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WWE Raw gets shock title change before TLC 2018

Photo credit: WWE
Photo credit: WWE

From Digital Spy

Note: This article contains full show match results for WWE Monday Night Raw from the Valley View Casino Center, which aired on Monday, December 10, 2018.

December is speeding by, and we're nearly at the last pay-per-view of the year, with TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs 2018 coming up this weekend.

The match card has been pretty much set for a little while now, but there's still time for a major change or two going into the furniture-filled festival.

Read on for six things we learned.

1. Bobby Roode and Chad Gable are your new WWE Raw Tag Team Champions

The WWE Raw Tag Team Championship wasn't actually due to be on the line at TLC 2018, but there was an impromptu match last night on Raw with the gold up for grabs.

On paper this had AOP retention written all over it.

Not only do Akam and Rezar seem to have the better of every other tag team on the Red Brand, they've also got Drake Maverick in their corner.

And last night's grudge match wasn't even a fair fight: it was a 3-on-2 handicap match with Drake joining his clients in the ring.

But that was AOP's downfall, as the overconfidence and hubris of Maverick ended up with AOP suffering a shock defeat when Bobby Roode pinned the manager.

Gable and Roode are your new champs, and given the looks on the faces of AOP, we wouldn't want to be in Drake Maverick's shoes right now...

2. Seth Rollins puts his WWE Intercontinental Championship up for grabs before TLC

The best male feud on Raw right now is probably Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose, which is beginning to hot up nicely ahead of their match this weekend.

The former Shield brothers go face-to-face on Sunday with Rollins's IC Title up for grabs, and that's still the case despite the Architect nearly losing the belt last night.

The show started with Baron Corbin and Seth Rollins having a war of words, which ended with TLC coming a little early.

A Tables, Ladders and Chairs (Oh MY!) match was set for the main even, and there was a little more than pride at stake.

GM-Elect Corbin booked it as an IC Title match, and to even the odds he had his recently-appointed employee Heath Slater be the ref.

It was a hellacious back and forth, ref bump (and interference) and all, but it all ended with a Frog Splash through a table and Rollins climbing the ladder to keep hold of what's his

Whether he can do it all again on Sunday against his most personal rival remains to be seen.

3. Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart's memory is back on the table

Oh my.

The Natalya vs Ruby Riott feud was taken to the next level a few weeks back when Ruby snapped a pair of shades given to Nat by her late father Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart.

Then it seemed that edge was taken out of things, but it seems like the legend's memory is back on the table in a very literal way.

Ahead of their tables match this weekend at TLC, Nattie announced that she was dedicating her match to her dad.

In response, Ruby Riott unveiled a bit of furniture with The Anvil painted right on it. Ooof!

She also promised to put Nattie through said table on Sunday. Massively icky, this latest twist does give this feud a really nasty edge.

Here's hoping Natalya stops that from happening and decisively wins this war before the year is out.

4. The Mixed Match Challenge continues to bleed into WWETV

After its first, fun year, the Mixed Match Challenge has ramped things up seriously for its second season.

It's not just the expansion of the tournament from a simple knockout to something much bigger and grander, having kicked off with a massive round robin stage.

And it's not just the announcement that the winners of the MMC would get a special prize: the coveted Number 30 spot in the Men and Women's Royal Rumble come January.

Just as important has been the presence of the Mixed Match Challenge on WWETV.

Obviously we've not had any MMC matches on Raw or SmackDown itself, but as well as references to goings on in the streaming world, we've had crossover altercations designed to ensnare viewers.

And with the announcement that Finn Bálor is out of tonight's semi-final (we're hoping he's all mended by TLC and his match with Drew McIntyre), Bayley has a new partner: Apollo Crews.

The Huggable one previewed their upcoming match with a one-on-one with Alicia Fox, and after her partner Jinder Mahal and his backup The Singh Brothers tried to get involved, Apollo and Sasha Banks evened things up.

Bayley picked up the win with a Bayley-to-Belly, and we got some storyline mashup with the Boss 'n' Hug Connection reminding us that they're still a thing.

5. Ember Moon is a good friend but would make an even better champion (or at least contender)

Ronda Rousey is the champ, and she's absolutely earned that title and her position.

Backed by Tamina, Nia Jax is looking to change that state of affairs this weekend when she takes on The Rowdy One in a feud that has admittedly played second fiddle to the scuffle over on the Blue Brand.

Before their matchup, Nia and Tamina tried to rile Ronda Rousey in taking some damage.

All emotion as ever, she nearly got suckered into a 2-on-1 beatdown, but her pal Ember Moon came and evened the numbers.

We then got a match between Moon and Tamina, and while Ronda returned the favour by taking out Nia Jax at ringside to ensure a fair fight (which was one by Ember), we can't help but think that Moon deserves to be way more than a wingman.

Yes, friendship is great and we're not calling for Moon to turn on Ronda, but we also think she needs to remember how great a competitor she is, and start gunning for that title herself.

6. Braun Strowman is still in doubt for TLC 2018

Baron Corbin just missed out on walking into TLC 2018 as your new WWE Intercontinental Champion, but he may yet walk out of it as your Permanent Raw General Manager.

To do that he has to overcome Braun Strowman, a big ask in every sense, but Braun hasn't had a match since Corbin shattered his elbow a few weeks back.

What's more he hasn't even been knocking about on Raw for a few weeks to show his face, which suggests that he may not make it to TLC at all.

As rulemaker, Corbin has already announced what'll happen if that's the case: he'll win by forfeit, become GM, and Strowman will lose his chance to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal title at the Royal Rumble.

We simply can't imagine BC walking into the ring, yukking it up and walking out as "winner" like that.

That means one of two things will happen: either Braun will make a miraculous recovery and not only make it to the match, but also win on his return.

Or perhaps someone else will step into the Monster's shoes and not only thwart Corbin but also win his own match against The Beast.

We wonder what Bray Wyatt is doing these days...


WWE Monday Night Raw full show match results – Monday, December 10, 2018

  • WWE Raw Tag Team Championship: AOP (Akam and Rezar) and Drake Maverick (c) vs Bobby Roode & Chad Gable [3-on-2 handicap match

WINNERS and NEW WWE Raw Tag Team Champions: Bobby Roode and Chad Gable

  • Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler

WINNER: Drew McIntyre

  • Alicia Fox vs Bayley

WINNER: Bayley

  • Elias vs Lio Rush

WINNER: Lio Rush

  • Ember Moon vs Tamina

WINNER: Ember Moon

  • WWE Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs Baron Corbin [Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match]

WINNER and STILL WWE Intercontinental Champion: Seth Rollins

What did you think of Monday Night Raw? Let us know at @digitalspywwe.


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