WWE Raw live results: What’s next for Goldberg?

The Big Takeaway: Kevin Owens defeated Seth Rollins to retain the WWE Universal Championship in a No DQ match where Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns were barred from ringside. Jericho showed up anyway and interfered. Goldberg announced he was the first entrant into the Royal Rumble and teased going for the championship at WrestleMania. The New Day defeated Cesaro and Sheamus to retain the WWE Tag Team Championships. Charlotte will defend the Raw Women’s Championship against Sasha Banks in Charlotte’s hometown of Charlotte next week. 

Goldberg came out to start the show. Michael Cole emphasized that Goldberg beat Lesnar in 1:26 at Survivor Series. He thanked the fans for giving him the ability for him to become Goldberg again, to grab a piece of the limelight that he yearned for. Crowd chanted “You still got it” and he looked a little emotional. He thanked his wife because he can a mean, moody son of a bitch at times. She has put up with that. He thanked his son Gage because he gave him the ability and the desire to be a superhero again. Goldberg said he did what he said what he was going to do, he came, he fought and he conquered the beast. 

He said the reality is all good things must come to an end. Crowd booed that. Goldberg ran into Stephanie McMahon as he walked to the back. She said that Goldberg was right, he had one more spear, one more jackhammer and one more ass kickin’ left in him. Then she looked at him right in the eye and asked if he had one more title run left in him. Crowd roared “yes” and Goldberg said “you best your ass I have one more title run left in him.” 

Goldberg said Stephanie told them the road to the title match is through the Royal Rumble. There was a noticeable “You screwed Bret” chant at this point.” Goldberg said everyone in the Royal Rumble was next and left. So Goldberg is the first official participant in the Royal Rumble. 

The New Day prepared for its title defense against Sheamus and Cesaro. Xavier Woods said they led their team to victory at Survivor Series even though they were eliminated early. Woods said they’ve held the WWE Tag Team Championships longer than anyone. Back in the day, there were different WWE tag team championships, a record held by Demolition for 478 days. Kofi Kingston said in less than a month, that record would be demolished. That got some boos, which Big E. pointed out. 

Raw Tag Team Champions the New Day defeated Sheamus and Cesaro to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships (11:48)

Sheamus accidentally hit Cesaro while he was standing on the apron, allowing Kingston to make the hot tag to Big E. After a splash, Big E. went for the Big Ending, but Sheamus slipped out the back door to hit White Noise for a two count. Cesaro and Kingston made dual tags. Cesaro caught Kingston attempting a crossbody and used a spinning backbreaker for a near fall.Kingston got the SOS for another two count. Kingston attempted the Trouble in Paradise, but Cesaro used a 20-rep Giant Swing, then clamped on the Sharpshooter. As Kingston tried to make the ropes, Sheamus gave Big E the Brogue Kick. 

Woods jumped up on the apron and started playing Franchesca the Trombone. That distracted the referee, who didn’t see Kingston tapping out. Cesaro released the hold, turned around and Kingston pinned him with a small package. The New Day had more of a heel presence tonight. 

Chris Jericho looked wary of running into Stephanie backstage when Charly Caruso approached him and asked about his response to the Raw team losing to SmackDown last night. Jericho said the List of Jericho was used as a weapon last night, and his deepest secrets were nearly exposed to the world. Jericho said there was one person to blame for that, and he would expose that person tonight. 

Enzo Amore was locked out of the locker room naked demanding that Big Cass let him in. He couldn’t get in, so he started walking around naked with his private parts digitalized. This really happened. Titus O’Neal walked up and ordered him to put some clothes on. Lana showed up beside him. Enzo asked “How you doin'” Rusev walked up irate that Enzo would walk around naked. Cass shouted down Rusev, who told Enzo to get ready for a match tonight. 

Stephanie and Mick Foley were happy about Goldberg being in the Royal Rumble. Foley talked how they dominated the Survivor Series by winning 3 of the 5 matches. Foley asked if Stephanie was really going to fire the five members of Team Raw for losing. Stephanie said she wasn’t because she was just trying to motivate them, but said there may still be some punishment coming for certain people. Sami Zayn popped in. Foley said he had no idea that Zayn looked up to him as a youngster, but Zayn didn’t bring the Intercontinental Championship home to Raw. Foley said there had to be ramifications for failure, so he put Zayn in a match against Braun Strowman. Stephanie looked happy that Foley made that move, but Mick wasn’t. 

Ariya Daivari did a prematch promo running down Canada, saying it was no different that America.

