WWE RAW Coverage & Discussion Thread - January 15th, 2018

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The Empress of Tomorrow takes on The Irresistible Force

After Nia Jax brutally ambushed her this past Monday night, Asuka will have a chance at redemption against the juggernaut, live on Raw. Can The Empress of Tomorrow keep her undefeated streak alive going into the first-ever 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match?



:raw:

We start off with a look back at what happened two weeks ago on Raw between Brock Lesnar and Kane. Then we see what Braun did to Kane and Brock with the scaffolding last week in Memphis.

We are in San Antonio, Texas and your announcers are Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Booker T.

Braun Strowman's music plays and he makes his way to the ring.

Braun says he wants to tell everyone a short story. A short story with a happy ending. A beast and a machine met a monster at the Royal Rumble and the last one standing was the Monster Among Men and he became the new Universal Champion.

Kurt Angle's music plays and he makes his way to the ring with members of security behind him.

Braun tells Kurt he was telling a story, but Kurt says he has a story that doesn't have a happy ending. Kurt says that Braun could have maimed people last week and he also caused thousands of dollars of damage.

Braun says it could have been a lot worse.

Kurt says that Braun has created an unsafe working environment. Kurt says he is responsible for everyone in the back and they could get caught in the crossfire.

Braun says he did his job last week, but Kurt says we settle things in the ring, not in the back with grappling hooks.

Braun says he does things how he wants and when he wants. If he wants to rip down the walls of Suplex City, that is what he will do. If he wants to kick in the doors to hell, that is what he is going to do. If he wants to be Universal Champion at the Royal Rumble, he will.

Kurt says Braun is lucky that they will be able to compete in the match at the Royal Rumble. It is not going to be a Triple Threat Match. Kurt tells Braun that he is fired.

Kurt leaves the ring and goes to the back.

Braun leaves the ring and he goes to the back with security walking behind him.

The announcers mention the matches on the show.

We go to Braun in the back and security is still walking behind him. Braun realizes that they are behind him and he tells them to make him leave.

We go to commercial.

We are back with a look at Hugh Jackman on Raw as General Manager in 2011.

Braun is still walking with security a few feet behind him. Braun goes to the exit door and then he is told by one of the members of security he has to leave and he puts his hand on Braun's shoulder. Braun attacks security, and one of them tries to escape but Braun stops him and throws him onto a table.

Braun says he is not leaving until everyone gets these hands.

Sheamus and Cesaro vs Titus O'Neil and Apollo Crews (with Dana Brooke)

Crews and Sheamus start things off and they lock up. Cesaro makes the tag and they kick Crews in the corner. Sheamus tags back in and they hit a double hip toss but Crews lands on his feet. Crews with a drop kick to Cesaro and then he floats over in the corner and hits a drop kick on Sheamus. Titus tags in and he punches Sheamus. Titus with a shoulder tackle and he barks. Sheamus with a knee lift and Cesaro tags in and connects with a European uppercut and chops. Cesaro with another European uppercut. Titus sends Cesaro into the corner and connects with a forearm and chop. Titus with a chop after mocking Cesaro. Cesaro with chops and Titus grabs Cesaro by the throat as he backs Cesaro into the corner and connects with a chop.

Titus with a slam. Crews tags in and he kicks Cesaro and slams him. Crews with a leaping elbow drop for a near fall. Cesaro escapes a delayed vertical suplex attempt and he tags in Sheamus. Sheamus with a knee and Cesaro with a flying European uppercut. Sheamus with a clothesline off the turnbuckles and we go to commercial.

We are back and Cesaro stops Crews when he tries to make the tag. Sheamus tags in and hits a back breaker and Cesaro comes off the turnbuckles with an elbow drop for a near fall. Sheamus with a top wrist lock but Crews with punches and an enzuigiri. Cesaro and Titus tag in and Titus with a shoulder tackle and clotheslines. Titus with chops to Cesaro followed by a biel. Titus barks and he hits a splash into the corner followed by a power slam for a near fall. Sheamus tags in and Crews sends Cesaro to the floor. Crews misses a moonsault off the apron and Cesaro takes care of Crews. Cesaro with a European uppercut against the ropes and Sheamus with a rollup. Titus escapes a Gotch Style Neutralizer and Crews tags in and hits a cross body for a near fall.

