Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon 1/3/17: RAW Tampa Recap


By Brandon Albright, @B_Rock1978

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, brought to you by Triple Threat CLE, brings you the RAW Recap for the week.

This week RAW was live in Tampa, Florida, for the very first show of 2017! WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens battled Seth Rollins with the loser being banned from ringside in tonight's WWE United States Championship Match. One half of the WWE RAW World Tag Team Champions Cesaro battled Karl Anderson one on one. Braun Strowman battled Sami Zayn in a Last Man Standing Match. Titus O'Neil battled Xavier Woods in a one on one match. Cedric Alexander battled Drew Gulak in one on one Cruiserweight Division action. WWE United States Champion Roman Reigns defended the title against Chris Jericho. Brian Kendrick battled TJ Perkins in one on one Cruiserweight Division action. Enzo and Big Cass battled Jinder Mahal and Rusev in tag team action. Bayley battled Nia Jax in a #1 Contenders Match. WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens closed out RAW with the debut of The Kevin Owens Show with his special guest Goldberg.

** RAW **

- Mick Foley Promo: Foley talks about the WWE Universal Championship Match at the Royal Rumble and gets interrupted by Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho. Jericho and Owens accuse Foley of abusing his power and they're not taking it anymore. Foley announces that Owens can have his first Kevin Owens Show segment tonight with Goldberg as his guest. Stephanie McMahon arrives, sides with Foley and announces Roman Reigns vs. Chris Jericho tonight for the WWE United States Championship and if Reigns gets counted out he'll lose the title. Owens suggests banning Seth Rollins from ringside which starts more bickering and arguing. Stephanie says she's sick of everyone and is angry that Smackdown Live beat RAW in the ratings last week. Stephanie announces Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins with the loser being banned from ringside for the WWE United States Championship Match and then tells Foley to step up his game cause they have a ratings war to win.   

- Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins: The match closes out with Owens blocking the Pedigree, but gets sent outside. Rollins hits a suicide dive, sends Owens into the time keepers area and lands a series of punches. Owens grabs the ring bell and cracks Rollins in the head with it, getting DQ'ed. After the match, Rollins counters a pop up power bomb and Owens counters the Pedigree. Owens escapes and retreats to the stage.
Winner: Seth Rollins, by DQ, Kevin Owens is banned from tonight's WWE United States Championship Match.

- Cesaro vs. Karl Anderson: The match closes out with Cesaro going for a superplex, but Luke Gallows jumps on the apron. Sheamus grabs Gallows, but it also pulls Cesaro off the ropes. Anderson hits a super neckbreaker on Cesaro and scores the pinfall. 
Winner: Karl Anderson, by pinfall.

- "Last Man Standing Match" Braun Strowman vs. Sami Zayn: The match closes out with Strowman tossing Zayn onto the RAW stage and then into the WWE logo a few times. Zayn unloads some steel chair shots on Strowman and then a cross body, which sends both of them off the stage and through tables below. Both men beat the 10 count and brawl back down to ringside. Strowman hits a running power slam on the floor on Zayn, but Zayn gets up at 9. Strowman beats on Zayn some more and hits another power slam on the floor. Zayn can't answer the 10 count and Strowman gets the victory. After the match, Mick Foley and paramedics load Zayn onto a stretcher. Strowman comes back out, dumps Zayn off the stretcher and then tosses him into the barricade before finally leaving.
Winner: Braun Strowman.

- Backstage, we get a comedy bit with The New Day and Jack Gallagher involving umbrellas.

- The New Day Promo: The New Day announce that they'll be in the Royal Rumble Match. Titus O'Neil interrupts and brags about his Titus Brand and asks to join The New Day. Woods interrupts and makes fun of Titus. Titus calls Woods the New Day's weakest link. Woods challenges Titus and gets punched by Titus who accepts the challenge.

- Titus O'Neil vs. Xavier Woods: The match closes out with Titus in control and starts talking trash to Big E and Kofi. Woods sneaks in a rollup on Titus and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Xavier Woods, by pinfall.

