Monday brought with it the first WWE Raw of 2021, a jam-packed show that featured a world title defense and a parade of legends who previously held said title.
With appearances from Hogan and Flair, among others, the show promised a few strolls down memory lane.
The question, though, was whether the stars of today could steal the show out from underneath icons of yesterday.
Find out the answer to that and more with this recap of the January 4 episode.
Match Card
1 OF 10
Announced ahead of Monday's show:
- WWE Championship match: Drew McIntyre vs. Keith Lee
- What's next for Alexa Bliss and Randy Orton?
'Miz TV' with The New Day
2 OF 10
A ridiculously unfunny vignette featuring Hulk Hogan kicked off the show. Ugh.
Miz and John Morrison followed with the latest edition of "Miz TV," running down the card for the night and some of the legends who would make special appearances throughout the broadcast before welcoming their first guests of 2021: The New Day.
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods took over the show, renaming it "New Day Talks," with the arrogant heels as their first guests.
The segment dragged on until Miz's anger boiled over and Mr. Money in the Bank erupted. Teddy Long cut him off, though. "Miz and Morrison...you're going to take on The Undertaker!" Kingston and Woods playfully ran around the ring, selling the announcement, before Long corrected himself and booked the predictable tag team match instead.
Grade
D
Analysis
Last week's show ended with Randy Orton threatening to light Alexa Bliss on fire in a, for better or worse, effective cliffhanger.
How did this week's show start? Not with the resolution of said cliffhanger but, instead, Hulk Hogan in a horrifically bad vignette and a promo segment that gave way to a tag team match.
This frickin' company.
Kingston and Woods tried, but there was no making up for bad creative and a predictable outcome, the likes of which you'd expect out of the fourth segment on a forgettable 2017 episode of SmackDown.
This is going to be a long night.
The New Day vs. Miz and Morrison
3 OF 10
Back-and-forth action dominated the opening moments of The New Day's battle with Miz and Morrison that kicked off the in-ring portion of Monday's show. Every time the heels threatened to take control, the babyfaces frustrated them.
Kingston sailed over the ropes and wiped Miz and Morrison out heading into another break.
The heels finally grounded Kingston coming out of the commercial and cut him off from Woods. Kingston fought back and made the tag to his trumpet-playing teammate. Woods exploded into the match and drove Miz to the floor, survived a big forearm from Morrison and answered with one of his own.
Woods fired off a shining wizard and scored the pinfall on Morrison. Miz appeared despondent following yet another loss.
Result
New Day defeated Miz and Morrison
Grade
C
Analysis
The work was solid, the effort was there, but it is difficult to get invested or care about a match like this between guys who have been on a booking treadmill of sorts for the last year. They have worked each other countless times, neither team ascending or descending. They're merely there, and that is one of the most frustrating aspects of WWE television.
No one ever really benefits. They're just on TV, wrestling the same matches against the same guys because Vinnie Mac doesn't know how to elevate talent through his so-called creative genius.
So the result is a solid wrestling match, between guys who know each other well and are really too talented to be stuck in this same spot, 365 days later.
Such is life in the E, though.
AJ Styles vs. Elias
4 OF 10
Angel Garza attempted to wow legends Alicia Fox and Mickie James, to little avail, before the focus turned to the squared circle and AJ Styles' latest showdown with Elias.
A desperate Elias attacked from the opening bell, surviving an early headlock to seize control of The Phenomenal One. The sinister songster of WWE dominated coming out of the commercial as Omos watched from the floor, towering over the proceedings like a New York skyscraper.
Elias delivered a sit-out chokeslam, scoring a near-fall. He caught Styles mid-flight, blocking the Phenomenal Forearm with a jumping knee for yet another two-count.
Styles countered an electric chair with a hurricanrana. Moments later, he delivered the Styles Clash and scored the win.
After the match, Jaxson Ryker botched a guitar shot as badly as his tweet game, smashing it into the waiting boot of Omos before bailing to the floor and escaping with Elias.
Result
Styles defeated Elias
Grade
C
Analysis
Add this to the list of matches we never have to see again.
First, Styles is inexplicably a babyface after spending well over a year as one of the company's top heels. On top of that, he has a massive heel bodyguard who Vinnie Mac obviously sees dollar signs in but knows cannot possibly hold up his end in the mat game. Nothing about that screams "good guy."
Add to it a feud with Elias that came from out of nowhere and has done nothing for anyone, except earning Ryker television time that no one asked for, and you have an entire segment that left fans scratching their heads rather than being excited for anything involving any of these guys as Royal Rumble approaches.
But hey, at least AJ declared for the pay-per-view's namesake match, as if his involvement was ever really in question.
