The Raw Exposé: That's My B**** - Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns' Custody Battle Over The Big Red Kryptonite Belt (3-5-2018)

By: Keila Cash

Date: 3-5-2018

Location: BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Let’s Get Physical: Welcome to the Ass Whooping Soup De Jour Starring Ronda Rousey and Stephanie McMahon

Tonight’s Blog is Brought To You by the Little B: Bitching Is Fundamental.

·        After weeks of speculation, Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey will face off against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a Mixed Tag Team Match at WrestleMania. Raw kicked off with Angle calling out Triple H for sucker punching him at the end of last week’s show. McMahon came out to talk Angle down by using the family card in order to play on his sympathies.

·        Stephanie claimed that Angle’s decorated career wasn’t paying the bills and needed to keep his job as General Manager in order to pay alimony to his first wife. The crowd booed at her dig as Rousey made her way down to the ring.

·        Ronda stood up for Kurt while calling her new bosses a couple of schoolyard bullies. Stephanie denied the allegation by reminding Ronda that her dream of wrestling at Mania is about to come true. She could pick any opponent as long as they were on the active roster and not a current champion.

·        Ronda picked Stephanie as the crowd started up a loud “Yes!” chant. Triple H’s music hit as he claimed that the match couldn’t happen because Steph was an executive. Angle noted that she had two contracts that laid her out her duties as Commissioner and WWE Superstar. Therefore, the match was on for WM.

·        Hunter had similar language in his contracts which meant that his dance card was open for WM as well. Kurt volunteered to team up with Ronda to take on HHH and Steph as the crowd roared in approval.

·        Steph tried to slap Kurt, but Ronda grabbed her arm and was about to break it in half until Hunter intervened.

·        Steph and Hunter were about to leave the ring, but HHH changed his mind and went after Angle. Stephanie attacked Ronda from behind, but she ran for the hills when Ronda got up.

·        HHH tried to Pedigree Kurt, but Kurt put him in the ankle lock instead. Hunter was flopping in the ring like a fish until Stephanie pulled him out of the ring.

·        WWE officials checked on Triple H which allowed Ronda to grab Stephanie by the hair and yank her back in the ring. Ronda laid out Steph with the Samoan Drop as the opening segment came to an end with Angle and Rousey standing tall on the main stage while Triple H and Stephanie were trying to gather their bearings in the ring.

·        This was a hot way to start the show. Ronda Rousey was very over with the crowd as they loved everything she said and did. This was her smoothest performance so far as she embraced the role of being a badass with a heart of gold.

·        Kurt Angle reclaiming his manhood is the cherry on top as he finally stood to Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. It was a long time coming which should lead to some interesting television over the next few weeks because he’s no longer afraid to speak his mind. Most importantly, Stephanie was put on her ass on a show not called WrestleMania for the first time in YEARS! It’s a miracle!

·        Asuka defeated Nia Jax when she made Jax tap out to the armbar in a solid match. Jax dominated the action for the most part, but Asuka managed to wear her down by putting her in the armbar before transitioning to the Triangle Choke. Jax tried to break the hold by power slamming Asuka to the mat, but Asuka held on for dear life. Jax tried a second time, but it was to no avail as well.

·        She tried to break the hold by slamming Asuka against the turnbuckle, but the Empress of Tomorrow wouldn’t let go which led to the tap out finish moments later.

·        Backstage, Alexa Bliss and Mickie James shared a pensive glance as they realized that Asuka was coming for Bliss’ Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. Or is she? Hmm…

·        Sheamus and Cesaro defeated The Revival when Cesaro pinned Scott Dawson with the Neutralizer in a solid match. The crowd heat was tepid because both teams were heels which watered down the bout from an emotional standpoint. The Revival losing the match means that they will not face The Bar for the Raw Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania next month. That sucks, but I am guessing that WWE has a bigger tag team match in mind for Sheamus and Cesaro.

·        John Cena came out to cut a promo he knew wouldn’t be able to say on SmackDown Live because Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and AJ Styles would interrupt him. Therefore, Cena asked Kurt Angle to give him the platform to speak his mind because this would probably be the last time fans would see him on Raw after he breaks Ric Flair’s record by becoming a 17-time World Champion at Fastlane.

