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The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE RAW REPORT
JANUARY 18, 2016
COLUMBUS, OHIO AT NATIONWIDE ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
[HOUR ONE]
-A Martin Luther King Jr. tribute video aired.
-The Raw opening aired, then Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and JBL introduced the show.
-Roman Reigns made his way to the ring. They cut to clips of last week’s “One vs. All” match on Raw with Brock Lesnar. Roman said next Sunday it will “literally be one versus all” and he’ll have to defend against 29 others to retain his WWE World Hvt. Championship. He said it will be the fight of his life. He said that’s Sunday, but tonight he only cares about one man – Brock Lesnar. Instead of Lesnar, out came Chris Jericho.
Jericho said he wants Lesnar, but he has something even better. Roman chuckled and said he’s happy that he’s back, but he’s not Brock Lesnar and that’s who he wants in the ring right now. Jericho said he understands that. He said Lesnar will be out later as his guest on the Highlight Reel, one of the biggest Reel’s of all time. He said he’d like to turn it into the absolute biggest of all-time with the top three contenders to win the Rumble on Sunday – himself, Brock, and Reigns. Reigns accepted it and said, “You best believe that.”
Out came the League of Nations. Sheamus said while they hate to break up the love fest going on, he had a question: When did the Royal Rumble match become Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar. When the crowd chanted “You look stupid!” at Sheamus, he “shhh’d” them and said the grownups are talking. He said the League of Nations are all in the Rumble, too. He said they plan to win the match and take back what is rightfully theirs – the WWE Title.
Sheamus complimented Jericho’s “dinner jacket” and asked what happened to the shirt, since he wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath it. Barrett loved the line, but Jericho gave it a thumbs down and smirked a bit. Sheamus said it was just plain stupid to not invite them to the Highlight Reel. Jericho said Sheamus just used the word “stupid,” which is like the pot calling the kettle black, “or milky white, in your case.” He said he won’t invite Sheamus onto the show because he wants to keep it entertaining, but he’s willing to invite his mohawk onto the show so he can ask it why it looks so stupid.
Del Rio said he and his cohorts will rise to the occasion and win the Rumble. He said he won the biggest Royal Rumble match in history (the one with 40 competitors). He said they should be considered the favorites. Jericho said Alberto Del Rio is Spanish for “jackass.” Jericho said he just doesn’t feel like having him on his show. Rusev called Jericho an American reject. He said in Bulgaria, everything is a Rumble. He talked about how tough life was for him in Bulgaria growing up, and one members of the League of Nations are going to win the Rumble. He said they should be on his little show tonight.
Jericho said he didn’t understand a word he said. He asked Reigns who won the Rumble last year. Reigns said, “I did.” Jericho asked whom he threw out to win. Reigns thought and then said, “The guy we can’t understand, Rusev.” Jericho said that with all due respect to Lana, Rusev always comes up just a little short. Rusev said, “You’ve got jokes, you stupid little Canadian.” Reigns told Rusev to just shut up. Reigns said he’s not busy right now, so he’d love to shut him up right now. Jericho asked the crowd. They cheered. Jericho then magically appointed himself special referee. The League, who had begun making their way to the ring, yelled at Reigns and Jericho.
(WK Reax: Good to see an opening segment without Vince or Stephanie McMahon or Triple H. I also liked adding several conceivable Rumble winners into the verbal battle over who is going to win, including drawing from history with ADR’s prior win, Sheamus wanting his belt back, and Reigns having eliminated Rusev to win last year. Sheamus was solid on the mic as the spokesman for the group, and Jericho was better this week than the past two when he was shown up a bit by New Day and his questionable wardrobe choices. Jericho appointing himself referee and everyone just going along with it felt odd.) [c]
1 – ROMAN REIGNS vs. RUSEV (w/Wade Barrett, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio)
They showed that during the break that Jericho got a ref’s shirt from a WWE referee. Rusev controlled the opening seconds, but then ducked out of the ring when Reigns threatened him with a Superman punch. When Reigns went to ringside, a distraction by the League led to Rusev taking control. The League complained about Jericho’s two counts being too slow. [c]
Eventually Rusev climbed to the second rope with Reigns on his shoulder. Reigns elbowed out of it and gave Rusev a sitout powerbomb off the middle rope for a near fall. Reigns signaled for a spear, but as Barrett and ADR distracted the ref, Sheamus yanked Reigns out of the ring and threw him into the ringside barricade. Jericho turned and noticed something was wrong. He went to ringside and got in Sheamus’s face. Jericho then kicked Jericho out of ringside. The crowd cheered. Barrett stood on the ring and insulted Jericho, so Jericho kicked him to the back, too. ADR complained, not having learned from the previous two instances. He looked like he was on the verge of a stroke. Jericho then booted him to the back, too. The crowd cheered. Rusev, meanwhile, made his way to his feet. Jericho did a celebratory cartwheel Reigns then re-entered the ring and caught Rusev with a Superman punch. Reigns yelled and speared Rusev for the win.
