Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 1.06.20

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 1.06.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– US Title Match: Andrade defeated Rey Mysterio @ 16:10 via pin [***½]
– Raw Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Viking Raiders defeated The Street Profits & The Good Brothers @ 15:20 via pin [***]
– Erick Rowan defeated Jeff Hawkins @ 0:30 via pin [NR]
– AJ Styles defeated Tozawa @ 2:10 via pin [NR]
– Drew McIntyre defeated No Way Jose @ 1:35 via pin [NR]
– Aleister Black defeated Shelton Benjamin @ 2:40 via pin [NR]
– Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, & The Big Show defeated Seth Rollins & AOP @ 10:25 via DQ [**½]

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– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– We open with highlights from last week.

Paul Talks While Brock Collects a Check: Paul says, “Happy New Year to you to, bitches” to kick things off. He then of course introduces himself and says they will make history. Brock wants to know who will challenge him at the Rumble, but thinks no one deserves the chance or is man enough to step up to him. Paul says you don’t boo Brock, not when Brock is about to do something unprecedented. He beat Taker at Mania, he’s won all the big titles, and Paul suggests that they all challenge Brock, because Brock is entering the Rumble, will enter first, and will take the ring last. Brock is the beast, will conquer, and will win. That’s not a prediction, that’s a spoiler.

– Backstage, Rey is interviewed and says his US Title match means everything to him. He only has days and no years left. Andrade is great but doesn’t deserve to represent the Laitinos and will take his title back.

US Champion Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio: Vega is at ringside. Andrade attacks at the bell, Rey battles back with a RANA, to the floor and hits another. Back in and Rey covers for 1. He dumps Andrade and slams him to the steps. Back in and Rey springboards into a dropkick from Andrade. Post break and Rey counters into a head kick. He follows with rights, a RANA and enziguri. The seated senton follows and then a tornado DDT gets 2. Andrade fires back with elbows, they work up top, Andrade gets him in the tree of WHOA and the double stomp misses as Andrade spills to the floor. Rey then hits the sliding sunset bomb but Andrade counters and rolls into double knees. Back in and the senton atomico gets 2. Andrade follows with the rolling suplexes, but Rey cradles him for 2. The 619 is countered as Andrade hits a back elbow for 2. Rey battles back, hits a destroyer and covers for 3… but Andrade’s foot was on the ropes thanks to Vega. Post break and the match continues. Andrade misses a charge and spills to the floor. Rey follows with a RANA to send Andrade to the barricade, Back in and Rey hits code red for 2. They fight to the apron, trading strikes and Andrade hits a sunset bomb sending Andrade to the post. Back in and Rey hits a springboard leg drop for 2. Rey flies, Andrade catches him and cuts him off, covering for 2. He follows with strikes, the double knees miss and Rey hits a springboard RANA. 619 follows and Andrade rolls to the floor. Rey flies, Andrade dumps him into Vega and Andrade whips him to the steps. Back in and the ref checks on Rey. Rey rolls to the floor, apologizes to Vega as officials check on her. Back in, hammerlock DDT and Andrade retains. Andrade defeated Rey Mysterio @ 16:10 via pin [***½] This was a very good and fun match, with an unfortunately flat finish that took away instead of adding to the match.

– Post match, Andrade unmasks Rey and offers it to Vega.

– Kevin & Joe are interviewed and they agree that they don’t play well with others, but in this case they need each other and will work together. Joe wants AOP & Rollins tonight, and says they have a third Joe “has a guy” and tells Kevin to trust him.

– Seth & AOP walk and Charly talks about the challenge from Kevin & Joe. They live for challenges and is taking Raw to new levels. He didn’t ask to be the chosen one, the fans made him a visionary and messiah. They are a united front and if anyone stands up to them, they will take care of them.

– The Street Profits arrive and they are here to change the game. Tonight, they will win the tag team titles. They also want the smoke.

