WWE Raw results, recap, grades: Alexa Bliss and Bayley punch tickets to No. 1 contender's match

Bliss and Bayley won triple threat matches to lock down a spot in next week's No. 1 contender match

On Monday night, WWE began to set up the build to some big title matches by putting on a pair of No. 1 contender matches for next week's Raw. That build included six of the top women on the Raw roster competing for a shot at Bianca Belair and the Raw women's championship.

Two triple threat matches took place on Raw with the two winners being set to face off next Monday. Bayley and Alexa Bliss both emerged victorious in their matches, though Bliss got a little help from Bayley's friends from Damage CTRL to take Becky Lynch out of the equation.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.

No. 1 contender match for the Raw women's title set

Bayley def. Asuka & Rhea Ripley in a triple threat match after pinning Asuka. Before the first match, Becky Lynch confronted Bayley, saying she hoped Bayley would win so that they could go one-on-one next week. Bayley managed to score the win, resulting in a furious Ripley attacking Asuka after the match, hitting her with a Riptide before storming off.

Alexa Bliss def. Becky Lynch & Nikki Cross in a triple threat match after pinning Cross. Lynch seemed to have the match in hand after hitting Cross with a Manhandle Slam on the ring apron. Before Lynch could score the pin, however, IYO SKY and Dakota Kai ran in and attacked her. The Damage CTRL members eventually put Lynch through the announce table with a double powerbomb. With Cross still down in the ring, Bliss hit Twisted Bliss to score the win and set up a match with Bayley next week.

With no December pay-per-view event, WWE is leaning into setting up big matches to take place on TV. That includes two matches to determine title shots next week with Bayley vs. Bliss and Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley (as outlined below). This is a smart way to make the month not feel like a throwaway and to continue building momentum until the start of the build for the Royal Rumble. Grade: B+

What else happened on WWE Raw?

• Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship – The Usos (c) def. Matt Riddle & Kevin Owens via pinfall after a 1D on Riddle. The match was advertised as The Usos vs. Riddle and Elias but Solo Sikoa took out Elias before the show, leaving Riddle to announce Owens as his surprise partner. After the match, The Bloodline attacked Riddle before Owens ran off The Usos and Sami Zayn with a chair. Sikoa was still in the ring with Riddle, however, and brutalized the UFC veteran before a hip smash with a chair wrapped around Riddle's head.
• Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley brawled after confronting each other in the ring. It was announced that Lashley and Rollins would compete in a No. 1 contender match for the United States championship next week. Rollins came to the ring and called Lashley out, at which point Rollins claimed Lashley hasn't been the same since losing to Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel, then saying Lashley is afraid of Lesnar. This led Lashley to attack and the two to brawl until separated by WWE officials. Lashley then accidentally speared an official while trying to get back at Rollins.
• United States Championship – Austin Theory (c) def. Mustafa Ali via disqualification after Dolph Ziggler ran in and attacked Theory. Ali was furious with Ziggler after the match, with the two arguing until Theory returned to take out both men.
• The O.C. def. Alpha Academy & Baron Corbin via pinfall after hitting Chad Gable with a Magic Killer. The match came about after a dispute during JBL's "high-stakes invitational poker tournament." Dexter Lumis won the poker tournament.
• Dominik Mysterio def. Akira Tozawa via pinfall after a frog splash. This was another match that came about due to a dispute at the poker tournament.