WINNER: Reigns at 13:54. [c]
-Backstage Jericho walked up to Stephanie McMahon and bragged about what a great opening match that was. Steph chewed him out, saying he didn’t have the authority to create matches or appoint himself special referee. She said Raw isn’t Jericho and it’s not 1999. Jericho said he wishes it was because back then she was so much fun. He then insulted her. Steph said she now has to go negotiate with Lesnar because he changed an advertised segment and now she has to pay him more. She said if he ever messes with her show again, she’ll make sure he’s never, ever the same ah-gain. She left and the camera lingered on Jericho’s face as he reacted.
(2) BRIE BELLA (w/Alicia Fox) vs. NATALYA (w/Paige)
Saxton welcomed Natalya back. Natalya stopped on the stage and welcomed a surprise to accompany her in the match – Paige. Brie got in some round kicks, but Natalya made short work of her with a Sharpshooter for a tapout. The announcers talked about the new season of “Total Divas” during most of the short match.
WINNER: Natalya via submission at 1:30.
(WK Reax: Natalya’s return means a new season of Total Divas is about to begin. I still have no idea how I’m supposed to feel about Brie and Fox from one week to the next.)
-Cole plugged the Dudleys & Ryback vs. The Wyatt Family.
-They showed a tumbler backstage. Saxton said they’re going to learn which WWE Superstar drew no. 1. [c]
-The Wyatts made their ring entrance. A video recap aired of the Smackdown match and post-match angle with the Wyatts and Dudleys, with the Dudleys taking a beating. Then the Dudleys and Ryback made separate ring entrances.
(WK Reax: Someone should let Vince & Co. know that Bubba could probably get viewers excited about this match if they gave him a chance to a cut a promo.) [c]
(3) THE DUDLEYS & RYBACK vs.THE WYATT FAMILY (Bray Wyatt & Erick Rowan & Luke Harper w/Braun Strowman)
The joined the match in progress after the break. The announcers acknowledged the death of “Iron” Mike Sharpe.
[HOUR TWO]
The heels beat on D-Von for a while. The crowd chanted “Feed me more!” just before Ryback got the hot-tag into the match. He worked over Harper with a barrage of moves and strikes. Ryback ended up sidetracked by Strowman at ringside. Harper then clotheslined Bubba for the win.
WINNER: Wyatts at 6:39. [c]
(4) BIG SHOW vs. HEATH SLATER
Big Show came out first, smiling the whole way. The announcers talked about how tough he’ll be to eliminate in the Rumble. Slater vowed to win the Rumble. Adam Rose said with the magic carpet under his feet, he will never hit the ground. Curtis Axel said he was never eliminated from the 2015 Rumble match last year. Slater yanked the mic away from Bo just as he was about to talk. Early in the match Slater ducked a Show punch, then bailed out to ringside and gloated. Show yanked him into the ring by his hair and dealt him a KO punch for the sudden win. After the match Show easily fended off Axel and Rose. Bo ducked Show and then celebrated at ringside like he had accomplished something. Show met him as he pranced around ringside with a KO punch.
WINNER: Show at 0:57.
(WK Reax: So Big Show is a babyface? Or the Outcasts are? The crowd didn’t know whether to cheer or boo the lovable losers against the giant. Show posed for a picture with a fan afterward, so apparently he’s the good guy?)
-They went to the announcers at ringside. JBL explained that you can get the PPV on cable for $54.95, but if you order on WWE Network, you pay just $9.99. Saxton said you can actually get it free if you’re a new subscriber. Cole said the no. 1 draw will be revealed next. [c]
-Stephanie told Sheamus, Barrett, and ADR backstage that they shouldn’t stand for being punked out like they were earlier. Steph said they’re all winners. She told Sheamus he eliminated Jericho to earn his Royal Rumble victory. She said one of them could become WWE Champion on Sunday, so why would they let Jericho scare them away like that. They protested it being characterized that way. Sheamus said he’s not scared of anybody. Steph told him to prove it. She walked away, smugly satisfied with her manipulation of the three heels. [c]
-Vince McMahon walked onto the stage with his daughter, Stephanie, just as Cole plugged that they’d find out the no. 1 entrant in the Rumble next. Steph began listing possible Rumble winners, such as Brock Lesnar, Bray Wyatt, Sheamus, “or could it be somebody the WWE Universe has never even seen before?” Vince wondered if it could be Roman Reigns. A mix of cheers and boos, but nothing too intense. Vince said the odds of Roman winning is about the same as the fans winning the Powerball Jackpot. That’s so last week. Stephanie said it takes a lot of skill but also luck. Vince said back in 1999 when he won, it didn’t take luck. She said he can’t compare himself to anybody else because he is truly an unbelievable human specimen. He said enough about him, let’s get to it.
