After a crazy debut of Monday Night Raw on Netflix earlier in the week, a jam-packed January continues with the WWE's return to cable televsion. Almost five million people tuned in to Monday's premiere on the streaming giant, and USA Network can only hope they can draft in the wake of the renewed interest.
With another three-hour broadcast, there will be plenty of opportunity to continue moving things forward, and the biggest question will be if there's a new chapter of Roman Reigns on the blue brand. Two appearances in one week? Doubtful.
But after Reigns defeated Solo Sikoa on Monday to gain back the Ula Fala, what happens with the two versions of the Bloodline?
Sikoa vowed he would acknowledge Reigns if he lost, will that happen on Friday? If so, what happens to the rest of Sikoa's clan, namely Jacob "I LOVE YOU, SOLO!" Fatu? If they fall in line, what about Jimmy and Jey Uso, along with Sami "Uso" Zayn?
Universal champion Cody Rhodes is engaged in a feud of his own that spilled over to Raw on Monday, with Kevin Owens attacking Reigns during his Tribal Chief match and Rhodes intervening. It's several weeks between Rhodes and Owens squaring off at Royal Rumble and plenty of time for shenanigans.
And things aren't any calmer on the women's side. With Tiffany Stratton finally cashing in her Money in the Bank contract last week and wrestling the title away from former faction head Nia Jax, there's a long line of challengers who want to get their hands on the new Women's champion. That includes Jax and Candace LaRae, alongside Naomi, Bianca Belair and potentially returning stars like Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.
A return match for the US Championship, more drama in the tag-team ranks and it's promising to be a great episode.
Date: Friday, January 10, 2024
Time: 8 pm ET
Location: Moda Center, Portland, OR
Broadcast: USA Network
Match Results
Triple H is still trying it, playing the infamous Hulk Hogan tagline with fake crowd noise drowning out the actual boos he received during Monday Night Raw's debut on Netfix.
Paul Heyman - Cody Rhodes Promo
Heyman enters the ring first, celebrating Roman Reigns big Tribal Combat victory over Solo Sikoa on Raw on Monday. He says he's going to lay out the plans for exactly what Reigns is going to do now that he's the undisputed tribal chief, and Heyman needs to share that information with the undisputed champion, Rhodes.
Heyman tells Rhodes he deserves the ovation, and that he's earned the respect of Reigns. But Reigns, now that he has the Ula Fala back, he wants the Universal title. And because he has such respect for Rhodes, he's going to join Royal Rumble in order to win the automatic title shot at Wrestlemania. As Rhodes prepares to respond to Heyman's ask, "What do you want to talk about," Kevin Owens appears to clown Rhodes for falling for Reigns, The Rock and all the drama over and over again.
While Owens is berating him, Rhodes has had enough and races into the crowd to fight with Owens, while Heyman turns his attention to watch them fight up the stairs with glee. What Heyman didn't notice is Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga entering the ring to attack him. Who comes to hiws aid? Jimmy Uso, who clears the ring before grabbing the chair and attacking them. But the hit to Fatu only incenses him. They set up Uso's head through the chair, but before the devastating blow could be delivered, Rhodes returns to the rin to Uso's aid.
After the break, LA Knight comes backstage to help kick Fatu out the arena.
US Women's Championship: Chelsea Green (c) vs Michin
Green, a well-known Canadian, continues to lean into her comedic presidential coronation as the first ever women's US champ, sporting her latest variation of US flag color gear. Michin gets her shot at a rematch after losing the finals at Saturday Night's Main Event back in December.
Michin lands a thunderous belly-to-back suplex after the commercial breakm twerks a little and lands a cannonball on Green in the corner. Piper Niven, dressed as a sparkly secret service agent, distracts Michin for a while. Michin handles her, but when she climbs to the top rope again and tries to land a cross body, Green pulls a move the WWE has the last 50-leven times someone attempted it, rolls over and gets the three-count to defend her belt.
Green wins by pinfall.
Los Garza vs Pretty Deadly
A continuation of the SmackDown tag-team storyline from last week when Pretty Deadly came to the aid of DIY against the Motor City Machine Guns. Los Garza came to MCMG defense as the teams fought into the ring, causing a disqualification and allowing DIY to retain their titles. Now in a No.1 contender tournament, Los Garza advances thanks to a Double-Press NTY.
