WWE Raw recap: Roman Reigns will enter Royal Rumble at No 1 as Wyatt Family attack champion and Brock Lesnar
The final Raw before the Royal Rumble saw the McMahon family stich up the WWE World Heavyweight Champion while the Wyatt Family made their mark
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There was no Effie Trinket exclaiming, "May the odds be ever in your favour" as Roman Reigns' name was drawn from a rigged tumbler, his fate as the No. 1 entrant in this weekend's Royal Rumble match determined by Vince and Stephanie McMahon on Monday night, writes Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report.
There wasn't any sort of grand parade for fans to wish him well prior to entering the hell that will be the 30-man elimination bout Sunday, either.
Instead, what awaited the WWE world heavyweight champion was a singles bout with Rusev, then a face-to-face confrontation with The Beast Incarnate.
If that was not enough, there was the dangerous and menacing Wyatt Family, which ensured that the top dog in the industry ended the night on his back, his chances of even surviving until Sunday's broadcast lessened significantly as a result of a four-on-one beatdown at the stable's collective hand.
No, Reigns was not done any favors on Monday night as WWE Raw rolled into Columbus, Ohio, and the powers that be would have it no other way.
After weeks of overcoming obstacles put in his path by The Authority, Reigns finally appears to be overcome and overwhelmed by the 29 other Superstars who await him.
That story may have dominated Raw, but it was hardly the only one to play out on the USA Network on Monday night.
What else went down on the go-home episode of WWE's flagship program? Who left victorious and how did each segment grade out?
Roman Reigns accept Chris Jericho's invitation
WWE world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns made his way through the crowd to kick off the evening's broadcast as Michael Cole, Byron Saxton and John Bradshaw Layfield ran down the events of last week's show, including Brock Lesnar's message to the titleholder courtesy of an F-5.
"Break the Walls Down" erupted over the PA system and the crowd greeted Chris Jericho with apathy as he headed toward the squared circle.
Jericho suggested that Reigns join him and Lesnar later in the night for the "biggest 'Highlight Reel' ever," an invitation Reigns accepted.
The League of Nations interrupted the promo and was insulted that the Rumble match had become all about Reigns and The Beast Incarnate. Sheamus asked why he was not invited to the promo segment later in the night, to which Jericho responded, "Because I'm trying to keep it entertaining."
Alberto Del Rio and Rusev each had their own promo time, Jericho and Reigns responded, and a match between the Bulgarian Brute and the WWE champion was booked.
And Jericho inexplicably announced himself as the guest referee.
Roman Reigns vs Rusev (Chris Jericho as Guest Referee)
Rusev capitalised on a distraction by his fellow League of Nations teammates to attack Roman Reigns at ringside and take control of the bout early.
Just as it appeared as though the second-generation star was about to mount a comeback, the League again inserted itself into the action, allowing the Bulgarian to regain the upper hand as Jericho watched on, doing nothing about the blatant cheating.
Reigns eventually mounted his comeback, including the 10 corner clotheslines that included Jericho counting along with the champion. Hardly unbiased officiating.
Reigns delivered a big sit-out powerbomb for two and called for the Superman Punch only to have Alberto Del Rio cause a distraction, allowing Sheamus to pull him out of the ring and send him crashing into the barricade.
Jericho tossed The Celtic Warrior out of arena, followed by Barrett and Del Rio.
Reigns delivered his trademark punch and exploded across the ring with the Spear for the pinfall victory over Rusev.
Natalya vs Brie Bella
Natalya returned to the squared circle, accompanied by Paige, for a showdown with Brie Bella.
Michael Cole tried to explain Paige's association with the third-generation Diva as a clip from the newest episode of Total Divas aired, thus setting the Divas Revolution back three years.
Natalya scored the win after two minutes of action with the Sharpshooter.
Ryback and The Dudley Boyz vs The Wyatt Family
Ryback and The Dudley Boyz looked to settle their differences with The Wyatt Family on Monday night in a huge six-man tag team match, the only contest previously announced for the show.
Luke Harper gained control for the heels early, while Erick Rowan used a standing heel kick to take D-Von Dudley down. Bray Wyatt and his loyal followers isolated the smaller Dudley, working over the tag team great to the dismay of the WWE Universe.
After minutes of enduring a beating, D-Von made the tag to Ryback, who exploded into the match, taking down the larger Harper. A blind tag to Bubba Ray Dudley led to a big boot and a near-fall.
Action broke down late, with Wyatt disposing of Ryback at ringside, Rowan breaking up a 3-D by The Dudley Boyz and Harper finishing Bubba off with a huge sidekick and discus clothesline.
"At the Royal Rumble, there will be no salvation! The apocalypse...is here," cameras caught Wyatt exclaiming following the bout.
The Big Show vs Heath Slater
Heath Slater and The Social Outcasts vowed to trend worldwide on Sunday at the Royal Rumble, each of them promising to win the 30-man match.
