WWE RAW Results, December 11th 2017, Live Updates and Commentary

Here's a recap of what took place on RAW tonight:

Samoa Joe and The Bar ambushed The Shield to kick things off on RAW
Paige & Mandy Rose defeated Mickie James and Bayley
Finn Balor defeated Curtis Axel
Seth Rollins defeated Sheamus
Cedric Alexander defeated Ariya Daivari, Tony Nese & Mustafa Ali to qualify for the #1 contenders match next week
Roman Reigns defeated Cesaro to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Absolution almost beat down Asuka but the RAW Women's division saved her
Jordan and Kurt Angle had a tense moment backstage
Samoa Joe defeated Dean Ambrose
Braun Strowman vs Kane ended in a double countout. No word on who Brock Lesnar's Royal Rumble opponent is.

RUNNING POWERSLAM THROUGH THE TABLE!!!!! #RAW @BraunStrowman pic.twitter.com/rTI02dbD6V
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubItal) December 12, 2017

Strowman stands tall. But who is Lesnar's Rumble opponent? We have no answers! Thank you for tuning into our live card! We'll see you tomorrow for SmackDown Live! Good night/day/afternoon/evening from wherever you're reading this!

The @WWEUniverse may want tables, but @KaneWWE is perfectly fine with a CHAIR! #RAW pic.twitter.com/fFM5vnhpHv
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) December 12, 2017

Kane tries to chokeslam Braun but Braun outpowers him and sends KANE THROUGH THE TABLE WITH A RUNNING POWERSLAM! Strowman stands tall!

Kane sits up. This isn't good for Braun! Storwman does the sit-up as well! They have a staredown as Kane is taken aback!

The Monster Among Men is down. Kane is setting up a table! Strowman and Kane level each other with clotheslines at the same time!

Kane takes a steel chair from underneath and slams his leg with it. As he gots for another shot, Strowman hits him with a right but Kane then hits a series of strikes on Strowman!

The crowd chants "we want tables" and Strowman is happy to oblige. The crowd is going nuts with "YES" chants!

The collision between the two sees Strowman get the better of it. Strowman is about to assault Kane's neck again but Kane escapes. One right hand is all it takes to knock Kane down!

The two are going at it outside the ring. Strowman is just focused on decimating the Big Red Machine! The two have steel steps on their hands. Something's gonna happen!

The two men are going at it in the crowd and Strowman drives Kane through the barricade and the two get counted out!

The match ended in a double-countout

This time Strowman delivers a chokeslam but it's still just 2!!

That's chokeslam #2! Strowman kicks out!!

Strowman has the better of Kane, but Kane side steps Strowman when he charges at him. He hit a chokeslam on Strowman but that wasn't enough as Strowman kicked out at 2!

Braun Strowman starts by aggressively charging at Kane. He then hits a crazy drop kick on the Big Red Machine!

The #MonsterAmongMen @BraunStrowman and #BigRedMachine @KaneWWE battle to determine the next challenger to @BrockLesnar's #UniversalTitle at @WWE #RoyalRumble...and it's NEXT on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/pEcFjaMZM5
— WWE (@WWE) December 12, 2017

This is going to be a COLLISION! #RAW pic.twitter.com/esmiht9oJv
— WWE (@WWE) December 12, 2017

We are reinforcing the ring for #RAW's main event...@BraunStrowman @KaneWWE pic.twitter.com/uzWz3spW4k
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) December 12, 2017

LIGHTS OUT for @TheDeanAmbrose as @SamoaJoe puts him to sleep with the #CoquinaClutch! #RAW pic.twitter.com/VqWHzROazJ
— WWE (@WWE) December 12, 2017

Dana Brooke is backstage talking to Titus Worldwide about wanting to be in on the group. Titus welcomes her as the head statistician or something. She's all happy before Gallows & Anderson interrupt and call them "NERDDSSS". Just then, Braun Strowman paces with a cause and everyone just quickly rushes away to the side. The Monstrous main event is NEXT!

Ambrose goes outside and furiously looks at Jordan and tells him to stay in his own lane. The two get physical and as Jordan gets ready to suplex Ambrose, Joe breaks it up with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, he takes Ambrose and puts him to sleep with the Coquina clutch. Joe wins.

Samoa Joe defeated Dean Ambrose

Joe taunts Jordan and calls him to the ring. Jordan walks towards him, distracting him as Ambrose tries to get the roll-up pin. Outside the ring, Joe has a coquina clutch on Jordan before Ambrose breaks it up with a suicide dive. Jordan throws Ambrose back in the ring. Back inside the ring, Ambrose jumps on Joe and seems like he might get the 3 count but Jordan is busy talking to the referee and distracts him by mistake, costing Ambrose the pin

Ambrose tries working on Joe as the match continues on. He makes a dumb move by slapping Joe, who aggressively charges back. Ambrose lands a couple of solid clotheslines and has The Destroyer in control.

