Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here for another live recap of WWE Monday Night Raw, the first of the year!
Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman open the show. Heyman surprises folks by opening up with “Happy New Year to you too, bitches!” Gives the usual intro from there and then says that Brock Lesnar makes history. His client wants to know who is going to challenge him at the WWE Royal Rumble. Heyman asked him who he thinks is worthy of stepping into the ring with the single greatest fighter in sports entertainment history and his answer was nobody, nobody on Raw, SmackDown or NXT. Warns people not to boo Brock Lesnar, not when he’s about to do something unprecedented. Teases Lesnar being in a dream match at the Royal Rumble.
Says every single solitary challenger that wants Lesnar in the Rumble can have him… because the official announcement is that his client Brock Lesnar will be entering the Royal Rumble match! Wow I didn’t expect this… Heyman even says that he’s entering the Rumble match first! Warns that anyone who enters the ring must face Lesnar, and while he’ll be entering first, he’ll be standing in the ring last! And then Heyman gives the line, that’s not just a prediction, that is a spoiler.
Backstage, Rey Mysterio says that Andrade is a great superstar but is not fit to represent Latinos. So he promises to defeat him here tonight.
WWE United States Championship: Andrade (c) vs. Rey Mysterio
As the two of them battle it out, we get a chant of “Lucha Libre” which is absolutely bizarre to hear on WWE Monday Night Raw of all things. A rana on the apron is countered all the way to the floor where ultimately Andrade gets sent into the steps! Back from commercial, Rey counters a top rope sunset flip with a basement dropkick! Exchange of shots, Rey wins out, irish whip reversed, Rey with a hurricarana takes him over! Charge, taken to the apron, WWE Headkick from Rey, West Coast Pop! Springboard Moonsault gets caught but Rey turns tit into a Tornado DDT! Nearfall!
“619” chant as Rey goes up top but Andrade cuts him off, gets him in the Tree of Woe over the apron! Andrade stands atop the post for a double foot stomp but Rey avoids it and Andrade ends up stomping the apron, hurting himself on the way to the floor! Mysterio with suicida sunset flip for some reason but Andrade rolls through into a Meteora! Andrade with a hilo for a nearfall! Andrade hooks Rey, three amigos begins to some heat. Rey turns the third one into an inside cradle though for a nearfall! Trip takes Andrade to the second rope, going for the 619, Andrade escapes though, spinning back elbow for a nearfall! Rey with a crazy Canadian Destroyer, cover, Zelina puts the leg on the bottom rope, ref counts three anyway!
Rey’s music hits but it’s clear we’re getting a restart here after Zelina shows the ref that the foot was on the rope.
Bell rings again and we’re running this back after the commercial! WWE Monday Night Raw is back, Andrade with a whip to the corner, charging high knee but Rey evades and Andrade sends himself to the floor! Mysterio runs off the apron for a Headscissor taking Andrade right into the barrier! Back into the ring, another rana with a bridge gets the nearfall! Back on the apron, Andrade with a chop, Rey answers with a dropkick! Sunset flip takes Andrade right into the post, brutal! “This Is Awesome” chant. Rey takes Andrade into the ring, springboard legdrop to the back of the head! Nearfall! Mysterio off the second rope for a wheelbarrow of some sort but Andrade counters into a Wheelbarrow Facebuster! Pummels Rey into the corner. Wants a Meteora.
Rey evades, springboard rana takes Andrade to the second rope, 619 nailed! But Andrade bails before the splash, Zelina helps him walk… Rey off the apron with a west coast pop, but Andrade throws him backwards – right into Vega, wiping her out! Rey is shocked, Andrade throws Rey into the steps! Back into the ring Andrade wants the Hammerlock DDT… but the ref stops him, apparently Rey’s shoulder is hurt here. Rey slips outside to check on Zelina. Rey seems to be talking to Andrade about why he isn’t doing the same, crawls back into the ring and Andrade gets him quick, Hammerlock DDT for the win!
Winner: Andrade
Afterwards Andrade helps Zelina up, rolls into the ring to rip off Rey’s mask!
Backstage, Joe and Owens being interviewed. Owens admits that what Seth’s said about them is true. They don’t play well with others, but the circumstances have brought them together. The enemy of their enemy is their friend. Joe puts a simple proposal out there, Rollins & AOP, the three of them versus the three of us. Joe’s got a guy. Owens asks who and Joe says he shouldn’t worry about it – Rollins and AOP should. Sounds like a WWE Monday Night Raw main event to me.
