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Happy New Year’s night, everyone! WWE Raw is live tonight from American Airlines Arena in Miami.
Here’s a quick preview video to get you ready for the show:
Tonight’s show will mark the return of WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar as well as a Cruiserweight title bout with Enzo Amore defending the belt against Cedric Alexander and an Intercontinental Championship match between the champ Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe with the stipulation Reigns will lose the title if he’s disqualified. This is also the first Raw since the stunning tag team championship victory by the new team of Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan.
THIS JUST IN! Within the past hour, WWE announced a match between Raw Women’s Champ Alexa Bliss and Asuka.
We open backstage and RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Blissis trying to talk RAW General Manager Kurt Angle out of her match with Asuka tonight. Angle refuses and says Bliss can settle her problems with Asuka in the ring tonight. Angle’s music starts up and he walks off.
Kurt Angle hits the ring. He welcomes us. Angle talks about how 2017 was one of the best years of his career and says 2018 will be even greater. Angle talks about the Royal Rumble pay-per-view and how John Cenahas announced himself for the men’s Rumble match. Some fans boo. Angle plugs the women’s Rumble match and the crowd pops. Angle says fans are wondering about the rules for that match and after talking with Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahonand Daniel Bryan, they decided that the women’s match will be just like the men’s match as far as rules go. There will be 30 women in the match as well. Angle says he expects RAW to win both Rumble matches and go on to main event WrestleMania 34. As far as tonight, he has planned… the music interrupts and out comes The Bar.
Sheamus asks him to forget about the Royal Rumble for a second because he wants to talk about the travesty that occurred last week when they were robbed of their tag titles. He gave a one-time team a title match? Cesaro says they can’t stand favoritism and it wasn’t bad enough that he gifted his son a chance at the titles with Seth Rollins as his partner but what he did after was just too much.
This cues a video clip of the finish to the match and the hug Angle gave his biological son Jason Jordan after his victory. Sheamus says seeing that makes him sick to his stomach and Cesaro says Jordan didn’t deserve a title shot and so they want their rematch tonight. Kurt says they’ll get their rematch when he says so and of course the Bar raise a fuss–
Enter Jason Jordan. He takes issue with the idea that he didn’t deserve a shot since he won the titles and all. He says his dad doesn’t understand the first thing about favoritism and his shot was based on his track record, not his DNA, and he and Seth earned the tag titles. Furthermore, if Cesaro keeps running his refurbished mouth he’s gonna earn another trip to the dentist.
This gets Kurt on about settling differences in the ring and he makes Cesaro vs. Jordan for right now!
Seth Rollins makes his entrance before the match can begin, however, and he says they may be champs but he has a lot to learn about being a teammate. Lesson one, you see the pale Irish idiot with the stupid mohawk? Jason didn’t even think about being outnumbered. What good does it do for them as a team if he gets jumped? You don’t have to like your partner, but you do have to be professional and worry about what’s good for him.
He tells Jordan he needs to stop being so self-absorbed. He came out here to brag to his dad and that meant that Rollins had to come down and defend what they’ve earned, so Seth’ll be in his corner but as far as he sees it he’s only here to watch him lose. As if to put the exclamation point on it, Cesaro blindsides Jordan as Rollins leaves the ring! Seth gives Jason some advice and we go to break before the match begins.
Cesaro vs. Jason Jordan
Back from the break and the match is underway. Cesaro nails Jordan in the corner. They run the ropes and Jordan dropkicks Cesaro for a 2 count in the middle of the ring. Jordan with shoulder thrusts in the corner now. Cesaro fights out of the corner with uppercuts. Cesaro with more offense before taking Jordan to the mat and keeping him grounded.
Jordan gets up and out. Cesaro goes for a big uppercut off the ropes but it’s blocked. Jordan rams Cesaro from corner to corner to corner to corner. Sheamus gets on the apron and distracts Jordan, allowing Cesaro to send him into the corner and take his knee out with a chop block. We get a replay of the distraction. Cesaro goes to work on the leg now. Cesaro dropkicks the knees and slams Jordan’s knee over the apron. Cesaro comes back in and keeps Jordan down in the middle of the ring, continuing to focus on the knee.
Jordan fights back and ends up nailing a clothesline. Jordan sends Cesaro to the floor but Cesaro takes the leg out on the apron. Cesaro slams the knee into the apron again. The Bar celebrates on the floor while Jordan is down clutching his knee. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Cesaro continues beating Jordan around. Cesaro with a half-crab now. Jordan breaks free and kicks Cesaro away. Cesaro with an uppercut and another. Jordan slides out of a slam and manages to drop Cesaro but the knee is giving him trouble. Jordan mounts some offense now. Jordan with an overhead throw for a 2 count. Jordan with a thrust in the corner but Cesaro fights back. Jordan with bridging suplexes for a 2 count.
