Almost Live, Definitely Half Assed Review of WWE Raw – 30 Dec. ’19

Connecticut Science Center in Hartford CT. Designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates.

Last review of the calendar year. Ready to record a podcast in the afternoon tomorrow to close the year out strong on Stunt Granny. Kevin Owens comes out and airs his grievances by video package. Owens is upset about the treatment Rey Mysterio in particular. I’m all fine with the “Live Event” title change but how about not just doing it at Madison Square Garden? Thanks. Seth Rollins comes out and blames KO for the situation they all find themselves in. Rollins warns KO of the repercussions of going against him and AOP. Owens tries to get the jump on them but fails. Samoa Joe makes the save. Joe takes out AOP. He slaps the Coquina Clutch on Rollins which allows AOP to recover. A big brawl ensues with no one getting the upper hand. Security tried and failed several times to separate them.

Samoa Joe & Kevin Owens are chatting back stage. Joe finds himself in this situation because of Rollins actions. He will stand by Owens side. Security comes in and escorts them out of the building. They talk about starting on a plan for next week.

Aleister Black comes out for a re-match with Buddy Murphy. They jockey a lot early in the match while the announcers talk about how evenly matched they are. An up kick by Black while Murphy is on the top rope is the first big move of the match. Black gets flipped onto the ring post face first. Black starts his come back as they return from commercial. Murphy kicks off Black to the outside. Black high kicks Murphy from the outside. Murphy dodges a charge. Murphy tries to pin Black using the ropes. The ref catches him. Murphy nails a flip dive. Meteora from the top rope by Murphy hurts his knee. It causes a slow pin and kick out. Murphy power bobms Black for a near fall. Murphy gets cocky and imitates Black. Aleister takes advantage. Black with a Brain Buster for a near fall. They each counter their finishers. Blackmas on the come back. Black picks up Murphy again for a second Blackmas for the emphatic win. That was a hell of a match. I didn’t see it on the PPV so I’m glad they had it again.

Seth Rollins head is hurting since AOP is arguing. Rollins is fine with being kicked out. He thinks Raw will be cancelled if he leaves.

Erick Rowan wonders where his invitation to Lana and Bobby Lashley’s wedding is. Lana doesn’t answer. Rowan says “They don’t care” and leaves. He’s taking on local talent again. He’s the first one not to go for the cage recently. He still gets his ass handed to him. Iron Claw Slam for the win.

Lana is still getting ready for the wedding. This segment seems out of place in this day and time.

Charlotte Flair has a microphone. She’s the first entrant into any Royal Rumble match. She lists all of her accolades, again. She makes an open challenge. Natalya answers the call. This match has been done so many times, R Truth needed to come down with the 24/7 Championship to spice it up. It’s always a good match though. Natalya fights the Figure 8 for longer than anyone in my memory. Flair still gets the tap out win. Charlotte Flair will have a Royal Rumble win and it wouldn’t be shocking if it happens this year.

Becky Lynch takes on Asuka at the Royal Rumble. She said she was using her contract negotiations to help her get this match. Lynch needs that match against Asuka since she lost it last time.

We get Bobby Lashley posing in a sleeveless tuxedo.

Liv Morgan is now methodical. She’s ready to strike now. Except it won’t happen until next week.

The OC comes out. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows want their rightful shot at the Viking Raiders since they’ve beaten them twice. The Street Profits come out to hype Anderson & Gallows. They also remind everyone that they beat Gallows & Anderson during their Raw debut. AJ Styles calls their win lucky. They rightfully make fun of them for being named after a teen soap opera that I happen to like. Gallows & Anderson challenge them. The Street Profits accept.

Montez Ford shows off his athleticism early working over Anderson. Angelo Dawkins has his leg pulled by Styles. The ref tosses him from ring side. Ford gets to take the beating for the Profits. Dawkins comes in and cleans house. Anderson kicks out after a Bulldog. Anderson gets a near fall from a brain buster. Ford runs interference on a Magic Killer attempt. He takes out Gallows. Dawkins flattens Anderson in the ring. He tags in Ford. Frog Splash for the win.

The Street Profits are jacked back stage. Dawkins talks about the multiverse. It doesn’t go well. He either forgot his lines or Ford reacted poorly. Ford gets them back on track saying they’re gunning for the tag team titles in 2020.

Drew McIntyre gets to beat Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder. Okay, if he keeps up with the sexy thing, I’m on board. It gives him something funny. He asks the crowd whether he should be worried or they should be. Even the crowd is worried for Ryder & Hawkins. He gets after them before the bell. After it rings, he toss suplexes Hawkins across the ring. Claymore to Hawkins. Ryder comes back in the ring only to get a Future Shock DDT. McIntyre wins.

Randy Orton comes to the ring on crutches. Jerry Lawler acts like he’s going to retire. The multiple teases during the show leaned that way. I’m not buying it. He invokes Edge’s name when talking about the injury. Orton then says he really screwed up his knee and might not be back. AJ Styles interrupts him. He’s mad that he has to wait until Wrestlemania to fight him. Styles taunts him about striking. Styles says that he wasn’t struck before Orton was felled. Styles sticks out his chin to be RKOed. Styles threatens to retire him at WM. Styles kicks out a crutch as he leaves the ring. Orton calls Styles back in. Orton then RKOs him. The knee is just fine.

Rey Mysterio congratulates Andrade on the win but looks forward to a rematch. Rey promises to finish the business with Rollins & AOP.

Andrade & Zelina Vega have squashed their beef. Andrade also gets to squash his first opponent as United States Champion. Vega pulls the padding off the ring side area for another Hammerlock DDT on the outside. Ricochet makes the save.

Ricochet & Andrade have their own match after a break. They keep the match in the ring. Vega pulls up the mats on the outside again. Ricochet connects on a flip and twist dive. Andrade directs the action to the outside again, this toward the concrete. Ricochet ends up getting back dropped onto the concrete. A Step Up Enziguri changes the momentum to Ricochet. He gets two from a Standing Shooting Star Press. Andrade connects with the Spinning Back Elbow. Ricochet turns the Hammerlock DDT into a Small Package. Twisting Suplex plants Andrade. Vega pushes Ricochet off the top rope as the ref looks away. Hammerlock DDT for the win.

The Lana and Lashley wedding is painfully long. It leads to the reveal of Lana’s first husband who was before Rusev. Then Bobby Lashley has his first wife some out to object. Liv Morgan comes out to express her love…to…to…Lana of course. It was drug out too long for it to be Lashley. Lana rejects her. They end up fighting. So I’m supposed to be worried about the new calculating Liv Morgan and she can’t beat up Lana. Alrighty then. Rusev ends up popping out of the cake to attack Lashley. Morgan finally gets the upper hand on Lana. We end up with another wrecked wedding. The set up took too long, but it was still a solid segment.

Kevin DiFrango

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