It was the first WWE Raw of 2015 and, after a month-long hiatus, The Authority was back in charge. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon had their power restored last week, thanks in large part to John Cena, who opted to bring them back rather than watching as respected peer Edge was crippled by Seth Rollins. After being humiliated and defeated at Survivor Series, what will the most powerful couple in sports entertainment have in store for those who opposed them on that evening? What role will Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman play in their plans, especially given their apparent association with Rollins?
Fans found out the answer to their questions Monday night. In the evening's main event, Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt battled in an Ambulance Match. Prior to the match, both Superstars had vowed to do immense damage to each other, but only one could emerge victorious. Who was it?
Find out now, with this week's look at winners, grades, highlights and analysis from Monday Night Raw.
Opening Promo Segment
John Cena and the entire WWE locker room were inside the squared circle to kick off the night's show. Cena apologized to his peers for reintroducing The Authority to the fold, drawing Triple H and Stephanie McMahon out.
They mocked everyone who appeared in their place over the last month and then introduced Rollins. In response to Mr. Money in the Bank doing what was necessary to ensure that they returned to their rightful spot atop WWE, they announced that Rollins will battle Cena and Lesnar for the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat match at Royal Rumble. In response to Cena bringing them back, Stephanie vowed that the night would be John Cena Appreciation Night and then announced that his presence at the celebration later in the night was mandatory. Triple H announced Dolph Ziggler vs. Bad News Barrett for the Intercontinental Championship to kick off the show.
Highlights and Quotes
"Everyone will get what they deserve."—Triple H, foreshadowing the night's events.
"This is a new era of The Authority. Everyone will get what they put in."—Triple H.
"This card is more loaded than Johnny Manziel on the weekends."—JBL.
Grade
C
Analysis
So rather than taking a page from The Rock's book some 15 years ago, when the entire roster held the show hostage at the expense of Triple H and Stephanie, Cena and the rest of the roster just stood in the ring and let the megalomaniacs in charge dictate to them the way things were going to be?Whatever.
The revelation that Rollins will join Cena and Lesnar in the WWE title match at Royal Rumble sets up a scenario in which the former Shield member can lose the contest but immediately cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase to win the top prize in the sport. Considering the fact that the show takes place in Philadelphia, that outcome would be greeted with a huge pop, something WWE would likely be infuriated with given their attempt to book Rollins as the top heel in the promotion. Speaking of which, the tremendous heel heat The Architect received Monday night was a great sign as he continues to develop as the lead villain in the company.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Bad News Barrett
Dolph Ziggler became the first of Team Cena to pay for the ousting of The Authority at Survivor Series, as he was booked in an Intercontinental Championship match against Bad News Barrett, fresh off his return on last week's show.
Ziggler scored the win early, using a rollup to retain his title. Or so he thought.
Then Kane appeared and announced that the match was a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match, something he forgot to mention earlier. From there, Barrett caught Ziggler with Wasteland and even the match at one fall apiece and putting the Showoff's title reign in jeopardy.
Barrett battered Ziggler, but the champion refused to quit, drawing the ire of both his opponent and Kane, who kept a close eye on the proceedings.
Late in the bout, Kane attempted to slow a surging Ziggler, climbing onto the apron. He ate a Ziggler superkick, which turned right into a Barrett Bull Hammer. Three seconds later and WWE had a new IC champion.
Result
Bad News Barrett defeated Dolph Ziggler to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
Highlights and Quotes
"Never fight an ugly man. He has nothing to lose."—JBL.
"Dolph didn't become four-time IC champ by laying down."—Booker T.
Grade
B
Analysis
This was a great way to kick off this week's show, at least from an in-ring perspective.
While it did not have the time to be the quality match fans have come to expect from Ziggler, The Showoff is the most consistent worker WWE has, and the audience greatly appreciates his performances and reacts incredibly strong to each and every one of them.
That he is able to elicit such sympathy does not hurt.
Barrett winning the title he never truly lost earlier this year does not elevate him or the prestige of the title, especially considering he is no further up the card now than he was last April.
Kane's interference seems to indicate that Ziggler will remain a target of The Authority, which would mean the former two-time world champion will be moving on to bigger and better things in the weeks and months to come.
No one deserves it more, if that is indeed the case.
The Ascension vs. Local Talent
Anyone familiar with NXT knows full well what The Ascension is capable of when Konnor and Viktor take to the squared circle for an enhancement match. Monday night, two local competitors were victim to their vicious assault, suffering a tremendous beating at the hands of the former NXT Tag Team champions before The Ascension picked up win No. 3 with the Fall of Man.
Result
The Ascension defeated two local-enhancement talents.
Highlights and Quotes
"These guys couldn't carry the Road Warriors' bags."—JBL taking exception to the comparisons between The Ascension and the Hall of Famers.
"Welcome to the fantasy, man."—Michael Cole.
