Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 1.20.20

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 1.20.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– US Title Ladder Match: Champion Andrade defeated Rey Mysterio @ 18:40 [***½]
– Aleister Black defeated Steven Kickpads @ 0:04 via pin [NR]
– Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton @ 11:50 via DQ [***]
– Non-Title Match: Champion Becky Lynch defeated Kairi Sane @ 9:00 via submission [***]
– Raw Tag Team Title Match: Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy defeated Champions The Viking Raiders @ 11:35 via pin [***½]
– Erick Rowan defeated Matt Hardy @ 2:10 via pin [NR]
– Lashley & Lana defeated Rusev & Liv Morgan @ 3:30 via pin [**]

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– Here is this year’s Rumble by the numbers video…

Seth & His Disciples Arrive: Buddy got a black suit as part of his membership. Seth says without the fans, there is no Monday Night Messiah and thanks them for believing in him, the support and faith they have in him, and he’s in their debt. He now thanks buddy Murphy for his help last week, he embraced his fate and was brave and courageous as he now stands on the right side of history. We see footage from last week and Seth introduces his new disciple, Buddy Murphy. He saved them in the nick of time because they are fate and destiny. They are at a crucial time and you have to decide what kind of people you want to be and the locker room has to make a choice. You’re either with them or against them. Kevin Owens arrives and Joe is with him. Kevin says Seth talks too much, but he did take out the Big Show, but he will be back and he and Joe are still here. They have had enough of Seth and want to fight. Seth says they can fight, but not right now. Joe says he sees a self proclaimed messiah, but all he sees is an ass hat. Seth says he’s a forgiving man, but not AOP. Seth says if they want to fight, come on down and dance with destiny. Joe says they are ready and aren’t alone. The Viking Raiders arrive and they hit the ring and we have a brawl. Seth bails as the faces run wild and clear the ring. This was good, Seth is a proper dick in this role and is doing great with it.

– We get a Rey vs. Andrade video package.

– Seth and his boys walk as Charly interviews him. Seth says he saw it coming and says tonight, they challenge the Raiders for the tag titles tonight. He and Buddy will challenge them.

US Title Ladder Match: Champion Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio: Vega is at ringside. Andrade grabs a ladder but Rey dropkicks it into his face, but Andrade cuts him off and slams him to the barricade. Back in, they work up top and Rey fights him off, and hits an avalanche RANA. Post break and they trade, Rey delivers chops and dumps Andrade as Andrade misses a knee strike in the corner. Rey up top and follows with the seated senton to the floor. Back in and Rey delivers kicks, springboards in with the seated senton, sends Andrade into a ladder and gets a new ladder. He dropkicks it into Andrade, sending him to the floor. Rey climbs and Andrade stops him, and follows with rolling suplexes including one onto a ladder. Andrade makes a ladder bridge, Rey fires back and they work up top. Andrade counters the RANA and powerbombs Rey onto the ladder bridge. Post break and Andrade sets up another bridge, but Rey counters into a RANA and dumps Andrade. Rey climbs and Andrade is back, follows him up and they trade. Andrade pick up Rey into a Gory bomb but Rey sorta sunset bombs him onto the ladder bridge. The 619 follows, and Andrade spills to the floor. Rey climbs, but Andrade is back in and pulls the ladder away, Rey hangs and gets pulled down, which was rough looking. Rey dumps Andrade, climbs but Vega is in and climbs to stop him. She slaps Rey, Andrade in and DDTs Rey through the ladder bridge. Vega’s sell of shock here is tremendous. Andrade slowly climbs, and wins. Champion Andrade defeated Rey Mysterio @ 18:40 [***½] Despite a few rough spots, this was very good. What really hurt the match was the six-minutes of commercials, which really hurt the overall flow and momentum of the match. This really deserved a PPV spot so we could see it uninterrupted.

– Post match, Humberto Carrillo returns to save Rey from a DDT on the exposed floor.

– We get the yearly MLK Jr. tribute video.

Aleister Black vs. Steven Kickpads: Black mass, finish. Aleister Black defeated Steven Kickpads @ 0:04 via pin [NR] Aleister Black just took a man’s soul.