Cedric Alexander defeated Ariya Daivari (3:12)  

Daivari tripped Cedric Alexander while attempting a springboard, and Alexnader landed horribly. It didn’t appear to throw the match off as Alexander kicked out of a Daivari clothesline, and pinned Daivari with the Lumbar Check. 

Next up was the Highlight Reel, which Jericho called the autopsy for the biggest upset in histroy when SmackDown defeated Raw. Jericho said he was going to let people know why this tragedy happened, but Kevin Owens came out first. The announcers teased that Jericho and Owens were going to end their friendship. Owens said he knows who was to blame and asked to use the JeriTron 5000 to show everyone. Jericho corrected him and said it was the JeriTron 6500. Owens showed A.J. Styles about to hit the Styles Clash on Jericho, then showed Owens hitting Styles with the List of Jericho because he was Jericho’s best friend. Jericho asked Owens if he was his best friend? Jericho said if Owens was his best friend, he would realize how important the list was to him. Owens said who cares?

Jericho looked drained and distraught, saying “I care.” He said it means everything to him. Owens interrupted him and said he was Jericho’s best friend, that’s why he saved Jericho. Instead of capitalizing on it, Jericho turned around right into an RKO by Randy Orton. Jericho said he had wasted their friendship. Jericho said if that’s how Owens really felt, maybe they don’t have much of a friendship to begin with. Jericho said week after week, he takes a Pedigree, an RKO, he takes everything while Owens never sacrifices anything. Jericho and Owens teased going at it and breaking up for good. Jericho was about to name the person responsible for Raw losing, and they said in unison “Roman Reigns.” 

They hugged and laughed to a huge babyface pop. Micahel Cole reminded viewers that Raw was in Toronto and delivered the obligatory “Bizzaro Land” line. Yeah, Toronto is the only place where Reigns gets booed and Jericho & Owens are cheered. 

Seth Rollins came out and challenged Owens to a Universal Championship match tonight. Jericho called Rollins a stupid idiot and said he was the architect of lies. Rollins said he didn’t care what they believed and said he would run through both of them to do it. Rollins jumped both men, but quickly fell victim to a double team. Then Reigns showed up for the save and got booed insanely loud. He cleared the ring of Owens and Jericho with Superman Punches. 

Foley arrived and said Rollins was promised a future opportunity and he’ll get one. He granted Rollins a Universal Championship match tonight in a No DQ match against Owens with Jericho and Reigns barred from ringside.

Lana did her standard ring introduction for Rusev, with the typical opening “And now America…” Since they were in Toronto, she got more heat for that line than anything she’s ever done. 

Enzo said if Lana really wanted to see him naked, she would have done what every Russian does and hack his phone. 

Rusev defeated Enzo Amore via submission (:53) 

A total squash where Rusev made Enzo tap with the Accolade. Rusev looked right at Cass at ringside as he delivered the hold, then bolted when Cass chased after him. 

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson defeated The Golden Truth (6:01)

Luke Gallows pinned Goldust after the Magic Killer. Goldust did a twisting crossbody block on Gallows and Karl Anderson. May have been a more athletic spot at 47 than he did at any point in his 30s. They built up Gallows and Anderson getting a tag team shot next week in a bid to stop New Day’s run to Demolition’s record-setting streak.  

There was a feature of the first day of WrestleMania tickets going on sale in Orlando which featured a cameo from the guy who had a shocked look on his face when the Undertaker’s streak ended, which has been the picture on a million memes. 

Braun Strowman defeated Sami Zayn via referee’s stoppage (3:57) 

Strowman jumped Zayn during his ring entrance. The second the bell sounded, Strowman ravaged Zayn with several clotheslines. Fans started chanting “Please don’t kill him.” Zayn made a comeback but couldn’t knock down Strowman. Referee teased a knockout finish as Strowman poured in crossfaces and more clotheslines. Strowman tied up Zayn to the tree of woe, but before he could do anything, Foley came out and ordered referee Chad Patton to stop the match. 

The makeover of Emma to Emmalina. Still premiering soon. 

Charlotte and Dana Brooke did an in-ring interview. Charlotte gloated about beating up Bayley and said she would be watching that on the WWE Network for years to come. Charlotte proclaimed herself the Wayne Gretzky of the WWE, and said she was actually better than Gretzky. Now that she defeated SmackDown, she doesn’t have to team with the Raw peasants. 