Rollins cheers Jordan on as he keeps control. Cesaro kicks the knee out and argues with the referee, allowing Sheamus to get a cheap shot in. Cesaro rolls Jordan up for a 2 count. Cesaro goes right into the half-crab again, turning it into a full crab. Jordan breaks the hold by grabbing the bottom rope. Cesaro shows some frustration now. Sheamus goes for another cheap shot but Rollins runs over and drops him. This leads to Jordan slamming Cesaro on his head for the pin.
WINNER: JASON JORDAN
After the match, Jordan celebrates and raises his title as his music plays. Rollins applauds from ringside. Jordan goes to ringside and celebrates but leaves Rollins with his arm hanging in the air. Rollins continues clapping but looks unsure about his partner.
Renee Young is backstage with WWE Intercontinental Champion Roman Reignsfor comments on tonight’s title defense and stipulation. Reigns says Samoa Joe got what he deserved last week as he’s ruined matches and he hurt Dean Ambrose. Reigns says Joe is not a good contender because he’s a punk. Reigns says this week won’t be any different, it’s going to be ugly and intense. Reigns says he will stay within the rules, he hopes. Reigns walks off.
We go to the ring and out comes Bray Wyatt. Back to commercial.
Back from commercial we get a promo from Sasha Banks about how her New Year’s resolution is to win the women’s Royal Rumble and go on to win the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania.
Apollo Crews vs. Bray Wyatt
Collar and elbow, Wyatt ramming Crews into the corner and breaking clean. Apollo ducks a lariat but gets put off by Bray bending all the way back out of the turnbuckles! Circling, Wyatt denies the lockup but gets caught with a side headlock, Bray breaks and throws hefty right hands, tossing Apollo to the apron after. He runs into a gamengiri, Crews with a slingshot sentont atomico and an elbow drop for one!
Back to the headlock, Wyatt shoots him off, he ducks a lariat but runs into a headbutt! Clubbing elbow to the back of the head, choking Crews over the ropes, drawing him back up for a forearm to the face, well in charge here as Titus O’Neil cheers him on. Apollo flips out of the corner, leapfrog, drop down, dropkick connects but it’s only good for one!
Arm wringer to a whip, Wyatt puts him up and over to the apron, Crews climbs but gets cut off with a right hand and Bray hits a rope-hung shoulder jawbreaker on him! Circling, stomp to the hand, Wyatt intimidating Titus Worldwide at ringside as we go to break.
Back from the break and Wyatt has Crews grounded in the middle of the ring. They fight up but Wyatt counters and launches himself at Crews for a 2 count. More back and forth until Crews makes a big comeback. Crews with a kip up and a pop. They end up on the floor as Titus cheers Crews on. They come back to the ring and Wyatt turns it back around with a big shot. Wyatt turns upside down in the corner and taunts Crews as he tries to get up. Dana gets on the apron and yells, cheering on Crews. This leads to Dana falling off the apron onto Titus as she’s terrified. Crews ends up going for an enziguri but Wyatt nails Sister Abigail for the win.
WINNER: BRAY WYATT
After the match, Wyatt stands tall as Crews and Titus check on Dana at ringside. “Woken” Matt Hardy suddenly appears on the big screen. Matt says he transformed Wyatt’s fireflies into his Woken Warriors last week. Matt goes on and says he will “delete!” Wyatt once Sister Abigail is no longer around. Matt laughs some more as he turns into several hundred images on the big screen.
Nia Jax is backstage with some chicken noodle soup, leaving the arena to go tend to WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore becausehe’s sick. Alexa Bliss stops her and talks about facing Asuka tonight. Nia says Enzo needs her but Bliss says it’s either her or Enzo. Nia says she has to leave because the soup is getting cold.
Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka
Back from the break and out comes RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss for this non-title match as JoJo does the introduction. We see video from last week’s in-ring segment with Bliss and Asuka. The Empress of Tomorrow is out next.
They lock up to start and we get a bit of back & forth, and some stalling. Bliss avoids spinning back fists and retreats to the ropes. They go to lock up again but Bliss goes behind. They trade holds now. Asuka ends up going for a kneebar but Bliss scrambles and gets free. Asuka counters a move and applies a side headlock. Asuka taunts Bliss as she retreats to the ropes once again. They run the ropes and Asuka drops Bliss with a shoulder. Asuka mocks Bliss some more.
