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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Jan. 20, 2020) from the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for this coming Sunday night in Houston.
Advertised for tonight: Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio in a ladder match for the U.S. championship, Brock Lesnar back again, 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. 20
Looking down into the water, it’s hard to make out your face. If our love is drowning, then why do I feel so out of place? Bubbling up to the surface, are you getting a breath of fresh air? Forever longing to make you mine but I can’t escape your stare, so I’ll focus on liveblogging this here pro wrestling show instead.
The show opens with the intro video.
Seth Rollins makes his entrance, flanked by the Authors of Pain and Buddy Murphy.
Rollins gets on the mic and says he wants us to know something— every single one of us has played a small part in making him the man that he is today, and without us, there is no Monday Night Messiah. So he wants to thank us for believing in him and supporting him, but there’s someone he needs to thank specifically. Last week, Buddy opened his eyes and embraced his fate.
When Akam and Rezar were in their darkest moment, Murphy was courageous and brave and rose up, and now he stands, firmly on the right side of history. This leads to a recap of the end of last week’s show, and Seth formally introducing Buddy as his newest disciple. They hug, and Rollins says Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens were trying to pull a fast one to stop the future, but their plan failed.
The future is inevitable, and now we’ve reached the time where we all need to decide what kind of people we are and for everyone in the locker room to make a decision, because the battle lines are drawn, and either you’re with them, or you’re against them.
Enter Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe.
They agree that Seth Rollins talks too much, but he should be proud of himself for taking Big Show out. But one, Show will be back to deal with them eventually, but also they didn’t get rid of Owens nor Joe. Now KO’s pretty sure the people of Kansas agree with him when he says they’ve had enough of hearing his stupid voice, so less talking, more fighting!
Seth says if Kev wants to fight, they can fight, but they’re not gonna fight right now. They need to decide on a proper time and place. Samoa says he thinks he sees a Monday Night Messiah in the ring, but all he hears is a typical lawyered-up asshat. Rollins says he’s forgiving but not so much the AOP, but if they’re committed to coming and fighting the four of them, there’s not much to say but come on down and dance with destiny.
Joe says one of the side effects of being an asshat is that his listening skills aren’t that good, because they never said they were the only ones. He bids his boys to come on out... and they’re the Viking Raiders! The four babyfaces hit the ring and we’ve got a brawl! They clean house and stand tall as Rollins and his goons go lick their wounds.
We get a video package hyping up our United States Championship match.
Rey Mysterio makes his entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Seth and his goons run into an interview.
Rollins denies being caught off guard and calls the Viking Raiders neanderthals. He says they’re challenging the Viking Raiders for the tag titles tonight, him and Buddy Murphy.
Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE United States Championship Ladder Match)
Both men bail to the floor for ladders but Mysterio pivots and returns to the ring to dropkick the ladder in Almas’ face! Attempting a Frankensteiner to the floor but Andrade counters by swinging him into the barricade! Throwing the ladder in the ring, back inside, suplex lift puts Rey up top, jockeying for position... AVALANCHE DRAGONRANA ONTO THE LADDER! ALMAS IS HURTING AND WE GO TO BREAK!
Back from commercial, Mysterio is blocking a whip, he fires off strikes to get Almas off his back, whip to the corner, sidestep the charge and the champ crashes to the floor! Rey headed up top... SEATED SENTON TO THE FLOOR! Back inside, slugging it out, back body drop puts Rey on the apron, springboard seated senton! Headscissors takeover into a ladder, Mysterio barely dodges a falling ladder and heads outside for another.
Dropkick, keeping Cien off balance, Rey sets up the tall ladder he went and climbs only for Almas to cut him off. Three Amigos with the third one onto a ladder! Almas bridges a shorter ladder between the ropes and the tall ladder, Mysterio with shoulder thrusts and kicks, cut off with a fist, thinking Frankensteiner but Cien counters... AVALANCHE POWERBOMB INTO THE LADDER! WE GOTTA GO TO BREAK!
Back from commercial and Almas has set another ladder up between the turnbuckles and the big ladder. Crucifix poerbomb attempt... REVERSED INTO A FRANKENSTEINER THAT SENDS THE CHAMP TO THE FLOOR! Mysterio heads over and climbs, Andrade climbs to meet him, trading desultory punches, Cien hosses him onto his back, Gory Special... REY REVERSES TO THE YOSHI TONIC!