- Backstage, Bayley questions Stephanie McMahon about Dana Brooke being the special guest referee last week. Stephanie says she's blames it on Charlotte's lawyers and admits she never really wanted Bayley on RAW. Bayley says she might not have grown up in the business like Stephanie and Charlotte, but she belongs here. Bayley says nothing will stop her from winning the WWE RAW Women's Championship. Stephanie announces Bayley vs. Nia Jax tonight in a #1 contenders match.

- Backstage, Noam Dar apologizes to Cedric Alexander and Alicia Fox. Cedric says Dar needs to apologize to Alicia. Dar apologizes and calls her sweet cheeks, angering Cedric. Alicia tells Cedric to worry about his match.

- Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak: The match closes out with Cedric nailing a boot on Gulak. Tony Nese jumps on the apron and distracts Cedric. Alicia grabs Nese and pulls him off the apron. Gulak sneaks in the rollup on Cedric and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Drew Gulak, by pinfall.

- Backstage, Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho share a bro hug and head to the ring.

- "WWE United States Championship Match": Roman Reigns (c) vs. Chris Jericho: The match closes out with Jericho exposing the turnbuckle and then grabs the U.S. Title. Jericho tosses it at Reigns, falls to the mat and pretends that Reigns hit him. The referee catches Reigns and Reigns tries to explain he didn't hit Jericho. Jericho hits the Code Breaker on Reigns and gets a near fall. Jericho gets frustrated and unloads on Reigns. Jericho charges at Reigns, Reigns moves and Jericho goes head first into the exposed steel turnbuckle. Reigns hits the spear on Jericho and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Roman Reigns, by pinfall, to retain the WWE United States Championship.

- Brian Kendrick vs. TJ Perkins: Neville is shown watching backstage. The match closes out with Perkins countering Kendrick's Sliced Bread finisher and nails Kendrick with the Detonation Kick to score the pinfall.
Winner: TJ Perkins, by pinfall.

- Enzo and Big Cass vs. Jinder Mahal and Rusev: Enzo comes out in an electric wheelchair and says he can't compete due to injury. Big Cass says no big deal he'll battle Rusev and Jinder Mahal in a Handicap Match. The match closes out with Mahal going outside and slapping Enzo in the face. Cass chases Mahal, but gets caught by a Rusev boot after getting back in the ring. Cass fights off Mahal, who tries to interfere again. Rusev lands a thrust kick on Cass and scores the pinfall.
Winners: Rusev and Jinder Mahal, by pinfall. 

- #1 Contenders Match: Nia Jax vs. Bayley: WWE RAW Women's Champion Charlotte is on commentary. The match closes out with Nia hitting a couple elbows and a leg drop on Bayley. Nia drags Bayley to the corner and goes to the second rope. Sasha Banks suddenly appears with a knee brace on, stands on the RAW stage and catches Nia's attention. Bayley suddenly springs up, hits a Super Bayley To Belly off the ropes on Nia and scores the pinfall. After the match, Sasha celebrates with Bayley as Charlotte and Nia look on.
Winner: Bayley, by pinfall, becoming the new #1 Contender.

- The Kevin Owens Show: Kevin Owens is in the ring for his debut show and announces Chris Jericho as his guest. Jericho puts the whole city of Tampa on "The List" for chanting for Goldberg. Jericho then announces that he'll be entering the Royal Rumble Match, but Owens doesn't understand why because they'd have to face each other at Wrestlemania 33 if Jericho wins. Goldberg finally interrupts and heads to the ring. Goldberg tosses a chair and says that Jericho is first. Jericho puts Goldberg on "The List" and then Owens asks if he's supposed to be intimidated by Goldberg because he's not. Owens and Goldberg go face to face when suddenly Paul Heyman interrupts. Heyman says Brock Lesnar is not here tonight, but guarantees Lesnar will win the Royal Rumble Match.
Goldberg says he'll take care of Lesnar at the Royal Rumble and then either Kevin Owens or Roman Reigns will be next at Wrestlemania 33. Roman Reigns interrupts, calls Owens and Jericho delusional for thinking they're winning anything at the Royal Rumble and then goes face to face with Goldberg. Braun Strowman interrupts next and says he's winning the Royal Rumble. Strowman gets in the ring and receives a double spear from Reigns and Goldberg. Reigns and Goldberg stare each other down one more time to end the show.

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