The January 16th edition of WWE RAW aired live on the USA Network from the Verizon Center in North Little Rock, AR.
– Roman Reigns is out to the ring first to open up RAW, and the shark cage for Jericho at the Royal Rumble is up on the stage. Reigns starts talking about how no one can beat him in a fair fight right now, and on that note he’s interrupted by Paul Heyman. Heyman announces that Brock Lesnar is at RAW for the first time since Survivor Series, and says Goldberg isn’t here tonight. Heyman is then interrupted by Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens, and then they are interrupted by Seth Rollins. Rollins warns everyone that “anything can happen in the main event of WrestleMania,” and then Rollins is interrupted by Braun Strowman. Strowman gets in Reigns’ face, then Brock Lesnar’s music hits and Lesnar comes out to the ring. As Lesnar is on the ramp, Sami Zayn hits the ring out of nowhere and jumps Strowman. All hell breaks loose in the ring, then Lesnar slides in and hits a German suplex on Reigns. It’s down to Lesnar and Zayn, and Lesnar gives Zayn a German suplex too. Lesnar dares Strowman to come at him, but Strowman backs away. As Lesnar watches Strowman walk away, Reigns comes in and hits a Superman punch on Lesnar. Reigns clears the other wrestlers off the aprons, then turns around into an F-5 from Lesnar.
THE STORM IS HERE! #TheBeast @BrockLesnar is LIVE on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/Q6twXbd9XY
— WWE (@WWE) January 17, 2017
– Enzo & Cass def. Jinder Mahal & Rusev: Enzo is out of his wheelchair so he’ll be competing tonight. The heels take control of the match in the opening minutes, with Rusev locking Enzo in a bear hug to slow things down. Enzo breaks free and hits a tornado DDT, then gets the hot tag to Big Cass. Mahal tags in too and Big Cass cleans house. Cass hits a fallaway slam on Cass then follows up with a splash and the Empire Elbow. Enzo throws Rusev outside then tags in, and Cass throws Enzo off the top rope for the Boom Shakalaka for the win.
– Ariya Daivari def. Lince Dorado: Austin Aries and Jack Gallagher are on commentary for this one. Daivari controls the opening minutes of the match until he gets distracted talking trash to Gallagher, and Dorad makes a comeback. Daivari dodges a cross body off the top rope and comes back with a stiff clothesline. Daivari gets Dorado in the Cobra Clutch for the win via submission.
– Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson def. Sheamus & Cesaro (c) via DQ: The Tag Team Titles are on the line in this one. Cesaro starts off against Anderson and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, then he tags in Sheamus who hits a knee drop. Cesaro tags back in and hits a double foot stop on Anderson for a two count. Anderson comes back with a jumping kick to the face, then he tags in Gallows who goes to work on Cesaro. Cesaro comes back with some European uppercuts and a flying cross-body off the top rope onto Gallows on the floor at ringside. Back in the ring, Cesaro hits The Swing on Anderson then locks him in the Sharpshooter. As soon as he locks it in, Gallows breaks it up with a big boot to the face. All four men are in now in the ring and in the commotion Sheamus accidentally knocks out the referee. Gallows and Anderson knock Sheamus to the outside then hit the Magic Killer on Cesaro. Another referee comes out and counts to three, but as Gallows and Anderson are being congratulated, the original referee reverses the decision because Sheamus hit him. Sheamus and Cesaro have now been disqualified, which means they keep the Tag Titles. Gallows and Anderson freak out and hit the Magic Killer on Sheamus before leaving.
Clink. #RAW @WWECesaro @WWESheamus pic.twitter.com/992FrTzEsk
— WWE (@WWE) January 17, 2017
– Michael Cole introduces a video package highlighting the career of the late Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka.
– Backstage, we see Sami Zayn trying to work out a game plan with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins to take out Owens, Jericho, and Strowman tonight.
– Rich Swann vs. Tony Nese – No Contest: Neville jumps Swann before the match. Referees pull Neville off, then Tony Nese gets in on it and starts beating down Swann too. Neville pulls Nese off of Swann, then hits Swann with a superkick to the face before leaving.
– Neville cuts a promo on Rich Swann backstage, saying that he’s going to break Swann’s “unbreakable” spirit.
