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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Jan. 9, 2023) from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) extravaganza scheduled for later this month in San Antonio.
Advertised for tonight: Alexa Bliss will explain why she attacked Bianca Belair the way she did during their Raw women’s championship match last week. Elsewhere, we’ll find out what’s next for United States Champion Austin Theory. Plus, we’re inching closer to Royal Rumble and we can reasonably expect updates on entrants in the men’s and women’s matches. All that and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog will kick off once the show starts on USA Network. It will be below this line here. Reminder: GIFs and pics allowed, but no links to illegal streams, please.
WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR JAN. 9
You can reach for your service pistol, by the time you get it I’m betting that this will be over and done with. Leave your badge and your gun, you won’t be coming home tonight, but me? I’m liveblogging this here pro wrestling show, folks.
The show opens with the intro video.
Kevin Owens makes his entrance and gets on the mic.
He thanks the crowd and talks about challenging Roman Reigns—
Enter John “Bradshaw” Layfield.
He talks trash on the crowd and introduces the only man in the last three years to get a pinfall victory on Roman Reigns, Baron Corbin.
Corbin makes his entrance and tells KO he has no chance against Roman because he’s a loser, and says that he’ll win the Royal Rumble and beat Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania. Kev slumps against the turnbuckles and JBL yells at him, so he explains that they put him in a coma by talking for three minutes and saying nothing.
He offers Baron a match, Bradshaw screams about it a lot before accepting the match!
Baron Corbin vs. Kevin Owens
Baron charges Owens and stomps him in the corner, drawing him up, throwing him across, Kev with right hands, whip reversed and he takes the turnbuckles hard! Corbin with punches in the corner, charging, Kev sidesteps, Manhattan Drop sets up a lariat, another lariat, and a big senton!
Crotch chop at JBL, Baron runs away to the floor, KO follows and smashes his face into the announce desk! Corbin reverses a powerbomb attempt into a chokeslam into the apron and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Owens up top, Corbin meets him with punches, a headbutt knocks him down, senton atomico connects... NOPE! Back and forth, superkick connects, Baron stops short in the ropes to stop the pop-up powerbomb, lands a DDT... NOPE! Deep Six gets another two count, Corbin with punches, off the ropes with a stiff right hand!
Off the ropes again, Kevin catches him...
Kevin Owens wins by pinfall with a Stunner.
Post-match, the Usos jump the rails and attack Kevin Owens! He fights valiantly but Solo Sikoa shows up and the light of hope is extinguished as they hammer him against the barricade! Jey gets a steel chair but Owens manages to power up for some punches! Sikoa sends him over the barricade with a superkick!
KO takes them out with a well-timed shoe shot courtesy of Mike Rome’s shoes and then grabs a chair and runs them off! The Usos have to hold Solo back as Adam Pearce, Kenn Doane, Petey Williams, and the referee corps come down the aisle to get everyone calmed down.
We get an Alexa Bliss recap to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of what we just saw, because Raw is three hours long. (Three hours long.)
The Usos are leaving when Adam Pearce rolls up to tell them there’s a tag team turmoil match to crown a number one contender. He pulls Solo aside and says he’s staying because he’s got a match against Dolph Ziggler, and tells Doane and Williams to escort the Usos out of the building.
We get a longer Alexa Bliss video this time.
Alexa comes through the crowd and climbs up on the announce desk.
She says Bianca Belair may be the champion, but she’s the only one here because Belair chose to run and hide. Not because she’s afraid of Bray Wyatt or Uncle Howdy, but because Alexa claims to be the face of evil. She hasn’t felt this good in a really, really long time.
She’s finally taken control and she’s the one in charge, and she’ll use these hands to tear a scar into Bianca’s face and take the championship.
The video breaks and we shift to a playground in black and white, Uncle Howdy’s face appearing to the sound of laughter. He asks if she feels like she’s in charge and then makes his entrance and we go to break.
Bayley vs. “Michin” Mia Yim
Before the match begins, Bayley gets on the mic to send Becky Lynch a message, since she knows she’s watching. She doesn’t know if she’s jealous of Damage CTRL’s bond because she doesn’t have any friends, but Becky is either not here tonight because she can’t stand what they have, or she’s not here tonight because she can’t stand having lost to her.
Bayley gives IYO SKY and Dakota Kai the night off and tells Becky to watch what she does to her “friend” Michin.
