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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Jan. 28, 2019) from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, featuring the fallout show from the Royal Rumble pay-per-view that went down just last night in the same city.
Advertised for tonight: Seth Rollins on his Royal Rumble win, Ronda Rousey figures out what’s next, and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR JAN. 28
In these days and these hours of fury, when the darkness and answers are thin, lovers come and check out in a hurry, shallow and hollow again. Come lay your body beside me, to dream to sleep with the lamb, to the question your eyes seem to send. Am I your passion, your promise, your end? I say I am, and I say I’m here to liveblog this here pro wrestling show for you, folks.
The show opens with Seth Rollins making his entrance.
He says he said thirty guys were gonna go in the Rumble and lay it all on the line and the reason he was gonna outlast twenty-nine of them was his heart and determination, and that’s why he won the Royal Rumble. “You deserve it!” chants rain down and he said he promised himself he wasn’t gonna no matter what but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime shot, so he’s gotta point at the sign!
Seth does, in fact, point at the sign. He says some kids grow up wanting to walk on the moon, but all he ever wanted to do was point at that sign and main event WrestleMania. But winning the Royal Rumble is only the beginning of the journey, because now he’s got a choice to make-- he can head over to SmackDown to challenge someone who’s been a friend of his for a very long time, WWE Champion Daniel Bryan.
Or his other path to WrestleMania takes him to Suplex City, where he challenges Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship, and that decision... “Take his belt!” chants go up, and Seth says it’ll take some time for him to think and make that decision.
(Behold, the king!)
(The king of kings!)
(On your knees, dog.)
Enter Triple H. He says he’s glad Seth lived his dream and pointed at the sign, and just a couple months ago he challenged him to bring the real Seth Rollins back and he’s known that dream. Rollins stepped up to that challenge and he’s proud of him for it, and the Royal Rumble is designed to test your limits until there is only one, and last night we found out who the one is.
That one is Seth freakin’ Rollins... and now he has the decision of who to burn down, much as Becky Lynch has the same decision. She’ll make hers tomorrow on SmackDown, but Seth needs to make his tonight. Rollins knows how fast the machine moves, and they need to know tonight. He’s got until the end of the night, and both champions will be here. Seth says that’s one of the hardest decisions of his life, but if it has to be tonight, it has to be--
Enter Dean Ambrose. He says this whole father/son schtick makes him sick and points out that Hunter didn’t believe in Rollins and wanted to get rid of him back in FCW, but they promised to get together and take WWE together. Triple says if Dean wants to bring up the brother angle he might want to remember how he turned his back on Seth when Roman Reigns announced his leukemia.
Ambrose tells Hunter this isn’t any of his business and he calls Rollins a kiss-ass to boot, and he even hopes he beats Lesnar or Bryan, because the one guy he’s never been able to beat without help is Dean. He asks Hunter to use his stroke to make a match between the two of them in the ring tonight and HHH stalks off without an answer until Ambrose gets in his face and asks if he needs permission from his father-in-law first.
A “yes he does!” chant goes up, and Hunter calls referee John Cone down! The match itself will wait until after the break, however.
Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins
Back in time for the bell, trading punches, Rollins pulls ahead and backs Ambrose into the corner, leading referee John Cone to pull them apart. Off the ropes, elbow, snapmare, Penalty Kick, and a knee drop to the face sends Dean to the floor! Slingshot dropkick puts him into the barricade, Seth throws him into the barricade, they trade chops and Rollins pummels him with punches.
Springboard lariat off the barricade, back inside, springboard into a kick to the gut, Ambrose with a mat slam and mounted punches to follow. Seth tunes up the band, Dean rolls away from Blackout but gets caught with a kick in the ropes, sunset flip to the floor for a powerbomb but Ambrose slips out and puts Rollins into the steel ringpost! Back inside, STF applied, wrenching it in!
Rollins out with body blows, chop, whip reversed, kitchen sink knee lift wipes him out and Dean offers some mocking encouragement. Drawing him up, whip to the corner, boot up, pass to the floor, off the ropes, suicide dive cut off with a forearm! Kick to the gut, Hook and Ladder... NOPE! And on that nearfall, we go to break.
Back from commercial, jockeying for position in the corner, Ambrose clubbing and pointing at the sign, underhooks, knocked down, Rollins with a crossbody and both men are down and out! Trading chops on their feet, Seth off the ropes, duck a lariat, Sling Blade connects and Dean rolls to the floor! Fired up, off the ropes, suicide dive! Back in, duck a lariat, lariat to the floor, another dive!
Back in, Ambrose floats over a suplex but eats an enzuigiri and staggers back to the floor. Rollins still fired up, off the ropes, a third suicide dive! Perched up top, Dean back in, frog splash but nobody’s home! La Casita... NOPE! Dirty Deeds blocked, the ripcord knee hits, buckle bomb, superkick, tuning up the band...
