Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here to give you the live play-by-play of tonight’s action! It’s WWE Raw, the last of the decade!
Kevin Owens opens the show and promises to kick off the New Year with some fireworks. He shows the footage of Seth Rollins and the AOP attacking him, talks about being hospitalized twice in a month. Says it’s fine, he’ll keep getting his ass beat because eventually he’ll take one of them idiots down with him! But they’ve also attacked people that he respects and looks up to, like Rey Mysterio. Says that it made him sick to watch the three of them gang up on a legend like him and see Rollins stomp his head through that stage. But the worst part is Seth and AOP’s actions last week are why Rey lost the US title to Andrade at MSG a few days later. We see footage of that happening as well.
Owens keeps calling Seth and AOP out until finally they emerge. Rollins says that Owens still fails to see the big picture. This isn’t something he’s chosen, it’s something that was forced upon him by Kevin and people like him who think they know best. This is him sacrificing himself for the greater good, to be the leader, to be the messiah, to take this industry into the next decade. Kevin has left him no choice but to impose his will… if he resists, the AOP will enforce his will. Owens shrugs and rushes from the ring to attack AOP only to quickly be overcome and taken into the ring. They batter him in the corner as Rollins demands they teach him a lesson.
The beatdown continues until Samoa Joe’s music hits! He runs down, in full gear, Akam and Rezar run down but get taken out with kicks! Joe stares Rollins down… rushes into the ring, locks Seth in the Coquina Clutch! AOP back into the ring to break up the hold and batter Joe, but Owens enters the ring with a chair to take it to the big men! Rollins stops him however, and the brawl continues until security hits the ring to break everyone up! Joe breaks free long enough to get shots in on Rollins who has to bail! Rollins and the AOP are being contained on the outside, Owens goes up top, big senton takes out dozens of men! Commercial break interrupts the fight.
Backstage, Joe and Owens make it clear that Rollins and AOP will never be safe again.
Aleister Black vs. Buddy Murphy
Both struggle to land a big hit early, Murphy taunts Black by mimicking his cross-legged pose. Black takes Murphy down and sends the message right back. Snap suplex, cover for 1. Black with a front chancery. Takes him up, roundhouse kick to the chest! Pummels him in the corner, clean break, Murphy takes advantage with a shoulder thrust but gets snapmare’d, Basement Shotgun Dropkick for a nearfall! Black takes Murphy to the corner, another roundhouse. Murphy dodges a shot and sends Black away, goes up top, Black with a pumping kick to the jaw from the second rope! Hooks him for a Superplex, Murphy fights out, wants the Sunset Flip Bomb, Black blocks, Murphy goes for Cheeky Nandos but Black kicks him away, however Murphy trips Black and he goes facefirst onto the post, playing up on Black breaking his nose back at TLC! Commercial break.
We come back to see the two of them slugging it out on the apron, until Black hits a Push Kick that takes Murphy to the post, brutal! Murphy falls to the floor where Black gets him with an Asai Moonsault! Takes him into the ring, series of roundhouse kicks, Springboard Moonsault for a nearfall! Black grabbing the leg of Murphy, his left knee seems to have been tweaked, but Murphy kicks Black away, to the outside. Takes a moment to tend to his knee. Murphy wants to drag Black back in but eats another roundhouse kick, this one to the shoulder! Black climbs up onto the apron, Murphy is hung up in the ropes, vicious roundhouse to the head!
Black up top wants a double foot stomp, Murphy avoids it and Black has to roll through, drop toe hold takes Black headfirst into the second buckle, roll-up, Murphy gets both legs all the way to the top rope for leverage but the ref spots it and stops the count! Murphy takes Black outside, huuuuuge tope, but Murphy lands on that bum knee! Throws Black inside, goes up top, Meteora but he comes down on his bad knees! This delays the cover, nearfall! “This Is Awesome” chant, don’t hear that quite this loud on Raw very often. Murphy stomps at the arm of Black. Goes up top, Black cuts him off but gets punched away. Black leaps up for a superplex but Murphy throws him away, Sunset Flip, roll through, Deadlift Sit-Out Powerbomb for a nearfall!
