Posted in Raw

WWE Raw Results (1/3/22): Bobby Lashley vs. Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens

   January 3, 2022

WWE Raw
January 3, 2022
Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Greenville, South Carolina

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Transcription by Josh Lopez

Brock Lesnar & Paul Heyman Segment 

Paul Heyman: Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman, and tonight as an advocate, I’d like to introduce you to my client. And new reigning, defending, undisputed, WWE Heavyweight Champion of the world, Brock Lesnar.

Brock Lesnar: Thank you very much. Before we get this party started tonight, I’d like to give a big shoutout to my good buddy Roman Reigns. He is probably sitting at home, more than likely, tuned into Monday Night Raw, tuned into the new WWE Heavyweight Champion, The Real Champion, Brock Lesnar. Get well soon, buddy. Now, South Carolina, Acknowledge Me. I would also like to acknowledge my advocate. For advocating my free agency, for advocating all the strings you pulled Saturday to help make me the WWE Champion. Paul, thank you.

Paul Heyman: If you think it’s interesting out here, you should see the things that go on behind the scenes in WWE, like when I negotiated for Brock Lesnar to be a free agent. Allegedly did that in advance. And then Saturday, Day 1, when Brock Lesnar showed up, looking to win a title from a champion and one champion simply couldn’t make it. But the other champion, that other champion was in a Fatal Four Way, what’s better than a Fatal Five Way? What’s better than a Fatal Four Way than a Fatal Five Way Match featuring Brock Lesnar? So, all the behind-the-scenes machinations and strings were pulled and Brock Lesnar gets to enter the Fatal Five Way Match. And now what does Brock Lesnar do as your WWE Heavyweight Champion? Well, he concentrates not only on reigning, but defending. So at the Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar will defend the championship against the winner of the originally scheduled Fatal Four Way, which will take place tonight right here in this very ring. So, let’s run down the challengers, shall we?

First, there is Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens. And you have to lump them in together because they are a team. And in a match where every man is for himself, these two figured out to be jackals, to be hyenas, to go after the lions of the jungle, because then if they win it together, they have to figure it out. It’s up to WWE and screw up management as far as they are concerned, and it’s a smart thing for someone who is pretty damn dumb like Seth Rollins. Because Seth Rollins likes to tell everybody he is a visionary and he is too stupid to realize he is not a visionary because if he had a vision for the future, he would realize his wife is going to leave him if he doesn’t beat Brock Lesnar for the WWE Title. And he can’t. So what is she going to leave him for? Well, I don’t know, but it sure as hell won’t be Kevin Owens because Kevin Owens can’t beat Brock Lesnar for the WWE Title either. Maybe the two of them should ask to be traded to SmackDown because I understand there is a certain Tribal Chief who is a little vulnerable without his special counsel nowadays.

Don’t go ew. It’s a historical fact. I am going to prove it to you. One week without me as special counsel, Roman Reigns already has Covid. Yeah, you can get over the rona, but Karma can be really bitchy. Speaking of bitchy, let’s talk about MVP. Actually, let’s not talk about MVP since nobody else does anyway. Let’s talk, however, about Bobby Lashley. There’s a worthy challenger. Brock Lesnar has never met Bobby Lashley. There’s a historical fact. Brock Lesnar never ran into Bobby Lashley. They never shake hands and never said hello. It’s like the two were avoiding each other which I know is not the case because neither avoids anyone or anything in life. The first time Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar met, Bobby Lashley speared Brock Lesnar through that wall. The second time Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley met, in the very same match 48 hours ago, Brock Lesnar hit an F5 on everybody in the match with the exception of Bobby Lashley who speared Brock Lesnar and damn near pinned him. The third time Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley met at the same match 48 hours ago, Bobby Lashley put Brock Lesnar in The Hurt Lock and I have said this to Brock Lesnar’s face. It didn’t look like Brock Lesnar was going to get out. This is all a testament to how damn good Bobby Lashley is. Except on all three of these occasions, Bobby Lashley was hitting Brock Lesnar from behind.

