WWE Monday Night RAW Results
January 18, 2016
Columbus, Ohio
Report by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
WWE pays tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and all of the other great civil rights leaders from yesteryear and today. The crowd in Columbus, Ohio gives the video a standing ovation.
The RAW video plays, and we go into the arena to see a big pyrotechnics display. Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and JBL welcome us to the show. Tonight, Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman will be the guests on Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel.
Roman Reigns’ music hits, and the WWE World Heavyweight Champion gets a very mediocre pop coming out. Highlights are shown of the end of the “1 versus All” match last week when Reigns was overtaken by all the heels on the roster. Brock Lesnar then came out, cleared the ring, and gave Reigns an F5. Reigns says this Sunday will literally be one versus all because he’ll be the first man to ever defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against 29 other competitors in the Royal Rumble match. It’ll be the fight of his life. That’s Sunday. Tonight, he only cares about one man: Brock Lesnar. Reigns says he’s ready to finish what he started last week right now. Reigns waits for Lesnar to come out.
Chris Jericho’s music hits instead, and the ayatollah of rock and roll-a makes his way to the stage in a tuxedo jacket and no shirt underneath. Jericho fist bumps Reigns when he gets in the ring. Jericho says, “Welcome to RAW is Jericho!” Jericho knows he’s waiting for Brock Lesnar to come out, but he got something even better. Reigns says that’s great. He’s happy that Jericho is back… but he’s not Brock Lesnar, and that’s who he wants in this ring right now. Jericho says he understand that. Lesnar will be in this ring later tonight when he’s on the Highlight Reel. It’ll be one of the biggest Highlight Reels in history, but he has an idea to make it the best of all time. What he wants to do is have the top three contenders for the Royal Rumble. He wants to have himself, Lesnar, and Reigns in the ring. Reigns says he likes the idea and will be there.
The League of Nations’ music hits, and they come out to the ring. Sheamus says they hate breaking up the love fest, but they have a question. When did the Royal Rumble match become Roman Reigns versus Brock Lesnar? A “You look stupid” chant breaks out. Sheamus says the grown ups are talking. There are 28 other competitors in the match, including the League of Nations. One of them intends on winning the match and taking back what’s rightfully theirs – the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Sheamus says it’s coming home. Oh, and Chris Jericho is back. Sheamus says it’s been a couple of weeks, but he hasn’t formally brought him back. Sheamus asks if he ate his shirt. Sheamus asks how he can have a Highlight Reel with the odds on favorites to win the Royal Rumble and not have them. That’s just plain stupid.
Jericho says Sheamus just used the word “stupid.” That’s like the pot calling the kettle black, or milky white in Sheamus’ case. Jericho says he doesn’t want Sheamus on the show because he wants to keep things entertaining, but maybe he’ll have his Mohawk on so it can tell them why it makes Sheamus look so stupid. Alberto Del Rio tells him to shut up. Jericho doesn’t know what it’s like to win the Royal Rumble. Del Rio and his friends rise to the occasion. Del Rio reminds the crowd that he won the biggest Royal Rumble in history. If someone deserves to be on this show, it’s the League of Nations. Jericho says Alberto Del Rio is Spanish for jackass. Jericho says he’d love to have him on his show, but he just doesn’t feel like it. Rusev shouts in his native tongue before saying in Bulgaria, everyday is the Royal Rumble. He used to kick kids off the bus so he could get to school. His parents used to throw a steak in the ring so he would fight to eat. Rusev says they should be on the Highlight Reel.
Jericho says he didn’t understand anything he said. Jericho asks Reigns who won the Royal Rumble last year. Reigns says he did. Jericho asks who he eliminated to win the match. Reigns says he eliminated the one they can’t understand, Rusev. Jericho says with all due respect to Lana, whenever it’s all on the line, Rusev always comes up short. Rusev threatens Jericho, but Reigns quietly tells him to just shut up. Reigns says he’s seeing Lesnar later tonight so he can shut Rusev up right now. Jericho asks the crowd what they think about that. The crowd wants to see Rusev take on Reigns right now. The Jerichoholics have spoken. Rusev angrily makes his way to the ring. Jericho says he’ll help even up the odds since the League of Nations is outside the ring, so he’ll be the special guest referee.
