WWE Raw: Results, Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for January 15
By Bryan Heaton
Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter
Finn Balor (w/ Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) vs. Seth Rollins (w/ Jason Jordan)
Result: Seth Rollins defeated Finn Balor via pinfall
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
First off, how can any human being not think Finn Balor is the most adorable (luchadorable?) man on the face of the earth? Just look at how much he’s been smiling since he got paired up with the Good Brothers. He can’t keep a straight face AT ALL anymore. We’ll be sending for the man every week!
Might as well have been LACES OUT for @FinnBalor... #RAW pic.twitter.com/AOUfDlc7fn
— WWE (@WWE) January 16, 2018
This is the first singles match between these two since SummerSlam 2016. You know, the match to crown the first ever Universal Champion. The one Balor won, but suffered an injury en route to the victory that forced him to vacate the title and miss several months of action.
Well, it took all night, but we finally got a pretty good match. Both superstars were on their “A” game, working through adversity to fight tooth and nail for a victory. Rollins powered through a bum knee, while Balor fought through a neck tweak. Neither injury stopped either competitor from going all out, though.
And the battle of the SLING BLADE goes to... @WWERollins! #RAW pic.twitter.com/nZIXRHDfsl
— WWE (@WWE) January 16, 2018
Things got a little dicey at the end. After a bunch of great sequences, it looked like Balor had Rollins down for a three count. But Seth forgot to kick out, so the referee went for a four count? It was really confusing, then The Bar came out, everyone brawled, and the match was still going.
Back in the ring, Balor went for a Coup de Grace, only for Rollins to escape. After Jordan tripped Balor up, Rollins hit the Blackout, better known to most of us as a Curb Stomp, and picked up the controversial victory. Definitely wouldn’t have expected to see THAT. But, man, did you see the blotch on Finn’s face where he hit the mat? Yeesh.
A 2016 #SummerSlam match is REBORN as @FinnBalor goes one-on-one with #TheArchitect @WWERollins on #RAW! @JasonJordanJJ @KarlAndersonWWE @LukeGallowsWWE pic.twitter.com/wlhCU3YF2u
— WWE (@WWE) January 16, 2018
The lingering camera shot on the Balor Club in the ring post-match had me picturing TakeOver: Chicago, and part of me expected Gallows and Anderson to go full Ciampa. Thankfully, it was just artistic license to focus on Balor’s skull, and the wooziness he exhibited after going face first into the mat with a foot on the back of his head. Ah, who cares about CTE?
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What did you think of this week’s episode of WWE Raw?