WWE Raw Results, Highlights, and Grades: December 16, 2019

The WWE Raw after WWE TLC 2019 is set to take place tonight on December 16 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT live on the USA Network. Here are some results, highlights, and grades for the longest running weekly episodic television show in history.

Last night was WWE TLC 2019, WWE’s final Pay-Per-View of the year. Now that we are closing 2019 and are on the road to Royal Rumble 2020, it will be interesting to see what fallout occurs on tonight’s Raw from these bout results.

On tonight’s episode of WWE Raw, there is one scheduled match: Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles. They have had beef in recent weeks and will finally squash it in a WrestleMania 35 rematch tonight.

According to WWE Now, we will also see more of Seth Rollins and Authors of Pain tonight. Can AOP be stopped and will Kevin Owens return from the local medical facility he was taken on a stretcher to last week on Raw?

All of that and more should be in store for tonight’s Raw. With that being said, it’s now time to bleed red and plunge into a slew of surprises for WWE Raw, starting with Seth Rollins and Akam and Rezar from the Authors of Pain.

Seth Rollins Promo

Seth Rollins enters the ring and introduces Authors of Pain to the ring, commending them for living on the right side with Rollins. Rollins talks about how everyone say him as the future leader of the WWE but the mood changed and those same people stopped believing in him.

He retorts that being a leader is not about being cool but it’s instead more about doing’s what’s best for the progress of Monday Night Raw. He asserts that he is a leader and visionary who made Kevin Owens an example of that progress.

He further orates that he will impose his will on everyone and Authors of Pain will enforce his will if any resist, like Owens did. He claims that he has an unpopular decision to make and he will settle the score tonight. He dropped the mic to leave suspense for what’s to come later tonight.

Result: Seth Rollins and AOP leave the WWE Universe in suspense

Grade: 4.0/5.0 Stars

Analysis: This promo was very clever and set the pace for Monday Night Raw tonight. Now, everyone will be wondering what score Seth Rollins is going to settle. It will be interesting to see what the outcome of this promo will be later on tonight.

The heel faction between Rollins and AOP is becoming more and more intriguing as the weeks go by, and it is clear that this faction is very becoming.

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Viking Raiders vs. The O.C. [Tag Match]

Erik and Ivar enter the ring, ready for battle. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson come out with mics to talk about how Viking Raiders are very dominant Raw Tag Team Champions but they are the best tag team in the world and the first and only tag team to have pinned the Viking Raiders on the main roster.

The Viking Raiders perform some ground based offense to get the early advantage early on in the match. Erik and Ivar double team Karl Anderson with their spectacular tag team moves with a particular focus on Anderson’s arm and jaw.

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Erik lifts Anderson up for a vertical suplex to disrupt the blood circulation in Anderson’s head and delivers it for the two-count. Anderson quickly tags in Gallows, who runs into a hard forearm by Erik.

Gallows rolls out of the ring and Erik rebounds off the ropes for a suicide dive, but Gallows retaliates with an Uppercut and a Fallaway Slam into the barricade wall. The show goes to commercial break.

Back from commercial, Anderson locks Erik in a chin lock and delivers a picture perfect Spinebuster for the two-count. He tags in Gallows, who throws some jabs to Erik at the corner turnbuckle and a Big Boot in the center of the ring. He locks Erik in a chin locks as Erik tries to get back in this match and Ivar awaits a hot tag.

Erik delivers some elbows to Gallows’ abdomen but Gallows counters with a Back Suplex to keep Erik down for a two-count. He tags in Anderson, who keeps Erik down with some uppercuts and kicks. He goes for a back suplex, but Erik lands on his feet and tags in Ivar.

Ivar delivers a powerslam to Anderson and clotheslines Gallows outside the ring. He cartwheels and clotheslines Anderson. Anderson crawls to the corner turnbuckle and Ivar delivers a Running Meteora to Anderson at the corner turnbuckle for the two-count. Gallows breaks up the pin.

Anderson capitalizes and delivers a Neckbreaker to Ivar and tags in Gallows for a double team neckbreaker.

Gallows tags Anderson back in to deliver a double clothesline, but Ivar counters with a hand stand double elbow strike, sending Gallows and Anderson outside the ring. Erik and Ivar suicide dive to Gallows and Anderson outside the ring, and the show goes to commercial break.

Back from commercial, Gallows takes control of Ivar in the ring with big boots. He tags in Anderson and lifts up Ivar for a double team fireman’s carry big boot for the two-count.

Anderson looks frustrated but determined to defeat The Viking Raiders, but Ivar counters with a jumping meteora and tags in Erik while Anderson tags in Gallows.