.@TheDeanAmbrose's "strategy" seems to be going according to plan as he takes on @SamoaJoe for the FIRST TIME EVER on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/ASMoNScQe7
— WWE (@WWE) December 12, 2017

For the first time ever, @SamoaJoe stares across the ring from @TheDeanAmbrose, and we are UNDERWAY on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/ApYwrphRq6
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) December 12, 2017

Ambrose starts kicking Joe's legs outside the ring. He's targetting the Prizefighters legs. Joe escapes a charge by Ambrose and hits a step-up enziguri.

Jason Jordan is sitting on a steel chair in the ramp, the same way Joe sat when Jordan faced Reigns for the IC title last week. Ambrose tries to run into Joe but he gets knocked down by the sheer mass of Joe.

Dean Ambrose vs Samoa Joe - First time ever. NOW!

Safe to say #Absolution just made a LOT of enemies...#RAW @NiaJaxWWE @SashaBanksWWE @WWEAsuka @itsBayleyWWE @AliciaFoxy @MickieJames @DanaBrookeWWE @AlexaBliss_WWE pic.twitter.com/TfN01424bu
— WWE (@WWE) December 12, 2017

Consider this ABSOLUTE payback, #Absolution... #RAW @RealPaigeWWE @WWE_MandyRose @SonyaDeville @SashaBanksWWE @WWEAsuka @DanaBrookeWWE @NiaJaxWWE @AlexaBliss_WWE @AliciaFoxy @itsBayleyWWE @MickieJames pic.twitter.com/iZz5W7dkXS
— WWE (@WWE) December 12, 2017

"Holding your own is not winning. These names that you mentioned, you ALMOST beat them, but you didn't beat any of them. You'll have your match with @SamoaJoe when I say so, not when YOU want it!" - @RealKurtAngle to @JasonJordanJJ #RAW pic.twitter.com/9CqzYC6rEq
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) December 12, 2017

Kurt Angle tells a technician backstage to re-enforce the ring due to what happened last time. Jason Jordan comes in and apologises to Kurt Angle for what happened last week. He still asks him why he didn't put him against Samoa Joe because of all that he's been doing. He even slightly provoked Kurt Angle over Stephanie berating him.

Kurt Angle says that holding his own against top opponents isn't enough, because he didn't win. He said that he was talking as the GM and not his father. He told Jordan that he'll give him a match against Joe when he feels and not when Jordan wants it. A distraught Jordan says "Ok Dad, or should I say, ok Kurt?"

Change of plans, perhaps?#RAW @RealPaigeWWE @WWE_MandyRose @SonyaDevilleWWE pic.twitter.com/jJDfU91c0v
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) December 12, 2017

Absolution gets cleared from the ring by the women's locker room, who seemingly stands in a united front.

They surround the ring again. Asuka starts the attack and takes out Mandy and DeVille and even gets Paige in an armbar. The numbers catch upto her and Paige gets ready for a Rampaige. The entire RAW Women's locker room comes out and clear Absolution. Even Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss is out!

A referee is checking on Alicia Fox. Paige says she's heard of Asuka and she respects her. She says that they "let" her go the past few weeks ago. She says that not even her, "the last beacon of hope" can stop absolution. Paige warns her to either move out of the way or they'll make her.

Surprise, surprise. It's Absolution. Are they going to attack the undefeated Empress?

Alicia Fox isn't coming out. I smell absolution

The greatest champion in NXT history. The most dominant champion in NXT history is here. Ladies and gentlemen, The Empress Of Tomorrow: ASUKA is here!

Asuka vs Alicia Fox NEXT!

Backstage, Braun Strowman is looking menacingly at the camera, mentioning what he did to Kane and his neck. He vows to dismantle Kane and take another piece of Brock Lesnar!

Reigns escapes Cesaro's clutches and lands a spear. Roman wins!

Roman Reigns defeated Cesaro to retain the Intercontinental Championship

Cesaro got SO CLOSE just now!! His roll-up looked like he was going to win. Good job, both competitors!

The arm is NOT supposed to bend this way!#RAW @WWECesaro @WWERomanReigns pic.twitter.com/VMWqj7Q8q0
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) December 12, 2017

This match is awesome!

Reigns was going for the spear but Cesaro counters with the pop-up uppercut! Reigns kicks out but he wastes no time in putting Roman in a submission! Reigns outpowers him and Cesaro shows his power as well, but Reigns evades it and even lifts Cesaro into a sit-out-powerbomb!

Cesaro slams Roman shoulder first onto the ringpost! Cesaro charges at Reigns but the champion boots him away. He lands the superman punch and sends him in the ring but Cesaro kicks out.

Reigns goes for the superman punch but Cesaro strikes his right arm and has a Fujiwara arm locked in again! Reigns counters this to a Samoan drop.