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WWE RAW REPORT: PAYING TRIBUTE TO MEAN GENE, TAG TITLE MATCH, IC TITLE MATCH, NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FOR RONDA, AND MORE

By Richard Trionfo on 2019-01-07 23:00:00

The show begins with a graphic In Memory of Gene Okerlund.

We are in Orlando, Florida and your announcers are Michael Cole, Renee Young, and Corey Graves.

We see Bobby Lashley being held back by a number of wrestlers as he goes after Seth Rollins.

They fight onto the stage and more officials separate them until Rollins knocks Lashley off the apron with a forearm.  They continue to battle on the floor next to the stage.  They are finally separated and taken to the back.

John Cena makes his way to the ring.

John welcomes everyone to Orlando and Raw.  He says that this is the Road to Wrestlemania.  John says that is why Seth and Bobby are fighting like that.  John says this is when you step up or get left out.  John says he does not want to be left out again.  John says there is one match where anyone can grab that golden ticket.  A golden ticket to the grandest stage of them all.  That is the Royal Rumble.  John says he plans on earning that golden ticket.  John says he is entering himself in the Royal Rumble.

Drew McIntyre interrupts Cena and he says he has waited for this moment for years.  Unlike everyone else, he does not care who you share your bed with or who you don't.  He does not care about John's hair.  What he cares about is his sixteen World Championships.  He cares that John has main evented multiple Wrestlemanias.  He cares that Vince called you the greatest of all time.  Drew says he agrees with Vince.  John Cena, you are the greatest of all time.

Drew says he has a history of taking out the greats.  You can ask The Shield, but he dismantled them by himself.  You can ask Dolph Ziggler, but he was beaten in a steel cage match.  You can ask his friend Kurt Angle, who Drew humiliated and made tap out to his own ankle lock.  Drew says he is the most dangerous man in WWE.  Drew says he has come for John.  

John says he was feeling pretty good and then this.  John says he is sad.  What is sad about this is that he has heard the same thing every week from practically every Superstar so much that he had to leave so people could come up with a different promo.  What makes you any different than anyone else.  

Drew says they were all talk but he will show John.

Drew comes to the ring and John is ready for a fight.

Lio Rush comes out and says that Seth Rollins has gone crazy.  He attacked them last week with a steel chair.  He attacked them backstage.  If Seth Rollins does not stop, they are going to get a lawyer.  Lio says this show is officially canceled until . . . 

Seth Rollins attacks Lashley from behind and they continue their battle on the ramp.  Dean Ambrose comes out and Cena goes after Ambrose.  Drew sends Cena into the apron and Cena fights back.  Ambrose and Drew punch Cena while Lashley chokes Rollins.

Finn Balor's music plays and he hits slingblade on Drew and clotheslines him over the top rope to the floor.  Balor with a plancha as we go to commercial.

Match Number One: John Cena, Finn Balor, and Seth Rollins versus Dean Ambrose, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley

Cena avoids Lashley and hits a clothesline.  Balor tags in and hits a double sledge off the turnbuckles.  Lashley with a slam and he tags in Ambrose who kicks Balor and runs his forearm across the face.  Balor with arm drags into an arm bar.  Ambrose with a sunset flip but Balor rolls through and hits a drop kick.  Drew tags in and he punches Balor and applies a front face lock into a deadlift suplex for a near fall.  Balor with punches to Drew but Drew with a punch and kicks to Balor.  Lashley tags in and punches Balor in the ribs.  Lashley wtih a reverse chin lock.

Lashley with a forearm to the back.  Balor tries to make the tag but Lashley stops him.  Balor fights out of the corner but he is unable to make the tag.  Lashley runs Balor into the turnbuckles and then he tags in Ambrose.  Ambrose with an Irish whip and running forearm into the corner.  Ambrose with an Irish whip and Balor with a boot and Pele Kick.  Cena tags in and he hits a flying shoulder tackle and then a second one.  Cena with a Blue Thunder Bomb and then he sets for the Five Knuckle Shuffle and hits it.  Ambrose tags in Drew as Cena hits the Attitude Adjustment.

