SPOILER WARNING: This article contains full show match results for WWE Monday Night Raw from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, which aired on Monday, September 24, 2018.
Hell in a Cell 2018 is waaaay out in our rear view mirrors now.
Here on Monday Night Raw we’re all about the build to Survivor Series. And the Super Show-Down. And WWE Evolution. And WWE Crown Jewel. Oh, and the Mixed Match Challenge.
Read on for six things we learned as we kept all those plates spinning.
1. Dean Ambrose and The Shield are sticking together… for now
Ooo-er.
The (first?) break-up of The Shield was one of the most shocking, stunning and unforgettable moments in recent WWE history.
While there had been occasional discord, even those people who had predicted a breakup didn’t see it coming then, and they didn’t see it coming from the hands of Seth Rollins.
The firebrand Dean Ambrose was always the one predicted to turn to the dark side, should a split occur, but that wasn’t how it went down.
Since their (premature?) reunion, Dean has been put on the shelf with an injury, prompting a new look and new attitude on his long-awaited return.
Despite his extra aggression and helping his brothers win their respective titles, he’s the only one of the trio without a strap.
That’s not gone unnoticed.
Drew, Dolph and Braun used that fact in an attempt to drive a wedge between the brothers, and for a moment there it looked like it may pay dividends.
But The Shield stuck together through that opening segment, and again in victory at the close of the show against Baron Corbin and AOP.
Is this foreshadowing a Dean Ambrose-precipitated break-up? Or should we once again be looking at another (Bigger?) Dog for any eventual split?
2. Yes, Brie Bella legitimately kicked Liv Morgan in the face, but some of the reaction has been unfair
Accidents happen in WWE. Sometimes really, really bad ones.
Even leaving aside career-ending injuries and actual death in the ring, these are high-risk, high-speed manoeuvres.
Even if they’ve never been in a ring themselves before, fans can express their concern, and are certainly entitled to their opinions on who is and isn’t a “safe” worker.
But some wrestlers get a bit more leeway when it comes to accidents. Braun Strowman knocked the hell out of Brock Lesnar and everyone just gawped.
Seth Rollins broke John Cena’s nose with a knee to the face and not only did WWE exploit the hell out of it, Seth even made a T-shirt (which yes, we loved).
Last night on Raw, Brie Bella pretty much knocked out Liv Morgan with two Yes! Kicks to the face that absolutely connected.
Liv was able to get back up to take a Triple Suplex alongside her Riott Squad pals, but was later withdrawn from the match.
Brie Bella posted an apology (of sorts, she didn’t actually say the word sorry, which has narked some fans), but the condemnation has been pretty universal.
Should it have happened? Absolutely not. Does Brie need to be more careful? Absolutely yes.
Is the reaction she’s getting way more pronounced than accidents involving any other wrestler… what do you think?
However you feel about Brie Bella, let’s all hope that Liv Morgan isn’t badly hurt and makes a quick recovery.
3. The Revival miss out on tag gold but their eventual victory seems inevitable
Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre robbed The Revival of their shot at the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship by putting them out of action before their earned title match.
Dolph n Drew instead picked up the pieces and put away The B-Team to win the gold for themselves, and have held on to it since then.
The Revival, fair to say, are not happy.
Last night they finally got that title match they were owed, and despite pushing the champs to the edge, Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder missed out once more.
But even in defeat, The Revival showed why so many of us think they’re champions in waiting.
And it may not happen in the next few days or weeks, but we won’t bet against them being your next WWE Raw Tag Team Champions.
Ziggler and McIntyre are fighting a war on a number of fronts, and if they let themselves get too distracted by their battle with The Shield (or alliance with Braun Strowman, for that matter), that change could happen sooner rather than later.
4. Konnor just won a match on Monday Night Raw
The Ascension were serious business on NXT. Not only were they Tag Team champs over in Florida, they’re still the longest-reigning champions in that belt’s history, with 344 days at the top.
Their success, and character, never really translated to the main roster though.
And individually and together, Konnor and Viktor have struggled for form since their promotion.
At a time when a team of Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel can be tag champs for other a month, their failure to make an impact has been especially galling for the duo.
If you exclude a single victory on Main Event against Heath Slater and Rhyno back in July, we’ve been waiting a long, long time for Konnor to pick up a win on WWETV, in singles or tag competition.
We may have missed a couple, but Konnor (and Viktor)’s last win before then was against Damien Sandow (since axed) and Fandango (since injured) on Superstars in February 2016.
Before that it was the duo plus Stardust (since quit) against a team of Neville (since quit), Kalisto and Sin Cara at Night of Champions 2015
And if you’re looking at Raw/SmackDown, Konnor’s last win was on September 8th, 2015, when the Acension beat Kalisto/Sin Cara on SD.
Welcome back to winning ways, Konnor.
5. Finn Bálor is treading water but his time at the top will come again
Finn Bálor’s fans (us very much among them) have been frustrated by his recent stagnation.
The first WWE Universal Champion recently impressed with a long-overdue title match, but fell short against Roman Reigns.
He’s been bouncing around feuds of late without too much happening for him.
Finn summoned the Demon to put away Baron Corbin, but that feud inexplicably trundled on for a bit longer on WWETV.
And now he’s in a rare spot of actually being used to push the Mixed Match Challenge while on Raw.
Last night he disposed of Jinder Mahal, but the story was all about the build to his and Bayley’s (B&B) upcoming match against Jinder and Alicia Fox (Mahalicia).
That sort of cross-pollination of brands is all well and good, we like it, in fact, but there’s also a lingering frustration that Finn isn’t at the top of the card fighting for the big prizes.
But worry not… his time will come again, and likely before too long. A talent that good will always be OVER.
6. Lio Rush has been brilliant for Bobby Lashley since he arrived on Monday Night Raw
Soon after Drake Maverick started popping up on Monday nights to manage AOP, fellow 205 Live talent Lio Rush also started doing double duty.
And since he’s been on the Red brand on Monday nights, he’s been a revelation.
For all his ability in the ring, Bobby Lashley had struggled to get his character across since his return to the WWE.
Lio Rush has changed all that, being the perfect foil to the big man.
Bobby Lashley and John Cena vs. Elias and Kevin Owens at the Super Show-Down is an odd sort of match for John Cena to make a now-rare appearance.
But with Lio Rush in the Lashley/Cena corner, we’re more than ready to be entertained.
WWE Monday Night Raw full show match results – Monday, September 24, 2018
- Finn Bálor vs. Jinder Mahal
WINNER: Finn Bálor
- The Bella Twins (Brie Bella, Nikki Bella) & Natalya vs The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan)
WINNERS: The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan)
- Chad Gable vs Konnor
WINNER: Konnor
- WWE Raw Tag Team Championship: Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre (c) vs The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder)
WINNERS and STILL WWE Raw Tag Team Champions: Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre
- Bobby Lashley vs Elias
WINNER: Bobby Lashley
- Alicia Fox vs Nia Jax
WINNER: Nia Jax
- The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose) vs Baron Corbin & AOP (Akam and Rezar)
WINNERS: The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose)
What did you think of Monday Night Raw? Let us know at @digitalspywwe.
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