The January 14th, 2018 edition of WWE RAW took place at the Fedex Forum in Memphis, TN.
– This week’s broadcast opens up with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon pulling up to the building in a limo. Vince instructs his driver to polish off a scratch from the side of the limo, then he struts into the building.
– Braun Strowman comes out to the ring to kick off RAW. Braun cuts a promo on Brock Lesnar until Baron Corbin comes out to interrupt. Strowman tells him he’s heard enough, and he leads the crowd in a “you got fired” chant. Baron continues talking until Strowman hops out of the ring and chases Corbin back through the curtain. The camera cuts to the back and we see Strowman looking for Corbin. Strowman gets into a confrontation with the Singh Brothers before storming off to continue looking for Corbin. Elias is playing his guitar and sings next to where Strowman is searching. Elias sings that Corbin is hiding in the limo in the parking area. Strowman runs over and trashes the limo until Corbin gets out. Vince McMahon walks over and sees Strowman trashing his limo. Vince doesn’t look pleased, and we go to commercial.
– Back from the break, Braun is trying to re-attach the limo door he ripped off, as Vince looks unimpressed. Vince says Braun thinks he’s some kind of woolly mammoth or human wrecking ball. Vince strips Braun of his Universal Title shot as punishment, and walks off. Braun is not pleased, and he flips over the limo and storms off.
– We see Braun being escorted out of the arena by security with his bags. Corbin is watching and laughing to himself.
– Sasha Banks & Ronda Rousey vs. Nia Jax & Tamina: It’s all Sasha in the opening moments of this one as she takes the fight to Nia. Sasha hits a hurricanrana and then applies a sleeper to Nia. Nia throws her off, then tags in Tamina. Ronda comes in and looks for an armbar on Tamina. Tamina reaches the bottom rope, and Nia helps pull Tamina out to ringside for a breather. Back in the ring, Tamina and Nia double team Sasha in the ring. Tamina works over Sasha until she misses a shot in the corner and Sasha drops her. Sasha applies the Banks Statement and Tamina taps out.
Winners: Sasha Banks and Ronda Rousey
– After the match, Sasha and Ronda do an in-ring interview. Sasha ends up getting in Ronda’s face, saying she’s not the only one who can tap people out in WWE. Ronda tells Sasha to show and prove, and calls her a loser, which Sasha takes offense to. Sasha leaves the ring and Ronda follows. They briefly argue before Sasha storms off.
– We see a number of WWE wrestlers outside Vince McMahon’s office door, and they all want to take Strowman’s place in the Universal Title match. We see Jerry Lawler walk out, which gets a pop from the crowd.
– Bayley and Natalya are talking backstage, when The Riott Squad comes over and talks trash to them. Ruby Riott tells them to find a partner tonight and face them in a six-woman tag.
– The Revival vs. Kalisto & Gran Metalik: Wilder and Kalisto trade shots in the opening moments until Gran Metalik tags in for the double team. Kalisto tags back in for another double team, but then Dawson is able to get the tag and he drops Kalisto. During the match, we go backstage to Dasha Fuentes in front of Vince McMahon’s office door, and she interviews Apollo Crews and Curt Hawkins. EC3 walks over, and so does The B Team. Slater and Rhyno walk over too, and Slater says he doesn’t want to face Lesnar but Rhyno might. Back in the ring, Metalik gets the tag and cleans house. Metalik looks for a sunset flip pin on Dawson, but he kicks out. Dawson comes back with a DDT on Metalik for three count. Metalik had his foot on the rope, but Wilder knocked it off and the ref didn’t see.
Winners: The Revival
– Backstage, Dasha Fuentes interviews Vince McMahon outside his office door. Vince says he’s going go out to the ring and talk there instead.
