponent made you believe he had a chance. Those matches were usually pretty exciting.

Tonight, Reigns had the same kind of match. Elias was an unlikely winner, but he made you believe he had a legit shot. A couple of very near falls sprinkled in only added to that belief. But we’re still at the beginning of Roman’s reign, so he finds a way to overcome and win (though he may have given himself a stinger on the spear; looked like his head went into Elias’s chest). If every installment of The Big Dog’s open challenge is like this, keep the title on Roman until WrestleMania 35 (not a typo).

Following the match, Samoa Joe ambushed Reigns from behind, locking him in the Coquina Clutch until he passed out. You know Joe meant business because even Fit freakin’ Finlay couldn’t free Roman. I, for one, would welcome Joe vs. Roman until the end of time, so let’s do this.