WWE RAW Results – January 2, 2023
Location: Nashville Tennessee
Venue: Bridgestone Arena
Kicking off this week’s Raw with The Bloodline are decimating ringside. Solo Sikoa attacks a security guard. They flip over the announce desk before Kevin Owens’ music hits and makes his way to the ring. Sami Zayn tells Owens not to open his mouth because The Bloodline are not in a good mood. He announces they are taking over Raw because of him beating them on Smackdown this past Friday.
Owens says that all he really wants to do is come punch him in the face instead of saying what he had to. Adam Pearce cuts him off and tells The Bloodline they’ve gotten away with this kind of thing for far too long. He then tells security to escort The Bloodline from the ring and they oblige but Sikoa takes them all out.
Owens gets in the ring and The Bloodline attacks him as Pearce calls for the locker room to come out and take them out. The Bloodline tries to escape but Pearce doesn’t let them and tells them they will all be in a match tonight.
We head backstage to Byron Saxton is with the Raw Women’s Champion Bianca BelAir. Saxton asks them about the state of her relationship with Bliss & BelAir tells her there’s no turning back. She says Bliss won’t be able to pry the Raw Women’s Title from her hands.
We are back from the break, we head backstage to the locker room yelling at Pearce about The Bloodline. Elias,Kevin Owens & Street Profits all volunteer to be in matches with the 4 men and he tells Elias he can go 1 on 1 with Sikoa in a Music City Street Fight while Owens & Street Profits can take on Sami Zayn & Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos.
Raw Women’s Title Match
Bianca BelAir (c) vs. Alexa Bliss
Match begins with Bianca BelAir clocks Alexa Bliss. Bliss tries to fire off right hands but BelAir catches her and delivers an uppercut. She follows it up with a headbutt then Bliss delivers a dropkick that sends BelAir to the outside then looks for a baseball slide. BelAir catches her and whips her into the barricade that sends us to a break.
After the break Bliss fires off several forearms. BelAir fires back with a right hand but Bliss manages to deliver an arm drag. Belair hits a dropkick then charges at her and looks for a shoulder to her midsection. Bliss moves out of the way and sends her into the ring post then delivers a series of stomps and steps on her back.
She sends her head into the mat but Belair gets her up for a vertical suplex. Bliss escapes and trips her then sends her into the top turnbuckle face first and delivers some offensive moves. BelAir manages to deliver a delayed vertical suplex then fires off several open palmed strikes.
She whips Bliss into the corner face first then hits a trio of bodyslams. She hits a standing moonsault then goes for a pin but Bliss kicks out. Bliss sends BelAir to the outside then delivers a cannonball off the apron that takes us to a another break.
After a another commercial break Bliss delivers a dropkick. She whips her to the mat then delivers the double knees. She looks for a cannonball but BelAir moves out of the way and gets her up for the KOD. Bliss escapes before BelAir delivers a backbreaker. She fires off several right hands but Bliss pulls her to the outside.
A man in an Uncle Howdy mask appears behind Bliss from the crowd and she stares at him before snapping back into it and tossing BelAir in the ring. A 2nd man in the same mask catches her eye as she ascends to the top. The Titan Tron then glitches as Bliss grabs her head and starts shaking it. She then jumps the referee and fires off right hands for the DQ.
Winner By DQ & Raw Women’s Champion: Bianca BelAir (STILL CHAMPION!!!)
After the match She then sets her sights on BelAir and does the same then sends her into the ring post and the ring steps. She delivers a DDT to Belair on the ring steps then stands above BelAir. She looks to head to the back, but changes her mind and delivers a 2nd DDT to BelAir on the ring steps. She walks away as a stretcher meets BelAir at ringside.
Back from the break we then head to a video hyping up the United States Title match match later tonight.
We then go backstage to Cathy Kelley is with the United States Champion Austin Theory and she asks Theory how confident he is going into his match tonight and he says he’s not worried at all. He says Seth Rollins is the past while he is the now and says his forever reign is just beginning.
Back at ringside Elias is in the ring with his guitar. He introduces himself and begins playing his song but Solo Sikoa’s music cuts him off.
Music City Street Fight
Elias vs. Solo Sikoa
Match begins with a lock up then Elias looks for a shoulder tackle but Solo Sikoa blocks it. He delivers a shoulder to his midsection followed by an open palm strike to his face. Elias sends Sikoa to the outside, then looks for a dropkick through the middle rope. Sikoa moves out of the way and delivers an open palm strike, then sends him face first into the apron. He grabs a cowbell but Elias grabs it from him and hits him in the back with it. He sends him into the ring post, then grabs an acoustic guitar. He looks to hit Sikoa but Sikoa moves out of the way and Elias hits the ring post. Elias then sends Sikoa into the ring post then sends him into the timekeeper’s area after hitting him with a cymbal that sends us to a break.
