WWE Raw live results: Alexa Bliss explains her actions
Date: January 9, 2023
Location: Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL
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Show Recap —
Kevin Owens entered to a big a reaction. He was about to talk about his upcoming match against Roman Reigns but JBL interrupted.
JBL insulted the people of Alabama and claimed that they believed in Bigfoot and chupacabra — but even they did not believe Owens could beat Reigns. JBL introduced a man who could, Baron Corbin.
Corbin said Reigns was Georgia while Owens was Alabama — a loser. Owens buried his head in the turnbuckle out of boredom as Corbin spoke. Corbin said he would win the Royal Rumble and beat Reigns in the main event at WrestleMania.
JBL screamed at Owens for taking a nap. Owens said he was in a coma because JBL and Corbin have been talking for three minutes. Owens was ready for a fight because he figured the Bloodline would be there but he offered to fight Corbin instead. JBL used a lot of words to accept.
Kevin Owens defeated Baron Corbin (w/JBL) (8:30)
Owens was mid-comeback following a break and hit a senton bomb for two. Corbin blocked a stunner and powerbomb before hitting a DDT for two and a Deep Six for two. Corbin came off the ropes but Owens popped up and hit a stunner for the pinfall win.
— After the match, Owens immediately went to ringside and attacked Jimmy Uso (who entered through the crowd) before he could get jumped by the Bloodline. He also fought off Jey Uso momentarily but was overwhelmed once Solo Sikoa joined in.
Owens fought them off with a steel chair (and Mike Rome’s shoe) until the Bloodline bailed. Sikoa wanted to go after Owens but the Usos, Adam Pearce, and officials stopped him.
(Owens looked strong here and the crowd was into him.)
After a break, the Bloodline were leaving the arena but Adam Pearce had some news for them first. He informed them that there would be a tag team turmoil match tonight to determine their next challengers and it would be filled with teams they’ve taken out. He also told Sikoa to stick around because he would have to face Dolph Ziggler. The Usos suddenly wanted to stay but Pearce had them escorted out.
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Alexa Bliss segment
They played a replay of Alexa Bliss’ attack on Bianca Belair last week. The announcers said Belair wound up with stitches while Belair was fined an undisclosed amount.
Bliss suddenly appeared by walking onto the announce table. She said Belair didn’t fear Bray Wyatt or Uncle Howdy, it was Bliss she was afraid of. “Because I am the face of evil.”
Bliss spoke (unconvincingly) about how she would take the title from Belair when a spooky Wyatt/Howdy/whoever video played on the screen.
Uncle Howdy appeared on the stage and the segment ended.
(The crowd seemed quiet for Bliss’ promo.)
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Before the match, Bayley bragged about beating Becky Lynch. She told Dakota Kai and IYO SKY that they deserved a night off so she sent them to the back so they could enjoy kicking back and watching her beat Lynch’s “friend” Michin.
Bayley defeated Michin (8:07)
Michin knocked Bayley down with a PK but Bayley was randomly in control following a break. Bayley hit a vertical suplex off the apron onto the floor for two. Michin came back with a suicide dive, strikes and a German suplex. Michin tried to spike Bayley with a leg scissors takedown but it looked like nothing and she made a cover for two.
They traded counters until Bayley used a jackknife cover with her fight on the rope for the pinfall win.
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Candice LeRae told Cathy Kelley that Johnny Gargano was at home recovering from an injury and was bummed about not being in the tag team turmoil match.
Kelley asked LeRae what was next for her. LeRae spoke about the Rumble match before Rhea Ripley interrupted. Ripley said LeRae was delusional if she thought she could win the Rumble and LeRae proved her right by saying she had enough of a chance as Ripley. Ripley threatened to pluck her pixie wings apart at the Rumble so LeRae challenged her to a match tonight and she accepted.
(Nikki Cross could be seen briefly in the background staring a hole through LeRae.)
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[SECOND HOUR]
Austin Theory/Seth Rollins segment
Theory entered. He said we need to accept that he was the now and the now was forever. Theory wondered where Seth Rollins was and the crowd chanted “we want Rollins.” Theory said Rollins limped out on his old knee last week because he was outclassed by Austin freakin’ Theory.
Rollins’ music hit and he entered on crutches. He took a few slow steps with the crutches before chucking one aside and prancing to the ring with the other. (Rollins still used one crutch to stand upright once he was in the ring.)
Theory called himself the pinnacle of the industry and informed Rollins, “I passed your ass.” Theory was on to bigger and better things which meant winning the Rumble and walking out of WrestleMania as both the US and Universal Champion.
