WWE Raw Results
January 2, 2023
Nashville, Tennessee (Bridgestone Arena)
Commentary: Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever. Together.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
The Raw intro video plays…
…and we cut right into the Bridgestone Arena to see The Usos, Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn of The Bloodline attacking a stagehand at ringside! The Usos get on the commentary headsets. They say 2023 is going the same way that 2022 went. The Bloodline runs this show. Zayn shouts into the camera. They tip over the commentary table.
Kevin Owens’ music hits, and he walks out to the stage. Zayn warns him not to say a word and listen carefully. They’re not in a very good mood tonight. Tonight is a hostile takeover of Monday Night Raw by The Bloodline. Owens sarcastically repeats what Zayn says. Zayn says people are going to get hurt tonight because of Owens. Owens looks confused and rubs his head. Owens says he had something to say, which is why he has a microphone, but after hearing Zayn, all he wants to do is punch him in the face.
Owens begins walking to the ring, but WWE Official Adam Pearce runs down with security. Pearce says he’s let The Bloodline, including Roman Reigns, run wild for too long. This is not happening in 2023. Pearce orders security to get in the ring and get The Bloodline out of the building. Security gets in the ring, but Sikoa quickly wipes all four out.
Owens runs into the ring, but it’s a 4-on-1 beatdown on him. The rest of the Raw Locker Room runs down to help and clears the ring of The Bloodline. The Bloodline begins to leave through the crowd. Pearce says The Bloodline isn’t getting away with this. He hopes they’re prepared with their boots and gear if they want to come to work. Tonight they’re all in singles matches, and that is official. The Bloodline is not happy.
Byron Saxton is backstage with Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. Belair says she has lost all respect for Alexa Bliss. After tonight, she doesn’t want to hear her name again. Bliss can blame Bray Wyatt all she wants, but she’s her own woman.
Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves are standing amidst the wreckage left by The Bloodline. Seth “Freakin” Rollins will challenge for the United States Championship against Austin Theory. We’ll also take a look at Cody Rhodes’ road to recovery. Coming up next, Bianca Belair defends the Raw Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss.
-Commercial Break-
The Street Profits, Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Elias, Cedric Alexander, Shelton Benjamin, and The Good Brothers are talking to Adam Pearce. They all want a piece of The Bloodline. Elias wants a fight with Solo Sikoa, so Adam Pearce gives him a Music City Street Fight. As for the rest of The Bloodline, Sami Zayn and The Usos will take on The Street Profits and Kevin Owens. As for the rest, it’s a new year, and they need to start acting like it.
Hardy is shown at ringside. He will perform live at the Royal Rumble.
Footage is shown of Alexa Bliss attacking Bianca Belair with a glass vase two weeks ago on Raw.
Raw Women’s Championship
Alexa Bliss vs. Bianca Belair (c)
The bell rings, and Belair immediately drops Bliss with a right hand. Bliss angrily charges, but Belair holds her at arm’s length while Bliss flails at her. Belair knocks her down before punching her again. Bliss angrily stares at her. Bliss clearly whiffs on a forearm before dropkicking her out of the ring. Bliss goes for a baseball slide, but Belair counters into the powerbomb position. Bliss tries for a hurricanrana on the floor, but Belair holds her up before slinging her into the barricade.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Bliss kick Belair down. Bliss hits the ropes, but Belair clotheslines her down. Bliss tries to crawl away, but Belair jumps in front of her and challenges her. Bliss goes running away, but Belair grabs her by the hair. Bliss goes for a crucifix, but Belair slings her around before taunting her. Belair dropkicks her into the corner and charges, but Bliss sends her shoulder-first into the ring post. Bliss smiles and poses. Bliss stomps away at Belair before standing on her back and bouncing her face into the mat a few times. Bliss covers for a two-count.
Belair goes for a suplex, but Bliss fights it. Belair powers her up, but Bliss slides through and takes her down for another two-count. Bliss grimaces in frustration. Bliss gets Belair in the corner and drives her foot into her throat. Belair pushes her off, but Bliss punches and knees her down for a two-count. Bliss goes for a snap DDT, but Belair powers her up into a delayed vertical suplex. Belair gets to her feet and angrily clubs Bliss’ back. Belair bounces her off all four turnbuckles and connects with a scoop slam. Bliss gets up, but Belair slams her again. Bliss once again gets to her feet and once again is slammed. Belair hits the ropes but stops when Bliss repositions herself at an awkward angle. Belair stomps her and hits a handspring moonsault for a near fall. Belair gets up and scoops Bliss up, but Bliss slides off. Belair charges and goes through the ropes despite Bliss dropping down extremely early. Belair falls to the floor, and Bliss hits a cannonball off the apron. Bliss rotated a bit too much and took an awkward landing on her knees. Bliss also appears to be bleeding from the nose.