Champions The Viking Raiders vs. The Street Profits vs. The Good Brothers: Erik and Karl begin as Erik grounds things and follows with a slam. Ivar tags in and double teams follow. The champions follow with quick tags and more double teams, Dawkins tags in and follows with a dropkick on Karl. Ford in and he hits a dropkick. Ivar tags himself in and he and Ford work into counters as they do cartwheels into a standoff. The Good Brothers attack, Gallows tags in and works over The Street Profits with strikes. Karl back in and he delivers uppercuts. Gallows then hits a suplex for 2. He grounds the action, Karl joins in for double teams and covers for 2. They dump Dawkins and Ford hits an enziguri. Gallows in, Ford counters and tags in Erik. He tosses Gallows and then Dawkins around. Knee strike to Karl, double knees to Gallows and the champions double team Dawkins and then Gallows. The Street Profits tags in, but runs into Thor’s hammer for 2. The Good Brothers attack, dive by Ivar and Gallows dumps Erik into the crowd. Post break and Erik fights back on Gallows, gets cut off and Karl follows with uppercuts and then ground and pound for 2. Erik & Karl trade, Gallows tags back in and lays the boots to Erik. The champions work quick tags as Karl grounds Erik. Erik battles back and rolls for the tag. Ivar runs wild on Karl and clotheslines Gallows. He misses the broncobuster, Dawkins an Erik tag in. Dawkins runs wild and tags in Ford. The frog splash follows but Karl dumps him and covers for 2 as Ivar makes the save. It breaks down, Ivar blind tags in and hits the top rope splash for the win. Champions The Viking Raiders defeated The Street Profits & The Good Brothers @ 15:20 via pin [***] This was good they got plenty of time, kept a good pace and it was fun.

– Kevin wants Joe to tell him who their partner is so Joe says he will show him. Post break, Kevin sees who it is and smiles, noting that Seth & AOP are in trouble. Joe tells Charly she has to wait and see who it is.

– Becky Lynch arrives and says she’s been wondering what kind of champion she is. She forced WWE to give her a match with Asuka, but is kind of doubting herself on that one. He life has changed in the last year, but thought things over during the holidays, and wondered if she should be content and avoid Asuka? We get highlights of Asuka beating her last year at the Rumble, then on Raw a few months back, and then at TLC. Asuka arrives and interrupts. She rants in Japanese, likely mocking Lynch as she laughs. She gets in the ring and Lynch shoves her down and leaves. I need more Asuka shit talking angrily in Japanese.

– Rowan walks with his pet and runs into Mojo Rawley. Mojo wants to look in the cage Rowan agrees and says don’t tell anyone. Mojo looks and screams at Rowan before running away.

– We get highlights of Andrade beating Rey earlier tonight.

– Andrade & Vega are interviewed, holding Rey’s mask. An unmasked Rey arrives and beats Andrade’s ass and takes his mask back. Agents make the save.

Erick Rowan vs. Jeff Hawkins: Rowan tosses him to the floor, but he escapes back into the ring. Spin kick, corner splash, claw slam, finish. Erick Rowan defeated Jeff Hawkins @ 0:30 via pin [NR] Death.

– Post match, Rowan shoves his face in the cage and when he escapes, he’s covered in blood; WWE is countering baby Yoda with baby Matanza in the cage.

AJ Styles vs. Tozawa: Tozawa attacks, AJ counters back and hits the springboard forearm for 2 as he pulls him up. AJ looks for the clash, but instead hits a draping DDT. He mocks Orton and the RKO finishes Tozawa. AJ Styles defeated Tozawa @ 2:10 via pin [NR] While I am sad these two didn’t get to try and have a fun match, AJ’s mockery of Orton was great here.

– Post match, someone tried and failed to rush the ring.

– Orton faces Styles next week.

– We get a Lashley/Lana video recap.

– Lashley and Lana arrive. The wedding official from last week is here and Lana says that for anyone that didn’t want them married, too damn bad. They are getting married, I guess again, right now. They do a quickie wedding and are pronounced man and wife. They kiss and smile. Lana then says the official is so boring and she should be happy right now, but she’s sad. It has nothing to do with her or Bobby, it’s the fault of the fans who don’t want them married. She says to take a long look at this and we should be honored to be in her presence. So many people tried to ruin this, they are all jealous and should be ashamed. Lashley runs down Rusev for ruining the wedding. He wasn’t man enough to keep Lana. Rusev arrive son the big screen in front of a tropical green screen. He says they are more miserable than anyone, he took their honeymoon on the beach. He has a wedding gift for them, which is a wedding album of last week’s fiasco and the bad things that happened to Mr. & Mrs. Bob Lashley. Rusev blows them kisses and smiles. Lana & Lashley yell at him and Lashley tells Lana to shut up. He says Lana stole Ruev’s manhood and challenges him to a match next week. Rusev says the Bulgarian Brute will return next week and if there’s anything left, Lana can have it.