-Commercial Break-
Roman Reigns vs. Rusev w/ The League of Nations
Special Referee: Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho is wearing a referee shirt. The bell rings, and they lock up. During the commercial break, Mike Chioda gave Jericho his shirt. Reigns takes Rusev down, but Rusev gives him a head-scissor. Reigns kips up, so Rusev gets out of the ring. Rusev confers with the League of Nations before getting back in the ring. Rusev clubs the back and punches him. Reigns punches him back before giving him a head-butt. Rusev quickly grabs him and throws him out of the ring. The League of Nations approaches him threateningly. Rusev attacks Reigns from behind and bounces him off the barricade before putting him in the ring. Rusev then applies a chin lock. Reigns fights up, but Rusev slams him down. Reigns then rolls out of the way of a splash. Rusev sends Reigns into the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Reigns goes for a Samoan Drop, but Rusev elbows out. Reigns quickly delivers a right hand before giving him a poorly timed neckbreaker. Sheamus distracts Reigns, and Rusev takes him out with a spinning heel kick. Rusev picks up a two count.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Rusev taunting Reigns. Reigns then takes him down with a right hand. Reigns punches and head-butts him until Rusev hooks him with a side headlock. Rusev takes him down, but Reigns soon fights up and gives him a back suplex. Rusev is first to his feet, but Reigns runs him over with two clotheslines. Rusev reverses a whip into the ropes, but Reigns takes him down with a leaping clothesline. The crowd is dead for this match. Reigns runs into a back elbow. Rusev charges, but Reigns takes him down with a big boot. Reigns gets him in the corner and does the ten clubs. Reigns gives him a snapmare and punches him. Reigns goes for a Samoan Drop, but Rusev elbows out and takes him out with a big roundhouse kick for a near fall. Rusev argues with Jericho over the count. Rusev picks him up in a fireman’s carry and climbs to the second rope with him on his shoulders. Reigns elbows out and gives him a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. Reigns sets up for a Superman Punch. Del Rio distracts Jericho as Sheamus drags Reigns out of the ring and sends him into the barricade. Jericho looks around and gets in Sheamus’ face. Jericho then ejects Sheamus from ringside. Sheamus barely argues and walks off. King Barrett gets on the apron and yells at Jericho, so he’s ejected as well to a big pop. Jericho motions for him to get out and does a cartwheel. Del Rio gets on the ropes and screams at Jericho, so Jericho gets pumped up, does a jig, and kicks him out. Jericho then does a horrible looking (and funny) cartwheel.
Reigns then takes Rusev out with a Superman Punch before he could attack Jericho. Reigns then spears Rusev down and pins him for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Roman Reigns
Match Rating: * 1/2
Chris Jericho will be back later tonight for another edition of The Highlight Reel. His guests will be Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, and Brock Lesnar.
-Commercial Break-
Chris Jericho is smiling as he’s walking down the hallway when Stephanie McMahon stops him. Jericho says RAW is off to the hottest start it’s been so far in 2016. She says he had no authority to make that match. It’s not 1999 anymore. Jericho says he wishes it was 1999 because she was so much fun. She’s so angry now. She used to be fun and so good at being a filthy, dirty, disgusting, brutal, bottom feeding, trash bag… Stephanie says she knows where he’s going and it’s very original. She’s mad that he changed the advertised Highlight Reel and has to pay Lesnar more money to do it, but it was a good idea. Jericho says it’s like he knows what he’s doing. She says she knows what she’s doing as well. If he ever changes anything on her show again, he’ll never, ever be the same again. She walks off, and Jericho smirks.
Brie Bella w/ Alicia Fox vs. Natalya w/ Paige
Footage is shown from the upcoming season of “Total Divas.” They circle the ring, and Natalya takes her down with a waistlock. Natalya dropkicks her in the face, but she’s quickly taken down. Brie hits a running knee to the face for a two count. Brie elbows her in the shoulder before applying a stretch. Natalya fights up, but Brie quickly takes her down. Brie kicks her in the chest a la Daniel Bryan and taunts the crowd. Brie goes for a big kick, but Natalya ducks and applies the Sharpshooter for the win.