Drew with a head butt and he gets a near fall.  

We go to commercial.

We are back and Ambrose rakes the eyes and the referee pulls him out of the corner.  Cena punches Lashley and drop kicks Ambrose.  Both men are down.  Drew tags in and hits an elbow drop to the back.  Drew with punches and chops.  Cena punches Drew but Drew with a spinebuster and jackknife cover for a near fall.  Lashley tags in and hits a neck breaker.  Cena hits Rollins on the apron and then he turns around into an Attitude Adjustment.  Both men are down.

Ambrose tags in and he keeps Cena from making the tag while applying a sleeper.  Ambrose takes Cena to the mat.  Cena gets back to his feet and he kicks Amrose in the leg.  Cena with a head butt and punch but Ambrose with a knee to the midsection.  Ambrose with an elbow drop and Cena goes to the floor.  Ambrose sends Cena into the ring steps.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Ambrose with a kick and he gets a near fall.  Ambrose with a sleeper and he gets on Cena's back but Cena tries to get to his corner to make the tag.  Ambrose with a rake of the eyes and then he kicks Rollins off the apron.  Ambrose and Cena with clotheslines at the same time.  Balor tags in and he kicks Ambrose and punches him.  Balor with a running forearm and elbow to the chest.  Balor with Slingblade to Lashley.  Balor counters the double underhook DDT with a double leg take down and double stomp.  Balor with a drop kick and Coup de Grace but Drew with a Claymore to Balor.

Drew asks for the tag but Rollins gets on the apron and he wants the tag.  Drew and Seth tag in and Seth with a springboard clothesline to Drew and a punch to knock Lashley off the apron.  Rollins with an enzuigiri.  Rollins is sent to the apron and then Rollins with an Asai Moonsault onto Dean and Lashley.  Rollins springboards over Drew and Rollins floats over and hits a Falcon Arrow for a near fall.   Rollins with a thrust kick but Drew with an elbow and a reverse Alabama Slam set up that is blocked by Cena who hits an Attitude Adjustment.  Lashley with a spear to Cena.  Rollins with a super kick to Lashley.  Rollins with a super kick to Drew.

Rollins goes up top and misses a frog splash when Drew rolls out of the way.  Ambrose tags in and he sets for the double underhook DDT but Rollins escapes and hits Black Out for the three count.

Winners:  Finn Balor, John Cena, and Seth Rollins

We see Triple H in the back talking to Sasha Banks and Bayley on the TitanTron and Seth Rollins decides to go to the back to confront Hunter.

We see Seth Rollins tell Hunter that he wants Dean Ambrose and the Intercontinental Title tonight. 

Hunter tells Seth he has him and it will be a Falls Count Anywhere Match.

Hulk Hogan walks in the back as we go to commercial.

We are back and we take a look at tweets posted about Gene Okerlund after his death last week.

We have a ten bell salute for Gene Okerlund.

Hulk Hogan makes his way to the ring.  

Hogan starts off with a let me tell you something BROTHER.  

He says he came out here wide open in character because that is exactly the way that Mean Gene would have wanted it.  He says Mean Gene loved entertaining and he loved entertaining everyone in the WWE.  We take a look at a video feature for Gene Okerlund.

Hogan says that Gene was one of a kind.  He says that he can speak for everyone and say that we love Gene Okerlund.  Hogan says it is not the same without Gene in the ring with him physically, but he is inside everyone.

Hogan says that the angels are up there singing Tutti Frutti.  You are putting together the greatest tag match with the Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage against Mr. Perfect and Roddy Piper.  You are probably breaking up a fight between Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan.   Hogan asks what ya gonna do when Mean Gene Mania runs wild on you.

We go to commercial.

Coverage Continues on Next Page


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