Erik delivers a Gutrench Suplex to Gallows and a knee strike to Anderson. He tags in Ivar and picks up Ivar to toss him into Gallows at the corner turnbuckle for the two-count.

Ivar tags in Erik for another double team move, but Gallows counters and tags in Anderson, who delivers an upper cut to Erik. He attempts a bicycle kick but Erik counters with a powerbomb and tags in Ivar.

Ivar goes to the top rope to deliver a Moonsault, but Gallows takes Anderson out of harm’s way as Ivar falls hard on the mat. Anderson tags in Gallows and delivers a big boot to Erik outside the ring and he and Gallows deliver a Magic Killer to the Raiders for the three-count and the victory.

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Result: The O.C.

Grade: 3.5/5.0 Stars

Analysis: This tag team match was incredible and a great start to the show. The crowd was pretty dead for this match but these two tag teams do a great job together. It’s difficult to get tired of watching these two tag teams wrestle.

Understandably, their feud should end soon but it’s not boring to watch at all. It’s also very impressive that The O.C. defeated Viking Raiders for the second time. They really proved that they are the best tag team in the world, and this must warrant a Raw Tag Team Championship match for next week’s Raw.

They meet up backstage with AJ Styles, who praises Gallows and Anderson for their big victory and yearns to do the same to Randy Orton tonight on his own without help. 

Erick Rowan vs. Local Talent [Grudge Match]

The jobber crawls under the ring to get near the cage. He tries to peep at it but Erick Rowan chases after him. The jobber trips and Rowan capitalizes to deliver a Running Crossbody to the jobber outside the ring. He then rag dolls him back into the ring and delivers two chokeslams for the three-count and the victory.

Result: Rowan

Grade: 1.0/5.0 Stars

Analysis: This was so stupid. The nosy jobber had more than enough time to uncover the cloth from Rowan’s cage but he decided to stall and run away instead. Terrible acting and timing on his part.

Now, this cage idea is seen as an absolute joke and there’s probably nothing in there. Rowan probably has an imaginary friend like R-Truth had with Little Jimmy years ago.

The camera then shifts to the backstage area where Andrade is interviewed by Charly Caruso and speaks in Spanish while Zelina Vega said that she wears high heels so that Humberto Carillo hears her coming and has time to repent. It looks like Andrade and Zelina Vega are still on the same page? 

A special promo package is shown of Liv Morgan saying that she has to destroy herself so that the ‘real’ her can emerge as she sits down in a bath tub.

Bobby Lashley and Lana Promo

Lana gloats about how Bobby Lashley defeated Rusev at WWE TLC 2019 and talks about how Lashley is so ‘hot’ and gives her butterflies every day. The crowd chants ‘Rusev Day’ as Lana talks about this and Lashley commands the crowd to show respect to Lana.

Lana asks Lashley to ask her to marry her. Lashley responds that he does not like it when anyone tells him what to do, except her. Lashley kneels down to tell Lana how they will be the best power couple in the WWE and then proposes to Lana.

Lana responds that what Lashley said was exactly what they rehearsed and she says ‘Yes’ to the proposal. Lana says that they will get married on Lana Day. She and Lashley then kiss to close the segment.

Result: Bobby Lashley and Lana are engaged

Grade: 1.5/5.0 Stars

Analysis: Bobby Lashley must really hate Angel Garza from NXT because he tried his very best to top his proposal from last week. God, this booking is awful. How far is this going to go? Lucky guess is that they get married on Rusev’s birthday next week and Lana somehow leaves Lashley at the altar.

Either way, none of this is something to look forward to so this segment was a dud but really makes the WWE Universe wonder whether Rusev and Lana are legitimately not together anymore in real life.

Ricochet vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Humberto Carillo vs. R-Truth vs. Matt Hardy vs. Andrade [United States Championship #1C Match: Gauntlet Match]

R-Truth comes out first and cuts a promo about how John Cena was his hero for proposing United States Championship Open Challengers. As the current 24/7 Champion, he promises to hold onto both that championship and the United States Championship all the way to WrestleMania 36. He humorously points at the WrestleMania sign, which has not been put up yet.

Akira Tozawa comes out to wrestle R-Truth first. They start with some ground based offense. R-Truth rallies with some shoulder blocks and elbow strikes. He shouts ‘What’s Up’ to the crowd and charges at Tozawa in the corner, but Tozawa moves out of the way and Truth runs face first into the steel post.

Tozawa delivers a senton bomb to R-Truth from the apron outside the ring and sends him back into the ring to deliver a Missile Dropkick. R-Truth goes for the scissors kick but Tozawa rolls up R-Truth for the three-count and victory.

