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0 out of 4
Credit: WWE.com
WWE is gearing up for The Royal Rumble on January 31, but Monday’s news could make a difference.
Drew McIntyre has tested positive for COVID-19 and will self-quarantine for at least two weeks, which means he may not return until the pay-per-view.
The most important thing is his health, so WWE should plan for the possibility of not having him at the event. This means Goldberg might need something else to do.
McIntyre addressed the WWE Universe this week and Triple H opened the show. No other segments were announced ahead of time, so WWE likely wrote the show until the last minute.
Let’s take a look at everything that happened on Monday on Raw.
1 of 4
After a recap video from last week’s show, Triple H made it to the ring. He spoke for five seconds before being interrupted by Randy Orton.
The Viper thought he deserved the WWE title given to him due to McIntyre being out of action, but Triple H told him he should win the Royal Rumble.
The Game and The Legend Killer came and went much like they always do. Trips said he was proud of Orton when he put his own career ahead of everything else by setting Bray Wyatt on fire.
He also said he didn’t understand why Orton felt the need to embarrass so many legends. Orton said he was in his prime and challenged Triple H to a game. Travel turned him down at first but then punched him in the face, which Orton took as if he was willing to fight tonight.
Classroom: C +
Analysis
Triple H and Orton have argued on and off for almost two decades. There is no new ground to cover. It was a repetition of things that we have seen a dozen times.
Both guys got their part in this segment, but it fell flat because it felt too pre-planned, which is ironic considering it was probably something they put in place late in the day.
WWE has a lot of people who could have opened the show but that was enough. It was just nothing special.
2 of 4
Charlotte Flair gave a pre-match interview and said she and her dad knew things could heat up and there was no problem between them after last week. She also said Lacey Evans wasn’t the first woman to hit Ric in front of her.
They locked themselves in and the Queen forced Evans to the corner. She knocked Evans out with a shoulder as she ran but let her stand.
Charlotte has talked a lot about trash while cutting at The Sassy Southern Belle. She started working on Evans knee but didn’t apply figure four. For some reason Ric’s music hit the mark and he made his way to the ring as the series moved on to a commercial.
Charlotte continued to control the majority of the action until Evans dodged a big boot and whipped her by the hair. As Charlotte was about to pin Evans, Ric put his foot on the bottom rope.
Charlotte started yelling at him and he tripped her during a suplex and helped Evans win by holding his feet to avoid a kickout. Evans and Ric celebrated in the aisle.
Classroom: VS
Analysis
If Asuka is the Raw Women’s Champion, why is Charlotte being treated like the Biggest Star?
There’s no denying how good the Queen is, but WWE needs to start using the rest of the Women’s List in a meaningful way. Naomi is in good health. Where is she?
The match between Evans and Charlotte was rather slow and illustrated how much Evans still has to improve in the ring before he is at Queen’s level.
The alliance between Ric and Evans seems random but it is still new. Let’s give him time before we judge the scenario harshly.
3 of 4
Game two of the night saw Jeff Hardy take on Elias new heavyweight Jaxson Ryker. After an initial attack from Ryker, Hardy knocked him down and prepared for the Swanton.
Elias provided a distraction and Ryker rolled him up for the win. The Charismatic Enigma grabbed a microphone and challenged Elias to face him. He said Elias was afraid the world would think Ryker is better than him so Elias told him not to intervene under any circumstances.
After a break, the second part began. Elias quickly took the lead and aggressively cornered Hardy for a few shots to the body. The high thief won with Whisper in the Wind for a two-man count.
The Enigma hit a Twist of Fate and a Swanton for the win. As ordered by Elias, Ryker did nothing to help.
Classroom: VS
Analysis
The match between Hardy and Ryker was obviously meant to heat up the bearded duo, but all he did was make Hardy more gullible than he should be after more than 20 years in the business.
Elias and Ryker could possibly work as a pair, but they would be better off as a team. It’s a weird look when the bodyguard is slightly smaller than the guy he’s supposed to be protecting.
Hardy is always fun to watch, but even he couldn’t get a good game out of this situation. It was not bad. It just filled the time.
4 of 4
After a behind-the-scenes showdown, Sheamus and Keith Lee decided to put their differences aside to face The Miz and John Morrison in a tag match.
JoMo and The Celtic Warrior got started but Lee was quickly brought in by Sheamus for a two-team combo. They showed no signs of animosity and seemed to want to work together.
The Limitless One cast Morrison in The Miz and then tagged Sheamus. They seemed to be having fun taking turns beating their opponents. Lee crushed Morrison in the corner and the top rope snapped off the turnbuckle in what appeared to be an intended spot. Sheamus looked amused.
We went back to see The Miz hitting Sheamus with DDT for a near drop. The A-Lister cornered him so that he and Morrison could take turns beating him on the mat.
Lee got the hot tag and started bulldozing the two opponents. Sheamus reinstated to hit the Brogue Kick for the win. They hugged and shook hands after the bell.
Classroom: B +
Analysis
Surprisingly, Lee and Sheamus not only managed to get along, but they also made a really good team. They pulled off some good double-team moves and had no communication issues until the very end when Sheamus stole the win. Lee didn’t even sound crazy about it.
If the plan is for Sheamus and Lee to become a tag team permanently, they would be quite the force to be reckoned with. Two versatile powers like they could help add depth to the division.
It was the first game of the night worth watching from start to finish. The four guys looked good and the place with the top rope break was both surprising and entertaining.
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