5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE Raw (18 Dec - Results & Review)

3. A Surprisingly Good Second Act

Who could have predicted that the Miz would step up and deliver an enjoyable Intercontinental Championship match after his disappointing first go at it?

Miz faced Gunther for the title in a pedestrian title match at Survivor Series, leaving no one anticipating a rematch on Raw Monday night.

But the two found a better avenue for their battle, with Gunther injuring his hand chopping the ring post, allowing Miz to repeatedly attack the wounded wing, leveling the playing field a bit. The injured hand prevented Gunther from chopping without consequence and allowed Miz to escape a couple of submission holds, staying in the fight.

While no one was predicting that Miz would be the one to end the Ring General’s record reign, he still picked up a couple of near-falls that sucked fans in. It wasn’t a classic, but it was a much better effort than their PLE match.

The best part? This was Miz’s last shot at Gunther for the title, so they end on a high note rather than chasing the dragon again and again. Granted, this still would have been better if Gunther had just powerbombed Miz through the mat and squashed him, but this worked okay.