Role Model right in with forearms, mounted, raining ‘em down, Yim takes her to the floor and lands a Penalty Kick off the apron to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Bayley is in control with a reverse chinlock, suplex from the apron to the floor after a little bit of back and forth! Back inside, cover for two! Jockeying for position on the apron, Mia shoves her down and dives on her! Back inside, strike combo into a falling kick, German suplex follows it up!
Drawing Bayley up the apron, Codebreaker connects... SO CLOSE! Out of the turnbuckles, Bayley gets a backslide and pops her feet up on the ropes...
Bayley wins by pinfall with a backslide and her feet on the ropes.
Commentary tells us Johnny Gargano isn’t here tonight because he’s nursing a grade two sprain.
Candice LeRae is interviewed and says Johnny’s bummed but they’re prioritizing his safety. As for her, she’s looking forward to entering the Royal Rumble.
Rhea Ripley rolls up and mocks her as delusional. They go back and forth, Candice wants to wrestle her tonight, and Rhea agrees to the match.
We see Austin Theory walking backstage and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Austin Theory makes his entrance and gets on the mic.
He says we have to accept the truth that the now is forever and he asks where our hero Seth Rollins is. He thought he was supposed to outclass and beat him, and what happened? Seth was outclassed, outshined, and taken to school by the United States Champion, Austin freakin’ Theory.
Enter Seth Rollins, on crutches.
...until about halfway down the stage, when he springs up spry and plays air guitar on one of the crutches before dancing his way down to ringside. He gets in the ring and jauntily leans on his crutch into Theory’s face. Austin says he might act like he’s 100% but he knows he’s not.
Seth said he’s the mountaintop, well if that’s the case, Theory says he’s the pinnacle of this entire damn industry. Austin puts him over as one of the best but says he’s surpassed his ass and he’s on to bigger and better things, like when he goes and wins the Royal Rumble and walks out of WrestleMania as the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Rollins admits that his knee isn’t 100% right now, but it will be 100% just in time for HIM to win the Royal Rumble and go on to main event WrestleMania. Really he just came to the ring to hear Birmingham sing his theme song.
Bobby Lashley makes his entrance.
Theory tells him not to come in the ring because he’s the past, but Bob doesn’t listen to him. He ducks a crutch, off the ropes... SPEAR! He dumps Austin over the ropes and to the floor! Lashley gets on the mic and says it doesn’t matter who’s in the Royal Rumble, because he’s back, his suspension’s over, and he can’t wait to win it.
And so we go to break.
Candice LeRae vs. Rhea Ripley
Ripley gets in LeRae’s face and piefaces her, Candice fires back with forearms and chops, windmill punches, sidestep a boot, schoolboy for two! Rhea on the comeback, shoulders in the corner, setting her up top, big right hand, LeRae slips out and lands a huge German suplex out of the corner!
To the floor, Candice dives but Ripley catches her, throws her into the barricade, and then applies the elevated inverted Cloverleaf, holding her high and wrenching her legs before swinging her into the barricade! Back inside, pumphandle...
Rhea Ripley wins by pinfall with Riptide.
Byron Saxton tries to interview Bobby Lashley but Montel Vontavious Porter rolls up and tells him to go away because he has business with Bob.
Porter offers a handshake but Lashley doesn’t accept it. MVP asks for some gratitude for getting him reinstated and Bob says he’s grateful, which is why he didn’t clobber him already. Montel will take it and he says he’s got Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin back onside to take care of some business.
Bob says he’s not going for it and Montel accepts but says they’ll be there when he’s ready.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial we get some media hype for Money in the Bank being in the United Kingdom this year.
A Cody Rhodes vignette follows.
Dolph Ziggler is interviewed backstage.
He says the Bloodline went too far and he’s here for revenge and payback.
Mustafa Ali rolls up to chew Dolph out, because Adam Pearce told him they could have an opportunity in the tag team turmoil but Ziggler chose to have a singles with Solo Sikoa instead. Dolph explains that they could probably be a pretty good tag team, but tonight isn’t about tag teams, it isn’t about championships, and it isn’t about Ali, and he hopes he can understand that.
We see Solo warming up backstage and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a Bronson Reed hype reel.
Reed is interviewed backstage.
Miz rolls up to answer for him and says Bronson helped him because they have each other’s backs, and if you mess with one of them, you mess with both of them. He invites Reed to MizTV tonight and Bronson says there’s no “us”, if he wants something, pay him.
