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We got a great Christmas Special on tonight's episode of WWE RAW with a big title change and some great matches.
- R-Truth def. JD McDonagh
- Gunther def. The Miz to retain the Intercontinental Championship
- Kayden Carter & Katana Chance def. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven to become the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions
- Ivar def. Akira Tozawa
- Jey Uso def. Ludwig Kaiser
- Judgment Day def. The Creed Brothers to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles
Judgment Day kicked off WWE RAW, and Finn Balor said that tonight, The Creed Brothers would have the most important match of their careers. Rhea Ripley said that they ran the WWE in 2023 and will continue to do so in 2024.
R-Truth interrupted them and said that he was happy to go through the initiation beating last night week but they went a little too far. Truth wanted someone to beat up and planned to face JD McDonagh in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight.
JD said accepted the challenge before Truth added that the loser would have to leave Judgment Day. Rhea was about to decline, but Damian Priest stepped in and accepted the terms before we headed for the match.
WWE RAW Results (December 18, 2023): R-Truth vs. JD McDonagh - Miracle on 34th Street Fight/Loser Leaves Judgment Day
R-Truth started off strong and got some big strikes before McDonagh sidestepped a kick and sent him into the corner. Dominik Mysterio handed JD a kendo stick, but Truth dodged it and hit the scissor kick before sending him outside and into a table full of cookies.
Outside the ring, Dom sent Truth into the ring post before JD McDonagh kicked out of a pin attempt in the ring. Truth took out a table and sent Dom into the steel steps outside before spraying JD with a fire extinguisher.
Truth hit the Blue Thunder Driver before missing the Five Knuckle Shuffle but getting it on the second try. Truth hit JD with a Christmas Tree before getting superplex through a table and picking up the win.
Result: R-Truth def. JD McDonagh
Grade: B
Nia Jax was in the ring, but before she could say anything, Becky Lynch joined her. Jax said that she had more important things on her mind than Becky and announced her entry in the Women's Royal Rumble.
Becky said that no one cared about Nia before Jax said that Lynch was afraid to fight her because she would get squashed.
Becky called Jax out for making her career by injuring The Man before the two squared up for a match and even had a referee called in. Jax fled the ring at the last second and said that the match would happen in two weeks at WWE Day 1. Lynch ran after her and attacked Nia before the latter took her out with a punch.
Backstage on RAW, Kofi Kingston was dressed as Santa Claus and handed DIY a gift - a Jey Uso 'YEET' shirt.
Gunther (c) vs. The Miz - Intercontinental Championship match on WWE RAW
The champ was in control early on and got some chops before The Miz locked in an ankle lock. The Miz took a powerbomb on the apron before getting a big boot in the ring. Miz ducked a chop, and Gunther hit the ring post, and it looked like it hurt.
Gunther hit a Dropkick and got the powerbomb, but The Miz managed to kick out of it. The Miz came back with the Skull Crushing Finale before getting a near fall of his own.
The Miz kicked Gunther in the injured hand before getting a Skull Crushing Finale from the middle rope, but the champ rolled out of the ring before he could get the pin.
Back in the ring, The Ring General hit another powerbomb and a clothesline, followed by another big powerbomb for the win.
Result: Gunther def. The Miz to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Grade: A
Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci congratulated Gunther before the latter scolded them for not contributing this year at all. Gunther said that he would be stepping away from the ring for a bit and wanted the duo to stay and prove themselves.
Kofi Claus showed back up and gave Kaiser coal as a Christmas present before having a staredown with Imperium.
Shinsuke Nakamura was in a backstage promo and called Cody Rhodes before calling his dad inbred. Rhodes attacked Nakamura out of nowhere, and the two fought their way to ringside, where Cody cleared the announce desk and was about to hit the Cross Rhodes on it.
Security broke the fight at the last moment, and Nakamura retreated backstage before RAW moved on.