-Commercial Break-
We return from the break to see Belair fighting back at Bliss. Belair hits a snapmare, but Bliss quickly pops up and dropkicks her into the corner. Bliss covers for a near fall. Bliss applies a chin lock. Belair fights up, but Bliss pulls her down by the hair. Bliss hits double knees and goes for a rolling senton, but Belair moves. They trade pins until Belair powers Bliss up on one shoulder. Belair goes for the KOD, but Bliss fights out. Bliss goes for a head-scissor, but Belair powers into a backbreaker. Belair gets her in the corner and starts the 10 punches. Bliss slides away and leaps off the apron while holding Belair’s braid. Belair is pulled out of the ring.
Bliss shouts that the Raw Women’s championship belongs to her. A guy stands behind her wearing an Uncle Howdy mask. Security tries to pull him away, so the mystery man is forced to whisper, “I’m part of the show.” The security guard quickly retreats. Bliss sees the man and looks confused. Bliss gets Belair in the ring and starts to climb the turnbuckles. She sees another man in the Uncle Howdy mask. Bliss looks frightened now. The titantron flashes a few times, and Bliss starts pulling her hair. The referee checks on her, and Bliss takes him down with a Thesz Press and starts punching away at him!
Winner by Disqualification and still Raw Women’s Champion: Bianca Belair
Bliss next takes Belair down with a Thesz Press and punches away at her. Bliss knocks Belair out of the ring and whips her hard into the steel steps. Bliss gives Belair a DDT on the lower half of the steps. Belair is bleeding from the mouth. Bliss walks away but returns to give her a second DDT. Bliss walks off as EMTs run out with a stretcher.
-Commercial Break-
Replays are shown of Alexa Bliss destroying Bianca Belair with two DDTs on the steel steps. A bloodied Belair was helped to the back by her husband, Montez Ford.
Two weeks ago, Austin Theory wiped out Seth “Freakin” Rollins with a title belt to the head.
Cathy Kelley is backstage with United States Champion Austin Theory. Theory says his confidence is at an all-time high. 2022 was his year and so will 2023. Rollins wanted to pick a fight with The Bloodline, so Theory took him out. Rollins is the past. Theory holds all the cards, and he’s outplaying Rollins at every turn. His forever reign is just beginning. Not so bad for a kid.
“Ladies and gentlemen… Elias.”
Elias strums a chord and greets the crowd before playing a lick. Elias says he will smash this guitar on Solo Sikoa’s face and has a fight song. Solo Sikoa’s music interrupts him immediately.
Music City Street Fight
Elias vs. Solo Sikoa
The bell rings, and they go right at it. Elias shoulder blocks him, but Sikoa barely moves. Sikoa gets Elias in the corner and punches him. Sikoa attacks him in the corner and chokes him. Sikoa taunts the crowd, so Elias chops him back. Sikoa reverses a whip and blocks a hip toss with a clothesline. Sikoa charges, but Elias pulls the top rope down to get him out of the ring. Sikoa avoids a baseball slide and punches him. Sikoa bounces him off the apron and punches him. Sikoa grabs a cowbell, but Elias doesn’t have a fever because he cuts him off. Elias smashes Sikoa with the cowbell, so he’s the one with the fever, and punches him against the ring post. Elias grabs a guitar and swings, but it explodes against the ring post when Sikoa moves. Sikoa grabs him, but Elias throws him into a drum set. Elias then takes a hi-hat and swats Sikoa into the timekeeper’s area!
-Commercial Break-
Back from the break, Sikoa whips Elias into an amp on the stage. Sikoa hits him in the head with a live microphone and kicks him. Sikoa then gets his payback and whips Elias into a drum set. Sikoa takes a hi-hat stand and drives it into Elias a few times. Sikoa head-butts Elias. Elias rolls into the ring. A steel chair is in the ring, apparently put in there during the break. Elias hits Sikoa in the midsection with a keyboard, but Sikoa fights back with a big Samoan Drop for a two-count.
Sikoa picks up the keyboard and plays a few keys before throwing Elias out of the ring. Sikoa grabs Elias, but Elias hits him in the head with a tambourine. Elias gets Sikoa in the ring and breaks the keyboard over his body. Elias is bleeding from the arm. Elias smashes the keyboard off Sikoa’s back for a near fall. Elias applies a chin lock. Sikoa fights out with a belly-to-belly side suplex. Sikoa knocks Elias down in the corner and sizes him up. Sikoa charges, but Elias moves. Elias hits Sikoa in the head with the tambourine twice and punches away at him. Elias whips him to the corner and avalanches him twice. Elias hits the ropes, ducks a clothesline, and hits a spinebuster. Elias knocks Sikoa out of the ring with more tambourine shots and smashes the keyboard on his back.
