WWE RAW Results and Review January 21 2018 : Bowen’s Botches and Bodyslams
WWE Monday Night RAW is from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma this week. RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey will team up with Natalya to face Sasha Banks and Bayley in a Tag Team Match. We will also get to see Braun Strowman’s reaction to being removed from the Universal Championship match at Royal Rumble, as well as being fined $100,000 and removed from the building last week for trashing Vince McMahon’s limousine. Tonight is also the beginning of Bobby Lashley’s reign as Intercontinental Champion.
Show Opener with Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman
“This Sunday, my client, @BrockLesnar will turn @FinnBalor into a MARTYR.” – @HeymanHustle #RoyalRumble #RAW pic.twitter.com/CbzVjcJk8Y
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 22, 2019
.@FinnBalor is feeling confident and he hasn’t stopped believing ahead of his match with @BrockLesnar at the #RoyalRumble! #Raw pic.twitter.com/fDsAO3QgHb
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Finn Balor vs. Braun Strowman
Finn Balor wins by Disqualification after Brock Lesnar interfered and delivered the F-5 to Balor in the ring.
Don’t play games with @BrockLesnar, @BraunStrowman!#RAW @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/Jo3U2oOVdP
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
.@FinnBalor is showing EXACTLY why he qualified for the #UniversalChampionship Match at the #RoyalRumble as he lays waste to @BraunStrowman AND @BrockLesnar on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/YXI3KHzeL2
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Bobby Lashley’s Intercontinental Championship Celebration
Get out your 📸, because @fightbobby is about to bust out some POSES.#RAW @ItsLioRush pic.twitter.com/znwztWpZSS
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 22, 2019
Hit ’em with those POSES, @WWEApollo! #RAW pic.twitter.com/PnRaUrT40x
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 22, 2019
Intercontinental Championship Match
Bobby Lashley (c) with Lio Rush vs. Apollo Crews
Bobby Lashley wins by Pinfall after the Spear.
.@WWEApollo looks to be taking control of his matchup with @fightbobby on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/c6RBVAbqSP
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Seth Rollins In Ring
.@WWERollins is outlining his plans for the #RoyalRumble Match and has every intention of WINNING! #Raw pic.twitter.com/notJwBtqzu
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre
Seth Rollins wins by Pinfall after a Roll Up Reversal.
.@DMcIntyreWWE is absolutely DOMINATING against @WWERollins on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/GbFu8Nyf6l
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
The Revival Backstage with Vince McMahon
Did #TheRevival just find their new favorite referee @TheCurtHawkins? #RAW pic.twitter.com/m9M5KpXdkC
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 22, 2019
Dean Ambrose Backstage
“I owe it to myself to win the #RoyalRumble.”@TheDeanAmbrose is FOCUSED heading into this Sunday. #RAW pic.twitter.com/6CQc53uU7h
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 22, 2019
Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers (Samir and Sunil) vs. Lucha House Party (Kalisto, Lince Dorado, and Gran Metalik)
Gran Metalik scores the Pinfall victory over Sunil Singh after a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker.
The @SinghBrosWWE are starting to look worse-for-wear against #LuchaHouseParty on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/1wTpvGG7Ck
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
EC3 Backstage
While @therealec3 tries to see his reflection again, we’re going to walk with @IAmEliasWWE NEXT on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/nlnBrhatbk
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Elias In Ring
It doesn’t sound like @BaronCorbinWWE is making ANY friends in Oklahoma City tonight on #Raw… pic.twitter.com/MdKZYtvwQ6
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
SO CLOSE…@IAmEliasWWE battles @BaronCorbinWWE NEXT on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/cqVmPKeWP3
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Elias vs. Baron Corbin
Baron Corbin gets the Pinfall victory after the End of Days.