Rollins informed us that his knee was not 100% but it would be in time for him to win the Rumble and main event WrestleMania. Rollins only came out here because he wanted to hear Birmingham sing his song. They did. “I’ll see you at the Rumble, kid.” Rollins left without his crutch.
It seemed like the segment was over but Bobby Lashley entered. Lashley entered the ring as Rollins left.
Theory was in a panic and tried to attack Lashley with the crutch but Lashley ducked and hit a spear. The crowd chanted for Bobby. Lashley chucked Theory over the top rope and said, “it doesn’t matter who is in the Royal Rumble — because I’m back!” Lashley was ready to manhandle everyone in the Rumble.
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Rhea Ripley defeated Candice LeRae (4:19)
Ripley was in control until LeRae brought her down off the middle rope with a German suplex. LeRae tried a dive but Ripley caught her and drove her into the barricade. Ripley applied a standing cloverleaf before swinging her into the barricade again. Ripley then hit Riptide in the ring for the pinfall win. This was a decisive win for Ripley.
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Byron Saxton tried interviewing Lashley but MVP asked him to leave because they had business to discuss. MVP offered Lashley a handshake but Lashley didn’t accept. MVP thought Lashley would show some gratitude after getting his suspension lifted. Lashley appreciated it but thought MVP should appreciate that he didn’t punch him in the face.
MVP was trying to get them on the same page and spoke about Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander getting ready to put a “hurt” on the other tag teams later. Lashley said he wouldn’t forget everything they’d been through. MVP understood but asked him to consider expanding his “business.”
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The announcers spoke about the “big news” from a few days ago: Money in the Bank will be held at The O2 in London.
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There was a new Cody Rhodes video package with interview footage focusing on his pectoral injury and working through it at Hell in a Cell. Rhodes mentioned that he hit a springboard cutter in the match and he thought he would vomit.
“You don’t want to see it but you can’t look away. I was the car wreck.”
Cody said he has not watched the HIAC match. He appreciated that it resonated with people but he doesn’t think he can watch it. Brandi Rhodes mentioned that Cody had some nerves going into surgery because he’s never gone through that before. Cody’s doctor said the surgery went better than expected but now he needs to heal.
Rhodes wondered if he could return to the level he was at before. “The work begins now.”
This was really good.
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Kelley interviewed Ziggler about his match against Sikoa. Ziggler was focused on being the best, as always. The Bloodline went too far a few weeks ago and he was out for payback.
Mustafa Ali interrupted. Ali just heard that Pearce offered him and Ziggler a chance to be in the tag team turmoil match but Ziggler declined because he wanted Sikoa alone. Ali mentioned that Ziggler cost him the US title a few weeks ago and now he was costing him a chance at the tag titles.
Ziggler admitted that he cost Ali the US title but he owned up to that already. Tonight wasn’t about the tag titles or about Ali, it was about something more.
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Saxton interviewed Bronson Reed. He asked Reed why he helped the Miz. Miz jumped in and explained that Reed was an ethical man and they had each other’s backs. Miz called him a friend and invited him to watch Miz TV. Reed said they weren’t friends and if he wanted something, “pay me.” Reed left and Miz tried laughing it off.
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Solo Sikoa defeated Dolph Ziggler (10:54)
Sikoa was dominating (through a break) until Ziggler fired back and hit a DDT for two and a Zig-Zag for two. Ziggler kicked his leg out of his leg and went for a fameasser but Sikoa caught him, hoisted him up and hit a mid-air Samoan Spike for the pinfall win.
The Usos, who were kicked out earlier, joined Sikoa in celebrating.
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They replayed clips of Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley crashing the Mysterio family holiday parties, as well as the prison Dom clip from last week. Judgment Day walked with Dom through the back and his face was covered by shades and a bandana.
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Kelley interviewed Bayley who said she sent a message to Lynch after beating both her and Michin. Michin cut her off and called her a liar and a cheat. Bayley said, unlike Becky, she wasn’t above asking for help, just like she wasn’t above asking for help in kicking her ass. Damage CTRL attacked Michin and laid her out. Bayley told her not to trust someone who wouldn’t be there for her.
[THIRD HOUR]
Miz TV with Dominik Mysterio & Judgment Day
Miz introduced Dominik and he entered with the entire Judgment Day. Miz said he only had enough chairs for him and Ripley because he didn’t realize they’d all be out there. Dom responded, “the one thing I learned in prison: you always roll with your crew.”