Sasha Banks interrupted her. Charlotte asked how Banks’ back and neck were. Banks told her to shut up and wanted her championship rematch from Hell in a Cell and wanted it then and there. Charlotte said she was on, but not tonight. Charlotte said Raw would take place in Charlotte next week, where she was born. Charlotte said she beat Banks in Banks’ hometown, so now she’ll beat Banks in her hometown. 

Nia Jax came out and said she was here for Banks. Jax said she dominated the SmackDown team last night, but Banks didn’t. Jax said the WWE Universe was fooled by Banks glitz and glamour, but she wasn’t. She called Banks overrated. Banks said once she gets her title back, she would show her who was overrated. Dana Brooke acted like a geek showing up Banks, who slugged her. Jax attacked Banks, ramming her into the corner. Jax held Banks for Charlotte to chop her. Bayley came out for the save, but Jax threw Banks out of the ring before she could get there. Bayley tried to get in the ring, but Jax kneed her off the apron. Banks and Bayley watched from the floor as Charlotte and Jax looked down at them. This led to a tag team match. 

Sasha Banks & Bayley defeated Charlotte and Nia Jax via submission (4:34) 

The fans tried to sing to Bayley like the mob in Scotland two weeks ago, but it didn’t fly by this point in the weekend. After Banks got the hot tag, Bayley and Banks did a double suplex on Jax. Then Banks put the Bank Statement on Charlotte for the tapout.  

Rollins did an interview with Caruso. He said he was glad Jericho was barred from ringside tonight, but he wasn’t barred from using anything to beat Owens for the Universal Championship. He said he was going to redesign, reload and reclaim the championship tonight. 

They showed a highlight package of the Rock and Sock Connection. It was used to highlight Duane Johnson’s latest role as the voice in the animated movie “Moana,” which premiers Wednesday. 

Rich Swann pinned T.J. Perkins in a three-way match that also featured Noam Dar to earn a WWE Cruiserweight Championship match (7:51) 

Brian Kendrick was on commentary. T.J. Perkins attempted the Detonation Kick, but Noam Dar caught his leg and put him in the ankle lock. Dar later hit a spin kick on Perkins that landed perfectly. Dar had a cut above his right eye. Perkins clamped on the ankle lock, but Rich Swann broke it up with the Rolling Thunder splash, then pinned Perkins with a spin kick. Swann will get the title shot on the debut of “205 Live” next Tuesday. 

Owens did an interview with Caruso. Owens said he proved he was the best champion in the WWE when he power bombed Styles at the Survivor Series. He said he was never pinned in the Survivor Series, unlike Rollins. He said Rollins not only failed Team Raw, Rollins failed him. Owens said the reward for being on Team Raw would turn out to be a punishment because he would fail in the end. Owens called Caruso “Renee,’ then asked who she was. 

Enzo and Cass did a promo for WWEshop.com leading up to Black Friday.  

WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens defeated Seth Rollins in a No DQ match with Roman Reigns and Chris Jericho (supposedly) barred from ringside to retain the championship (23:06) 

There went to weapons shots right away, with Owens using a DDT on the chair, then slammed the chair on Rollins’ back. Rollins made his comeback with the Slingblade and a tope. Rollins did the Downward Spiral onto the seat of the chair. During a commercial, Owens gave Rollins a back suplex threw the table and gave him a cannonball on the floor. Owens later used the Cannonball while Rollins had a chair draped across his face. Owens tried to power bomb Rollins onto two chairs sitting across from each other, but Rollins backdropped Owens onto the chairs for a near fall. Crowd did the “This is Awesome” chant. Rollins pulled out another table.

Owens attempted a superplex, but Rollins slipped underneath and gave Owens a running power bomb through the table for a great near fall. Plenty of people brought that as the finish. They fought out to the floor where Rollins jumped off a barricade for a flying knee. Owens went to the very back of the building, where Rollins threw him into equipment cases, then threw one of the cases onto Owens. Owens tried to power bomb Rollins onto the floor, but Rollins caught himself on a guardrail, and launched himself off the guardrail with a crossbody onto Owens, who didn’t make a very good catch. Looked like about a 5-6 foot jump, and Rollins appeared to hit his head against one of the cases.

Rollins was about to jump off the dasherboards when a masked man tripped Rollins from behind. The masked man was unveiled as Jericho, who was supposed to be barred from ringside. Cory Graves tried to explain it by saying Jericho wasn’t at ringside, he was in the “WWE Universe.”  The referee was right there watching, but nothing was done to Jericho.Then Jericho jumped off the dasherboards at Rollins, who kicked Jericho and gave him a Pedigree on the floor. Owens seized the opportunity and gave Rollins and power bomb onto the apron and pinned Rollins.