Yep, @IAmEliasWWE even plays The #Undertaker‘s greatest hits! #RAW pic.twitter.com/ZRE8oboPq5
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 22, 2019
A Moment of Bliss
Just after a massive brawl breaks out during a #MomentofBliss, @AlexaBliss_WWE announces that she will be competing in this year’s Women’s #RoyalRumble Match! #Raw pic.twitter.com/sy3XN0p54e
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Well, the GODDESS @AlexaBliss_WWE just announced she’ll also be competing in this Sunday’s Women’s #RoyalRumble Match, but @LaceyEvansWWE plans on WINNING IT! #RAW pic.twitter.com/4pHAjmriee
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor) vs. Heavy Machiney (Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic)
Tucker Knight scores the Pinfall victory over Viktor after the Compactor.
#HeavyMachinery is showing off their incredible rhythm against #TheAscension on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/FyM11vxyPe
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
RAW Tag Team Championship Match with Special Guest Referee Curt Hawkins
Bobby Roode and Chad Gable (c) vs. The Revival (Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson)
Chad Gable scores the Pinfall victory over Scott Dawson with a Roll Up. The Revival attack Curt Hawkins after the match and Zack Ryder came out to save him.
#TheRevival is looking to change their luck against @REALBobbyRoode & @WWEGable with the #TagTeamTitles on the line tonight on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/QKtgjQjx3Q
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Now that’s what friends are for! @ZackRyder comes to the aid of @TheCurtHawkins as his friend is being pummeled by #TheRevival on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/ATFdVpWO9z
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Women’s Division Tag Team Match
Ronda Rousey and Natalya vs. Sasha Banks and Bayley
Sasha Banks scores the Submission victory over Natalya with the Bank Statement. Banks and Rousey begin to face off in the ring, but are restrained by their partners and the referee.
NOBODY is giving up in this match as @SashaBanksWWE & @itsBayleyWWE take on @RondaRousey & @NatbyNature on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/UAX19sHTrT
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
It was a GRUELING main event, but @SashaBanksWWE just made @NatbyNature TAP OUT on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/DgYC51GGZE
— WWE (@WWE) January 22, 2019
Botches
- The opening segment was a mess, and we’ve seen most of this before. Finn Balor was the only bright spot, and his promo was weak.
- The first three sentences and last three sentences of Ronda’s promo should have been the whole thing. The rest was unnecessary and put too much emphasis on her weakest ability, her promos.
Bodyslams
- Finn Balor and Braun Stroman had one of their better matches, even though it was obvious there would be no clean ending. Balor’s run against both men was perfectly executed.
- Apollo Crews once again seized his opportunity. Apollo received a great response from the crowd, was excellent on the microphone, and shined in his match.
- Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre put on the match of the night and showed why they are legitimate contenders for the top spot on the roster.
This episode of RAW was an improvement over what we’ve been seeing the last few months from WWE, but there is a long way to go. It seemed as though most of the matches had moments where the performers were off, and it makes the whole thing seem like a performance instead of a competition. But there were several great moments as well. Finn Balor’s run having the advantage against Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman was fantastic. When Elias took a swing at Corbin with his guitar my entire family popped. Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre put on a clinic. Heavy Machinery were great in their debut. But lingering over all of this are the clouds that have darkened the show for so long. The Tag Team Division has already lost television time to a rising Women’s Division, and with the Women’s Tag Team Championships on the horizon, that puts even more pressure on the men to make their division relevant. The roster has plenty of tag team talent, but there still needs to be a plan for them. The top of the Men’s Division is still uncertain, with the absentee Universal Champion likely to retain at the Royal Rumble. With the Intercontinental Championship seemingly moved back down the pecking order of the roster, the motivations of the top guys need more explanation than ever. If they can’t carry the show with Championships as their goal, then what happens after the Royal Rumble? Elias and Baron Corbin have the most reason to fight, and it’s just because they dislike and insult each other at every turn. But it is still possible that some sort of bigger changes to rosters and brands are coming after the Royal Rumble or Wrestlemania, so we may keep getting these mostly rehashed matches until then.
