'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Braun Strowman kicked off RAW to a loud reception from the Memphis crowd. The Monster Among Men recounted the times Brock Lesnar had used underhand ways to win and said that he was scared of him. Strowman said that he was healed up, referring to his injury. Strowman was interrupted by Baron Corbin who said Strowman only let his fans down and that he cannot beat Brock Lesnar.
Corbin said he will win the Royal Rumble and do something Strowman will never do: main event WrestleMania. Strowman chased Corbin backstage and encountered The Singh Brothers, one of whom was thrown onto a table. Elias was backstage, singing a song about how Corbin was hiding in the limousine and Strowman pulled the driver out of the car and threw him away. Strowman ripped the car door off its hinges and encountered a shocked Vince McMahon, whose car he just damaged. McMahon didn't look happy as we headed into a break.
Back from the break, Strowman tried to fix the limo door as Vince McMahon watched on. McMahon called Strowman a "danger zone", and told Strowman that it will cost him $100,000. Vince McMahon told Braun Strowman that he was out of the Universal Championship match against Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble. Strowman flipped the limo and walked off with nonchalance.
Ronda Rousey & Sasha Banks vs. Tamina & Nia Jax
Sasha kicked us off with Nia in the ring and Banks hit a Hurricanrana early on. Sasha went for a sleeper hold while hanging off of Nia's shoulders before she was thrown off. Ronda was tagged in and took down Nia before Tamina came in. Nia dragged her partner out of the ring when Rousey went for the armbar, slowing down the pace of the match.
We returned from commercials to see Nia caught in a reverse bearhug by Sasha but managed to catch banks in a headlock after dropping her on the mat. Tamina was tagged in and hit a cheap shot on Rousey who wasn't even in the ring. Banks took the opportunity when Tamina was distracted and hit the Banks Statement for the win.
Result: Sasha Banks & Ronda Rousey def. Tamina & Nia Jax
Rousey and Banks were interviewed in the ring and Rousey said that she respected Banks and a win over her at the Rumble would be her greatest accomplishment. Banks was not happy about Rousey and said that she wasn't the only one who can get people to tap out. Rousey called Banks the "classiest loser", which infuriated Banks.
We learned that Jerry 'the King' Lawler was backstage as he was shown coming out of the lockers.
Backstage, Ronda and Sasha were still bickering when Bayley and Natalya came out to diffuse the situation. After the champ and her challenger left, The Riott Squad challenged Bayley and Natalya to find a partner and face them later in the night.
Lucha House Party vs. The Revival
Kalisto and Wilder kicked off the match and Kalisto hit a huge dropkick and an arm drag off the ropes. Gran Metalik stepped in for a double team move and Kalisto tagged in right after while Wilder came in as well. Metalik tagged in after a short segment where Superstars backstage were discussing who would face Lesnar in place of Braun at Royal Rumble after the incident that took place at the start of the show.
Dawson failed to connect with a big move but got the butterfly DDT on Metalik, getting the pin although Metalik's foot was clearly on the rope.
Result: The Revival def. Lucha House Party
Vince McMahon's special announcement on RAW
Vince McMahon was out after the break and just as he was about to speak, John Cena's music hit and Cena came out to join Vince in the ring. John didn't let Vince speak yet again and predicted that he was about to ask someone to step up and fight Brock at the Rumble. He recalled how Stone Cold and The Rock and even Lesnar himself gave up on the WWE for various reasons and walked out but John has never quit on Vince. John added that he will step up yet again and be a 17 time WWE Champion after beating Brock with 'Ruthless Aggression'.
Drew McIntyre came out to challenge John's claims and said John's time was up and he could leave. Corbin came out next and demanded the title shot or he would try and sue Vince after the attack on him earlier. Finn Balor came out right after and said he was the only one there who has ever held the Universal Title.
Vince said Brock was too much for Balor and Finn said that Vince never believed in him and that he will show him. Finn attacked Corbin and Mcintyre took out Cena. Drew hit the Claymore on Balor and Vince was impressed. He set the four men in a multi-man man later in the night to settle the debate.
Backstage, Vince McMahon ran into Jinder Mahal, who said he was a little angry that he wasn't part of the fatal four-way. McMahon said he could face any one person from the fatal four-way, and if he won, he would be added to the fatal four-way match later tonight.
