WWE Monday Night Raw 1/4/2021

 WWE Monday Night Raw 1/4/2021

NOTE - NJPW WrestleKingdom Night 2 to come. This took me close to 5 hours to finish and I couldn't get the video I needed in time.

Last week's show is here with pics and gifs: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2020/12/wwe-monday-night-raw-12282020.html

Hulk had an "H-phone" that he was pimping. Hulk said you could make calls on it and said what you gonna do when Hulk runs wild on you?

Miz and Morrison ran down the card and some of the people on the show tonight. He talked about how he got his MITB briefcase back and how it would be the year of Miz and Morrison

They had The New Day as guests and TND said this show is now "New Day Talks".  They said this was the first show had smell-o-vision and said it is working, implying Miz and Morrison smelled.

They kept saying "correct" and Kofi asked Morrison questions like which legend he would like to have dinner with and what his new years resolution was. They wanted to go into "the cooking portion" of the show and Miz had enough. Teddy Long then came out.

"In all of my years of being general manager, I've got the perfect solution. Miz and Morrison, you will face The Undertaker." - Teddy Long

"Ok, my bad, playa. Miz and Morrison, you will be in a tag team match, against....The New Day!" - Teddy Long

Teddy Long then came out and said they would be fighting The Undertaker. He was then corrected and said they would fight The New Day.

The New Day vs The Miz and John Morrison

The Ranhei

TND hit a bulldog combo on Morrison to start. Then they did another combo with kicks, a senton and an elbow. Miz and Morrison then took control back before taking yet another combo from TND, this time with an elbow. Kofi did double leapfrogs and got caught on a full nelson. Then Miz tried to catapult him, but Kofi caught the corner and did a springboard splash off of it.

TND did a dumb move where Kofi had his boot up and Xavier picked up, spun him around and then did a weak stomp. Miz got Xavier from behind but missed a standing shooting star. Kofi got monkey flipped but caught himself and twerked. Morrison then got monkey flipped and did a nice bump off of it before Kofi dove on everyone. Xavier then started plying the trombone as we went to break.

Morrison hit a great high kick. Kofi hit the Ranhei/SOS and we had double hot tags. Morrison knocked down Xavier with a great forearm then took one back. Miz went down Xavier's back on the outside and Kofi jumpt off the steps onto him. Xavier hit a shining wizard and beat Morrison.

This was action packed with a fast pace. I don't know how much story was told here but the in-ring was not boring and they didn't do too much dangerous stuff like indy guys do.

Orton said he wanted to burn Bliss last week but he couldn't, which we didn't know whether he did or not last week since it cut out. He blamed it on something in his changing after facing The Fiend. Orton said he hated himself for not doing it and the new hatred he has can be sculpted. Orton said he wanted to have a talk with some legends here and remind them why he is The Legend Killer.

Tik Tok sponsored a New Year's Eve livestream with R-Truth and The New Day. Truth thought it was 2020, not 2021. He said he was just testing them. A ref appeared and Garza pinned Truth for the 24/7 title.

Alicia Fox appeared with Garza. Garza said his 24/7 title was the most beautiful thing he ever saw and Alicia got mad and said she saw a guy on a skateboard who was more beautiful. 

AJ Styles with Omos vs Elias with Ryker

AJ got a double fireworks entrance. Elias pounded on AJ in the corner to start and clotheslined him. Elias gorilla pressed AJ onto the buckles and then knocked him to the floor but of course it was missed in favor of a camera cut. AJ slide across the floor too.

AJ and Elias traded some good shots. AJ did a kung-fu strike block and then he took a sitout side chokeslam which is a new move. AJ went for the phenomenal elbow but met an Elias knee.

AJ hit a brainbuster then a styles clash for the win. This wasn't too long but was pretty good with that nice AJ bump to the floor and some good strikes.

Ryker slid in with a guitar and Omos kicked it to break it. This was a really cool spot that made Omos look great but it also made Ryker look weak which isn't good.

Charlotte was interviewed she was asked for advice for the girls in the Women's Royal Rumble. She said don't listen to naysayers because she won it and will win it again this year.

Riddle asked Show if he ever thought of being "The Big Bro" and show sang that nickname. Then Riddle had to go and Orton and Show had a staredown.

Orton said Show can't compete again. Show said he could. Orton said he ended his career and put his hand around his neck, trying to get him in a fight.