Elias points at Hardy, who is holding a nice guitar. Hardy gives Elias the guitar. Sikoa attacks Elias in the ring and punches away at him. Hardy all of a sudden gets in the ring and grabs the guitar. Hardy smashes it on Sikoa’s back, but Sikoa no sells it! Hardy smiles and begs him off before running away. Sikoa turns into a high knee from Elias. Elias grabs the broken guitar and climbs to the top rope. Elias jumps, but Sikoa hits him with a Samoan Spike out of mid-air! Sikoa gets him on the apron and hits a Spinning Solo off the apron onto a baby grand piano shell! The piano collapses. Sikoa covers for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Solo Sikoa
An irate Solo Sikoa goes after Hardy, but he’s already gone.
Video Package: Kevin Owens and John Cena defeat Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn on SmackDown
Coming up next, Kevin Owens and The Street Profits battle Sami Zayn and The Usos.
-Commercial Break-
6-Man Tag Team Match
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) and Sami Zayn vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) and Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens and The Street Profits charge the ring and immediately start brawling with The Bloodline. Angelo Dawkins is left in the ring with Jimmy Uso, and the bell rings. Dawkins punches away at Jimmy before sending him into the ropes. Jimmy shoulder blocks him down, but Dawkins fights back with a diving shoulder tackle. Dawkins takes his shirt off and hits a spinning avalanche followed by an enzuigiri for a two-count. Montez Ford tags in and dropkicks Jimmy down. Ford tags Dawkins back in. Dawkins kicks Jimmy but has a whip reversed. Dawkins boots him back, but Jey Uso blindsides him with a kick. Jey tags in and stomps away at Dawkins. Sami Zayn tags in and attacks Dawkins. Zayn applies a front facelock and tags Jimmy in. Jimmy punches Dawkins down and tags Jey in. The Usos hit Dawkins with a wishbone split for a two-count. Dawkins fights away and tags Kevin Owens in. Owens runs wild on Jey and hits a senton splash before knocking Jimmy and Zayn away. Owens tells them to “suck it” before calling Zayn a bitch. Owens goes for a tag, but Ford looks lost in his thoughts about his wife, Bianca Belair. Jey capitalizes and attacks Owens. Zayn and Jimmy tag in and stomp away at Owens.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Jimmy taking it to Owens. Jey tags in and stomps Owens. Jey rocks Owens with a strike before posing. Jey then superkicks Dawkins out of nowhere. Ford looks totally distracted. Owens superkicks Jey down. Owens goes for a tag, but Ford doesn’t see him. Owens smacks him to tag him in. Ford gets fired up and hits Zayn and Jimmy with a cross-body block. Ford takes Zayn down and kips up before hitting a standing moonsault for a near fall. Ford is back in the game. Ford sets Zayn up and climbs to the top rope, but Zayn cuts him off. Ford knocks Zayn down and hits a frog splash, but Jey breaks up the pin.
Dawkins runs in and punches Jey out of the ring. Dawkins goes outside and pounces him down! Ford sends Jimmy out of the ring before throwing Zayn over the top rope. Ford hits the ropes and wipes out Jimmy and Zayn with a somersault senton! Solo Sikoa comes through the crowd and hits Dawkins with a Samoan Spike. Owens attacks Sikoa, but Jey superkicks him. Ford gets Zayn in the ring and knocks Jimmy off the apron. Zayn hits Ford with a Helluva Kick for the victory.
Winners by Pinfall: The Usos and Sami Zayn
The Usos and Sami Zayn attack Owens in the ring. Sikoa grabs a steel chair and hands it to Zayn. All of a sudden, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre come through the crowd to fight. McIntyre gets in the ring and hits Jimmy with a Glasgow Kiss. Sheamus and McIntyre clear the ring of The Bloodline and stand tall with Owens.
Coming up next, Chad Gable battles Dexter Lumis.
-Commercial Break-
Bray Wyatt will battle LA Knight in the Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match at the Royal Rumble.
AJ Styles broke his ankle at a WWE Live Event last week.
“SHOOSH! SHOOSH, PLEASE!”