The A-Lister waves it off as “just part of their rapport” and tells Byron to shut up despite the fact that he didn’t say anything.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Solo Sikoa
Ziggler in hot with punches, Sikoa throws him back, Dolph charges back in but Solo runs him over with a shoulder block! Drawing Ziggler up on the apron, he fires back with a shoulder and a neck snap, sleeper hold applied! Sikoa rams him into the turnbuckles a few times before slinging him off overhead!
Charging in, Shotei, stomps against the ropes, right hands, jumping headbutt gets two! Standing trapezius claws, grinding away, Ziggler breaks out with elbows and a jawbreaker, leap in the corner, mounted punches set up a neckbreaker but Sikoa shoves him off!
Dolph with a dropkick, Solo picks him up and throws him over the ropes and to the floor to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Ode to Rikishi, headbutts, rear chinlock follows. Ziggler struggles to his feet only to eat a Samoan Drop from Sikoa! Dolph with an elbow up, superkick, sidestep a charge and Solo eats the turnbuckles hard! Big DDT connects, cover... SO CLOSE!
Punches to the back of the head, Sikoa throws a headbutt to cut him off, fireman’s carry, Dolph slips out and hits the Zig Zag... NOT ENOUGH! Ziggler with a headbutt of his own, Solo blocks a superkick, sidestep in the corner, Fameasser countered...
Solo Sikoa wins by pinfall with the Samoan Spike.
Post-match, the Usos come to ringside to celebrate with Solo in open defiance of Adam Pearce.
Yet another recap of Dominik Mysterio getting arrested on Christmas Eve follows, along with a replay of his “prison changes a man” promo from last week.
We see him walking backstage with Judgment Day to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Bayley is interviewed backstage.
She says she sent a message to Becky Lynch when she beat her and the message is that Damage CTRL are the most dominant force in the locker room. Mia Yim rolls up to call her a cheat, but Bayley says the difference between her and Becky is simply that she’s willing to accept help, like right now for instance.
Damage CTRL jump Mia and beat her down!
The Miz makes his entrance and gets on the mic to welcome us to MizTV.
He says he’s had lots of notable guests, but here on the first MizTV of 2023, he’s gonna give an exclusive look into our justice system, and he introduces Dominik Mysterio.
Judgment Day make their entrance and Miz apologizes for not having enough chairs. Dom says he learned in prison that you gotta run with your crew, and snitches get stitches. Rhea and Finn tell him he’s safe and he can share his experiences now, and Miz wants to know.
Mysterio says he was locked up with the most dangerous people and didn’t know when his next meal was gonna be, and it was push or be pushed. He did a lot of thinking and realized if he was ever gonna see Mami on the other side again, he’d do what he had to do. When life comes at you with crazy changes, you just gotta grab it by the balls like Maryse does to Miz.
Damian Priest tells him to tell the story about scaring a guy straight, and Dom says he overheard his cellmate talking about wanting to punch him in his face, so he hopped down, slapped him awake, and that was that. He truly knows how Martha Stewart feels now.
Miz says he was only held in county jail for a few hours, and Priest gets in his face. The A-Lister points out he’s wearing a $500 flannel and asks what’s next. Damian threatens him, Miz backs off, and Priest says Dom is gonna see them win tag team turmoil tonight and come for the tag titles.
And as far as Miz goes...
The OC make their entrance to send us to break.
Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis Dozovic) vs. Hurt Business (Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin) vs. Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio, & Finn Balor) vs. Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) vs. the OC (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) (WWE Raw Tag Team Championship #1 Contender’s Tag Team Turmoil Match)
OC and Judgment Day to start, Balor with a front kick to Anderson, whip reversed, big back elbow, fighting in the turnbuckles, Anderson with a huge leg lariat for two! Tag to Gallows, double whip, overhead elbows, big right hand, quick tags as they work Finn over.
Balor runs away, Priest tags in opposite Big LG, whip to the corner, Stinger Splash, Priest reverses a front chancery into a kick combo but gets cut off midstream by a roundhouse kick! Whip, duck the big boot, superkick to the knee, Damian kicking away and he gets Luke into the corner.
Tag to Finn, leg kicks to cut the big man down, wrenching his leg in the corner, Gallows clubs him down but he tags Damian in. More leg kicks, jockeying for position over a suplex and Luke gets it! Crawling, tag to Anderson, duck a lariat, big chops, elbow clears the apron but Priest throws him into the corner!
