The first Raw of the year was an anticipated one, with the return of Goldberg, a Last Man Standing match, and general anticipation for the build to the Royal Rumble in general. The Road To Wrestlemania begins in a few weeks, and tonight was a step closer to the road.
JeriKO confront Foley & Stephanie
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Raw was in Tampa, Florida this Monday night. A preview is shown of Goldberg’s return and the Sami Zayn vs. Braun Strowman Last Man Standing match. Mick Foley was in the ring, with a brand new look. He had his hair and beard cut.
He started talking about the upcoming Universal Championship match at the Royal Rumble, pointing to the shark cage on the entrance ramp. Owens asked Foley if he thought it was funny to hang Jericho above the ring.
They called his haircut a joke and called him giving Roman Reigns a title shot a joke. Jericho then started a verbal rant against Foley. Owens said that Foley has a personal issue against them. Foley said that Kevin Owens will get a new talk show with his first guest host being Goldberg.
Stephanie then came out and told JeriKO that he had the right to do what he did. She then said Roman Reigns will defend his United States Championship against Chris Jericho, and if Roman Reigns gets counted out or submitted he will lose his championship.
Owens vs. Seth Rollins was announced next. The loser would be banned from ringside for the main event United States Championship match.
Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins
Rollins started dominantly. However, it didn’t take Owens long to change that. A lot of back and forth between the two, with Owens getting most of the offence. The commentators continued to talk about Seth Rollins’ desire to get to Triple H.
After the commercial break, Kevin Owens had control of the match, but Rollins momentarily turned the tide. However, Owens took control once again right after. Owens then attacked Rollins hamstring and went for the pop-up powerbomb, but Rollins jumped over and hit the Enziguri, and started selling his hamstring.
They went outside and Owens attacked Rollins with the timekeeper bell and got disqualified.
After the match, Owens tried to hit the pop-up powerbomb but Rollins hit him with the Enziguri. Rollins tried to hit Owens with a pedigree but he escaped.
Result: Seth Rollins defeated Kevin Owens by disqualification.
Cesaro vs. Karl Anderson
Sheamus joined the commentary booth. Karl Anderson started the offence on The Swiss Superman. Cesaro then started to show his brute strength. Corey Graves made a hilarious jab at Byron Saxton, comparing him to Lord Varys from Game Of Thrones.
Karl Anderson continued his momentum, with a near fall on Cesaro. It wasn’t long before Cesaro began a wave of uppercuts. Luke Gallows distracted Cesaro, which prompted Sheamus to come to ringside to level things up.
After a distraction by Gallows, it led to Cesaro to get stuck between the ropes, and Anderson hit Cesaro with a jumping neck breaker to pin Cesaro, and get his first singles win in WWE.
Result: Karl Anderson defeated Cesaro.
Sami Zayn vs. Braun Strowman – Last Man Standing Match
Sami has a black eye. He began the match from outside by using a kendo stick. He started attacking him with it but Strowman grabbed it and broke it in half. Zayn then found another stick outside and even hit Strowman in the side of his head.
Strowman broke the stick once more, and Zayn tried to do a backflip off the barricade but was caught by Strowman. He then slammed Strowman into the posts twice. Sami tried doing the flying DDT in between the ropes but was struck by Strowman. Total dominance by Strowman. Whatever little offence Sami managed to get, it was stopped by Strowman.
After the commercial break, Braun Strowman and Sami Zayn were beside the announcer's desk. Zayn started to move away in order to search for weapons. Things moved backstage, where Zayn took a lead pipe and sent Strowman to the equipment.
Strowman didn’t sell much and tossed Sami on top of the equipment cases. Strowman threw one of the equipment cases towards Sami but he escaped it. Zayn then started using a steel chair and Strowman moved back outside.
Strowman finally managed to take the steel chair away and began decimating him on the entrance ramp, slamming him towards the screen. Zayn got hold of the steel chair once more and got Strowman down the ramp through two tables. Both competitors got up, and Strowman began dominating shortly thereafter, power slamming Sami outside the ring.
Strowman managed to finish Zayn, and Foley came out with medical staff, putting Zayn on a stretcher. Strowman then pulled Zayn out of the stretcher and left.
Result: Braun Strowman defeated Sami Zayn.
A highlight of the “Gentleman’s duel” from 205 Live is shown. Backstage, Jack Gallagher is teaching The New Day how to use an umbrella for self-defense. The New Day’s “New Years Resolution” was announced to be next.
The New Day’s New Years Resolution
The New Day announce their entry into the 2017 Royal Rumble match. Titus O’ Neil interrupts with New Day’s intro. Titus says that The New Day needs a new member, and tells New Day to look no further than him.
He started dancing while playing the whistle. Titus called Xavier the weakest link of The New Day, and Xavier challenged him to a match. Titus slapped him and then accepted the challenge.
Xavier Woods vs. Titus O’ Neil
A lot of back and forth starting the match off. However, Titus started dominating shortly thereafter. Xavier managed to get momentum on his side but when jumping from the top rope, he was caught by Titus, and Titus threw him away. Xavier pinned Titus with an unconvincing roll up.