·        Cena noted that Styles might feel like his WrestleMania hopes and dreams will be dashed when he loses the WWE Title on Sunday. However, The Phenomenal One can still have his Mania moment by invoking his rematch clause and making the WWE Title match a Triple Threat featuring Cena, Styles, and Nakamura.

·        In a strange twist, Goldust made his way down to the ring to spout some Hollywood cinema mumbo jumbo that dragged on forever before vowing to ruin Cena’s path to WrestleMania. Before Cena could respond, Goldust sucker punched him which led to a match which took place after the commercial break.

·        John Cena defeated Goldust with the AA in a serviceable match. Goldust dominated the action for the most despite the outcome being evitable.

·        The premise of the match was stupid and the fans didn’t care until the finish. Goldust usually cuts good promos, but the material he was given was weak and made no sense. There was no gravitas to what he was saying which made the segment and subsequent bout a waste of time which shouldn’t be the case heading into the heart of WrestleMania season.

·        Bayley defeated Mandy Rose with the Gator Roll in a decent match, but she didn’t get a chance to celebrate the win when Rose and Sonya Deville attacked her in the ring. Sasha Banks made the save, but it wasn’t enough to patch things up between the two besties. When Bayley turns down a HUG, hell has officially frozen over.

·        Alexa Bliss channeling her inner Oprah backfired when she tried to give a pep talk to Nia Jax. I will give Jax credit for being able to cry on command. It’s not an easy thing to do unless your name is The Big Show.

·        Braun Strowman defeated Elias when he dropped a piano on top of The Drifter for the win. This was hopefully the first and last Symphony of Destruction match because it was pretty uneventful until Strowman smashed the upright bass over Elias’ back which was a nice callback to what happened a few weeks ago when Strowman channeled his inner Yo-Yo Ma.

·        Outside of that, this was your usual run-of-the-mill garbage match with a lot of smoke and mirrors to protect both men. It wasn’t bad, but it left a lot to be desired in terms of execution.

·        Bray Wyatt defeated Rhyno with Sister Abigail in quick and decisive fashion.

·        The Hardy Compound! The Ultimate Deletion! It’s the only way to redeem the shit fest that is the Matt Hardy-Bray Wyatt feud. Will there be cameos from Seňor Benjamin, Queen Rebecca, King Maxel, Brother Nero, and Vanguard 1? Most importantly, will Jeremey Borash have a hand in the production because he was an integral part of House Hardy over the past couple of years? If WWE keeps their involvement to a minimum, this could be great.

·        The 3^rd annual Mizzie Awards took place as The Miz handed out trophies to Seth Rollins and Finn Bàlor for patting themselves on the back while Kurt Angle won the award for Worst Decision Maker. The segment was dragging until Rollins and Bàlor interrupted the proceedings. Miz shaded both men for the inadequacies when it comes to winning big matches as of late. Balor received the brunt of Miz’s tirade as the Intercontinental Champion called him out for not being over and using the Too Sweet hand gesture that doesn’t belong to him.

·        Miz challenged Rollins and Bàlor to face him and The Miztourage in a 2-on-3 Handicap Match which took place after the commercial break.

·        Seth Rollins and Finn Bàlor defeated The Miz and The Miztourage when Rollins nailed Miz with the Curbstomp for the win. Rollins and Bàlor had a friendly game of one-upmanship as they traded aggressive tags down the stretch which set up the aforementioned finish.

·        Kurt Angle appeared on the main stage and announced that Miz will defend the IC Title against Rollins and Bàlor in a Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania. Miz is the annoying pest stuck in the middle of a much more compelling rivalry between Rollins and Bàlor heading into Mania. He’s the dreaded third wheel in his own championship match. What a shame…

·        Paul Heyman closed the show by cutting an excellent promo about why Brock Lesnar isn’t like everyone else. Heyman mentioned that Roman Reigns became the second man to defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania last year. No one complained that was the only time Undertaker wrestled in 2017. No one called Taker a sellout or a bitch for having such an easy work schedule. If anyone said otherwise, it would be a bunch of bullshit.

