WWE Monday Night Raw 1/25/2021

WWE Monday Night Raw 1/25/2021

NOTE - I will be reviewing the WWE Superstar Spectacle once I get a hold of it tomorrow.

I reviewed last week's show with pics and gifs here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2021/01/wwe-monday-night-raw-1182021.html 

Drew said it's good to be back after catching the virus. He talked about Goldberg going on a big win streak and how he has shown how strong he is time and time again. Drew said he will take down Goldberg's streaks though and will beat him at the Rumble. Miz then interrupted with Morrison.

Miz and Morrison said whoever wins on Sunday, they will come in after and beat them for the title.

Goldberg's music hit and he came out.

Goldberg told Drew he was next and Miz and Morrison tried to goad them into fighting. Instead, they beat up Miz and Morrison and stared at each other to close the segment.

Charlotte said it's one thing to call yourself the queen, but it's another to be one, in reference to Shayna's "Queen of Spades" name. Charlotte said she is betting on herself at the Rumble as she is Ms. Wrestlemania and will get there by winning the Rumble. Charlotte said Lacey is bringing Ric Flair into a dark period of his life.

Charlotte Flair vs Shayna Baszler with Nia Jax

Shayna put the choke on Flair early and Flair snapmared her out then did a yakuza kick. Then she put her in the figure four but Nia dropped a leg on her and Charlotte wins via DQ. Charlotte was then 2v1'd until Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke saved her. Lacey Evans then jumped in and we are clearly getting a call ahead to the Rumble here. We then went to break while everyone brawled inside.

We returned from break and it's:

Lacey Evans, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler vs Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke and Charlotte Flair

Lacey did Flair's strut. She was put in a wristlock and put her leg over top of it to get out. Rose and Brooke did a double suplex on Lacey. Dana nailed Lacey with a clothesline then flipped her and did a handspring into a kick in the back. Shayna and Flair stared down and Shayna hit a good combo on her. Flair came back with chops and hit a fallaway slam. Dana and Mandy did cartwheels into kicks.

Charlotte rolled out Shayna onto the floor from the middle rope. They stared at Nia and Lacey and Shayna was counted out in a bizarre finish.

We came back and the match was restarted by Adam Pearce after the losing team protested.

Lacey Evans, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler vs Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke and Charlotte Flair

In picture-in-picture, Dana did a handspring into the ropes into a hurricanrana. Then she did a handspring back elbow into Nia but was ran into. Lacey stepped on Dana's hand. She propped up Dana's elbow and stomped on it, then Nia hit an unusual cobra clutch type of hold. Nia missed a butt drop and Mandy got the hot tag in. She hit a pump knee and Charlotte speared Shayna. Nia just ran her body into Charlotte. Lacey pulled out Charlotte and they chased each other. Dana hit a flipping neckbreaker onto Nia and was thrown off the top rope by her. Nia hit a nasty chokeslam and a legdrop to win. This whole thing was stupid and I have no idea why it happened the way it did.

Ali and Retribution said they wanted to be Xavier's reminder of reality. 

We then went to a 2nd interview where Ali said he hated Kofi because he took his Mania spot.

Slapjack with Retribution vs Xavier Woods

Slapjack got John Woo dropkicked in the corner to start. Woods chopped him and hit a major back body drop on him. Slapjack hit a spinning elbow. Then he did an inside to outside to inside slingshot bulldog while Woods hung on the middle rope. Woods hit a bunch of chops and a satellite russian legsweep. Woods hit a leaping side kick then did his honor roll headspring clothesline for 2. T-Bar distracted Woods and Woods hit a backwards roll into a shining wizard for the win. Retribution then went after him and T-Bar hit a great yakuza kick from the side. Retribution then hit a delayed double chokeslam bomb on him. Retribution then teased nailing him with a chair in the head.

Ali said he is a king and Xavier is a peasant and he said he would have mercy on him. He told Xavier to tell Kofi that he will be taking Kofi's spot in the Rumble.