After the break Elias hits Sikoa with a guitar. Sikoa then sends him into an amp on the ramp then hits him a couple of times with a mic. He follows it up with a kick, then sends him crashing into a drum set. He grabs part of the drum set, then hits Elias with it. He follows it up with a headbutt, then tosses Elias back in the ring. Elias hits Sikoa with an electronic keyboard, but Sikoa plants him with a Samoan Drop.
They spill to the outside before Elias delivers a tambourine and gets him back in the ring. He then hits him with an electronics keyboard and smashes it across his spine. Sikoa manages to deliver a belly 2 belly suplex then whips him into the corner and looks for a splash. Elias moves out of the way, then hits him with a tambourine and delivers a series of splashes.
He follows it up with a spinebuster, then hits him with the tambourine and clotheslines him to the outside. He grabs the electronic keyboard and smashes it across his back then grabs an acoustic guitar from Hardy in the crowd. He gets back in the ring but Sikoa catches him with a superkick and fires off several right hands.
Hardy gets into the ring and grabs the guitar he gave Elias. He smashes it across Sikoa’s back but Sikoa no sells it. Hardy quickly retreats, allowing Elias to hit a running knee and ascend to the top. He goes flying, but Sikoa catches him with the Samoan Spike. He then delivers Spinning Solo through the piano on the outside for the win.
Winner: Solo Sikoa
We then head to a video recapping the tag team match between Kevin Owens,John Cena Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns & Sami Zayn on this past Friday’s Smackdown.
6 Man Tag Team Match
The Bloodline vs. Street Profits & Kevin Owens
Both Teams begin to brawl with one another. Jimmy Uso & Angelo Dawkins get in the ring before the bell rings and Dawkins delivers a back elbow. He hits a splash in the corner then follows it up with an enziguri. Montez Ford tags in and plants Jimmy. Dawkins & Jey Uso tag in and Jey delivers several stomps to Dawkins. Sami Zayn tags in and delivers a pair of right hands to Dawkins.
Jimmy tags back in and beats down Dawkins. Jey tags in and Dawkins hits him with a vicious right hand. Kevin Owens tags in and delivers a series of right hands to Jey then follows it up with a senton. Jey fires back with a right hand then tags in Jimmy. Jimmy continues firing off right hands then tags in Zayn. Zayn delivers a series of stomps that sends us to a break.
After the break Jimmy fires off several right hands on Owens. Jey tags in and Owens delivers a superkick. Owens tags him in while Jey tags in Zayn and Ford delivers a crossbody off the top. He follows it up with a standing moonsault before both men ascend to the top. Ford delivers a right hand to send Zayn crashing into the mat then delivers a Frog Splash.
He goes for a pin but Jey breaks up the fall. Ford delivers a superkick to Zayn, then sends him to the outside and goes flying. Solo Sikoa heads to the ring and delivers a Samoan Spike to Dawkins. Owens charges at him but Jey hits him with a superkick all the while Ford tosses Zayn back in the ring. Zayn delivers the Helluva Kick for the win.
Winners: The Bloodline
After the match The Bloodline rain down right hands on Owens as Sikoa grabs a chair. Zayn takes it from him but Sheamus & Drew McIntyre come out of nowhere to level them. They then get in the ring and begin brawling with The Usos before sending them to the outside.
Dexter Lumis vs. Chad Gable
Dexter Lumis chases Chad Gable around the ring. He tosses him to the outside then crawls after him. Otis inserts himself between Gable & Lumis as Gable gets back in the ring. Lumis meets him there and pounces at him. He fires off several right hands but Gable manages to send him bouncing off the top rope and clocks him from behind.
He then whips him to the mat several times then begins to manipulate his arm. He hits a northern lights suplex then goes for a pin. Lumis kicks out and delivers a splash in the corner, followed by a bulldog and a sidewalk slam.
He then delivers a leg drop before Gable fires back with a German suplex. He then knocks him to the outside and pushes him into the ring post then gets him back in the ring and rolls him up. Lumis reverses the fall for the win.
Winner: Dexter Lumis
Commentary then throws it to a video of Cody Rhodes’ return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 as Rhodes talks about his journey back to WWE. He says he has another shot at living the first dream he ever had as a series of pictures of him and his father Dusty Rhodes are shown in the first of a two part journey from recovery video package. The video ends off with the reveal of Rhodes’ torn pectoral at Hell In A Cell.
Bayley wishes a Happy New Year to Trashville then tells them to be proud to be from the city Damage CTRL was born. She says she can’t think of a better way to kick off 2023 than being next to Womens Tag Team Champions Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky. She then says she needs to address The Irish Elephant in the room, then gloats about beating Becky Lynch.