– Truth is interviewed and Liv Morgan interrupts. She talks about Rusev vs. Lashley next week and says she will be in Rusev’s corner. So the women turn on the men and run away together next week?

Charlotte vs. Sarah Logan: Hey, Logan made it off Main Event! Logan attack, takes Charlotte to the floor and they brawl. Charlotte fires back, they spill over the barricade and continue to fight back to ringside. Logan posts Charlotte, follows with strikes and rolls in. She takes Charlotte’s robe and throws it around and wipes her feet on it. Charlotte spears her on the floor, and whips her to the barricades. They continue to brawl at ringside and Charlotte beats her down, puts her robe on and leaves. No bell, no match, ok.

– Drew walks.

Drew McIntyre vs. No Way Jose: McIntyre kills members of the conga line, suplexes Jose and kills another conga member on the floor. back in, Jose fires back, and cradles McIntyre for 2. Future shock by McIntyre and the claymore ends Jose. Drew McIntyre defeated No Way Jose @ 1:35 via pin [NR] Destruction.

– Post match, Drew dumps Jose. He teases one more claymore, and kills poor Jose again. He’s always hated conga lines, but he likes the cheeseburger guy. He’s never had a world title shot. He declares for the Rumble and doesn’t care who’s in it, there will only be one.

Aleister Black vs. Shelton Benjamin: Hey. Shelton’s alive! They work into counters, and Black cradles him for 2. Shelton grounds him and Black counters into an omoplata. Shelton counters and hits a Gotch lift into a slam. Black follows with kicks, Shelton fires back, they trade and Black hits a knee strike and black mass for the win. Aleister Black defeated Shelton Benjamin @ 2:40 via pin [NR] Shelton Benjamin was 44.

– Post match, Buddy Murphy attacks and beats down Black on the floor. He follows with a V trigger, grabs a chair and kamagoyes it into his face.

– Seth says he’s been chosen to lead Raw to better things. The fans don’t really know what’s good for them but he does. What is best for them is to eliminate people that stop progress, like Owens, Joe, and whoever their partner is.

Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, & The Big Show vs. Seth Rollins & AOP: Show and Akem begin with Show taking control. He tosses Rezar and Seth around and dumps them. Post break and Joe lays n chops on Seth and follows with an enziguri. Kevin then hits the cannonball, and covers for 2. Kevin follows with chops, a backbreaker and covers for 2. He heads up top, Rezar knocks him to the floor and Rezar tags in and beats down Kevin on the floor. Back in as he follows with ground and pound. Rezar grounds things, Kevin fights to his feet and Akem tags in. double teams follow and the cover gets 2. Kevin fires back, gets cut off and Seth tags in. The springboard knee strike follows for 2. He grounds the action, Akem in, Kevin fires back and hits an enziguri. Rezar in and eats a superkick. Tag to Show and he runs wild on the heels, mows down Seth as the rest brawl on the floor. They surround Show, Seth with a chair shot and that’s a DQ. Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, & The Big Show defeated Seth Rollins & AOP @ 10:25 via DQ [**½] This was a perfectly solid match to continue the feud with the most surprising thing being that Show didn’t turn on the faces.

– They all brawl post match. Show KOs Seth and AOP drag him away.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 80. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka Backbodydrop.com’s Ian Hamilton review the two-day NJPW WrestleKingdom 14 extravaganza and then discuss NXT UK problems, & preview Takeover: Blackpool 2020. The show is approximately 210–minutes long.

* Intro
* Attendance/Two Night Move Thoughts: 2:25
* NJPW WrestleKingdom 14 (Day One) Review: 7:40
* NJPW WrestleKingdom 14 (Day Two) Review: 1:12:05
* New Year’s Dash Predictions/Thoughts: 2:31:35
* Discussing NXT UK Problems/Takeover: Blackpool 2020 Preview: 2:35:04

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

Hour one featured the big Brock/Rumble announcement, a very good Andrade vs. Rey match, so a good hour to kick things off. Hour two started off with a good tag title match, a short altercation between Lynch & Asuka to build to their Rumble match, the adventures of Rowan and his wacky pet, Styles mocking Orton as he beat Tozawa, and then Lana & Lashley fallout; it was fine. Hour three had some Lana/Lashley spillover, Charlotte & Logan brawling, McIntyre killing Jose, Aleister killing Shelton and Murphy then attacking Aleister. The show closed with the big six-man tag, which was solid. Overall, raw started strongly and set up some matches for next week, but like many weeks, faded down the stretch; it was fine.