If Bobby Lashley wins tonight and faces Brock Lesnar at The Royal Rumble, he is going to have to face Brock Lesnar face to face, and that is a whole different story. The story between jacking someone from behind and just going down in history as The All Mighty Brock Lesnar Wannabe. There is one more man tonight. He is the odds-on favorite. He is the former champion, Big E. We have nothing bad to say about Big E. Yeah, he deserves your applause. That is a great champion. Big E did WWE justice. Big E is a credit to World Wrestling Entertainment, to the company, to the audience, to the WWE Universe and the viewers at home, to the people live here tonight, to the WWE Title lineage. Big E is all that and more. And he would still be WWE Champion if he didn’t have to step into the ring with Brock Lesnar. We have nothing but respect and admiration for Big E. So, if Big E wins tonight, and he gets the rematch at the Royal Rumble, sir, it will be an absolute honor to witness that match. You’re going to lose that match, which is no shame, but it would still be an honor to watch you lose to the greatest WWE Champion of all time, the winner of the Fatal Five Way, the reigning, defending, undisputed, WWE Heavyweight Champion of the world, Brock Lesnar.

First Match: Randy Orton & Matt Riddle vs. The Alpha Academy 

Alpha Academy attacks RK-Bro before the bell rings. Gable is throwing haymakers at Orton. Dozovic throws Riddle over the top rope. Dozovic drops Orton with The Discus Back Elbow Smash. Gable repeatedly stomps on Orton’s chest. Dozovic with The Exploder Suplex on the floor. The match finally started during the commercial break. Riddle with forearm shivers. Forearm Exchange. Gable with The Bridging Tiger Suplex for a two count. Gable repeatedly drops his weight on the left leg of Riddle. Gable hyperextends the left leg of Riddle. Gable applies a leg lock. Riddle kicks Gable in the face. Gable tags in Dozovic. Gable stops Riddle in his tracks. Dozovic with a Gorilla Press Slam for a two count. Dozovic tags in Gable.

Gable with heavy bodyshots. Gable drops Riddle with a shoulder tackle. Gable transitions into a ground and pound attack. Gable tags in Dozovic. Gable bodyslams Riddle. Dozovic with a Running Elbow Drop. Dozovic applies the cravate. Dozovic sends Riddle to the corner. Riddle knocks Gable off the ring apron. Riddle dives over Dozovic. Dozovic goes for a Belly to Back Suplex, but Riddle lands back on his feet. Riddle with a Roundhouse Kick. Gable wisely pulls Orton off the arpon. Dozovic levels Riddle with The Body Avalanche. Orton is throwing haymakers at Gable. Dozovic attacks Orton from behind. Riddle with a Pump Knee Strike. Riddle goes for The RKO, but Dozovic counters with The World’s Strongest Slam to pickup the victory.

Winner: The Alpha Academy via Pinfall 

Second Match: Dana Brooke (c) & Reginald Thomas vs. Tamina & Akira Tozawa In A Mixed Tag Team Match For The WWE 24/7 Championship 

Reginald Thomas and Akira Tozawa will start things off. Tozawa thrust kicks the midsection of Thomas. Thomas dodges The Windmill Kick. Tozawa crawls under Thomas. Tozawa with The Sunset Flip for a two count. Tozawa kicks Thomas in the gut. Tozawa with a forearm smash. Tozawa goes for a Vertical Suplex, but Thomas lands back on his feet. Thomas dropkicks Tozawa. Tozawa delivers a gut punch. Tozawa side steps Thomas into the turnbuckles. Tozawa inadvertently kicks Tamina. Tamina is pissed. Tamina slaps Tozawa in the face. Thomas connects with The SomerSault Senton to pickup the victory.

Winner: Still WWE 24/7 Champion, Dana Brooke via Pinfall 

Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan and Bianca BelAir Segment 

Becky Lynch: Here we are, 2022. There is something about the new year that inspires so much hope in people. It doesn’t matter if you failed the whole of last year or you failed the whole last five years. Hell, it doesn’t matter if you failed your whole life. When that clock hits midnight, everything can change for the better. New year, new you, huh? Yeah, no, I know for a fact that all those women in the back, they have at the top of their New Year’s Resolutions, become the new Raw Women’s Champion. And I admire their ambition. Unfortunately, for them, at the top of mine list, is to remain the Raw Women’s Champion. And now I know if we have learned anything from the past three, four years, is that I am the consistent unrelenting homeostasis that is unyielding to their brittle will power. So what I mean is, they can’t beat me. Many have tried. Many have failed. They cannot beat me.

