WWE Raw live results: Goldberg responds to Brock Lesnar’s challenge

The Big Takeaway: There are two more matches for Goldberg, at least. As expected, he accepted the challenge of Brock Lesnar for WrestleMania. The new wrinkle is he will wrestle Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship at Fast Lane. Goldberg laid down the challenge to face Owens, who didn’t seem keen on facing him. But Chris Jericho accepted the match for Owens, which angered him. After Jericho defeated Sami Zayn (with help from Owens), Jericho announced he would be holding a Festival of Friendship next week with him and Owens in Las Vegas. There were two segments on the show that certainly teased an Owens turn on Jericho. Bayley will wrestle Charlotte next week for the Raw Women’s Championship. Also official for Fast Lane: Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns. Samoa Joe debuted on this show as the surprise signing of Stephanie McMahon. It appears Mick Foley is winding down his run as Raw GM as he openly disapproved of Stephanie’s actions in the opening segment, along with Joe aligning with HHH. 

Show Recap: 

Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley were in the ring. Stephanie started to give Samoa Joe a big introduction, but Foley actually interrupted her and wasn’t the least bit happy about introducing the latest Raw free agent, Samoa Joe, who came out in a three-piece suit. Stephanie applauded him after his attack on Rollins last week and put him over big. Foley wanted to get the contract signed, but Stephanie wondered why Mick wasn’t showing any enthusiasm. She asked if Foley was upset that she had to do his job for him once again. Foley said he had been a fan of Joe’s for years, he didn’t like the people he was associating himself with. 

Joe grabbed the mic and said it took him 18 years to be standing in this ring right now. During that time, when Foley claimed to be such a big fan of his, it was HHH who gave him the opportunity. If it meant that he had to put Rollins out to get that chance, then so be it. He put the entire locker room on notice because the Destoyer has arrived and there was nothing Foley could do about it. Joe signed the contract. 

Reigns came out to a better reaction than Roger Goodell in Houston. Reigns said Joe makes a lot of threats, why doesn’t Joe make one to him? Reigns said now that Joe has signed that contract, that means he’s in Reigns’ yard. So Joe can ever shut his mouth, or Reigns can cave it in. They had a staredown. Foley said as long as he’s still General Manager, he’s still making matches. So Reigns will face Joe tonight. Foley had to pull Reigns back, while Stephanie stood in front of Joe, giving Foley an evil eye in the process. 

Bayley will challenge Charlotte for the Raw Women’s Championship in Las Vegas next week. 

Nia Jax defeated Bayley (9:28) 

Crowd loved Bayley, which led to Nia Jax getting good heat. It was a classic monster heel/small babyface match. Jax threw Bayley out of the ring and charged toward her, but hit the post. Bayley threw Jax into the post. As they teased a countout finish, Charlote ran out and jumped on the apron. Bayley went after Charlotte, which somehow broke the count on Jax. Bayley gave Charlotte a drop kick, but Jax ran up from behind and gave Bayley a Samoan Drop for the pin. Charlotte stood over Bayley with the Raw Women’s Championship. 

Braun Strowman defeated C.C. Everton, Rob Pelly, Dustin Wallace and Brent Riley in a handicap match (1:51)

Strowman gave C.C. Everton an Oklahoma Stampede and stacked three of the men on top of each other for the pin. Corey Graves thought Rob Pelly’s long, blond hair made him a better fit for a Poison cover band. Wallace ran to the back midway through the carnage. 

Strowman did the same promo he did in November about how Foley wasn’t giving him competition andhe was going to find him in the back. 

Strowman found Foley in the back and said he wanted everyone. Foley ordered Strowman to face Reigns at Fast Lane, which Strowman liked. 

They did a video package of Akira Tozawa with Cesaro putting him over.  

Akira Tozawa defeated Drew Gulak (3:38) 

Tozawa, dubbed “the Stamina Monster,” hit a huracanrana on Drew Gulak, then hit a head butt into Gulak’s chest on the subsequent tope. He had pinpoint accuracy on that tope. Tozawa used a Shining Wizard for a near fall, then finished off Gulak with the German Suplex. 

Brian Kendrick walked out and shook hands with Tozawa afterwards. 

Kevin Owens and Jericho came out. Owens said he stood in the ring last week and told everyone he had proved people wrong his entire career. Last Monday, he did it again because no one gave him a fighing chance against Strowman, but he’s still Universal Champion. Jericho said he will successfully defend his U.S. Championship against Zayn and the greatest of all time. Jericho said he had a bone to pick with someone who won a big game yesterday, someone people are calling “The G.O.A.T.” Jericho then put Tom Brady on the list to a huge roar. Jericho called Brady a stupid idiot to another pop. 