And in a different part of backstage, we have Seth Rollins and AOP where Rollins again claims the fans made him what he is, the chosen one. Sacrificed everything to be a messiah.
Now, the official spokesmen of WWE Monday Night Raw emerge as the Street Profits make their way out.
Ford and Dawkins mock the OC’s hand signs. They say that they will not be ‘kliqing’ here tonight.
After a commercial break, the match begins!
WWE Raw Tag Team Championships: The Viking Raiders (c) vs. The OC vs. The Street Profits
Erik starts out with Anderson, quick tag to Ivar who gets in a big knee to the face. More quick tags for the Viking Raiders, Ivar takes down Anderson but Dawkins tags himself in, gets in Ivar’s face as he forces him to leave. Tag to Ford, Dawkins whips Anderson to Ford for a dropkick! Ivar tags back in, confronts Ford. Montez wants an arm drag but Ivar blocks it by simply standing his group. Ford with a roll over the back of Ivar, Ivar returns it, cartwheel exchange! Stand-off. Crowd rises until the OC comes in to attack both men, they drag Ivar to their corner, Gallows tags in.
Takes Ford into the corner for body shots, big uppercut to the face. Gallows with a mighty suplex, driving elbows to Ford’s head. Anderson tags in, Back Suplex/Neckbreaker combo for a nearfall. Dawkins gets taken off the apron, Ford with an enziguri and now he has to try and tag in the Viking Raiders.
Gallows tags in, Ford escapes a back suplex, lunging tag to Erik!
Erik pummels Gallows, exploder suplex! Dawkins rushes in and eats another! Anderson runs in, Inverted Hip Toss to a knee lift! Buisaku Knee to Gallows! Ivar tags in, body slam, Erik bodyslams Ivar onto Anderson! Tag back to Erik, who drives Ivar into Gallows in the corner! Cover broken up, Ivar with a suicide dive to Anderson and Dawkins! Erik wants one on Gallows but he blocks it, throws him into the barrier! Commercial break. WWE Monday Night Raw returns with The OC pummeling Erik in the corner with a double team, Anderson hooks in a side headlock, Erik fights back, exchange of blows and uppercuts. Quick tags and isolation. Crowd chants “We Want The Smoke”, good way to root the tag on.
But the tag is made to Ivar instead and he is a house of fire running through the OC, however a seated senton in the corner is evaded, Dawkins blind tags his way in! Takes down both Vikings, bulldog to Erik! Tag to Ford, Dawkins gets a pinebuster on Erik, Ford hits the Frog Splash – right after Anderson blind tags his way in! He shoves Ford away and covers but Ivar breaks up the pin! Ford with a tope con hilo to take out Gallows and Dawkins, Anderson with a big uppercut to Erik, but Ivar blind tags in, Erik with a throw-down powerbomb, Ivar with a frog splash for the win!
Winners: The Viking Raiders
Another title retained. Good match!
Joe shows Owens who his partner is backstage and he’s excited about it.
Becky Lynch makes her way out, admitting that she’s been wondering what kind of champion she is. She let the doubters get to her and made the higher ups give Asuka a title defense. Now, she’s wondering if that wasn’t the smartest thing to do. Asks herself if she should perhaps be content with the history she’s already made. Maybe she should take the advice of people backstage who are (air-quotes) “just looking out for her”. Maybe she should avoid the one person she can’t seem to beat. Video recap of all the times Asuka has defeated Becky, dating back to last year’s Royal Rumble.
Becky is about to continue her promo, but out comes Asuka onto the stage! She talks all the crap in the world in Japanese coming down the ramp! Asuka gets in the ring and cockily dances around Becky, quite literally. Starts to talk smack to her face but Becky with a single right hand just drops her! Becky makes her leave as Asuka throws a fit in the ring.
We come back to WWE Monday Night Raw. Backstage, Mojo Rawley asks Erick Rowan for a peek inside the cage.
He slowly lifts the tarp and peeks inside… he jumps back, hollering in sheer terror, asking Rowan what is wrong with him!
In a different part of backstage, Andrade has a promo. But an unmasked Rey – filmed only from behind – jumps him and beats him down! Grabs his mask and puts it back on before unloading with more stomps, security leads him away.
Erick Rowan vs. EJ Orso
Rowan grabs the guy before the bell rings, yells at him, “You want to look at it don’t you?!” Pulls him outside of the ring, wants to make him look but Orso escapes his grasp, goes into the ring and tells him to enter as well! Bell rings, Rowan nails him with a spinning heel kick. Iron Claw slam and that’s that.
