Air Date: November 4, 2024 (taped November 3)
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

**********



Show Recap —

(If you followed my recap of Crown Jewel, you’ll know there
were streaming issues with Sportsnet Now. Well, Raw opened
with no audio on Sportsnet Now even though it’s a taped
show. The audio returned about 7 minutes into the show.
Fortunately, it takes about that long for anything to happen
on a WWE show.)

Raw opened with a massive fireworks display, which doesn’t
happen much anymore. Judgment Day, Damian Priest, Sheamus
and Seth Rollins were shown arriving earlier.

Michael Cole and Corey Graves were tonight’s announcers.

Liv Morgan segment

Liv Morgan entered with Dominik Mysterio and Raquel
Rodriguez. She held her world title and showed off her new
Crown Jewel ring (she did not have the Crown Jewel belt).
She welcomed us to Monday Night Morgan.


She declared the Liv Morgan revenge tour was over and the
world tour was starting. She took out Rhea Ripley for a
third time and she would be out for a long time. She beat
Tiffany Stratton (on Smackdown) and travelled halfway around
the world to become the inaugural Crown Jewel champion.

Dom said he would win tonight and become the next world
champion as he was loudly booed.

Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair interrupted. Belair recalled
their interaction last week and Cargill challenged them to a
tag match. Morgan tried to create dissension between Belair
and Cargill but they didn’t bite.

Adam Pearce marched out and tried to settle things down but
Morgan kept taunting Belair so Belair smacked her. Pearce
informed Morgan there would be a battle royal tonight to
determine her next challenger and Belair and Cargill were in
the match.


IYO SKY won a battle royal to become number one contender
for the Women’s World Championship (12:41)

The opening portion of the match followed a familiar
pattern. Someone would shine, then get eliminated by someone
else. That person would shine, then get eliminated, and so
on.

Kayden Carter eliminated Isla Dawn first. Shayna Baszler
almost eliminated Carter but she was saved by Katana Chance.
Sonya Deville picked up the pieces and eliminated Carter
anyway. Maxxine Dupri got a moment to “shine” but she was
quickly eliminated by Ivy Nile. Zelina Vega used an ugly-
looking 619 to eliminate Nile.

During a break, Kairi Sane eliminated Vega, Natalya
eliminated Alba Fyre, and Iyo Sky eliminated Chance. Chance
was seemingly eliminated earlier but she didn’t land on her
feet so she walked on her hands back to the apron but was
immediately dropkicked out by Sky.


Belair eliminated Sane before Baszler and Deville eliminated
Natalya. Baszler and Deville had their backs turned so they
were dumped out by Belair and Cargill. That left Cargill,
Belair, Lyra Valkyria and Sky. Cargill and Belair wound up
facing off for a moment but they were attacked from behind
by the other two. Cargill and Belair fought them off anyway.
Cargill hit Jaded and Belair hit KOD.

Rodriguez and Morgan ran back down and eliminated Belair and
Cargill from outside the ring. The tag champs chased them
away through the crowd.

Sky and Valkyria battled on the apron as the crowd chanted
“This is awesome” (for the second time in the match).
Valkyria booted Sky into the ring post but Sky followed with
a German suplex on the apron. Valkyria fell out of the ring
and Sky is your new number one contender.


(This wasn’t good but the crowd had fun.)

********

New Day interview / Wyatt Sicks video

Cathy Kelley interviewed The New Day. Xavier Woods said they
should have won the number one contender’s match last week
and they would have if Chad Gable didn’t interfere. Kingston
raised his eyebrow at this comment. Kingston said the War
Raiders didn’t win straight-up but it didn’t go down the way
Woods described. Woods said Kingston dropped the ball
because he’s the one that got beat. Kingston suggested he
watch the tape.

As they argued, the feed cut to a Wyatt Sicks video. Uncle
Howdy/Bo Dallas spoke in riddles as the camera focused on a
man tied to a chair wearing a sheep mask. Bo Dallas removed
the mask to reveal The Miz was the man kidnapped. Miz said
they wanted Final Testament but he wasn’t in Final
Testament. Dallas showed his face and told Miz that he was
the one he wanted.