But I would be remiss if I hadn’t taken the time to sit down and think about the last year. Think about the decisions that I have made, were they the right ones, were they the wrong ones? 365 days. 365 blank canvases. What have you done? What have I become? And I realized I have become a work of art. Now, stay with me here, if you can. Say you go to a museum, I don’t know if you people do that. But you go to a museum and you see a famous Vincent Van Goh and you look at it, you stare in awe and you can’t look away and you may not understand the details, the nuances, the complexities, but it makes you feel. I make you feel because that’s what good art does. I make you feel. And the other thing about fine art is that it reveals the truth.

So I’m standing here at WWE’s Vincent Van Goh to let you know that, well, you’re not going to finally lose those last 10 pounds. You’re not going to get that job promotion that you always are looking for, and you’re not going to finally get the hell out of South Carolina. And all those girls back there, they’re not going to finally win the Raw Women’s Championship. And if you don’t believe me, look no further than Liv Morgan. She swore to all of you she was going to win the Raw Women’s Championship. And on the very first day of the new year, she broke her promise to herself and to all of you.

Liv Morgan: OH! New Year, new ugly jacket, and same old Becks. Oh, I don’t like that jacket. I don’t think anyone does. But, Becky, I was back there listening to you say how I came up short at Day One. So let me tell you something. There is no one harder on me than myself. So, please, you don’t need to worry about me. But I was thinking, I know and I know that you know just how close I was to winning that title on Saturday. Yeah. But you did get one thing wrong, Becky. The only thing I ever promised myself from the moment that I was old enough to dream about being in a WWE ring is I would give it my all and leave everything that I have in this ring every single time I got the chance to step in it. And that’s exactly what I did at Day One.

Becky Lynch: That’s lovely and all, Liv. Maybe one day you may win the Raw Women’s Championship, but that will be when I retire because this isn’t going anywhere. I am holding onto this because this is what happens when you are big time and there is only one, Big Time Becks, and it sure as hell ain’t you.

Bianca BelAir: Oh! Looks like you ain’t The EST of WWE. And you know what? I’m sick and tired of hearing you come out here week after week acting like you’re untouchable. Liv ain’t buying your hype and neither am I. And I don’t trust as far as I can throw you. Which, wait, actually, that really doesn’t make any sense because you and I both know I can throw you pretty damn far. Now, I may have taken a little Doudrop before. You know, I graciously stepped aside. I stepped aside to allow, you know, other people time to catch up. But now Bianca BelAir, The EST of WWE, oh, now, I’m right back in line for Big Time Becks.

Becky Lynch: No, no, no, no. Look, look, the two of you have fallen victim to my routine: Beat, Sleep, Repeat. But, hey, hey, maybe the two of you can get together and do something constructive, you know, start a support group where you can talk about how you almost beat me, but you came up short. Wait, that already exists. It’s called the Women’s locker room.

Liv Morgan: What do you know about the women’s locker room? You haven’t been in there for years. You know what, Bianca? No offense, but Becky and I are kind of in the middle of something, so could you please go to the back?

Bianca BelAir: You know what, Liv? No offense taken. But at the end of the day, Becky and I got a score to settle that goes back way before yours.

Becky Lynch: This is interesting and all, but it sounds like you’ve got to figure this out one on one. I have shared the spotlight enough for tonight. Why don’t the two of you get the hell out of my ring and just decide who it’s going to be and let know a bit later, okay?

BelAir and Morgan dumps Becky out of the ring. Haymaker Exchange. BelAir drives Morgan back first into the turnbuckles. BelAir with clubbing shoulder blocks. Morgan shoves BelAir. Morgan kicks BelAir in the face. Morgan drops BelAir with a Step Up Enzuigiri. BelAir rocks Morgan with a forearm smash. BelAir goes for The KOD, but Becky gets in the way. Becky connects with The Uranage Slam to close the segment.

Third Match: Queen Zelina & Carmella (c) vs. Rhea Ripley & Nikki Cross For The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship 

Queen Zelina and Rhea Ripley will start things off. Slap Exchange. Ripley sends Vega into the ropes. Ripley with The Delayed Vertical Suplex for a two count. Ripley tugs on Vega’s hair. Ripley tags in Cross. Following a snap mare takeover, Cross with a running neck snap for a two count. Vega reverses out of the irish whip from Cross. Cross dives over Vega. Cross with a running clothesline for a one count.