Truth said he heard the Hurt Business talking and said they would be throwing him a surprise birthday party. Truth said he was bought "24 gold carrots" and said he has to get ready. He then told Riddle not to tell anyone. Riddle said he had an idea.

The VIP Lounge

MVP called Bobby "Roberto". MVP called Riddle a braindead moron and said he may get lucky tonight in the gauntlet. He said Cedric needs to focus.

Shelton tried to talk and Cedric interrupted him. Bobby said they got him a gift since they all had gold and gave him a THB gold chain. Cedric took credit for it and Shelton interrupted him, then Truth interrupted them. MVP asked "why are you here?".

Truth thought the THB chain meant Truth Happy Birthday and wanted to know where the 24 gold carrots were. Lashley told Truth to come in the ring because they had a gift for him but then everyone went for Truth's 24/7 title. During the madness, Riddle came in and knee'd MVP in the face and ran.

Edge was announced for tonight.

Truth was hiding in the back and saw Adam Pearce, he said he wanted to prove he is worthy of being in the MITB ladder match.

AJ Styles and Omos then came in and AJ said Truth meant the Royal Rumble.

Pearce told Truth he can prove himself against AJ tonight for the Rumble. Why some have to win matches and some don't to get in the Rumble remains unanswered. Truth then started talking about an unfunny joke with astrological signs.

 They announced the deal with WWE on the Peacock Network.

Sheamus vs John Morrison with The Miz

They announced Sheamus declared for the Rumble.They went to the mat early here. They said Sheamus has been working on his mat game. They did some roll-up's.  Morrison hit some shots on Sheamus in the corner and got back body dropped. Jomo did a weird flip over a laying Sheamus. Sheamus hit an Irish Curse for 2. Sheamus went up top and came down only to get dropkicked in the knee. Sheamus then got hung up in the middle rope and Morrison knee'd him.

Morrison dragon screwed him then put some holds on the leg. Sheamus got up and out and hiptossed Jomo. Morrison did a springboard crossbody off the middle rope but was caught and slammed down. Sheamus put him in the texas cloverleaf but Jomo quickly hit the ropes. Sheamus hit him with a knee and won with White Noise. This wasn't anything special.

Miz then got on the mic after and challenged Sheamus to a Miz and Morrison vs Sheamus handicap match. Sheamus stupidly agreed.

Miz and Morrison vs Sheamus

We came back from break and this began with Miz and Morrison double teaming him. Sheamus had Miz up and got clipped then was DDT's for 2. Miz and Morrison hit some running kicks. Sheamus was clotheslined over the top and Miz dropkicked him through the ropes. Morrison then dove on Sheamus. Sheamus was thrown into the barricade.

They said this was No DQ and No Countouts which I didn't know was a thing in handicap matches. Miz then dropped a double axe handle on Sheamus from the top. Morrison got backdropped to the outside and Sheamus hit a clothesline on Miz for a comeback. Sheamus did a forward roll with Miz on his shoulders and landed onto Morrison. Sheamus hit Miz with chest clubs, then Morrison intervened and got the clubs too.

Sheamus went up top and dove on his opponents. Sheamus hit a brogue kick on Morrison but then took a skull crushing finale by Miz for the Miz and Morrison win. This whole thing was dumb. Why would Sheamus agree to this and why wouldn't Miz and Morrison just grab weapons and beat Sheamus senseless since it was no dq? This was really long too.

Ric was teaching Lacey wrestling moves in the back when Charlotte walked in. Charlotte told Lacey to leave. Ric said because Charlotte is a big star, it doesn't mean there's not a place for him. Charlotte said it wasn't cool how Ric was spending money on people except his family when she was a kid. Charlotte said she is the only one protecting Ric and he is going from legend to old man.

Lacey then nailed Charlotte in the back and banged her off the metal thing above. Ric then either took a shot or was trying to help her before Lacey took Ric away.

AJ Styles vs R-Truth 

Truth got beaten up early. AJ got thrown out by Truth. Truth ended up going face to face with Omos and was shocked then Truth hit a blue thunder bomb ala Cena and then did the "you can't see me" elbow. AJ got out of an F-U attempt and hit a calf crusher for the quick win.