They spun the tumbler. Vince reached in. He grabbed the plastic egg, but it didn’t open. So he put it back and took out another one instead. That was strange. Steph revealed it was Roman Reigns written on the sheet of paper. Vince asked for a re-do just to make sure it’s on the up-and-up. Steph put Roman name back in. She spun it. Vince reached in. He couldn’t open the egg once again. He tried another, but it wouldn’t open. He grabbed another and let Steph reveal that it was, once again, “Roman Reigns.” Vince told Steph to leave this one out of the tumbler this time and “make it legitimate” and spin it again. Vince reached in and tried to open the egg again. This one opened. Steph revealed it was Roman Reigns yet again. Vince said after Sunday, he won’t be number one anymore, “and you can believe that.”
-Cole, void of any emotion, said the odds are stacked even higher against Reigns. Saxton asked if that was really a coincidence they drew his name three times. He said Reigns “literally” has to go through 29 other guys now. JBL compared it to the NBA Lottery conspiracy theories.
(WK Reax: You know how a singer, as he or she ages, loses their range and end up singing songs with a narrower range of notes and ultimately aid from backup singers to sing their greatest hits? Steph is like that with Vince now, leading him through his segments. It’s strange to watch. This segment made its point, but in a clunky, drawn-out way.)
-Charlotte and Ric Flair walked out. [c]
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Raw: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
(5) TAMINA (w/Naomi) vs. BECKY LYNCH
Charlotte watched the match from ringside. Cole wondered how Charlotte couldn’t be impressed by Becky’s performance lately. He said she’s always been an underdog but found a way to succeed through determination. Becky won with Dis-arm-her.
WINNER: Lynch at 4:05.
-After the match, Lynch said nothing would mean more to her than becoming the Divas Champion. She demanded an answer regarding whether Charlotte will give her a Divas Title match at the Rumble. Charlotte sneered and asked for a mic. She stood up and said if she thinks she’ll hand her a title match because she has people chanting at her, she’s mistaken. She earned a title match and lost a title match, so get to the back of the line. Becky said: “Only because your wheelin’ dealin’, title match stealin’, catch phrase spewin’, obnoxiously wooin’, scenery chewin’, father who helped you win.” Charlotte screeched that her father is a two-time Hall of Famer. Becky said Ric never backed down from a challenge, and what would those fellow Hall of Famers feel about his daughter denying her a title shot. She said the apple fell too far from the tree. “Unless you’ve become as much of a coward in your old age as your daughter…” Flair stood up and said, “What did you just say?!” Flair said she beat her twice, so three time’s a charm. He accepted the match on behalf of his daughter. Charlotte did not look like she approved. Saxton said he couldn’t tell who was more excited, Becky or Ric. Cole said Ric should have checked with Charlotte first. Charlotte marched angrily to the back, glaring at Ric the whole time.
(WK Reax: You know, Charlotte could have said her dad doesn’t speak for her and deny Becky the shot. Charlotte continues to grow as a heel character, though, and was very good here. Becky is great, and a surprise breakout babyface act on Raw right now. She’s not the warm-up act for someone else, she’s a hard act to follow, when it comes to whatever Charlotte has in store for her at WrestleMania.) [c]
-Cole announced that Thursday night on Smackdown, Miz TV will feature Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens. Saxton said Reigns will face the League of Nations – all four of them – on Smackdown also.
(6) ALBERTO DEL RIO & SHEAMUS (w/King Barrett) vs. DEAN AMBROSE & KALISTO
Cole quoted Owens saying on Twitter that JBL could use someone to help balance out the stupidity of Cole and Saxton. Owens ripped on Cole for reading Twitter instead of doing his job. Cole said it does it during commercial breaks. Owens said it will be a very bad night for Ambrose. Ambrose came out first. Cole then hyped the Owens-Ambrose match at the Rumble. Kalisto made his ring entrance. A clip aired of last week’s two U.S. Title changes – Kalisto’s win on Raw and his loss on Smackdown. Del Rio, Sheamus, and Barrett came out next. Cole announced Del Rio would face Kalisto in the “rubber match” at the Rumble. Saxton said we know Kalisto can beat ADR.
