The January 23rd edition of WWE RAW was the final episode before the 2017 Royal Rumble on 1/29. RAW took place at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH.
– RAW opens up with Roman Reigns coming out to the ring. Reigns cuts a promo with the shark cage in the ring, and he quickly gets interrupted by Univeral Champion Kevin Owens and U.S. Champion Chris Jericho. Jericho gets a huge pop from the crowd when he calls Reigns a stupid idiot. Reigns demands a rematch for the U.S. Title tonight. Owens accepts on behalf of Jericho, and says that tonight Reigns will be the one locked in the shark cage. Reigns says he’ll win the U.S. Title tonight, and the Universal Title on Sunday.
– Luke Gallows def. Cesaro: After some back and forth action in the opening moments, Gallows drops Cesaro with a big boot to take control of the match. Cesaro comes back after reversing a vertical suplex, and he hits a series of European uppercuts. Cesaro follows up with a Tornado DDT for a two count. Cesaro gets Gallows in the Sharpshooter, but at ringside Anderson dropkicks Sheamus and then distracts the ref on the apron. Gallows comes behind Cesaro with a big boot and a facebuster for the win. Gallows is busted open under his eye.
– Backstage, Mick Foley has Stephanie McMahon on speakerphone. Sami Zayn walks in and asks about the Royal Rumble. Stephanie tells him he’ll have to beat Seth Rollins tonight to earn his spot in the Rumble.
– Mick Foley approaches Seth Rollins to inform him that Stephanie booked him in a match against Sami Zayn tonight.
– Sami Zayn def. Seth Rollins: Seth Rollins takes control of the match after the first couple minutes with a suicide dive on Zayn outside. Back in the ring, Zayn comes back with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Zayn follows up with a Michinoku Driver for another two. Rollins ducks a splash from the top and comes back with a Blockbuster off the middle rope for a two count. Rollins hits a Falcon Arrow for another two count. He knees Zayn in the face then goes for a Pedigree, but Zayn gets out and hits a tornado DDT. They go to the top rope and Zayn hits a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count. Rollins climbs out to the apron and Zayn follows. Rollins hits a pedigree on the corner of the apron and rolls Zayn back in the ring. Before Rollins can pin, Triple H’s music hits. The distraction leads to Zayn rolling up Rollins for the win.
– Backstage, Seth Rollins chews out Mick Foley for Triple H’s music playing during his match. Foley says he doesn’t know anything about it, and Rollins says he knows Stephanie was behind it.
– Jack Gallagher, TJ Perkins, & Mustafa Ali def. Ariya Daivari, Tony Nese & Drew Gulak: Gulak goes to work on Perkins then tags in Nese. Nese hits some kicks and knees then locks Perkins in a leg-scissors across the torso. Ali tags in and hits a running hurricanrana then a series of kicks. Ali hits a running neckbreaker and pins, but the aprons clear and all six men brawl. The dust settles and Ali hits a reverse 450 splash for the win.
– Titus O’Neal, Braun Strowman, Jinder Mahal, & Rusev def. Kofi Kingston, Big E, Enzo & Cass: After some competitive action in the opening minutes, Cass drops Jinder with a big boot and then hits he Bada Boom with Enzo. Titus breaks up the pin, then Big E comes in and drops Titus with a belly to belly suplex. Rusev drops Big E, then Cass sends Rusev to the outside with a big boot. Kofi hits a suicide dive on the heels outside, while in the ring Enzo hits a boot to the head of Mahal. Strowman tags in and hits a couple strikes, but Strowman quickly drops him with a running powerslam for the win. As Strowman is celebrating, The Big Show comes out. Big Show gets in the ring and there’s a stare-down. Strowman backs down and heads up the ramp.
– Chris Jericho (c) vs. Roman Reigns: Jericho’s U.S. Title is on the line in this one and Owens is at ringside. After some competitive brawling in the opening minutes, Reigns sets up for a Superman punch. Jericho blocks it with a dropkick, then goes for a Codebreaker. Reigns blocks the Codebreaker and hits a powerbomb on Jericho for a two count. Reigns follows up with a Superman punch, then Kevin Owens interferes and beats down Reigns. Owens and Jericho put Reigns in the cage, but Reigns fights out and puts Owens in it instead. Reigns locks the door with Owens inside, then he Superman punches Jericho.
– Back from commercial, Jericho helps Owens out of the shark cage. An interviewer approaches them and informs them that Mick Foley has made Owen’s Title Match against Reigns at Royal Rumble a No DQ match.
– Nia Jax def. Miss Lynn: Nia gets the win in a very short squash match against a jobber. After the match, Nia cuts a promo saying she dedicated her win to Sasha Banks. Sasha’s music hits and she comes out. Sasha hits the thing and knocks Nia outside, then hits the flying double knees off the apron onto Nia.
– Rich Swann def. Noam Dar: Alicia Fox is at ringside with Dar. Dar tries to use Alicia Fox as a shield at ringside, but he still gets a boot to the face from Swann. Back in the ring, Swann continues with a series of kicks. Dar hits an elbow and goes to the top rope, but Swann tosses him off with a hurricanrana. Swanna follows up with a kick to the face for the win. Swann calls out Neville after the match and he comes out. Neville gets in the ring, but then apparently has a change of heart and he climbs back out to ringside. Swann hits a suicide dive on Neville to the outside. Swann tries to bring Neville into the ring, but Neville rolls away and retreats up the ramp.
– Cedric Alexander is doing an interview backstage, then Noam Dar and Alicia Fox interrupt. Cedric shoves down Noam, and Alicia says he’s just jealous.
– Goldberg emerges from his dressing room and he’s out next. Goldberg is bleeding from his head as he steps into the ring. Goldberg trips over his words a couple times, but eventually he gets it right and begins discussing the Royal Rumble match on Sunday. With blood running down his face, he says he will stop at nothing to obtain the WWE Universal Championship. Paul Heyman interrupts and introduces Brock Lesnar. Heyman explains to Goldberg that he will be beaten and conquered on Sunday at the Rumble. Goldberg interrupts and asks if Lesnar is going to come down to the ring and get it on, or is he going to “sit there like a dumbass.” Lesnar walks down to ringside, and hops up on the apron then gets in the ring. They stare each other down, then The Undertaker’s music hits. The lights go out, and when they come back on, The Undertaker is standing between Lesnar and Goldbreg in the ring. The lights all turn blue, and RAW goes off the air as the three of them stare each other down.