WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for December 18

Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter

Finn Balor vs. Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas

Result: Finn Balor defeated Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas via disqualification

Rating: 1.75 out of 5 stars

Over the past few weeks, Finn Balor has defeated both Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas in singles matches. When he defeated Axel, he actually survived a two on one attack before the match. So this week, it becomes official – Balor would just take on both members of The Miztourage together. Surprisingly, it’s a battle of three former champions – the first ever Universal Champion, a former NXT Champion, and a former Intercontinental Champion.

At some point early on, Axel got caught with a stiff shot and soldiered through a bloody nose. This is important for what happened after the match. In all honesty, the match itself was kind of dull, and the finish pretty lame. Dallas and Axel displayed some great teamwork, but Balor hung in. Right when it looked like Finn had everything in hand, Dallas jumped into the fray without a tag, leading to a quick DQ.

As Balor was getting picked apart, Hideo Itami came down to the ring to even the odds. It’s great continuity going all the way back to Balor’s debut in NXT – remember, he was Itami’s backup against The Ascension. Having Hideo return the favor is a great move.

Even better – Itami was announced as a competitor on 205 Live. No one else in this match belongs to that roster. Could it be that some crossover between the cruiserweights and the heavyweights is in the cards?