Charlotte Flair and Asuka vs. Peyton Royce and Lacey Evans
5 OF 10
Women's Tag Team champions Charlotte Flair and Asuka returned to action this week, battling the team of Peyton Royce and Lacey Evans in nontitle action as the legendary “Nature Boy" Ric Flair watched his daughter from ringside.
Some early, improving chemistry from Royce and Evans was on full display as they worked over Flair. A tag to Asuka looked to have the champs rolling, but Royce opportunistically shoved The Empress off the ropes while Flair and Evans brawled on the floor.
The heels dominated coming out of the break, stomping Asuka in the corner, thus keeping her on the opposite side of the ring from her partner.
Flair finally tagged in and unleashed a flurry of chops to the chest of Evans. She launched Royce with a suplex and delivered a moonsault to both opponents. Asuka tagged herself in and scored a big kick to the face of Royce.
An ugly Natural Selection from Flair to Royce earned two as Evans broke up the pin just in time. Again, The Sassy Southern Belle came on to The Nature Boy, earning the wrath of his daughter.
Late, Ric (inadvertently?) tripped up Charlotte, allowing Royce to score the win with a crucifix roll-up.
After the match, Charlotte belittled her father, sending him away as she fumed over her loss.
Result
Royce and Evans defeated Flair and Asuka
Grade
C+
Analysis
This was a solid little match with no real build or reason for occurring, but it did provide Evans and Royce rare wins, so that was a nice change of pace.
What was not, though, was Charlotte's belittling and berating of her father. Ric is one of the most beloved wrestlers in the history of the business and the biggest babyface in any room he enters. Why, if we are supposed to accept The Queen as a babyface, would WWE Creative even book that finish and everything that followed it?
For someone this company so desperately wants us to get behind in Charlotte, it sure does book her to be this wholly unlikable character at times. Chalk this up to one of those times.
Riddle vs. Bobby Lashley
6 OF 10
The typically fun-loving Riddle wasted little time taking the fight to United States champion Bobby Lashley in their match, striking with rapidity. Lashley weathered the storm and dealt the fight back to Riddle heading into the break.
Lashley dominated coming out of the timeout, rocking Riddle and leaving him with a dazed and confused look on his face. Riddle fought back, delivered a straight kick to the face and followed with a Bro-ton for two. A Final Flash knee to the face earned another count of two.
Lashley recovered, stunned Riddle on the top rope and brought him down with the Dominator. He followed with the Hurt Lock, but Riddle springboarded off the ropes. He tapped out, forcing Lashley to break the hold. The referee did not see it, ordered the match to continue and Riddle scored the roll-up win.
Result
Riddle defeated Lashley
Grade
C
Analysis
Does Riddle really need such a weak-ass finish to beat Lashley? The booking behind the former mixed martial artist on Raw has been so...interesting, to say the least. He is legit between the ropes, with the sort of personality that will win him casual fans, but WWE has yet to allow him to build much in the way of credibility.
His win over Lashley should set him up for a United States Championship match. Whether he is the chosen one to unseat The All Mighty remains to be seen, but this win would seem to suggest those in management are at least comfortable enough to hint at such a booking decision.
Dana Brooke vs. Shayna Baszler
7 OF 10
Mandy Rose made her way to the ring for a match with Shayna Baszler after The Queen of Spades left both her and tag team partner Dana Brooke lying a week ago.
Baszler attacked Rose from out of nowhere, though, leaving the match in doubt.
Brooke hit the ring and demanded a match with Baszler. A brief scuffle gave way to Baszler trapping Brooke in the clutch. Dana countered into a roll-up for the stunning win.
After the match, Rose broke up the clutch that Baszler never released and joined her partner in a double flapjack to the heel.
Result
Brooke defeated Baszler
Grade
D
Analysis
Was this a make-good for last week's horrific booking? Did someone with sway point out how damning Baszler demolishing Brooke and Rose all by herself might be to the tag team's credibility and get Vince McMahon to book this to make it up?
That would make more sense than any of this storyline has to this point.
If you would have suggested a year ago that Baszler would lose to Dana Brooke less than a year after dominating NXT as its most badass champion of all time, I would have totally believed you because Vince McMahon seems to hate anything that comes from the black-and-yellow brand.
On a positive note, Dana Brooke has busted her ass to get an opportunity to star on Raw or SmackDown and absolutely earned a win of this caliber. Good for her.
Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton
8 OF 10
After a convoluted explanation for not burning Alexa Bliss alive that he attributed to self-hatred and turning it against his enemies or something like that, Randy Orton stalked toward the ring for a scheduled matchup against Jeff Hardy.