Chad Gable w/ Otis vs. Dexter Lumis
Gable tries to evade Lumis, who creepily crawls after him. Lumis eventually takes him down in the ring and attacks Gable. Otis is not happy and then falls over after Lumis scares him. Gable flapjacks Lumis onto the ropes and hits some short-arm clotheslines. Gable hits a knee to the midsection and taunts the crowd. Gable applies an overhead wristlock. Lumis fights up, but Gable takes him down. Lumis throws Gable over the top rope, but he holds on and skins the cat. Lumis attacks and hits a bulldog. Lumis connects with a back suplex and kips up before hitting a leg drop for a near fall. Gable knocks Lumis out of the ring and knocks him into the ring post. Otis goes to blindside him, but Lumis sends him into the ring post. Gable attacks Lumis in the ring, but Lumis rolls him up for the victory.
Winner by Pinfall: Dexter Lumis
Video Package: Cody Rhodes’ road to recovery Part 1
Bayley is walking backstage with Damage CTRL. We’ll hear from them next.
-Commercial Break-
Damage CTRL makes their way to the ring. Bayley wishes “Trashville” a happy new year. There’s no better way to kick off 2023 than next to the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY. Bayley wants to address the Irish elephant in the room and says she beat Becky Lynch. It wasn’t easy, but it was fun doing it on her own.
Becky Lynch comes out onto the stage. Bayley is talking like she invented the wheel, but she’s just a hamster on the wheel hiding. Lynch says Bayley was in someone’s shadow for years, finally got out, and put herself back in the shadow. The Women’s Tag Team Champions do all the work, and Bayley takes the glory. It’s only a matter of time before someone turns. Bayley says Lynch is just mad she lost. Lynch says she gets even. Since this started in Nashville at SummerSlam, how about it ends here? Bayley says no. If she has a problem with Kai and Sky, it should be them versus Lynch with a partner. Lynch says she doesn’t have her phone, so it’s 2-on-1.
-Commercial Break-
2-on-1 Handicap Match
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and IYO SKY) w/ Bayley vs. Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch starts against IYO SKY. Lynch attacks Sky and knocks Dakota Kai off the apron. Lynch big boots Sky down and hits Kai with a baseball slide. Lynch knocks Sky back and poses. Lynch knocks Sky back and hits an enzuigiri for a two-count. Lynch goes for the Dis-Arm-Her, but Sky rolls her up for a two-count. Sky tags Kai in. Lynch avoids a big boot. Lynch hip tosses Sky into Kai for a two-count. Lynch drops an elbow and a leg on Kai. Bayley talks trash from ringside. Lynch hits a running forearm in the corner before whipping Kai hard into the opposite turnbuckle. Lynch kicks Sky away before Kai flattens her with a big boot for a two-count.
Kai and Sky attack Lynch at ringside. Sky is tagged in and gets Lynch in the ring for a two-count. Kai tags in and applies a camel clutch while ripping at her mouth. Kai jumps on her for a two-count. Sky tags in and goes to ringside to throw Lynch into the barricade. Sky whips Lynch into the ring post and talks some trash before slapping her in the face. Sky gets Lynch in the ring for a two-count. Kai tags in and attacks Lynch.
All of a sudden, “Michin” Mia Yim runs down to the ring and gets on the apron. Lynch tags her in… and apparently, that’s legal despite this being a 2-on-1 Handicap Match. Yim and Lynch take it to Damage CTRL. This is stupid.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kai hit Yim with a scorpion kick. Sky tags in. Kai boots Yim and Sky dropkicks her for a near fall. Sky hits a head-scissor takedown into a crossface on Yim. Yim knocks Sky back, and she hits Kai, who falls off the apron. Yim and Sky mistime a neckbreaker. Kai is the legal competitor. They do a horrible hot tag…
Lynch takes it to Kai at ringside, who I guess was supposed to pull Lynch down or miss it before the hot tag, but she was there too early. Lynch gets Kai in the ring and tags Yim in. Lynch and Yim hit a double-team superplex, but Sky breaks up the pin. Sky gets out of a Manhandle Slam and knocks her back. Yim dropkicks Sky. Kai snaps Kim off the top rope, but Kim comes back with a head-scissor DDT (or something). Bayley puts Kai’s foot on the bottom rope. Bayley and Lynch brawl at ringside. Sky hits Yim with an Over the Moonsault for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Damage CTRL
Becky Lynch is irate as Damage CTRL celebrates at ringside.
Seth “Freakin” Rollins is backstage with Cathy Kelley. Rollins says The Bloodline can try to take over and Austin Theory can think he’s taking his spot, but Monday nights belong to him. As good as Theory is and will be, he’s not Seth “Freakin” Rollins.
-Commercial Break-
Jimmie Allen is shown at ringside.