Paul & Brock Do Their Thing: Paul is wearing some lovely curtains masquerading as a suit, right out of the Vince McMahon collection. He says people take Brock for granted, because Paul proclaims a spoiler, and Brock delivers. Brock will enter the Rumble at #1 and will win. This is unprecedented, Brock will run through the field and eliminate the competition. 29 challengers will hit the floor and the beast will stand tall. Brock will win because no one is worthy of facing him at Mania. Paul runs down the crowd for booing Brock, saying that no one is worthy to face his beast. Ricochet arrives and says Paul talks and talks every week. Some of the guys are afraid to step in the ring with Brock, but not him. Paul mocks him for this and says Ricochet is lunch meat and needs to go away before he gets hurt. Ricochet refuses and says the Rumble is his ticket to Mania, and he will fight for that, because he’s not afraid to step in the ring with Brock. He enters the ring and challenges Brock to a fight. This wasn’t thought out well. Brock teases walking away, Ricochet calls him scared and so Brock low blows him, and says he’s not scared. Brock leaves. It was a segment, Paul’s delivery as always was great but it was flat.

– Randy Orton arrives, puts over Drew and says he has a great future but that he’s not on par with the viper.

Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton: They lockup and work to the ropes and separate. Lockup and off the ropes and Drew hits a shoulder tackle. Orton powders, back in and Orton hits a shoulder tackle. Drew nods at him, slams him to the buckles and delivers chops. Orton doesn’t appreciate this, fires back and dumps Drew. He follows and slams him of the barricade a few times. Drew fires back, posts Orton and claymores some poor bastard at ringside as Orton moved. Post break and they are back in as Drew heads up top. He flies off into a dropkick, they trade and Drew delivers chops until Orton eye pokes him. He counters and the draping DDT connects. Orton sets for the end, Drew counters with a head butt and an overhead belly top belly for 2. The suplex follows, and the claymore is countered into a snap slam for 2. Orton takes him up top, follows with strikes, and the superplex follows from Orton. Orton spills to the floor, the OC arrive and attack for the DQ. Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton @ 11:50 via DQ [***] This was good and was really picking up until the finish.

– Orton makes the save and they run off the OC, and Orton of course RKOs Drew. Drew gets a mic and says he should have claymored Orton, so that was on him. It won’t happen again and they aren’t done On Sunday. The claymore will send Orton’s head off his shoulders and he will win the Rumble.

– Charly interviews Charlotte. Charlotte is prepared and pans to face anyone. Becky arrives and smiles, as Charlotte says she’ll face 29 women, but are they ready for her?

– Lynch arrives and it’s promo time. Asuka did her a favor last week in misting her. Lynch now sees things clearly and feels Asuka is now afraid of her. Asuka beat her last year, but Lynch won the main event of Mania while Asuka went onto Youtube to make soup. Don’t you dare shit talk Asuka’s wholesome Youtube channel! You can’t beat me anymore.

Non-Title Match: Champion Becky Lynch vs. Kairi Sane: Asuka is at ringside. Sane plays around until Lynch punches her in the throat and dropkicks her to the floor. Lynch follows, Asuka distracts her and Sane chop blocks Lynch. Asuka then cheap shots her knee. Post break and Sane has Lynch grounded back in the ring as Asuka sits on the ring post watching on and shit talking Lynch. v escapes, hits a dropkick and they trade strikes. Lynch levels her with clotheslines, a shoulder tackle and misses a charge. Sane fires back and heads up top. The flying forearm connects for 2. Lynch fires back, hits an inverted DDT and to the ropes, and the leg drop connects for 2. The disarmher follows, until Sane counters into a cradle for 2. The DDT follows for 2. Lynch cuts hr off with kicks, and dumps her. To the floor as Lynch controls, back in and she dumps Asuka. The XPLODER on Sane connects and the disarmher finishes it. Champion Becky Lynch defeated Kairi Sane @ 9:00 via submission [***] This was a good match and post match to hype Sunday’s PPV title match.

– Asuka attacks post match with the Asuka lock, and a head kick to lay out the champion.

– We get the great Rocky Johnson memorial video package.

– The Kabuki Warriors walk backstage and are questioned about their actions and rant n Japanese. Asuka gives no fucks and says Becky is not ready for her.

