With less than a week before the Royal Rumble, last night’s Monday Night Raw served as the go-home show to the first pay-per-view of the year. While most of the focus was on Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, the Wyatt Family were the last to make a statement. Let’s take a look at what went down.
The Wyatt Family Make a Statement
We start things off with Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns dapping and then chatting it up. Reigns talks about how he’s only there for Brock Lesnar, and then proceeds to call the Beast Incarnate out, but Jericho tells him that Lesnar will be on the Highlight Reel later so Reigns should join them, an invitation the Champ gladly accepts.
Out comes the League of Nations to do their annoying thing and then Jericho somehow makes a match between Rusev and Reigns with himself as special guest ref because sure why not?
The match is exactly what we’ve seen before, which is a pretty damn good match. The LoN kept trying to get involved so Jericho eventually ejected them with the worst cartwheel in the history of the world.
This causes Rusev to flip and the distraction lets Reigns hit him with a Superman Punch and Spear for the win.
Backstage Stephanie McMahon and Jericho banter like its 1999 with the same jokes and suddenly it’s really obvious that Jericho is no longer cool and now just that uncle who thinks he’s cool.
Vince and Stephanie come out to announce the #1 entrant for the Royal Rumble. They even have a nice tumbler to mix the names up so it’s all ‘fair’. Vince spins and pulls out a ball and then struggles mightily to open it.
Finally he gets one open and the first person in the Rumble is… ROMAN REIGNS!
This is my shocked face, I’m shocked.
They pull names two more times (with plenty more Vince struggles opening the balls) and both times are Roman Reigns of course.
So main event segment time and they’re calling this the biggest Highlight Reel ever which LOL K. Even more ridiculous is that Chris Jericho is being called a ‘favorite’ to win the Rumble along with Reigns and Lesnar.
Basically they all talk about how they are gonna win and Paul Heyman outclasses Jericho on the mic, saying that Lesnar deserves a bye into the Wrestlemania main event since he was never pinned at Wrestlemania 31.
More bantering before Jericho talks too much crap and out comes Lesnar to destroy the world. Lesnar hits the ring and is IMMEDIATELY speared by Reigns.
The League of Nations joins in to ruin all the fun and Lesnar gets up and starts destroying all of them. As soon as he finishes he eats another Spear from Reigns.
Out of nowhere, the Wyatt Family appears and attacks the two Rumble favorites. First Reigns eats a beating that ends in a Sister Abigail.
Lesnar gets up and immediately eats a boot from Luke Harper.
The Wyatts beat Lesnar down a bit and end him with a Sister Abigail as well.
As Raw goes off the air it’s the Wyatt Family, not Lesnar or Reigns, who stand tall heading into the Royal Rumble which is interesting.
I guess WWE is going to try making the Wyatt Family the biggest heels in the company… again. Let’s see how it goes this time.
Other Results –
Can We Get Rid of the League of Nations? – Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio took on Dean Ambrose and Kalisto in a tag match that was okay. Our finish sees Ambrose distracted by Kevin Owens who is on commentary and then Kalisto eats a Brogue Kick for the loss.
Becky Lynch is Actually Awesome – Becky Lynch has basically spent the Divas Revolution playing second and third fiddle to Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Paige and Nikki Bella. Now that three of those four are hurt, she’s getting a chance to shine and actually killing it. She beats Tamina in a match then calls out Charlotte for a Divas title match at the Rumble.
Charlotte says no so Becky starts ripping her apart and then takes a shot at Papa Ric who accepts on his daughters behalf. I’m glossing over this but seriously Becky was great with this, I’m all aboard the Lass Kicker bandwagon.
The New Day Are Still Pretty Great – New Day holds a funeral for their trombone Francesca who was destroyed by Chris Jericho, and then Big E beats Jey Uso in a match that we don’t really care about.
Insert MLK Match Here – Titus O’Neil, Mark Henry, R-Truth and Neville took on the Ascension, Tyler Breeze and Stardust in an 8-man tag that had something to do with MLK Day and for reasons ended with the only white guy on the face team getting the pin.
It also featured this awesome botch by Henry.
Whoops.
The Wyatts & Dudleyz, Still Boring – Wanna know what makes a feud that is boring even worse? THROWING RYBACK INTO IT! The Wyatts beat The Dudley Backz in a match that we could do with never having again.
Natalya & Paige Are Back – So Natalya is suddenly wrestling matches again and she’s accompanied by a now-face Paige because screw continuity. Nattie beats Brie Bella with a sharpshooter.
Big Show…Zzzzzz – Big Show beat Heath Slater and then knocks out all of the Social Outcasts. Yay.
