WWE RAW faced stiff competition from four other brands in 2019. Still, the red brand managed to stand its ground by delivering several solid storylines and quality matches. The year saw RAW, SmackDown, NXT, NXT UK, and 205 Live deliver some of the finest in-ring action in the business.
From Johnny Gargano’s classic against Adam Cole on NXT to Chad Gable’s underrated banger against Baron Corbin, fans truly witnessed some of the best in-ring action in WWE.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the best matches of WWE RAW in 2019:
Finn Bálor, John Cena & Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley, Dean Ambrose & Drew McIntyre (WWE RAW – January 7, 2019)
Six of the best men in WWE came together inside the ring in this blockbuster RAW opener. Rollins and Ambrose were feuding with each other at the time because of the Lunatic Fringe’s shocking heel turn in October 2018.
Overall, this was a fast-paced match with plenty of action. The only drawback that came out of it was the duration. Rollins and Ambrose met again in a Falls Count Anywhere Match in the show’s main event.
Aleister Black vs. Buddy Murphy (December 30, 2019)
Aleister Black and Buddy Murphy aren’t strangers to each other. The pair had an excellent trilogy of matches at the tail-end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020. The best match, however, came on the final WWE RAW of 2019.
The pair brought their unique offense to the ring. The match featured plenty of reversals in the early goings before it started to pick up the pace. Murphy looked solid against the formidable Black. In the end, Black used the decisive Black Mass finisher for the win.
Cesaro vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE RAW – May 13, 2019)
Rey Mysterio had plenty of classics in 2019 and one of them came against Cesaro. The pair knew each other’s moves like the back of their hands. The iconic luchador tried to set up the Swiss Superman for a 619, but was caught in the Cesaro Swing.
He pulled off another reversal by countering the Swiss-19 into a Sunset Bomb. The match showed that Cesaro could adapt to any style. Rey, by the end of the night, was the ultimate underdog.
WWE named this match one of the 25 best matches from their catalog in 2019.
Baron Corbin vs. Chad Gable (September 16, 2019)
Baron Corbin’s main roster run undersold his incredible in-ring acumen and psychology. This was until he met Chad Gable in the King of the Ring final on WWE RAW in September 2019. The pair put on a great match at the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The nearly 20-minute match saw Gable display his technical prowess against the more aggressive yet opportunistic Corbin. The final transition into the End of the Days was brilliantly executed as well.
The Revival vs. Bobby Roode & Chad Gable (February 11, 2019)
Before he embarked on a solo run, Chad Gable had a decent run alongside Bobby Roode on RAW. The pair captured the WWE RAW Tag Team Championship on one occasion. They put their titles on the line against The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) on this episode of RAW.
The main event outing turned out to be the match of the night in an otherwise average episode of RAW. Dawson and Wilder brought their hard-hitting style to the canvas. Roode looked superb with his in-ring psychology, but the star of the night was arguably Chad Gable.
The title change helped bring the crowd to their feet in one of the best WWE RAW matches of 2019.
Honorable Mentions
- AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe (April 22, 2019)
- Cedric Alexander vs. Drew McIntyre (August 12, 2019)
- AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio (United States Title Match – November 25, 2019)
Also read: Best WWE RAW Matches Of 2020
