WWE Raw Results, Highlights, And Grades For December 24, 2018

Drew McIntyre vs. Finn Balor vs. Dolph Ziggler

Result: Balor pins Ziggler to win after hitting a Coup de Grace

This match has show-stealing potential, given how awesome these three are in the ring and the boiling tensions between them. Each of these men have interfered in each other’s matches, including when Dolph Ziggler helped Finn Balor out massively against Drew McIntyre at TLC. Balor “thanked” Ziggler by confronting him, and Ziggler didn’t take kindly to Balor’s lack of gratitude. The attack from Ziggler that followed led a post-TLC Raw match that was rudely interrupted by McIntyre, which led to this Christmas Eve Triple Threat among the three men.

At first, Balor and Ziggler worked together to ground McIntyre, realizing that they couldn’t beat the most powerful and dangerous opponent in the ring on their own. After dumping him outside, they started going after each other with zeal, and we got to see Ziggler hit Balor with another picture-perfect dropkick.

McIntyre started to get to work on Balor following the commercial break, but Ziggler wanted to get his crack at McIntyre, shoving Balor outside the ring. That may not have been the best idea, as McIntyre promptly began to bully Dolph, hitting a delayed vertical suplex before grounding him with some fists and well-placed stomps.

Minutes later, Balor started to finally get the upper hand on McIntyre, hitting his offense at a fever pitch before going for the Coup de Grace. But McIntyre got out of the way, and Dolph came from out of nowhere to hit a Zig Zag on Finn for a close nearfall.

Balor was almost pinned again by McIntyre, who used Ziggler as a weapon, slamming Dolph onto Balor’s chest for a two-count. But Balor started using his quickness to get McIntyre on the ground, and just as he was going to hit a Coup de Grace for a possible win, Ziggler got him off the top rope. Finn would get his revenge moments later, hitting a Coup de Grace to block a superkick pinfall attempt from Ziggler.

And Ziggler would lose to the Coup de Grace, as Balor picked up a defining victory to the crowd’s joy. Defeating McIntyre and Ziggler in the same match is no short feat.

Afterwards, McIntyre took his frustrations out on Ziggler, whom McIntyre believes has held him back from changing WWE Raw for the better. Ziggler, however, got the last laugh, nailing McIntyre with the Zig Zag.

Grade: A-, This match lived up to expectations and was worth watching. Balor picked up an impressive victory, and I loved the story the match told. I also enjoyed the post-match stuff, and I think Ziggler has quietly been excellent this month, even though Balor and McIntyre are the real important pieces on Raw going forward.