They run the ropes again and Asuka hits the hip attack. Asuka with some more showing off as Bliss watches from the floor and shows frustration. Bliss looks to return to the ring a few times but we just get more stalling. Fans boo Bliss after she stalls on returning to the ring. The referee counts. Bliss finally returns to the ring but Asuka takes her down and kicks her in the back, then the face. Bliss with a cheap kick to the gut before rolling back to the floor for more stalling. Fans boo as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Bliss has Asuka grounded in a body scissors. Bliss keeps control and uses the steel ring post as the referee counts and warns her. Bliss comes back in and unloads on Asuka with punches while she’s down. Bliss with a 2 count. Asuka fights up for a 2 count. Bliss ducks a kick and rolls Asuka up for a pin attempt. Bliss comes right back with a backbreaker. Bliss mounts Asuka with more strikes. Bliss with big forearms and another 2 count.
Bliss with another body scissors on Asuka. More back and forth before Bliss unloads in the corner. Bliss ends up nailing a big slap. Asuka fires right back. Bliss with smacks and shoves as Asuka tells her to bring it. Asuka just takes it. Asuka with dropkicks. Asuka goes to the middle rope for a missile dropkick. Fans cheer for Asuka as she’s fired up now. Asuka with a hip attack in the corner. Asuka with more offense and another hip attack. More back and forth. Asuka with a 2 count.
Asuka gets sent out of the ring now. Asuka kicks Bliss in the head from the floor and comes right back into the ring. Asuka keeps control and drops Bliss into the armbar for the non-title submission win.
WINNER: ASUKA BY SUBMISSION
The announcers lead us to a video package on tonight’s Intercontinental Title match. Renee Young is backstage with Samoa Joe now. Joe talks about how he owns Reigns and how The Shield will never be champions together. Joe says Dean Ambrose is now a stay-at-home husband living off his wife’s paycheck. Renee doesn’t look happy. Joe gets fired up and says when he puts Reigns to sleep tonight and takes the title, Reigns will understand that it may be his yard but he lives in Joe’s world. Joe walks off and Renee stares at him.
Braun Strowman vs. Rhyno
We go to the ring and out comes Braun Strowman to a pop. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a video from Bayley, also confirming herself for the Rumble. Sasha was confirmed earlier. Bayleysays she will hug her way to WrestleMania 34. Back to the ring and out comes Rhyno with Heath Slater.
They lock up and Braun sends Rhyno away with shoves. Braun keeps control but Slater keeps getting on the apron to cheer Rhyno on and offer advice. Braun leaves the ring and takes the mic. He calls Slater a cheerleader and says he has two options – stay on the floor and shut up or get in the ring and take these hands like his partner. Fans pop for Braun as he returns to the ring. Slater looks like he may want to get involved. Rhyno takes advantage of the distraction and attacks from behind but it does nothing. Slater comes in for the double team now.
Braun fights both men off. Braun nails running splashes on both in the corners. Braun scoops Rhyno and hits the running powerslam for the win.
WINNER: BRAUN STROWMAN
After the match, fans chant “one more time” as Braun stands over Rhyno. Slater comes in and brawls with Braun but gets dominated. Braun with a running powerslam to Slater. Fans want more and Braun delivers, planting Rhyno in the middle of the ring again before his music hits. Braun scoops Slater again and drops him before standing tall. It looks like the segment is over but Braun grabs Rhyno for one more powerslam. Fans go wild as Braun turns his attention to Slater again. Braun drives Slater into the mat once again and stands tall as his music starts back up.
We see Roman Reigns backstage getting ready.Seth Rollins walks in, bringing up Joe’s comments from earlier. Reigns isn’t worried about Joe and says there’s one thing you don’t do in this world – mess with their brother. Rollins just doesn’t want to see Reigns get disqualified tonight so they can continue being champions together. Jason Jordan walks in and acknowledges their recent issues but promises to take out The Bar if they try to interfere tonight. Jordan tosses a “believe that!” at Reigns before walking off, leaving Reigns looking confused and Rollins with a smirk on his face. Back to commercial.
Back from commercial, Braun is walking backstage when he runs into Kane. Kane puts his hands up in the universal sign of “I don’t want trouble” and says as strange as it is for him, he just wants to talk about Brock Lesnar. He’s never wrestled him but Strowman has, and they’re the alpha monsters of WWE. Together they can tame the Beast and he has a plan, it just takes being on the same page.
Braun says he doesn’t care about Kane or his plan, he’s the only alpha monster around here, and when he takes Brock down, he’ll do it on his own terms. Kane backs away.
Kurt Angle is on the phone talking with somebody about the women’s rumble and says one thing’s for sure, history WILL be made, when Finn Balor rolls up. He wanted to tell Angle in person that he’s the first Universal Champion and never got his rematch, so if it means going through 29 other guys he will, and he enters himself into the Royal Rumble.