Winner: Erick Rowan
Rowan pulls him out afterwards and forces the jobber to look at what’s in the cage… he starts hollering and as he comes up, his face is covered in some kind of red substance? He rushes up the ramp, shrieking in terror and pain.
AJ Styles vs. Akira Tozawa
AJ takes it to Tozawa and basically annihilates him immediately. Could easily hit the Styles Clash and win but he decides to instead send a message to Randy Orton. He hits a Draping DDT, and then follows up with an RKO.
Winner: AJ Styles
Afterwards there’s a very awkward moment where it seems like a fan jumped into the ring or something, camera accidentally shows security dudes holding someone down. Commentary went silent and we immediately cut to commercial.
When WWE Monday Night Raw returns, Bobby Lashley and Lana make their way out, after some delay. They’re pretty serious as they emerge, and the wedding official is in the ring. Apparently he was the guy who was actually trying to get into the ring before the commercial. Lana says for everyone that didn’t want them to get married last week that is too damned bad. Says they are going to get married right here and now. Officiant says by the emergency power vested in him by the great state of Oklahoma, he pronounces them husband and wife. They kiss and make it official.
Lana rips the mic away from him and tells the official that he’s boring. Says she should be so happy, should be the happiest day of her life. But she feels extremely sad and it has nothing to do with her. It’s not her fault, or her Bobby’s fault, it’s every single person that did not want to see this ring on her finger. Says all of their exes are at fault for making her sad and frustrated. Says everyone is so jealous of their lives and they should be ashamed. Lashley says the most miserable of them all is her sorry excuse for an ex-husband. Calls out Rusev for ruining the best day of their life so the idiots can have a laugh, and hide the fact that he wasn’t man enough to keep his own wife.
Suddenly we see Rusev in a Hawaiian vest on the tron, in front of a blatant green screened beach.
Rusev congratulates them, Mr. and Mrs. Bob. Says since they didn’t go on their honeymoon he’s doing it instead. Put together a mocking touching tribute to what a disaster their wedding was. Rusev acts all choked up about it. “Rusev Day” chant. Lashley starts to respond but Lana cuts him off to yell how much she hates him, until Lashley tells her to shut up. Bobby says Rusev used to be a man but it appears that his ex-wife stripped him of his manhood. If he has any balls left, show up next week on Raw so he can rip them off and shove them down his throat. Rusev says no! It’s not going to happen, because next week will be the return of the Bulgarian Brute! He will brutalize every portion of his body and if there’s anything left, it’s all yours, Lana.
Backstage, R-Truth is interviewed and it’s noted how he set a record for most championship wins in WWE history thanks to his bazillion 24/7 title victories. Liv Morgan also shows up. She overheard how Rusev is facing Bobby Lashley next week. Which means Lana will be in Lashley’s corner… Rusev will need someone in his corner and that’s a moment she lives for.
Charlotte Flair vs. Sarah Logan
Sarah Logan exists! And before the bell she attacks Charlotte as she’s still taking off her robe! Takes her to the outside and pummels her! Charlotte reverses a whip though and throws her into the barrier! After much effort they manage to wrestle into the corner. Charlotte throws Sarah right back to ringside though. Pursues but Logan posts her! Keeps pummeling her until the ref pulls her off. She enters the ring and grabs the robe. Charlotte watches as Sarah just slams the robe spitefully into the mat a few times. Wipes her feet on it and then tosses it to the floor.
Charlotte is about to re-enter, Logan kicks her away, goes outside – eats a big spear! Charlotte throws her into the barrier and slams her against the apron! Exploder suplex against the barrier! Brawl continues, Logan posts her again, ref struggling to keep them apart, Charlotte with a big boot to Logan. Charlotte demands the ref get her robe and he brings it to her, she puts it back on with pride and leaves Logan laying. Looks like this match never got started.
Winner: N/A
Nice to see Logan again and it looks like she finally has an angle. But her odds of getting a win over Charlotte seem fairly slim.
No Way Jose is in the ring, McIntyre out to face him… he attacks the conga line before the match, Jose is irate.
Drew McIntyre vs. No Way Jose
Jose throwing punches but McIntyre shrugs it off and clips him, overhead belly to belly sends him flying! Drew slips out of the ring, chases one of the conga liners, rips his shirt to chop him against the barrier, Inverted Alabama Slam against the apron! He re-enters the ring, Jose takes it to him as he slips between the ropes, roll-up for a 2 count but McIntyre then pulls him for a Future Shock DDT. Drew stalking, 3-2-1 count-down for the Claymore Kick for the win!
