WWE RAW 1/16/2012

World Wrestling Entertainment presents RAW
Date: 1/16/2012
From: Anaheim, CA

The show starts off with a Martin Luther King Jr. video. “Long Live The Dream.”

Mick Foley opens the show by making his way down to the ring. Foley opens up with his cheap pop by referencing where he is. That never fails to get a reaction. He hasn’t had a problem playing the nostalgic role because he has already realized every dream possible for his career. Foley wants his kids to see him in the ring at least one more time. Foley announces that he will be in the Royal Rumble match in two weeks! Vickie Guerrero makes her way out with Dolph Ziggler. They make their way down to the ring. Ziggler puts over how important the spots in that match are. He doesn’t like that Foley wants to just come in and take one of the spots. Ziggler hopes that this is stand up routine. Ziggler rips on Foley by saying he would get eliminated quickly and his kids wouldn’t care all that much. He did a great job there. Foley defends his decision believing that he could possibly get a good number and win the match. Foley isn’t in the Rumble just to be in it, but rather to win it. Ziggler chimes in saying that he beat John Cena and beat CM Punk two weeks in a row. Ziggler would be disappointed if he were to have to defend the championship against Foley at WrestleMania. Ziggler says that Foley succeeded at embarrassing himself one last time. He wants Foley to just go away. WWE Champion CM Punk makes his way out. Punk uses the same cheap pop as Foley. Punk says he and Foley never tried to fit into a certain mold, and never hide behind a woman. Punk has earned everything he has gotten unlike Ziggler who has a special referee at the Rumble. Punk if confident that he will still be the WWE Champion after the Royal Rumble. Punk thinks it would damn cool if he were to wrestle Foley at Mania. Vickie Guerrero tries to put over Ziggler until Johnny Ace comes out to the top of the ramp way. Ace assures Punk that he will not be bias at Rumble. He is taking it under consideration to put Foley in the Royal Rumble match. He already responds to it and says NO! Vickie laughs at Foley to end the segment.

Backstage, Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne are walking to the ring to have a rematch against new WWE World Tag Team Champions Epico & Primo!

Commercials –

Opening Contest: WWE World Tag Team Championship Match
(champions) Epico & Primo vs. Kofi Kingston & Evan Bourne
We see footage of how the titles changed hands last night. Bourne and Epico kick off the match with Bourne nearly rolling Epico up for a three. Bourne hits a head scissors but is caught by both champs on a springboard cross body attempt. They toss Bourne over with a double fall away slam. Bourne snaps Epico off the middle rope with a hurricanrana sending him onto Primo. Kofi tags in and cleans house with several clotheslines. Kofi hits a double leg drop on Epico. Kofi hits Epico with the Trouble In Paradise. Primo sends Kofi into the ring steps and that allows Epico to knock Bourne off the top and hits the Back Stabber to win the match.

Your Winners and STILL WWE World Tag Team Champions: Epico & Primo via pin fall
Match Rating: **

Backstage, Johnny Ace has Chris Jericho enter his room. Ace tells him that he will be competing in the main event now in a six man tag. It will be Dolph, Henry & Otunga against Punk, Bryan and Jericho now. I doubt Jericho actually competes.

Commercials–

Backstage, Zack Ryder is talking to Eve Torres. Josh Matthews comes into the picture and Ryder says he hasn’t been cleared to wrestle. Ryder has his ribs taped up. Ryder will compete tonight against Jack Swagger right now.

We get a video reminding us of what happened last week on RAW involving Kane, Cena, Ryder and Eve.

Commercials –

Second Contest: WWE United States Championship Match
(champion) Zack Ryder vs. Jack Swagger
Swagger smartly works over Ryder’s injured ribs hitting a side slam and sends the champ hard back first into a corner. Ryder is caught after leaping off the middle rope and Swagger delivers back breaker. Swagger hits a middle rope splash for a two count. Swagger gets another two count after a gut wrench power bomb. Swagger hits another gut wrench power bomb but Ryder continues to kick out. A third gut wrench power bomb gives Swagger the win.

Your Winner and NEW WWE United States Champion: Jack Swagger via pin fall
Match Rating: *1/4

Commercials –

Backstage, Ryder is being checked on by the medical staff. Johnny Ace says he just read the notice that Ryder isn’t medically cleared. Ace tells Eve to shut her mouth and show respect.

Perez Hilton is introduced as the special ring announcer for the next match. The fans aren’t all that thrilled to have him on the town. Perez has lost a lot of weight from the last time I saw him.