They did not fare so well on Monday, though, as Slater lost to Big Show in seconds following his KO Punch. After the bout, the rest of the Outcasts were laid out with the big right hand, reminding fans for the umpteenth time that Big Show is a dangerous giant.
Who Will Be No 1?
Vince and Stephanie McMahon ran down the Superstars who could very well find themselves entering at No. 1 in this Sunday's Royal Rumble.
Wasting little time in determining who will enter the 30-man match at the least desirable position, they turned the tumbler and picked a name from inside.
WWE world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns was revealed as the unlucky participant. The McMahons picked again, and it was Reigns for a second time, really hammering home the fact that the draw was fixed. They repeated the draw one more time and Reigns was drawn again, with the ominous warning by Vince that Reigns' days as champion will be over on Sunday.
Becky Lynch vs Tamina Snuka
Tamina of Team B.A.D. battled Becky Lynch in singles competition, trying to derail the Lass Kicker's momentum as Divas champion Charlotte watched from ringside, her father Ric Flair by her side.
The daughter of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka used her size and strength to overwhelm Lynch early, but the Irish-born Diva fought back, unloading with a dropkick and a series of leg drops.
The Dis-arm-her finished Tamina off.
After the match, Lynch cut a promo, asking Charlotte for the Divas Championship match this Sunday at Royal Rumble.
Charlotte refused, telling Lynch to get to the back of the line. The No. 1 contender questioned Flair and what his Hall of Fame friends would have to say about the coward his daughter has become. His pride hurt, The Nature Boy accepted the match on behalf of his daughter.
Dean Ambrose and Kalisto vs Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio
Kevin Owens sat in on commentary as WWE intercontinental champion Dean Ambrose teamed with a revenge-seeking Kalisto in a clash against United States champion Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus.
The masked luchador was isolated from his partner, brutally beaten down by his bigger, stronger opponents. A hot tag to Ambrose, though, led to an energetic close to the bout. A suicide dive wiped out Del Rio at ringside, but only momentarily, as the U.S. champion recovered quickly enough to send Ambrose into the barricade.
Back inside the squared circle, The Lunatic Fringe found himself on the receiving end of a beating by a determined and dangerous duo of past Royal Rumble winners.
The rebound clothesline and a hot tag to Kalisto catapulted the babyfaces back into the match.
Kalisto appeared to have the match won after Salida del Sol to Sheamus, but Del Rio broke up the pin. Action between Ambrose and Del Rio spilled to the arena floor, where the heel capitalized on a distraction by Owens to lay out the IC champion.
Back inside, The League of Nations picked up the win with a Brogue Kick to Kalisto.
Jey Uso vs Big E
Seeking revenge for the demise of trombone "Francesca," Big E squared off with Jey Uso in singles competition.
The WWE tag team champion controlled the heart of the match, overpowering Jey until a missed splash on the ring apron slowed him considerably. A series of superkicks and a big Samoan Drop nearly ended the match on a high note for the face-painted twin.
Unfortunately, a distraction allowed Big E to score the pinfall victory following The Big Ending, continuing the momentum The New Day carried into 2016.
8-Man Tag Team Match
Titus O'Neil, Mark Henry, R-Truth and Neville battled The Cosmic Wasteland and Tyler Breeze in what is the largest collection of talent with nothing else better to do that WWE could possibly bring together.
O'Neil overwhelmed The Ascension early, but Viktor isolated Neville and Stardust worked over his former rival.
The Man Who Gravity Forgot rebounded late in the match, unloading with his rapid offense.
Henry delivered the World's Strongest Slam to Breeze and Neville's Red Arrow finished Prince Pretty off.
'Highlight Reel' with Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman
Chris Jericho took to the ring again, introducing the "Highlight Reel" that WWE spent all night hyping.
Paul Heyman interrupted and reminded Y2J that the last time he went face to face with The Beast Incarnate, things did not turn out so favorably for the future Hall of Famer.
Jericho asked Heyman if he tried to get Lesnar out of the Royal Rumble because he did not like his client's chances of winning, to which Heyman responded by reminding Jericho and the WWE Universe that Lesnar never really lost the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and thus should have received a bye to WrestleMania.
Heyman promised that his client will turn the Royal Rumble into Suplex City, which elicited a chant from the fans in Columbus. Jericho, unfazed, asked Heyman what happens if he beats The Beast and leaves as the seven-time champion.
Lesnar made his entrance on that note.
Roman Reigns wasted no time, arriving before Lesnar could get into the squared circle and staring The Beast Incarnate down, undeniably waiting for his chance at revenge after last week's F-5. Reigns speared Lesnar and unloaded on his rival. The League of Nations hit the ring, and a beatdown of Reigns ensued.
Rusev suffered a suplex, as did Del Rio. An F-5 felled Sheamus and a second Spear by Reigns left Lesnar lying on the ground. The Wyatt Family hit the ring and surrounded Reigns. The Wyatt Family leveled both the WWE champion and The Beast, the haunting image of Wyatt smiling telling the story.
"The Royal Rumble is mine. Mine!" Wyatt exclaimed as the show came to a close.
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