Dallas told Miz he would crawl on his belly through thorns
and thistles for all the pain he had inflicted on others as
he begged and pleaded for mercy until he returned to the
ground. For dust you are and to dust you will return. Dexter
Lumis (in his mask) ran up behind Miz as the feed cut.

After a break, Cole said their production crew had nothing
to do with the airing of that video. He didn’t seem
concerned about Miz.

(They probably should’ve chosen any other week to air this
video.)

********

The War Raiders defeated The New Day (9:08)

Erik gave Kingston a nasty-looking knee to the back of the
head and the War Raiders took control through an early
break. Kingston made a hot tag after the break and ran wild
until Woods tagged himself in. Kingston was getting ready
for Trouble in Paradise as Woods tagged in. Kingston was
perplexed. Erik knocked out Kingston and the Raiders gave
Woods their finisher “War Machine” (elevated German suplex
and springboard clothesline combo) for the pinfall win.


********

[SECOND HOUR]

They announced their Road to WrestleMania European tour.

Sami Zayn & The Usos segment

Zayn entered. He greeted the fans in Arabic and said how
proud he was to be able to come out in front of his people
and speak their language on WWE television. However, that’s
not why he came out. He wanted to address what happened on
Crown Jewel with the Bloodline.

Jey Uso entered (to a very big reaction). Jey thanked Zayn
for having his back at Crown Jewel. Even though he watched
the footage, Jey asked Zayn if kicking Roman Reigns was an
accident. Zayn looked surprised by the question.

Jimmy Uso entered. Jimmy said they all saw the same thing.
They watched Zayn kick OTC dead in the face on purpose.
Jimmy was pissed, Reigns was pissed, and Jey should be
pissed. Jimmy said Zayn couldn’t be trusted.


Zayn interrupted and said Jimmy should probably be reminded
of his own track record. Jimmy welcomed him to the family
first and was his brother but as soon as things started
going badly, it was Jimmy who kicked him in the face. Jimmy
kicked Reigns in the face when things got bad between them
and as soon as Jey had his own opportunity, Jimmy kicked him
in the face too.

Jimmy said he didn’t owe Zayn an explanation and he wasn’t
the bad guy. The crowd chanted, “Sami Uso.” Zayn told Jimmy
that he didn’t hate him. He never did. Jimmy wasn’t a bad
guy but he made bad decisions. Zayn came out at Crown Jewel
for one reason and that was Jey.


Zayn admitted that standing alongside Jimmy, Jey and Roman
felt like old times. It felt special. For one minute, it
felt pretty damn good. But that’s how long it lasted. Just
one minute and it fell apart just like it always did with
the four of them.

Zayn wasn’t doing this again. He wasn’t having his loyalty
tested and wasn’t being put on trial by their family again.
He apologized to Jey and said he wasn’t doing this again.
Zayn told Jey, “I’m out.”

Zayn left the ring but Jey asked him to come to Smackdown so
they could talk this out like family. Jimmy said Zayn wasn’t
family. Jey said Zayn isn’t blood-related but he is family.
Jey called him “Sami Uso” (as the crowd was already
chanting, “Sami Uso.”) The crowd cheered. Jey hoped to see
Zayn on Smackdown. Zayn walked to the back.


Zayn was great here.

********

Seth Rollins interview

Jackie Redmond interviewed Seth Rollins. (It seemed like
Rollins was scaling back on the ridiculous outfits but he
was in a new one here.) Rollins put over Bronson Reed. He
respected their fight and knew they would dance again. But
that was down the line because he had gold on his mind.
Three of the best in the world—and Dominik Mysterio—were
going to duke it out for a chance at Gunther. Rollins was
full of confidence.

********

Dragon Lee (w/Zelina Vega) defeated Chad Gable (w/Ivy Nile)
(11:36)

There was a bit of comedy early on with Dragon Lee snapping
Gable’s singlet against his body. They would up on the apron
and Gable gave him a back body drop off the apron to the
floor. After a break, Dragon Lee gave Gable a double-foot
stomp off the top but Gable gave him an overhead suplex into
the corner.


