Date: 02/06	7:00 PM
Views: 703

On tonight's Raw, Samoa Joe signs his WWE contract with the Raw brand. Also, we'll get an update on the man he injured, Seth Rollins. Also on the card, a tag team title rematch between The Club and Cesaro and Sheamus, and an appearance by Goldberg, who will respond to Brock Lesnar's Wrestlemania challenge, and who is heavily rumoured to be planned for a Universal Title match at Fastlane.

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Raw opens with a recap of how it ended last week, then Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon are in the ring.

Mick: "Hello, welcome to Raw, let me introduce to you the hottest free agent signing on Monday Night Raw. That's how you wanted me to do it, right? Hopefully HHH is happy with this, I'm not, let me introduce Samoa Joe."

Joe comes out in a suit.

Steph: "Joe. Now, allow me to try this one more time, Mick must be feeling a little under the weather or something. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the hottest free agent of the new era, soon to be newest member of the Raw roster, a man who has held titles all over the world, the Samoan Submission Machine, Samoa Joe!"

Mick: "Let's get on with this."

Steph: "Mick, you're not doing this with your usual enthusiasm. Could it be that you're not happy that you weren't the one to bring Samoa Joe into the fold? Or is it that, once again, I had to do your job for you?"

Mick: "I'm a big fan of Samoa Joe, I've fought for him for years, I'm just not happy with the way he's come in, or the people he's associated himself with."

Joe: "Eighteen years! Eighteen years I worked to make it to this company, and for as big a fan as you are, one man! One man fought to get me here! So if loyalty to that one man means coming out here and beating down Seth Rollins, so be it! Matter of fact, I'm putting your entire locker room on notice! I will come out here, I will beat them all down, I will choke them out, and there is nothing! You can do about it."

Joe signs the contract. Roman Reigns hits the ring. "You're out here talking real tough, making a lot of threats, Joe. I figure I'm out here now, why don't you threaten me? Matter of fact, I don't think we've met. My name is Roman Reigns, and I am the baddest man to ever step foot in the WWE. The second you signed this contract, you stepped into my yard. So I'm going to give you two choices. Either shut your mouth, or I'm going to kick it in."

Mick: "Hold on! Joe, you may have loyalty to one man, but I'm still the General Manager, which means I have loyalty to all these people! And I still make the matches! So I'm making a match right now! Samoa Joe, you will go one on one with Roman Reigns tonight!"

Joe smiles and leaves the ring.

Charlotte vs. Bayley is official for the title next week.

Match One: Bayley vs. Nia Jax

Bayley with a boot to the gut, Jax shoves her, Bayley with a forearm, tosses her to the corner, ten-punch, Nia tosses her down, headbutt, sonic ass attack against the second rope, headbutt, Bayley with a pair of elbows, Nia with a body slam, slaps her around, Bayley with a pair of shoves, Nia stalks her to the corner, palm strike, stomps her to the ropes, foot choke, Bayley with a series of punches, bulldog across the top rope, tosses her into the corner a few times, Nia tosses her once, commercial.

Back on air, Nia has Bayley in a million dollar dream, Baley powers out, Nia tosses her to the corner, elbow, tosses her across the ring, avalanche, Bayley with a kick, boot, double-leg boot, avalanche, running high knee, shoulder tackles, elbows, goes for a hip attack, Nia grabs her and hits a goddamn Rainmaker, Bayley rolls to the floor, Nia follows, tosses her into the barricade, charges her against the ring post, Bayley ducks, tosses her into the ring post again, climbs back into the ring, Charlotte runs ti ringside, gets on the apron to break the count, Bayley big boots the rope, Charlotte falls in the ring, Bayley hits a dropkick, Nia hits a Samoan Drop for three.

Winner: Nia Jax

Match Four: Braun Strowman vs. Four Jobbers

They get names, no one cares. Braun tackles blue jobber, the other three beat him down, Braun tosses them all aside, beats them all down, chops other blue jobber, avalanche train to white jobber and green jobber, other blue jobber runs full-tilt away, green jobber eats a standing Falcon Arrow, white jobber tackles him, he doesn't flinch, tosses white jobber into blue jobber, punches the shit out of him, hits a running powerslam to green jobber, pulls the other two onto him and covers for three.

