Nerdly » WWE Raw – Jan 27th 2020: Results & Review

28th Jan2020

WWE Raw – Jan 27th 2020: Results & Review

by Nathan Favel

Welcome to this week’s Monday Night Raw review, right here on Nerdly. Okay, Edge returned from retirement, so I’m happy. Let’s get to this post-Royal Rumble show.

Match #1: Drew McIntyre def. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson – Handicap Match

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Drew McIntyre has made his choice, and it was seemingly an easy one. Within moments of Raw’s opening, the winner of the 2020 Men’s Royal Rumble Match declared he would use his Rumble victory to challenge WWE Champion Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, setting up the Scot for the first World Championship opportunity of his career on the biggest possible stage against the most ferocious possible opponent. McIntyre’s path to WrestleMania is set to be a rocky one. After dispatching Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson in an impromptu Handicap Match-slash-“Claymore Party,” McIntyre found himself ambushed by Lesnar himself, who mercilessly F-5’d McIntyre in a display of dominance that left the Scotsman gasping for air and, perhaps, coming to the realization that he’s about to get exactly what he wants. And he may discover that the only thing more painful than the destination is the journey.

My Opinion: 2.4 out of 5 – This was just an over-grown squash, but at least Drew…wait, the team lost to the guy. Screw it. Drew looked cool.

Match #2: Rey Mysterio def. MVP

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Lost in the chaos of Edge’s Royal Rumble return was the all-too-brief appearance of Montel Vontavious Porter, who might have made a run of his own had he not come up against a feasting Brock Lesnar. The former United States Champion got a proper homecoming tonight, and even though it ended in a loss to Rey Mysterio, the bout was much more even-handed. For one, MVP was visibly feeling himself, dropping a Ballin’ Elbow on The Ultimate Underdog late in the game and almost — almost — avoiding a 619. While Mysterio’s signature kick missed MVP’s face, he still caught the returning Superstar in the back, incapacitating MVP long enough to follow up with a springboard splash for the win. Hey, as any baller knows, you win some, you lose some. But he looked good doing it either way.

My Opinion: 3.1 out of 5 – MVP was slow but good here, while Rey was fantastic. This was not the best match between the two, but this did work well for the time allotted.

Match #3: Aleister Black def. Kenneth Johnson

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

For most of last year, Aleister Black was the man who waited for someone to pick a fight with him. 2020 is looking to be the year that the former NXT Champion goes from a reactive to a proactive Superstar. After dispatching a local named Kenneth Johnson, Black revealed that his early elimination from the Royal Rumble Match had forced him to examine some hard truths and accept his accountability in the loss … and, perhaps, his wider situation. After taking into account his strategy the past few months, he put the Raw locker room on notice and announced he was picking a fight with them. A chilling announcement to say the least. We’ve all seen what Black can do when someone opens his door; one can only imagine what happens when he’s the one who knocks.

My Opinion: 1.7 out of 5 – Black killed the poor schlemp…but the match sucked.

Match #4: Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy def. Kevin Owens & Samoa Joe – Raw Tag Team Championship Match

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

On paper, Kevin Owens & Samoa Joe finally getting their hands on Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy is easy money, especially considering they arranged for The Viking Raiders to ambush AOP in the locker room area. But Rollins & Murphy’s Raw Tag Team Title defense against Owens & Joe went south when Joe whiffed on a suicide dive, apparently suffering an injury that took him out of the match. Despite losing his partner, Owens fought the good fight and even had a chance to close. But without Joe at his side, KO was forced to dispatch an interfering Rollins with a Stunner, leaving him open to a roll-up from Murphy and a handful of tights that kept him down for three. Given what happened to Joe, the defeat has to sting double, but it might come down to something far simpler. Like it or not, Rollins & Murphy might just be the real deal.

My Opinion: 3.2 out of 5 – This was pretty good for a match of its length, but it was missing some-thing. The action turned out fine, but the match was just…there. Over-all, not bad, but it was kind of dull.