Murphy wants the Black Mass mocking setup, but Black stops it with a leg breaker! Thrust kick quells Black’s comeback though! Murphy wants the Kamigoye but Black stops it, Black fights back, combos traded, Spinning Heel Kick from Black, Pump Knee from Murphy, Brainbuster from Black! Both men laid out, standing ovation! They’re both worn out, slowly fighting to their feet… Murphy with a jumping knee! Hooks for a Murphy’s Law but Black escapes into a Victory Roll, kickout, Sudden Black Mass! Before Murphy can fall, Black catches him with his boot… gets the crowd going as he takes him slowly to his feet, another vicious Black Mass gets the win!
Winner: Aleister Black
That absolutely rocked, I can watch that any day.
Erick Rowan vs. Kip Stevens
This is the same Kip they used to make knocks on Billy Gunn last month. The match starts and Kip sneaks under the ring. He slips from the other side, glances at the cage but turns around in time to eat a big running knee from Rowan. Inverted Back Suplex drives him facefirst into the apron! Rowan pats the cage, then enters the ring, big clothesline in the corner, body slam, running splash! Rowan pulls him up to prevent the three count. Takes him up, Iron Claw! That is that!
Winner: Erick Rowan
Charlotte Flair makes her way out. Announces her entry in the Women’s Royal Rumble. But of course everyone knew she’d be in the Rumble, so why come out here and state the obvious? She could come out here and talk about why she’s the 10 time women’s champion and main evented WrestleMania, the first woman to ever main event a PPV… she’s getting big woo’s for everything she says. Says she’s the first woman to announce her entry in the Rumble, the first male or female to do so… this is very much a time filling promo, but she finally caps it off by making an open challenge.
Natayla comes out. Commercial break.
Natalya vs. Charlotte Flair
Charlotte with a side headlock takeover, Flair strut to a big pop. Nattie gets her in a wrist lock, Charlotte wants a floatover from the corner, taken to the apron, but knocks Nattie away. Nattie with her snapmare, tries her trampling dropkick but Charlotte puts a stop to it with a trip. Wants a suplex but Nattie reverses, Discus Clothesline for a nearfall! Slams her face into the mat. Natalya trying for the Romero Special. And there it is, Surfboard locked in, Charlotte is way up there! Charlotte escapes, getting her arms away and showing awesome balance as she remains air-borne via the legs! She makes her way out all the same and gets a big shot to the face of Nattie in. Driving her into every turnbuckle now. Working over the leg in the middle rope.
She wants a draping double knee to the leg, but Natalya avoids it, takes Charlotte outside, snap suplex onto the floor! Throws Charlotte back into the ring, cover for 1! Nattie demands the crowd shut up and hits a snap suplex, running kick to the stomach! Charlotte with a forearm on her way up, leads to an exchange. Nattie takes Charlotte to the corner, getting some blows in, ref forces a break, Nattie charges, Charlotte leaps over the charge and is now hooking Nattie’s legs! Cloverleaf-like maneuver as Charlotte stands on the second rope! Very unique but very illegal, ref counts and Charlotte has to break. Damage is done though as Natalya crumples to the floor.
Aaaand 24/7 crew time, tons of people chasing R-Truth. Eric Young enters the ring just to eat a big boot from Charlotte. R-Truth chased out of the arena. Commercial break. Charlotte takes Natalya up top as we come back, wants a superplex. Nattie shoves her to the mat, comes off the top with a crossbody for a nearfall! Brutal German Suplex from Natalya! Charlotte responds with an Exploder Suplex sending her flying! Charlotte looks mad, charging big boot in the corner but Nattie ducks, turns it into a big sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall! Natalya wants the Sharpshooter, but Charlotte kicks her away! The two claw at each other, kick to the face, Charlotte hits the ropes, big spear for a nearfall! Charlotte working over the leg again, wants the figure four but Natalya shoves her away. Charlotte breaks the Sharpshooter attempt after, very low to the mat Natural Selection for a nearfall. Charlotte with a moonsault attempt, Nattie with the boots up, Charlotte grabs the legs but Nattie with an inside cradle reversal for a nearfall, Charlotte kicks her in the face and locks in the Figure Four Leglock, turned into the Figure Eight. Nattie struggles for a while but eventually has to submit.