Winner: Braun Strowman

Braun grabs a mic. "Foley, this is what you call competition? I warned you, and now I'm coming to find you!"

Strowman heads backstage as three jobbers lay in the ring.

Strowman is backstage looking for Foley, who confronts him, Braun says he wants everyone. Foley makes Braun vs. Roman for Fastlane.

They show a video package for Akira Tozawa, then a short bit for Black History Month with Aretha Franklin.

Match Three: Akira Tozawa vs. Drew Gulak

Gulak goes for a rear waistlock, reversed, break, lockup, Gulak with a side headlock, Tozawa elbows his way out, whip, Gulak with a shoulder tackle, rollup for one, chop, palm strike, another, Tozawa with a chop, punches, roundhouse kick, splash for two, Gulak with a shove, kick, Tozawa falls to the floor, Gulak follows, rolls him into the ring, cover for two, chinlock, Tozawa elbows his way out, Gulak with a knee, Tozawa with a hurricanrana, knocks Gulak off the apron to the floor, suicide dive, goes up top, leapfrogs, dropkick to the knee, shining wizard for two, roundhouse kicks, misses one, hits one, misses a spin kick, ducks a clothesline, hits a bridging German for three.

Winner: Akira Tozawa

If there was ever a wrestler who could get away with using a German as his finisher, it is that guy. Fucking stellar.

Brian Kendrick walks in, offers a handshake, Tozawa accepts, Kendrick leaves without incident.

JeriKO hit the ring.

Owens: "Last week, I, uh, I stood in this ring and I told everyone that I have been proving people wrong my entire career. And last Monday night, I did it again, because nobody gave me a fighting chance against a monster like Braun Strowman, and yet tonight, I stand in this ring still your WWE Universal Champion."

"You look great, KO, it looks perfect right there. And you know what else is gonna happen tonight? After I successfully defend my United States Title against that muttonhead Sami Zayn, I'm going to continue being the United States Championship and the greatest of all time. But speaking of the greatest of all time, I want to call out someone else who's been calling himself the greatest of all time, someone who won a little game yesterday, by the hair of his chinny chin chin, someone else they've been calling the GOAT. You know what happens when you steal my catchphrase? You know what happens when you call yourself the greatest and you're not Chris Jericho? You know what happens? Tom Brady, you just made the list! Now that I got that stupid idiot out of the way, I've been thinking about Wrestlemania. We all know that Randy Orton will face the WWE Champion, whoever wins the Elimination Chamber this Sunday, that's a huge match for Wrestlemania. But I was thinking of an even bigger one. Best friend against best friend, title for title, Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens in the greatest main event of all time! The greatest Universal Champion of all time vs. the 61-minute man! You wanna see that?"

"You know, Chris, you're right. Best friend against best friend, champion against champion, that is the biggest match in Wrestlemania history! But I don't know if I can fight my best friend. As big as it would be, I don't think I can--"

Goldberg hits the ring. "You got two choices, ladies. You step aside and live, or you see if you can grow a pair, step up to the plate and take me on, two on one, right here, right now! Last week, on Raw, Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar challenged me to one last fight against Brock at none other than Wrestlemania 33. Now I have never been one to ever turn down a fight. So Brock Lesnar, Orlando, Wrestlemania 33, I accept."

Owens: "Wow. Wow, what an announcement! You know what, Bill, I think you accepting Brock's challenge is a great choice, is a great decision. Because I think Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg is going to be a perfect undercard match for KOMania 2. Because you know what? Chris, you're right. This, right here, is the main event. Bill, I have a question for you. Do you know why I am the longest-reigning WWE Universal Champion in history?"

Bill: "Yes, Kevin, I do know why. It's because you've never faced me. And if I'm not mistaken, you've got an open card for Fastlane. So, champ, why don't you step up to the plate? You and me, one on one, for that."

Chris: "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You can't come down here, Bill Goldberg, and interrupt Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens while we're spitting fire. You know what happens, Goldberg? You know what happens to people who make their own matches? You know what happens?"

Goldberg takes the list, the pen, writes his own name, hands it back to Jericho.

Bill: "How about that, WWE Universe? Goldberg just made the list!"