Vega sends Cross face first into the middle rope. Vega tees off on Cross. Vega applies a rear chin lock. Cross with heavy bodyshots. Cross sends Vega to the corner. Vega ducks a clothesline from Cross. Vega pulls Cross down to the mat. Vega poses for the crowd. Vega knocks Ripley off the ring apron. Vega kicks Cross in the gut. Vega fights out of the fireman’s carry position. Vega rolls Cross over to pickup the victory.

Winner: Still WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Queen Zelina & Carmella via Pinfall 

Fourth Match: The Street Profits vs. Apollo Crews & Commander Azeez 

Montez Ford and Commander Azeez will start things off. Collar and Elbow Tie Up. Azeez launches Ford to the corner. Ford ducks a clothesline from Azeez. Ford unloads two knife edge chops. Ford with a flurry of bodyshots. Ford thrust kicks the midsection of Azeez. Ford kicks Azeez in the chest. Ford with a back fist. Azeez reverses out of the irish whip from Ford. Ford ducks a clothesline from Azeez. Azeez drops Ford with a shoulder tackle. Azeez bodyslams Ford. Azeez with a Falling HeadButt for a two count. The referee tells Dawkins to get out of the ring. Azeez goes for a Belly to Back Suplex, but Ford lands back on his feet.

Ford with a Step Up Enzuigiri. Dawkins and Crews are tagged in. Dawkins clotheslines Crews. Dawkins knocks Azeez off the ring apron. Crews kicks Dawkins in the gut. Crews whips Dawkins across the ring. Dawkins leapfrogs over Crews. Dawkins with a corkscrew back elbow smash. Dawkins with The 360 Stinger Splash. Dawkins hits The Silencer for a two count. Dawkins sends Azeez tumbling to the floor. Azeez pulls Dawkins out of the ring. Dawkins sends Azeez face first into the ring steel ring post. Crews with a Step Up Enzuigiri. Crews goes for The O’Connor Roll, but Dawkins holds onto the ropes. Ford made the blind tag. Dawkins with The SpineBuster. Ford connects with The Frog Splash to pickup the victory.

Winner: The Street Profits via Pinfall 

Fifth Match: Damian Priest (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler w/Robert Roode For The WWE United States Championship 

Ziggler slaps Priest in the face. Priest launches Ziggler to the corner. Priest with rapid fire haymakers. The referee admonishes Ziggler. Priest kicks Ziggler out of the ring. Ziggler avoids The Spinning Heel Kick. Ziggler with The SpringBoard Tornado DDT on the floor. Priest regains control of the match during the commercial break. Priest with a forearm smash. Priest nails Ziggler with The Bell Clap. Priest delivers his combination offense. Priest sends Ziggler face first into the canvas. Priest plays to the crowd. Priest with a leaping back elbow smash. Priest goes for The Broken Arrow, but Ziggler lands back on his feet. Ziggler sends Priest shoulder first into the steel ring post. Ziggler with a Running Knee for a two count. Ziggler toys around with Priest.

Priest with a straight right hand. Priest uppercuts Ziggler. Priest with a flurry of shoulder kicks. Priest with a Jumping Roundhouse Kick. Priest follows that with The Cliffhanger DDT for a two count. Priest ascends to the top turnbuckle. Priest denies The SuperPlex. Priest with a Roundhouse Kick. Robert Roode knocks Priest off the top turnbuckle behind the referee’s back. Ziggler hits The Famouser for a two count. Priest is pissed. Priest stares at Roode. Priest clotheslines Ziggler. Priest rocks Roode with a forearm smash. Priest transitions into a ground and pound attack. Priest grabs a steel chair. Priest gets back in the ring at the count of eight. Ziggler begs Priest to hit him with the chair. Priest flings the chair into Roode’s face. Ziggler connects with The Zig Zag for a two count. Priest denies The SuperKick. Priest plants Ziggler with The Reckoning to pickup the victory.

Winner: Still WWE United States Champion, Damian Priest via Pinfall 

Edge, Beth Phoenix, The Miz and Maryse Segment 

Sixth Match: AJ Styles vs. Omos 

Omos is playing mind games with Styles. Styles repeatedly kicks the left hamstring of Omos. Styles is throwing haymakers at Omos. Omos launches Styles to the corner. Styles ducks a clothesline from Omos. Styles with a knife edge chop. Styles with forearm shivers. Styles retreats to the outside. Styles tells Omos to bring it. Styles kicks the left hamstring of Omos. Omos drops Styles with The Big Boot. Omos levels Styles with The Body Avalanche. Omos sends Styles back first into the steel ring post.

