WWE Raw headed to Boston to build to Sunday’s brand warfare at WWE Survivor Series, but haphazard story decisions hindered a show with some great matches.
WWE Raw descended upon Boston’s TD Garden with only six days left until WWE Survivor Series. With the brand supremacy war being the central focus of WWE Survivor Series, it’s no surprise that the final WWE Raw before that event centered upon the same thing. That focus was clear right from the beginning.
WWE Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch opened the show, coming out to a raucous reaction before immediately calling out SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley and NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler. Lynch explains they don’t have to wait and settle things at WWE Survivor Series, they can settle it tonight.
Instead of either WWE Survivor Series opponent showing up, Lynch was treated to the presence of The IIconics. They quickly called out the atrocity that they were left off the Raw Women’s Survivor Series Team. Lynch quickly offered to fight both of The IIconics by herself, but Charlotte Flair was out seconds later.
Flair said she doesn’t want to tag with Lynch, but “the forces” want them to tag together. Flair talks about her leading Team Raw into WWE Survivor Series, and as she gets into the ring it all got interrupted by the appearance of Samoa Joe for some reason. After a commercial break, Samoa Joe was on commentary, but it made no sense for him to appear at that specific moment and not to have simply joined commentary at the beginning of the show, during the commercial, or even after the commercial.
Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair vs. The IIconics (Billie Kay & Peyton Royce)
Back from commercial, this match was quickly underway with The IIconics rushing Lynch and Flair while they were discussing near their corner. The IIconics took both opponents down quickly and took control of things early.
They wore down Flair and Lynch, but it didn’t take long for Charlotte Flair to regain control. She wore down Billie Kay and looked to finish it quickly with a Figure Eight.
Peyton Royce tried to break it up, but Becky Lynch came in and hit her with a Bexploder Suplex. Kay couldn’t hold on any longer and tapped out to give the win to Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.
After the match, Lynch and Flair headed up the ramp to exit, only for Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke to come through the crowd and rush the ring. Shayna Baszler and her fellow MMA Four Horsewomen took out The IIconics in the blink of an eye.
Flair and Lynch shared a look on the ramp, deciding to take the fight to Baszler and company. They rushed the ring, but quickly fell prey to the numbers advantage. Baszler, Shafir, and Duke beat down Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair before leaving through the crowd.
Flair and Lynch got to their feet a few moments later and rushed into the crowd to pursue them, but were held back by security. In pure frustration, Becky Lynch decked one security guard with a stiff right hand.
Grade: A, The absolute highlight of the build to WWE Survivor Series, and what will likely be the highlight of WWE Survivor Series itself, is the women’s division. Samoa Joe’s odd timing aside, this was a great set of promos leading to a great match leading to an epic post-match confrontation. Nailed it.
AOP interrupts an interview with Ryder and Hawkins
Back from commercial, Charly Caruso was speaking to Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins about the opportunity they have tonight to challenge The Viking Raiders for the Raw Tag Team Titles. Ryder and Hawkins talked about being prepared for their title shot tonight, only for The Authors of Pain to show up.
AOP approached Ryder and Hawkins, breaking a staredown with a stiff headbutt that led to an absolute dominating beatdown by AOP. They destroyed Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins, leaving them laying in a heap backstage before shouting at them in their native languages. Samoa Joe joked on commentary that the translation was “stay down, stay down.”
Grade: A, This was a great way to finally put AOP on TV outside of a backstage interview setting. It made them look strong and sets up an easy first match or feud for them against Ryder and Hawkins.