Match #5: Humberto Carrillo def. United States Champion Andrade – WWE United States Championship Match (Disqualification)

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

They say if you fight one person long enough you begin to take on the traits of your enemies. By the looks of Humberto Carrillo, that just might be true. After coming up short in his second challenge to Andrade in two days, the young highflyer channeled the signature aggression of the United States Champion, including his most infamous maneuver. When Zelina Vega interfered during the match — breaking up what might have been a decisive pinfall and getting Andrade disqualified to save his title — Carrillo decided to dish out some payback, raining down blows on the United States Champion before Hammerlock DDT’ing him onto the exposed concrete. That’s the same maneuver that put Carrillo out of action several weeks ago, and his co-opting of the act is a twofold sign that bodes ill for Andrade. They’re even, and yet, somehow, this is just getting started.

My Opinion: 3.4 out of 5 – This was a fun lucha-lite bout that was meaty enough to have some meat on the bone, but not enough to feed everybody at the party.

Match #6: Charlotte Flair def. Asuka (Disqualification)

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Would Asuka have won the Women’s Royal Rumble Match if she’d been in it? She seems to think so. Charlotte Flair, who actually did win the match, isn’t so sure. And even after an impromptu bout on Raw, it was no clearer which of these seemingly eternal rivals — one a reigning champion, one with a title match in her future — holds the advantage over the other. Their match (a rematch of a WrestleMania 34 show-stealer) was at a dead heat, with counters on counters on counters and Asuka nearly wearing The Queen down with a tentacled ground game. Flair locked in the Figure-Eight, but Kairi Sane broke the hold with an InSane Elbow that gave Charlotte a disqualification win — hardly the decisive victory Flair seemed to want. With Charlotte yet to declare who she’ll challenge at WrestleMania, she undoubtedly has her future in her hands. But first, she might have to get past this reminder of her past.

My Opinion: 3.4 out of 5 – This was the best match so far, with each woman doing their best to make the brief time worth every second. Asuka over-shadowed Charlotte here, which is interesting as we near Wrestlemania. I liked this.

Match #7: 24/7 Champion Mojo Rawley def. No Way Jose; R-Truth def. Rawley to win the title and Rawley def. Truth to win it back

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Mojo Rawley has said he’s going to be the first 24/7 Champion to openly seek out competition rather than run from it. And he made good on that promise with a match where he willingly defended the madcap title against No Way Jose — a gambit he pulled off thanks to the help of Riddick Moss, an NXT product who has apparently been recruited as Mojo’s “offensive lineman.” Like any good lineman, Moss picked up the block, albeit not against Jose, who was quickly dispatched. After R-Truth, who had disguised himself among the conga line, pinned Rawley to win the title at the conclusion of the match, Moss blocked his exit, allowing Rawley to attack and reclaim the championship from Truth. While Mojo isn’t exactly immune to the kind of shenanigans that defined the title up to this point, Moss’ inclusion clearly complicates things for those hoping to get one over on the one guy in the 24/7 Title picture who’s not just looking to win, but fight.

My Opinion: 1.9 out of 5 – This sucked, but at least Mojo is starting to get there as a wrestler.

Match #8: Liv Morgan def. Lana

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Liv Morgan finally got her hands on Lana and did not let the opportunity pass her by, defeating The Ravishing Russian in a match where Rusev and Bobby Lashley were barred from ringside. Both Superstars handled themselves pretty well without the support, but it was Liv, the self-proclaimed living embodiment of karma, who emphatically was not letting Lana get away with one this time. Liv pounced with a (very impressive!) springboard flatliner to claim the win. Will this twisted saga continue? Perhaps. But for the first time in a long time, Liv Morgan has something to smile about.

My Opinion: 1.8 out of 5 – This sucked, but Mandy Rose looked good here :)

Match #9: (Main Event) Erick Rowan def. Branden Vice

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

After a tense few weeks, it appears things are back to normal, or something like it, for Erick Rowan and his mysterious pet. Rowan didn’t try to open his now-signature pen this time, or remove whatever was inside it, or even pay any attention to it during his latest match. He simply bulldozed the local in his path — a poor lamb named Branden Vice — pinned him with the Iron Claw, took the pen under his gigantic arm and left. A welcome change of pace for him and a distressing return to form for everyone else. Now, he’s got nothing to distract him.

My Opinion: 0.1 out of 5 – The main event was a squash. F— you.