Miz asked what it was like on the inside but Dom said, “snitches get stitches.” Finn Bálor told Dom it was okay, he was out of prison now so he could share his experience. Miz wanted to hear it.
Dom said he was in a room with the world’s most dangerous people and he didn’t know when his next meal would be. If he ever wanted to see Mami again, he had to do what he had to do. He realized he had to grab life by the balls, just like Maryse did to Miz.
Damian Priest told Dom to tell the story. Dom overheard his cellmate say that he wanted to punch a hole through his face so Dom confronted him and the guy backed down. “And now I truly know how Martha Stewart feels.”
Miz said he learned that Dom was only in holding for a few hours. Judgment Day all got to their feet and Priest confronted Miz. Miz said that maybe he was misinformed.
Priest moved on and warned the Usos that they were coming for the tag titles. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson interrupted.
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They called this the main event so this could be going close to an hour. The match started at 10:10pm.
Tag Team Turmoil
Finn Bálor & Damian Priest (w/Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio) vs. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows (10:16)
They wrestled for five minutes and went to a break after Bálor distracted the referee so that Priest could chuck Anderson into the steel steps. A few moments following the break, Dom tripped Anderson with a distraction and Bálor applied a schoolboy for the pinfall elimination.
Finn Bálor & Damian Priest (w/Ripley & Dominik) defeated Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander (4:46)
Benjamin got to show off by handing out multiple German suplexes to both opponents. In fact, Benjamin and Alexandar got most of the offence but Priest chokeslammed Alexander before Bálor hit Coup de Grace for the pinfall elimination.
Finn Bálor & Damian Priest (w/Ripley & Dominik) defeated Alpha Academy (approx. 4:42)
Like last week, the crowd chanted “we want Otis” as he stood on the apron. This was fortunate since it was two heel teams and they worked over Chad Gable until he did make the hot tag to Otis. Otis ran over Priest and hit a rolling elbow before slamming Bálor. He crushed both men in the corner with a charge.
Priest fell and Otis did the caterpillar to the delight of the crowd. He gave Bálor the world’s strongest slam but Bálor grabbed Gable and held him as Otis hit a Vader Bomb (crushing Gable in the process). Otis was distracted by his fallen teammate so Priest hit him with a boot and a running clothesline for the pinfall elimination.
— Bálor’s ribs were injured so medical staff determined that he couldn’t continue. Pearce said Judgment Day would be disqualified but Priest wanted to continue even if that meant doing it alone.
Pearce suggested using Dom as a replacement and nobody — neither Dom nor Priest — seemed interested in doing that. Pearce even asked Bálor again if he could go. However, Pearce made it official: Dom was Priest’s new partner.
Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio (w/Rhea Ripley & Finn Bálor) defeated The Street Profits (16:17)
(Bálor remained at ringside, watching in pain on a leather chair.)
Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford put the boots to Dom and chucked his Konnan-inspired flannel aside and they continued to beat the crap out of him until Priest tagged in.
Priest and Ford went back and forth until Dom distracted Ford. Ford confronted Dom at ringside but Priest knocked him over the announce table. Dawkins then wiped out both Priest and Dom with a flip dive — landing on his feet in the process. (Dawkins continues to improve and they make sure to get him big spots in every match.)
Despite what we just saw, Judgment Day controlled Dawkins after the break. (Bálor continued to play cheerleader while holding an ice pack to his ribs). Dom went for a 619 but Dawkins hit him with a spinning elbow.
The crowd chanted for the Street Profits as Ford made a hot tag and hit a high cross to both opponents. Ford connected with a series of kicks on Dom before hitting a standing moonsault for two. The Street Profits gave Dom an elevated suplex for two. Priest tagged in and hit Ford with a flatliner before clotheslining Dawkins for two.
Ford tagged in while Dom also made a blind tag. I think Ford saw it because he made sure to knock Dom off the top rope. Priest knocked Dawkins over the barricade so Ford did an insane dive — leaping over the ring post to wipe out Priest. Ford hit Dom with a 450 splash, seemingly for the win, but Ripley pulled him out of the ring to break up the cover.
Ford leaped onto the apron to avoid a charge by Priest who went into the steel steps. Dom yanked Ford from the apron into a schoolboy with his feet on the middle rope for the pinfall win.
Judgment Day are the new challengers for the Usos.
(Bálor was great at ringside. He tossed his ice pack aside in celebration but quickly picked it back up because he was in too much pain.)
— The Usos entered to face off with Judgment Day as the show ended.
The last portion with the Street Profits was great.