11/30 WWE Raw Results: Powell’s live review of AJ Styles vs. Keith Lee vs. Riddle in a Triple Threat for a shot at the WWE Championship, Jeff Hardy vs. Elias in a Symphony of Destruction match, Alexa Bliss hosts “A Moment of Bliss” with guest Randy Orton, WWE TLC build

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

WWE Raw (Episode 1,436)
Live from Orlando, Florida at Amway Center
Aired November 30, 2020 on USA Network

[Hour One] The Raw opening aired… Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, and Samoa Joe checked in and hyped previously advertised segments, as well as Drew McIntyre and Sheamus vs. The Miz and John Morrison. It was also noted that the winner of the Triple Threat match will challenge McIntyre for the WWE Championship at the WWE TLC pay-per-view…

Alexa Bliss hosted “A Moment of Bliss” in the ring where child-like chairs were set up. She introduced Randy Orton as her favorite superstar. The broadcast team noted that Orton was attacked by The Fiend and ended up in a confrontation with McIntyre the last time he agreed to be a guest on Bliss’s show. Once Orton was in the ring, Bliss said someone was in a foul mood. She said she wouldn’t be in  a good mood “if this happened to me last week.” Footage aired of The Fiend distracting Orton, which cost him the match against AJ Styles.

Bliss said she couldn’t believe The Fiend did that to Orton. She said she would be wondering why The Fiend did that to her if it had happened to her. Orton said he knows Bray Wyatt very well, but he hasn’t been formally introduced to The Fiend yet. Orton recalled finding Wyatt’s vulnerability and burning it to the ground. Orton said he needed to find The Fiend’s vulnerability. Orton looked at Bliss and said, “And it looks like I have.”

Bliss stood up and asked who is manipulating who. The Fiend’s entrance started. “See what I mean?” Orton asked. Bliss responded by asking, “See what I mean?” The lights went out and when they turned on, The Fiend was in the ring and Orton stood in the corner holding Bliss in his arms. The Fiend held his arms out. Orton approached and handed over Bliss, then darted out of the ring. “Who’s laughing now?” Orton asked from the stage while Fiend and Bliss stared at him from the ring…

Phillips said it looked like Orton found The Fiend’s vulnerability. The broadcast team shifted the focus to the Jeff Hardy vs. Elias feud. Musical instruments were shown on the stage and at ringside while the broadcast team hyped the Symphony of Destruction match for after the break… [C]

Powell’s POV: While the segment involving Orton, Bliss, and The Fiend was somewhat compelling, I still have no clue who is the babyface and who is the heel. WWE has done a lot of high profile babyface vs. babyface matches over the years, but they don’t usually go with heel vs. heel matches.

An ad for Sunday’s NXT Takeover: WarGames event was shown. Samoa Joe said they were doing two WarGames matches and added that he can’t wait. They shifted to footage of Drew McIntyre winning the Royal Rumble match…

Jeff Hardy made his entrance. Highlights aired of his feud with Elias, who then made his entrance to his “Amen” song. Elias’s graphic now includes a guitar amp head…

1. Jeff Hardy vs. Elias in a Symphony of Destruction match. The match quickly spilled to ringside. Hardy grabbed a violin. Hardy ran and leapt from the ring steps with the violin, but Elias cut him off with a leaping knee to the head. Elias picked up Hardy and dropped him face first onto the ring apron.

Elias noticed the piano rattling, so he flipped the top open and found R-Truth inside. Erik, Drew Gulak, Akira Tozawa, and Gran Metalik ran out to chase after the WWE 24/7 Champion. Hardy backdropped Gulak. Elias clotheslined Metalik. Lince Dorado ran out to check on his partner. Elias hit Dorado with a guitar, then Hardy hit Metalik with a guitar, and Elias and Hardy looked at one another. [C]

Brennan and Dale’s POV: Did we just become best friends? Yep! Do you wanna go do karate in the garage? Yep!

Elias slammed Hardy’s head into the the drums. Back inside the ring, Hardy went for a Whisper in the Wind, but Elias hit him with a guitar in mid-air. Elias went for the pin, but Hardy grabbed the bottom rope. They went back to ringside where Elias tried to jab Hardy with a broken guitar neck, but Hardy moved and Elias stuck the neck of the guitar into speaker. Pyro shot off from the speaker to make it seem like Elias electrocuted himself.

