The biggest winners and losers of last night's Raw (28 January 2019)

Last night's Raw still had a lot of rough edges - uninteresting filler, a build to an Elimination Chamber match that already looks flat, and more undesirable things.

But as far as kicking off the major WrestleMania programs went, this show hit it out of the park. That's what it needed to do.

Who took the most and least out of last night's episode that will be remembered for all the right reasons?

---

Loser: Dean Ambrose

Unsurprisingly, Dean Ambrose lost the opening match to Seth Rollins, which should finally be the end of their feud. That wasn't the worst part about his night though.

After a commercial break, he sat in the ring complaining. Then the world's most unexciting tag team, Nia Jax and Tamina came out. The former confronted Ambrose and hit him with a cheap shot from behind, but unlike the Royal Rumble last night, there was no retaliation.

It was just completely unnecessary, and needlessly made Ambrose look like even more of a chump.

At best, Ambrose will find himself in the Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 35, but it's far likelier at this point that he winds up in the pre-show at the Andre the Giant Battle Royal.

---

Winners: Nia Jax and Tamina

Things went downhill fast after the first 30 minutes. The Elimination Chamber match for the women's tag team titles already looks like it will be one of the year's biggest duds. Despite WWE's attempts, Nia Jax and Tamina, for all their size, don't come across as convincing monsters.

They'll be the bruisers in the Chamber, but that's a signal that the Chamber match is likely going to end up being one of the year's most underwhelming bouts, and a far cry from the perfection we've been seeing at the top of the women's division.

Winner: Finn Balor

Everyone knew that Finn Balor didn't have a chance against Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble, and the match was disappointing, all things considered. So where did that leave Balor on the Road to WrestleMania?

We might have gotten that answer last night, when a feud began between him and Bobby Lashley.

Though it's hard to imagine that this feud will have enough legs to last until April on its own merits, Finn Balor seems a likely candidate to wind up in an Intercontinental Championship match of some kind at MetLife Stadium on April 7, particularly given it likely being a multi-man match.

---

Loser: Elias

Elias looked like he had a promising 2019 ahead of him as a babyface last month, as he notched a victory over Bobby Lashley. He then lost twice to Baron Corbin cleanly. Then he abruptly turned heel at the Royal Rumble.

He continued it last night. And for what reason? To feud with Jeff Jarrett?

It's nonsensical. And it's exactly the reason why WWE is so lacking in star power on the men's side.

Winners: The Riott Squad

Is this going to be a Freebird thing or isn't it? Because it was notable that Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan, rather than Ruby Riott - easily the best of the Riott Squad - seemed like they would be going to the Elimination Chamber in February.

If so, the match will be even more underwhelming than it appeared on paper. It's a good win for them, giving them something notable to do, but it isn't a good prospect for the Elimination Chamber.

---

Winners: Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch

After Ronda had a good title defense against Bayley, Becky Lynch made a surprise appearance, limp and all. The crowd was rabid during Ronda's earlier promo, wanting Becky and no one else. They got her. And Becky gave them what they wanted, challenging Ronda Rousey and vowing to prove she was not "the baddest" at WrestleMania.

But the moment got even more magical with Rousey seemingly turning heel in the moment, insulting the fan favorite and trying to remind her just how outmatched she was.

It was pure magic and easily the best segment on Raw in years. This is going to be a white hot feud.

Whether Charlotte Flair finds herself involved remains to be seen.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins began the night, and he got put over huge in a promo by Triple H. The crowd clamored for him to "slay the beast".

Later on, Paul Heyman ran the Royal Rumble winner down, claiming that for his own good, he better choose Daniel Bryan, who was in the building. He said it would be a "good technical sports-entertainment clinic". But he said it as an insult, as if Rollins had no business being the leader of WWE's flagship show.

Rollins came out and made his decision known by attacking Brock Lesnar, who had given him a smug look.

Rollins paid for it dearly.

The crowd will be clamoring for Rollins to beat Lesnar and bring the title back to Raw. It's the organic connection all those programs with Roman Reigns lacked.

Raw again knocked it out of the park to kick off its other massive program.