WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from January 7

A new year in WWE brings with it new opportunities. 2019 could be the moment WWE Raw reclaims its throne as the pinnacle of premier wrestling entertainment or continues to sink because of the three-hour weekly grind.

John Cena was set to open the show with no clear focus in his first night on the show in months. His appearance on SmackDown Live last week saw him mocked by Becky Lynch, setting up anyone to interrupt him on Raw to make their own impact.

Another big return for WWE was Hulk Hogan, who was set to honor the legacy of "Mean" Gene Okerlund. Brock Lesnar planned to confront his Royal Rumble opponent, Braun Strowman, just weeks before their title showdown.

The Revival once more got a chance to challenge Bobby Roode and Chad Gable for the Raw Tag Team Championships. Alexa Bliss promised the first edition of her own talk show, A Moment of Bliss, featuring Ronda Rousey.

This January 7 episode of Raw needed to be a huge edition. This could be the show that decided whether fans were interested in watching WWE in the coming months as the Road to WrestleMania begins.

Bobby Lashley and Seth Rollins opened the show brawling, with the Raw roster attempting to keep them apart.

The two fought all the way to the ramp before they were finally pulled apart and separated.

Grade

B

Analysis

This was a solid way to open the show with action. It's hard to see The Architect and The All Mighty being this physical every week, but at least there's some real heat with a feud on the red brand.

Rollins can benefit from this rivalry, while Lashley needs to be working with a guy such as the former intercontinental champion. Both men will be better for this being taken seriously.

John Cena came out to announce his entrance into the 2019 men's Royal Rumble. Drew McIntyre interrupted to promise to do the same thing to The Champ that he did to The Shield, Dolph Ziggler and Kurt Angle.

As Cena and McIntyre got ready to fight, Lashley and Lio Rush re-emerged before their fight with Rollins restarted. Dean Ambrose appeared to take cheap shots at his longest-standing rival, with the heels taking advantage of their numbers until Finn Balor arrived.

This led to a six-man tag match in which Rollins would not be denied. He missed a frog splash on The Scottish Psychopath but managed to catch Ambrose with a Stomp to take the win.

Afterward, The Architect confronted Triple H and demanded a match with The Lunatic Fringe, which he was granted.

Result

Rollins, Cena and Balor def. Ambrose, McIntyre and Lashley by pinfall

Grade

D

Analysis

This was a 35-minute segment that should have been half the time. Cena and McIntyre wasted time on words that did not mean much before transitioning sloppily into a match that didn't get going until Rollins got into the ring for the final five minutes.

Despite all the talent involved, this just fell flat, dragging out a combination of a bland promo segment and a 10-minutes-too-long contest.

WWE rang the bell in respect for "Mean" Gene Okerlund before Hulk Hogan arrived.

The Hulkster talked up his friend and introduced a video package that celebrated the legacy of the legendary announcer.

Afterward, Hogan talked about how many greats have now passed and how they have filled heaven with wrestling royalty.

Grade

C

Analysis

The video package was a nice celebration of "Mean" Gene and his effect on so many. However, Hogan did not add anything to this beyond taking some of the spotlight away from his friend.

His final energetic promo about all those who passed felt like it just distracted from the actual message here.

Okerlund defined a generation as much as many of the greatest wrestlers, and he deserved the full focus in this segment.

The Revival again showed itself to be the more dominant team, but it could not seem to deal with Chad Gable's explosiveness.

The heels got close to taking the win, but Roode helped reverse an inside cradle to allow his partner to pin Scott Dawson to take the win despite Dawson's foot under the rope.

Result

Roode and Gable def. Revival by pinfall to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships

Grade

B+

Analysis

This was a fun match that showcased how good all four men are. Energetic and fast-paced almost to a fault, this was another great chapter in this rivalry. It did not need a lumberjack stipulation with all other tag teams standing by and doing nothing.