Raw Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Viking Raiders vs. Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy: Joe, Kevin, & AOP are at ringside. Erik and Buddy start us off. Erik runs him over with a running knee strike, Ivar in and double teams follow. Buddy powders as the other brawl on the floor and into the crowd. Post break as the challengers work over Erik. Kevin, Joe, & AOP have been booted to the back. Erik fights them off but the challengers takeout Ivar. Buddy hits the kamigoye & brainbuster as Seth hits high fly flow for 2. Buddy back in and follows with kicks until Erik hits the knee strike. Tag to Ivar and Seth is in, gets ran over and Ivar runs wild on both. Erik in and Seth stops Thor’s hammer and the challengers get dumped,. Suicide dives follow from the champions. Back in and Thor’s hammer gets 2 as Seth makes the save. He takes out Erik, Ivar cuts him off and takes Buddy up top. Buddy fights him off and Seth tags in and Cheeky nandos connects as they powerbomb Ivar for 2. Buddy tags in and Ivar hits the double back handspring elbow onto the challengers. Erik tags in and the powerbomb follows. Seth dumps Ivar and Buddy hits the knee strike, blackout from Seth and Buddy covers for the win. Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy defeated Champions The Viking Raiders @ 11:35 via pin [***½] This was really good, and I am cool with the result as Buddy gets gold and more importantly, Seth’s group needed some gold to continue to play from a position of power. I know some were thinking AOP winning would be first, but Seth & Buddy are a way better team while AOP are great heaters.

– Seth and pals celebrate and comment on their victory. Buddy saw the light and it paid off for him. On Sunday, Seth says he’ll win the Rumble.

– We get the Street Profits doing a weekend update gimmick. Can’t wait for the SNL geeks to return at Mania. Truth joins in live from Houston. He’s too good for this. In the bin with this bullshit.

Erick Rowan vs. Matt Hardy: Matt attacks, but Rowan quickly cuts him off and hits elbow drops and a running splash. He dumps Matt, drags him to the cage and Matt runs. Rowan checks on his pet, it bites him and he slams the cage around. He fights off Matt, hits the running cross body and back in, the claw slam finishes it. Erick Rowan defeated Matt Hardy @ 2:10 via pin [NR] Thanks for coming Matt.

– We get a Rusev & Liv Morgan vs. Lashley & Lana video package.

– Joe & Kevin arrive and they are in the Rumble as well and they plan to ruin Seth’s night. But Joe says he’ll go through Kevin if he has to in order to win. Well, that escalate quickly.

– 24/7 champion Mojo is interviewed and says the title has been held by cowards. The Singhs try to pin him and so he kills them.

Lana & Lashley arrive as Lana says Rusev day is cancelled. She and Lashley love each other and want to share their inspiring love. She runs down the crowd, and know the fans are jealous of them. They will have to suffer through the fans ruthlessness and all they want is a thank you. She will deal with Liv tonight.

Rusev & Liv Morgan vs. Lashley & Lana: Liv chases Lana and hits clotheslines. Lashley distracts her as Lana hits ahead kick for 2. The suplex follows for 2. Lana slaps hr, Liv fires back and they work into a double down. Rusev & Lashley in, Rusev runs wild and hits an overhead belly to belly. Lana stops him and Lashley almost hits her as Rusev cradles him, Lana slaps Rusev and Lashley hits the dominator for 2 as Liv makes the save. Liv dumps Lana, machka kick by Rusev to Lashley and Lana grabs Rusev’s foot as Lashley spears him for the win. Lashley & Lana defeated Rusev & Liv Morgan @ 3:30 via pin [**] This was better than expected, but unfortunately, this feud must continue.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 83. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook hit a quick news breakdown (AEW’s TV Deal, Scurll, NWA), review the latest between AEW & NXT, and then Larry reflects on his difficult 2019. The show is approximately 89–minutes long.

* Intro
* Quick News Breakdown (AEW’s TV Deal, Scurll, ROH/NJPW/NWA): 4:00
* AEW Dynamite (1.15.20) Review: 21:02
* NXT TV (1.15.20) Review: 47;45
* The Head to Head Comparison: 1:10:00
* Larry Reflects on His Difficult 2019 & Shares Some Thank Yous: 1:18:25

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– Thanks for reading.

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

Hour one started off with a good Seth & friends vs, the unified babyfaces segment, and was followed by a very good Rey vs. Andrade ladder match and the return of Humberto Carrillo. It closed with Aleister Black taking a man’s soul; a good first hour to start us off. Hour two started off with a fine Paul & Brock segment, followed by a good Orton vs. McIntyre match with some Rumble hype involved, an closed with a good Lynch vs. Sane match with a good post match angle involving Asuka; not as good as hour one, but pretty good overall. Hour three started with a really good tag title match and title change, followed by the Street Profits doing a horrible weekend update gimmick, a Rowan squash and an ok main event with Rusev & Liv Morgan vs. Lashley & Lana; hour three was the weakest of the three despite the really good start. Overall, this week’s episode of Raw was a solid show, there was certainly some good and even really good stuff, but it was another show that lost steam the longer it went along.