WWE Monday Night Raw Recap: 11.18.13

The Breakdown

WWE Monday Night Raw opened with The Authority of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon coming to the ring. They talked about how last week proved that the WWE Universe needs them but Randy Orton interrupted. Orton said he blames both of them for him getting choke slammed through a table last week but they quickly shut him down. Vickie Guerrero and Brad Maddox came out next and Maddox said it was all Vickie’s fault. Triple H said he didn’t care and The Authority booked Vickie to wrestle AJ Lee and Brad Maddox to wrestle Orton in a No DQ match. Maddox tried to leave but Kane stopped him and that match is first.

Brad Maddox stalled by running and when Orton caught him, he blasted Orton with a microphone and then sent Orton into the ring post. Orton recovered, sent Maddox over the ringside table, hit the hanging DDT on the floor and then beat Maddox with the microphone until the referee stopped the match when Maddox ended up unconscious and gave the win to Orton.

The Intercontinental title was on the line next as Curtis Axel took on Big E Langston. The announcers quickly explained that, after CM Punk beat up Paul Heyman last week, Heyman dumped Axel as a client, so this is realistically the champ’s first match since Heyman released him. Big E Langston beat Axel with the Big Ending to win his first major WWE title.

Up next was a Musical Chairs game with the Divas that ended when they all started fighting each other. It looked like another way to make the reality show Divas look better than the actual wrestlers who don’t star on the show.

The Big Show was out after the commercial break and his opposition in the match was Ryback. This match was, surprisingly, very competitive. There were rumors that Ryback and Big Show might wrestle at “Wrestlemania 30” so that Ryback could life The Big Show and hit the Shell Shock for his “Wrestlemania Moment.” That is out the window because Ryback lifted Big Show and hit his big move in an amazing moment here on WWE Monday Night Raw. However, Big Show kicked out and won with the WMD. After the match, Randy Orton ran in but Big Show speared him and stood tall.

Backstage, the country band Florida Georgia Line was backstage talking to Zack Ryder when 3MB showed up in western attire and called themselves the Rhinestone Cowboys.

Back from the break, The Real Americans were in the ring and led the crowd in a “We the People” chant. Then their opponents came out in Kofi Kingston and The Miz. The Real Americans get a tag team title shot on Friday night on Smackdown and their opponents are a make-shift team. The Miz finally made his long awaited heel turn and refused a tag in, allowing Jack Swagger to lock in the Patriot Lock for the submission win.

Backstage, Vickie Guerrero went to the trailer’s room and then passed out. Stephanie McMahon showed up and said that Vickie needs to be transferred to the hospital – after her match with AJ Lee. They then stretchered Vickie to the ring for her match and she was suddenly awake and screaming for help. Vickie kept stalling until AJ finally got hold of her and locked her in the Black Widow for the submission win.

Backstage, Triple H booked a Broadway Brawl between Dolph Ziggler and Damien Sandow and told them to make it entertaining. Ziggler came to the ring first and there was a lot of musical instruments in the ring. Sandow was the first to try to use instruments as weapons. Ziggler picked up the win in very entertaining fashion when he hit Sandow with a couple of drums and then grabbed a guitar, strutted like Jeff Jarrett and then smashed it over Sandow’s head. The announcers even made a Double J joke and said that all Ziggler needed was Road Dogg out there singing for him.

In the back, Randy Orton asked if he had Triple H and Stephanie McMahon’s confidence as the WWE Champion and they said they needed to think about it.

After the break, John Cena made his way out to the ring with his arm in a sling. Cena said that, regardless of how bad he is hurt, he will show up at Survivor Series. Alberto Del Rio came out to answer the promo. Del Rio came in the ring and said a real champ takes advantage of all opportunities and Cena said he was right and attacked Del Rio. He almost hit the AA but Del Rio got away.

The Rhinestone Cowboys (3MB) came out next. R-Truth and his new tag team partner Xavier Woods came out to battle Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre. Of course, Xavier Woods was known in TNA Wrestling as Consequences Creed and he picked up the pinfall with the “Lost in the Woods” finishing move.

Backstage, Triple H said they have confidence in Randy Orton but he will be by himself at Survivor Series and if he beats Big Show on his own, he will show everyone he deserves to be the Face of the WWE.

Up next, Florida Georgia Line performed for the crowd.

The main event was next, a 12-man tag team main event as the Usos, Rhodes Dynasty, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk took on The Shield and The Wyatt Family. The match was awesome and ended in a flurry of action. It was a lot of fun and ended after Punk hit the GTS onto Dean Ambrose.

After the match ended, The Real Americans attacked and helped the Wyatt Family and The Shield, but then Rey Mysterio made his return to the WWE and the good guys stood tall to end the show. It looks like Rey will be the mystery partner at Survivor Series in the tradition series match.

The Analysis

It is strange that, after the WWE decided that Daniel Bryan was not over enough to hold the WWE title, they are still smart enough to know that he is the man to end the shows to take the crowd home happy. This week was no different. We never saw Bryan until the end, but he and CM Punk still got the biggest pops of the night.

The rest of the show was to set up the Survivor Series. Randy Orton learned he will be alone in his match with Big Show (which is misdirection and a lie) and John Cena got his hands on Alberto Del Rio. The traditional match was seemingly set up with Rey Mysterio making his comeback. The main event and the end of the show was great, but this Raw seemed way too long. The first two hours just dragged.

I did like the Ryback match with Big Show for a battle of powerful guys and the street fight between Dolph Ziggler and Damien Sandow was also fun. Overall, it was not a great go-home show for the PPV but it was good.