SmackDown and Shane McMahon invade Raw on Monday night
By Sam Pettit
Last Updated: 24/10/17 4:31pm
Team SmackDown spectacularly placed Raw under siege on Monday night, making the first move ahead of Survivor Series.
It was a sensational finale to an evening where six huge matches were booked for the event on Sunday, November 19, which will be live on Sky Sports Box Office.
After laying waste to the Raw locker-room, the SmackDown superstars marched Raw GM Kurt Angle to the ring to face their Commissioner Shane McMahon, who delivered an emphatic message: at Survivor Series, the Blue brand would finish what they started.
Earlier in the evening and less than 24 hours after a brutal battle at TLC, Angle was suited up and back to business, sanctioning three champion vs champion matches for November 19.
First, Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss will go up against SmackDown champ Natalya. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose will represent Team Raw against Team Blue's tag team champions The Usos. And Raw's Intercontinental Champion The Miz meets Smackdown's United States Champion Baron Corbin.
Angle also announced there would be two traditional Raw v SmackDown five-on-five elimination matches in the men's division and women's division. It was during this address that the Olympic gold medallist made an offhand comment that SmackDown's locker-room was thin, a remark he would later regret.
Another big champion v champion bout was booked, as WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar accepted the challenge of WWE Champion Jinder Mahal.
Brock arrived on Raw along with his advocate Paul Heyman, who mocked Mahal and claimed he was not worthy of being beaten, victimised and conquered by The Beast. But if Mahal was ready to step over brands line to face Lesnar, he would get his wish.
Angle gave The Miz, Sheamus and Cesaro the chance to avenge their loss to Kurt and The Shield at TLC. This time, though, Angle chose not to don the black alongside Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, instead making a surprise substitution in the form of SmackDown Live's AJ Styles.
And it didn't take long for Rollins, Ambrose and Styles to get on the same wavelength. AJ proved the difference maker, hitting Cesaro with the Phenomenal Forearm to earn the win.
The celebrations would be short-lived, though, as Kane arrived on the scene to instigate a five-on-three beat down.
The night wasn't over for Kane just yet either. After disposing of Braun Strowman at TLC, The Big Red Machine demanded fresh competition. His call was answered by Finn Balor.
The Irish high-flyer was quickly made to regret the decision, as Kane delivered three choke slams to pin the former Universal Champion.
Emma was another with the chance for revenge, stepping into the ring with Raw debutant Asuka less than 24 hours after her loss to the Empress of Tomorrow at TLC. But despite a valiant effort, Emma was forced to tap out to the Asuka Lock once more.
Raw has its first captain at Survivor Series as Alicia Fox upset the odds in a triple-threat match with Bayley and Sasha Banks. Seemingly out of the equation following an early Bayley-to-Belly, Miss Fox returned to steal the win after throwing Sasha into Bayley and pinning The Huggable One.
Fresh from successfully defending the WWE Raw Women's Championship at TLC, Alexa Bliss came to the ring to gloat.
Her smile soon turned sour as the WWE Universe directed their praise toward her TLC opponent Mickie James. And after Alexa demanded the WWE Universe showed her some respect, James came to the ring and delivered a DDT to Little Miss Bliss.
Kalisto got some measure of revenge on Enzo Amore following their clash at TLC in a five-on-five Cruiserweight elimination match.
Teaming up with Cedric Alexander, Rich Swann, Mustafa Ali and Gran Metalik, Kalisto ended the contest with a Salida del Sol on Amore to build momentum heading into his title rematch on Tuesday night's 205 Live.
Will Kurt Angle and the Raw Superstars respond? The action continues on Tuesday night with SmackDown from 1am on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Main Event