Chelsea Green & Piper Niven (c) vs. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance - WWE Women's Tag Team Title match
Carter and Chelsea Green kicked off the match, and the challengers isolated the champ early on before Piper Niven was tagged in and took control of the match with a big shoulder tackle. Niven hit a big double senton on the challengers before we headed for a break.
Back on RAW, Niven accidentally took out her own partner, and it allowed Kayden Carter to get a near fall off a move on the ropes. Green blocked a Superplex and hit a leg lariat for a near fall of her own. Carter took Niven down next and hit the Kegstand double-team move, but Green broke up the pin.
Katana Chance countered the Unpretty-her from Green before getting the Afterparty top rope finisher on her for the win.
Result: Kayden Carter & Katana Chance def. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven to become the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions on RAW
Grade: B
It turned out that Tozawa challenged Ivar to a match after Gable told him to 'go big.'
Kofi Claus ran into the new Women's Tag Champs backstage while the other tag teams were arguing about who would face the new champs next.
Akira Tozawa vs. Ivar on WWE RAW
Tozawa took some big hits early on but sent Ivar into the corner before getting a big DDT in. Ivar got a takedown in the corner before Akira Tozawa dodged a big top rope splash.
Tozawa tore his shirt off and headed up top but Valhalla ran distraction before Maxxine dropped her on the apron before sidestepping a running move, sending her into the barricades.
Tozawa got a near fall in the ring before Ivar got a spinning kick, but the latter got caught on the ropes. Tozawa tried for a top rope head scissors but Ivar turned it into the world's strongest slam before picking up the win.
Result: Ivar def. Akira Tozawa on RAW
Grade: C
Seth Rollins was out next and hyped his Day 1 match against Drew McIntyre before the latter walked out and said that he was proud of Rollins for stepping up to CM Punk like a 'good leader.'
Drew talked about not being able to see his family through the holidays and said that Becky Lynch's life was the same. He said that he sacrificed a lot and needed to win the title at RAW Day 1.
Rollins said that he wanted to take Drew seriously, but his words didn't line up with his actions. The champ told Drew to take accountability for his actions before saying that he 'pitied him.'
Drew lost it and attacked The Visionary before the latter kicked him out of the ring. McIntyre turned it around and beat Rollins down on the ramp before hitting an Alabama Slam on the steel steps.
Kofi Claus was handing gifts off to the crowd when Imperium attacked him. Jey Uso came out to save him and sent them outside before taking the duo out with a big dive. Jey challenged Kaiser to a match as we headed for a break.
Jey Uso vs. Ludwig Kaiser on WWE RAW
Uso had the early advantage, but Kaiser came back with some big strikes and sent Jey outside before hitting a big running lariat. Back in the ring, Jey came back with an uppercut and a heel kick before the Samoan Drop was countered.
Giovanni Vinci came in with a distraction, but the Kaiser still failed to get the pin. Kofi came back and took Vinci out with the Trouble in Paradise before Jey Uso got the superkick and the frogsplash in the ring and picked up the win.
Result: Jey Uso def. Ludwig Kaiser on RAW
Grade: B-
JD was afraid that he was being kicked out of Judgment Day, and Damian let him know that he wasn't, for now.
Judgment Day (c) vs. The Creed Brothers - WWE Tag Team Title match on RAW
Julius and Balor kicked off the match, and the champs were sent out of the ring early on. Back after a break on RAW, Brutus got some big hits on Finn Balor and hit a gut-wrench suplex as the match went on.
Damian Priest kicked Brutus over the announce desk and took him out before Brutus came back with a big slam on Priest in the ring. Julius got some big suplexes and a shooting star on Balor before Damian knocked Brutus off the top rope.
Rhea Ripley attacked Ivy Nile, but the latter lifted her instead and dropped her on the apron. The Creeds hit the Brutus Ball on Balor, but Damian broke the pin. Balor got the slingblade, but Julius stopped the Coupe de Grace.
Damian tagged in but took the Brutus Ball before Balor broke up the pin with the Coupe de Grace. Priest got the chokeslam on Julius and picked up the win.
Result: Judgment Day def. The Creed Brothers to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles on RAW
Grade: A