The Viper attacked Hardy early and often, methodically picking him apart while commentator Tom Phillips discussed the rich history between them. Hardy fought back with an intended Twist of Fate that more closely resembled a swinging neckbreaker.
Regardless of what it actually was, it was for naught. Orton regained control as The Charismatic Enigma crashed on the arena floor.
Back from the break, a sadistic Orton targeted the earlobe of Hardy, twisting it and contorting it in a call back to their Hell in a Cell match from 2018. Hardy finally mounted a comeback, rocking his opponent with a corner clothesline. He followed with Whisper in the Wind for a near-fall.
Hardy looked poised to put Orton away with the Swanton Bomb, but Orton rolled out of the way and then dropped the consummate babyface with the draping DDT.
Hardy tried for a Twist of Fate, but Orton caught him with an RKO for the win.
Result
Orton defeated Hardy
Grade
C+
Analysis
The Twist of Fate into the RKO is always a great finish and one these two have worked to perfection numerous times over the years.
The chemistry is still there, though Hardy is a step or three slower than he used to be. He is still a great, sympathetic babyface you want to see overcome Orton's relentless onslaught to score the win.
He didn't here, though, as the yearlong push for one of the best heels in the industry continued.
Love or hate some of the creative choices WWE is making with him, including on this very show, one cannot deny how superb he has been over the last 365 days. One of the greats, relishing his return to the main event.
The Lucha House Party vs. The Hurt Business
9 OF 10
Moments after a brief encounter with former Divas champion Melina, Lucha House Party's Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado hit the ring for a showdown with Raw tag team champions Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander of The Hurt Business. MVP watched from the commentary table.
The heels established dominance, but overconfidence led to Dorado rocking Alexander with a jawbreaker. A big knee from Benjamin stopped him from making a tag before tension and dissension between the Raw tag champions proved costly.
After a superkick to Benjamin, Dorado scored a win with a crucifix roll-up.
Following the match, an infuriated MVP berated his teammates, demanding Benjamin and Alexander settle their differences and get on the same page. An irate Alexander walked off while MVP held Benjamin back.
Result
Lucha House Party defeated The Hurt Business
Grade
B-
Analysis
MVP finally addressed the mounting issues within his own team, calling Benjamin and Alexander out for their inability to set personal differences aside. Alexander has been extraordinarily cocky, expressing the confidence that he lacked earlier in his WWE run. He's done so at the expense of Benjamin, though, and we saw it really boil over for the first time here as Alexander tried to do too much, leading to the distraction that allowed Metalik to score the win.
It was a nice bit of booking, even if the match itself was mostly forgettable.
More importantly, it makes the viewer want to see what will happen next between the reigning Raw tag team champions, a rarity when it comes to the red brand creatively.
WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Keith Lee
10 OF 10
The legends on hand for the night's proceedings watched from the stage as Keith Lee made his way to the ring for his WWE Championship opportunity against Drew McIntyre, adding credibility and a sense of significance to this television main event.
The determined McIntyre worked over Lee early, but as the fight spilled to the floor, the challenger leveled the champion with a pounce that sent him over the guardrail and onto the arena floor.
Lee worked over the ribs and midsection coming out of the break, prepared to exploit that injury in the name of winning the WWE Championship. McIntyre fought back, launching Lee across the ring. Lee answered with a spinebuster. The champion delivered a powerbomb from the ring apron, driving Lee through the announce table ahead of the final break of the night.
The Limitless One fought through the effects of the table and scored a near-fall following the break. McIntyre looked for a backslide, but Lee powered out. McIntyre countered and delivered a Future Shock DDT for two.
Lee slowed his opponent's momentum, again targeting the ribs. The competitors scaled the ropes, from which Lee delivered a super Spanish Fly that looked hella dangerous but netted the challenger a two-count.
Lee countered a Claymore and tried for the Spirit Bomb. McIntyre escaped and delivered the Claymore for the successful title defense.
Goldberg made his way to the ring after the match and challenged McIntyre to a match at Royal Rumble, to which the champion suggested such a match would be like him wrestling his dad. The show abruptly left the air before anything could happen, a victim of time.
Result
McIntyre defeated Lee
Grade
A
Analysis
This was a hell of a championship match between two hugely talented heavyweights.
McIntyre sold the hell out of his ribs and core, really putting over Lee's work in that area of his body. Conversely, Lee was presented as a total badass and looked like he belonged in the ring with the top star on the brand.
The Goldberg stuff was...as expected this time of the year. WWE leans on its legends, books them into the ground until you could not possibly want to see them ever lace a pair of boots again. Everything that made Goldberg the legendary icon he was has been stripped away by overexposure.
McIntyre saying wrestling him would be akin to wrestling his father is apropos and really highlights the sentiments of fans watching the show.