Result: Xavier Woods defeated Titus O’ Neil
Backstage, Bayley spoke to Stephanie about why she let Dana Brooke be the referee for their match last week. Stephanie McMahon told Bayley that Charlotte had ‘high power attorneys’. Stephanie said that she never wanted Bayley on Raw, but it was Mick Foley who scratched and clawed to get Bayley.
She said that Bayley is ordinary while Charlotte is a high calibre, larger than life Superstar, while Bayley was just “Bayley”. Bayley countered saying that she may not have the last name, or have grown up in the business like Charlotte or Stephanie, but she is “Bayley” and that was good enough for her.
Stephanie then put Bayley in a number one contender's match, and the winner would face Charlotte at the Royal Rumble. Stephanie then told her that her match would be against Nia Jax.
Cedric Alexander and Alicia Fox encountered Noam Dar backstage. Noam Dar told Cedric that it was a new year and that he had turned over a new leaf. Cedric told him that Alicia Fox is the one he had to be apologising to. Noam apologised to “sweet” Alicia Fox and fled away.
Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak
The commentators spoke about how Alicia Fox by Cedric’s side has been detrimental to him. Tony Nese was by his side. Drew Gulak dominated at first, with Cedric getting some offence in. However, Tony Nese distracted Cedric and Alicia pulled Tony Nese from below.
Gulak exploited the opportunity and pinned Cedric Alexander for his first singles victory in WWE.
Result: Drew Gulak defeated Cedric Alexander
Roman Reigns vs. Chris Jericho – United States Championship – If Roman Reigns gets counted out or DQ’d, he loses the title
Jericho started off the offence but it didn’t take long before things turned in the favour of the champion. At one point, Jericho got Reigns outside the ring damaged, and almost got counted out, but managed to make it in by 9. Jericho had a period of domination, but that unsurprisingly didn’t last too long. Reigns tried to get the superman punch but Jericho avoided it. Reigns blocked a lionsault and Jericho blocked a spear. Reigns then blocked a code breaker, and a series of roll-up attempts led to Jericho putting the Walls Of Jericho onto Reigns.
Reigns managed to escape, and when Jericho attempted to jump from the top turnbuckle, Reigns hit a superman punch. A spear attempt by Reigns led to him hitting the post. Jericho untied the turnbuckle which momentarily tied the turnbuckles back which led to Jericho taking the US title and doing an Eddie Guerrero by throwing the title to Reigns while falling, which led to the referee putting the title away and Jericho hitting the code breaker. However, Reigns kicked out.
After a minute, Jericho hit the turnbuckle, and when he turned around, Reigns managed to hit the spear to retain the title.
Result: Roman Reigns defeated Chris Jericho to retain the United States Championship
The Brian Kendrick vs. TJ Perkins
Austin Aries was back on commentary. A highlight of Neville vs. Rich Swann from 205 Live was shown. Kendrick offered his opponent a handshake before the match but TJP refused to reciprocate the courtesy. Kendrick got most of the offence in in the early half of the match.
When Kendrick went for Sliced Bread No. 2, TJP countered it with a detonation kick which transitioned into a knee bar and submitted Kendrick. A match between Neville and TJP was hinted.
Result: TJ Perkins defeated The Brian Kendrick by submission
Another Emmalina video package, this time with her voice over saying that the wait will be worth it.
Big Cass vs. Rusev & Jinder Mahal – 2-on-1 handicap match
A fairly quick match saw Big Cass dominate both opponents individually, but he was out-numbered. A distraction by Jinder Mahal led to Rusev giving Cass a superkick and pinning him.
Result: Rusev & Jinder Mahal defeated Big Cass
Charlotte made her way out to the announcer’s desk for the Number One Contenders match
Bayley vs Nia Jax – #1 Contenders Match for the Raw Women’s Championship
Nia Jax dominated Bayley and rag dolled her to start off. After much dominance, Bayley managed to get Nia on the top ropes, when Sasha Banks came out and distracted Nia. This allowed Bayley to hit the Bayley-to-Belly on Nia from the top ropes to pick up the win.
Result: Bayley defeated Nia Jax to become the new Number One Contender for the Raw Women’s Championship
Bayley vs. Charlotte is official for the Royal Rumble.
The Kevin Owens Show with special guest Goldberg
Both Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens started laying a verbal smackdown on Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. When introducing Goldberg, Kevin Owens instead introduced Chris Jericho. Jericho put Tampa on the list. Chris Jericho declared that he would be entering the Royal Rumble, which Owens was shocked by.
While they were talking, Goldberg’s music hit, and he came out.
Tension is teased from the beginning. Goldberg told Jericho that he’s “First”. Jericho was about to put Goldberg on the list. He then threatened to spear and Jackhammer the duo. Owens directly confronts Goldberg, but Paul Heyman comes out, and teases Brock Lesnar’s appearance, but then said that he isn’t there.
Paul Heyman said that Lesnar will eliminate everyone, and Goldberg said he’ll take care of Lesnar. He told Owens that whether it’s him or Roman, they have a date at Wrestlemania.
This prompts Roman Reigns to come out, and he first told Owens and Jericho that they aren’t winning anything. He then confronted Goldberg, which led to Braun Strowman coming out. He said that if there was anyone who is going to win the Rumble, it’s him.
He went in the ring, and Goldberg and Reigns gave each other a nod, following which the two powerhouses double-speared Strowman. Goldberg stood tall to end the show.
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