Welcome to Fightful.com's live coverage & discussion for WWE Monday Night RAW (1/2/23)!
We will bring you the full results of tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw.
Here's what's on deck:
Preview
WWE Raw (1/2)
- WWE United States Championship: Austin Theory (c) vs. Seth Rollins
- WWE Raw Women's Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Alexa Bliss
- The show begins with its normal intro, but the intro is interrupted by The Bloodline wrecking shop at ringside. Kevin Owens comes out to confront them, and Sami Zayn says the reason they're upset is because of him. Kevin Owens tries to confront them, but Adam Pearce stops him. Pearce tries to send security to the ring to escort The Bloodline away, but Solo Sikoa drops them. Kevin Owens eventually hits the ring and several members of the Monday Night Raw roster hit the ring at the request of Adam Pearce. The segment ends as Adam informs Sami Zayn, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa that they will all be in action tonight.
- Bianca Belair is interviewed by Byron Saxton and says that she wants nothing to do with Alexa Bliss after tonight.
- Backstage, Adam Pearce makes it official: Elias will fight Solo Sikoa in a Music City Street Fight tonight. Also, Kevin Owens and The Street Profits will face Sami Zayn and The Usos
WWE Raw Women's Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Alexa Bliss
The match was back-and-forth, for the most part. Bianca displayed her size advantage over Alexa Bliss throughout most of the match. Bianca was whaling on Alexa in the corner, and Alexa could escape and use Bianca's braid to pull her out of the ring. Once outside, she was confronted by several fans wearing Uncle Howdy masks. Then, Alexa went crazy and attacked the referee ending the match in disqualification. After attacking the referee, she would explode on Bianca, and she dropped Bianca with multiple DDTs on the steel steps, and Bianca was shown to be bleeding.
Winner and still champion: Bianca Belair by disqualification.
- It was shown during the commercial that Montez Ford helped Belair to the backstage area.
Music City Street Fight: Elias vs. Solo Sikoa
This match saw the use of several musical instruments, including tambourines, full drum kits, and several guitars getting smashed as Elias and Solo brawled in and around the ring. Towards the end, Elias started to get the upper hand with a tambourine, smashed a keyboard over the back of Sikoa, and Hardy, a musical guest sitting ringside, gave Elias his guitar to use on Solo. When that backfired, Hardy entered the ring himself and smashed his guitar over the back of Solo, but it didn't even make Sikoa wince.
To finish the match, Solo hit a Spinning Solo onto a piano.
Winner: Solo Sikoa by pinfall.
- A recap was shown of John Cena's match from Friday, December 30. The Street Profits & Kevin Owens vs. The Usos & Sami Zayn is next.
The Street Profits & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline (The Usos & Sami Zayn)
Everyone brought before the match officially began. Eventually, once the match began, The Bloodline could work over Angelo Dawkins before Dawkins finally made a tag Kevin Owens. Montez Ford, throughout the middle of the match, was seemingly forlorn on the apron and didn't appear to have his heart in the fight. Still, eventually, Kevin Owens slaps him on the chest, and Montez jumps into the action with a crossbody, Nails his frog splash, and hits a Superman dive.
While everyone was distracted, Solo returned to ringside and hit Angelo Dawkins with a Samoan Spike. Sami Zayn eventually took advantage of the numbers game and pin Montez Ford after a Helluva Kick.
Winners: The Bloodline by pinfall.
- After the match, Sami Zayn and the bloodline continued their attack. Eventually, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus made the save.
Dexter Lumis vs. Chad Gable
A very quick match ended abruptly after Dexter Lumis was able to reverse a pinning combination from Chad Gable into a victory roll of his own.
Winner: Dexter Lumis by pinfall.
- A Cody Rhodes video package is shown.
- Damage CTRL comes to the ring and brags about Bayley's defeat of Becky Lynch on December 19. Becky Lynch comes down to the ring and challenges Bayley to a match. She, of course, declines but offers Lynch the opportunity to pick a tag team partner and face Dakota Kai and IYO Sky in a tag match. Becky Lynch rushes the ring and instead chooses to face them in a handicap situation.
Becky Lynch vs. Damage CTRL (IYO Sky & Dakota Kai w/ Bayley)
Becky Lynch does her best to take on both team members by herself, but eventually, Mia Yim comes running down to even the odds and is just inserted into the match.
Becky Lynch & Mia Yim vs. Damage CTRL (IYO Sky & Dakota Kai w/ Bayley)
Damage CTRL maintains control due initially. Still, Mia Yim can get in some offense before tagging in Becky Lynch. Becky Lynch hits a missile dropkick for 2. Becky Lynch and Mia were able to hit a double suplex. IYO Sky breaks up that pinfall. Mia Yim hits Eat Defeat, but Bayley puts Kai's foot on the ropes. Becky Lynch decides to attack Bayley, and in the meantime, IYO Sky pins Mia with the Over the Moonsualt
Winners: Damage CTRL by pinfall.
- Seth Rollins says he will win the United States Championship tonight.
- A recap of Dominik Mysterio being arrested was shown. Then, there was a vignette where Mysterio now claimed to be a new man after the hard time he's served.
- Alexa Bliss says she has gotten in the head of Bianca Belair.
- A Bronson Reed vignette is shown.
WWE United States Championship: Austin Theory (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Starting the match, Seth Rollins has complete crowd control and maintains the advantage going into the commercial break of the night as Austin Theory is laid out on the ringside floor.
Later, Austin Theory would take control. Both men would try hitting their signature maneuvers, and Seth Rollins' knee buckled on him during a Powerbomb attempt. The knee injury would play into the rest of the match. Seth Rollins would try to power through the injury and hit a Superplex, only for the Falcon Arrow that typically follows to be countered by Theory, who hit a Knee Drop Brainbuster. Rollins would continue to try to power through and hit a one-legged Frog Splash, but he would only get a two-count.
Eventually, the referee gets knocked down, and Seth Rollins hits a Pedigree, doing further damage to his knee, only getting a near fall after another referee runs to the ring. In the end, Austin Theory hits a low blow and A-Town Down for the pinfall victory.
Winner and still champion: Austin Theory by pinfall.