Jericho said he had a big match in man for the Universal Championship, then called for Owens vs. Jericho, title-vs.-title in the WrestleMania main event. Crowd chanted “Yes!” Owens said Jericho was right, it would be the biggest match in WrestleMania history. But he wan’t sure if he could fight his best friend. 

Goldberg came out to a big ovation. He said Jericho and Owens had two choices: step aside and live, or grow a pair, take him on and see if they can live. They remained in the ring but gave Goldberg room to talk. Goldberg said he heard Paul Heyman’s challenge to face Lesnar at WrestleMania (which he called WrestleMania 33) He said he’s never been one to turn down a fight, so he accepted. 

Jericho gave half-hearted applause. Owens said Goldberg’s accepting Lesnar’s challenge is great, saying it would be a perfect undercard match for Jericho-Owens at WrestleMania. Owens said his match with Jericho would be the main event. Owens asked Goldberg if he knew why Owens was the longest-reigning Universal Champion in history. Goldberg said he does know why, it’s because Owens never faced him. Goldberg challenged Owens to a match at Fast Lane. Jericho stepped in and said Goldberg can’t come down and interrupt JerichKO when they’re spitting fire. Jericho asked if Goldberg knew what happens to people to start making their own matches (though Jericho had just done exactly that). Goldberg grabbed the list out of Jericho’s hands and wrote his own name down. Goldberg said “How about that, Goldberg just made the list!”

Jericho said that wasn’t the way it worked and that he never like Goldberg. So at Fast Lane, Jericho said Goldberg would face…Owens for the Universal Championship. Owens was livid over that, but Jericho tried to calm him down, unsuccessfully. 

Backstage, Owens wondered how Jericho could arrange a match against him and Goldberg. Jericho said he always had Owens’ back, even if he was locked in a cage above the ring at the Royal Rumble. Owens said accepting a match with that maniac is not having his back and walked off.

Raw Tag Team Champions Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson defeated Cesaro and Sheamus by DQ to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships (9:00)  

Enzo Amore and Big Cass were at ringside scouting. Sheamus did a rolling senton on Karl Anderson into a double tomp by Cesaro. Luke Gallows created a distraction for Anderson to hit a scissor kick on Cesaro. After a hot tag by Sheamus, Cesaro gave Anderson a powerslam/cutter combination. Outside the ring, Gallows attacked Amore, leading to Cass giving Gallows a big boot for the DQ. Cesaro and Sheamus didn’t look happy about Amore and Cass costing them their tag team title shot. 

For Black History Month, they had a package paying tribute to Jackie Robinson with statements from Darren Young, Alicia Fox, Naomi, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. 

The update on Rollins was Michael Cole saying his status for WrestleMania was in “serious doubt.” Cole brought up Rollins saying on Twitter “The only way to wear the crown is to slay the king. I know what must be done and there’s nothing that can stop me.” 

The New Day came out to face the Shining Stars. Kingston wondered who has actually been to the Shining Stars resort. Woods, Kingston and Big E. said in unison “Nobody!” Kingston said it wasn’t real. Woods said the people wanted magic, so they gave them unicorns. They wanted music, so they gave them “Francesca.” They wanted to be fed, so they gave him “Booty-Os.” Big E. wondered what more could they give them, ice cream? They did the “We all scream for ice cream” axiom. 

The New Day defeated the Shining Stars (5:46) 

It was Woods and Big E. for the New Day. Fans chanted “ice cream” when Woods got the heat. Woods gave Primo a missile dropkick. Big E. gave Epico a splash, threw Primo into a Woods kick. Epico tried to give Big E. an O’Connor Roll, but Woods made the tag and pinned Epico after the Midnight Hour. 

Charly Caruso interviewed Jericho. She asked about a potential strain in his relationship with Owens and if it would affect him in his match against Zayn. Jericho denied that and said sometimes best friends have minor disagreements. Owens walked up. Jericho said he had nothing but the best intentions. Owens said Jericho has had his back from day one and he’s going to beat Goldberg because Jericho has his back. Just like Jericho will defeat Zayn tonight because Owens has Jericho’s back. The two gave each other a big hug and smiled. It left you with the feeling that Owens was going to turn on Jericho, but that didn’t happen tonight. 

They announced the Rock n’ Roll Express for the WWE Hall of Fame. Sadly, there was no Electric Light Orchestra playing “Rock n’ Roll is King” (their best theme song) in the background, but they showed many highlights from the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling days. Highlights of their forgettable 1998 WWE run as heels in the ill-fated NWA invasion angle were scant, though they were picured with Jim Cornette briefly.