Seth Rollins wins by pinfall with Blackout.
Commentary hypes up Baron Corbin vs. Kurt Angle for later and we go to break.
Back from commercial and Dean Ambrose is still in the ring.
He has something serious to share with us, but Nia Jax and Tamina make their entrance before he can get going. She and Dean jaw at each other and when he goes to leave she hits history’s weakest forearm on him. He just kinda shrugs it off and moves on.
Alexa Bliss & Mickie James get a picture-in-picture promo about how they’re winning the tag titles.
Alexa Bliss & Mickie James vs. Nia Jax & Tamina (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match)
Bliss and Tamina to start, Alexa with a series of shoves, duck a forearm, haul a slap off and Snuka stands firm and bowls her over. Charging in, Tamina catches her with a forearm, off the ropes, roll-through into Insault to Injury... NOPE! Scoop and a tag to Jax, Bliss gets away but Jax rams her into James on the apron and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Bliss comes up empty, Tamina with the superkick... NOPE! Follow with a reverse chinlock, Alexa posts to her feet, whip into the corner, back elbow, sets up the Yoshi Tonic but she doesn’t get all the snap and it’s only a two! Snuka freight trains her, tag to Jax, in with a headbutt, choking Bliss over the top rope and following it with a corner butt press!
Cobra clutch applied, slinging Alexa around on the mat, drawing her up, into the corner, tag to Tamina. She comes in with a headbutt, Bliss with a sunset flip, still just two! Reaching out, desperate, clear the apron, scoop but Alexa slips out with a handful of hair and rolls through for the tag! Mickie off top, diving bulldog, right hands, back elbow, Frankensteiner!
Duck under, neckbreaker... STILL NO! Big kick, Snuka stumbles over for the tag! James sidesteps, headlock, step-up but Nia throws her away! Fireman’s carry, Alexa up top and thinking twice but Jax grabs her too... DOUBLE SAMOAN DROP!
Nia Jax & Tamina win by pinfall with a double Samoan drop from Jax to qualify for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match.
We cut to an interview with Kurt Angle from earlier where he talks about his match against Drew McIntyre. It’s taken him a long time to get over that loss, but longer to get a match against Baron Corbin, so Corbin should be worried.
Baron Corbin makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Kurt Angle makes his entrance and Baron Corbin gets on the mic.
Corbin says he’s one of the greatest ever and brings up his gold medal before saying he knows that Kurt believes he’s got one more great run left in him, but that’s just not true, and when he hurts him, it’s all gonna be their fault for convincing him-- Angle decks him! Referee Dan Engler pulls them apart and we got a bell!
Baron Corbin vs. Kurt Angle
Right hands to the corner, German suplex, cut off with a knee, whip reversed, slide to the floor, back in with a lariat... NOPE! Right hands, putting boots to the legend, knee lift, overhead elbow, stomps, right hand, raining punches down on the mat and posing, half nelson chinlock, Angle to his feet, back elbow up on the charge! Boot up on the next, sidestep, Baron eats the post hard!
Waistlock, rolling German suplexes, three in total... NOPE! Corbin back in, gets a nearfall, Kurt back with an Angle Slam... STILL NO! Ankle lock applied, Corbin kicks him off and hits Deep Six...
Baron Corbin wins by pinfall with Deep Six.
Post-match, Corbin comes back in and lays Angle out one more time for good measure!
Finn Balor is shown walking backstage, visibly showing the signs of his war against Brock Lesnar last night, and greeting Heath Slater, Rhyno, Apollo Crews, Heavy Machinery, Sasha Banks, and Bayley to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of last night’s match between Brock Lesnar and Finn Balor.
Finn makes his entrance.
He says last night he went toe to toe with Brock Lesnar for ten minutes, but no excuses-- Brock beat him, and then he beat him again. He’s never felt speed or power like that and today he’s hurt, but he’s not standing with his head hung low, because Brock beat him that hard because he MADE him believe!
Enter Bobby Lashley, flanked by Lio Rush as always. Rush says it’s a disgrace a twerp like Finn even got a title shot, and we all know he almost beat Lesnar last night, but he wouldn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell against Lashley, who is bigger, faster, and stronger than Brock will ever be. That little ass-whipping Balor took last night is nothing next to what Bob would do to him.
Finn’s response is to point out he lasted longer with Lesnar and Lashley did in the Royal Rumble, which earns him a kick to the gut, a whip, and a chokeslam! Another one! Bob draws him up and puts him down a third time!
Commentary hypes up Braun Strowman vs. Drew McIntyre for later and we go to break.
Back from commercial in time for entrances.
Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder vs. the Revival (Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson)
Hawkins and Wilder to start, pass into the corner, tag to Ryder, flapjack connects, Dawson in, Curt with a right hand and Zack sends him to the floor with a lariat! Slingshot dropkick takes both men out, push Dash back inside, front kick, tag to Scott. Double-team suplex, only two and Dawson follows with a leg drop, an elbow drop, falling headbutt, back suplex!
Wilder tag, double-team nearfall into a kneeling neck crank, scraping the bones of his forearm across Ryder’s face. Front chancery, a knee lift, suplex reversed into a neckbreaker! Tags made, Hawkins clears the apron, right hands, whip reversed, flying forearm, dropkicks, fired up, enzuigiri for Dawson! Whip reversed into a short-arm lariat, clear the apron, Scott runs into a small package for two!
O’Connor roll, blind tag, the Revival have him...
The Revival win by pinfall with Shatter Machine on Curt Hawkins.
Flannel lads Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan roll into an interview backstage.
Bryan says he would have beaten AJ Styles last night no matter what, and as for Rollins, who celebrates pollution every time he talks about burning it down, he won’t wait for WrestleMania, he’ll end his hopes tonight.
A video package for WWE’s tag team with Unicef to help provide immigrant kids with educational opportunities sends us to break.
Back from commercial we get a bumper informing us that WrestleMania is 69 days away. (Nice.)
Elias is in the ring to sing us a song. He plays a few bars instrumentally before launching into his usual spiel. He says we let him down by not being fast enough on the draw with our cheers and says we’re not worthy of his songs anymore. They’re for him now, and he’s got one right now--
Enter Jeff Jarrett, because it is 2019 and this is the world in which we live. He questions the idea of Elias having a problem with the people since he has a problem with him, and he spells his own name because that’s his gimmick--
(OH, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?!)
Road Dogg is here! He asks if he’s got it straight that Elias just wants to perform for himself before telling him he should play with himself on his own time. And if he’s not down with that, he’s got two words for him! As for Jeff and himself, they want to sing for god and everybody... THEY’RE GONNA SING WITH MY BABY TONIGHT MY GOD IN HEAVEN THE WRESTLING IS GOOD!
ELIAS CUTS THE MUSIC BY CRACKING A GUITAR ACROSS DOGG’S BACK! Putting boots to Jarrett, Jeff fires back with right hands, backing him in the ropes, whip across, Jarrett ducks and hits the jab! Jeff with guitar in hand, raising it high but Elias comes in with a punch and cracks it across his back!
Dana Brooke and Natalya are backstage getting ready ahead of their match, and Brooke says she knows she wasn’t the first choice but she’s not gonna let Nattie down. Neidhart says it’s about trying their hardest, to which Brooke says she’s better than she is and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Mojo Rawley cuts a promo in a dark room about how he has no one to blame but one person he’s talking to. He puts himself over and says “they” think he’s a nobody because of you... and you turns out to be a mirror. He says that ends now, and soon everyone will see who he really is.
Dana Brooke & Natalya vs. Riott Squad (Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan) (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match)
Natalya and Logan to start, Nattie with snap suplexes, Brooke tags herself in. Tag to Morgan, Dana with an enzuigiri that sends her to the floor, Brooke fends off a trip, cartwheel to the floor, clothesline Ruby Riott saves her pal. Pep talk from Neidhart, back inside with Sarah, hard whip puts Dana into the corner and she clears the apron after. Wheelbarrow lift, tag, Liv with a diving X-Factor... NOPE!
Morgan follows with an enzuigiri, tag to Neidhart, lariat, whip reversed, pass the charge, slingshot atomic drop into the running stomp but she gets caught up with Ruby and Morgan nearly pins her! Sharpshooter applied, Logan breaks it up by shoving Dana at her, Liv thinks fast...
Riott Squad win by pinfall with an overrotated schoolboy pin from Liv Morgan on Natalya to qualify for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match.
Commentary hypes up an open challenge from Ronda Rousey and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Ronda Rousey makes her entrance.
She asks what’s the point of dreaming if not big, ridiculous dreams, and mentions about how last year she made her debut at the end of the first women’s Royal Rumble, and now she’s your Raw Women’s Champion. And last night, Sasha Banks gave her the fight of her life. All through this, I should mention, she’s getting thunderous chants for Becky Lynch. Ronda thanks Sasha for the match and gets flustered by the crowd.
She points to the sign and says she knows Becky Lynch is watching and she’s got a choice to make.
Enter Bayley. She says she’s not Becky, but she’s Sasha’s tag partner, and since Ronda looks like she’s out here for a fight, why not put the title on the line? (Perhaps in the open challenge that was already advertised? Nah...)
Bayley vs. Ronda Rousey (c) (WWE Raw Women’s Championship)
Circling, collar and elbow, Rousey with a takedown, looking for an armbar but Bayley gets the ropes. Waistlock, forearm to the back of the neck, wristlock, elbows to the shoulder, whip through the ropes and she puts Ronda on the floor. Following after her, dragging her up to the apron, Stunner over the ropes denied and Rousey hits the armbar in the ropes! Bayley gets away, Stunner over the middle rope, only two!