·        Heyman wanted Reigns to understand that The Universal Title was Lesnar’s bitch. She would stay on his shoulder until someone put The Beast down for good. He couldn’t be a shell of himself when it happened. Lesnar had to go down swinging on his own two feet in order for anyone to claim what was his.

·        Reigns needed to know that the title is something that goes beyond family. It will consume his very essence because he needs the belt in order to survive. The man and the championship are connected as if they are one. It symbolizes greatness. It means that you are the best in the world. You are untouchable. Unstoppable. Simply put, winning the richest prize in professional wrestling makes you better than everyone else.

·        If Reigns is willing to sell his soul in order to get the job done, Heyman was more than willing to bring Lesnar to Detroit next week so The Big Dog could shoot on The Beast.

·        Reigns made his way down to the ring and called Lesnar a bitch for making Heyman do his dirty work. That wouldn’t be the case next week because Reigns wanted Lesnar dressed for a fight as Raw went off the air with Reigns standing tall in the ring.

·        This was a great way to end the show. Paul Heyman was on fire as he tried to milk the Lesnar-Reigns feud for all its worth. Heyman was at his best as he spoke the truth while sneaking in some colorful language for good measure. Reigns held his own, but he’s not in Heyman’s league when it comes to throwing shade while spitting facts at the same time. Hopefully, Reigns gets to cut loose when he goes face-to-face with Lesnar next week. For real this time…

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was a two-segment show that got the job done in terms of WrestleMania hype while the middle portion of the broadcast was undercooked with so-so matches and a bizarre John Cena-Goldust segment that boggled my mind to no end.

·        Every show is not going to be a home run, but the second and third hour was a chore to get through until the main event segment. Several secondary feuds are starting to take shape which should bolster the quality of the program over the next few weeks.

·        Nia Jax turning babyface thanks to a condescending Alexa Bliss will do Jax a world of good because the fans want to cheer for her. She’s a badass who can get over by using her brute force in order to assert her dominance over the women’s division. As long as Asuka is no longer on the receiving end of the ass whopping, it’s all good.

·        Sasha Banks and Bayley’s friendship is still stuck in purgatory as they continue to give each other the cold shoulder. Who’s turning on who? We shall find out soon enough.

·        Meanwhile, the world premiere of The Ultimate Deletion is upon us. It should be a cinematic masterpiece of epic proportions if Matt Hardy has creative autonomy over his baby. If not, this could be an absolute disaster which might cause The Woken Universe to fall apart at the seams.

·        With these storylines bubbling beneath the surface, the next few weeks of televisions have the potential to be very good if everything goes according to plan. Here’s hoping next week’s show in Detroit is the first of four slam dunks on the Road to WrestleMania. Fingers crossed!

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls! 

The Raw Exposé: WWE Presents - How To Get Away With Attempted Murder Starring Braun Strowman (1-8-2018)

By: Keila Cash

Location: The FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee

Date: 1/8/2017

Sad Refrain: Welcome to the Heartbreak Hotel (Leave the light on for the Georgia Bulldogs L)

Happier Refrain: The Miz is back, baby!

·        Raw kicked off with Roman Reigns putting his feud with Samoa Joe behind him. Reigns was greeted with a mixed reaction that verged on more boos and cheers until Jason Jordan came out to congratulate him.

·        Jordan tried to make it a “we” moment, but Seth Rollins was having none of it as he made his way down to the ring. Rollins admonished his tag team partner for stealing Reigns’ spotlight, but Jordan still wanted to celebrate the win as a team while being oblivious to the fact that he is the dreaded third wheel.

·        Jordan claimed that their championship pedigree automatically made them the most dominant team in WWE. Rollins and Reigns gave him the side eye for making such a delusional statement.

·        Finn Bàlor, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows came out to assert themselves as the most dominant group in WWE as Bàlor touted his ten-year friendship with Gallows and Anderson while taking a dig at Jordan’s daddy issues. Anderson bragged about his crew’s respective resumes which allowed them to do their own thing before joining forces to take on what’s left of The Shield.

