Welcome to the Wrestlepurists’ live coverage of Monday Night Raw for the December 18th, 2023 episode.
JUDGMENT DAY IN-RING PROMO
The Judgment Day are here to kick off Raw, I’d love a tally of how many shows they’ve opened across all three brands in 2023. Finn Balor congratulates the Creed Brothers for running the gauntlet and becoming the number one contenders. For the Creeds, this is probably the biggest night of their life. But for the Judgment Day? Finn says it’s just another night at the office. Rhea Ripley tells Ivy Nile that if she runs her mouth again, she will make what she did to Maxxine last week look like child’s play. Dominik Mysterio says that Judgment Day runs WWE but here comes R-Truth! He has a shirt with the names of the Judgment Day and then “R-Truth” in tape lol Truth seems to believe that the beat-down he got last week was an initiation. Truth says it seems like all the members of the Judgment Day have someone to beat down. He wants someone to beat down. Truth challenges JD McDonaugh to a Miracle on 34th Street Fight and JD let’s him know that the match was already booked and advertised. Classic Truth stuff, but I love that the Judgment Day is kind of just okay with Truth messing with JD. Truth somehow makes the match a “Loser Leaves the Judgment Day” match and Damian Priest was actually okay with it! Lots of breaking here from the Judgment Day, hard not to with Truth.
R-TRUTH DEFEATS JD MCDONAUGH (LOSER LEAVES THE JUDGMENT DAY)
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett are arguing the logistics of the “stipulation” and if Truth is in the group if he wins, but it absolutely sounds like it to me lol Truth hits the scissors kick on JD and then takes off his belt. Oh man he starts whipping JD figuratively and literally. Truth tries celebrating with Dominik who pretends to be into it, before sending Truth into the post. Truth pulls JD down to the mat in a seated position. Dominik yanks Truth from the outside but it just sends Truth head first into JD’s “jingle bells” as Cole puts it. Truth has a table set up in the ring and hits his childhood hero’s signature moves culminating with the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Truth throws a tree at JD and then places him on the table. JD cuts him off and they fight on the top rope. Truth and JD fall off the top and through the table with Truth on top of JD. The referee counts the three and Truth has won! The look on Dominik’s face is priceless as Michael Cole declares that JD is out and Truth is in with the Judgment Day! LOL
BACKSTAGE PROMO WITH KAYDEN CARTER & KATANA CHANCE
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance cut a promo backstage saying tonight they become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team champions. They say Chelsea Green and Piper Niven’s time is up.
NIA JAX IN-RING PROMO
Nia Jax is here and Cole calls her the Woman who made the Man. Before Nia can even say a word, here comes Becky Lynch! Becky gets in the ring and Nia leaves it. Becky asks if Nia is scared, and dares her to say what she has to say to Becky’s face. Nia says as much as she would love to break Becky’s face again, she was going to announce that she is entering the Royal Rumble. Becky, woof she just straight up says no one cares lol Nia says the reason she hasn’t fought Becky is because “they” are afraid of what Nia would do to Becky. Becky says it’s not “them” who is scared of what will happen, it is Nia. She says Nia’s entire existence here is on the back of someone else’s name. “Your only claim to fame is that you broke the nose of the greatest to ever do it.” Becky says Nia is scared of it all going away once she loses to Becky. Nia takes the bait and calls for a referee. Nia gets up on the apron but then thinks better of it. Nia says this match will happen on her terms, in her hometown of San Diego, California. They are definitely loading up the Day 1 show. Nia brings up Becky’s daughter and that was enough. Becky sprints down the ramp and jumps on Nia’s back and just lets loose. The officials grab Becky off of Nia and Nia takes the opening to lay out Becky with one shot. A nice heated segment between these two.
BACKSTAGE WITH KOFI KINGSTON, DIY & THE MIZ
We see a visit from “Kofi-Claus” earlier tonight. Kofi Kingston is…respectfully shaking his fat ass at ringside. Now we are in present time and Kofi-Claus finds DIY. They ask if their is a title shot in the bag, but all Kofi has for them is a Jey Uso “Yeet” t-shirt. Kofi leaves and they find the Miz. The three of them talk about how fun their team up last week was. Now DIY leave and Jackie Redmond comes in. She asks the Miz his thoughts about tonight being his last shot at the Intercontinental Championship against GUNTHER. Miz says he is the one who was able to rattle GUNTHER. He had him at Survivor Series, and the added pressure is actually on GUNTHER. I actually like the whiplash of a bunch of different things happening backstage.
