WWE Raw Results, Highlights, And Grades For December 31, 2018

Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley

Triple H is giving Seth Rollins an opportunity to show that he’s still championship material and willing to take opportunities instead of asking, but there are few tougher tests than Bobby Lashley, who is probably pissed after losing a Miracle on 34th Street Fight to Elias on Christmas Eve. Since joining forces with manager Lio Rush, Lashley has seemed even more dangerous, but Rollins might be the favorite here, giving everything he accomplished in 2018.

Lio Rush comes out and disses Detroit, stating that the entire city will kiss The Dominator’s ass. He puts over Lashley as a “fighter”, which is a breath of fresh air, since it means that WWE is finally acknowledging Lashley’s bad-ass MMA chops.

Rollins begins the match with a dropkick to Lashley in the corner and a flurry of fists, but Lashley easily gains the advantage with his insane power. Now it’s Rollins’s turn to eat some fists in the corner, as Lashley takes his time prowling around the former Intercontinental Champion.

But Rollins has plenty of speed, too, and he uses his quickness advantage to send Lashley reeling before kicking him outside the ring. A plancha later, and Rollins is all fired up in front of a hopeful Detroit crowd.

Lashley gets the advantage before the break, though, and it’s all thanks to Rush, who once again pays dividends with his well-timed interference, sending Seth into the ring posts.

Though Lashley attempted to hit Rollins with a huge delayed vertical suplex, Rollins unsurprisingly found his way out of the predicament, chopping Lashley a few times and then hit him with a slingblade. Ready for a huge move, Rollins clotheslined Lashley outside the ring and hit a pair of suicide dives.

Rush once again blocked Rollins, preventing Seth from hitting “The Stomp” on Lashley for a “W” following those suicide dives. Lashley came quite close to beating Rollins with a spinebuster, but Seth was never going to go down that easily.

Seth started using his quickness against Lashley, getting a nearfall with a roll-up before hitting a nasty superkick. He rose to the top rope, stared down Rush, and found it difficult to chase down the incredibly quick manager. But Rush started to grow concerned, and Rollins finally managed to bring down the impressive Rush.

That didn’t last long, as Lashley stepped in to beat up Rollins on the outside. Seth had enough, grabbing a steel chair, as he hit Lashley with it before angrily absorbing the cheers from the crowd. Motivated to do whatever it takes, Rollins started wailing on Lashley with the chair, reuniting with his trusty friend. Both Rush and Lashley lay sprawled in the ring after taking chairshots from Rollins, with neither having any chance as Rollins wore out the chair on both men.

And to close things out, Rollins stomped Rush to put an exclamation mark on this angrier version of his popular character.

Grade: B, This was a solid match followed by an interesting post-match angle that sets Seth up nicely for 2019.