Crews with a standing moonsault. Titus is sent to the floor and Sheamus tags in. Sheamus gets Crews up for the spike White Noise and . . .

Jason Jordan's music plays and Crews with a rollup for the three count.

Winners: Titus O'Neil and Apollo Crews

After the match, Seth Rollins comes out and he says something to Jason that we cannot hear.

Braun Strowman is in the back and he looks for Kurt Angle's office and he finds it. Braun kicks the door down and then he destroys the monitor and throws around some other furniture before he leaves.

We go to commercial.

We are back and in catering. Someone comes in and says that Braun Strowman is coming, but no one gets up.

Braun attacks Curt Hawkins and choke slams him through a table. Braun grabs some cake a backstage worker is carrying and he takes a bite out of it and then he walks away.

Enzo Amore comes out to the ring with Tony Nese.

Enzo says he is doing better than Curt Hawkins. He says Braun Strowman is a monster among men and so is he. He might look like Frankenstein at the Royal Rumble, but he will walk out of the ring as Cruiserweight Champion. What does that make Cedric? Dracula . . . because he sucks. Enzo says that Cedric will have to get through Tony Nese.

Goldust comes out with Cedric and he says that Enzo has a lot of nerve to compare himself to Boris Karloff. Enzo would go straight to DVD, but Cedric Alexander is a box office smash. When Cedric wins at Royal Rumble, there will only be one word to describe him . . . champion. Goldust says he has one word for Enzo.

Cedric says that there is only one word to describe Enzo and he spells it out.

Cedric Alexander (with Goldust) vs Tony Nese (with Enzo Amore)

The match is joined in progress and Alexander with a side head lock. Nese with a back elbow and he gets a near fall. Nese kicks Alexander. Alexander with a handstand head scissors and drop kick. Alexander with a running shoulder into the corner but Nese trips Alexander when he goes for a springboard move. Nese with a kick and Alexander lands on Nese's shoulders. Nese with a gutbuster for a near fall. Nese punches Alexander.

Nese chops Alexander and then he puts Cedric in the tree of woe. Nese with kicks and then he does some abs work while kicking Alexander. Nese gets a near fall. Nese works on the neck. Nese sends Alexander back to the mat and connects with a leg drop for a near fall. Nese works on the neck while Goldust goes over to Enzo and barks in his face and does the Enzo dance.

Alexander with a forearm and Nese with a punch. Nese with an Irish whip but he misses a splash into the corner. Cedric with an uppercut. Alexander drop kicks Nese's knee and Tony goes into the turnbuckles. Alexander with a kick and a slingshot flatline followed by a charge into the corner but Alexander is sent to the apron but Alexander with a springboard clothesline for a near fall. Alexander sets for the Lumbar Check but Nese with a side head lock. Nese with a forearm to the back of the head and an uppercut. Nese lands on his feet on the Lumber Check attempt and Nese with a near fall.

Nese with a back heel kick and another kick. Alexander with a back elbow. Alexander escapes the Pump Handle Michinoku Driver and hits the Lumbar Check for the three count.

Winner: Cedric Alexander

Kurt Angle's office is getting cleaned up and Kurt says that he has no other option than to call the SWAT team. An official says that Braun is headed for the television production truck. Kurt thinks about it for a moment and he says they are worth 12 million dollars.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Braun is walking towards the production trucks. Braun enters the truck and he says he will shut down the show. Braun wants to know how to shut this off. Braun throws a jacket in the truck and he starts hitting buttons and he tells everyone to leave.

Braun leaves the truck and the people in production go back to their places.

We see Braun in one of the semis and he tries to push over the truck.

Kurt Angle tells him to leave and Kurt's phone rings.

Braun comes back and he pushes the truck over.

Braun walks away and he heads towards the ring and tells security to get away from him.