GUNTHER DEFEATS THE MIZ (WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP)
If the Miz wins tonight he will become a record nine time Intercontinental Champion. But if GUNTHER wins then the Miz can no longer challenge for the title as long as GUNTHER holds it. GUNTHER is confident early, with one big chop leveling the challenger. GUNTHER takes too much time taunting and Miz is able to get GUNTHER to the ground with a heel hook. Miz goes from an ankle lock to an Indian Death Lock! Miz is zigging when GUNTHER was expecting Miz to zag. My god does it even matter? GUNTHER hits another big chop on the outside and powerbombs Miz on the apron to send us to break. Back from break and the crowd is fully behind the Miz’s come back attempt. GUNTHER silences them with a big boot and starts to mock the Miz’s “massive balls” taunt. One of the best things about GUNTHER is how one simple move like a chop or a boot can completely cut off his opponents offense. GUNTHER is once again taunting the Miz, this time telling him that he doesn’t belong in the ring with GUNTHER. Everytime the Miz gets some momentum GUNTHER just snuffs it out with ease. They go outside and Miz is up against the ring post. GUNTHER goes for a chop but Miz moves! GUNTHER has a hurt hand and now Miz may have an opening. Miz has been trying to work the injured hand during the break, but the champion may just be too powerful. GUNTHER forgoes the crossface for a modified cravet, but Miz uses the injured hand to counter and plant GUNTHER with two DDT’s in a row. Miz hits a tilt-a-whirl DDT and gets the closest nearfall of the match! GUNTHER hits the missile dropkick and then the powerbomb but only gets a two on Miz. As soon as Miz kicks out GUNTHER turns it into a Boston Crab though. Miz is able to get to the ropes when GUNTHER has to let go one of the legs due to his injured hand. GUNTHER grabs a sleeper but Miz counters into a pin and oh my god I thought that was it! GUNTHER kicks out but Miz hits GUNTHER with a Skull Crushing Finale. That still only gets a two count. This crowd is biting on all the nearfalls. GUNTHER just destroys Miz with a lariat but Miz is right back up. Man this is awesome. Miz wants a second rope Skull Crushing Finale and he hits it! Miz can’t make the cover right away and GUNTHER rolls out of the ring. Wow, he would have had it. Miz throws GUNTHER back in the ring first and that was one mistake too many. GUNTHER plants Miz with a powerbomb and then a Rainmaker. GUNTHER hits one more powerbomb and retains his title. Holy shit. Excellent match, and I love that GUNTHER is such a force that simply having GUNTHER in trouble enough that he has to roll out of the ring to avoid a fall is a HUGE deal.
CREED BROTHERS VIDEO PACKAGE
We get a Creed Brothers hype video where they say they are hungry and ready, and they have the momentum to bring home the titles. I’m wondering it the Creeds win tonight, because my goodness that Intercontinental championship match absolutely could have main-evened.
BACKSTAGE WITH IMPERIUM
GUNTHER is nursing his injured hand backstage when he meets a celebrating Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci. Kaiser praises GUNTHER for his performance. GUNTHER says Imperium has no reason to celebrate. Kaiser and Vinci have been a waste this year. GUNTHER is going to step away for a few weeks and he is expecting them to finally impress him. GUNTHER leaves and Kofi-Claus enters. Kaiser is pissed at Kofi who gives him a piece of coal. Kaiser throws it down and stares down with Kofi-Claus.
STORYTIME WITH SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Whose ready for storytime with Shinsuke Nakamura bay-bay? Sorry wrong show. Nakamura is reading an “American Nightmare before Christmas.” It rhymes and the best part when Nakamura does the “on prancer, on dasher” part but just calls Cody a nitwit and Dusty an inbred. LOL Cody Rhodes apparently found where Nakamura was and he attacks him. I mean it did look like he was just in a hallway. Cody and Nakamura are fighting out into the crowd. The security stands no chance with Cody, who takes them and Nakamura out with a dive. Cody is about to put Nakamura through the announce table but security yanks Nakamura to safety. Man if I was security you would not catch me stepping in like that. The crowd chants “let them fight” as Cody yells that they aren’t done.