Hardy placed Elias on a table and stacked a bunch of small string instruments on top of him, then went up top and performed a Swanton Bomb that drove Elias through the table. Hardy covered Elias and scored the pin at ringside.

Jeff Hardy beat Elias in 12:30 in a Symphony of Destruction match.

Powell’s POV: Well, at least neither wrestler put his nut sack on the drum set. We got through Halloween and Thanksgiving without any sports entertainment silliness from WWE, so I can forgive them for going with the Megadeth match. But I can’t forgive them for continuing to waste Hardy in this nothing happening feud. More importantly, that was a dangerous finish, as Hardy’s head hit the bottom ring step after he hit the Swanton Bomb. Hardy held the back of his head, but he got back on his feet and seemed okay as he was leaving.

Phillips hyped the Triple Threat match for a shot at the WWE Championship at TLC…

Backstage, Keith Lee was warming up when Riddle approached him and asked how excited he was for their Triple Threat match. Riddle said it would be a dream come true for one of them to win the title. Riddle said Lee had his chance earlier this year, but he’s never faced McIntyre. Riddle kept talking and impersonated McIntyre, then admitted it was bad and asked if Lee could do a better accent. The camera pulled back to show that Lee had walked off… [C]

Kofi Kingston and Big E hosted the Cyber Monday merchandise shilling segment…

Footage aired of a promo from three weeks ago with Mustafa Ali talking about Ricochet, as well as footage of Ali beating Ricochet in a match the same night…

Ali delivered a promo while the rest of Retribution stood by. Ali questioned why Ricochet hasn’t figured out that what is happening to him is the same thing that has happened to every member of Retribution. Ali said Ricochet was supposed to be standing next to him. Slapjack spoke about how the rest of the world saw him as a joke, Ali saw him as a weapon for Retribution. Ali said Ricochet made the decision not to join them and now Slapjack would show him the consequences. Ali said maybe Ricochet will see the light…

Ricochet made his entrance while footage aired of him delivering a social media promo. Ricochet said he thought he could save Ali, but now he knows he needs to be better than him… [C]

2. Ricochet vs. Slapjack (w/Mustafa Ali). Slapjack’s entrance was televised. Saxton said he found it interesting that Ali came out alone rather than with the rest of the faction. Ricochet performed a standing shooting star press for a near fall.

Ali called for help. Mace and T-Bar ran out on cue. Ricochet tossed Slapjack onto the duo at ringside, then performed a flip dive onto the trio. Ricochet brought Slapjack back inside the ring. Dana Brooke showed up at ringside and slapped Ali, then asked him where his girl (Reckoning/Mia Yim) was at.

Ricochet fought off more outside interference from Mace and T-Bar. Ali climbed onto the apron. Ricochet went after Ali, who dropped to the floor. Slapjack performed a twisting suplex on a distracted Ricochet and then pinned him to win the match…

Slapjack beat Ricochet in 3:30.

Powell’s POV: Retribution is a train wreck and it’s hard to imagine the company doing anything to salvage it at this point. Brooke slapping Ali likely means that she’ll be destroyed by Reckoning soon. I wish the creative forces would just admit defeat and move on from this mess of a faction.

The broadcast team set up footage of McIntyre beating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania to win the WWE Championship. McIntyre’s appearance was hyped for later in the show… A WWE Tribute to the Troops ad aired for the show that will air Sunday on Fox (check local listings for the time)… [C]

[Hour Two] Phillips hyped the McIntyre interview, and McIntyre and Sheamus vs. Miz and Morrison for later in the show…

The Miz and John Morrison hosted Miz TV inside the ring. Miz worked in a plug for The Marjo Show, which they still call Mrs. & Mrs. for some reason. Sheamus was introduced as their guest. Miz pitched the idea of Sheamus turning on McIntyre to help him successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract.