·        Gallows called Jordan a nerd which almost led to a brawl until Kurt Angle booked a six-man tag team match featuring Rollins, Reigns, and Jordan vs. The Bàlor Club which will take place later tonight.

·        This was an okay way to start the show. It was rough in spots because the crowd didn’t care about Reigns or Jordan early on. Jordan is trying to maneuver his way into Dean Ambrose’s spot, but Rollins and Reigns are not here for it. It’s an interesting storyline that should make Jordan a hated heel sooner or later, but he’s generating go away heat at the moment. Here’s hoping he can actively get the crowd to hate him for all the right reasons because he has potential to get over as an oblivious heel that overestimates his worth.

·        Sasha Banks and Bayley defeated Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville when Banks made Rose tap out to the Bank Statement. The match was decent as Rose and Deville worked over Banks until Bayley made the save towards the end. This was the babyfaces’ first win over Absolution which should’ve been hammered home by the commentary team, but they dropped the ball. Storyline continuity, be damned!

·        Woken Matt Hardy defeated Curt Hawkins with the Twist of Fate in a quick match. Hawkins losing streak has carried over into 2018. At least he’s consistent…

·        After the match was over, Bray Wyatt appeared in the ring to have a laugh off with Hardy. To say this was weird would be an understatement.

·        The Miz put Roman Reigns on notice when it comes to regaining the Intercontinental Championship. Miz vowed to become the longest reigning IC Champion of all-time in 2018 while etching his name in the history books alongside the likes of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. It’s a ballsy goal, but Rolling Stone Magazine’s Superstar of the Year is willing to go for broke while proving the naysayers wrong at the same time. Good for Miz!

·        Cedric Alexander defeated Enzo Amore via count out, but Enzo retained the Cruiserweight Championship because the title can’t change hands unless the match is contested under no DQ rules. Enzo got busted open with a sick kick by Alexander before getting laid out with a flip dive moments later. Alexander landed on Enzo’s ankle which led to the count out finish. It appeared to be a legit injury, but we shall see if WWE releases a medical update later this week to legitimize or downplay the situation.

·        I had an issue with Alexander smiling after the ring announcer informed the crowd that Enzo was still the Cruiserweight Champion. He didn’t sell frustration or anger. Alexander posed on the top rope like he didn’t have a care in the world. If he doesn’t care about winning the title, why should we? This division continues to circle the drain. It’s sad but true.

·        Kurt Angle booked two huge matches which will take place over the next few weeks. Sheamus and Cesaro will face Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan in a rematch for the Raw Tag Team Championship at the Royal Rumble while Roman Reigns defends his Intercontinental Title against The Miz during Raw’s 25^th Anniversary special on January 22^nd.  

·        In the first shocker of 2018, Titus O’ Neil and Apollo Crews defeated Sheamus and Cesaro when O’Neil pinned Sheamus with a roll-up. It was a solid match as Crews laid out Cesaro with a beautiful moonsault which set up the finish. Titus Worldwide has a much-needed win under their belt for the first time since forever while noted statistician Dana Brooke narrowly avoided a wardrobe malfunction because her twins were on the verge of popping out for the world to see.

·        Paul Heyman talked a big game on Brock Lesnar’s behalf, but Braun Strowman single-handily destroyed Kane and Lesnar without breaking a sweat. Strowman slammed Lesnar against some production equipment backstage while throwing a road case on top of Kane with the greatest of ease.

·        Strowman saved the best for last when he grabbed a grappling hook and yanked down the truss on top of both men as Heyman looked on in horror. It was a great spot to wrap up an insane segment.

·        Samoa Joe defeated Rhyno with the Coquina Clutch in a quick match. This was a nice bounce-back win for Joe after coming up short in his Intercontinental Title match against Roman Reigns last week.

·        In other news, Joe announced that he was entering the men’s Royal Rumble match and promised to eliminate John Cena. I’ve been pining for a feud between Joe and Cena since last year. Here’s hoping WWE pulls the trigger because it has the potential to be great due to their history on the California indie circuit during the early 2000s.