Winner by Submission: Natalya
Match Rating: 1/4 *
The Dudley Boyz and Ryback will face The Wyatt Family later tonight.
We see a tumbler backstage. Later tonight, we’ll find out which superstar drew number one for the Royal Rumble.
-Commercial Break-
The Wyatt Family w/ Braun Strowman vs. The Dudley Boyz and Ryback
Replays are shown of The Dudley Boyz winning a Tables Match against The Wyatt Family on Thursday Night Smackdown. The Wyatts then decimated them after the match. A replay is then shown of The Wyatts attacking Ryback last week. This match will kick off, next.
-Commercial Break-
We join the match in progress to see Luke Harper and Bubba Ray Dudley trading punches. Bubba hits a pair of clotheslines and a back body drop. Bubba goes for the Bionic Elbow, but Harper big boots him down. Erick Rowan tags in and goes for a splash, but Bubba moves. D-Von Dudley is tagged in, and he shoulder blocks Rowan down twice. Rowan sends him to the corner, but he eats a back elbow. D-Von then connects with a neckbreaker for a two count. D-Von hits the ropes, but Rowan sends him to his corner. Rowan takes him down with a spin kick for a two count. Bray Wyatt is tagged in, and he punches D-Von before avalanching him in the corner. Wyatt pulls him to the center of the ring for a two count. Harper tags back in, and he kicks D-Von in the ribs. Harper taunts the crowd before giving D-Von a guillotine catapult. Harper chops D-Von and tags Rowan in. Rowan punches D-Von before ripping at the face. Rowan then digs his fists into the D-Von’s temples. The commentators recognize the death of “Iron” Mike Sharpe. Harper tags in and steps on D-Von. D-Von punches back at Harper before Harper floors him with a right hand. The crowd is silent for this match. The only sounds you hear are grunting and Bubba doing all he can to try to get people to respond. Wyatt tags in and head-butts D-Von before hitting the ropes, but D-Von floors him with a clothesline. Wyatt stomps D-Von and knocks Bubba off the apron before missing a senton splash.
Ryback and Harper are tagged in. Ryback hits a pair of shoulder blocks before hitting a diving shoulder block. Ryback clotheslines him in the corner twice to no reception before hitting a spinebuster. The crowd then pathetically chants “Feed Me More” after not responding to anything, so it proves that they just enjoy chants and that’s it. Bubba blind tags in and big boots Harper before hitting a one-armed slam, but Rowan breaks up the pin. Ryback kicks Rowan and goes for Shell Shocked, but Wyatt cuts him off. Ryback then throws Wyatt out of the ring. Ryback gets in Braun Strowman’s face, and Wyatt attacks him from behind. The Dudley Boyz hit 3D II, but Harper kicks out. The Dudley’s signal for 3D, but Rowan breaks it up. Bubba clotheslines Rowan out of the ring. Harper superkicks Bubba and connects with a Discus Clothesline for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: The Wyatt Family
Match Rating: *
Bray Wyatt screams about how the apocalypse is coming at the Royal Rumble. Wyatt kneels down and says, “Follow the buzzards!”
Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel will feature Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar on the show. That’ll happen later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
We see the tumbler backstage. We’ll find out who drew number one in the Royal Rumble later tonight.
Big Show vs. Heath Slater w/ The Social Outcasts
Before the match starts, Heath Slater says one of them will win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Adam Rose says with a magic carpet under his feet, he’ll never touch the ground. Curtis Axel says he was never eliminated from the 2015 Royal Rumble match. Slater says he’ll eliminate Big Show.
The bell rings, and Big Show scares Slater to the corner. Big Show approaches him a second time, and Slater puts himself through the ropes. Big Show finally grabs him and goes for a right hand, but Slater slides under and gets out of the ring. Slater celebrates with the outcasts until Big Show brings him back into the ring by the hair. Big Show then knocks him out with a big right hand.
Winner by Pinfall: Big Show
Match Rating: 1/4 *
Adam Rose runs in, and Big Show gives him a Knockout Punch as well. The same fate meets Curtis Axel. Bo Dallas nearly gets caught, but he gets out of the ring and celebrates. Dallas does a victory lap, so Big Show knocks him out at ringside.
