Sasha Banks makes her entrance. Mickie James was supposed to follow, but she didn’t make her entrance. Bayley’s music then played, but she was nowhere to be seen. Paige’s music then hits, and Banks looks disgusted. Paige says considering what they did to Banks, she looks surprisingly good. Paige asks where her friends are. Paige asks Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville what happened to Mickie and Bayley. Paige then suddenly remembers. We go backstage to see James holding her knee. A referee checks on her. Then we go elsewhere backstage to see Bayley holding her neck. Paige says neither of them look good and that makes this a handicap match.
Paige says before they do, she has to get something off her mind. She’s been hounded on social media and airports with people asking her about her actions. A year ago, she was THE woman to stick the flag into the ground and single-handedly erase the word “Diva” from the WWE dictionary. She was the matriarch of the WWE evolution. Last week, she was making a statement as to who she is. Guess what? Paige says, “I’m baaack!”
The get on the apron, and Paige calls her group, “Absolution.” You have Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. Rose says others may have forgotten, but before there was a Boss and the Four Horsewomen and a Goddess and an Empress, there was Paige. They didn’t forget however. Deville says every woman has pushed the competition and the envelope. They’ve raised the game. The fact is that nothing would have been elevated if it wasn’t for Paige. That’s why they’ve pledged their allegiance to Paige. Together, Absolution is going to turn into a whole new Women’s Revolution. Paige asks if Banks is going to have the same fate as Bayley and Mickie James or will she pledge their allegiance to them. Paige says she’s either with them or against them. Banks thinks about it before knocking Paige off the apron. Rose and Deville double-team Banks and hold her up. Banks fights out, but she’s quickly taken down. Paige screams this is her house. Deville lays Banks out with a big kick. Rose then lays her out with an impressive sit-out pedigree. Paige then connects with the Ram-Paige. Absolution stands tall in the ring.
Roman Reigns will defend his WWE Intercontinental Championship against Elias later tonight. Bray Wyatt’s video flashes on the screen. Wyatt appears on the screen and says, “I’m here.”
*Commercial Break*
Bray Wyatt comes to the ring to a good reception from the Tennessee crowd. He says he never had a Thanksgiving, never got to carve the turkey, but the fans definitely have. He says that’s what they want you to do, and they tell you who to love and who to be. He calls them pathetic and says he tried but they never listened to him. He says their ignorance and suffering bring him joy because now his eyes are open and he can finally see them for who they are. None of them are alive, they’re all dead. Bray laughs and screams that they’re all dead. He keeps repeating it and laughing until Matt Hardy comes out to interrupt him.
*Commercial Break*
Matt Hardy Vs. Bray Wyatt
We join the match in progress. Wyatt head-butts Hardy and applies a neck vice. Hardy fights up, but Wyatt punches him. Wyatt hits the ropes and floors him with a flying body block. Hardy has a lost look in his eyes. The commentators are talking about his career being in a funk. Wyatt punches him and connects with an avalanche. Wyatt goes for a senton splash, but Hardy rolls out of the way.
Hardy punches away at him, but he has a whip to the corner reversed. Hardy sidesteps an avalanche before hitting a pair of corner clotheslines. Hardy follows up with a bulldog and goes to the second rope. Wyatt catches him and goes for a uranage, but Hardy elbows out and hits a Side Effect for a near fall. Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate, but Wyatt shoves him off. Hardy elbows and boots him back before slamming him down by the hair. Hardy goes for a top rope moonsault, but Wyatt rolls out of the way. Wyatt does his crab walk before hitting Sister Abigail for the win.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt leaves the ring while Matt Hardy sits in the ring. Hardy screams and starts shouting, “DELETE” before leading a “DELETE” chant. Michael Cole asks if we’re witnessing the beginning of a Matt Hardy “breakdown.” YEEEEESSSS!
Roman Reigns will take on Elias with the Intercontinental Championship on the line later tonight.
*Commercial Break*
We return to Raw and it’s time for our cruiserweight 4-way match. The winner of this match goes on to face the winner of a Fatal 4-Way next week, for the opportunity to face Enzo Amore at Royal Rumble.
Fatal 4-Way
Noam Dar Vs. Ariya Daivari Vs. Rich Swann Vs. Akira Tozawa
Daivari and Dar attack Tozawa and Swann to start the match. Dar and Daivari team up to take them down. Dar and Daivari send Tozawa into the ropes, but he holds on. Swann then helps him clear the ring. Tozawa and Swann then engage in a series of highly choreographed simulated competition. Enzo Amore is watching backstage. Daivari pulls Tozawa out of the ring. Swann takes them all out with a nasty-looking summersault senton.
Swann chops Dar at ringside and puts him in the ring. Swann kicks and chops him. Outside the ring, Daivari sends Tozawa into the barricade. The crowd is starting to entertain themselves. Daivari wipes Swann out with a spinebuster for a near fall. Dar takes out Tozawa and double-teams him with Daivari. Daivari and Dar send Tozawa to the corner hard, and he collapses to the mat. They then knock Swann off the apron. Swann blocks a suplex from Daivari on the floor. Dar comes out, and they hit a double-team suplex on the floor.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Tozawa make a comeback. Tozawa goes to the top rope, but Daivari and Dar try to stop him. Tozawa fights them off, but they eventually stop him. They go for a double-team superplex, but Swann takes advantage with a powerbomb on Dar and Daivari. Swann covers Tozawa for a near fall. The crowd is absolutely silent for this match. Swann goes to the top rope, but he’s taken out by Dar and Daivari. Tozawa takes Dar out wit ha suicide dive.
In the ring, Daivari hits Swann with a frog splash for a near fall. Tozawa quickly floors Daivari with a shining wizard. Tozawa goes to the top rope for a diving senton splash, and he connects. Dar comes in and sends Tozawa into the ring post before covering Daivari, but Swann breaks it up. Dar gets Swann out of the ring and rolls Tozawa up for a near fall. Dar kicks Tozawa, but Swann pulls Tozawa out of the ring. Swann kicks Dar down and hits a Phoenix Splash for the win.
Winner: Rich Swann
Swann will face the winner of next week’s Fatal 4-Way in order to determine the number one contender to Enzo Amore.
We see Elias walking backstage, ready for his match with Roman Reigns.
*Commercial Break*
Elias is in the ring, and he wants to know who wants to walk with him. His next song is dedicated to The Miz, but the crowd needs to shut their mouths. The crowd boos, so Elias says he won’t do the song, which gets a nice reaction. Elias then says The Miz deserves this song. Elias then goes into the song singing about how The Miztourage hasn’t slept since Miz has been gone. The Miztourage then joins him in the ring. Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas take turns doing harmonica solos. They’re obviously not playing because Axel removed the harmonica before it was done playing. Elias thanks The Miztourage and commends them on their musical talents. Elias starts playing another song, but a loud “We want Roman” chant fires up. A small contingent in the crowd is trying to say, “Roman sucks.” Elias says no one wants Reigns more than him. The next song is about Roman’s Intercontinental Championship walking away with Elias but just then, The Big Dog saves us all.
Roman Reigns finally makes his entrance to a good reaction. Elias and The Miztourage clear from the ring. This Championship match is about to begin and we get ring introductions for both men.