Show said he's not embarassed to be out there with the legends. Orton said Show doesn't have any guts to do anything about it and told Show to get out of his way.

 

Asuka and Charlotte Flair with Ric Flair vs Lacey Evans and Peyton Royce

On an inset promo, Evans and Royce said this was more than getting a win over the women's tag champs but also showing them what future legends look like.

Lacey makes Charlotte chase her early. Royce's team double teamed Charlotte but she fought out of it with a nice elbow. Asuka did a top rope missile dropkick and butt bumped Evans. Asuka sat on the top rope and got elbowed down with a hard landing.

Lacey was flirting with Ric on the outside and Charlotte slapped her, then got speared as we go to break. Back from break and Asuka is getting 2v1'd. Evans slammed Asuka's head off the mat. Charlotte got the hot tag and hit a nice yakuza kick and a big forearm. Charlotte hit a moonsault on both opponents.

Asuka missed a butt bump and got stuck in the ropes then neckbreakered. Lacey was flirting with Ric more and got dropkicked. Charlotte ducked a high kick and Ric TRIPPED her in a shocker, then Royce picked up the win. Evans kissed Ric then Ric looked shocked and surprised at what he had done.

Charlotte told Ric to stay out of her business.

Drew was in the back and Sheamus went up to him. Sheamus asked for Drew to give Lee an extra kick in the head and Drew said he wanted to impress the legends tonight.

Hulk Hogan interrupted! He said he's the biggest fan of Sheamus and said Drew has been training and taking his vitamins. He said Drew is a great champion and reminds Hulk of himself. Drew thanked Hulk for believing in him. Drew asked if Sheamus' big mouth reminded him of Jimmy Hart. He called him "The Mouth of the South of Ireland". Sheamus said "well, let me tell ya somethin' brothers" and said neither of them were funny but he'd see them for drinks. Jimmy then chased Sheamus.

Hulk then said he had one more thing to ask Drew and Drew said he would do it and they asked what Lee is gonna do when Hulkamania and Drew run wild on Lee in a great segment. Then they did muscle poses to end it. Now this is how you use legends.

Riddle vs Bobby Lashley

 

Riddle flurried on Lashley early and the ref broke it up before the bell hit. Riddle went for a hammerlock but Lashley grabbed him and slammed him. Riddle caught Bobby with a triangle in the corner and both went over the top. Bobby then threw Riddle's head into the post while on his shoulders and Riddle took a nasty bump. They went immediately to break.

During the break, Riddle got hit with a chokeslam/spinebuster. Lashley hit a clothesline and worked a chinlock. Riddle missed his overhead kick, then forearmed him. Lashley tried a turnover slam, but Riddle got out and PK'd him then senton'd him. Riddle then hit a shotgun knee for 1.

Lashley hit a nasty dominator. He tapped out Riddle with the full nelson but the ref didn't see it. Lashley, MVP and the ref argued and Riddle rolled up Lashley for the win. Good match here with both guys working stiff and going fast. Lashley was mad after and the camera's got a great shot of it.

"How fast does that thing go anyway?" - Orton | "Hopefully fast enough to get away from your @ss" - Henry

"Get out of my arena." - Orton

Mark Henry was in the back telling Ricochet to stay strong and get it down, assumedly against Retribution.

Orton then went up to Henry and said he was entering the Royal Rumble. He asked if Henry would enter but said it's clear Henry won't be entering since his knee was hurt(he was on a scooter).

Orton said he wanted to go down memory lane with him. He said he owes Mark a lot of receipts for getting hit with the Hall of Pain and the World's Strongest Slam. He said Mark would get a pass if he left now.

MVP was interviewed with Lashley. They said Riddle tapped out and it was a travesty. Bobby said he was going to punish him for it.

Mandy Rose vs Shayna Baszler

 Shayna jumped Mandy during her entrance and Dana Brooke said she'd take her place after trying to help her up.

Dana Brooke vs Shayna Baszler

Shayna jumped Mandy during her entrance. Shayna hit a nice strike combo and got thrown out. Dana was in the choke and reversed it into a pin then Baszler kept choking her. Mandy jumped off of Dana's knee and hit Shayna with a knee. Then they flapjacked Shayna and threw her out.

