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Triple H kicked off RAW and welcomed us to the ThunderDome before he was interrupted by Randy Orton who wanted the WWE title handed to him or granted the last entry in Royal Rumble. Triple H went on about how he had been watching Randy make fun of and hurt legends for no reason at all and called him a 'no-good p***k'.
Randy changed his mind and he now wanted a match with Triple H who denied him but after Randy took shots at his family, Triple H punched him. Randy rolled out of the ring and said that 'he'll take that as a yes' before retreating backstage.
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Backstage on RAW, Charlotte said that she was over her loss last week and was headed to the ring for a match.
Lacey Evans was backstage too and dedicated the match to Ric Flair.
Drew McIntyre was in a short video announcing that he tested positive for COVID-19 and was going to be away from the ring for some time.
Charlotte vs. Lacey Evans on RAW
Charlotte started strong and took Evans down with some chops and a kick in the corner for a near fall. Charlotte transitioned to a modified triangle lock and tossed Evans around before going after her knees.
Charlotte went for the Figure Four leg lock but Lacey found the bottom rope before Ric Flair made his entrance on RAW. Back after a break, Charlotte hit a huge Exploder Suplex and sent Evans outside with a big boot.
Charlotte hit the Natural Selection near the ropes and Ric put Lacey's foot on them, breaking the count. Charlotte was livid before going for a suplex but Ric pulled Flair by the foot and dropped her with Evans landing on top of her for a pinfall on RAW.
Result: Lacey Evans def. Charlotte
Ric and Lacey walked off backstage together, while Flair was not at all happy which what happened.
Match rating: B
Sheamus congratulated Keith Lee backstage on RAW for earning both Drew and his respect last week. Miz and Morrison came in and challenged them to a match.
Jeff Hardy vs. Jaxson Ryker on RAW
Elias came out and said he had an injury - while recording music, and hence Jeff Hardy would face Ryker instead.
Elias was on commentary while Hardy was fighting in the ring and compared himself to Jimi Hendrix. Elias got up and distracted Hardy from ringside and Ryker used the opportunity to pin Jeff with a rollup within minutes on RAW.
Result: Jaxson Ryker def. Jeff Hardy
After the match, Hardy called Elias out for not being as good as Ryker and managed to taunt him into a match.
Match rating: C
Jeff Hardy vs. Elias on RAW
Elias started off strong and the two traded fists before Hardy hit his inverted atomic drop combo followed by a dropkick. Hardy missed the Twist of Fate and Elias managed to turn it into a near fall. Hardy hit the Whisper in the Wind for a near fall of his own.
Jeff Hardy vs. Elias on RAW (contd...)
Hardy hit the Twist of Fate and went up top on RAW for the Swanton Bomb before picking up the win on Elias.
Result: Jeff Hardy def. Elias
Match rating: B-
Sheamus & Keith Lee vs. Miz & Morrison on RAW
Sheamus and Morrison started us off and Lee was tagged in early with Morrison in trouble. Miz was tagged in and Lee tossed Morrison into the Miz on the outside before Sheamus tagged in for a double clothesline on them.
Lee threw Morrison at the corner for a splash when the turnbuckles came off the ringpost and we headed for a strategic ad break. Back on RAW, Miz & Morrison managed to isolate Sheamus before he came back with an Irish Curse Brackbeaker and tagged in Lee.
Lee tossed Miz outside before taking down Morrison and Sheamus tagged in for the Brogue kick, picking up the win on RAW.
Result: Sheamus & Keith Lee def. Miz & Morrison
Match rating: B+
Backstage on RAW, Triple H said that he accepted Randy's challenge for tonight.
Keith Lee vs. Sheamus on RAW
Sheamus and Lee got into a fight after their match on RAW and when we returned from a break, the two ready for singles action. Lee took control and hit some big chops before being tossed outside.
Lee tossed Sheamus into the barricades before Sheamus worked on damaging Lee's left arm. Sheamus got a near fall off an elbow drop before Lee managed to counter a hold and hit the Spirit Bomb before picking up the win on RAW.
Result: Keith Lee vs. Sheamus
Match rating: B
Drew McIntyre showed up in a short segment and said that he used to look up to Goldberg as a kid but his actions last week left Drew disappointed. He said that it was Bill who needed a lesson in respect and accepted the challenge for the match at Royal Rumble.