– Vince McMahon comes out to the ring and gets on the mic. Before Vince can start speaking, John Cena’s music hits, and Cena hits the ring. Cena gets on the mic and points out that Vince just lost his Universal Title match for Royal Rumble. Cena points out that when Austin walked away from Vince, and Lesnar walked away from Vince, that Vince didn’t know what to do. But Cena was here and he reached up and grabbed the brass ring. Cena says he wants to go after Lesnar and become the 17-time Champion. Cena says he’s still got ruthless aggression, and then Drew McIntyre comes out to interrupt. Drew steps in the ring and talks trash to Cena. Drew gets in Vince’s face and says Drew is what ruthless aggression really looks like. Baron Corbin comes out to interrupt next, and he points out that Strowman threatened his life earlier and he could call his lawyer. Corbin tells Vince that what’s best for business is if he gets a Universal Title match against Brock. Finn Balor comes out to the ring next to interrupt, and points out that he’s the only one in the ring right now that’s ever been Universal Champion. Vince says maybe Balor will one day be Universal Title again. Vince says while Balor is fast, he doesn’t think Balor can compete with the bigger wrestlers and “all this beef” in the ring right now. Balor says Vince never believed in him, but the fans do, so Balor wants to show Vince instead of telling him. Balor starts punching Corbin, but then Drew boots Balor in the face from the side. Vince walks out to the apron, as Drew starts cleaning house. Drew drops everyone as Vince watches from the apron. Vince says they’ll have a four-way match later tonight to decide who faces Lesnar for the Universal Title.
– Jinder Mahal approaches Vince McMahon backstage and pleads his case for a Universal Title shot. Jinder points out that he was tending to Sunil Singh, who was attacked by Strowman, so he couldn’t come out to the ring earlier. Vince tells Jinder to choose one person who was out in the ring, and tonight he will face them for a spot in the Fatal Four Way match tonight. Mahal picks Finn Balor, and now Mahal and Balor will fight for the spot in the Royal Rumble.
– Natalya, Bayley & Nikki Cross vs. The Riott Squad: Nikki Cross enters last for her main roster debut. Nikki and Sarah start off. All six women end up brawling out to ringside, and Nikki ties up Ruby in the apron and pummels on her. Back in the ring, Sarah and Bayley go at it now, and Logan gets the upper hand until Natalya tags in and drops her. Liv Morgan comes in, but Nikki and Natalya end up double teaming her. Nikki hits a neckbreaker on Morgan, then Bayley tags in and hits the flying elbow off the turnbuckle for the three count.
Winners: Nikki Cross, Natalya and Bayley
– Finn Balor is shown walking backstage getting ready for his match. He walks past Lacey Evans on his way to the gorilla position.
– We see a pre-taped promo from Dean Ambrose, saying he’s always right, and it’s wrong for him to have to defend his IC Title against two opponents.
– Finn Balor vs. Jinder Mahal: Before the match, Sunil Singh pulls Finn off the turnbuckle while he’s making his entrance. Jinder beats down Balor at ringside before the match, then he gets in the ring. The ref gives Balor time to recover before the calls for the opening bell. Mahal immediately drops Balor for a two count, then he continues the offense on Balor. Balor starts to fight back, but Jinder shuts him down and applies a side headlock. Balor finally fights back and connects with some kicks. Balor looks for the sling blade, but Jinder fights him off. Balor ends up dumping Jinder out to ringside and he hits a suicide dive on him. Back in the ring, Balor hits the sling blade and then the Coup De Grace for the three count.
Winner: Finn Balor
– After the match, we go to a pre-taped promo from Lio Rush, who is talking up Bobby Lashley.
– Seth Rollins does an interview in the back where he talks about making the most of his chances, and tonight he’s going to make the most of his opportunity by kicking Dean Ambrose’s teeth down his throat.
– Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley: This one is a triple threat match with No DQs. This one spills outside early on, but Rollins quickly brings Ambrose back in the ring and hits a flying cross body off the top for a two count. Lashley comes back in the ring now, and he briefly joins forces with Ambrose to double team Rollins. Rollins starts to fight back, but Lashley shuts him down with a big spinebuster. Ambrose dumps Lashley out of the ring, then Rollins takes out Ambrose. Lio Rush gets involved and distracts Rollins. Meanwhile at ringside, Lashley slams Ambrose on the floor and Ambrose is hurt. Back in the ring, Lashley works over Rollins on the mat now. Ambrose comes in and briefly double teams Lashley with Rollins. They both stomp on Lashley and pummel on him. They clothesline Lashley to the outside, then they roll out and grab the ring steps and nail Lashley with them. Back in the ring, Ambrose and Rollins trade strikes now, and Rollins hits a Falcon Arrow. Rollins pins, but Lio Rush runs in and breaks it up. Rollins chases Rush around, and Ambrose ends up kicking Rush out of the ring. Lashley looks for a spear on Ambrose, but Rollins takes them both out. Ambrose ends up dumping Rollins outside, then he goes up top. Rollins runs up and grabs Ambrose, but then Lashley runs over and picks up Rollins in the electric chair position. Ambrose goes flying off the top for the Doomsday Device on Rollins. Rollins seems to land on his feet, so he superkicks Lashley and then Ambrose. Lio Rush gets involved and Rollins falls out to ringside. Lashley hits the spear on Ambrose for the three count.
Winner & new Intercontinental Champion: Bobby Lashley
– Bobby and Lio Rush celebrate with the IC Title belt after the match.
– We go backstage where a production assistant is knocking on Alexa Bliss’ locker room door with a coffee for her. She doesn’t answer, so he walks in, and sees Alexa Bliss only half-dressed. Alexa tells him off and instructs him to place the coffee on her table. He puts it down and leaves her locker room. Alexa continues getting dressed as we go back to the commentary table. Renee Young introduces a trailer for the new Glass movie.
– Alexa Bliss comes out to host her “Moment of Bliss” show. First, Alexa unveils the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Title belts. Paul Heyman then comes out and interrupts himself. Heyman takes a seat and begins fielding questions from Bliss. Heyman guarantees that their strategy will allow Brock Lesnar to retain his Universal Title at Royal Rumble no matter who his opponent is. As Heyman is talking about Lesnar’s potential opponents, Otis of Heavy Machinery comes out and interrupts. Tucker comes out and tries to haul Otis off. Tucker and some referees haul off Otis, and that appears to be the end of the segment.
– Finn Balor vs. John Cena vs. Baron Corbin vs. Drew McIntyre: The opening bell sounds and Cena and McIntyre spill outside, as Corbin hits a chokeslam on Balor back in the ring. Drew takes out Corbin and Cena, then Balor comes in and goes to work on Drew. Drew ends up dumping Balor outside, then he slams Cena down. Drew taunts Cena and wastes some time, then Cena fights back with a shoulder block and a back suplex on Drew. Cena hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle on Drew, then he hits the AA on Drew, but Corbin breaks up the pin. Corbin starts cleaning house and fighting with Drew in the corner. Corbin hits the End of Days on Balor, but Drew breaks up the pin. McIntyre and Balor now take turns beating on Cena and Balor. Cena and Balor fight back and dump them outside, then Balor and Cena fight on the turnbuckle. Cena hits an AA on Balor off the middle rope, then Corbin runs in and throws Cena out to ringside. Corbin pins Balor for a two count. Corbin rolls out to ringside and beats on Cena with a steel chair now, then he nails Drew with it too. Corbin takes the steel chair in the ring and beats on Balor with it now. Cena comes in and hit the AA on Corbin and throws him outside. Drew drops Cena, then Balor then hits the Sling Blade on Drew. Balor goes up top and hits the Coup De Grace for the three count.
Winner: Finn Balor
– After the match, Cena gets on the mic and tells Balor that the people believe in him, and now Cena believes in him too. Cena and Balor celebrate after the match and shake hands as RAW goes off the air.