WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for December 11

Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter

Kane Speaks

Hearing “Kane” and “Universal Champion” in the same breath is some kind of fresh hell.

Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter

Seth Rollins vs. Sheamus

Result: Seth Rollins defeated Sheamus via pinfall

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Two former world champions. Two former Money in the Bank winners. A hot storyline that has captured the majority of the WWE Universe. How could this be a bad match?

The stipulation of banning each man’s partners from ringside helped this one a bit. Rather than wonder how Ambrose or Cesaro would come into play during the finish, you got to focus on a really good match with a really good story.

Sheamus spent the majority of the match working on Seth’s leg – as was astutely pointed out by commentary, Rollins has a history of knee injuries. It’s not out of place – The Celtic Warrior has a wide variety of leg-based offense, like the stretch muffler, and the cloverleaf. Yes, the cloverleaf works the back more so than the legs, but it does put some torque on the legs, too, so it works here.

And Rollins was at his best in selling the damage to the leg, too. A superplex followed by a literal one-legged falcon arrow? Crazy, but it was so good. I’m a mark for selling on offense, so of course that won me over.

I would have loved to see Rollins sell the leg on the superkick and his ripcord knee strike (at least he used the right knee for the attack), but I’ll take what I can get. And this was a great match.

Backstage, Dean Ambrose talks strategy with Renee Young before realizing it’s a bad idea to give away his secrets. Oh, that wacky Dean!