Winner: Charlotte Flair
Basic story, worked fine.
Afterwards, Becky Lynch backstage talking about how Asuka has accepted her challenge, and she officially announces that the match will be happening for the title at the 2020 Royal Rumble, a year after their first match. She notes that this match is happening because her contract was coming up and she wanted them to make this before they even began negotiations. Says being the golden goose means getting the golden handcuffs, doesn’t want to be protected or handed anything. Doesn’t know if she can beat Asuka, but she’ll die trying.
The OC emerge. Anderson says everyone said the Viking Raiders were unbeatable, but they’ve beaten them time and time again. Including at Crown Jewel, where they officially became recognized as the best tag team in the world. Gallows says when it comes time to see who’s next in line for the tag titles, it should be obvious. Street Profits interrupt. They say it’s true they beat the Viking Raiders and won the biggest tag team turmoil in WWE history. But what does that make them, when on their Monday Night Raw debut, they defeated Gallows and Anderson?
AJ claims that makes them lucky. Asks what they’ve done since. Tells him to stick to their cute little shticks backstage or else they’d get hurt. Dawkins says he’d feel threatened but this comes from three men named after a teen soap opera. They start to sing until Gallows demand they get into the ring so they can kick their asses. They accept!
Street Profits vs. The OC
Dawkins and Anderson start. Ford quickly tags in, several back flips, mocks Anderson who charges right into a deep arm drag! Arm wringer. Ford talks smack to AJ as he controls Anderson. Whip reversed, Ford with a standing dropkick for a nearfall. Tag to Dawkins, comes off the second rope with a double axe handle to the singled out arm of Anderson. Throws Dawkins to the ropes, leap frog, Dawkins with a shoulder block! Hits the ropes but AJ grabs his foot. Ref ejects AJ Styles! Commercial break.
We come back to see Gallows and Anderson work over Ford in a lengthy heat segment, Ford escapes to tag Dawkins who is a huge house of fire, spinning avalanche splashes aplenty. But eventually he too gets cut off, Gallows with a side slam for a nearfall. Tag to Anderson, they try for Magic Killer until Ford breaks it up. Standing dropkick to Gallows takes him to the floor, and he ducks a shot from Anderson to hit a tope on Gallows! Dawkins nails the Sky High on Anderson, tag to Ford, huge Frog Splash for the win!
Winners: The Street Profits
Solid match and win. Looks like the Profits will be involved in the tag title picture.
Afterwards we see the Street Profits backstage. Montez thinks they’re the best tag team in the world, perhaps even the universe! Dawkins instead notes that they may even be the best tag team in the multiverse and he attempts to explain what that is before just kinda freezing. Anyway they want the smoke.
Hawkins and Ryder come out for a handicap match with Drew McIntyre. Drew comes out with a mic, says technically this is supposed to be to his disadvantage but he doesn’t think so. Says with a show of hand, who thinks McIntyre should be worried tonight. Not a ton of hands raised. Asks who thinks the two guys he eviscerated last week should be extremely worried tonight. Lots of hands. Drew says the people have spoken, just like everyone who gets in the ring with Drew McIntyre: you’re screwed!
Weird segment.
Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder vs. Drew McIntyre
Hawkins and Ryder try to jump Drew but he takes Ryder out on the outside, in the ring, bell rings, McIntyre with a huge overhead belly to belly on Hawkins! Stalking for the Claymore! Gets the people counting down with a 3-2-1, big Claymore Kick! Ryder rushes into the ring and eats a Future Shock DDT! Kip-up, puts Ryder on Hawkins, pins both for the win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
There is absolutely no describing what McIntyre’s alignment in this segment was, but this was fun I guess. Drew did a decent job getting the crowd to go along with him, even as he mocked them.