U.S. Champion Chris Jericho defeated Sami Zayn to retain the championship (9:41)  

Owens was at ringside. Zayn hit the Exploder Suplex into the corner and tried the Helluva Kick, but Jericho reversed it into the Walls of Jericho attempt, but Zayn turned that into a small package for a two count. Zay came back with the Blue Thunder Driver for another two count. Zayn tried a Tornado DDT, but Jericho threw him down and put him in the Walls of Jericho. Zayn walked on his elbows to get to the ropes. As the referee backed Jericho off, Owens gave Zayn a Superkick. Jericho retained the championship after the Codebreaker. 

Sasha Banks was backstage getting her left knee worked on by a trainer while Charlotte walked in to rub it in her face that she’s still the champion. Charlotte said she hopes she saw Bayley get beat by Jax earlier tonight since Bayley was fighting for her honor. Charlotte said she hopes that Banks takes a good look at Bayley next week when she loses to her next week in Las Vegas. Charlotte said she thought Roadblock: End of the Line was just a name for a PPV when it was actually a metaphor for Banks’ career. 

Austin Aries did an one-on-one interview with Neville in the ring. Aries said Rich Swann suffered an ankle injury during the attack on Neville that will keep him out of action. So on 205 Live tomorrow night, it will be  Noam Dar vs. T.J. Perkins vs. Jack Gallagher vs. Tony Nese vs. Cedric Alexander in a Fatal Fiveway to determine the new #1 Cruiserweight contender. He asked Neville who he would rather face. Neville said it was irrelevant.

Alexander came out but didn’t get to say anything. He was followed by Dar, who said he’ll steal Neville’s championship just like he stole Alexander’s girlfriend Alicia Fox. Then Gallagher came out with William III and said if there’s going to be a King of the Cruiserweights, he should be a gentleman. Nese came out and he didn’t get to talk either. Then Perkins came down and said he was actually cruiserweight champion, unlike everyone else in the ring. He was the first and he’s going to do it again. Perkins said he and Neville had unfinished business and the only reason he came down was to punch Nese, which he did. Everyone started brawling. Gallagher gave Neville a dropkick, then teased a tope, but Dar tripped him. Perkins gave them a tope, followed by Alexander delievering a tope on the other three. Neville teased his own tope, then stopped and posed over all of them. This led to a six-man tag. 

Cedric Alexander, Jack Gallagher and T.J. Perkins defeated Neville, Noam Dar and Tony Nese (5:06)

Cole laughed over everyone talking over Aries during the interview segment and said he was trying to beat like Diane Sawyer. Aries said he was thinking Buzz Sawyer. After several minutes of heat, Gallagher wallopped Nese with a headbutt. Dar tagged in against Neville’s wishes. Perkins got the hot tag. Dar gave Perkins a drop kick and tried to tag Neville, who refused to tag and walked off. Perkins delivered the Detonation Kick to Nese. Alexander tagged in and pinned Dar after the Lumbar Check. 

Jericho and Owens talked backstage. Jericho said his friendship with Owens was so big, he wanted to make a festival out of it. He suggested “The Festival of Friendship,” the biggest celebration in WWE history. Since Raw would be in Las Vegas next week, it would be perfect for the WrestleMania of friendship. Owens said he wouldn’t miss it for the world and that he couldn’t wait. 

There was another promo for Emmalina. 

Samoa Joe defeated Roman Reigns (9:56) 

Joe attacked Regins during his ring entrance, ambushing him just like he did Rollins last week. Reings took a beating, getting thrown around. The match officially started after a commercial break. When Reigns went on offense, there were loud boos. Later, there was a “Roman sucks” chant. They had a good Frye-Takayama slugfest, which led to Reigns hitting ten clotheslines and a big boot. Joe fought back with an inverted atomic drop and a senton. Joe used the facewash, but Reigns caught him with a Samoan Drop for a near fall. Reigns teased the Superman punch, but Joe rolled out of the ring. Reigns gave him a Drive-By, then caught the Superman punch in the ring. He lined up Joe for the spear until Strowman walked out. Strowman got on the apron, Reigns delivered a Superman punch, but Strowman barely moved. Reigns hit another Superman punch to knock him off the apron (though he did land on his feet). As Reigns was distracted, Joe recovered to deliver a Uranage on Reigns for the pin.

Postmatch, Strowman gave Reigns an Oklahoma Stampede. There was a “Thank you, Strowman” chant as Strowman threw Reigns on the floor. Strowman hit Reigns with a clubbing forearm across the chest, then he picked up the ring steps, ran across and hit Reigns in the head with the steps. Strowman finished the assault with a Oklahoma Stampede into the barricade, breaking the dasherboards.