Omos throws Styles back into the ring. Styles repeatedly kicks the left knee of Omos. Styles delivers The Phenomenal Blitz. Styles fights out of the fireman’s carry position. Styles repeatedly kicks Omos in the face. Styles with a leaping forearm smash. Omos denies The Phenomenal Forearm. Styles slams Omos head on the top rope. Styles goes for The Phenomenal Forearm, but Omos counters with an overhand chop. Omos puts Styles on the top turnbuckle. Omos with a Gorilla Press Toss. Omos connects with The Double Chokeslam to pickup the victory.

Winner: Omos via Pinfall 

Updated WWE Royal Rumble 2022 Match Card 

1.) Brock Lesnar (c) w/Paul Heyman vs. Bobby Lashley w/MVP For The WWE Championship 

2.) The 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble Match (Austin Theory, Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio)

3.) The 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble Match

4.) Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz & Maryse In A Mixed Tag Team Match 

Seventh Match: Bobby Lashley w/MVP vs. Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens In A Fatal Four Way Match. The Winner Will Battle Brock Lesnar For The WWE Championship At The Royal Rumble. 

Lashley clotheslines Rollins over the rope. Big E with clubbing bodyshots to Owens. Owens kicks Big E in the gut. Owens is throwing haymakers at Big E. Lashley repeatedly drives Rollins back first into the ring apron. Owens repeatedly stomps on Big E’s chest. Lashley drives Rollins face first into the steel ring post. Big E clotheslines Owens. Big E spears Owens out of the ring. That leads us to a standoff in the center of the ring. Big E tells Lashley to bring it. Forearm Exchange. Lashley drives his knee into the midsection of Big E. Lashley punches Big E in the back. Big E drops down on the canvas. Big E leapfrogs over Lashley. Big E with a back elbow smash. Lashley clotheslines Big E. Lashley with The Vertical Suplex. Lashley ducks a clothesline from Owens. Lashley drops Owens with a NeckBreaker. Lashley with The Delayed Vertical Suplex to Owens. Rollins and Owens sends Lashley crashing through the ringside barricade.

Big E with an Overhead Belly to Belly Suplex on the floor. Big E slams Owens head on the announce table. Big E clears the announce table. Big E punches Rollins in the back. Big E goes for The Uranage Slam, but Owens gets in the way. Owens throws Big E into the steel ring steps. Rollins and Owens sends Big E face first into the ring post. Rollins buries Lashley under the rumble in the time keepers area. Rollins and Owens PowerBombs Big E through the announce table. Rollins and Owens has complete control of the match during the commercial break. Rollins is throwing haymakers at Lashley. Owens is choking Big E with his boot. Rollins with a running forearm smash. Owens with a Running Cannonball Strike. Big E drops Rollins with The Uranage Slam. Owens SuperKicks Big E. Lashley clotheslines Owens. Big E and Lashley had enough of the double team games.

Big E and Lashley starts chasing Rollins and Owens around the Ben Secours Wellness Arena. All hell is breaking loose in the concession stands. Lashley dumps Big E over the barricade. Lashley and Big E are trading back and forth shots. Rollins is throwing haymakers at Lashley. Big E attacks the midsection of Rollins. Owens lands The Swanton Bomb off the railing. Owens rolls Big E back into the ring. Owens with another Swanton Bomb. Rollins with The Frog Splash for a two count. Double SuperKick to Big E. Big E denies The Curb Stomp. Big E goes for The Big Ending, but Rollins lands back on his feet. Big E attacks the midsection of Owens. Owens kicks Big E in the gut. Big E denies The Stunner. Owens hits The Pop Up PowerBomb for a two count. Lashley with Two Overhead Belly to Belly Suplex’s. Lashley delivers The Pounce. Rollins with The Rolling Elbow. Big E goes for The Big Ending, but Rollins lands back on his feet. Lashley connects with Two Spears. Owens SuperKicks Lashley. Owens kicks Lashley in the gut. Lashley negates The Stunner. Lashley plants Owens with The Spear to pickup the victory.

Winner: Bobby Lashley via Pinfall 

Checkout Episode 290 of The Hoots Podcast

Author: Josh Lopez