Dropkick sets the champ up on the second rope... 619! Rey climbs, he’s got both hands on the title but Andrade pulls the ladder out from under him! Mysterio dangling, he falls but rolls through on the champ! Cien down and out, Rey staggered, he back body drops Almas to the floor! Headed up the ladder again, Zelina Vega climbs to interfere and jaws at the greatest of all time before slapping him.
Andrade on the other side, Vega climbs down... HAMMERLOCK DDT THROUGH A LADDER! Almas climbs...
Andrade “Cien” Almas wins by retrieving the title, retaining the WWE United States Championship.
Post-match, Almas and Vega start tearing the ringside area up when Humberto Carrillo returns and makes the save!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get our obligatory Martin Luther King, Jr. Day video package.
Aleister Black vs. ???
It’s a one move enhancement talent squash.
Aleister Black wins by pinfall with Black Mass.
And so to break.
Back from commercial, Drew McIntyre is hanging out in a locker room getting ready for his match against Randy Orton later tonight.
Enter Brock Lesnar, flanked by Paul Heyman.
Paul E does his schtick and says he’s having a crisis of conscience because everyone seems to take what Lesnar does for granted. He comes out, delivers a spoiler, Brock delivers the impossible, and everybody says “Of course Brock did it, he’s Brock Lesnar.” Paul comes out and says Lesnar will enter the Royal Rumble at number one and eliminate 29 unworthy challengers, and everybody says of course he will, he’s Brock Lesnar.
Paul continues spinning his tale about Brock winning the Rumble. He says Lesnar has decided there isn’t anybody in the back worthy of main eventing WrestleMania against him, so he’ll just prove that by winning the match himself, and Heyman challenges us to name somebody that proves him wrong.
Enter Ricochet.
He says we hear Paul talk a lot about what it means for Brock Lesnar to be the first entrant in the Royal Rumble, and he’s heard whispers in the locker room. Some guys are afraid to get in the ring with Brock, it’s true, but Ricochet knows every flip and dive might be his last, so the word “afraid” isn’t really in his vocabulary.
Heyman says he must have learned vocabulary in Wichita, so he should go back to the locker room before he gets hurt. Ricky says he’ll stay right here, because the Royal Rumble might be his only ticket to WrestleMania. And yeah he’s seen what happens when you challenge the Beast, but he’s not afraid to step in the ring with Brock.
Ricochet gets in the ring and further says he’s not afraid to challenge Lesnar to a fight, so he’s challenging him right now. Brock brushes him off and leaves but Ricky calls him back, asking if he’s scared. This gets Lesnar to come back and he kicks Ricochet in the gentleman’s area. Brock grabs the microphone and says he’s not scared before leaving.
Randy Orton is interviewed backstage.
He says that Drew McIntyre is a hell of a talented guy and he’s got a future and a hell of a chop, but on par with him? No way.
Randy Orton makes his entrance to send us to break.
Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton
Circling, collar and elbow, struggling in the lockup, Orton shifts to a side headlock, shot off, shoulder block. McIntyre hair flip and a flex to taunt, Randy takes a breather and returns to Drew grabbing a side headlock and wrenching it in. Orton gets away, McIntyre double legs him into the courner and puts boots to him. Whip across, the Viper with a lariat, and a second one sends the Scotsman to the floor!
Back suplex into the barricade, stalking after McIntyre, he counters a second suplex with a punch to the head and puts Randy into the post. Charging in... CLAYMORE CLIPS A CREW MEMBER WHEN ORTON SIDESTEPS! Drew follows after him as trainers check on the guy that got Claymore’d and we go to break.
Back from commercial, McIntyre in control, he climbs up top and waits for Orton to rise. Randy to his feet and Drew jumps right into a dropkick! The Viper pressing the attack with strikes, McIntyre firing back, slugging it out, Orton gouges the eye and passes Drew to the apron before hitting the hanging DDT! Randy goes to that special place, RKO blocked, headbutt drops the Viper to the mat!