BACKSTAGE WITH ADAM PEARCE, CHELSEA GREEN & PIPER NIVEN
Raw General Manger Adam Pearce is backstage with Akira Tozawa. Pearce asks Tozawa if this is really the match he wants. Tozawa says yes and runs off. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven come in and ask for their match to be cancelled. He says no and the match is up next. Green yells that she is going to talk to Nicholas Aldis. They leave and in comes Bronson Reed. He is interested in another Intercontinental championship opportunity. Listen man I like you but you lost to GUNTHER and then lost a number contender match? There has to be some sort of policy lol
KAYDEN CARTER & KATANA CHANCE DEFEAT CHELSEA GREEN & PIPER NIVEN (WWE WOMEN’S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS)
Carter and Chance have been on a roll as of late, we will see if they are able to turn that into a title win. Chance and Carter get the best of Green who quickly tags in the bigger Piper. The challengers use quick tags to take advantage. They are about to hit their finish on Piper but Green pops up on the apron and interferes. That allows Piper to hit a splash from the top on both women that only gets a two count. Back from break and Carter is taking out both of the champions by herself. She has a cover on Green but moves and Piper ends up splashing Green when she just meant to break up the count. Green hits the leaping leg lariat ala the Indy God but it only gets a two count. Green hits a Codebreaker and holds Carter on her knees while Piper hits the running senton onto Carter. Such a great double team move, but Chance is back just in time to break up the count. Carter sends Green out of the ring and tags Chance in. They hit their Kegstand finish and would have had it if not for Green. Green wants the Unprettiher but Chance reveres it into a lungblower. Carter tags in Chance and they hit the After Party for the win! We have new champions. Really happy for these two, it was definitely time for them and now we can run this back with Green and Piper as the challengers.
BACKSTAGE WITH IVY NILE & THE ALPHA ACADEMY
Ivy Nile is working out while the Alpha Academy looks on. Maxxine thanks Ivy for helping her last week. Ivy says she heard what Rhea said earlier and she went to Adam Pearce to get a match with Rhea Ripley. She says she will be the Women’s champion in 2024. Hell yeah, she should be going for that. Tozawa comes in and says he has a match tonight and its against Ivar. Chad Gable explains when he told Tozawa to go big, he didn’t mean that big.
BACKSTAGE WITH KAYDEN CARTER & KATANA CHANCE
The new Women’s tag team champions are celebrating backstage where the rest of the women’s tag roster is looking on. Kofi-Claus comes in and asks them what they want for Christmas. They say they already have all they want. Really, not even a “YEET” t-shirt? Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell agree to party with the champs and leave. Natalya and Tegan Nox stare-down with Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler, who all agree that the new champions are going to need new challengers. Great, easy short segment to give us a probable upcoming tag match.
IVAR DEFEATS AKIRA TOZAWA
Akira Tozawa comes out with Maxxine and he goes straight for Ivar. The “Stamina Monster” throws a fury of strikes at Ivar which surprisingly works. Tozawa hits a spike DDT but then gets laid out with the standing body splash from Ivar. The big man goes up for the diving headbutt but Tozawa moves! Valhalla distracts Tozawa from the top but Maxxine comes in and yanks her off the apron. Maxxine avoids a running Valhalla and Tozawa hits a top rope senton that gets a two count! Ivar plants Tozawa with a nasty spinning kick though. He goes up top again but Tozawa is still in it. He crotches Ivar and follows it up with an attempt at a hurricanrana. Ivar is just too big, picks Tozawa up, and hits a second rope World’s Strongest Slam for the win. They gave Tozawa a ton here, which was great. The Gable Method is working!
RECAP OF SETH ROLLINS & CM PUNK SEGMENT
We see a recap of the CM Punk and Seth Rollins face to face from last week. I didn’t get to comment on it, but what an incredible segment. Punk telling Rollins this is the last time he gets to disrespect him without a receipt is very intriguing. Also this years Rumble truly feels like such a big event with body Cody and Punk as potential winners.
SETH ROLLINS IN-RING PROMO
The World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins is here in his home state of Iowa and I’m sure he has a lot to say. Seth says after last weeks confrontation, he is more motivated than ever to be the best World Champion in this industry. Seth starts to talk about his Day 1 opponent Drew McIntyre, but Drew is coming out to hear what the champion has to say. Drew says he isn’t here to fight, instead he is here to say he is proud of Seth. So many people in the back are kissing ass when it comes to CM Punk, but what Seth did last week was what a real leader does. Drew says he finally was able to visit his family and started to do some self reflection. He saw his family getting older, and he started to wonder if it was all worth it. Drew says Seth can understand because Becky deals with the same thing Drew is dealing with having family overseas. Drew says all they want to do is come home when their family is sick like his mom or Becky’s Dad. But their family tells them don’t come home, chase your dream. But now that family isn’t here anymore. So Drew doesn’t want Seth’s title. He needs that title. He needs it as validation to show that all the sacrifices he made weren’t’ for nothing. Seth, much like us, is conflicted. He wants to take what Drew is saying to heart but Drew’s actions haven’t been consistent. Seth asks Drew what makes him think the outcome will be any different at Day 1 versus the outcome at Crown Jewel. Seth says okay great, Drew will do whatever it takes. Drew will cheat. But the problem is Drew refuses to do the one thing that a World Champion needs to do, and that is take responsibility for their actions. “The only person keeping Drew McIntyre from being World Champion is Drew McIntyre.” Seth says unlike Punk, he doesn’t hate Drew…he pities him. Damn. Seth wishes Drew a Merry Christmas and goes to leave. Drew tries to attack Seth but the champion is ready for it. Now we’ve got a full on fight. Drew sends Seth into one of the barricades and starts to yell at Seth. Oh my god, Drew hits a Alabama Slam on Seth onto the steps. That was nasty, and Seth is immediately selling the left elbow.