·        Asuka’s match against {Insert Opponent Here} never got underway as Nia Jax attacked her from behind. Jax sent a clear message that she was winning the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble.

·        Bàlor Club defeated Seth Rollins, Jason Jordan, and Roman Reigns when Finn Bàlor pinned Rollins with the Coup De Grace in a good main event match. Jordan made two costly mistakes which cost his team the win. Rollins made the hot tag to Reigns, but the referee never saw it because Jordan distracted him. The ref told Reigns to get back in his corner, but the Big Dog didn’t listen as he took out Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows by nailing the former with a Superman Punch and the latter with a Spear.

·        Jordan tried to make up for his mistake by helping Rollins to his feet, but Bàlor was charging towards them which caused Rollins to push Jordan out of the way as he ate a running dropkick into the turnbuckle. This led Balor’s first meaningful win in months as The Bàlor Club celebrated on the main stage.

·        Reigns confronted Jordan, but they didn’t come to blows as Jordan rolled out of the ring to apologize to Rollins. It appeared that Raw was about to go off the air, but The Miz and his Miztourage ambushed Jordan, Rollins, and Reigns from behind.

·        Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel double teamed Reigns before Miz laid him out with the Skull Crushing Finale.

·        They weren’t finished with Reigns as they dropped him with a Triple Powerbomb to add insult to injury as Raw went off the air with Miz and his minions standing tall in the ring.

·        This was a good way to end the show. Jason Jordan continues to be the dreaded third wheel as Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins scoff at the notion that he is on their level. Rollins’ patience continues to wear thin which plays into Jordan’s slow-burn heel turn. He’s owning the role, but he still needs to make the fans hate him for being a spoiled brat instead of hating him because he’s been saddled with a lame storyline. There’s still time to get it right, but it’s been rough sledding so far.

·        Meanwhile, The Miz and Roman Reigns renew their feud which might hint at a title change because Reigns needs to drop the IC Title before WrestleMania if he’s going to face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship. Miz and Reigns have good in-ring chemistry which should create an electric atmosphere inside the Barclays or Manhattan Center in a couple of weeks as Raw celebrates its 25^th anniversary. To quote Good Ol’ JR, “It should be a slobber knocker!”

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. The in-ring action was so-so until the main event. WWE made the broadcast newsworthy when Braun Strowman destroyed Brock Lesnar and Kane during the College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show. That gave viewers enough time to witness the carnage before switching back over to the game.

·        Outside of that, this was a placeholder show as the company continues to hype Raw 25 which takes place in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, The E has done a good job promoting the Royal Rumble PPV which is a sign that their priorities are in order heading into the first major show of the year. Here’s hoping they can build momentum next week because it’s basically a go-home show leading into another one due to the anniversary tie-in. 

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new edition of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls! 

The Raw Exposé: Paul Heyman vs. The Plural - Welcome To The First Great Feud Of 2018 (1-1-2018)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to the first Raw Exposé of 2018. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. The New Year represents a fresh start for WWE as the Road to WrestleMania makes its first pit stop at the Royal Rumble in a few weeks. It’s a new year that should bring change in the best possible way. Did the E give us a sampling of what’s to come or did they drag along the carcass of 2017 instead? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·        The first Raw of 2018 kicked off with Kurt Angle making a major announcement regarding the men and women’s Royal Rumble matches. The rules for the men’s Rumble match will apply to the women’s as the inaugural bout will feature 30 entrants with each elimination consisting of the women being tossed over the top rope with their feet hitting the floor. Parity is alive and well!

·        Sheamus and Cesaro interrupted Angle mid-promo and blamed him for costing them the Raw Tag Team Championship last week. The Bar accused Angle of favoritism as he gave Jason Jordan a title shot based on his DNA alone. They wanted a rematch tonight, but Angle turned them down.

·        Jason Jordan came out to defend his father by referencing his track record for earning a shot at the Tag Team Titles last week. Cesaro and Jordan got into which resulted in Angle booking them in a singles match which took place after the commercial break.