Asuka got ready in the back.

They showed Orton getting burned and the promo he did on it. Then we had Alexa's Playground where they reviewed it again. Bliss talked to an invisible Fiend. Bliss said she wanted to have with Asuka last week but she didn't want to play nice. She then said she didn't want to either.

Bliss said Fiend taught her how to change her looks and she can't wait to see him again. Bliss then said she has a shot at the women's title this week and doesn't feel like playing nice. Bliss then did the "let me in" thing

Gauntlet Match - Riddle gets a US Title Match if he wins -  Riddle vs The Hurt Business

 

Shelton vs Riddle is first-up. It would be funny if Riddle lost and that was it, but that won't happen. Riddle got some offense early and flipped out of a release german. Riddle went for a knee and was powerbombed/slammed down for 2. Riddle got put on the top rope and Shelton ran up it to knee him.

Riddle got stretched out and came back but then was knee'd. Shelton mounted him with punches and kept control. Riddle hit a hanging guillotine clutch then grounded it. Cedric got on the apron, messing up Shelton's flow then when Shelton went for the pin, he did it again. Riddle then hopped up on Shelton's shoulders and rolled him up for the pin.

MVP vs Riddle is up and MVP tried to stop a Shelton/Cedric argument. He was then rolled-up and submitted with a leg lock.

Riddle vs Cedric Alexander is last up. He gets knee'd in the gut and takes a gorilla press gutbuster. Riddle came back with some kicks and a running forearm. He then ran to the ropes and took a hard dropkick. Cedric started hot dogging to his partners and abdominal stretched Riddle.

Cedric hit some kind of DDT to Riddle and MVP kept yelling at him. Cedric put another hold on Riddle and Riddle did his backwards kick. Riddle hit an exploder and Cedric got his knees up on a senton. MVP continued to yell at Cedric. Cedric wasn't looking and took a deadlift german suplex but came back with a brainbuster for 2. MVP kicked the announcer's desk in anger.

Cedric hit some punches and stomps. Riddle rolled him into a triangle choke as Cedric came off the top and Riddle was slammed down. Riddle then hit a triangle and was flipped and rolled Cedric into a pin.

Riddle was yelling at them from the stage and was nailed by Lashley then put in the hurt lock.

Edge did a promo looking bad saying tomorrow is not guaranteed and you have to look forward. Edge talked about how he was forced to retire due to injuries. He said his mom told him to just go do it when he wanted to become a wrestler. Edge said Orton tore his triceps at Backlash. Edge said his mom would say go do it so he is entering the Rumble. Again, why can some people enter as they please and why do others have to have matches to get in?

Edge said he will fight with ever fiber in his body to win that Rumble. Edge quoted Henry Ford and said "if you think you can or you think you can't, you're right". Edge said he thinks he can and will enter the Rumble. Not a bad promo at all.

Raw Women's Championship - Asuka (c) vs Alexa Bliss

Bliss is smiling and all happy. Asuka throws her by the hair. Asuka hits a dropkick off the 2nd buckle and misses a hip attack, landing in the ropes. Bliss then kicks her out. The rocking horse then appears in the ring with Bliss riding it and then we go to break.

Back from break and they are both back in the ring fighting. Bliss dropkicks Asuka and headlocks her. Asuka hits Bliss in the face and shoulder's her. Asuka then does a hip attack and a german. Asuka gets control we hear Bliss' old music. Bliss starts crying and is wearing her old gear. The lights go out and Bliss changes back into the evil Fiend Alex Bliss character. Bliss starts evading attacks and doesn't budge much on a knee to the face. Bliss puts the mandible claw on Asuka and Randy Orton appears behind her.

Orton RKO's her and the show ends. Another Raw main event without a real ending.

Overall thoughts: This show sucked. The ending sucked and all the matches turning into re-matches or other kind of matches sucked too. The Flair angle sucked and the Bliss angle sucked.