– The New Day comes out to the ring to discuss the upcoming 30-man battle royal match at the Royal Rumble on 1/29. They get interrupted by Titus O’Neal, who says he’s there to take of their spots in the Royal Rumble. This leads to Titus vs. Big E.
– Big E def. Titus O’Neal: After some back and forth action early on, Titus takes control of the match with a variation of The Dominator on Big E. After a two count, Titus drops Big E with a powerslam then hits a running leg drop for another near-fall. Titus takes a little too much time to mock Big E, and Big E comes back with a belly to belly suplex. Big E follows up with a running splash, then hits The Big Ending for the win.
– Charlotte comes out to the ring and cuts a promo on Bayley. Charlotte starts showing old poems Bayley wrote about wanting to be a wrestler, and calls her just another average fan. Bayley runs out to the ring and Charlotte retreats up the ramp. Bayley cuts a promo defending herself, and tells Charlotte a new poem about how she’s going to take her Women’s Championship.
– Cedric Alexander def. Cedric Alexander: Austin Aries is on commentary for this one. Cedric takes control early on after throwing Kendrick to the outside and hitting a springboard moonsault. Back in the ring, they trade chops to the chest until Kendrick drops him with an elbow to the face. Cedric hits back with an elbow of his own and a kick to the head. Cedric follows up with a springboard cross body off the top for a two count. Cedric goes for a back suplex but Kendrick reverses into the Captain’s Hook. Alicia Fox runs out to ring and tries to help Cedric reach the ropes. Cedric gets distracted by Alicia and Kendrick dropkicks Cedric from behind. Kendrick throws Cedric back in the ring an follows him in. Kendrick goes for the Captain’s Hook again, but Cedric avoids it and hits the Lumbar Check for the win. Alicia tries to hug Cedric after the match but he declines.
– Backstage, an interviewer asks Alicia Fox about her relationship with Cedric Alexander. She freaks out and says she doesn’t want to talk about it.
– We get a video package about Kurt Angle being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The crowd pops and does a “You Suck” chant along with Angle’s music for old time’s sake.
– Braun Strowman, Chris Jericho, & Kevin Owens def. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, & Sami Zayn: All six men start brawling in the ring before the bell sounds. It comes down to Strowman and Reigns, and Strowman clotheslines Reigns to the outside and stands tall in the ring. The match officially starts and after some back and forth action, Owens takes control against Sami Zayn. Strowman helps out with a cheap show on Zayn behind the ref’s back. Reigns gets the hot tag and tees off on Owens with a series of clotheslines. Reigns drops Owens with a big boot, then sets up for the Superman punch. Jericho grabs onto Reign’s leg from ringside until Rollins knocks Jericho down. Strowman then knocks Rollins down. Reigns goes for a Superman punch but Strowman hopped up on the apron and grabbed Reigns out of mid-air. Owens follows up with a superkick on Reigns for a two count. Rollins and Jericho get the tags and Rollins hits a Sling Blade to drop Jericho. Rollins follows up with a splash in the corner then a Blockbuster off the middle rope. Rollins and Zayn hit suicide dives on opposite sides of the ring, taking out all the heels. Strowman charges at Zayn, but Zayn moves and Strowman’s head bounces off the ring post. Back in the ring, Rollins knees Jericho in the face. Jericho tags in Strowman, and Rollins tags in Zayn. Rollins dives to the outside onto Jericho and Owens, while in the ring Zayn hits a splash off the top on Strowman for a two count. Strowman blocks a big boot from Zayn then hits a running powerslam for the win. After the match, Strowman takes Sami to the commentary table. Reigns and Rollins follow them up and lay out Strowman with a chair and a spear. Rollins and Reigns start preparing the announce table, but then Jericho and Owens lay them out from behind. Rollins manages to hit a Pedigree on Jericho, but then Owens lays out both Rollins and Reigns with a steel chair. Owens is the last man standing, and he turns his attention to Reigns. Owens powerbombs Reigns through the announce table and stands over him as RAW goes off the air.
An EMPHATIC #RoyalRumble statement is made by @WWE #UniversalChampion @FightOwensFight as #RAW goes off the air! @WWERomanReigns pic.twitter.com/wKtKsZSxA6
— WWE (@WWE) January 17, 2017