Randy Orton emerges on crutches, seemingly unable to put a single bit of weight onto his bum knee. He needs assistance getting into the ring. He’s handed a microphone. Solid ovation as his music fades. Chant of his name. Orton says there’s a saying in this business that it ain’t ballet, which means accidents and injuries can happen, they happen all the time. Everyone who laces up a pair of boots is well aware of that fact. It kills him that he needed help to get into the ring in front of everyone. Another chant of “Randy”.
Says he’s seen people have to give up titles due to injury, one of the few people he respects in Edge had to give up his whole career due to injury. Says last night he screwed his leg up real bad and he didn’t know how bad until this morning when the doctors looked at the MRI. Explains that he’ll be out a very long time but the part that breaks his heart is there’s a good chance he won’t be able to come back. “No” chant. Says no matter what happens he’ll make sure that somebody gets RKO’d at WrestleMania. That is his promise. AJ Styles now interrupts him. Quite a bit of heat. Says the next time he gets to fight him in that ring is WrestleMania, maybe?
AJ enters the ring, chant of “RKO”. AJ says Randy looks mad. Of course he is. Asks what he’s gonna do? Is the Viper gonna strike? Mocks him. Does the “I’m not touching you” bit. Orton tells him not to do that again. AJ knows he’s not gonna do a damn thing about it. Isn’t it funny how fate bit Randy Orton before Randy Orton could bite fate, or him? Says he’s gonna give these people what they want. He’s gonna put his arms behind his back and let the Viper strike. Mocks him, putting one hand behind his back and then the next. Orton stares… AJ dares him. AJ closes his eyes. Randy not budging.
AJ seems amazed to see Randy really is hurt. AJ says at Mania he won’t just hurt him, he’ll put him in the Calf Crusher and retire him. Kicks a crutch out from under him! Orton is limping away, “AJ Sucks” chant. Orton gets on the mic and goads AJ to come back. Asks if he nows the big difference between the two of them? Randy says AJ is patient, but he’s not. Throws the crutch away and nails an RKO! Yeah, had to see that one coming. Pose on the middle rope.
Andrade out with his US title now.
Andrade vs. A Man (Non-title)
Andrade takes his opponent in the corner and gets some corner clotheslines in, vicious. The guy elbows his way out of the corner, hits the ropes, Andrade with a hard standing dropkick! Stomps him into the corner. Stands on his shoulders to choke him out. Meteora in the corner! Slowly puts his opponent into the Hammerlock DDT position but Zelina starts yelling, Andrade dumps the guy to the outside instead. Zelina and Andrade pull up one of the mats at ringside. Andrade takes the guy against the apron for a chop, breaks up the count, wants to kill on the exposed cement but Ricochet’s music hits and he rushes out to stop it!
Ricochet takes up a microphone and slips into the ring. He chastises Andrade for putting Humberto on the shelf and taking advantage of Rey Mysterio. Says if he wants a fight, fight him!
No Contest
Match just stopped with no bell, as they do in WWE. Looks like we’re replacing it with a way better one anyway.
WWE United States Champion Andrade vs. Ricochet (Non-title)
Ricochet with a hilo on Andrade in the ring! Shoulder thrust in the corner, Ricochet to the apron, knocks him away, springboard clothesline but Andrade gets him with a dropkick out of the air! Zelina once more is stripping the mat away to expose the concrete. Andrade batters Ricochet, locks him in a unique Double Chickenwing variant. Ricochet fights out, but a dropkick takes the legs out from under him. Andrade hooks him for a suplex, Ricochet escapes out of the back, hits the ropes, rana takes Andrade to the floor! Corkscrew Tope! Throws Andrade into the ring but he quickly bails, closer to where the exposed concrete is. Ricochet pursues, Andrade slams him into the barrier, drives him into the apron. Andrade pulls Ricochet over, Ricochet fights out with a forearm, charges, back body drop takes Ricochet onto the concrete! Commercial break.