Grade
C
Analysis
Enhancement matches like these will help Konnor and Viktor in the short term, but eventually they will have to notch a few wins over established teams if they want to be taken seriously. The fact that JBL did them no favors, calling them out for defeating no-names and balking at the idea that they were in any way similar to Hawk and Animal of The Road Warriors, only hampered WWE Creative's attempts to get the team over.
Roman Reigns vs. Big Show
Roman Reigns and Big Show continued their budding rivalry this week as the giant met the juggernaut in singles action.
Big Show caught Reigns early with a spear, gaining a near-fall. The World's Largest Athlete targeted the surgically repaired midsection of Reigns, but he was unable to put him away.
Reigns mounted a comeback, but Big Show caught him, tossed him over the top rope and used the steps to draw the disqualification.
Just as Reigns was about to find himself on the receiving end of another shot from the stairs, he delivered a huge spear that flattened his rival and left him as the last man standing.
Result
Roman Reigns defeated Big Show by disqualification.
Highlights and Quotes
"Roman Reigns awakened a sleeping giant."—JBL.
"Big Show knew exactly what his game plan was when he came out here."—Michael Cole.
Grade
C-
Analysis
WWE Creative has been very careful not to book a decisive finish in the rivalry between Reigns and Big Show, hinting at a potential pay-per-view payoff match between the two, either at Royal Rumble or as late as the Fast Lane pay-per-view in February.
With that said, the company has absolutely got to stop overexposing rivalries and matches by giving them away for free on television. The WWE has a tendency to book the same matches over and over to the point that, when it comes time for fans to pay to see them, there is no urgency.
After all, the fans know they can expect to see a rematch between the same two guys days later on Raw or SmackDown.
Reigns continued to build momentum for himself this week, doing so against a Big Show who is the perfect opponent for him as he looks to get his feet back under him in time for the Royal Rumble and what many fans believe will be the start of a monumental push.
Natalya vs. Nikki Bella
Natalya's war with the Bella Twins continued this week as the Queen of Harts battled Nikki in singles competition. She did not come alone, though, enlisting former two-time Divas champion Paige to accompany her to the ring and offset Brie's presence. Paige attacked Brie at ringside, while Natalya capitalized on the distraction to roll up Nikki and score a huge non-title victory. After the match, Nikki attacked Natalya, but Paige made the save.
Result
Natalya pinned Nikki Bella.
Highlights and Quotes
"She is just as rough and tough."—Booker T on Paige.
Grade
C-
Analysis
It is hard to grade the segment any higher than a "C-" when the match lasted just over a minute. Furthermore, Natalya and Nikki have traded wins over the last few weeks, apparently building to a Divas Championship match between the two at some point down the road perhaps as soon as Royal Rumble.
But why would fans get excited about a match they have seen countless times before, regardless of whether a title is on the line?
Paige's introduction freshens things up a bit, but by the time Raw hits the USA Network airwaves next week, odds are, WWE will continue to overexpose the program.
Erick Rowan vs. Luke Harper
The battle of the former Wyatt Family members continued Monday night as Rowan, on the heels of a loss to Bray Wyatt on SmackDown, squared off with Luke Harper. Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury served as guest referees as The Authority continued to stick it to the Superstars to oppose their team at Survivor Series.
Harper blasted Rowan with a clothesline and scored the win. After the match, the heels beat Rowan down, leaving the sheep-mask-wearing redhead down to close out the segment.
Result
Luke Harper pinned Erick Rowan.
Highlights and Quotes
"Two refs in the ring. That's gotta be a first."—Michael Cole.
Grade
D
Analysis
Does anyone know why these two have heat with each other? The week before Survivor Series, Harper joined Team Authority and then Rowan responded by joining Team Cena. But no one ever bothered to explain exactly why the former tag partners suddenly hated each other. It was a major plot hole that was never filled by WWE Creative.
But that should be no surprise to anyone who has watched Raw over the last handful of years.
Ambulance Match: Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt
The only advertised match ahead of this week's show was the Ambulance Match between Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt.
After battling it out in numerous gimmick matches over the last month, they met in one of their most vicious and violent match to date.
Ambrose overcame an injured knee in the match, battling back and delivering an elbow drop off the ambulance, onto Wyatt and through a table. That should have been enough for the Lunatic Fringe to put his opponent away.
That was not the case, though, as Wyatt recovered and delivered Sister Abigail. Before he could close the ambulance doors, however, Ambrose caught him with a kick.
The Reaper of Souls followed up with a second Sister Abigail on the arena floor and then tossed a limp Ambrose back into the ambulance and slammed the doors, securing the victory.
Result
Bray Wyatt defeated Dean Ambrose.
Highlights and Quotes
"Dean said that there is no happy ending."—Michael Cole.
"This is as vicious as we thought it would be."—JBL.
"I don't think he was ever hinged to become unhinged."—JBL on Ambrose.
Grade
B
Analysis
This was a very good match; the question now is whether or not it was the feud-ending bout or whether the rivalry will continue into coming weeks.