The commentators talk about how first time subscribers can watch the Royal Rumble for free on the WWE Network.
Sheamus is talking with King Barrett and Alberto Del Rio when Stephanie McMahon walks up. She commends them for holding their tempers as Chris Jericho punked them out. Stephanie says King Barrett won the King of the Ring and can beat anyone with his Bull Hammer. Alberto Del Rio won the biggest Royal Rumble in history. As for Sheamus, he eliminated Jericho to win his Royal Rumble. One of them will become the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, so why would they let Jericho scare them away. Sheamus says they are not afraid of anyone. Stephanie tells them to prove it.
-Commercial Break-
Vince McMahon’s music hits, and he comes out to the stage with his daughter, Stephanie McMahon. The tumbler is on the stage. Stephanie says the question on everyone’s mind is who will win the Royal Rumble and win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Could it be Brock Lesnar, Bray Wyatt, Sheamus, or someone the WWE Universe has never seen before? McMahon wonders if it could be Roman Reigns. He then says the odds of that are the odds of someone in the crowd winning the Powerball. Stephanie says to win the Royal Rumble, it takes strength, strategy, and luck. McMahon says when he won in 1999, it had nothing to do with luck. Stephanie says he is truly an unbelievable human specimen. Stephanie says it’s time to find out who the first entrant in the Royal Rumble match is. They spin the tumbler, and McMahon reaches in. McMahon puts one back and reaches in again. Roman Reigns is revealed to be the number one entrant. The crowd barely responds. McMahon tells her to do it again. McMahon reaches in and again can’t open it. McMahon finally gets one he can open, and it’s Roman Reigns. McMahon tells her to leave that one out, and they draw one more time. McMahon drops the ball and takes another one. It’s Roman Reigns again. The crowd is just not responding to this at all. McMahon says after this Sunday, he won’t be number one, and you can believe that.
Charlotte and Ric Flair make their way to the ring. They’ll be ringside as Becky Lynch is in action, next.
-Commercial Break-
A replay is shown of Becky Lynch suggesting she should face Charlotte at the Royal Rumble for the WWE Divas Championship.
Tamina w/ Naomi vs. Becky Lynch
The bell rings, and they lock up. Becky shoves her off, and Tamina laughs. They lock up, and Tamina throws her down. Becky dropkicks her and kicks away at her. Tamina powers her to the corner and superkicks her. Tamina chokes her with her boot and picks up a two count. Tamina applies a chin lock and holds it in for a bit. Becky fights out, but Tamina slams her down. Tamina kicks her and chokes her on the ropes. Tamina body slams her down and picks up a one count. Tamina then reapplies the chin lock. Becky fights up and backs her to the corner. Tamina quickly clubs her down. Becky surprises her with an inside cradle for a one count. Becky boots her in the face and punches away at her before kicking her in the face. Becky connects with a running forearm and a boot to the face. Becky dropkicks her and connects with two leg drops for a one count. Becky then catches her with the Dis-Arm-Her for the win.
Winner by Submission: Becky Lynch
Match Rating: 1/2 *
Becky Lynch says nothing would mean more to her than winning the Divas Championship at the Royal Rumble. Becky says she first needs an answer. She knows the WWE Universe would love to see a Divas Title match at the Royal Rumble. It gets a mediocre response. Charlotte says she’s not going to give a free title match because she got a bunch of people chanting at her (they weren’t). Charlotte says she lost her title opportunity and has to get in the back of the line. Becky says she lost because her father helped. Charlotte says he father is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer. Becky says Ric Flair never backed down from a challenge, but maybe he’s gotten soft in his old age. Flair says third time will be the charm. Charlotte will beat her this Sunday at the Royal Rumble. Flair walks off, and Charlotte is not happy at all.
Dean Ambrose and Kalisto will face Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio, next.
-Commercial Break-
Miz TV will feature special guests Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens. We’ll also see Roman Reigns take on the entire League of Nations.
Kevin Owens will be on commentary for the next match.