Chris: "Shut up! That's not how it works! Shut up! You don't put your name on the list! I put your name on the list! You know what, Goldberg? You've got a big, fat mouth, and I've never liked you. So if you want a match at Fastlane, you've got a match at Fastlane! Because at Fastlane, it's going to be Goldberg vs. ... Kevin Owens, for the Universal Championship at Fastlane!"

Bill: "Well, Kevin Owens, it looks like you, and your title, are next."

After a commercial, backstage, Kevin Owens yells at Jericho for what he just did. Jericho says he's still got his back, Kevin says that wasn't having his back and walks off.

Match Four: Raw Tag Team Championships: The Club (c) vs. Sheamus and Cesaro

Enzo and Cass are at ringside, they've vowed to challenge the winners.

Anderson and Sheamus start off, Anderson with a side headlock, European uppercuts, side headlock, Sheamus whips his way out, body slam, knee drop for two, Cesaro in, double axe handle to the arm, wrenches the arm, arm breaker, Gallows in, punch to the gut, Cesaro with European uppercuts, whip, reversed, Cesaro with a kick to the face, Sheamus in, double team clothesline for two, European uppercut, trading forearms, Gallows presses Sheamus to the corner, Anderson in, punches, Sheamus with a punch to the gut, Cesaro in, Fireman's Carry Senton into a double foot stomp double team maneuver for two, Cesaro with European uppercuts, uppercut train, Gallows misses a punch, Cesaro swings for him and misses, Anderson with an enziguri in the corner, Gallows with a boot, commercial.

Back on air, Cesaro is punching Anderson, punches for Gallows, punches for Anderson, Anderson catches him with a spinebuster while he's going for Gallows, covers for two, soft boots to the head to piss him off, punch, blocked, Cesaro with a European uppercut, Anderson whips him to the corner, Cesaro with an elbow, Gallows comes in to block the tag, Cesaro tosses him to the floor, Sheamus in, shoulder tackles in opposite corners, repeat three times, crossbody in the corner for two, fireman's carry, blocked, Sheamus clotheslines him to the apron, Ten Beats, hits an eleventh, Cesaro in, body slam/top rope slam combo, Gallows breaks the count for two, Cesaro boots him to the floor, Gallows kicks Enzo, Big Cass boots Gallows for the DQ.

Winners by DQ and STILL Raw Tag Team Champions: The Club

They introduce a Black History Month segment for Jackie Robinson. At least this time they figured out to LET BYRON BE THE GODDAMN ONE TO INTRODUCE IT!

The New Day come to the ring for their match.

Kofi: "The Shining Stars! We see you in there with those pamphlets, coming out here week after week, talking about some kind of resort. But who has actually been there?"

All: "Who? Who? Nobody!"

Woods: "Because it's not real. You see, your boys The New Day give people things that are real, things they want. The people wanted magic, we gave them unicorns! The people wanted to dance, so we gave them Francesca 2 Turbo! They were hungry, they were starving, so we hand-fed them Booty-Os cereal! Booty-Os!"

All: "They make sure you ain't booty."

E: "Real life, actual cereal that you can buy at FYE."

Woods: "What more can we give them? Ice cream? Yes! I scream--"

E: "You scream--"

Kofi: "We all scream--"

All: "For ice cream! Because... New! Day rocks! New! Day rocks!"

Match Five: The New Day vs. The Shining Stars

Match begins during commercial, back on air E body slams Epico, Woods in, wheelbarrow suplexed onto Epico for two, Primo slides in and helps hit a Russian Leg Sweep/dropkick combo, Epico with a chinlock, Woods to his feet, Epico tosses him down and keeps the hold locked in, Woods escapes, sunset flip, blocked, Primo in, stereo dropkicks for two, punch, taunts Big E, another punch, delayed vertical for two, keylock, Woods to his feet, Primo with a dropkick, stomps, running splash, drop toehold across the bottom rope, running boot to the back, toss to the corner, whip, spear in the corner, sets him up top, chop, Woods with punches, headbutt, shoves Primo to the mat, missile dropkick, double tag, E with a belly to belly, another, ducks a clothesline, hits a third belly to belly, running splash, Woods blocks interference from Primo with a boot, DDT through the ropes, Epico with a dropkick, attempts a rollup, E holds the ropes, Woods in, Midnight Hour for three.

