WWE Raw results, grades: Heartbreak as Liv Morgan challenges Becky Lynch in blockbuster main event

Liv Morgan came so close to winning the gold (Picture: WWE)

WWE fans were left heartbroken as Liv Morgan came close to winning the Raw Women’s Championship.

The rising star found herself stood across the ring from Becky Lynch in the main event of Raw, 17 years to the day that Lita and Trish Stratus became the first women to headline the red brand.

The bout was build masterfully, with The Man cutting a great promo backstage as she insisted Monday’s bout was everything for her challenger, but she saw it as just another match.

WWE even aired a special video package before the showdown, and the viewers at home felt something special in the air.

This is an opportunity fans have been wanting for Liv for a long time, as she finally got the chance to flaunt her skills in a big way.

She didn’t disappoint, which both women working well to deliver something worthy of the main event to top off a surprisingly good episode of Raw.

In the end, Lynch stole the win as she pinned Morgan while holding the rope, robbing her challenger – and the fans – of a moment they were desperately craving.

Honestly, tonight seemed like proof the audience is ready for Liv to win the top prize, and a rematch at Day 1 with a different result would be a very smart move on WWE’s part.

Bianca Belair faces Doudrop, Austin Theory attacks Finn Balor and Omos disappoints AJ Styles

Raw kicked off with some quickfire backstage promos from Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens and Big E before the latter two met in a huge opening match.

The Steel Cage bout was a fantastic way to kick off the show as two of the best went all-out in a big way, and even the Drip King’s interference – which kept both his Day 1 opponents trapped inside a little longer – made sense.

In the end, a Big Ending from the middle rope left KO down for Big E to escape the cage, only for Rollins to go on the attack.

Kevin Owens and Big E delivered a fantastic Steel Cage match (Picture: WWE)

All three men were then laid out by Bobby Lashley, and it’s clear the All Mighty still has some plans for the WWE Championship picture.

Queen Zelina trash talked Nikki A.S.H. on her way to the ring, and backed it up as she pinned the Almost a Superhero with Code Red after a good albeit brief match.

Riddle and Randy Orton wore WWE-branded blazers and became roving reporters as the RK-Bro-nament kicked off to find their new Number One Contenders.

Omos and AJ Styles seem to be on a collision course (Picture: WWE)

Up first, The Street Profits beat AJ Styles and Omos when the latter accidentally got himself counted out, which led to tension between the giant and the Phenomenal One, who didn’t seem to enjoy Riddle’s antics as a correspondent.

Robert Roode answered Damian Priest’s Open Challenge for the United States Title and put on a great display before the inevitable win for the champ, who got laid out by Dolph Ziggler to surely set up next week’s clash.

Doudrop attacked Bianca Belair before their match as both stars delivered here, with the EST of WWE steadily becoming a very consistent performer.

Bianca Belair couldn’t hit the KOD on Doudrop (Picture: WWE)

In the end, Belair struggled to hit the KOD, and Doudrop left the ring to take the count out loss.

Miz TV featured Edge as a guest this week, as the A-Lister and Rated R Superstar traded verbal jabs and showed off their charisma, benefitting from the depth their lengthy career gives them.

There was some great stuff here with both men looking to relive their glory days but having very different approaches, with Edge eventually accepting Miz’s challenge to a bout at Day 1.

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The RK-Bro-nament first round continued as Dominik Mysterio pinned Chad Gable in a brief match, with neither Rey nor Otis getting to tag in.

After the bell, Riddle tried to interview Alpha Academy about the loss, but Otis took him out in a funny moment.

Finally, Austin Theory had been told to impress Vince McMahon and did just that as he laid out Finn Balor after the latter’s win over T-Bar in a decent but unremarkable match.

*WWE Raw airs Monday nights at 1am on BT Sport 1.

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