Dragon Lee superkicked Gable right in the face (as Gable was
upside down on the middle rope) and hit a corner dropkick
for two. They exchanged forearms until Dragon Lee hit a
German suplex. Gable no sold it and hit a German suplex of
his own. Dragon Lee no-sold that and they traded counters
until Gable hit consecutive German suplexes.

Dragon Lee came back with a Liger bomb for two. Gable
suplexed Dragon Lee off the top and hit a Cliffhanger DDT.
Gable tried a cover with his feet on the rope but Vega
knocked him off. Nile went after Vega and put her on a
dragon sleeper.

Rey Mysterio walked out to check on Vega. Gable tried to
attack him (and maybe remove his mask) but Dragon Lee hit
Operation Dragon (Destino) for the pinfall win.


(This was great. It sort of felt like they were told to do
whatever match they wanted. This is worth checking out if
you missed it.)

********

Gunther interview

Redmond interviewed Gunther (with Ludwig Kaiser) about his
loss to Cody Rhodes. Kaiser was pissed at the question but
Gunther calmed him down. Gunther said Rhodes didn’t get
lucky and wasn’t undeserving. That night, Rhodes was the
better man.

Redmond asked about the number one contender’s four-way.
Gunther said they were three very capable competitors—and
Dom. Rollins’ ability spoke for itself and Priest
represented another difficult challenge. There was also
Sheamus who Kaiser was supposed to take care of.

Gunther was still the champion and after losing on Saturday,
it was on him to do better. He looked at Kaiser and said
they both needed to do better. Kaiser didn’t look happy.

********

Priest entered first at 9:29 pm, they went to break, and the
match started at 9:41 pm. They went to break two minutes
into the match and returned at 9:47 pm. They wrestled for
just four minutes before going to break again.

Fatal four-way match: Damian Priest defeated Dominik
Mysterio, Sheamus and Seth Rollins to become number one
contender for the World Heavyweight Championship (17:40)

Dom tried to escape the other men but Sheamus caught him
with ten beats of the Bodhrán. Priest gladly watched this
transpire but Rollins caught him in a schoolboy for two.
Rollins wiped out Sheamus and Priest simultaneously with a
suicide dive and hit one on Dom.

Dom was actually in control after a break. During the break,
he shoved Rollins off the top to the outside and shoved
Sheamus into the ring steps. Dom hit Priest with a tornado
DDT for two. Dom talked trash as he punched Priest so Priest
fired up and hit strikes, a corner elbow and a flatline.

Sheamus gave backbreakers to Priest, Rollins and Dom. The
crowd chanted for Sheamus as he hit Dom with a diving knee
drop. Rollins broke up the cover and Priest clotheslined
him.

After another break (the second one within ten minutes),
Sheamus and Priest exchanged strikes until Sheamus hit White
Noise for two. Dom set up Sheamus for 619 but Sheamus hit
him with a powerslam. Sheamus went for a Brogue Kick but
Rollins knocked him out of the ring with a knee strike.
Rollins gave Dom a Pedigree but did not go for a cover.

Rollins set up for a curb stomp instead but his attention
turned to Bronson Reed who attacked Sheamus and Priest
outside the ring. Rollins went after Reed but Reed
clotheslined him and cleared the announce table. Priest and
Sheamus attacked Reed who rolled into the ring.

Reed fought off both men and gave out Death Valley Drivers.
Reed hit Tsunamis on both men (as Dom watched from the
outside). Reed then put Rollins through the announce table
with a Tsunami off the barricade.

Dom waited until Reed left to take advantage. He hit Sheamus
with a frog splash but Priest broke up the cover. Dom gave
Priest a 619 and went for a frog splash but Priest caught
him out of the air and hit a chokeslam for the pinfall win.

(Sheamus seemed to be the favourite but the crowd obviously
cheered when Priest pinned Dom.)

— Gunther was in the ring after replays and had a staredown
with Priest as the show ended.

• F4wonline