The Riott Squad vs. Bayley, Natalya & Nikki Cross
Nikki Cross made her main roster debut and she was running across the apron before Bayley tagged her in right off the bat. Sarah Logan was in and ran for the corner, bringing the whole team with her. Nikki attacked all three opponents and her teammates came to her aide. Cross caught Riott between the apron and the ring and kept hammering at her with strikes as we broke for commercials.
We returned to see Bayley hit a crossbody on Logan but was caught by a big flurry of attacks. Morgan tagged in and sent Bayley crashing onto the mat before hitting a dropkick to the spine of the Hugger. Logan came in again and tried to lock her in a submission before throwing her into the corner. Natalya was tagged in and hit a suplex and a clothesline but Riott broke the pin.
Cross and Natalya hit a big double team on Morgan before Cross took on all three women again. Morgan went for a rollup in the ring but took a neck breaker from Cross who kicked out. Bayley was tagged in and hit the elbow drop for the big win.
Result: Bayley, Natalya & Nikki Cross def. The Riott Squad
Jinder Mahal vs. Finn Balor
Sameer Singh attacked Finn Balor during his entrance and Jinder Mahal went on the offense outside the ring but the official hesitated to ring the bell as the two brawled to the ring. Balor finally called for the match to be started and Jinder hit a big boot to the face of Balor. Jinder failed to get the early pin and went for a submission move before taking a basement dropkick. Mahal dropped Finn on the apron as we headed to another commercial.
We returned to see Jinder still in control but Balor hit the overhead kick, regaining some ground. Balor hit the double stomp and then hit a huge dive to the outside taking out Jinder and Sameer. Finn was in control and hit the Coupe de Grace for the win.
Result: Finn Balor def. Jinder Mahal
Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley - Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental Championship
Dean Ambrose was trying to convince Seth Rollins to work together but it turned out to be a set up as Ambrose ran out of the ring while Seth attacked Lashley. Ambrose proposed the same to Lashley and they teamed up against Rollins who was in trouble. Bobby went for a pin but Ambrose pushed him off quick. Ambrose turned on Lashley too as Seth was hit with a disastrous Spinebuster. Leo Rush came in and distracted Seth as Lashley took down both former Shield members.
Lashley had Rollins in a hold in the ring before he and Ambrose teamed up against Lashley and threw him out. Ambrose and Rollins took the steel steps to the face of Lashley before facing each other in the ring. Ambrose countered a buckle bomb but took a Sunset Flip before Leo Rush broke the pin. Rollins dove off the ropes and took out Ambrose who was setting up for the Dirty Deeds on Lashley in the ring.
Rollins caught Ambrose on the top rope but Lashley took them both out. Rollins was taken out by Leo Rush and Lashley hit his finisher on Ambrose for the win, concluding the match with a surprise victory.
Result: Bobby Lashley def. Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins and became the new Intercontinental Champion
A Moment of Bliss with special guest Paul Heyman
As the second episode of the segment kicked off, Alexa Bliss revealed that the women's tag team titles will be contested at Elimination Chamber where three teams from SmackDown and three teams from RAW will compete. She then unveiled the new women's tag team titles.
Paul Heyman came in before Alexa was done introducing her. Heyman called out the four men who challenged for Braun's spot against Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble and discussed why all of them were incapable of defeating Lesnar, not even John Cena.
He predicted that Drew McIntyre will one day be Universal champion, but not anytime soon. Otis Dozovic of Heavy Machinery interfered but was taken backstage by his tag team partner Tucker Knight and officials, as the segment ended with Alexa and Heyman not really knowing what was going on.
John Cena vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin
John Cena hit a big move on Corbin from the top early on and Drew McIntyre broke the count. Cena hit the 5-Knuckle Shuffle and then the AA before going for the pin but Baron Corbin broke the count. John and Balor teamed up for a minute against Corbin before McIntyre came in and dropped both Cena and Balor from the top rope.
Corbin hit the End of Days on Balor but Drew McIntyre broke the count. Cena took a huge move and was in trouble but managed to fight out it. Balor went for the Coupe de Grace on John but Cena met him on the top and hit an AA from the top rope. Corbin attacked Balor with a steel chair and then went to hit John Cena but took an AA. Balor went up top and hit the Coupe de Grace for the big win.
Result: Finn Balor def. John Cena, Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin
John Cena got on the mic after the match and said that Balor got one more person who believes in him before shaking his hand.