Third Contest: Kelly Kelly & Alicia Fox vs. Belle Twins
Bri works on Kelly early on in the corner with several stomps. Kelly avoids a right hand and hits a running face buster for a two count. The Belle’s try to switch out but Perez pulls Nikki out. He says there shouldn’t be cheating. That allows Kelly to get a roll up victory.

Your Winners: Kelly Kelly & Alicia Fox via pin fall

After the match, Perez is shoved down by the Belle Twins. They run off from the ring when Kelly and Alicia get in their face. That was so pointless.

Footage from Smackdown is shown where Big Show accidentally ran over AJ during his match with Daniel Bryan. We will have an update on her condition up next.

Commercials–

R-Truth comes out to cut a promo, but Wade Barrett cuts him off before he can say a word. Barrett is kind enough to remind us of his name. He believes that he will win the Royal Rumble this year. He thinks Truth should be wearing a straight jacket. Truth says that Little Jimmy wants to know if anyone has told him that he talks funny. Truth mentions they are right across from Disney Land. He misses Wade’s smile. Apparently, Truth has a slide show of his experience. It’s just pictures of Truth with several Disney characters. Okay, Truth is actually making me laugh. Truth doesn’t believe for one second that Barrett will win the Rumble. The Miz attacks Truth from behind and Barrett helps out Miz to attack Truth. Here comes Sheamus to make the save on Truth. Teddy Long comes out and books an over the top rope challenge with all four men involved.

Fourth Contest: Over The Top Rope Challenge
The Miz vs. Wade Barrett vs. Sheamus vs. R-Truth
Sheamus trades blows with Barrett while Miz and Truth work on each other. Barrett is the first one eliminated, rather quickly after Miz helped get rid of him. Sheamus hammers away on Miz in the corner but Truth looks to get rid of Sheamus. Truth is unsuccessful but soon hits a spinning heel kick. Miz clotheslines Truth and kicks him right in the face. Sheamus drops Miz with several forearm strikes and clubs away on Miz’s chest on the apron. Sheamus misses the Brogue Kick but catches Miz and looks to dump him over, but Truth comes up from behind and eliminates both men to win the match!

Your Winner: R-Truth
Match Rating: *1/2

After the match Sheamus hits the Brogue Kick on Miz on the floor.

Backstage, John Cena is pissed at Johnny Ace for screwing over Zack Ryder. Ace says he made a mistake. Ace books Cena in a match against Jack Swagger… next. Also, Ace booked Cena in a match against Kane for the Royal Rumble.

Commercials–

Fifth Contest: WWE United States Champion Jack Swagger vs. John Cena
Cena wastes not time assaulting Swagger with right hands and tosses the champ to the floor. Cena rams Swagger face first into the announcers table and hammers away on Swagger with more right hands. Cena is just pummeling Swagger on the floor. Swagger is sent shoulder first into the ring steps. Cena slams Swagger’s head into the ring steps several more times. Cena picks up the steps but Kane’s music hits! Kane appears on the big screen. Kane believes that Cena is starting to get it and believes that come Royal Rumble Cena will have had embraced the hate.

Commercials –

Sixth Contest: Brodus Clay vs. JTG
Clay uses his head to knock JTG off his feet early on. Clay tosses JTG over with an overhead suplex and splashes JTG in the corner. Clay gets the win following a cross body for the win.

Your Winner: Brodus Clay via pin fall

We will get an update on AJ next.

Commercials–

A video fully highlighting what happened on Smackdown between Big Show and Daniel Bryan is aired.

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan makes his way out and he isn’t in a good mood. The fans are greeting him with jeers. Bryan says that Big Show is a cruel freak who had no problem knocking over AJ last Friday night. Bryan claims that AJ will never be the same person ever again. Bryan says Show hasn’t even apologized. He doesn’t believe the tears were real at all. Bryan warns Show that he will make him pay on Smackdown if he ever shows his face. Bryan has a title match against Mark Henry this week on Smackdown. He is dedicates the match to AJ. Bryan appreciates that and is going to show her how much. Notice, he didn’t say he loved her.

Main Event: Six Man Tag Match
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan, WWE Champion CM Punk & Chris Jericho vs. Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler and David Otunga
Punk and Ziggler start the main event off with Punk controlling Ziggler on the canvas. Punk gets a two count after a snap suplex. Bryan tags in and kicks Ziggler in the midsection. They botch a leapfrog and Ziggler works on Bryan’s leg. Ziggler has a half Boston Crab on Bryan to maintain control of the match. Punk and Otunga are tagged in with Punk kicking Otunga in the thighs. Ziggler tags back in to beat down Punk with right hands and stomps. Ziggler connects with a neck breaker on Punk. Punk delivers a back breaker and looks to tag out but Ziggler prevents the tag.

