Raw Deal - Raw recap for December 12, 2022

Before the next match, Becky Lynch attacks Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai before chasing them throw the crowd to the back. After Alexa Bliss makes her entrance, Bianca Belair shows up to watch the next match from ringside.

Alexa Bliss beats Bayley to become #1 contender for the WWE Raw Women's Championship after Bianca Belair rats Bayley out for removing a middle turnbuckle and catching a punch meant for Alexa Bliss but refusing not to hit Bayley. This allows Alexa to drop kick Bayley into the exposed turnbuckle to hit Twisted Bliss and get the win. After the match, Alexa goes for a hug with Bianca Belair, but goes for Sister Abigail after Bray Wyatt's butterfly symbol appears on the TitanTron. Alexa snaps out of it and awkwardly walks to the back.

In footage from earlier today, Byron Saxton interviews Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis). Gable says he can play Angle's game and that Angle is a dinosaur who cannot hang in the ring anymore and a fossil who must resort to parlor tricks. As The O.C. ("The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, "Michin" Mia Yim) show up laughing, Gable wants to see what is so funny. When AJ Styles says that Karl Anderson sent a video of what happened to Alpha Academy last week from Japan, Gable calls Styles a fossil and says people only talk about how good Styles used to be. AJ Styles takes this as a challenge and tells Gable to put on gear that doesn't smell like cottage cheese or Otis' beard, then Luke Gallows tells Alpha Academy they stink before calling them nerds.

We see a video package chronicling Austin Theory's current run as WWE United States Champion.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles beats Chad Gable.

Backstage, Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis decide what to do with the money they got from The Miz as well as the JBL Poker Invitational. Candice LeRae shows up and wishes them luck before her match, then says they have everything they need. Gargano has an idea.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Akira Tozawa and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford). Montez Ford says they came to Tozawa's aid after salt was poured into the wound after a tough loss. Tozawa interrupts them and says "We want the smoke" before drinking from his Solo cup and yelling. The Street Profits join in the yelling before the three of them head to the ring.

The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio) beats Akira Tozawa and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) in a six-man tag match.

Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis head to the merchandise table and buy virtually everything, then head to the ring to give the merchandise away. As they head to the ring, Lumis hands a teddy bear to a young boy. After the commercial break, Dexter Lumis and Johnny Gargano show up with merchandise. Gargano talksa bout all he is thankful as Lumis tosses free merchandise into the crowd. At one point, Johnny Gargano fires a T-Shirt deep into the crowd with a T-shirt gun, then The Miz shows up in disguise and takes his bag of money back only to run into WWE official Adam Pearce, who makes him return the money. The Miz gets in the ring and tells Lumis, Gargano and Pearce that this is his money. Lumis goes to get his axe, but Pearce stops Lumis and demands Miz give the money back, but Miz says he will do anything to get his money back, including winning a rematch with Lumis. After Gargano calls The Miz "Mike," much to Miz's chagrin, he tells Miz that Lumis is willing to have the rematch for the money next week if Pearce is okay with it, and that hte rematch will be a ladder match. Gargano then says that the winner must grab both bags of money to win the match, but The Miz mentions that he has no cash and that Maryse controls his bank accounts and gives him an allowance. Miz reluctantly throws the merchandise into the crowd.

Bayley briefly watches from the announce table for the next match.

Iyo Sky beats Candice LeRae.

It is announced that Matt Riddle has suffered damage to his trachea during his last appearance on Raw.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Kevin Owens, who says Solo Sikoa is a very dangerous man, then Elias shows up. He says that The Bloodline took Sami from Owens and that they took Matt Riddle from him and that he wants Owens in his corner. Owens brings up the whole ordeal with Ezekiel from earlier in the year and how Elias hit in the head with a guitar afterwards, but Elias says he needs Owens. Owens is flabbergasted.

Before the next match, Elias honors Matt Riddle for his unmatched love for his music as well as his talent as a professional wrestler before saying that Riddle knew the universal truth that WWE stands for "Walk With Elias." He says that it was Riddle's dream to perform with him in this ring, then admits that Riddle won him over as he looks back at the bongos that Riddle carried. He then unrolls a piece of paper with lyrics Riddle wanted to perform. Elias puts Riddle's lyrics to music, but when he goes into the guitar solo, Solo Sikoa makes his way to the ring.

Solo Sikoa beats Elias. After the match, Solo Sikoa attacks Elias again at the behest of Sami Zayn, then Sami holds Elias up so Solo can hit Elias in the throat with the Samoan Spike. When Elias puts his hand on Owens' shoulder, Owens also hits him with a Stunner.

We see a video package of the history of Tribute To The Troops' twenty-year history narrated by John Cena.

We see pictures of The Miz posing with fans while dressed as an elf.

Rhea Ripley beats Asuka following the distraction from Dominik Mysterio putting Rhea's foot on the bottom rope to break the Asuka Lock, which leads to Asuka spitting blue mist into Dominik's face. This distraction allows Rhea Ripley to hit the Riptide for the win.

Backstage, Dominik Mysterio gets treated for the blue mist in the trainer's room.

Backstage, we hear from Dolph Ziggler, who says that the WWE United States Championship is more than a workhorse title and that Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley are going to war for a chance at a great championship. He says Austin Theory has gone far in a short time, but he is only a champion on paper and snaps when people call him "a kid." He says that he must put the title over his shoulder and put in the work, and that his arrogance will be his downfall.

We see a video package for Bobby Lashley.

We see more pictures of The Miz posing with fans while dressed as an elf.

Seth "Freakin'" Rollins beats Bobby Lashley to become #1 contender for the WWE United States Championship. During the match, Rollins nearly runs Lashley into the referee as he tries to escape the Hurt Lock, and the ref sprains his ankle as he gets out of the ring. Lashley hits the Spear on Rollins afterwards, but cannot get the three-count due to the referee taking slightly longer to get into the ring to count the pinfall due to the sprained ankle. Lashley argues with the referee, then goes for another Spear only for Rollins to counter with the Pedigree for the pin and the win. After the match, Lashley confronts the ref, and when another referee gets in the ring, Lashley inadvertently hits him. WWE official Adam Pearce confronts Lashley, and when Lashley grabs him and shoves him, Pearce responds by firing Lashley. (The firing would be rescinded by Pearce on social media the following night in a statement in which he apologizes for his own actions yet also states that the situtation will not be taken lightly.)

This week on Raw Talk: The O.C. ("The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, "Michin" Mia Yim)! Austin Theory! The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio)!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!