Angle says he’s sure Finn will represent Raw well but he’s sure he had something else on his mind, namely a six-man against Miztourage and Elias. Balor introduces his partners… the Club! He’s been with them and against them, and if it wasn’t them, who would it be? A couple of nerds, that’s who.
Samoa Joe makes his entrance, he’ll wrestle Roman Reigns for the Intercontinental Championship after the break.
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe
Joe right in, ducks a lariat and throws jabs, backing Reigns into the ropes! Overhead elbow in the corner, knee to the midsection, more jabs, and referee John Cone warns him to back off. Big slicing rights from the champion, boots of his own in the corner and again Cone has to maintain the peace. Right hands, pulling him out of the corner, but they end up in the next one and again the ref backs them off.
Samoa with a back suplex, the cover nearly does it then and there! Elbows, a snap suplex, and the Big Dog heads to the floor for a breather and to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Joe is in control but Reigns gets to his feet and breaks with elbows. Off the ropes, run over with a back elbow, Samoa gets two on the cover and continues to stick on with a variety of strikes. Suplex denied, Roman reverses to one of his own, but Joe sidesteps the charge and the champion’s shoulder takes the post hard! Overhand chops to the back of the neck, a top wristlock follows, really wrenching it in and keeping the Big Dog grounded.
To his feet, out with right hands, a big slicing right and a lariat, another lariat, whip reversed into a short-arm punch and Joe hits the corner elbow / enzuigiri combo for a nearfall! Choking him over the middle rope, elbows in the corner, and a hammer whip follows, shaking the ring! Jab on the mat, rising to his feet, another hammer whip, jawing at the champion.
Snapmare, into a kneeling half Japanese stranglehold, Reigns flags and fades but doesn’t fail, eventually posting to his feet and throwing body blows. Joe with another hard whip but Roman comes back hard with a leaping lariat to get himself some breathing room! Corner lariats ensue, leaving Samoa stumbling and open for the Mafia kick! Joe falls to the floor and Reigns follows around… DRIVE-BY!
Back inside, the cover gets two, right hands in the corner, referee John Cone backs him off again and Joe puts him on the apron, a body avalanche sends Roman to the floor… SUICIDE ELBOW! Cone counts… THEY BEAT THE COUNT! And so we go to break once again.
Back from the break and Joe ends up striking Reigns as Reigns tells him to bring it. Reigns catches Joe in a Samoan Drop for a close 2 count. Reigns looks to build momentum but Joe retreats to the floor. Joe turns it around on the floor and slams Reigns into the steel ring steps. Joe works Reigns over on the floor. Reigns counters and sends Joe into the steps now.
The referee checks on Joe at ringside and returns to the ring to count. Reigns grabs half of the steel steps but the referee comes back out to warn him. Joe decks Reigns with a punch. Reigns runs off the steel steps and nails him. Reigns brings it back into the ring and hits a Superman Punch for a very close 2 count. Reigns can’t believe it. Reigns gets hyped up and goes for the Spear but Joe kicks him. Reigns counters the Uranage and the referee gets knocked down but it was Joe’s fault.
The referee calls for the bell but Reigns begs him. Joe tries to take advantage and they tangle. Joe with the Uranage but Reigns kicks out just in time. Joe argues with the referee about how Reigns should have been disqualified. We get a replay of the referee bump. Reigns with a big right hand. Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch but it’s broken. Reigns fires right back with a spear for the pin.
WINNER: ROMAN REIGNS RETAINS IC BELT
We see Kurt Angle backstage watching Reigns’ celebration. Paul Heyman appears. Heyman says there’s a conspiracy going on under Angle’s watch. Heyman says just so they’re on the same page, if Kane and Braun gang up on his client, his client will be proactive and not reactive as 2018 shall be The Year of The Beast. Back to commercial.
Back from commercial, Paige and Absolution get some promo time to issue a warning for the Royal Rumble, saying that they’re the only three women in the match that will matter.
Commentary hypes up tomorrow night’s 205 Live by promising us Hideo Itami vs. Jack Gallagher.
Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari are in the ring. Gulak introduces himself and says he’s been sent to deliver a very important message straight from the cruiserweight champion, Enzo Amore. Drew begins reading the note, and it’s Enzo’s usual schtick but of course he puts his straight-laced spin on it. Amore says he’s not doing so great and has the flu, therefore he won’t be defending the title tonight.