Replays are shown of Alexa Bliss losing her mind after some Bray Wyatt teases earlier tonight during her Raw Women’s Championship match. The attack on Bianca Belair left Belair bloodied and in a medical facility.
Byron Saxton is nearby Alexa Bliss, who is pacing backstage. Bliss has dry blood on her nose. Bliss says she didn’t lose control. She gained control of Bianca Belair’s headspace. Now she knows that Bliss is in control and that Raw Women’s Championship belongs to her.
A WWE Digital Exclusive shows Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley showing up at Rey Mysterio’s house on Christmas Eve. It ends with Dominik being arrested.
Dominik Mysterio is shown backstage. Sadness is not a bad thing to feel. The cold absence of feeling is what prison was like. Mysterio says he’s not playing a game. Mysterio served hard time and survived. Prison changes a man. People may think it’s over for him, but he’s just getting started. He’ll see Mami soon.
United States Champion Austin Theory makes his way to the ring.
-Commercial Break-
A Bronson Reed video plays.
United States Championship
Austin Theory (c) vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins
The bell rings, and Rollins quickly shows Theory up by ducking a lock up and taunting him. Theory hooks a side headlock, but Rollins whips him off and hits a Sling Blade. Rollins clotheslines him out of the ring and gets the crowd to sing his song. Rollins hits the ropes and hits a baseball slide. Rollins gets Theory in the ring, but Theory immediately rolls out of the ring. Rollins avoids an attack and hits a knee off the apron. Kevin Patrick mentions that Theory rose to power with “Mr. McMahon” behind him. Rollins jumps off the commentary table and knees Theory in the back of the head.
-Commercial Break-
Back from the break, Rollins is taking it to Theory. Rollins gets him in the ring and hits a springboard knee to the side of the head. Theory rolls to the apron and snaps Rollins off the top rope. Theory hits a rolling thunder dropkick for a two-count. Theory punches away at Rollins. Theory hits a snapmare and stomps him. Theory shouts that Rollins is the past and bounces him off the top turnbuckle. Theory says he’s on top and drives Rollins’ face into the turnbuckle. Theory whips Rollins sternum-first into the corner. Theory hits a backbreaker for a two-count. Theory cinches in a chin lock and has Rollins grounded. Rollins fights up and hits a back suplex. Theory avoids an avalanche in the corner for a one-count. Theory quickly goes back to the chin lock. Rollins hits a jawbreaker and boots him back. Theory quickly sends Rollins over the top rope. Theory follows him out and bounces him off the commentary table. Theory drives him into the apron and sends him over the commentary table. Theory takes the United States Championship and says he is the champion. Rollins will not disrespect him.
-Commercial Break-
We return from the final break of the first Raw of 2023 to see Rollins picking up steam. Rollins takes Theory down and knocks him out of the ring. Rollins gets the crowd to sing his theme song and hits the ropes for a suicide dive. Rollins lands on his feet and gets Theory in the ring. Rollins goes for a Pedigree, but Theory fights it. Rollins counters into a roll-up for a two-count. Rollins knees Theory and hits a backbreaker for a two-count. Rollins goes to the top rope, but Theory cuts him off. Rollins goes for a Buckle Bomb to counter, but Theory fights it. Theory elbows him and goes for a suplex, but Rollins counters into an inside cradle for a two-count. Rollins goes for a powerbomb, but his knee looks to give out. Theory tries for one, but Rollins gets out. Theory knocks Rollins back from the top rope, but Rollins scales the ropes with a superplex. Theory counters a falcon arrow into an over-the-knee neckbreaker for a near fall!
Theory goes for A-Town Down, but Rollins gets out. They trade blows before Rollins hits an enzuigiri. Rollins is clutching his knee on the mat. Theory and Rollins get to their feet and trade blows. Theory goes for a Pedigree, but Rollins gets out and hits a rolling elbow. Rollins teases a neckbreaker before hitting a forearm to the back of the neck. Rollins sets up for a Stomp, but Theory moves and gets out of the ring. Theory signals that he is done with the match and grabs his United States Championship. Rollins limps after him and throws him over the barricade. Theory gets in the ring and goes to swing the belt, but Rollins superkicks him. Rollins hits a frog splash for a near fall!
Rollins gets out of A-Town Down, but Theory pushes him into the referee. Rollins flips through a back suplex, and his knee gives out again. Rollins hits a Pedigree and covers. A new referee runs down and counts, but it’s only a two-count. Rollins sets up for a Stomp, but Theory avoids it and pushes him toward the new referee. The new referee blocks himself. Theory low blows Rollins and hits A-Town Down for the win.