Randy Orton comes down to talk about AJ Styles, who says that his RKO was truly phenomenal and will lead to him winning the Rumble. Drew comes down to complete the promo parade and leads to a triple threat. Drew is somehow a babyface despite his character still really not being changed at all on-air. Big headbutt to Orton and then Styles leads to Orton avoiding a claymore with a dropkick. RKO to AJ leads to a claymore to Orton and Drew steals the pin on AJ because of course he does. Drew does some squatting hyped up pose to build to the ref raising his hand, which I guess is face-like. Tonight’s Fist Fight main event is hyped up. Seth hypes up AOP for it tonight.
Ricochet comes out to silence because the booking for him has been so great. Recoil and the 630 beat Mojo Rawley, who needs to go back to staring in mirrors. Street Profits cut a promo and hype Charlotte’s music before she faces a revamped Sarah Logan. She’s basically now dressed like she’s an outdoorsman and battle paint. It does her no favors as she taps to the figure eight quickly. Show talks to Joe and KO, complete with tons of arm tats about their fists. Heyman comes out with Brock and trolls the fans by teasing Brock would leave and then says all of his spoilers come true. He says that Brock’s new streak is the greatest of all-time and yes, there was another streak – but Brock ended it at WrestleMania 30. Well, if they want to give Taker one last title run – having him beat Brock in the Rumble and then beating him in his last match at Mania for the belt wouldn’t be the worst way to do it. They could have the Rumble be for the belt and take it off of him at Crown Jewel in February or just have him lose it at a post-WM show.
R-Truth interrupts Heyman and says it’s time to set it off. He says that his childhood hero John Cena taught him to never give up. Now, the 24/7 7/11 i/95 South European TV Champion is IN THE RUMBLE! Truth says that it’s not the size of the dog, but the size of the fight in the dog. Brock’s a BIG man, but he will fly over the top rope, PAUL HEYMAN! Brock’s getting paid big money to laugh at Truth. Truth says that the 24/7 Champion has now undeclared himself from the match – he lost his train of thought because Paul talks a lot. Truth has a single question for Brock – What’s Up!? This is the best segment on Raw in ages. Brock hits a lariat and an F5. Brock picks up the 24/7 Title and throws it on Truth and then says that’s wassup.
Mojo runs down and pins Truth to become 24/7 Champion. Lashley and Lana arrive with her looking like she came from 1987. Rusev and Lashley have a fun big guy war before Liv comes out and confronts Lana. Lana tosses her into the barricade and Lashley spears Rusev to win. Lana says that no one can humiliate her and Lana wants a mixed match against Rusev and Liv next week. Viking Raiders destroy the Singh Brothers, who are a pushed featured act on 205 Live. And to think no one on that show is over.
Becky Lynch comes out in a yellow shirt trying to evoke Kill Bill but resembling a Star Trek crew member with her black pants. Asuka is also down for the contract signing with Kairi by her side. The contract is signed and Becky eats the mist. Andrade and Zelina cut a cocky promo about Rey with Rey saying he’s going to take back the title next week in a ladder match and do it…by taking it from Andrade. Okay, well that’s a fact being restated. Murphy-Black rivalry is recapped. They have another really good, stiff battle.
Murphy is coming off like more of a star with this series, although he desperately needs to win one of these to actually help get over. Well tonight wasn’t his night as he falls to yet another series of Black Mass kicks – with the death knell being a kneeling one. Charly meets with Murphy on the ground and he asks her to please not ask now. This is a small character-building moment for him. Rowan kills a jobber before AOP and Seth jump Show before the bell.
Seth eats a chokeslam and goes to KO Seth before Murphy ballshots Big Show. He and Seth toss Show through a table. Murphy stares both men down before Joe and AOP brawl near the announcers. AOP Shield-bomb Big Show off the top. Joe and KO are out by the announce table and Show is the only survivor – until a stomp renders him unable to continue as well. Seth welcomes Murphy into the group – so now after tons of losses, he’s got his work cut out for him in the main event mix. This does have the potential to really shoot him to the top though and hopefully they throw Ricochet into this too so he can get back out of purgatory. This wasn’t a wall-to-wall amazing show, but it was a great one towards building the future for the show in 2020.