Winners: The New Day

They announce that Smackdown's Elimination Chamber event will feature a new chamber.

Fastlane's main event is official: Owens vs. Goldberg for the strap.

Backstage, Charly Caruso asks Jericho about what happened earlier. He vows to beat Zayn, and says that his conflict with Owens is minor. Owens walks in, Jericho explains that he has Owens' best intentions in mind. Owens says he understands, and it's always worked out, and will work out at Fastlane. Then they hug.

They officially announce the Rock and Roll Express for the Hall of Fame! Aren't they a little too current to be in the Hall of Fame? They just wrapped up an appearance in the main event of the greatest show of the year last year, I am speaking, of course, of Total Nonstop Deletion.

Match Six: United States Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Sami Zayn

I mistakenly wrote "Sami Zayn (c)" initially. Could it be a harbinger? Honestly, it's exactly the kind of small-enough-to-happen-but-big-enough-to-build-their-"Anything can happen"-cred thing that really could happen. Owens comes out with Jericho, as promised.

Lockup, Zayn with an arm drag, Jeriho wrenches an arm, Zayn rolls through, arm drag, armbar, trio of arm drags, armbar, rollup for two, Jericho bails, Zayn chases him around the ring, Jericho with a dropkick as they slide back in the ring, chops in the corner, punch, foot choke, Zayn with punches, chop, whip, reversed, Zayn with an elbow, boot from the corner, top rope crossbody for two, chops, whip, reversed, Zayn with a dropkick, Jericho dodges a Helluva Kick, Zayn stops short, hits a suicide dive instead, commercial.

Back on air, Jericho stomps Zayn in the ropes, goes for a leaping attack, Zayn catches him with a clothesline instead, chops, whip, misses a dropkick, Jericho hits a Lionsault for two, Codebreaker, blocked, Zayn hits an Exploder Suplex into the bottom turnbuckle, Helluva Kick reversed into a rollup, transitioned into the Walls, blocked, Zayn with a rollup for two, Blue Thunder Bomb for two, goes up top, leapfrogs, ducks a clothesline, hits a chop, springboard Tornado DDT, reversed into the Walls of Jericho, Sami slowly gets to the ropes, forces a break, Owens hits a superkick, Codebreaker for three.

Winner and STILL US Champion: Chris Jericho

Backstage, Sasha Banks is having her knee iced. Charlotte walks in and says it's crazy how just a while ago they were seen as equals, but now she's in physical therapy while Charlotte is making her legacy. Then she says it must have hurt watching Nia beat down Bayley, and vows next week to put her on the injured reserve list next to her.

Austin Aries is in the ring, introduces Neville for an interview.

Aries: "Neville, first I want to thank you for giving me this exclusive one-on-one injury. Now, as I'm sure you're aware, former Cruiserweight Champion Richard 'Rich' Swann suffered an injury that will take him out of action after he attacked you last week on Monday Night Raw. Now I have some breaking news. On 205 Live, it will be TJ Perkins, Tony Neese, Cedric Alexander, the Scottish Supernova Noam Dar and the gentleman Jack Gallagher competing in a Fatal 5 Way match, and the winner will get a shot at your WWE Cruiserweight Champion (c) at WWE Fastlane. Now, the critics want to know, of those five competitors, which one scares you the most?"

Neville: "You must be delusional if you think that there's anybody in that division that scares me. Now as far as tomorrow is concerned, it's irrelevant. No matter who is the next #1 Contender, they're going to be forced to bend the knee and pay respect to the king."

Alexander hits the ring.

Aries: "Hold on a second, hold on a second. Now, I'm sure you're out here to voice your objection to Neville's claim, but this is supposed to be--"

Dar comes out. "Calm down. Neville, I was just thinking what a good idea it would be if I stole that Cruiserweight Championship, just like I stole Cedric Alexander's girlfriend Alicia Fox."

Aries: "Hold in, this is supposed to be a 1 on 1--"

Gallagher comes out. "Pardon me, sir, I know this is somewhat bad manners, but if there's going to be a king of the Cruiserweights, I think it should be a gentleman."

Aries: "This is supposed to be a one-on-one interview! Oh, and here comes Tony Neese's abs."