Dean Ambrose and Kalisto vs. Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio w/ King Barrett
Dean Ambrose will start the match against Sheamus. Sheamus clubs away at him, but Ambrose quickly punches back. Sheamus catches him with an inside cradle and hits the ropes, but Ambrose clotheslines him down. Kalisto is tagged in, and Ambrose slams Kalisto onto Sheamus. Kalisto then pulls the top rope down to get Sheamus out of the ring. Kalisto then dropkicks Del Rio. Ambrose then dropkicks Del Rio to the floor. Ambrose then gives Kalisto a back body drop over the top rope onto Sheamus and Del Rio.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kalisto knocks Del Rio off the top rope. Kalisto jumps off, and Del Rio dropkicks him out of mid-air for a two count. During the commercial, Sheamus gave him a release suplex onto the commentary table. Sheamus tags in, and he punches away at Kalisto. Sheamus gives him a release suplex and applies a chin lock. Kalisto fights up and connects with a jawbreaker. Kalisto then dropkicks him down.
Ambrose and Del Rio are tagged in. Ambrose hits a pair of running forearms and one in the corner before hitting a bulldog. Ambrose goes to the top rope and jumps over Del Rio before connecting with a neckbreaker. Ambrose then clotheslines him over the top rope. Ambrose takes him out with a suicide dive. Ambrose then punches and chops Sheamus before Del Rio sends him into the barricade. Del Rio puts him in the ring and picks up a two count. Sheamus tags in, and Ambrose starts punching him. Sheamus hits the Irish Curse Backbreaker for a near fall. Sheamus applies a chin lock, but Ambrose fights up. Sheamus quickly turns him inside out with a knee to the midsection for a two count. Del Rio dropkicks him in the head for a near fall. Del Rio taunts Kalisto before kicking Ambrose in the face. Del Rio chokes him on the ropes as Sheamus kicks him in the face. Del Rio picks up a near fall. Del Rio then applies a chin lock, but Ambrose fights up. Del Rio quickly gives him a backstabber for a near fall. Del Rio puts him in the tree of woe and kicks away at him. Del Rio goes for the double stomp, but Ambrose sits up and pulls him off the top rope. Ambrose boots him in the face and connects with a missile dropkick. Sheamus tags in, but Ambrose avoids his attack. Ambrose then takes him out with a rebound clothesline.
Kalisto is tagged in, and he kicks Sheamus in the face before ducking a clothesline and hitting a head-scissor takeover. Kalisto kicks away at him and gets him on his knee. Sheamus goes for White Noise, but Kalisto rolls through and kicks him in the face. Kalisto dropkicks Del Rio off the apron and avoids the Brogue Kick. Kalisto then catches him with a sloppy DDT. Kalisto then connects with Salida del Sol, but Del Rio breaks it up. Ambrose gets Del Rio out of the ring and bounces him off the commentary table. Kevin Owens distracts Ambrose, and Del Rio catches him with an enzuigiri. Kalisto goes for another Salida del Sol, but Sheamus gets out and delivers a Brogue Kick for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio
Match Rating: **
A replay is shown of Chris Jericho inviting Roman Reigns to be on the Highlight Reel alongside Brock Lesnar. That’ll take place later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Highlights are shown of WWE’s tour of India last week.
Footage is shown of Chris Jericho breaking Xavier Woods’ trombone last week on RAW.
Earlier today, The New Day had a funeral for “Francesca the Trombone.” Big E was giving the eulogy. Woods starts crying. Kofi Kingston says they’ll get him another trombone, but Woods doesn’t want it. Big E says Francesca lives in Woods’ heart. Kingston asks what Francesca would want. Woods says she would want them to eat a lot of Chipotle and defile Jericho’s bathroom. Woods says Big E will beat Jey Uso for Francesca.
They do the Royal Rumble numbers feature once again this year.
The Usos make their way to the ring. Jey Uso will face Big E, next.