Lynch’s music hits and she cuts her off. Lynch tells Bayley to shut up, then says she’s been on the hamster wheel since coming back after doing the same thing week in and week out. She calls her a coward and a fraud, then says she feels comfortable in the shadow of someone else. She says Kai & Sky are doing the hard work while she takes the glory, and says it’s only a matter of time before someone turns on someone. Lynch says when she loses, she only gets better and says she brought up a good point. She says they should end things where they started tonight.
Bayley declines her offer, but says since she has an obsession with Kai & Sky she’ll put them in a match with them and will let her pick her own partner. Lynch says she doesn’t have her phone on her, but likes the odds of going 2 on 1.
Non Title Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions Damage CTRL vs. Becky Lynch & Mia Yim
Becky Lynch delivers a boot to Iyo Sky. She follows it up with an enziguri, but Sky sends her into the middle turnbuckle. Dakota Kai tags in and Lynch delivers a big boot to her chest. She hits a leg drop, then delivers a forearm. Kai delivers her signature running boot, then knocks Lynch to the outside. Sky hits Lynch with a clothesline and a dropkick, then gets her back inside and tags in Kai.
Kai sends Lynch to the mat, then tags Sky back in. Sky sends Lynch into the barricade and the ring post, then hits her with a right hand. She gets her back inside the ring, then tags in Kai. Mia Yim’s music hits and she joins Lynch. Lynch tags her in and delivers a superkick to Sky’s face. She delivers a dropkick, then sends Sky to the outside and delivers a tope suicida.
After the break Sky delivers a dropkick to Yim. Sky locks in a crossface, but Yim escapes. Kai tags in and Michin delivers a series of right hands, followed by a neckbreaker to Sky and tags in Lynch. Kai grabs her ankle, but Lynch pushes her off and delivers a bulldog before sending her into the ring post and the barricade.
She gets Kai back in the ring, then ascends to the top rope and delivers a missile dropkick. Yim tags in and gets Kai on the top rope with the help of Lynch. They deliver a superplex, and Yim goes for a pin. Michin looks for a pin on Kai, but Bayley puts Kai’s foot on the bottom rope. Kai makes the blind tag to Sky as Lynch charges at Bayley. Sky takes advantage and delivers Over The Moonsault for the win.
Winners: Women’s Tag Team Champions Damage CTRL
We come back from the break, Byron Saxton catches up with Alexa Bliss. He asks her about her actions earlier tonight. Bliss says she gained control rather than lost it and says Belair now knows that.
We then head to a video of Dominik Mysterio being arrested at the Mysterio family household. We then see Mysterio reflecting on his stay in prison and asks if he thinks this is a game. He says prison changes a man and he says he’s just getting started. He tells Rhea Ripley he’ll see her soon.
United States Title Match
Austin Theory (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Austin Theory delivers a kick to Seth Rollins’ midsection. Rollins fires back with a sling blade, then clotheslines him to the outside and hits a baseball dropkick. He follows it up with a senton on the apron then drapes him on the barricade and delivers a jumping knee off the announce table that takes us to a break.
After the break Rollins fires off several rapid chops on Theory on the outside. He tosses him back in the ring, then delivers a knee off the top rope. Theory fires back with a dropkick, then fires off a series of right hands, He delivers a stomp, then sends him face first into the top turnbuckle.
He whips him into the corner, then delivers a backbreaker. Rollins looks for a splash in the corner, but Theory rolls out of the way and Rollins collides with the top turnbuckle. He tosses him to the outside, then sends his head crashing into the announce desk and tosses him over it. He grabs his United States Title and gloats, then fires off a few right hands that takes us to a another break.
We come back from a another commercial break Rollins delivers a series of chops and right hands, followed by a shoulder tackle that sends him to the outside. He hits a suicide dive, then gets him back in the ring and delivers a backbreaker. Rollins ascends to the top, but Theory meets him there. Rollins pulls him off and sets up for a powerbomb, but Theory escapes and delivers a back elbow.
Rollins gets him up for another one, but Theory escapes and lands on the middle rope. Rollins meets him there and delivers a superplex. Theory rolls through and reverses it into a brainbuster, then goes for a pin. Rollins kicks out and delivers a superkick, followed by an enziguri.
Theory & Rollins exchange right hands before Theory delivers a boot to Rollins’ midsection. Rollins fires back with a forearm, then looks for the Curb Stomp. Theory rolls out of the ring and grabs his title. He goes to walk away, but Rollins goes after him and gets him back in the ring.
He hits a superkick, then ascends to the top rope and delivers a Frog Splash. He goes for a pin, but Theory kicks out. Rollins sets up for the Curb Stomp, but Theory sends him into the referee. Rollins delivers a Pedigree, then goes for a pin as another referee heads down.
He starts his count, but Theory kicks out at two. He sets up for the Curb Stomp and while the referee checks on the other referee, Theory delivers a low blow to Rollins followed by a chop block and A Town Down for the win.
Winner & United States Champion: Austin Theory (STILL CHAMPION!!!!) (Recommend)