Riddle was talking about pizza backstage and the Lucha House Party were on his side against the Hurt Business.
Xavier Woods vs. T-Bar on RAW
Woods was out alone after Kofi's injury and T-Bar took him to the mat early before coming back with some strikes to the head.
Xavier Woods vs. T-Bar on RAW (contd...)
Woods kicked out of a pin attempt on RAW before being caught in a headlock. Woods sent T Bar outside with a dropkick before he was hit with a reverse GTS - the Eyes Wide Shut and picked up the win on RAW.
Result: T-Bar def. Xavier Woods
Match rating: C
Backstage, Randy Orton said that he was full of hate and would direct that hate towards Triple H.
Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Riddle - United States title match on RAW
Lashley jumped Riddle before the match began on RAW and sent him into the corner before wiping him out with a clothesline. Riddle called for the bell to be rung even though his mouth was busted open.
Riddle managed to send Lashley into the ring post and hit the floating bro on the outside. Lashley dodged the Final Flash and locked in the Hurt Lock. Riddle tapped out and Lashley retained his title on RAW.
Result: Bobby Lashley def. Riddle to retain the United States title
After the match, Riddle got on the mic and challenged MVP to match right then.
Match rating: B
Riddle vs. MVP on RAW
Riddle started off strong on RAW and took down MVP before taking out Lashley from the apron. Riddle was just about to end the match when Lashley attacked him in the ring, earning MVP a disqualification.
Lashley mauled Riddle in the ring and MVP came back in for some kicks before leaving him in the ring.
Result: Riddle def. MVP via DQ
Match rating: C
Adam Pearce was backstage and AJ Styles was hyping him up for the title match at Rumble before Drew Gulak wanted to enter the Royal Rumble. Pearce said that he had to earn it by beating Styles.
Drew Gulak vs. AJ Styles on RAW
Gulak started off with a dropkick off the bat before hitting a suplex and got a near fall on RAW. They reached the top rope where AJ got the advantage and hit a Pele kick and a forearm.
Gulak was sent over the ropes and Omos was waiting to spook him. AJ brought him back into the ring and hit a Phenomenal Forearm for the win on RAW.
Result: AJ Styles def. Drew Gulak
Match rating: B
We got a short segment on RAW recapping Goldberg's career before we saw Keith Lee offering his services to Triple H, asking to take his place in the match but Hunter said he had to do this.
Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke announced their entries into the 2021 women's Royal Rumble before the match on RAW.
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke on RAW
Baszler started us off against Rose and Baszler went straight for the arm before Brooke was tagged in. Jax came in and locked in a submission move before tagging in Baszler.
Rose came back in before unloading on Shayna but Jax broke the pin by pulling Rose out of the ring. Jax was legal and almost pinned Rose but Brooke broke it up.
The former champs took both women out in the corner before Baszler tagged in an locked in the Khirifuda Clutch, making Rose tap out on RAW.
Result: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
Match rating: B
Up next was our main event and the in-ring return of the Game, Triple H as he faces Randy Orton on RAW.
Randy Orton vs. Triple H on RAW
Triple H got a punch in right away on RAW and Orton left but then returned to the ring to unload on the Game. Randy hit some uppercuts and sent Hunter outside where Orton was sent into the steel steps by HHH.
Triple H sent Orton into the barricades and Randy's left cheek was busted open. Hunter sent Randy into the announce table and got a sledgehammer from under the apron.
HHH walked up to the ring with his very familiar weapon and the lights started going out one by one. Randy slowly got to his feet and the hammer was suddenly on fire as the ring went dark.
The ring lights turned pink and Alexa Bliss was suddenly behind Randy while the Game was nowhere to be seen. Alexa shot flames out of her hands and blinded Randy - as crazy as that sounds - and the show ended with that.
Result: DNF
Match rating: A
Episode rating: A
Another great episode of RAW, weeks away from Royal Rumble - we got the in-ring return of Triple H and some bad news from Drew McIntyre. The WWE Champ, however, will hopefully return in 3 weeks at Royal Rumble to face Goldberg.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