Braun makes his way to the announce table and he grabs Michael Cole and picks him up by his pants and carries him onto the stage.

Kurt Angle comes out and he tells Braun to stop. He tells Braun he has called off the cops and Stephanie McMahon has rehired Braun.

Kurt tells Braun to let Michael Cole go (which he already did) and he raises his arms in victory. Braun sees Cole and he grabs him by his throat and throws him onto security and gets the strike.

We go to commercial.

We are back and we are down one announcer until Tom Phillips joins Booker and Corey.

We take a look back at the reason why Tom Phillips is now on commentary.

Nia Jax vs Asuka

Asuka avoids Nia and kicks her and goes for the leg. Nia sends Asuka to the mat. Asuka goes for the arm but Nia escapes. Asuka with a waist lock and forearms. Nia pushes Asuka wway and she applies an Octopus. Nia is able to escape but Asuka lands on her feet. Asuka with a back heel kick but Nia with a back breaker. Nia biels Asuka across the ring by the hair. Asuka with forearms but Nia with a clothesline.

Asuka with a cross arm breaker but Nia is able to escape. Asuka turns it into a triangle. Nia gets to her feet and she sends Asuka into the turnbuckles.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Nia with a bear hug. Asuka goes for a sunset flip but Nia stays on her feet but Nia misses a seated splash. Asuka with a running boot to the head and both women are down. Asuka gets to her feet first and she connects with back fists and a spinning back heel kick. Nia gets Asuka up for a Samoan drop but Asuka counters into a rollup for a near fall. Asuka with kicks but Nia blocks a kick and hits a power bomb but Nia collapses onto the ropes. Nia gets a near fall.

Nia picks up Asuka but Asuka rolls through into a knee bar. Nia tries to get to the ropes and she succeeds. Nia sends Asuka to the floor. Nia sends Asuka into the ring steps. Asuka kicks Nia in the back of the leg and she gets caught in the ring steps and falls to the floor. Nia gets back into the ring before the ten count.

Nia struggles to get back to her feet and she collapses to the mat. Nia gets up again and she falls to the mat.

The referee calls for the bell.

Winner: Asuka (by referee stoppage)

After the match, officials come to the ring to check on Nia and so does Alexa Bliss.

Kurt Angle is in his office surveying the damage from Braun Strowman and we see Jason Jordan.

Jason tells Kurt thank you for believing in him and for giving him the opportunity to become tag team champion.

Jason says he would have been there to help Kurt with Braun Strowman. Jason says they are ready to defend the tag titles at the Royal Rumble. He wants to help his partner and the loss last week has been eating him alive. He says a match would help him.

Kurt asks him who should they face.

Jason says Seth should have a singles match and it should be against Finn Balor.

Kurt is okay with that match.

Tom Phillips gives an update on Michael Cole. He says that Cole is shaken up after being manhandled by Braun Strowman. Corey says that rehiring Braun Strowman was a mistake by Stephanie McMahon.

We have the annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute.

We are back and Alexa is with Nia in the locker room and she says she did not exepct to see Nia get hurt.

Enzo shows up and they talk about their injuries. Alexa tells Enzo she's got this. Nia tells Alexa that Enzo's got this and Alexa leaves.

Enzo says that he is sorry that Nia got hurt.

Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson vs Ricky Starks and Aaron Solow

Dawson with forearms and punches followed by a suplex and clothesline. Wilder tags in and he goes to the turnbuckles for a knee to the head. Wilder pushes Solow into the corner and Starks tags in and Wilder with a back breaker. Dawson tags in and he hits an assisted gourdbuster. Dawson with a slap to Solow on the apron and then they hit Shatter Machine for the three count.

Winners: Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder

Scott and Dash are interviewed after the match and Scott asks if they really want to give them a live mic. That was tag team wrestling. Too many people care about playing video games or seeing how many likes they get. They are students of the game. They are asked about which legends they are looking forward to meeting next week. Dash says there is nothing old school about beer baths and crotch chops. They made things a mockery. Dash says they are not sports entertainers, they are wrestlers. Scott says they are not creations of the WWE board room. They will not be changed. Next week, there will be a ton of entertainers from around the globe, but this is their universe.