The bell rang and Ambrose took it to Sheamus aggressively. Owens bragged about what he did to Ambrose last week. Kalisto knocked Sheamus to the floor. Ambrose knocked ADR to the floor. Ambrose then backdropped Kalisto onto his opponents. Owens said Ambrose is a “great partner” for backdropping his own partner over the top rope. [c]
Back from the break, ADR was working over Kalisto. ADR caught Kalisto coming off the top rope with a dropkick. They showed that during the break Sheamus suplexed Kalisto on the announce table. Ambrose got the hot tag a couple minutes later and he went after ADR aggressively. He landed a running bulldog and then a neckbreaker followed by clotheslining ADR over the top rope. He dove onto ADR at ringside, then fended off Sheamus. ADR grabbed Ambrose from behind and threw him hard into the barricade. Sheamus worked over Ambrose as Owens took more digs at Saxton. Saxton asked why he picks on him. Owens said, “Because you make yourself a target by being incompetent.”
[HOUR THREE]
ADR set up a double stomp off the top rope onto Ambrose, but Ambrose sat up and yanked him to the mat. ADR tagged in Sheamus. Ambrose hot-tagged in Kalisto who went to work on Sheamus with rapid-fire offense. Kalisto fended off an ADR distraction and countered Sheamus with a DDT. Then gave Sheamus his Salida del Sol, but Del Rio broke up the pin. Ambrose went after ADR as a result, tossing him to ringside. When Owens stood and distracted Ambrose, ADR kicked him in the face. Back in the ring, Sheamus finished Kalisto with the Brogue Kick for the win.
WINNERS: Sheamus & ADR at 13:15.
(WK Reax: Good tag match. I don’t mind the attempt to strengthen Sheamus and ADR, especially when they used their numbers to get the advantage that led to the pin. Kalisto continues to fit nicely into the mix as a rising near-main-event level babyface.)
-They went to the announcers who pitched the Rumble again on WWE Network.
-Highlights aired of the opening segment from Raw. [c]
-A video package aired on WWE’s first tour of India in 14 years. They showed clips of wrestlers interacting with fans, including heels Rusev and Charlotte.
-The announcers recapped the New Day-Usos angle last week on Raw with Jericho involved.
-A taped segment aired with New Day holding a funeral for Xavier Woods’ trombone. Xavier said they should eat at Chipotle and defile the bathroom of Jericho.
-A “Rumble by the Numbers” video package aired narrated by Saxton that culminated in accentuating the unprecedented situation with Reigns putting his title on the line. [c]
(7) JEY USO (w/Jimmy Uso) vs. BIG E (w/Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston)
They caught the tail end of the Usos entrance. Big E then boldly introduced he and his teammates. They stepped onto the stage and still looked solemn over the loss of their trombone last week. Cole said New Day would defend their tag titles at the Rumble against the Usos. He also plugged that New Day would be on ESPN SportsCenter with Coach tomorrow. After a few minutes of action, New Day trash-talked Jey after Big E backdropped him at ringside. [c]
In the end, Xavier distracted Uso which opened him up to a Big E clothesline from behind followed by the Big Ending.
WINNER: Big E at 9:33.
(WK Reax: The Usos brought good energy, as always. The finishes on this show were too often too similar.)
-Backstage Titus O’Neal, R-Truth, and Mark Henry had a chance to fulfill their dream on Sunday. He said first they were going to give someone a dirt nap. Neville walked in and joined them. R-Truth allowed it as Titus said, “Keep the dream alive.” [c]
-Backstage the League of Nations seemed jovial. Cole wondered what they were talking about. JBL said they were preparing for the Highlight Reel.
(8) TITUS O’NEAL & MARK HENRY & R-TRUTH & NEVILLE vs. TYLER BREEZE & THE ASCENSION & STARDUST
Neville landed a standing shooting star press on Breeze for a near fall, broken up by Konner. Titus then tossed Breeze over his head toward Henry. Breeze overshot Henry and landed on the mat. Henry picked him up and slammed him. Then Neville hit his Red Arrow for the win.
WINNERS: Team Titus at 6:12.
(WK Reax: Poor Tyler Breeze. He could have been so much more. This was the match that lasted as long as WWE needed it to before it was time for the main advertised segment.)
-The announcers pushed the Highlight Reel.