Ric Flair was with IRS and Molly Holly in the back. Orton said he'd ask Flair to come out with him for his match tonight but he didn't want to be screwed like Charlotte. Flair said Orton had so much potential. Orton said Flair taught him everything he knows but he is only relevant because of his daughter now. Orton said Charlotte is 10x the competitor he ever was. Orton said he sees someone who looks and talks like Flair, but isn't Flair. He said Flair is a pathetic old man.

Riddle went up to Lee in the back. He said "new year, new champ". Lee said thanks for the pep talk.

Randy Orton vs Jeff Hardy

They go at it early and Orton hits a thumb to the eye. Orton and Jeff went outside and Orton banged Jeff's head off the table then he backdropped him on it. Orton then went to work on Hardy's arm. Orton hit the Garvin stomp and headlocked Jeff. Hardy made a comeback and dived on Orton from the apron.

Orton hooked his fingers in Hardy's earlobes, which should be a DQ but wasn't. Hardy got a jawbreaker in and then an inverted atomic drop and a legdrop on the gut. Hardy hit whisper in the wind off the top then hit a dropkick through the ropes. Hardy went for the swanton but Orton moved and Orton DDT'd him on the ropes. Orton then hit an RKO out of a twist of fate to win. This wasn't bad at all with the earlobes spot being the big moment here.

Lucha House Party ran into Melina in the back who did the Lucha chant with them.

Lucha House Party vs The Hurt Business(Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin)

The finish

LHP did an inset and said things were poppin' so far for LHP. Metallik did Kato Kung Lee's rope walk into a hurricanrana, which Shelton caught and powerbombed him for. Lince did a 2nd rope hurricanrana then Cedric did some type of high michinoku driver to him. Shelton ran up the 2nd rope and kicked Metallik in the face. Shelton and Cedric argued over something and Dorado took advantage.

Dorado did a wheelbarrow on Benjamin, kind of into cutter, then crucifixed him for the win. The ref missed his Q on the count making it appear slower than it should have. Short match here.

MVP said he was embarrassed and didn't know what their issue was. Cedric said he was winning but MVP said as a team they win only.

Torrie Wilson was approached by Garza in the back. He tried to give her a rose. Torrie said she was having a convo and to go grab Cardi B and one of the Jenner's down the hall in a room. Garza went into the room and Boogeyman was there in a wig. Garza got scared off and Truth caught him and won the 24/7 title back. Ron Simmons was there and said his "d@mn" line.

WWE Title - Drew McIntyre vs Keith Lee

The legends were at the ramp for Lee's entrance though not Drew's. This was a really nice touch that put the match over. They did the big intro too with both guys in the ring getting their name announced.

Drew put Lee in a cravate and he rolled out of it. Lee tried to leapfrog Drew but kind of missed it and looked like he hurt his ankle. Lee hit a nice forearm smash to Drew. Drew got clotheslined over the top and took a hard fall over. Drew didn't sell it much though and booted him. Drew got shoulder blocked over the guard rail.

Drew and Lee traded some punches and Lee slammed Drew. Drew tried to belly to belly Lee but couldn't get him up. Drew hit a neckbreaker and Lee came back with a standing spinebuster style move. Drew went outside and powerbombed Lee through the table. We went to commercial which always looks bad for big matches like this and when we came back, Drew hit a top rope clothesline on the inside.

Lee hit a big lariat but after a struggle over a backslide, Drew hit a double underhook clothesline. They went up top and Lee hit a top rope spanish fly for 2..of course, God forbid we end a match with that. I'm not sure if Lee made it all the way over and he looked real close to breaking his neck.

Drew got lifted up for a spirit bomb and got out of it but won with a claymore kick right after. It was fine until that spanish fly spot which I hated. A move like that should be the finish. It wasn't as good as you would expect though and who knows what we missed over the break.

Drew and Lee bumped fists after then Goldberg came out.

Goldberg got the mic after. Goldberg said Drew had size and speed but not respect.

Goldberg accused Drew of thinking he's better than they were. Goldberg challenged Drew to a match at the Royal Rumble. Drew said fighting him would be like fighting his dad and Goldberg pushed him, then they butted heads as we went off the air. I think they should have had Goldberg say what he said a little different. Instead of more of an accusation of Drew being disrespectful, Goldberg could have made it more of a challenge to see if Drew could beat a legend or not.

Overall thoughts: A long but pretty good episode of Raw with a surprise ending.