Overhead belly-to-belly suplex gets two, McIntyre follows it up with a straight suplex and kips up after! Viper back in it, snap scoop powerslam... NOPE! Up in the corner, jockeying for position and Randy hits that beautiful superplex of his! The OC are hear and they beat Drew McIntyre down!
We don’t get a bell but surely referee John Cone called the disqualification win for Drew McIntyre.
The OC beat Drew down and then Randy Orton makes the save with a steel chair! He beats the OC down and drives them off before McIntyre rises to square up with him. Orton throws the chair away and walks past him, jawing in a seemingly good-natured way... RKO!
Orton leaves and Drew claws his way to the apron to get the mic. He throws the mic away and demands one that works even though that one worked, and says he shoulda Claymore’d him but that one is on him. That one’s Randy’s, it’s not happening again, and they’re not even. This Sunday, he prays to god they end up in the ring together during the Royal Rumble, because he’s gonna kick Orton’s damn head off his shoulders and win the Royal Rumble and finally main event WrestleMania.
Backstage, Charlotte Flair is interviewed.
She says she’s always confident, but she’s prepared to face anyone and anything. She turns and Becky Lynch is right there up on her and leaves after a brief beat. Flair continues and says last year she was eliminated by Becky Lynch, who wasn’t even in the match, but the question is, are the other women ready to face the Queen?
Becky Lynch makes her entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get some hype for WWE Backstage.
Becky Lynch gets on the mic and says last week Asuka did her a favor.
When she sprayed mist in Lynch’s eyes, she helped her see things clearer than ever, and maybe it’s her who should be doubting herself against Becky. Maybe that’s why she’s been ducking her. And sure, Asuka won at the Royal Rumble last year, but who won in the end? Lynch headlined WrestleMania and Asuka made soup on YouTube, so Becky’s gonna teach her that she can’t beat her anymore.
Becky Lynch vs. Kairi Sane
Sane all mockery to start and Lynch punches her in the damn throat! Becky off the ropes, baseball slide, but Kairi takes her leg out from under her and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Sane is in control with a Japanese stranglehold while Asuka sits atop the ringpost and laughs. Referee Danilo Anfibio demands she get down but she just laughs at him, too. Kairi and Becky trading shots, Lynch off the ropes with a pair of wicked lariats, a flying shoulder block, back body drop puts Sane on the apron. She climbs up top, diving forearm shot gets two!
Boots up in the corner, inverted DDT, Sane back in it with a European clutch but Becky kicks out and goes for a suplex... REVERSED TO A DDT FOR TWO! Jockeying for position, Becky kicks her off the apron and dives onto her with a forearm. Back inside, knock Asuka down with a forearm, she returns to Kairi...
Becky Lynch wins by submission with Dis-Arm-Her.
Postmatch, Asuka attacks and puts Becky in the Asuka Lock!
The Kabuki Warriors retreat up the ramp triumphant while Lynch licks her wounds.
Viking Raiders are show backstage getting ready for their match, as are their challengers, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Jerry “the King” Lawler eulogizes “Soul Man” Rocky Johnson and tosses to a video package in his memory.
Backstage, Asuka and Kairi Sane are interviewed and answer in Japanese until eventually Asuka gets to the part where she says Becky isn’t ready.
Buddy Murphy & Seth Rollins vs. Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) (WWE Raw Tag Team Championship)
Erik and Murphy to start, shotgun knees from the champ, tag to Ivar, bodyslam and Buddy rolls to the floor, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe negate the AOP and the match sinks into chaos as we go to break.
Back from commercial, Rollins is legal and working Erik over. Quick tags, we’re informed that referee Chad Patton ejected everyone else from ringside. Erik with low bridges, dumping the challengers to the floor, crawling, reaching but they pull Ivar off the apron and put him into the barricade! Frog splash from Rollins gets two, tag back to Buddy, drawing Erik up, catching him with a series of strikes.
Both men down and out after some exchanges, my cable getting choppy, tags made and Warbeard cleans house! Freight train crossbody wipes Murphy out, Seth sidesteps a charge but eats the Banzai Drop! Cartwheel lariat, tag to Erik, Viking Experience blocked by Rollins! Vikings dump the heels to the floor, big men off the ropes... STEREO SUICIDE DIVES!