-A commercial aired for “Legends with JBL” with Road Dogg saying WWE saved his life. Road Dogg broke down a few times talking about various personal subjects. [c]
-Saxton hyped Smackdown’s top matches.
-They went to the ring where Jericho was already standing wearing a vest. He called it the biggest edition of the Highlight Reel in WWE History. He said the top three odds on favorites will all be standing in the ring together for the first time ever. He listed Reigns, Brock, and himself. He screwed up and said Reigns’ odds of winning went up exponentially since he was made the no. 1 entrant in the match. Paul Heyman interrupted Jericho and introduced himself as he walked toward the ring.
Jericho interrupted Heyman and said, “Would you please shut the hell up. We know who your client is, but where is he?” Heyman said there is an F5 that will be touching down in Columbus, Ohio, and you don’t need to be a weatherman to forecast that. He said his client is here tonight. Heyman said the last time Jericho went face-to-face with Lesnar, it wasn’t material for the Jericho Highlight Reel, but rather the Lesnar Highlight Reel. He said his client is not focused on him, he is focused on his other guest – Reigns.
Jericho said Heyman tried to get Lesnar to skip over the Rumble and straight to WrestleMania. He said Heyman, who can talk himself out of any situation, failed at that. Heyman said he’s been in a lot of depositions and that’s not a question. Jericho said Lesnar is probably the most dominant performer in WWE history, but he’s made a lot of enemies – many of whom will be among those 29 opponents. He asked if he tried to get his client out of the Rumble because he doesn’t like his chances of winning on Sunday. Heyman laughed and said his argument carries much more merit than that.
[OVERRUN]
Heyman said Lesnar never was defeated for the WWE Title, and on those grounds, he felt Lesnar should be given a bye to WrestleMania’s main event. He said he likes the box office appeal of marketing a one-on-one match with Lesnar against Del Rio or Sheamus or Ambrose or Big Show or Jericho or a rematch from last year’s WM against Roman Reigns. He said if WWE marketed any of those matches, you’d subscribe to the Network. He said Lesnar will fight any man who stands before him in the Rumble and will throw him over the top rope and go on to become the WWE Champion. He said Lesnar will turn the Royal Rumble into Suplex City. With a little nudge from Jericho saying it has a ring to it, fans began chanting “Suplex City.”
Jericho asked what happens if it comes down to Lesnar vs. Jericho in the Rumble as the final two and he throws Lesnar over the top rope and wins the Rumble and becomes a seven-time World Hvt. Champion. There wasn’t much of a pop. Lesnar’s music then played. He walked out onto the stage, looking as usual like he just caught someone slashing his tires in a parking lot. He made a lap around the ring. Reigns’s music then played. Reigns boldly made his way to the ring and lay his belt on the mat.
Lesnar stood on the ring apron and entered. Reigns speared him hard to the mat, then mounted him and punched away at him. The League of Nations ran out and attacked Reigns four-on-one. Lesnar gave Rusev a suplex. Sheamus broke up Lesnar trying to suplex ADR. Lesnar gave ADR a suplex seconds later anyway, then gave Sheamus an F5. Reigns speared Lesnar again, then yelled like a wildman as boos could be heard.
The lights went out and the Wyatt noises blared over the sound system. When the lights came back on, the four sides of the ring each had a Wyatt on the apron. Harper gave Reigns a nasty clothesline to take him down. Bray then gave Reigns Sister Abigail. Then they went after Lesnar. Strowman clotheslined Lesnar. The Wyatt Family stood over Lesnar. Bray told his guys to pick up Brock. Bray gave Lesnar his Sister Abigail. Lesnar lay KO’d facedown on the mat. Bray yelled, “The Royal Rumble is mine, mine, mine! Follow the buzzards!”
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a solid, okay episode of Raw. Even if it wasn’t successful with all fans, I really applaud their all-out effort to create some semblance of suspense that there are actually other wrestlers who could win the Rumble other than Lesnar and Reigns. Jericho had a “comeback episode” playing a more serious character playing for a bigger prize than just trying to out-wit all three members of New Day. If the point of this show was to stack the deck against Reigns so much that fans relish his victory on Sunday, I applaud them for effort and am curious if it works. It seems they are setting up a Lesnar vs. Wyatt Family feud, which might be the answer to what they plan to do with Lesnar at WrestleMania if Triple H vs. Reigns is the World Title main event. I have a feeling Vince McMahon is wishing he had saved the Taker-Lesnar rematch for WrestleMania, but it’s unfair to judge him since who saw the injuries to Seth Rollins and John Cena coming.
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