BACKSTAGE WITH THE CREED BROTHERS
The Creed Brothers are getting hype for their match, but Cody Rhodes comes in. Cody thanks the Creeds for their help last week, and tells them to go win the titles.
KOFI-CLAUS OUT DELIVERING PRESENTS
Kofi-claus is back! He is giving presents out, but here come Kaiser and Vinci to jump Kofi. Man beating up Santa with a week left till Christmas? Great line from Wade Barrett when they rip off the Santa beard “It’s not Santa it’s Kofi Kingston!” Jey Uso is here to even the odds! Some long history between the Usos and the New Day, wouldn’t mind seeing these two tag together against Imperium! Oh, Jey looks at Kaiser and says he wants him in the ring. I think we are about to have a match.
JEY USO DEFEATS LUDWIG KAISER
Adam Pearce sanctioned this match during the break and I’m just now noticing Jey is wearing a shirt where it always looks like Yeet is blurred. That’s kind of great? I guess the beat-down on Kofi was bad enough to send him to the back, because it’s two on one any time the referee has his back turned. It’s unbelievable how over YEET is in every city they go to. Jey is all over Kaiser but gets caught with the Fireman’s Carry Driver for a two. Barrett calls it the “Kaiser Roll” which is excellent. Jey has an opening for the Uso Splash but Vinci pushes Jey off the turnbuckle and Kaiser takes advantage with the enziguri. Jey kicks out and here comes Kofi-Claus. Vinci tries to meet Kofi but eats a Trouble in Paradise. Back in the ring Jey hits the spear and then the Uso Splash on Kaiser for the win. Man Kaiser and Vinci really cannot catch a break. I’m wondering where the end game is, no need to rush it right now but eventually they’ve got to do something worthwhile or get kicked to the curb.
BACKSTAGE WITH THE JUDGMENT DAY
Backstage the Judgment Day are laughing at JD for losing to R-Truth. All the guys are mocking JD for his misfortunes before Rhea Ripley comes in and says enough. She says when one of them fails, it looks bad on all of them. JD begs to not be kicked out of the group and Priest tells JD obviously he is still in the Judgment Day…for now. Rhea says that if Ivy Nile wants a match with her, she will up the stakes and put her Women’s World Championship on the line.
THE JUDGMENT DAY DEFEAT THE CREED BROTHERS (WWE UNDISPUTED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP)
Will we make it two new tag team champions? The Creed’s have been on a roll and the Judgment Day have been having all sorts of problems, I could definitely see it happening. Julius Creed out-wrestles Finn to start, they are definitely a different challenger than the Judgment Day have faced all year. Brutus Creed is in the match for a moment, but it looks like the Judgment Day is attempting to isolate Julius. Finn tries his best but Brutus gets back in and just starts hammering away on Finn. Brutus is sent to the outside by Finn and then Priest runs out and pounces Brutus almost completely over the announce table into Barrett’s chair. Whew boy! Julius has found a second wind and hits three belly to bellys and kips up after every single one. He follows it up with a standing shooting star press that almost gets the win. I would be stunned if the WWE higher ups didn’t see major dollar signs in Julius especially. Rhea attacks Ivy on the outside. She picks Ivy up but Ivy fights out and picks Rhea up on her shoulders. Ivy drops Rhea on the apron! Back in the ring and the Creeds hit the Brutus Ball on Finn! We would have had new champions but Priest is in to break it up. Good god Julius Creed, he just scales the top rope and hits a senton to Priest on the outside. Back in the ring Finn hits the shotgun drop kick on Brutus. He goes up for the Coup De Grace but Julius jumps up to meet him! Priest smartly makes the tag and all hell is breaking loose. They hit the Brutus Ball on Priest but Finn, who was still on the top rope, hits the Coup De Grace just in time to break the count up. Brutus and Finn go to the outside and back inside Priest plants Julius with the South of Heaven. The referee counts and oh man..I don’t know if that was supposed to be the finish. Julius kicked out right at three and Priest looked shocked. Either way, a really insane main-event and an easy call to run it back at Day One Raw or the Royal Rumble.
