WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome in Tropicana Field. It was announced earlier today that WWE Champion Drew McIntyre tested positive for COVID-19. McIntyre addressed his diagnosis during tonight’s broadcast.
RAW Results (1/11)
- Lacey Evans def. Charlotte Flair
- Jaxson Ryker def. Jeff Hardy
- Jeff Hardy def. Elias
- Keith Lee & Sheamus def. The Miz & John Morrison
- Keith Lee def. Sheamus
- T-Bar def. Xavier Woods
- Lashley def. Riddle via submission to retain the US Title
- Riddle def. MVP via DQ
- AJ Styles def. Drew Gulak
- Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
- Triple H vs. Randy Orton ended in a no contest
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Randy Orton Challenged Triple H
WWE COO Triple H kicked off this week’s episode of RAW. Randy Orton immediately interrupted and said that the office decided to show up because Drew McIntyre couldn’t. Orton got in the ring and suggested that Triple H hand him the WWE Championship.
Triple H told Orton to win the Royal Rumble if he wants the WWE Championship. Triple H said that he wasn’t afraid of Orton and it has been impressive watching Randy over the past year. He added that he watched Orton burn The Fiend and claimed that he doesn’t know if he was ever more proud of him than in that moment.
Triple H got in Orton’s face and said he doesn’t understand him kicking legends in the head or humiliating them in front of the world. He said that Orton is not a legend, but is nothing but a no good prick.
Orton asked Triple H if The Game was still in there and suggested a good old fashioned fight tonight in the ring. Triple H declined and told Orton that there was no benefit in it for him. Randy said that Triple H must not have been able to retrieve his balls from Stephanie McMahon’s purse. Triple H punched Orton in the face and Randy laughed. Orton said “I guess that means yes” to end the segment.
Triple H later accepted the challenge for a fight in a backstage promo. Triple H accepted the challenge on the behalf of every legend that Orton has disrespected and paved the way for them.
Ric Flair Cost Charlotte The Match
Charlotte Flair squared off against Lacey Evans in the first match of the night. Before the match, Lacey Evans dedicated the bout to Ric Flair. Flair and Evans locked up in the middle of the ring to begin the action. Charlotte rolled up Evans for a one count and followed it up with a slam.
Charlotte connected with a flurry of chops that knocked Lacey to the canvas. Flair hit a knee to the face and went for the cover but Evans was able to kick out at two. Charlotte went for the Figure Four but Evans reached the bottom rope. Lacey rolled out of the ring and Ric Flair’s music hit.
Ric made his way down the entrance ramp and stood ringside as Lacey beat Charlotte down in the corner of the ring. Charlotte battled back and hit a slam. Charlotte stared at her father before booting Evans in the face. Flair connected with a Clothesline and then an Exploder Suplex. Charlotte hit the Natural Selection and went to cover Lacey but Ric Flair put Evans’ foot on the rope. Ric Flair then tripped up Charlotte and Evans pinned her.
Jeff Hardy def. Elias
Jeff Hardy faced Jaxson Ryker tonight on RAW and Elias joined commentary for the match. Ryker slammed Jeff’s face into the top rope several times as Elias explained that he injured his thumb playing guitar and that is why he couldn’t compete tonight. Jeff took control the match and Elias hopped up for a distraction. Jaxson Ryker capitalized and rolled up Jeff for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Jeff Hardy challenged Elias to a match and he accepted as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Elias was in control and dominated the first few minutes of the match. Jeff eventually battled back and planted Elias with the Twist of Fate. Hardy followed it up with the Swanton Bomb for the pinfall victory.
Keith Lee & Sheamus Picked Up A Win
Sheamus and Keith Lee teamed up to face The Miz & John Morrison to begin the 2nd hour of this week’s RAW. Sheamus and Morrison started off the match. Morrison tackled Sheamus to the mat but the Celtic Warrior got right up and tagged in Keith Lee. Keith slammed Morrison the canvas and went for the cover but John kicked out at two.
The Miz tagged in and walked into an elbow to the face from Keith Lee. Keith knocked Miz out of the ring and launched Morrison on top of him. Sheamus tagged in and hit a double Clothesline off the apron. Back in the ring, Keith and Morrison tagged back in and battled in the corner. Lee hit a massive Splash and the turnbuckle popped off as RAW went to a commercial break.
Sheamus sent Miz into the turnbuckle and knocked Morrison off the apron. Miz caught Sheamus with a DDT and went for the cover but Sheamus kicked out at one. The Miz and Morrison isolated Sheamus in the corner and took turns beating him down. Sheamus tried to get to the corner to tag out but Morrison dragged him back to the middle of the ring and applied a Headlock.
The Miz tagged in and applied a Headlock of his own. Sheamus escaped and planted Miz with the Irish Curse Backbreaker. Keith Lee and Morrison tagged in and Keith hit a series of shoulder tackles. Keith hit Miz and Morrison with a Splash and then planted John with a massive Powerslam.
Keith hit Miz with Grizzly Magnum before tossing him out of the ring. Morrison hit Lee with a Pele Kick and went for a Crossbody but Keith swatted him away. Sheamus tagged himself in and hit Morrison with the Brogue Kick for the pinfall victory.
Keith Lee def. Sheamus
Keith Lee and Sheamus apparently started arguing during the commercial break and it led to a match between them. Keith knocked Sheamus to the apron and hit him with a headbutt. Keith followed it up with several chops but Sheamus battled back with a Dropkick.