Sheamus laughed in Miz’s face. Miz said Sheamus had a quick run with the WWE Championship five years ago and called his career a joke. Sheamus said Miz runs his mouth and talks about what he’ll do. Sheamus threw his hat at Morrison, then said he prefers to use his hands. Sheamus hit Miz. The heels quickly outnumbered Sheamus. Miz slammed the MITB briefcase over the back of Sheamus…

Powell’s POV: A quick segment to set up the tag team match. I like that Miz’s character at least made a pitch to get Sheamus to help him cash in on McIntyre. I also like that they are doing more to establish the McIntyre and Sheamus friendship. Ideally, Sheamus would turn babyface short-term so that it means more when he turns on McIntyre. At this point, every viewer has to assume it’s coming sooner or later, but if they turn Sheamus and make this a long term storyline then it would mean so much more.

Footage aired from last week of the segments involving Asuka, Lana, Nia Jax, and Shayna Baszler…

Backstage, Asuka spoke to Lana and said that’s how they will beat Jax and Baszler. Sarah Schreiber showed up asked what they were talking about. Lana said she wouldn’t understand, but Jax and Baszler were about to. Asuka made her entrance…

An ad for Smackdown questioned how a “power hungry Roman Reigns” would respond to Kevin Owens, plus Murphy vs. King Corbin… [C] Lana made her entrance.

Backstage, Schreiber spoke with WWE Women’s Tag Champions Jax and Baszler. They bickered over their loss last week. Jax said no mistakes this time, they would bring Asuka to her knees and then put Lana through a table. The duo made their entrance…

3. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler vs. Asuka and Lana in a non-title match. There was a super contrived spot early where Lana appeared to be late in holding the middle rope down or Jax didn’t trust her to be there. Jax stoped and waited, then just ran and tumbled through the ropes. Jax and Baszler came back and swung Asuka and Lana into the barricade simultaneously. [C]

Jax ran Lana into the ringside barricade. Jax hoisted up Lana and tried to run her into the ring post, but Lana slipped away and Jax ran face first into the post. Lana tagged in Asuka, who worked over Baszler. Lana tagged in and performed a cross body block on Baszler, who rolled through and then applied the Kirifuda Clutch.

Jax pulled Asuka off the apron. Asuka fought off Jax, then returned to the ring and threw a running knee at Baszler to break the hold. Lana covered Baszler and got the three count…

Asuka and Lana beat WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler in 9:20 a non-title match.

Powell’s POV: Like everyone else, I assume this is leading to a tables match for the titles at TLC. Remember when Asuka had actual challengers for the Raw Women’s Championship? The only thing sadder than the Raw Women’s Title picture is the news of Will Fuller being suspended for six games when you have him on all of your fantasy football teams. Unfortunately, I know that pain firsthand.

Sheamus was selling back pain backstage when Drew McIntyre showed up and asked if he was okay. Sheamus grumbled about Miz hitting him with the MITB briefcase. Sheamus condescendingly thanked McIntyre for helping him, then said he’d do the same thing for him. McIntyre laughed it off and they went to talking about their tag match later. Phillips said they were back on the same page, while Joe said it seemed like there was some animosity coming from Sheamus…

Hogan’s POV: Whatever happens, Drew, make sure you pick up the phone if Sheamus calls you while you are training.

Raw Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods made their entrance. Phillips said Woods would face Cedric Alexander… [C]

Kingston and Woods delivered an in-ring promo. Kingston noted that Woods “a/k/a Austin Creed” is the host of the G4 video game network revival. Woods said becoming a sports entertainer and a future King of the Ring is important to him. He also thanked everyone who supported his YouTube channel and snuck in a plug for his merch. Woods said it means more to him than you’ll ever know.

Kingston turned the focus to how Hurt Business had failed to take the titles from them in three tries. They narrated a montage of their wins over Alexander and Shelton Benjamin. MVP, Alexander, and Benjamin walked out. MVP pointed out that the referee actually raised their hands when the New Day duo was counted out. He said he considers them even with two wins each. Benjamin said they will hurt Kingston and Woods. Alexander slid in the ring and said he would show Woods what the hurt in Hurt Business stands for. Alexander took a cheap shot at Woods and talked smack over him… [C]

4. Xavier Woods (w/Kofi Kingston) vs. Cedric Alexander (w/ MVP, Shelton Benjamin). The match was joined in progress. Alexander slipped out of a powerbomb attempt and came right back with a brainbuster for a near fall. A short time later, Alexander went for a suicide dive, but Woods moved and shoved Alexander into the barricade. Back inside the ring, Alexander hit his Lumbar Check finisher and scored the pin.