Elias walks in the back as we go to commercial.

We are back and Elias is in the ring and he wants to know who wants to walk with him.

Elias says he hopes Michael Cole is okay. He is here for two reasons. First to teach you a lesson and then your lives will be better immediately. The WWE stands for Walk With Elias. The Royal Rumble is on the horizon and there are a lot of superstars involved. Elias says he is concerned about one superstar and he wrote a song about it. His song is about John Cena. The crowd did not appreciate Elias' comments about the Spurs.

Elias says he was paid a significant amount of money for this part of his song and he introduces Miz and the Miztourage.

Miz makes his way to the ring and he is joined by Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas.

We are back and Miz is on the mic. He says last Monday he returned to Raw after a six week absence. The fans greeted him with welcome back chants. That felt awesome. It was only six weeks, but the WWE Universe knew something was missing from Raw. The spark that ignites Raw was missing. The spark was not John Cena. It was not Brock Lesnar. It was him. Whether Kurt Angle likes him or not, he knows. He was granted his rematch last week and it was awesome. Then they laid Roman Reigns to waste and it felt awesome. It was an unforgettable moment. That is why his wife and he were asked to star in and produce their own show. Miz says he will overdeliver next week and people will be talking for the next 25 years. The title is his. Miz says he made it prestigious and he made it relevant. He will walk into the Barclays Center and reclaim his title and it will feel awesome.

Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas (with Miz) vs Roman Reigns

Miz takes the title belt and tries to distract Roman but it fails. Roman with uppercuts to Axel and Dallas. Roman goes after Miz on the floor but Bo comes behind and he gets punched by Roman. Axel comes off the apron and hits Roman from behind. Bo and Curtis send Roman chest first into the ring steps. Axel gets a near fall. Axel gets another near fall. Axel and Dallas kick Reigns in the corner. Bo gets a near fall. Bo with a reverse chin lock.

Bo puts his weight on Roman's back to keep him on the mat. Reigns gets to his feet and Bo with knees to the head and chest. Bo goes for a suplex but Roman blocks it. Roman tries to suplex Bo over the top rope to the floor but Curtis makes the save. Bo with a kick and DDT for a near fall. Roman keeps Bo from making the tag and Bo and Roman exchange forearms. Axel tags in and he hits Roman from behind.

Roman with a Samoan drop to Axel and both men are down. Roman stops Axel from making the tag and Roman runs Axel into the opposite corner. Axel with a boot but Roman with a forearm to knock Dallas off the apron. Roman with clotheslines followed by a flying clothesline. Roman looks around and he sets for NeverEnding Story. Roman with an elbow and kick to Dallas. Roman sends Axel into Bo and Roman with a boot to Dallas and Bo going down also ends up being a DDT.

Reigns sets for the Superman punch and Miz distracts him. Dallas gets clotheslined over the top rope to the floor and Roman with a Superman punch to Axel. Roman goes to the floor and hits Dallas with a Superman punch off the ring steps. Axel with a rollup for a near fall when Reigns grabs Miz' jacket and Reigns with a spear on Axel for the three count.

Winner: Roman Reigns

We go to commercial.

Sasha Banks (with Mickie James and Bayley) vs Sonya Deville (with Mandy Rose and Paige)

Sonya with a waist lock and take down. Sasha goes for the Banks Statement but Sonya escapes. Mandy distracts Sasha and Sonya runs Sasha into the turnbuckles. Sonya with an Irish whip and Sasha tries to float over but Sonya with a knee to the midsection. Sonya with more knees for a near fall. Sonya with a body scissors. Sasha backs Sonya into the turnbuckles to get out of the hold. Sasha with forearms and a head scissors take down. Sasha with a drop kick followed by running double knee strikes into the corner. Sasha goes up top but Sonya with a kick to the midsection for the three count.

