We get a normal Raw intro to start things off, despite WWE having a graphic ready on Twitter for the start of the show. Sheamus vs. Keith Lee is announced for a WWE Title shot next week, and Orton is in Alexa’s Playground. Drew comes out and does his full, goofy intro before arguing with Sheamus about the brogue kick last week. Sheamus says that they’ve achieved their dreams – with him as a former WWE Champion and Drew as the current one. Keith Lee comes out and he blames Sheamus for the kick and Drew vouched for him – but he can’t trust Sheamus now. Drew does commentary for their match and Keith bullies him for a bit with his size edge and bear chops him down.
Keith goes for a corner charge, but Sheamus avoids it and hits White Noise for 2. The Spirit Bomb hits and Lee wins it to go on and face Drew for the title next week. Good match – but it never quite got out of first gear until the finish. Elias plays while Jaxson Ryker basks in his greatness. Miz comes out to face Gran Metalik, who ACTUALLY WINS and despite being one of the best talents in the world, this is an upset because he may be great – but he’s no king of soft style. The yoshi tonic (barely) wins it as Miz kicks out at 3.1. Omos knocks on Elias’s door and scares them when he comes in with AJ. AJ threatens Elias with a finger snap. Shayna destroys Dana Brooke by destroying her arm and then V triggering her before tapping her to the Kirafuda clutch and the locking it on Mandy post-match.
A recap of Orton burning the Fiend and then bragging about it on Raw airs. Randy doesn’t come out, but cuts a promo from the funhouse and destroys puppets before looking on joyfully at the drawing of him burning down Bray’s shack. Randy challenges the Fiend and wants a fight at the funhouse, and Alexa accepts on the Fiend’s behalf. Charlotte cuts a promo about betting on herself and somehow, her being one-half of the tag champs is all about her. Asuka celebrates new years and says that Nia isn’t ready for Charlotte. Elias faces AJ and gets in a ton of offense. AJ made him look better than he ever has since NXT by giving him a lot, but Elias can’t get it done with a TKO or Drift Away. The Phenomenal Forearm takes out the drifter.
Ricochet faces Ali in both man’s best match on the main roster yet. This is basically worked like a toned-down PWG match. Ali takes a big backdrop before Ricochet goes for a superplex to the floor, but the goons take him out and toss him into the barricade back-first. Ali then hits Cavernareo’s insane splash from the top to the floor – and it looks absolutely gorgeous in the Thunderdome, and had better be replayed a ton because he just took a hell of an impact on his knees doing that. Tree of woe backstabber hits and Ali gets 2. Ricochet is a fantastic babyface in peril here. Ricochet hits a back elbow and sends him down for a backflip into a deadlift German!
The goons get on the apron and Ricochet hits a triangle jumping DDT that was supposed to be on the apron to T-Bar, but instead GOES TO THE FLOOR WITH IT. Slapjack eats a mid-air dropkick before Mase hits the steps and shotgun dropkicks Ali to the post. DDT to Mase on the floor! Ricochet goes for the shooting star, but Ali gets the knees up and the Koji clutch ends it! This was the best match on Raw in ages, and the most athletic main roster match in years. Ali offers him a chance to join once again and honestly, what do you have to lose here? You’re losing every match anyway and he says he won’t join and hits a Recoil before leaving. Nia says she’ll take out Charlotte and says they’ll get the titles back. Nia faces Charlotte, but the figure four leads to Shayna coming in and hitting a Kirafuda clutch before Nia could tap.
The Hurt Business asks a guy to move because he’s in their way and didn’t hear them despite Lashley wearing the loudest suit in 2020. The New Day, Jeff Hardy, and Riddle face them later. Angel fails to win Charly’s heart and we get a recap of Big E’s title win on SD. Riddle wants to name them the Little Bronies and then they turn down the Positively Hard Bros name. We get some nice back and forth action with the Hurt Business dominating for a bit before ONCE AGAIN JEFF TAPS TO THE HURT LOCK. Adam Pearce gives Miz back his MITB case because Morrison cashed in. Randy comes out with Lexi and threatens to burn her alive like he did Bray. She taunts him to burn her after she puts more gasoline around herself, before saying he’s just a little bitch. She pours gas all over her body and he says he’ll take her to the Fiend now. The Fiend’s lighting hits and the show goes dark before it’s revealed if he burned her or not. Okay then.