Seth comes back in but gets wiped out by a reverse roundhouse from Ivar. Buddy jockeying for position with Warbeard, Rollins with the assist to get him Cheeky Nando’s and then they both work together to powerbomb the big man! Rollins legal, cover... NOPE! Off the ropes, Ivar shrugs off lariats and hits the handspring back elbow! Tag to Erik, he powerbombs Buddy!
Warbeard knocked off the top by Rollins, Seth dodges a forearm from Erik, Murphy nails him with a high knee... ROLLINS HITS BLACKOUT OVER THE ROPES! Buddy rolls him over...
Buddy Murphy & Seth Rollins win by pinfall with a lateral press from Murphy on Erik to win the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship.
The heels stand tall on the apron and celebrate their victory to send us to break.
Back from commercial, the new tag champs are interviewed.
Seth Rollins says the win represents everything he’s been talking about— last week Buddy Murphy was fighting Aleister Black, this week he’s fighting the good fight and it’s paid off, but this is just the beginning, because at the Royal Rumble they’re going to cement their dominance when he wins the Rumble the second year in a row.
Street Profits do their Weekend Update gimmick while my feed stutters from connection issues, and they interview R-Truth about getting F-5’d, which he says hurt’z, spelled like that.
Matt Hardy makes his entrance to send us to break.
Erick Rowan vs. Matt Hardy
Hardy with a go-behind, clubbing blows, Rowan passes him into the corner but Matt gets a boot up. Tornado DDT denied, elbow drop to the heart, another one, off the ropes, big splash! Dumping Hardy over the rop rope with a big boot, following him after, futzing with his pet, smashing the cage into the steel steps over and over before Hardy recovers.
Matt fights back but Erick beats him down and takes him back inside, bloody hand...
Erick Rowan wins by pinfall with the clawslam.
We get a video package recapping all the Lana/Lashley/Rusev/Morgan stuff to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe are interviewed.
Owens says the tag titles they’ll deal with later, but they have something in common, because he’s going to be in the Royal Rumble match as well, and do everything he can to win and main event WrestleMania. And just as important, he’s gonna make sure Seth Rollins doesn’t. Joe declares that he’s entering as well and when it comes to Seth Rollins, he will always stand by Kev, but if he’s between him and winning the Rumble, he’ll go right through him.
Mojo Rawley is interviewed elsewhere backstage.
He says for too long the 24/7 Championship has been carried by cowards who flee at the first sign of danger, and the Singh Brothers roll up, so he destroys them with ease.
Bobby Lashley and Lana make their entrance and Lana, wearing a shower curtain, gets on the mic.
She says Rusev Day is canceled and all she and Bob wanted was— “Rusev Day!” chants drown her out. She complains that they’re trying to share their inspiring love and none of us care. It’s not her fault we’re low-rent bottom-feeders, and they’ve finally accepted that we’re all jealous and envious of their love of a lifetime. She says we’re so disrespectful she doesn’t know what to say or do, and all they want is a simple thank you.
She then talks about how she and Lashley are gonna win this match and we go to break.
Bobby Lashley & Lana vs. Liv Morgan & Rusev (Mixed Tag Team Match)
Morgan goes to blast Lana off the apron but the Ravishing Russian runs away and Liv gives chase. Around the ring, back in, Lana cuts her off with a double axehandle and taunts. Morgan takes her head off with a lariat! Dropkick follows, going for a catapult but Lana hangs on and swings things around and covers her for two. Straight suplex, again just two!
Tags made, dudes in, Rusev running hot, Stinger Splash sets up an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and he’s fired up! Calling for it, Lana with the distraction, the Bulgarian Lion sidesteps and Bob nearly blasts his wife off the apron! Lana with a cheap shot, Lashley with the Yokosuka Cutter... LIV BREAKS IT UP! Lana interferes, Morgan dumps her to the floor and then hits an enzuigiri on Bob!
Rusev fired up, stomping, Lana hangs on his leg for dear life and Lashley capitalizes...
Bobby Lashley & Lana win by pinfall with a spear from Lashley on Rusev.
The heels celebrate their victory.
That’s the show, folks.