Hopefully, the third act finally shows the two going all-out. They have the potential to pull off an early match-of-the-year contender.

Baron Corbin interrupted Elias during his musical announcement that he would enter the Royal Rumble to one-up his rival by promising to win the match on January 27.

The Lone Wolf looked out-of-sorts against his opponent throughout but stayed in it.

With a well-timed throw, he sent Elias into the referee. This distracted the musician enough for him to walk into an uppercut followed quickly by End of Days for the win.

Result

Corbin def. Elias by pinfall

Grade

C+

Analysis

This was a fine match that didn't outstay its welcome. The two men got in a few big shots and kept moving to make this more entertaining than one would have expected.

Elias and Corbin do not have great chemistry, but they are both hard workers and made this pay off.

Braun Strowman did not care to talk, calling out Brock Lesnar.

Paul Heyman and The Beast Incarnate appeared backstage, telling The Monster Among Men they had decided not to appear face-to-face with him.

After taunting from his rival, the universal champion changed his mind and headed out to the arena. He circled the ring and laughed at Strowman, which only further frustrated the giant.

Grade

C-

Analysis

If this was supposed to help convince fans to get excited about this match, it didn't do its job. Lesnar could have not appeared at all and this would have accomplished the same thing. It just felt awkward with the early part of the promo poorly timed.

This is supposed to be Raw's world championship feud, but it comes off as the least interesting rivalry going into the Royal Rumble.

Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox insulted the crowd, questioning whether they considered themselves too good to seek tranquility.

Ember Moon and Apollo Crews interrupted and made quick work of the heels. The War Goddess caught The Foxy One with the Eclipse and took the victory.

Result

Moon and Crews def. Fox and Mahal by pinfall

Grade

C

Analysis

This was fine for what it was. Moon and Crews continue to build up momentum, while Mahal and Fox are mostly entertaining in their enhancement role. Hopefully, 2019 will be a standout year for the two faces.

The first-ever edition of Moment of Bliss featured Raw women's champion Ronda Rousey, who announced she wanted her next challenger to be Sasha Banks.

The Boss took up the gauntlet before Nia Jax arrived to state her case for another shot at The Baddest Woman on the Planet.

Banks and Jax got into it before agreeing to a match to decide the No. 1 contender at Royal Rumble.

While The Irresistible Force used her power to dominate as Tamina and Bayley fought outside, The Boss took her shot when it mattered most, springboarding into the Bank Statement for a tapout.

Result

Banks def. Jax by submission to become the No. 1 contender to the Raw Women's Championship

Grade

A-

Analysis

This was a great way to freshen up the women's division. The Boss has been under the radar for almost a year now, and Rousey only had to put her over once for everyone to remember how big a star she can be. She is immediately one of the biggest challenges to her title reign.

Banks is one of the rare women in WWE who can bring out the best in Jax and did so in a strong match with major stakes. A few botches along the way didn't take away from a physical and intense clash that solidified The Boss as Rousey's next rival.

Seth Rollins attacked Dean Ambrose before the bell could ring, and the two quickly brawled into the backstage area, with The Architect seemingly not caring how much damage he did to his former Shield teammate.

They battled into the crowd and used every weapon at their disposal.

After Rollins hit a superplex into a buckle bomb followed by a superkick and the Stomp, Bobby Lashley pulled his rival out of the ring.

The All Mighty destroyed Rollins and laid him out with a Spear, which allowed The Lunatic Fringe to crawl to the pinfall and win.

Afterward, Lio Rush pulled out a table to allow Lashley to send Rollins through it in the center of the ring.

Result

Ambrose def. Rollins by pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Grade

B+

Analysis

This was an engaging main event that far outshone their TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs title match.

The two were physical and personal from the start, and they never let a second pass without action. While it had a disappointing end and was far too short for its importance, it still made an impact.

The night started with an unearned heated brawl, but it ended by solidifying why these two men hate each other so much.