Otunga returns to the match and stomps away on Punk and hits a clothesline in the corner. Punk head butts Otunga off the middle rope and hits a top rope elbow drop! Punk looks to make a tag out. Jericho gets the tag and begins to play to the crowd. He just tags out to Bryan and walks out of the ring. Bryan is confused and the fans are booing as we go to commercial.

Ziggler has a modified rear chin lock on Bryan as we return from commercial. Bryan nails Ziggler with a standing spin kick and he tries to tag in Punk. Punk gets the tag and clotheslines Ziggler before hitting a swinging neck breaker. Punk delivers a high knee and a running bulldog. Punk connects with a springboard clothesline but Henry breaks up the cover. Henry grabs Bryan and brawls with Bryan on the floor. Henry tosses Bryan up the ramp way. They brawl towards the backstage area.

Mick Foley’s music hits and Foley walks down to the ring. Foley gets on the apron. He wants a tag from Punk! He convinces the referee that he is in the match. Ziggler hits a Fame-Asser on Punk but only gets a near fall on the cover. Ziggler connects with two neck breakers but isn’t able to put Punk away. Punk kicks Ziggler in the head and looks to tag in Foley. Foley gets the tag and hammers away on Otunga in the corner. Foley delivers a running knee strike in the corner. Foley plants Otunga with a double arm DDT! Foley pulls out Mr. Socko! Foley shoves the sock down Otunga’s throat and he gets the win.

Your Winners: WWE Champion CM Punk & Mick Foley

Wait a second, Johnny Ace comes down to the ring. Ace says that Foley isn’t a legal competitor in this match. So, Ace reverses the decision of the match.

Your Real Winners: David Otunga, Mark Henry & Dolph Ziggler via reverse decision
Match Rating: ***

CM Punk grabs the microphone and gets in Ace’s face. Punk says that Ace will do nothing about how he acts. Punk says that Foley has nothing to do with their issues. They are going to settle things right now. Punk believes this is all about who Ace isn’t as a person. Punk talks about Ace sucking as a wrestler despite having the look. Punk believes that Ace is jealous of his brother Road Warrior Animal. Punk has achieved more in the past year than Ace did in his entire year. Punk knows that Ace is going to screw him at the Royal Rumble. Punk is still going to be better than him no matter what happens at the Rumble. Punk will kick his ass at the Rumble if he decides to screw him over. Punk raises his hand and Ace cowards. Punk tells him he is pathetic and walks up the ramp way. Foley is giving Ace the thumbs up in the ring. Ace says he isn’t pathetic and he will not be intimidated by Punk. Foley wants Ace to admit that he will screw over Punk. Ace admits that he will screw over Punk. He is sick and tired of being disrespected. He doesn’t feel appreciated for putting on the most entertaining show. Ace ends up nailing Foley with his microphone! Foley struggles to his feet as the show comes to an end.

Final Thoughts:
I thought RAW was a pretty good show this week. The opening segment was an effective way to set up the rest of the show and made Ziggler look great, as if he didn’t already. The tag team title match was fine considering it was rather short. Bourne impressed me with the moves he pulled off and the new champs looked like they could work well in the ring.

It sucks that Ryder lost the belt, but I’m assuming he will feud with Swagger over the championship for next several months. Hopefully this means he gets a match at Mania where he can regain the championship.

The divas match was under a minute and I still felt like it was a waste of time!

I don’t give the guy props a lot, but John Cena played his role today extremely well. You could just see in his facial expressions that something had snapped in him when he attacked Swagger. That was a nice turn of events to continue his feud with Kane.

This Brodus Clay character isn’t going to have legs to last that long. I just don’t see it. Especially if his matches include him doing the same things every week.

The main event was good this week. Daniel Bryan is actually getting noticeable crowd reactions since turning heel. He wasn’t getting pops when he was a babyface, that’s for sure. If the fans don’t start booing Jericho after this week, then I don’t know when they will catch on. He did a great job tonight as well.

Lastly, Johnny Ace has shown a lot of improvement character wise and his involvement in the last segment was really good. I could totally get into a faction led by Ace feuding with a faction led by Foley for a match at the Elimination Chamber. But, that will never happen.

Overall, RAW gets a thumbs up from me. It was a quality show this week.

Thanks for reading.