Los Garza wins by pinfall.
US Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) LA Knight
After losing the title at Survivor Series, Knight has sought his rematch for over a month. Last week, he finally got the upper hand against Nakamura when he charged the ring and got the better of the exchange. Knight got the early advantage and it was a pretty good back and forth except for an awkward exchange to set up the match finish. Eventually Nakamura missed the Kinshasha, at first, but landed a second one. Knight was able to get a foot on the ropes, eventually reversing the momentum and landing a BFT. Right when he was about to try and secure the victory, Fatu and Tonga climb out the crowd to attack him and disqualify the match.
They beat on him until Rhodes and Uso emerge from backstage and take them out, and then challenge them to a tag match later in the match.
No Result- Interference.
A-Town Down vs Motor City Machine Guns
The second of the night's No. 1 eliminators. A-Town Down' schtick is getting pretty stale and as one would expect, MCMG gets the win.
MCMG wins by pinfall.
Tiffy Time Promo
The new women's champion has been crowned and is enjoying her first appearance. After correcting Byron Saxton that she wasn't being bullied by Nia Jax, rather biding her time and playing the former champ, she's interrupted by Jax. Jax enters the ring and tells Stratton to either hand over the belt or she's going to take it from her. At that point, Bayley comes out to call both of them stupid and remind that the only reason she doesn't have the title anymore is because Stratton was helping Jax back at Summer Slam. Just after she makes her claim to the opportunity, Naomi comes out with Bianca by her side, reminding that she had her opportunity stolen by Stratton's interference.
The fight breaks out as Stratton escapes the ring, only to sneak in to the top rope and lands the Prettiest Moonsault Ever on all four.
Nick Aldis emerges from the back and declares a Fatal Four-Way to be No. 1 contender.
Nia Jax vs Bayley vs Bianca Belair vs Naomi
The first 10 minutes of the match is basically a triple team against Jax, until Belair and Bayley are the only two in the ring. Jax comes in and bodies them both, then Naomi sneaks in and takes Ja out with a Split-Legged Moonsault. Bayley interrupts and then Belair pulls her off a pin attempt.
Candace LaRae races out to distract and Belair and Naomi end up taking Bayley out of the competition. Instead of facing off, they go back and attack the other two outside the ring. Back inside, Belair lands a spear on Jax, but Bayley saves. Bayley-to-belly slam but Naomi interferes. Round and round they go.
Belair goes for a KOD on Bayley, but LaRae pulls her ponytail to stop the move. Belair snatches her hair back, but whips Naomi into the stomach, which gives Bayley the opportunity to land a Roseplant for the three-count.
Bayley wins by pinfall.
Cody Rhodes and Jimmy Uso vs Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga
This one was a really good match, but near the end Kevin Owens showed up right as Rhodes and Uso were getting ready to win. Rhodes leaves the ring to take on Owens as they fight into the backstage area. Uso lands a Frog Splash on Tonga but Fatu pulls him off the pin attempt. Fatu lands a Mighty Moonsault and gets the win.
Fatu, Tonga win by pinfall.
The Owens and Rhodes fighting continues backstage as the show ends.
Known Matches Preview
- US Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs LA Knight
Known Appearances (either matches or promos)
- “Undisputed WWE Champion” Cody Rhodes
- “WWE Women’s Champion” Tiffany Stratton
- Nia Jax
- “United States Champion” Shinsuke Nakamura
- “WWE Tag Team Champions” – DIY (Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano)
- Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
- Drew McIntyre
- Kevin Owens
- Tama Tonga
- LA Knight
- “Women’s Tag Team Champions” Bianca Belair & Naomi
- Jimmy Uso
- Solo Sikoa
- Jacob Fatu
- Bayley
- Apollo Crews
- Ashante “Thee” Adonis
- Cedric Alexander
- Blair Davenport
- Andrade
- Piper Niven
- “Women’s United States Champion” Chelsea Green
- Carmelo Hayes
- Candice LeRae
- Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kitt Wilson)
- A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller)
- Legado Del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel, Berto, Humberto Carillo & Elektra Lopez)
- The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) & B-Fab
- Michin
Appearance list courtesy of KhelNow.