-Commercial Break-
Jey Uso w/ Jimmy Uso vs. Big E w/ Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston
The bell rings, and Jey applies a waistlock, but Big E powers him off. Big E punches him in the corner and whips him to the opposite corner, but Jey comes back with a right hand. Jey does the ten punches before Big E shoves him off. Jey avoids an avalanche and punches away at him. Big E gets him on his back and backs him to the opposite corner. Big E stomps him before sending him to the corner. Jey slingshots over him and dances. Big E charges, but Jey hits a leaping clothesline for a two count. Big E blocks a kick and spins him, but Jey gives him an enzuigiri. Jey looks at The New Day before leaving the ring. Jey then runs into a back body drop on the floor.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Jey fight out of an abdominal stretch, but Big E quickly takes him down. Big E chokes him on the rope, and Kingston kicks him in the face. Big E gets on the apron and goes for a splash, but Jey moves. Jey gives him a baseball slide and dropkicks him into the barricade. Jey goes to the top rope as Big E gets in the ring and hits a cross-body block. Big E misses a clothesline, and Jey catches him with a Samoan Drop. Big E avoids a hip attack, but he eats a superkick for a near fall. Big E puts him on the apron and goes for a spear, but Jey moves. Big E crashes and burns on the floor. Jey then takes him out with an over the top rope splash. Jimmy Uso then takes out Kingston. Jey connects with a nasty superkick and goes to the top rope. Woods gets on the apron for the distraction. Big E clotheslines him in the back of the head and connects with the Big Ending for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Big E
Match Rating: * 1/4
Mark Henry, Neville, Titus O’Neil, and R-Truth are talking about their match next.
-Commercial Break-
The League of Nations is happily talking backstage.
Stardust, The Ascension, and Tyler Breeze vs. Titus O’Neil, R-Truth, Mark Henry, and Neville
Titus O’Neil will start against Konnor. They lock up, and Konnor punches him before kicking him in the midsection. O’Neil punches back and chops the chest. Konnor chops him back, and they begin trading chops. Viktor tags in and blindsides O’Neil. Viktor has a whip reversed, and O’Neil just throws him. O’Neil does his bark to no reception. Neville tags in, and he wrenches the arm. Viktor powers him to the corner and tags in Stardust. Stardust punches and kicks him before applying a side headlock. Neville whips him off and slides through the legs, but Stardust kicks and punches him. Mark Henry tags in and runs him over with a clothesline. Henry head-butts him and splashes him in the corner. The commentators talk about how this could be Henry’s last Royal Rumble. R-Truth tags in, and he kicks Stardust. Stardust elbows him in the face and runs into a back elbow. R-Truth hits the ropes and avoids a leapfrog. R-Truth then gives him a hip toss. Stardust puts him on the apron and kicks him off. Tyler Breeze tags in and rolls him into the ring for a one count. You can almost hear the ventilation system in the building humming. It’s that quiet. Konnor tags in, and R-Truth kicks him. Konnor body slams him and drops an elbow for a two count. Konnor then applies a chin lock. R-Truth fights up and after a few moments gives him a DDT.
Neville and Breeze are tagged in. Neville hits a pair of back elbows and dropkicks Stardust off the apron. Neville kicks away at him, hits a hip toss, and dropkicks him. The crowd couldn’t care less. Neville hits a standing shooting star press. Everyone runs in and gets taken out. O’Neil tries to give Breeze a fall-away slam into Henry’s arms, who would give him a World’s Strongest Slam, but that was severely and embarrassingly botched. Henry picks him up and gives him the World’s Strongest Slam. Neville then hits the Red Arrow for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Titus O’Neil, R-Truth, Mark Henry, and Neville
Match Rating: 1/4 *
Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel is next. Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns will be the guests.
