Original Air Date: January 29, 2018
Event Date: January 29, 2018 (aired live)
City: Philadelphia, PA
Venue: Wells Fargo Center
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Jonathan Coachman
Ring Announcer: Jojo
Video
Last night, Asuka won the Royal Rumble. Before Asuka chose which champ she would face, Ronda Rousey made her presence known. Rousey also made it clear that she’ll be heading to Wrestlemania.
Ring Area
Stephanie McMahon heads to the ring. Steph talks about the start of another 25 years of RAW coming on the heels of a historic Royal Rumble. She enthusiastically talks about the women’s Royal Rumble match and the debut of Rowdy Ronda Rousey. But that was last night. Tonight is about the woman who won the Royal Rumble. Asuka heads to the ring.
Steph tells Asuka that she might want to wait to make her championship decision since Alexa Bliss is going to have to put her title on the line in the first ever women’s Elimination Chamber match coming up in four weeks. But it’s Asuka’s night, so Stephanie asks her what Asuka wants to say to the crowd.
Asuka thanks the WWE Universe and says she is going to be champ (in Japanese). She then translates, adding that no one is ready for Asuka. Sasha Banks comes out and heads to the ring.
Sasha says last night was a dream come true. She congratulates Asuka before mocking her. Sasha says she is ready for Asuka. Tonight. Stephanie makes the match.
Match 1
Last Man Standing Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Braun Strowman vs Kane
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Braun Strowman wins after pushing the entire announce table stage over onto Kane
Time: 2:42 (joined in progress)
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t really a match, it was just a long walk through the crowd to get to the announce table. The finish was just a slight twist on something we saw last night, and I still don’t like Strowman. And this match just makes me groan because it seems obvious that Strowman is headed straight for Wrestlemania.
Ring Area
Adam Pearce, Jamie Noble, and referees check on Kane. As the medical staff arrives, Corey Graves asks Strowman what he just did. Strowman says he won.
Backstage
Kane is being taken away on a stretcher. Michael Cole says that Kane is reportedly having trouble breathing.
Backstage
Kurt Angle yells at Braun Strowman for putting guys in danger every week. Strowman yells back, screaming that he did what he was supposed to do. He was the last man standing, and he’ll be the last man standing in the Elimination Chamber.
Ring Area
Elias is in the ring. Elias doesn’t care if anyone wants to walk with him. He likes the sound of his own voice, so he’ll sing regardless of what anyone wants. His song tonight is about the road to Wrestlemania.
Match 2
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Elias vs Matt Hardy
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: Elias wins via pinfall after Drift Away
Time: 6:31 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. I think the action was good, but there were a lot of things going on that distracted from the match. The commentators were huddled around a tiny monitor at ringside while the crew worked to build an announce table, and Cole talking about the rules of the Elimination Chamber a LOT. It split focus from the match. The finish also relied on a distraction, so I guess it makes sense in a silly way.
Ring Area
Bray Wyatt appears on the Tron and laughs. Woken Matt Hardy is not happy.
Video
The Miz questions whether Roman Reigns is “owed” a title rematch. What about what The Miz is owed for all that he does? At the very least he’s owed a standing ovation.
Video
Sami Zayn and Becky Lynch will burn Bliss and Strowman with straight fire in the Mixed Match Challenge. Strowman and Bliss will extinguish them.
Match 3
Intercontinental Title Match
Roman Reigns vs The Miz (IC Champ) w/ Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel
(referee: John Cone)
Result: The Miz wins via pinfall with a schoolboy of distractions from Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel
Time: 14:46 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. I think the best moment was in the second half of the match when The Miz put Reigns in a figure four. It lasted for a good amount of time, and it could have conceivably ended the match given the way they built up to it. I thought that part was well done. The last minute or two was a bit predictable and kind of anti-climactic, but it wasn’t bad. They just went with some over-used tactics (shoulder to the post, distractions galore, school boy, that kind of stuff). Overall, I enjoyed the match.
Match 4
The Revival vs Rhyno & Heath Slater
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Dash Wilder pins Rhyno after a Shatter Machine
Time: 3:25 (joined in progress)
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. The Revival looked good. Slater and Rhyno had a surprisingly good burst of offense, but they ultimately were outdone in the teamwork department by The Revival.
Ring Area
Charly Caruso enters the ring and holds a mic for The Revival. The Revival says that they learn from the past, but the fans can’t stop living in the past.
Video
The Dudley Boyz will be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame this year.
Video
Finn Balor (with Gallows and Anderson) talks about lasting the longest, 57:38, in the Royal Rumble last night. His opportunity to headline Wrestlemania was taken away by John Cena, but tonight he gets a chanceto step over Cena on his way back to the top.
Backstage
Sasha Banks tells Renee Young that she’s about to make history when she breaks Asuka’s streak.
Match 5
Sasha Banks vs Asuka
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Asuka wins via submission with the Asuka Lock
Time: 11:31 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Great match! Asuka seemed to take Banks lightly at first. Asuka took her time and didn’t press the attack. Then Banks started to pick up the pace, and she wiped out hard when she went for a dive to the floor. From that point on, the match got very good. Asuka got all over Banks, hitting her with some vicious strikes. Banks would fight back with some rough-looking moves of her own. The match eventually ended up on the mat where the two women traded submission attempts. I think this was great for both women.
Video
John Cena says everyone besides Asuka and Nakamura are wondering how to make it to Wrestlemania. Cena’s path heads through the Elimination Chamber. People might think he’s done, but Cena says he’s just getting started.
Match 6
RAW Tag Team Title Match
Apollo Crews & Titus O’Neil w/ Dana Brooke vs Sheamus & Cesaro (RAW Tag Champs)
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: Sheamus pins Apollo Crews after a tandem White Noise/diving neckbreaker
Time: 7:51 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Crews looked great tonight. O’Neil was definitely the weak link here. He showed his power as usual, but he made bad decisions in the ring that led to The Bar getting multiple tags and changing the momentum of the match. Crews gave and took some big moves, but the teamwork of The Bar was the story of the match.
Video
Ronda Rousey made her WWE debut last night at the Royal Rumble.
Match 7
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Finn Balor w/ Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows vs John Cena
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: John Cena wins after a second rope Attitude Adjustment
Time: 14:16 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Considering who I think is going to win the Chamber match, I’m okay with the outcome here. I do wonder when Balor Club is going to be a strong force on RAW though. But beside that, the match was good. The crowd hijacked the proceedings when they started paying more attention to something happening on the floor rather than in the ring, and that did hurt the match. Cena was smart and stalled until they got over whatever they were looking at though. The pace picked up considerably in the later parts of the match. That was entertaining. I do have mixed feelings about how the finish went down though. It works fine, but I can’t help but be a little disappointed.
Show Impressions
New graphics, new commentator, new story lines. For the most part this did feel like a fresh start for RAW. I liked that the show was packed with matches. Most of them were varying degrees of good. The Strowman stuff still bores me and makes me feel sad since I know he’s not going anywhere any time soon, but I like the idea of qualifying matches for the Chamber. My favorite story right now is probably Asuka versus everyone.
Match of the Night
Sasha Banks vs Asuka
It took a little while to get going, but once it did it was the most compelling match of the night. This felt like a bit of a turning point for both women.