After Neese, TJ Perkins comes out. "With all due respect, fellas, unlike all of you, I actually was the Cruiserweight Champion, in fact I was the very first. So unlike all of you, I know what it takes to win the championship, and spoiler: I'm going to do it again. So you, me, and that imaginary crown you wear, we have unfinished business. But really I just came out here to do this."

Perkins attacks Neese, a brawl breaks out, Gallagher and Neville are the last two in the ring, Gallagher beats Neville down, Dar drips him, Perkins hits a suicide dive, Perkins with a suicide dive to everyone, Neville goes for a suicide dive, stops short and opts to pose instead.

Emmalina is advertised for next week. Who knows?

Match Seven: Jack Gallagher, TJ Perkins and Cedric Alexander vs. Tony Neese, Neville and Noam Dar

Match begins during a commercial, when it comes back on Gallagher is beating down Neville, Neville with punches, suplex, stomps, Dar in, punch, another for one, arm breaker, arm wrench suplex for two, Neese in, kick to the arm, body slam for two, crossface punch, another, leg drop, whip to the corner, Gallagher sells hard, Neese with a front facelock, punch to Alexander, boot to Gallagher, Perkins dodges, Gallagher with a headbutt, Neville calls for a tag, Dar takes it instead, drags GAllagher into the middle of the ring, he crawls underneath and tags in Perkins, kicks, running dropkick, running elbow in the corner, punches Neese, springboard, Dar hits a dropkick, goes for a tag, Neville drops off the apron, walks off, Perkins with a rollup for two before Neese breaks the count, yells at Neville, Dar poins him, Perkins tosses Dar to the floor, Detonation Kick to Neese, Alexander in, springboard clothesline, Lumbar Check for three.

Winners: Cedric Alexander, TJ Perkins and Jack Gallagher

Backstage, Jericho proposes The Festival of Friendship from Las Vegas to celebrate his friendship with Kevin Owens. Owens says he can't wait.

They show a video package for John Cena's 16th WWE Championship win, and the Elimination Chamber match.

Main Event: Samoa Joe vs. Roman Reigns

Joe attacks Reigns during his entrance, tosses him into the apron, then into the barricade, clothesline, then into the apron again, knee, knee to the side, punches, rolls into the ring, doesn't wait for Reigns, follows, boot to the gut, tosses Reigns into the ring post, running senton, rolls back into the ring, the ref checks on Roman, commercial.

Back on air, Roman has made it to the ring, and the bell rings.

Joe with a clothesline in the corner, punches to the gut, knee choke, headbutt, punches in the ropes, whip, reversed, Roman tosses Joe to the floor, baseball slide, punches on the floor, toss into the barricade, then rolls him into the ring, boot in the corner, punches, whip, reversed, Joe with a hip check, pele kick, headbutt, chop, another, a third, Reigns with punches, Joe with an elbow, chop, roundhouse kicks, elbow drop for two, crossface punches, headbutt, punches, punches in the ropes, knee lift, toss to the corner, wrenches his neck in the ropes, snap suplex for one, bow and arrow hold, Roman powers out, trading punches, Joe with a knee lift, Reigns with an elbow, punches, slap, whip reversed, Reigns with a leaping clothesline, Samoan Drop, blocked with elbows, Roman tosses him to the corner, clotheslines, running big boot, Samoan Drop, blocked, hits a punch instead, Joe with an inverted atomic drop, boot, running senton for two, waits for Roman to get to his feet in the corner, punches in the corner, face washes with his feet, charges, Reigns hits a Samoan Drop for two, calls for a Superman Punch, Joe bails, Roman hits a Drive-By, rolls Joe into the ring, Superman Punch, calls for a spear, Braun Strowman comes out, Roman with a punch to Strowman, who keeps climbing in the ring, knocked off the ropes by a Superman Punch, Joe with a kick to the back, Uranage for three.

Winner: Samoa Joe

I can't decide if that win was clean enough for me to not have a problem with it.

Strowman floors Reigns with a running powerslam, rolls him to the floor, Roman starts to rally with punches, Strowman clubs him down, picks up the steel steps, tosses them at Roman. He then hits a running powerslam through the barricade and seethes as Raw goes off the air.