-Commercial Break-
The Highlight Reel with special guests Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns
Chris Jericho welcomes the crowd to the biggest edition of The Highlight Reel in WWE history. It gets a polite reception. Jericho talks about the top three odds on favorites to win the Royal Rumble will be in the ring for the first time ever. Jericho is talking about Roman Reigns, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and the man whose odds have increased exponentially since it was announced he would be the first entrant in the Royal Rumble (not sure how that makes his odds better…). Then you have him, the savior of WWE. Thirdly, we’ve got The Beast…
Paul Heyman interrupts Jericho. Heyman says, “Ladies and gentlemen, and you too, Mr. Jericho, my name is Paul Heyman, and I am the advocate…” Jericho cuts him off and tells him to shut the hell up. Jericho says they know who his client is, but where is he? Heyman says you don’t need to be a weatherman to know that there is an F5 that will be touching down tonight in Columbus, Ohio. His client, Brock Lesnar, is here tonight. Heyman reminds Jericho that the last time he went face-to-face with Lesnar, it wasn’t something for the Chris Jericho Highlight Reel. It was more for Lesnar’s highlight reel. His client isn’t focused on Jericho. His client if focused on his other guest, the champion Roman Reigns. Jericho says Heyman was campaigning for his client to skip the Royal Rumble and go to WrestleMania to face the champion. Heyman couldn’t get it done. Heyman failed his client and failed to get him straight to WrestleMania. Heyman says that’s not a question. Jericho will rephrase. Jericho says Lesnar is the most physically dominating performer in WWE history, but he has a lot of enemies as a result. 29 of them will be in the Royal Rumble match against him. Jericho’s question is if he tried to get his client out of the Royal Rumble because he doesn’t like his chances of winning. Heyman says his client entered the ring last year at WrestleMania as the champion. He was never defeated for the WWE Heavyweight Championship of the World. Lesnar should have had a bye out of the Royal Rumble and went straight to WrestleMania. You have 28 men, the champion, and one beast. Heyman likes the box office appeal. Heyman says Brock Lesnar vs. Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, Dean Ambrose, Big Show, Chris Jericho, or Roman Reigns would get people to subscribe for either of those singles matches. Lesnar will fight them all this Sunday. He’ll fight them all, throw them over the top rope, and go on to WrestleMania as the reigning, defending WWE Heavyweight Champion of the World. Lesnar will turn the Royal Rumble into Suplex City.
Jericho says Heyman said something very interesting. Jericho asks what happens if it comes down to him and Lesnar as the final two in the Royal Rumble. What happens if he throws Lesnar over the top rope, wins the Royal Rumble match, and walks out a seven-time World Champion? Paul Heyman puts his face in his hands.
Brock Lesnar’s music hits, and the Beast Incarnate makes his way to the ring. Lesnar circles the ring before Roman Reigns’ music cuts him off to absolutely no reaction from the crowd. Reigns makes his way to the ring through the crowd with barely anyone reaching out and touching him. Reigns gets in the ring and tells Lesnar to get in the ring. The crowd is absolutely embarrassingly quiet. The music stops and you can hear how quiet it is. Reigns lays the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the mat. Lesnar jumps up to the apron and gets in the ring. Reigns immediately spears him down and starts punching him. The League of Nations runs down and attacks Reigns. Lesnar attacks Rusev and gives him a German Suplex. Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio attack Lesnar until he gets the better of them. Lesnar gives Del Rio a German Suplex, and Sheamus gets an F5. Reigns then gives Lesnar another spear to no reaction.
The Wyatt Family video flashes on the screen and the lights go out. When they come back on, The Wyatt Family surrounds him. Luke Harper quickly gives him a Discus Clothesline. Bray Wyatt then gives Reigns Sister Abigail. Lesnar slowly gets to his feet, and Harper gives him a big boot. Erick Rowan then waits for Lesnar to get up and gives him a spin kick. Braun Strowman then clotheslines Lesnar down to no reaction. Wyatt instructs them to lift Lesnar up. Wyatt then gives him Sister Abigail. Wyatt screams that the Royal Rumble is his. Wyatt says, “Follow the buzzards” to a completely silent crowd.
———-
Quick Match Results
Roman Reigns def. Rusev (non-title)
Natalya def. Brie Bella via Submission
The Wyatt Family def. The Dudley Boyz and Ryback
Big Show def. Heath Slater
Becky Lynch def. Tamina via Submission
Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio def. Dean Ambrose and Kalisto
Big E def. Jey Uso
Titus O’Neil, R-Truth, Mark Henry, and Neville def. Stardust, The Ascension, and Tyler Breeze
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Twitter – @MikeTedescoWV
My thoughts on this episode of RAW will be up tomorrow exclusively on this site. Be sure to read it and share your feedback on this episode.
Did you miss last week’s episode of RAW? Check out the recap here!
Be sure to check out my predictions piece for the Royal Rumble this Sunday afternoon and share your predictions as well.
Enjoy the Royal Rumble! Thanks for reading!