Cedric Alexander pinned Xavier Woods in 5:25 of television time.

After the match, Alexander walked up to the stage and yelled about how he’d done it. Meanwhile, MVP and Benjamin looked baffled by his antics while they applauded in the ring…

Powell’s POV: A nice match. I’d really like to see what these two could do withe more time, but this obviously means we’ll be getting more of Kingston and Woods vs. Alexander and Benjamin for the tag titles.

Highlights aired of AJ Styles beating Randy Orton in a Triple Threat qualifier last week thanks to a distraction from The Fiend…

AJ Styles was talking with Omos when Riddle showed up. Styles told him that the Triple Threat match was serious. Riddle said he knew it was. Styles spoke about winning the match. Riddle told him hop out of the way and called him Chipper, then said he was getting the carrot tonight. Omos laughed. Styles wondered what was so funny. Omos said that was the name of Riddle’s bunny. Styles shoved Riddle and said he didn’t have time for this…

Keith Lee made his entrance for the Triple Threat… [C] Footage aired from the Bliss, Orton, and Fiend talkshow segment, then Styles and Omos made their entrance.

[Hour Three] Riddle made his entrance…

5. AJ Styles (w/Omos) vs. Keith Lee vs. Riddle in a Triple Threat for a shot at the WWE Championship at WWE TLC. Riddle charged Styles, who ducked to ringside when the bell rang. Styles pulled Riddle to the floor, but Riddle ran Styles into the barricade. Lee teased a dive onto both men, but they avoided it. All three men returned to the ring.

Lee had a run of dominating the match. At ringside, Lee shoved Styles into Omos, who placed Styles on the apron. Styles hit Lee with a running knee from the apron. Riddle knocked Styles down with a knee to the face, then performed a twisting moonsault off the middle rope onto both opponents. [C]

Lee broke up Styles going for a Styles Clash on Riddle, who then worked over Styles and suplexed him for a near fall. Lee grabbed Riddle from behind and suplexed him, but Riddle landed on his feet. Lee blasted Riddle, who returned fire. Riddle knocked Lee down with a pair of knees to the head. Styles performed a Phenomenal Forearm on Riddle and then pinned him…

AJ Styles defeated Keith Lee and Riddle in 13:00 in a Triple Threat to earn a WWE Championship match at WWE TLC.

Powell’s POV: When there’s a No. 1 contenders match for world title shot at a WWE pay-per-view event and you’re not sure who is going to win, the safe bet is to pick the oldest guy in the match. I’m not complaining. Sure, I’d like to see McIntyre and Lee face off in a full length pay-per-view match, but McIntyre vs. Styles should be really good, and Omos has freshened up the Styles act to some extent. Somewhere out there, one Impact fan is disappointed that Swoggle didn’t replace Styles in this match.

Backstage, Charly Caruso told Miz and Morrison that their strategy to drive a wedge between McIntyre and Sheamus seemed to have backfired. She questioned if they had a new plan. Miz said of course they do. He spoke about how McIntyre has a tag team partner that he can’t trust. Miz also showed off the MITB briefcase. Caruso said it sounded like Miz was rattling off a bunch of facts without actually sharing a new plan. Miz and Morrison left the interview…

Dana Brooke made her entrance while highlights aired of Reckoning attacking her on a recent Raw and costing her a spot on Team Raw at Survivor Series. Phillips hyped Reckoning’s Raw debut for after the break… [C]

Phillips hyped that the musical performer Hardy would be at Tribute to the Troops…

Powell’s POV: I hope Elias gets confused and kicks this Hardy guy’s ass.

6. Reckoning (w/Mustafa Ali) vs. Dana Brooke. Reckoning’s entrance was not televised. A pre-taped promo aired with Reckoning and Ali. Reckoning said Brooke would meet her reckoning (yes, she really had to say that). Reckoning’s mask fell out just seconds into the match. Holy shit, that’s Mia Yim (said no one). Late in the match, Ali distracted Brooke. Reckoning tried to take advantage with a kick, but Brooke avoided it and then rolled her up for the pin.

