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WWE News: Updated ‘Royal Rumble’ Card And ‘Monday Night Raw’ Results

By Dustin Murrell
Published on: 16:21 PST, Jan 18, 2016

The last episode of WWE Monday Night Raw that will air before Sunday’s Royal Rumble 2016 event was headlined by Brock Lesnar and Chris Jericho, which eventually included Roman Reigns, the League of Nations and the Wyatt Family as well, with the latter being the only four standing as Raw went off the air. Earlier in the show, three more title matches were booked for the annual January PPV. Below is a full run-down of WWE’s 3-hour Monday night staple, as confirmed by WWE.com’s Monday Night Raw coverage, followed by an updated card for WWE Royal Rumble 2016.

  • Roman Reigns opened the show by calling out Brock Lesnar. Chris Jericho responded instead, and they were both interrupted by all four members of the League of Nations. After the League showed a great deal of solidarity regarding the Royal Rumble Match, the opening bout was set between Roman Reigns and Rusev.
  • Roman Reigns vs. Rusev (Special Guest Referee Chris Jericho) — Y2J was anything but impartial, sending all three of Rusev’s cohorts to the back before the match ended. Reigns got the pin after the Superman Punch.

  • After a commerical break, Jericho ran into Stephanie McMahon backstage. While nothing much came of it, it was clear that WWE Creative wants the WWE Universe to view The Lionheart as a face who rubs The Authority the wrong way.
  • Brie Bella (w/ Alicia Fox) vs. Natalya (w/ Paige) — this match was booked to help promote tomorrow night’s season premiere of Total Divas on E! Natalya makes Brie tap out to the Sharpshooter, and The Anvil’s daughter hugs Paige post-match.

  • The Dudley Boyz and Ryback vs. The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper & Erick Rowan, w/ Braun Strowman) in a Six-Man Tag Team Match — The Wyatts win as Strowman distracts Ryback.
  • They announce/remind the WWE Universe that the No. 1 entrant will be decided tonight by lottery draw.
  • Big Show vs. Heath Slater (w/ the Social Outcasts) — After the Big Show made relatively short work of The One Man Band, he laid out the three remaining members of the Social Outcasts.

  • Vince and Stephanie McMahon came out to draw the name of the No. 1 entrant in the Royal Rumble Match. They drew three times, and each time it came out Roman Reigns.
  • Becky Lynch vs. Tamina (w/ Naomi) — With Charlotte and Ric Flair at ringside, Becky Lynch got the win and called out the WWE Divas Champion, asking for a title match at the Royal Rumble. After some promo work, the match was set.

  • Dean Ambrose and Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus (w/ Wade Barrett) — Kevin Owens was on commentary. Rusev was apparently healing from the first match of the night. Sheamus hits Kalisto with the Brogue Kick and gets the pinfall victory. Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto for the United States Championship on Sunday was announced during the Monday Night Raw Pre-Show.
  • The New Day are shown in a pre-taped backstage segment where they were holding a funeral for Xavier’s trumpet.

  • Big E vs. Jey Uso — Big E pins Uso. The teams are scheduled for a title match at Royal Rumble.
  • Before we head to a commercial break, Titus O’Neil, Mark Henry and R-Truth are alluding to Martin Luther King Day. Neville joined them.

  • Titus O’Neil, Mark Henry, Neville and R-Truth vs. The Ascension, Stardust and Tyler Breeze (Eight-Man Tag Team Match) — Neville pinned Tyler Breeze for the win. The announce team implied that all of these competitors would be in this year’s Royal Rumble Match on Sunday.
  • As Brock Lesnar was about to enter the ring for the Highlight Reel, Roman Reigns came out. He hit Brock Lesnar with a spear. Then the League of Nations came out and attacked Reigns. Then Lesnar attacked the League. Then Reigns speared Lesnar again. Then the Wyatt Family appeared and took out Roman Reigns. Then they continued to beat a mostly lifeless Brock Lesnar. The Wyatts were the dominant force as Monday Night Raw went off the air.

With three WWE Championship matches added to Sunday’s Royal Rumble event, the updated card (confirmed by WWE.com’s official Royal Rumble preview page) includes the following matches:

  • WWE World Heavyweight Championship–Royal Rumble Match: Roman Reigns (c), Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho, Big Show, Sheamus, Stardust, Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, Luke Harper, Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, Ryback, Curtis Axel, and seventeen other Royal Rumble Match entrants. Roman Reigns is entrant No. 1.

  • WWE Intercontinental Championship–Last Man Standing Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Kevin Owens
  • WWE Tag Team Championship: The New Day (c) vs. The Usos

  • WWE United States Championship: Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Kalisto
  • WWE Divas Championship: Charlotte (c) vs. Becky Lynch

A 90-minute replay of WWE Monday Night Raw can be streamed via Hulu Plus beginning Tuesday. Highlights from tonight’s WWE Raw can be viewed at WWE’s official YouTube channel. On Sunday, WWE Royal Rumble 2016 airs live on the WWE Network at 8/7c.

[Image via WWE]

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