R-Truth then runs out of the ring and into the crowd as most of the jobbers from the Raw locker room chases after his 24/7 championship. Tozawa advances to the next round of the gauntlet, and his next opponent is former United States Champion Ricochet. The show goes to commercial.

Back from commercial, Ricochet and Tozawa perform some aerial based offense and Ricochet delivers a dropkick to Tozawa. Ricochet was going for a suicide dive but Tozawa runs in to deliver an Enziguiri to Ricochet and deliver two suicide dives to Ricochet outside the ring.

He goes on the top rope and flies but runs into a mid air dropkick by Ricochet. Ricochet conserves his energy with some ground-based offense on Tozawa but Tozawa rallies back with some key submission holds. Ricochet wiggles out of and delivers an Enziguiri. After plenty of swift counters between these two superstars, Tozawa delivers a German Suplex to Ricochet for the two-count.

Ricochet delivers an Enziguiri from the ropes and a flying clothesline from the ropes. As soon as he is about to deliver a standing shooting star press, Tozawa counters with a superkick and goes to the top rope for the senton bond.

However, Ricochet hits on the ropes to stop Tozawa and delivers the Recoil to Tozawa for the three-count and the victory. Ricochet advances to the next round of the gauntlet, and his next opponent is Matt Hardy. The show goes to commercial.

Back from commercial, Matt Hardy delivers a quick Side Effect to Ricochet for the two-count. Meanwhile, the backstage camera shows Rey Mysterio watching the match and shining up the United States Championship. Hardy delivers a suplex to Ricochet for the two-count.

Ricochet rebounds off the ropes but runs into a back body drop by Hardy for the two-count. Ricochet rallies back with an elbow and goes on the top rope but Hardy grabs him and delivers a high cross powerbomb for the two-count.

Hardy charges at Ricochet at the corner turnbuckle but Ricochet counters with an Enziguiri and a Dropkick. He rebounds off the ropes, Headscissors Takedown, headbutts into the mid section of Hardy at the corner turnbuckle, and delivers an Enziguiri from the apron.

Ricochet springboards off the ropes for a clothesline, but Hardy counters with a mid air Side Effect for the two-count. Hardy goes on the top rope for a Moonsault, but Ricochet moves out of the way and delivers a Standing Shooting Star Press for the two-count.

Ricochet goes on the top rope for the 630, but Hardy moves out of the way and attempts the Twist of Fate. Ricochet counters the Twist of Fate into a small package roll up for the three count and the victory. Ricochet advances to the next round of the gauntlet, and his next opponent is Humberto Carillo. The show goes to commercial.

Back from commercial, Humberto Carillo helps Ricochet up like a good sportsman but Ricochet rolls up Carillo out of pure desperation after being in two matches already.

They perform some aerial based offense to start things off and Carillo takes control with an arm drag takedown. Ricochet rolls out of the ring and Carillo performs a suicide plancha to Ricochet outside the ring.

Carillo then focuses on Ricochet’s arm. Ricochet tries to rally back but Carillo counters with a swift kick to Ricochet. Carillo keeps Ricochet grounded with more focus on Ricochet’s arm. He performs an arm drag and continues to lock in the arm bar.

Ricochet rallies back and gets on the apron with a head butt in Carillo’s gut and a Falcon’s Arrow for the two-count. Zelina Vega then pops up at the stage area to watch this match closely as the show goes to commercial.

Back from commercial, Ricochet springboards off the ropes for a flying clothesline and a Standing Shooting Star Press for the two-count. Ricochet attempts another Falcon’s Arrow but Carillo counters, hangs Ricochet on the side ropes, and delivers a missile dropkick from the top rope.

Carillo places Ricochet in the center of the ring and goes on the top rope to deliver his signature moonsault, but Ricochet moves out of the way and delivers an Enziguri and clotheslines Carillo outside the ring. The ref counts to nine, and both men get back in the ring.

Ricochet charges at Carillo, but Carillo counters with his feet and goes to the top rope. Ricochet stops Carillo on the top rope with some knife edge chops and a flurry of punches. They are both on the top rope brawling it out. Ricochet grabs Carillo and delivers a picture perfect Superplex for the two-count.

They now have a punching contest and Ricochet takes advantage with a Northern Lights Suplex and a Vertical Suplex. Ricochet goes to the top rope, but Carillo stops Ricochet with an Enzigiuri and delivers a reverse Hurricanrana to Ricochet.

Ricochet lands on his feet, but Carillo delivers a sunset flip powerbomb and moonsault for the three-count and the victory. Humberto Carillo advances to the final round of the gauntlet, and his next opponent is Andrade.

He attacks Carillo from behind and delivers two double knee stomps to Carillo at the corner turnbuckle. He then tosses Carillo outside the ring and rips off the mat outside the ring to expose the concrete.

