WWE Raw Results, Highlights, and Grades: January 27, 2020

Aleister Black vs. Kenneth Johnson [Grudge Match]

Aleister Black delivered a Black Mass to jobber, Kenneth Johnson, for the three-count and the victory. He then cuts a promo about being eliminated in the Royal Rumble.

He does not want to blame Buddy Murphy and Seth Rollins for getting eliminated because he should have finish what he started. He asserts that he will no longer be waiting inside a dark room for someone to pick a fight with him.

Instead, he will be looking to a pick a fight with anyone he sees fit. In other words, he will hopefully be battling more challenging competitors.

Result: Aleister Black

Grade: 1.5/5.0 Stars

Analysis: The match was a waste but it’s nice to know that Aleister Black will finally be pursuing his own challenges rather than waiting for them. Next up: Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy will defend their Raw Tag Team Championships against Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe!

Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe [Raw Tag Team Championships]

Seth Rollins was happy to eliminate both Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe in the Royal Rumble and is now ready to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships against them with Buddy Murphy. Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe come out to say that Rollins still talks too much and are wary that AOP would interfere in this tag team championship match.

Seth Rollins proves to Owens and Joe that AOP is indeed backstage in his private dressing room. Owens and Joe slyly call Rollins a liar since titantron clips can be pre-recorded. Rollins reveals that it is indeed live. Thanks to this revealed info, Owens and Joe realized that they no longer need to find them and set AOP up to get attacked by the Viking Raiders. The show goes to commericial.

Back from commercial, Samoa Joe delivers a shoulder block and Senton Splash to Buddy Murphy for the two-count. He tags in Kevin Owens, who delivers a drop toe hold and backbreaker to Murphy, keeps him down and preventing him from performing any aerial maneuvers as well as tagging in Seth Rollins.

Owens tags in Joe, who delivers a Russian Leg Sweep to Murphy. Murphy gets out of Joe’s grasps and tags in Seth Rollins. Rollins gains control of Joe and tags in Murphy, but Joe counters the charge of Rollins and tosses him outside the ring while side stepping Murphy’s aerial maneuver and clotheslining him outside the ring.

Seeing Rollins outside the ring, Owens flies off the apron with a CannonBall to Rollins. Meanwhile, Joe performs a Suicide Dive to Murphy for some babyface momentum. WWE Raw goes to commercial.

Back from commercial, Samoa Joe is no longer medically cleared for the match and Owens delivers a picture perfect DDT to Murphy. Murphy tags in Rollins and Owens has no one to tag so he counters Rollins’ charge and delivers a Frog Splash to Rollins for the two-count.

Rollins tags Murphy back in and Murphy delivers a calf kick to Owens for the two-count. Murphy tags Rollins back in but Rollins runs into a Pop Up Powerbomb by Owens for the two-count. Rollins tags Murphy back in.

Murphy puts Owens on the top rope, looking for a Superplex. However, Owens counters with headbutts and delivers a front suplex and a senton bomb for the two-count as Rollins break up the pinfall. Owens delivers a suicide senton bomb to Rollins outside the ring and focuses on Murphy inside the ring but run into a knee strike by Murphy.

Just like last week, Murphy attempts to grab Owens near the ropes but the referee backs up Murphy, permitting Rollins to deliver a Curb Stomp on the apron. However, Owens counters the curb stomp and punches Rollins. He tries to stun Buddy Murphy but Murphy counters and Owens ends up stunning Rollins. Murphy capitalizes on the distraction and rolls up Owens for the three-count and the victory. Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy are still the Raw Tag Team Champions.

Result: Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy

Grade: 4.0/5.0 Stars

Analysis: Although it was unfortunate that Samoa Joe was not there to help Kevin Owens, it was an amazing tag team championship match. Owens fought his heart out as a babyface truly defying the odds. However, the numbers game was too much for him to bare. Well done by all contestants in this match. In a backstage interview, Becky Lynch is asked about potentially battling Royal Rumble Winner Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36 and she responds that it won’t be the first time Charlotte challenges her but it will definitely be the last. Next up: Andrade vs. Humberto Carillo for the United States Championship!