'%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)
Last night, WWE gave the fans the first great episode of Raw for the new year. It was explosive from the start to finish and the fans didn't have much to complain about it. The focus now shifted to SmackDown and sadly for the blue brand, tonight's show, in particular, looked really weak on paper.
Same old matches and predictable booking looked hinder the overall viewing experience and WWE was tasked with doing otherwise. So were they successful or did Raw take home the honors this time around?
Find out in this week's results and video highlights:
The handicap syndrome
AJ Styles opened this week's show in an interview with Renee Young. She asked him about his handicap title defense and whether Daniel Bryan's announcement was fair. AJ said that that he's human and a handicap match may be uncalled for.
He said there's a chance he could lose his title but there's also the possibility that he could beat the hell out of the Canadian besties. AJ added that his strategy was to land the finishing blow asap because the longer the match went on the lesser chances he'd have to win.
AJ refused to point fingers and go with the public opinion that Daniel Bryan was playing favorites.. He made it clear that he didn't want to lose his title now and vowed to beat KO and Sami on the same night. The Prizefigher's music hit.
Owens told the fans to applaud the remorseful AJ Styles. KO said that styles would need a miracle to retain his title at the Rumble. Zayn yepped along like a true best friend.
The only man missing from the party, Shane McMahon's music hit, who came out and expressed his confusion over the booked handicap title match and the reason behind it all.
He, in turn, booked a handicap match for the night in which Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles and Randy Orton would team up to take on KO and Zayn.
Ruby Riott vs. Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch returned to in-ring action against the leader of the Riott Squad, Ruby Riott. The Irish Lasskicker had Charlotte and Naomi by her side as Riott was flanked by Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan.
Lynch stunned Riott in the early goings and assumed control of the match as SmackDowb went into a commercial break.Ruby had Becky in a body scissors after the break and it looked like a really tight one indeed. Becky fought out of it once but Ruby fastened the hold to inflict more damage to Becky's torso.
Ruby continued to wear Becky down with some powerful knees to Becky's stomach. Lynch created separation with a roll-up, followed by a couple of strikes and kicks. Becky Lynch masterfully reversed a Riott kick into a the Disarmher, leaving Ruby with no option but to tap out.
Lynch def. Ruby
The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Ascension
Squash! Harper and Rowan SQUASHED the longest reigning tag team champions. The attempted act of retribution didn't go according to plans as the former Wyatt Family members made quick work of Konor and Viktor.
They executed a brief post-match beatdown too and ended the segment on top yet again. Another week and the dominance continued. Who will stop the hammer-yielding behemoths?
Bludgeon Brothers def. Ascension
Mojo Rawley vs. Zack Ryder
This was certainly not one of the most anticipated rematches of the year. Bobby Rode, however, was at ringside for this as he faced the winner of the grudge match in the semi-finals of the US title tournament.
Rawley makes advantage of his freakishly large frame by imposing his will on his former best friend in the early parts of the match.
Ryder regrouped and almost hit the Broski Boot, but Mojo rolled out of the way at the right time. Mojo returned with a vengeance, connecting with a brilliant neck breaker. Rawley had enough of it by this time and sent Ryder shoulder-first into the steel ring post.
He connected with the running knocout punch. Pinfall. 1...2...3! Mojo Rawley advanced to the semi-finals and will face Bobby Roode, who he had a staredown with after the match ended.
Rawley def. Ryder
Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable demand justice
The #1 contenders for the SD Tag Team were out next and looked distraught over last week's events. Gable looked like Kurt Angle's second coming as he kicked off the promo by asking the fans how it feels to be a winner.
The duo berated the fans in attendance and get cheap pops by trashing Univ. of Alabama's Championship win and said that Georgia got screwed over by a bad referee call. Benjamin said that the fans were losers and that they too were a victim of a horrendous referee botch.
The promo continued to drag on as the two spoke about the referee, being winners and losing to instant replay, not to the Usos. Thankfully, Daniel Bryan cut them off and told them to calm down. He said that he felt like they took a shot at the management by talking trash about the referee and announced a 2-out-3 falls match for the SmackDown Tag Team titles between the Usos and Gable & Benjamin for the Royal Rumble.
On a side note, Shinsuke Nakamura is a weird man and we absolutely love the goofy charisma.
Breezango vs. Aiden English and Rusev
First up, Royal Rumble will now be known as Rusev Rumble as the Bulgarian and his melodious sidekick announced their entry into the 30-man match.
Fandango and Aiden got things started as Fandango hung English up on the top rope and connected with the boot to the head. English stunned Breeze with a sidekick before heading to the top rope for an unsuccessful senton. A missed clothesline from Aiden gave enough time to Fandango to himself in. Fandango light up English' chest with some knife-edged chops. Rusev then finally tagged himself in and caught Fandango with multiple kicks to the head.
He followed it up with a running heel kick. Rusev Day chants break out as Rusev set the Accolade.Breeze looked to stop Rusev but got tossed out of the ring for all his troubles. Fandango made use of the opportunity to roll up Rusev. A big upset considering the circumstances.
Breezango def. English and Rusev
Shinsuke Nakamura, Randy Orton & AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens (3-on-2 Handicap match)
The match kicked off as soon as all 5 men made their respective entrances with the babyfaces enjoying the early momentum. Orton, Nakamura and Styles all got in some decent offense as Owens and Zayn looked to retreat but Shane Mcmahon came out and made it a no count-out bout.
Orton and Nakamura took Owens and Zayn out on the ramp as things looked bleak for the rebellious duo of KO and Sami.
Zayn had Styles in a headlock after the commercial break.Owens continued the onslaught after getting the tag. He locked in another headlock as the fans got behind the WWE Champion. He created some distance and finally made the hot tag to Randy Orton.
Orton took Zayn out with the vintage rope DDT but couldn't capitalize as Owens pummeled him and Styles and Nakamura with the chair. The referee called for the bell and ended the match in DQ.
WWE wasn't going to end it just yet though as Shane McMahon came out and ordered the match be restarted yet again as a No DQ anything goes bout.
The babyfaces then took control as they wielded the steel chair to give Owens and Zayn a taste of their own medicine. Orton rammed Zayn into the announcer's table with a side suplex and sent him rolling back into the ring. Nakamura hit the Kinshasa while Orton hit the RKO on Zayn for the win.
Orton, Styles and Nakamura def. Owens and Zayn
A lackluster end to a very average episode.