He picks up Carillo and delivers the Hammerlock DDT to Carillo onto the concrete. Rey Mysterio runs in to stop Andrade as Andrade and Vega escape through the crowd and Mysterio checks up on Carillo.

Result: No Contest

Grade: 3.0/5.0 Stars

Analysis: Great Gauntlet Match! Pacing was a tad slow at times, but it was overall solid technical wrestling. It is quite surprising that the result was not inconclusive, but it was great to see Andrade stand out here and show that he should be taken seriously in the WWE.

That Hammerlock DDT was incredibly dangerous and Andrade now looks like a legitimate threat to Rey Mysterio’s United States Championship. Maybe we will get a triple threat title match amongst Mysterio, Andrade, and Carillo? We shall see.

Carilllo is taken away on a stretcher so he is probably not going to medically cleared to compete anytime soon so it might be a straight championship match between Mysterio and Andrade in the near future.

Seth Rollins and AOP then come out to attack Mysterio, who gave a pipe to Kevin Owens last week on Raw. As Rollins said, anyone who resists him will pay for it. He says that Rey Mysterio owes him one and curb stomps him to close the segment. Seth Rollins and AOP are interviewed backstage as Charly Caruso questions his motives.

He says that he is leading by example and challenges Rey Mysterio to a United States Championship match next week. What was the point of this gauntlet then? Camera then shifts to Randy Orton cutting a promo on AJ Styles for their match later tonight in the main event.

Asuka vs. Deonna Purazzo [Grudge Match]

Deonna Purazzo delivers a Brogue Kick to Asuka before the match to get an upper hand early on as the show goes to commercial. Asuka comes back strong with a running hip attack and rolls up Purazzo for a two-count. She continues to keep Purazzo down with arm bars and knee bars.

Purazzo counters with a snap back neckbreaker for the two-count. Asuka rallies back with dirty kicks to Purazzo to the side of her ear. She locks in the Asuka Lock as Purazzo taps out. Asuka picks up the easy win.

Result: Asuka

Grade: 1.5/5.0 Stars

Analysis: Why is an NXT superstar on Raw? This was a pointless match but at least Purazzo got some offense in and was not completely squashed. Asuka has been on a roll lately and she should be getting a Raw Women’s Championship match against Becky Lynch very soon.

Becky Lynch Exclusive Interview

Becky Lynch talks about how the system is shielding her from Asuka. Lynch does not want a shield to protect her from anything and needs Asuka in a match to prove to herself that she can defeat Asuka once and for all.

Result: Becky Lynch wants to fight Asuka

Grade: 2.0/5.0 Stars

Analysis: Pretty rushed interview between Becky Lynch and Charly Caruso, but they covered the main points. Becky Lynch wants to battle Asuka since she has never defeated her before. This match is bound to happen at Royal Rumble 2020 and it should be a good one.

Back from commercial, a backstage promo is cut by Rey Mysterio, who asserts that he will deal with Andrade later because he’s fighting Seth Rollins for the first time ever next week on Raw.

Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles [Grudge Match]

Randy Orton and AJ Styles perform some ground based offense. Randy Orton quickly goes for the RKO but misses as Styles dodges and slithers out of the ring. Orton catches Styles and delivers a back suplex on the edge of the apron.

They perform more ground based offense in the ring, but Styles catches Orton in the Calf Crusher. Orton gets to the ropes as the crowd counts to four and Styles lets go. Orton sells his calf and rolls outside the ring. Styles rushes outside the ring to slips Orton under his leg. The show goes to commercial.

Back from commercial, Randy Orton attempts to rally back with some punches and upper cuts to Styles’ skull. Styles retaliates with a shoot kick to the left calf but Orton counters Styles’ rebound off the ropes with a Scoop Slam.

Styles continues to target Orton’s left calf, but Orton counters with an inverted backbreaker. Orton puts Styles on the top rope to attempt the Superplex but Styles counters and slithers under Orton to target his left calf again. He delivers a Moonsault off the side ropes for the two-count.

He attempts the Styles Clash but Orton counters with the DDT from the ropes. Orton pounds the mat going for the RKO but Styles counters with the Calf Crusher.

Orton counters the calf crusher and places Styles on the apron. Styles forearms Orton on the apron and goes for the Phenomenal Forearm but flies into an RKO in midair.

The O.C. attacks Orton after the match and Viking Raiders run in for the save but the O.C. is too much for them as they close the show dominant on Raw with a Magic Killer to the Raiders.

Result: Randy Orton

Grade: 2.5/5.0 Stars

Analysis: Pretty slow, methodical pace to this match. Not the best match between Orton and Styles but the finish was fantastic. Average match, but nothing special. It was an OK Raw.