Whip, up and over denied and Ronda’s leg gives out! Chop block, dragon screw in the ropes and we go to break with the Hugger in control.
Back from commercial, Bayley is in control with a short legscissor of sorts, but Rousey’s able to escape. Hugger passes her to the corner, snapmare for two. Draw up, forearm strikes, charge into the corner, back roll but Ronda shoots in with a clothesline and some separation! Another one, judo throws, one, two, the third but she’s unsteady on her feet and they collapse to a heap after!
Rousey with a hard hit out of the corner for two, Bayley catches her into a kneebar! Ronda posts to her feet and slips out, they roll to the apron and hit the floor hard! We gotta head back to break!
Back from commercial, Bayley lands on her feet on a missed dive, shoulder thrusts in the corner, dump the champion to the floor, charging around, through the corner dropkick! Back inside, cover comes up empty, up top for the diving elbow... AND INTO THE BANK STATEMENT CROSSFACE! Rousey crawling, reaching, and she gets the ropes! Setting her up in the corner, Ronda slips out, jockeying for position... AVALANCHE FLYING ARMBAR! IT’S OVER!
Ronda Rousey wins by submission with the cross armbar to retain the WWE Raw Women’s Championship.
Rousey helps Bayley up and the Hugger offers a handshake, gladly accepted.
BECKY LYNCH IS HERE! THE MAN IS HERE!
She makes her way to the ring and says she’s back on Raw and she told Ronnie she’d find a way back. Now, for about a year she’s been hearing about the Baddest Woman on the Planet, but the last time she came to this show she dropped her right here, on the mat, in the ring. And even after that, Rousey never came looking to prove her title, so she’s come to prove she ain’t.
And last night she won the Royal Rumble. Unlike Seth Rollins, she doesn’t need much time to think, and she chooses Ronda! And at WrestleMania, she’s going to break her mystique, take her title, and kick her ass in front of the whole world! Rousey says she doesn’t want to just beat her, but the best version of her, and everybody knows she could rebreak Becky’s face faster than you could say Nia Jax.
Hell, she could kill her with her bare hands without breaking a sweat, and since they’re the same age she can say when Lynch was training, she was main eventing in UFC, and has been a household name for a decade. Becky has to learn that any ring she steps into is her own and she’s going to own her at WrestleMania.
We go backstage with Seth Rollins as he’s contemplating his decision. He turns and faces Braun Strowman and Strowman tells him he earned it last night before offering a hand. Rollins shakes it and Braun tells him to make the right choice and make it count at WrestleMania.
Braun’s match will be after the break.
Back from commercial we get a video package for Make-A-Wish.
Braun Strowman vs. Drew McIntyre
Collar and elbow, Strowman shoves off and roars, McIntyre returns a side headlock, off the ropes, shoulder block and Braun is unmoved! Pass into the corner, boots up, big chop from Drew, whip off, big boot, right hands and Strowman freight trains him before kicking him out of the ring! Running around ringside, McIntyre trips him up and we go to break.
Back from commercial, McIntyre has a sleeper hold on but Strowman is fighting it. Pumping himself up, counter with a back suplex, Stinger Splash and a clubbing blow, clothesline to the floro but Braun’s knee is bugging him! Jockeying for position on the apron, Strowman hits an Iconoclasm on the floor! Braun grabs the steel steps but before he can bring them to bear Baron Corbin attacks and referee Chad Patton has no choice but to the throw it out!
Braun Strowman wins by disqualification.
Baron gets a chair but Braun turns it around and beats him down! POUNCES FOR EVERYBODY! Drew wakes up and hits the Claymore! DOUBLE CHOKESLAM INTO THE STEEL STEPS!
We cut backstage to see Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan chatting before going to Paul Heyman knocking on Brock Lesnar’s door, and then we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary announces Boss and Hug Connection vs. Alicia Fox & Nikki Cross for our last Raw qualifying match for the Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match.
Enter Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman, cutting off Seth Rollins’ intro as Royal Rumble winner.
Paul says it’s easy to make choices when you don’t have options, and he only has one option, to go and challenge Daniel Bryan. He says it takes a special kind of being to weather the Beast’s assault, especially in his house at WrestleMania for his title--
Enter Seth Rollins. HE DECKS BROCK! KICKS TO THE GUT, OFF THE ROPES... CAUGHT INTO THE F-5! Fireman’s carry... A SECOND F-5! A THIRD! Drawing him up again... NUMBER FOUR SURE WHY NOT?! Setting the title down so he can get a good look at it... F-5 ONTO THE TITLE BELT! Rollins draws himself up and calls Brock out, asking if that’s all he’s got! ONE MORE F-5!
That’s the show, folks.