Winner: Sonya Deville

We have a video package of the WWE Superstars at the National Civil Rights Museum last week in Memphis.

Seth Rollins is in the locker room and Jason Jordan asks if he is ready. Seth says he needs to talk to Jason. He tells Jason not to speak for him. Jason says he can cancel the match. Seth says he has unfinished business with Finn. Seth reminds Jason they are teammates. He has a problem with the way that Jason did it, not that he did it.

Matt Hardy vs Heath Slater (with Rhyno)

The match is joined in progress and Matt with punches and a side head lock. Matt with a splash onto Slater when Heath drops down. Matt with punches to the head. Matt punches Slater in the corner. Slater goes into the ropes and Matt climbs onto the ropes and Slater tries to get away from Matt. Matt with a punch and Slater goes to the floor. Rhyno tells Slater that he's got this and Heath goes back into the ring.

Slater with kicks to Hardy. Slater with elbows to the arm and then he applies an arm bar. Matt bites the hand but Slater with a punch. Hardy with a punch and German suplex into the turnbuckles. Matt punches Heath in the corner and then he hits a running clothesline followed by a Side Effect for a near fall. Matt sends Slater into the turnbuckles and then he hits a neck breaker. Matt with a kick and Twist of Fate for the three count.

Winner: Matt Hardy

We have a video package for the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018, Bill Goldberg.

We go to commercial.

We are back with a look at what happened so far tonight with Braun Strowman.

Finn Balor says that when he faced Seth Rollins, it was the greatest moment of his life. He will prove tonight that it was no accident. With his good brothers at his side, it will be too sweet.

Finn Balor (with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) vs Seth Rollins (with Jason Jordan)

They lock up and Rollins with a side head lock and Rollins holds on when Balor tries to send him off the ropes. Balor with arm drags into an arm bar. Rollins backs Balor into the ropes and Rollins with an arm drag and shoulder tackle followed by a kick. Rollins with a chop and punches followed by kicks in the corner. Rollins with a snap mare into a reverse chin lock. Rollins with a knee to the midsection and he goes for a sunset flip and Balor rolls through and drop kicks Rollins. Rollins is sent to the floor and Balor with a running kick on the apron.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Rollins with forearms in the corner. Rollins with a blockbuster but he holds his knee after landing. Rollins with a running knee to the back to send Balor to the floor. Rollins sets for a suicide dive and he hits it but Rollins holds his knee as he lands on the floor. Rollins with a neck breaker and he gets a near fall. Rollins with a cravate and a knee to the midsection followed by a forearm to the back of the head. Balor with forearms and Rollins with an elbow to the back of the head. Rollins with an elbow to the head and Balor with a boot and running forearms. Balor with a double leg take down and a double stomp.

Balor with a running chop into the corner and then he floats over but he runs into a boot. Balor with an enzuigiri followed by a elbow to the chest. Rollins avoids Slingblade and hits his own for a near fall. Rollins with running forearms into the corner and then when he goes for a third one, Balor with Slingblade. Rollins with a super kick for a near fall. Balor with an elbow and chop followed by forearms. Rollins sets for the V Trigger but Balor with a forearm. Rollins with an enzuigiri and both men are down.

Rolins goes up top for the Phoenix Splash but Balor moves and Rollins lands on his feet. Balor with a running drop kick that sends Rollins into the turnbuckles. Balor goes up top for the Coup de Grace but Rollins recovers and hits a superplex and then rolls through into a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Rolllins goes up top again and he goes for a frog splash but Balor gets his knees up and Balor gets a near fall on a rollup.

Sheamus and Cesaro's music plays and they make their way to the ring. They go after Jason Jordan who is blocked by Gallows and Anderson and they miss Jordan and hits Gallows and Anderson. Balor with a plancha onto Cesaro, Sheamus, Anderson, and Gallows. Balor with an enzuigiri and he goes up top for the Coup De Grace but he misses. Balor with a forearm to Cesaro. Jordan trips Balor and Rollins with Black Out for the three count.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Gallows and Anderson are in the ring helping Balor to his feet.

We go to credits.