Dana Brooke beat Reckoning in 2:15.

After the match, Ali yelled at Reckoning about embarrassing him. He said there is no failure in Retribution…

Powell’s POV: There’s nothing but failure in Retribution. Losing your Raw debut match to Dana Brooke is like losing your boxing debut to Glass Joe. Good lord. Hopefully Ali barking at Reckoning afterward means she has a way out of this mess.

Backstage, Miz and Morrison applauded Styles on winning the Triple Threat while Omos stood by. Morrison tried to present Styles with a victory pie. Styles said he knew they just want his help cashing in the Money in the Bank contract. Styles said he would help them. Miz wondered why he was being so nice. Styles said it would be a lot easier to beat Miz at TLC than it would to beat McIntyre. Styles showed the pie to Omos and said it was peach pie. “That’s not pie, that’s cupcakes,” Omos said…

Footage aired of Drew McIntyre beating Randy Orton to regain the WWE Championship two weeks ago… [C] Phillips hyped Sheamus, Dana Brooke, and Ricochet for Raw Talk…

Backstage, MVP approached Riddle. MVP had enough of Riddle’s rambling and told him that he’s dumb, ridiculous, and added that he was happy that Riddle lost. MVP pie-faced (er, cupcake-faced if Omos is reading) Riddle, who stood up and got in his face. Bobby Lashley showed up and put Riddle down with the Hurt Lock…

Sheamus was shown backstage when Keith Lee approached him. Lee said it was none of his business, but some of the fellas think Sheamus might turn on his friend McIntyre. Sheamus said Lee was right, it’s not any of his business…

WWE Champion Drew McIntyre was introduced by Charly Caruso, who interviewed him inside the ring. McIntyre spoke about regaining the WWE Championship, and seeing fear in the eyes of Roman Reigns as their match at Survivor Series went on.

Caruso asked him about Styles saying he would help Miz and Morrison. McIntyre said he and Styles have no issue and would have a phenomenal match. “See what I did there?” McIntyre said with a smile. He said the MITB briefcase is the only thing keeping Miz relevant, so he shouldn’t cash it in. Sheamus made his entrance… [C]

7. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus vs. The Miz and John Morrison. Miz and Morrison’s entrances were televised. Styles sat in on commentary and had Omos at his side. Sheamus roughed up Miz to start, then threw him to his corner so that he could tag out. Sheamus also worked over Morrison, then tagged in McIntyre.

A short time later, Sheamus checked back in again and hit his forearms to the chest of both opponents. Sheamus barked at Styles, who stood up with Omos standing behind him. Sheamus caught Miz trying to attack him and knocked him down. Sheamus went face to face with Omos, then turned into a kick from Morrison. [C]

Sheamus was isolated by the heels until he dropped Morrison and made the hot tag to McIntyre. Miz tagged in and was tossed around the ring by McIntyre. Morrison joined in on taking the beating. McIntyre set up for his finisher on Miz, but Sheamus wanted to tag in. Morrison pulled Sheamus from the apron and ran him into the ring post and then tossed him over the barricade. Styles hit McIntyre with a Phenomenal Forearm for the DQ.

Drew McIntyre and Sheamus beat The Miz and John Morrison by DQ in 9:55.

Miz and Morrison are morons, so Styles had to explain his actions. Morrison and Miz hit their finishers on McIntyre. Omos passed the MITB briefcase to Styles. Miz bickered with Styles and was going to cash in, but McIntyre recovered and took him out with a Claymore Kick. McIntyre got up and glared at Styles. Omos pulled Styles over the top rope and held him over his shoulder while Styles jawed at McIntyre about how he should be happy that Omos had him. McIntyre smirked at Styles, then encouraged Styles to join him in the ring as the show went off the air…

Powell’s POV: Nothing sells a pay-per-view quite like making the challenger to the world championship look like a man-child. There’s still time to salvage it, but this felt like they were going more for laughs than trying to sell people on the match. The Miz and Morrison remain jokes and McIntyre’s line about the MITB briefcase keeping Miz relevant hit too close to home. Overall, this was forgettable episode. Let me know what you thought of the show by assigning a letter grade in our post show poll. I will return shortly with my weekly, same night audio review for Dot Net Members.