It felt very much like the end of their program, but it is difficult to imagine Ambrose emerging as the loser, especially after he dropped the big pay-per-view match, not to mention the Hell in a Cell match to Seth Rollins, thanks to Wyatt.
The booking was strong here, with Ambrose taking two vicious Sister Abigails from Wyatt, but it is hard to justify him losing as much as he does in big-match situations, regardless of whether he can keep himself over going forward.
The Usos and Naomi vs. The Miz, Damien Mizdow and Alicia Fox
A brief backstage encounter between Naomi and Alicia Fox, in which the latter pointed out that Naomi is no longer part of the Total Divas cast, fueled this match. The Usos defeated The Miz and Damien Mizdow to win the WWE Tag Team Championships for a second time last week and battled for what felt like the 100th time here in this Six-Person Tag Team match.
Late in the contest, Jimmy Uso became distracted by his wife, Naomi, on the apron, allowing The Miz to score the pinfall victory for his team.
Result
The Miz, Damien Mizdow and Alicia Fox pinned The Usos and Naomi.
Highlights and Quotes
"Jimmy is a bit of a hot head."—JBL.
"Most say that Naomi is the best in the Divas division."—Michael Cole.
Grade
D
Analysis
The Usos, The Miz and Damien Mizdow have been wrestling on-and-off for so long that it becomes more and more difficult to care about any match they wrestle now. It is a stale, boring rivalry that never really capitalized on Naomi's introduction.
Now, it limps on, with WWE Creative seemingly having no real direction for the program.
Even the Mizdow character, after becoming one of the better aspects of the show leading into Survivor Series, feels tired. It is time to wrap this program up and let everyone involved move on before fans tune out.
Ryback vs. Seth Rollins and Kane
Prior to the match between Rollins and Ryback, Kane made his presence felt and announced it would now be a Handicap match, with the Corporate Demon tagging with Mr. Money in the Bank to battle The Big Guy.
The heels controlled the action early, but Ryback mounted a comeback and stood tall heading to commercial.
Back from the break, Kane had Ryback trapped in a headlock. Moments later, a belly-to-belly suplex by Ryback put the Big Red Monster down, but Rollins regained momentum for his team moments later with a big dropkick.
Rollins and Kane continued to wear down their opponent, using the numbers game to their advantage in the process.
Ryback mounted a comeback, delivering a huge back body drop and spinebuster to Rollins. He knocked Kane off the apron and set up for the Meat Hook clothesline. He blasted Rollins with the strike and then tried for Shell Shocked.
Kane entered the match and attempted a chokeslam, but Ryback delivered Shell Shocked. Unfortunately, it was Rollins who delivered two straight Curb Stomps to put The Big Guy down.
Result
Kane and Seth Rollins defeated Ryback.
Highlights and Quotes
"Triple H and The Authority come back and they obviously know who is not on their side."—JBL.
"Maybe he should read The Secret again."—JBL sarcastically mentioning Ryback's unfavorable predicament and need for positive vibes.
"You don't have to quit to get beat."—JBL.
"No one man can beat two, but Ryback came damn close."—Booker T putting over Ryback, but in the process proving that he had never seen a John Cena match.
Grade
B+
Analysis
Not only did Ryback betray The Authority prior to Survivor Series, he has also been a thorn in the side of Kane over the last month. Thus, it makes perfect sense that the Director of Operations would want to get a measure of revenge on his rival.
Ryback, though a loser Monday night, was booked incredibly strong. He overcame the numbers game and appeared well on his way to victory when Rollins delivered the vicious Curb Stomp finisher. But it did not keep The Big Guy down. Instead, it took a second delivery of Rollins' trademark finisher to finally put him down.
The heels won in the most devious of ways, while Ryback looked like an unstoppable force for the most part. Solid booking all the way around here.
Big E vs. Adam Rose
This match was the result of a backstage segment that appeared on the Raw Pre-Show or something like that. Rose wore Big E down with a sleeper, while the rest of The New Day tried desperately to get the crowd to care about the action inside the squared circle.
Big E delivered a big belly-to-belly suplex and appeared on his way to victory when two masked Rosebuds hit the ring and attacked The New Day, drawing a disqualification. They revealed themselves to be Tyson Kidd and Cesaro and then partied with the rest of Rose's entourage to close out the segment.
Result
Big E defeated Adam Rose by DQ.
Highlights and Quotes
"You think the guy dressed as a hot dog has any money?"—JBL.
Grade
C-
Analysis
The crowd was absolutely dead for this match, and that should be a great indicator of just how ineffective the characters involved have been.
With that said, the segment at least served as the genesis of a rivalry between The New Day and Tyson Kidd and Cesaro. The in-ring result could be spectacular, especially if the two teams are allowed time to deliver on their potential.
Still, a throw-away match that may have been better off opening up Tuesday's Main Event rather than filling time in the third hour of Raw.
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