We come back to see Andrade taking Ricochet into a side headlock. Ricochet fights out, flip kick, step-up enziguri! Hits the ropes, charging forearm! Wants the fireman’s carry, Andrade escapes, but a roll-through dropkick takes him out! Running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall! Zelina distracts Ricochet, tries for the Recoil but Andrade stops with a throat thrust. Exchange of forearms, Andrade with his feint kick into the spinning elbow absolutely DRILLS Ricochet! Yikes! Nearfall. Andrade wants the Hammerlock DDT, Ricochet cradles out of it, ducks another elbow, Spinning Suplex! Goes up top, Andrade distracts the ref as Zelina shoves Ricochet to the canvas, Andrade with a Hammerlock DDT for the win!
Winner: Andrade
Great little match, nice to see Andrade succeeding.
Presenter in the ring for this wedding. They have a fancy setup in the ring but all the seats are empty. Lashley makes his way out, he’s wearing a wedding jacket with no sleeves or undershirt to show off his muscles. Lana comes out next in her wedding dress with an extremely oversized veil.
After a commercial, the presenter welcomes us to this blessed day, holy matrimony and all that jazz. He starts talking about them having kids, Lana cuts him off and says she doesn’t want a monster child making her fat and giving her stretch marks and making her look like all the wannabe Lanas in the audience. Presenter asks if Lashley still wants to go through with this, he nods. “Rusev Day” chant. Lana yells that this is not about Rusev. We eventually get to the vows. Lana hollers “SHUT UP” at the audience and says this is her day and it’s all about her. Lana basically congratulates Lashley for bagging her. Says the greatest gift Lashley could give himself is her. “Rusev Day” chant gets louder. Lana yells Lana Day.
Lana repeatedly calls this the greatest moment of Lashley’s life and leaps on him to kiss him, saying she could make love to him right here. We then get to Lashley’s turn, and Lana says it took her forever to write what he’s about to read. Lana says he’s literally the luckiest man on this entire planet. He’s marrying the most successful woman’s competitor in WWE and being joined in holy matrimony to a woman no other woman could compare to. Agrees that it’s the greatest moment of his career, his life, his manhood. Thanks Lana for allowing him to marry her. They exchange rings, give the usual lines. ‘Til death do us part and whatnot. Lana trying to rush us through this because it’s 9:59, funny.
Presenter says this is the part he really dreads. If there as any man or woman with just cause as to why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace! Someone does in fact interrupt proceedings. He introduces himself as Lana’s first husband! They got married the day she turned 18! But then she left him for that son of a bitch Rusev! Lana yells at him to shut up and get out of here. He warns Lashley that she’ll dump him too because that’s what she does. Lashley chokeslams him. Another interrupter, a woman this time. It’s now Lashley’s first wife!
“Jerry” chant. She says they met when Bobby was in the military and it was so beautiful – Lana just nails her with the bouquet and takes her to the floor! For some unGodly reason the presenter has to say this again. And now another girl comes out to interrupt things. It’s Liv Morgan! Says the love of her life is right there, she wouldn’t have made is through this year if it wasn’t for their love. She never knew she could be herself until they met each other. Asks “How could you do this to me?” Lashley says he’s never crossed this woman in his entire life. Liv says no, no, no, no… big pop already. She’s not talking about Bobby. She’s talking about Lana!
Lana looks very uncomfortable. She slowly approaches as Liv pleads her case, Lana slaps her across the face. Catfight ensues. Security has to break it up and take Liv out of the ring. Presenter uncomfortably tries to finish the wedding, but then it’s revealed that the cake was a fake as Rusev pops out of it to attack Lashley! Throws him into the decoration! Machka Kick! Liv into the ring, slams Lana’s face into the actual part of the cake! Show ends.
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