Duck under, more chops from the Machine Gun, whip reversed, sidestep the charge, big boot! Balor in, Karl trips him up and drops him with a right hand! Priest pulls him out to the floor and throws him into the steel steps to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Anderson ducks a lariat and drops Balor with a jumping neckbreaker! Tag to Gallows, he nails Finn with a couple lariats and a big slicing right! Elbow in the corner, uppercut, right hand and a superkick for an interfering Priest, scoop Balor up into a slam for two!
Finn recovers and capitalizes...
The OC are eliminated by pinfall with a schoolboy from Finn Balor on Luke Gallows.
The Hurt Business are out third and Alexander dives right on Finn! Kick in the corner, bell rings, corner forearms, Balor with a schoolboy that nearly does it! Cedric with a Michinoku Driver... NOPE! Tag to Benjamin, taking it to Finn in the corner, trading punches.
Alexander grinding Balor down with a reverse chinlock, northern lariat on the break and he’s jawing at Priest. tag to Shelton and he’s throwing dudes around! Quick tags, combination nearly does it but Balor breaks it up! Staying on Damian, falling elbows from Cedric, waistlock, back elbows get a knee lift, Neuralyzer connects... SO CLOSE!
Balor with a tag, South of Heaven connects, Finn off the top while Priest keeps Benjamin busy...
The Hurt Business are eliminated by pinfall with Coup de Grace from Finn Balor on Cedric Alexander.
Alpha Academy are out fourth to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Balor hits a Sling Blade on Gable and tags Priest in to follow it up with Broken Arrow for two! Chad fights out of a chinlock only to get thrown back into the corner, big back elbow into a snapmare with a tag somewhere in there. Quick tags, working Gable over, scissors kick Demolition Decapitation for two!
Heat segment continues, Chad lays Balor out, tags made and Otis comes in hot! Uraken lays Priest out, whip into a shoulder, scoop and a slam, stacking ‘em up and taking ‘em out! Caterpillar connects on Damian, World’s Strongest Slam on Finn, up top but Balor pulls Gable in and the Vader Bomb takes his own partner out instead!
Big boot from Priest...
Alpha Academy are eliminated by pinfal with a lariat from Damian Priest on Otis Dozovic.
Medics check on Finn at ringside after he got crushed under that Vader Bomb. Priest tries to Weekend at Bernie’s Balor before offering to continue the match by himself. Adam gets an idea and says it’s either forfeit or bring Dominik in to replace Finn!
After one last attempt to keep Finn in gets shot down, they agree to slide Mysterio into the match.
Street Profits are out fifth and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Dawkins is stomping away on Mysterio, tearing his expensive flannel off of him, tag to Ford and they put even more boots to him! Working him over at length, eventually the Profits throw him too far across the ring and Priest tags in!
Punches in the corner, whipping Ford across the ring hard, kicks to the ribs, trading punches, Montez with a wicked uraken that bloodies Damian’s mouth! Low bridge sends the big man to the floor, Dom runs interference, Ford gives chase and Priest charges around the ring to pounce him over the announce desk... ANGELO DAWKINS TOPE CON GIRO SENDS US TO BREAK!
Back from commercial, Judgment Day have turned the tide and are working Dawkins over. Angelo gets the better of Mysterio with body blows and a corkscrew elbow that counters a 619 attempt! Ford tags in, crossbody takes both heels out, dropkick sends Priest to the floor, off the ropes, duck a lariat, kick combo staggers Dom and a back suplex drops him!
Standing moonsault... NOPE! Dawkins in, deep nearfall off of a pop-up electric chair suplex! Drawing Dominik to his feet, fireman’s carry, tag to Priest, chest kick lays him out, big reverse STO to cut Montez off, superkick sets up a wicked lariat... DAWKINS KICKS OUT!
Ford back in, Priest gets him up for South of Heaven but he reverses into a Frankensteiner and Angelo takes his head off! Mysterio legal, a kick hangs him up in the ropes... OVER THE POST TOPE CON GIRO! Back inside, knocking Dominik down, Ford off the top with a 450 splash but Damian pulls him out of the ring! Jump over, he runs into the steps, Dominik with a folding press and his feet on the ropes...
Judgment Day win, last eliminating Street Profits by pinfall with a folding press and feet on the ropes from Dominik Mysterio on Montez Ford, becoming #1 contender to the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship.
The Profits watch in dismay while Judgment Day celebrate.
The Usos make their entrance to meet their new challengers and have a staredown.
That’s the show, folks.
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