·        Seth Rollins came out to support Jordan, but he didn’t do it out of the goodness of his heart. Rollins accused Jordan of being self-absorbed which could result in his downfall if he wasn’t careful. Despite winning the Tag Titles last week, there is still tension between Rollins and Jordan which could lead to a heel turn from the latter sooner rather than later.

·        Jason Jordan defeated Cesaro with an Elevated Neckbreaker thanks to an assist from Seth Rollins. Jordan and Cesaro had a good match, but it lacked crowd heat because the fans are not buying Jordan’s goody-two-shoes act. Cesaro targeted Jordan’s left knee and dominated the action from the mat with a series of submission holds. Jordan made a comeback by dropping Cesaro with back-to-back Northern Lights Suplexes for a near fall.

·        Cesaro countered by putting Jordan in the Boston Crab, but Jordan grabbed the bottom rope to break the hold. Sensing that Sheamus was about to take another cheap shot at Jordan behind the referee’s back, Rollins laid him out at ringside which led to the finish moments later.

·        Rollins wanted to celebrate the win with his tag team partner, but Jordan hogged the spotlight for himself instead. WWE is not veering off course when it comes to turning Jordan heel. It’s a slow burn process that feels inevitable based on his shaky partnership with Rollins. He still needs to draw the right kind of heat because the fans should want to see him get his ass kicked instead of chanting “This Is boring” during his matches. Jordan is getting better, but there is still room for improvement when it comes to fleshing out his quasi-heel character.

·        Bray Wyatt defeated Apollo Crews with Sister Abigail in a solid match. Crews got in a surprising amount of offense and almost won the match when Dana Brooke climbed on the ring apron to distract Wyatt. Brooke’s plan backfired when Wyatt scared her off the apron which caused her to fall on top of Titus O’Neil. The distraction allowed Crews to nail Wyatt with an Enzuiguri which stunned the Eater of Worlds. Crews tried to finish him off with the Spin-Out Powerbomb, but Wyatt countered with Sister Abigail for the win.

·        After the match was over, Woken Matt Hardy appeared on the big screen and dropped some whimsical knowledge on Wyatt before laughing manically to end things on a bizarre note. The Great War of 2018 is upon us, ladies and gentlemen.

·        Asuka defeated Alexa Bliss with an armbar in a good match. Asuka dominated in the action early on, but Bliss took control after the commercial break when she targeted Asuka’s midsection. Bliss’ ground game was impressive as Asuka did a great job selling the rib injury.

·        Bliss’ cockiness got the best of her when she slapped Asuka in the face which resulted in the Empress of Tomorrow returning the favor. Asuka nailed Bliss with a serious of stiff kicks and knee strikes before making her tap out for the win.

·        This was one of Asuka’s better matches since coming to the main roster. If both ladies are given more time to clean up the choppiness, they can deliver an even better match down the road. All in all, this was an enjoyable non-title bout.

·        Samoa Joe throwing shade in front of Renee Young when it comes to Dean Ambrose living off her paycheck was awesome. Joe is the best heel in WWE because he gives zero fucks about other people’s feelings. I love it!

·        Braun Strowman defeated Rhyno with a Running Powerslam in a quick match. Heath Slater got involved at the behest of Strowman, but he took both men out with the greatest of ease.

·        After the match was over, Strowman put on a show as he dropped Slater and Rhyno with a series of powerslams that popped the crowd something fierce. This was the best thing on the show by far. Big Hoss FTW!

·        Jason Jordan trying to talk tough to Roman Reigns was hilarious. The best part was Reigns and Seth Rollins giving Jordan the side eye after he left the locker room. My theory of Jordan trying to become an honorary Shield member might come to fruition after all…

·        Roman Reigns retained the Intercontinental Championship when he nailed Samoa Joe with the Spear in a very good match. It was a hard-hitting bout that had the crowd hooked from start to finish.

·        It should be noted that Reigns could lose the IC Title if he was disqualified. He was tempted midway through the match when Joe slammed his head into the steel steps. Reigns wanted to retaliate by throwing the steps on top of Joe, but the referee talked him down. Reigns eventually nailed Joe with a pair of Superman punches for a near fall.