Enzo’s note promises that he would have wiped the floor with Cedric Alexander and in fact wishes he was here to tell him what he thinks of him, and of course this brings Cedric out. He says he came here expecting a title match and for competition, but since Enzo is “sick”, which one of them will be stepping up in his place? Drew and Ariya have a huddle and talk it over.
Gulak says they’d happily oblige, but in a tag team match. Daivari says it’ll be the two of them against Alexander and anyone who walks down that ramp, but they both know he doesn’t have a lot of friends around here, so good luck on somebody coming down. It’s Goldust! He gets in the ring and says he has some friends in low places but none lower than Gulak and Daivari.
He offers his friendship and Alexander gladly takes it! We have a match!
Cedric Alexander & Goldust vs. Zo Train (Ariya Daivari & Drew Gulak)
Daivari and Alexander to start, Ariya gets a wristlock but Cedric reverses to an arm wringer. Whip reversed, roll through, backflip Frankensteiner to a dropkick and kip-up! Daivari puts Alexander into the turnbuckles face-first before grabbing a rear chinlock. Cedric gets out, gets a back elbow for separation… tags made! Goldust ducks a lariat, throws one of his own, whipped but he gets a bulldog headlock and punches to Gulak’s face!
Bulldog follows out of the corner, he knocks Ariya to the floor and beats on Drew in the corner! Whip, snap scoop powerslam, Manhattan Drop on Daivari, Goldy heads up top… TURNING CROSSBODY TAKES THE ZO TRAIN OUT! Tag to Alexander, he comes in with a diving double lariat, Gulak whips Goldust off, gets caught by the sliding slap, Cedric is ready and hits a Lumbar Check on Gulak for the victory.
WINNERS: CEDRIC ALEXANDER & GOLDUST
The Club is walking backstage to send us to break.
Elias, Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel vs. Finn Balor, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson
Back from the break and Elias is in the ring with a spotlight and his guitar. He talks about how WWE is his after what he did to John Cena last week. He goes on about winning the Royal Rumble and introduces his band mates for tonight, The Miztourage. They dedicate the song to The Miz, who will be returning next week. Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas start singing as Elias plays and it’s horrible. Elias takes over but he’s interrupted by Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Finn Balor is out next. They pose together in the ring with a “too sweet” as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Axel works over Balor. Elias tags in and unloads on Finn. Elias dominates Balor and covers for a 2 count. Elias keeps Balor grounded and talks some trash while working on his arm. Balor finally gets in a double stomp to turn it around. Gallows tags in and unloads on Dallas as he also tags in. Gallows with a big boot and a running splash in the corner. Gallows turns Dallas inside out with a big boot. Gallows runs the ropes and nails a splash in the corner.
Axel runs in but Gallows drops him and sends him to the floor. Gallows runs the ropes and hits a splash for a 2 count. Elias breaks it up. Anderson takes care of Elias and runs him into the ring post. Gallows goes back to work on Dallas. The finish sees Anderson tag in for a Magic Killer on Dallas. Balor tags in and hits a Coup de Grace on Dallas while Anderson leaps out onto Axel on the floor. Balor pins Dallas for the win.
WINNERS: FINN BALOR, LUKE GALLOWS & KARL ANDERSON
We go to the ring and out comes WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar for tonight’s main event segment. Paul Heyman is right behind him.
Lesnar hits the ring as Cole shows us the earlier backstage segment with Kane and Braun Strowman, Lesnar’s Royal Rumble opponents. Heyman does a quick introduction and goes in about a conspiracy against Lesnar’s reign, bringing up how he has to defend against multiple challengers. Heyman goes on and has a spoiler – Lesnar will successfully defend the title at the Royal Rumble. Heyman goes on about Lesnar’s dominance and says he fears no challenge, he fears no challenger, he fears no challengers, he does not believe in monsters and he highly doubts Kane is the devil’s favorite because Heyman has had a one-on-one with the guy down below and his favorite is the reigning, undisputed, WWE Universal Champion. Heyman gets fired up and drops the mic. They go to leave the ring but the pyro hits and out comes Kane.
Lesnar steps back from the apron and watches from the middle of the ring as Kane enters. They face off and stare each other down for a second. Lesnar goes at Kane but Kane grabs him by the throat and chokeslams him in the middle of the ring. Kane leaves the ring but Lesnar sits up just like Kane would. Lesnar laughs and clotheslines Kane to the floor. The whole locker room is out at ringside now trying to break up a brawl that never really gets going. They all came down before the brawl started as Kurt Angle watches from the ramp. More officials are down to break it up now. Lesnar smiles as Kane is led to the back by the roster. Lesnar raises the title at ringside and smiles as his music hits. The first RAW of 2018 goes off the air with Lesnar raising the title at ringside.