Winner: Drew McIntyre
I’m actually suspecting that they’re slowly turning Drew face here. Even though he’s being a jerk, he’s unstoppable and running through multiple people every time he shows up, there’s no way to boo him as he does this and they gotta know that. Not to mention how he’s playing to the crowd now, getting people into chanting the countdown.
Drew throws Jose from the ring and onto the conga line. Gets on the mic, asks everyone if they dare him to hit one more Claymore. People cheer. Do they double dog dare him?! Cheers! Chant of “One More Time”, he pulls Jose into the ring and nails another Claymore, without even dropping the mic as he points out. McIntyre points out that he’s never gotten a shot at a world title. I guess that’s since his re-signing anyway, I’m pretty sure he was in an elimination chamber for a world title at some point. Drew’s entering the Royal Rumble.
I guess he pretty much is face already. Interesting strategy but it’s worked.
Aleister Black vs. Shelton Benjamin
Running kick from Shelton blocked, Paydirt also blocked, stand-off. Waistlock, Black with a roll-through cradle for a 2 count, floatover, Black sits with the legs crossed. Benjamin tries for a sliding clothesline but Black avoids it, transitions into a drop toe hold, hooks an arm with his legs and reached for the other, Shelton is fighting it out up. Powers him up onto his shoulders off the mat! Electric Chair drop! Push kick from Aleister, Shelton comes off the ropes with a running forearm. Whip, Black counters with a springboard moonsault but Benjamin blocks, Black lands on his feet. Exchange of shots, Black with a spinning elbow. Benjamin with an enziguri kick, but Black fires back with a pump knee to the face! Benjamin rocked, Black catches Shelton’s face with his boot, forces him to his feet – Black Mass! That’s that!
Winner: Aleister Black
Swiftly afterwards though, Buddy Murphy is out to jump Black! Posts him, drives him into the apron and then into the barricade! Wicked elbow, toss to a rolling chair at ringside. Buddy with a big running pump knee to Black, lays him out! Buddy under the ring, grabs a chair! He sets the chair up under Black’s chin, Kamigoyes the chair into Black’s face! Sits cross-legged on the barrier corner above the fallen Black, refs coming to give him some aid.
Time for the main event of WWE Monday Night Raw folks. Seth Rollins and AOP make their way out. Rollins is introduced as the Monday Night Messiah. Rollins gets on the mic and again states that he has been chosen to lead Monday Night Raw to the promised land. Chosen, ironically enough, by all of us. Says we did this, he gave them Monday Night Rollins and that was not good enough. But the truth is you don’t know what’s good for you, but Rollins knows what is best for all of us. That’s to eliminate people who impede progress. Tonight that is Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe and whoever has decided to take up arms with them. Owens and Joe indeed emerge, coming down the ramp… and the Big Show’s music hits?! The guy did not have a single match in all of 2019 but he’s here for the first Raw of the year!
Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens & Big Show vs. Seth Rollins & AOP
Show starts out and swiftly takes it to the heel team, big chop to the chest of Rollins and he has to bail! Commercial break. We come back to see Joe chopping Rollins in the corner, whip to the opposite corner, avalanche body block! Tag to Owens, charging cannonball for a nearfall! Rollins with a floatover, hits the ropes, runs right into a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker! Owens up top, Rezar distracts the ref, Akam knocks Owens to the floor! Tag to Rezar, who pursues, drives Owens into the barrier! “We Want Big Show” chant, never heard that before. Rezar throws Owens into the ring and pummels him, grinding him down. Tag to Akam, side slam/flying stomp combo! Owens trying to fight out of the heel corner, but gets taken down. Tag to Rollins, springboard knee to the face for a nearfall.
Tag to Akam, Owens with a boot up in the corner, Akam trying to hold him to keep him from making the tag. Enziguri takes out Akam, Rezar comes in and knocks Joe off the apron, Owens with a superkick, makes the tag to Big Show just as Rollins gets tagged in! Big Show is a condominium of fire, a series of shoulder blocks. AOP double team Joe on the outside. Springboard Knee, Show catches him with a goozle! Akam and Rezar save Seth though and as Joe has to deal with them, Rollins come from behind with a steel chair shot to the back for the DQ!
Winners: Big Show, Kevin Owens & Samoa Joe (By DQ)
But the brawl continues and Show is ultimately able to nail a WMD, Rollins has to get dragged back up the ramp! That’s that for tonight.
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