·        Reigns had the match in hand when Joe shoved Reigns into the ref. The official was about to disqualify Reigns, but Joe took advantage of the situation by dropping the Big Dog with an Urnage for a near fall.

·        Joe tried to put Reigns in the Coquina Clutch, but Reigns rolled through and hit Joe with the Spear for the 1-2-3.

·        This was a strong match, but it hurt Joe because his tough talk rang hollow in the end. This would’ve been the perfect time for a title switch unless WWE is holding it off until the Rumble. It should be interesting to see how Joe gets a rematch after losing so decisively tonight.

·        Cedric Alexander and Goldust?!? defeated Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari when Alexander pinned Gulak with the Lumbar Check. I guess the 205 Live weight limit doesn’t apply to Goldust…The match was fine while it lasted.

·        Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Finn Bàlor defeated Elias, Curtis Axel, and Bod Dallas when Bàlor pinned Dallas with the Coup De Grace in a decent match. Seeing The Bàlor Club team up was “too sweet” (pun intended). A part of me wants to see them feud against The Shield, but Dean Ambrose’s injury has put the kibosh on that for now. *sniff*

·        Paul Heyman cut a fiery promo about how WWE likes to stack the deck against Brock Lesnar by booking him in a match against multiple opponents. Back in the day, the challenger would face the champion one-on-one. In 2018, the challengers didn’t have to pin the champ in order to win the Big One.

·        Therefore, the odds would always be in Lesnar’s favor because no can beat him. Heyman was bold enough to say that Lesnar would destroy everyone in the Royal Rumble match which caused Corey Graves to say that such an assumption was a slight exaggeration. Heyman read Braun Strowman and Kane their last rites in Latin before dropping the mic like a boss.

·        Kane came out to confront Lesnar. Both men eyeballed each other until Kane dropped Lesnar with a chokeslam. The Big Red Machine was about to leave the ring when Lesnar sat up and laughed at Kane for not finishing the job. Lesnar grabbed the Universal Title and knocked Kane off the ring apron as both men fell to the floor.

·        Kurt Angle called for reinforcements as the locker room cleared out to separate both men. Lesnar got in one more cheap shot as Raw went off the air with The Beast standing tall.

·        This was an anti-climactic way to end the show. The brawl between Lesnar and Kane was fine, but it ended abruptly. Strowman watched the action unfold backstage and kept his word that he would take care of Lesnar on his own time. The Triple Threat Match featuring Strowman, Kane, and Lesnar for the Universal Championship should be a beautiful disaster if it’s booked properly. The Philly fans will either push things over the top or hijack the Rumble PPV because they want to see Finn Bàlor vs. Brock Lesnar instead. We shall see how it all plays out soon enough.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. The first hour was so-so, but the second and third hour featured good wrestling action that kept the crowd awake. The nail-biting conclusion of the Rose Bowl probably drew viewers away from the USA Network early on, but the rest of the broadcast gave diehard fans a reason to tune in once the insanity was over.

·        The build for the Royal Rumble continues with more stars on the men and women’s side throwing their names in the proverbial hat. It should be a star-studded night in Philly if everything goes according to plan.

·        Meanwhile, the Jason Jordan Heel Turn is back on track based on his actions tonight. Jordan tried to elbow his way into The Shield as Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins brushed him off.

·        Jordan turning heel should remain the end game because it helps him generate heat for all the right reasons. Rollins doesn’t trust him while Angle remains the doting father who is blind to his son’s underhanded ways. It’s a good storyline that can go in several directions if the creative team plays their cards right.

·        Besides The Miz’s return, nothing else was advertised on next week’s show in Memphis. The College Football Playoff Championship Game is going to kill WWE in the ratings unless they load up the broadcast. Here’s hoping the social media team generate some buzz online because I have zero incentive to watch the show at the moment because my Georgia Bulldogs are one step away from winning their first national championship since 1980. Go Dawgs! Just saying…

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. Happy New Year, boys and girls!