Sheamus controlled the action for the next few minutes and brought Keith to the canvas with a submission hold. Keith escaped and the two superstars battled on the turnbuckle. Sheamus connected with a Flying Clothesline and then a knee to the face for a two count. Sheamus locked in another submission hold but Keith countered into a Powerbomb. Keith Lee followed it up with the Spirit Bomb for the pinfall victory.
Drew McIntyre Accepted Goldberg’s Challenge
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre to Goldberg’s challenge for a title match at Royal Rumble tonight. McIntyre said it was a dream scenario last week to defend his title in front of all the legends last week. Drew added that he didn’t get a chance to thank them because Goldberg interrupted.
McIntyre said he was a little bit star struck when Goldberg made his way to the ring. Drew stated “never meet your heroes because they will let you down” and that Goldberg let him down. McIntyre claimed Goldberg only challenged him because he has never been able to capture the WWE Championship in his career. McIntyre vowed to teach Goldberg a lesson of respect at Royal Rumble.
T-Bar Dominated Xavier Woods
Xavier Woods faced T-Bar tonight on RAW. RETRIBUTION was ringside for the match. T-Bar controlled the action early and absolutely leveled Woods with a Clothesline for a two count. Woods booted T-Bar in the face and followed it up with some chops to his chest. Xavier climbed to the top rope and connected with a Dropkick that knocked T-Bar out of the ring. RETRIBUTION distracted Woods and T-Bar capitalized by slamming Xavier into the top rope. T-Bar then hit a GTS for the pinfall victory.
Lashley Tapped Out Riddle
Bobby Lashley defended the United States Championship against Riddle to begin the 3rd hour of RAW. MVP was ringside for the match. Lashley attacked Riddle before the bell rang and beat him down in the corner of the ring. Lashley hit Riddle with a Clothesline and then the match officially began.
Riddle was busted open at the mouth and Lashley sent him flying out of the ring. Riddle shoved Lashley into the ring post and rolled back in the ring. Riddle hit Lashley with a knee to the face and followed it up with the Floating Bro outside the ring. Back in the ring, Riddle went for a Crossbody but Lashley caught him with a slam. Lashley then quickly applied the Hurt Lock and Riddle tapped out. Lashley is still the United States Champion. After the match, Riddle challenged MVP to a match and MVP accepted.
MVP wrestled in a suit and hit Riddle with a knee to the face to start off the action. MVP followed it up with the Ballin’ Elbow for a two count. Riddle hit MVP with some jabs to the midsection and followed it up with a kick to the back of the head. Riddle hti MVP with an elbow to the face and then a knee strike. Riddle booted Lashley in the face and climbed to the top rope. Riddle hit the Floating Bro but Lashley got into the ring and hit Riddle with a Spear to end the match in a DQ. MVP and Lashley beat Riddle down to end the segment.
AJ Styles def. Drew Gulak
Drew Gulak faced AJ Styles tonight on RAW. If Drew Gulak won the match, he would be allowed to enter the Royal Rumble. Gulak dominated the action early and hit a Tiger Driver for a two count. Drew went for a Superplex but AJ was able to escape. Styles connected with a Pele Kick and both superstars fell to the canvas.
Styles threw Gulak out of the ring and Omos stood next to Drew and stared at him. AJ brought Gulak back into the ring and hit the Phenomenal Forearm for the pinfall victory.
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler Picked Up A Win
Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke faced Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler tonight. Mandy Rose and Shayna locked up to start off the action. Rose booted Shayna away and tagged in Dana Brooke. Dana applied a Headlock but Shayna escaped and tagged in Nia. Jax leveled Dana with a shoulder tackle and then launched her across the ring.
Dana connected with a Jawbreaker and Shayna tagged in. Dana sent Shayna to the apron and tagged in Mandy Rose. Mandy leveled Shayna with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Flapjack. Mandy hit Shayna with a knee to the face and went for the cover but Nia dragged her out of the ring. Jax tagged in and planted Mandy with a Samoan Drop.
Dana Brooke broke up the cover and turned around into a Backbreaker from Baszler. Shayna tagged herself in and locked in the Kirifuda Clutch on Mandy for the submission victory.
Alexa Bliss Shot A Fireball At Orton
Triple H faced Randy Orton in a fight in this week’s main event. Orton got into the ring and Triple H greeted him with a punch to the face. Orton booted Triple H in the head and followed it up with an uppercut. Triple H rolled out of the ring to regroup and Orton followed him out there.
Triple H sent Orton into the steel steps but Randy responded with a poke to the eye. Orton tried to slam Triple H onto the announce table but The Game blocked it. Triple H then slammed Orton on top of the table and rolled him back into the ring. Triple H grabbed the sledgehammer from under the ring and slowly made his way up the steel steps.
The lights in the arena began to go out as Triple H brought the sledgehammer into the ring. Triple H raised the sledgehammer and it was on fire all of the sudden. The lights went completely out and Triple H was gone. A slowed down version of the Firefly Fun House theme played and Alexa Bliss appeared in the corner. Alexa shot a fireball into Randy’s eyes and Orton stumbled around the ring to end the show.
Opinion: Alexa Bliss shooting a fireball was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but laugh. This storyline has been one of the only entertaining parts of RAW and that was no different tonight. Triple H returning to the ring for a few minutes couldn’t save this episode of RAW. I was looking forward to the US Championship match only to see Lashley beat Riddle with ease. There were several filler matches on this show and I’m just hoping RAW can somehow get better next week.