The final live WWE event of 2019 and the decade has now come and gone as we head into 2020 tomorrow. Monday Night Raw was live after being taped one week ago and they set plenty of feuds in motion to kick off the New Year right. If you were hoping for Samoa Joe to come back with a vengeance, you sure got it. And of course, the wedding that we have had to hear about for weeks now topped off the night. Was it something to remember? Or not even close to being a highlight? Instead of talking on and on, here’s the best of the best from the final Raw of 2019.
Kevin Owens & Samoa Joe Bring It To Seth Rollins & The AOP
Beat down after beat down was finally answered by the good guys this week to the point where Kevin Owens did not need to go to the hospital. Raw was started by Owens, who yet again called out Seth Rollins and AOP for what they did last week, essentially providing the assist to Andrade to pick up the United States Championship from Rey Mysterio at the Madison Square Garden house show last week. It was not long before Rollins and the AOP made their way down to the ring, as they had heard enough and the fight was on all over again. But for the first time in weeks, Owens was not alone as the “Samoan Submission Machine”, Samoa Joe, made the save and the trio finally looked troubled.
Joe and Owens brought it to the point where security had to separate the five men before it was an all-out brawl through the arena. After the brawl, Joe and Owens confirmed they were on the same side and will have seven days to think of a brand new attack on these three to continue evening the score. Samoa Joe is in a new element for the first time in what it feels like to be years. If WWE is not careful, Joe could be Raw’s next top babyface instead of KO.
Randy Orton Fakes Career-Threatening Injury, RKO’s AJ Styles
*AND SCENE*#RKOOuttaNowhere #RAW @RandyOrton pic.twitter.com/x5mmCyAzaC
— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2019
It was reported by many last night that Randy Orton‘s match against AJ Styles was ended early at a house show due to a knee injury. That being said, Orton was out to discuss his future and his injury and alluded to the fact he may not actually be okay. He brought up Edge’s name, a man who’s career ended due to injury. Orton made a point that he doesn’t know if he will be able to come back, which led to AJ Styles making his way down to the ring and questioning Orton. He said he was willing to wait until WrestleMania and end his career if he had to. Orton then grabbed the mic and made the statement that the difference between him and Styles is that he doesn’t like to wait. He planted him with an RKO. Orton is fine.
Liv Morgan Returns To Reveal She Loves Lana
.@YaOnlyLivvOnce has just interrupted the #LanaLashleyWedding on #RAW with a BIG announcement! pic.twitter.com/s3COM5JgEs
— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2019
I have not written much about the Lana–Bobby Lashley garbage because, well, it’s mostly been garbage. But we finally got to the wedding and it was the trainwreck of all trainwrecks. None of it made sense, but it was such a wreck that you couldn’t take your eyes away from the TV. It was the first segment to go past the three-hour mark on Raw in who knows how long. Lana and Bobby Lashley did their vows and what now before we got to the big reveal. It was asked if there was anyone who would like to reject this marriage. Out first was Lana’s first husband, then Bobby Lashley’s first wife. And finally, the woman of the hour… Liv Morgan.
Liv Morgan revealed to the world that she was the lover of Lana, leading to both women going for each other’s necks and Morgan being taken away by security. Rusev then revealed himself from the cake in the ring and beat the life out of Bobby Lashley. Morgan wasn’t done as she came back to beat down Lana as the show went off the air. Weird that this was the last segment to end the decade. Sums up WWE’s tough times despite the talent.
Raw MVP: Aleister Black vs Buddy Murphy
When it was announced last week that the rematch from TLC would occur on the final Raw of 2019, most could have figured the quality would be all over again. Aleister Black and Buddy Murphy have been at each other’s throats for what seems to be months but had only had one match against one another. That all changed as the rematch was on and boy was it a doozy. Black and Murphy have found this chemistry that makes their matches must-see for fans. The hard-hitting action was fantastic, as, at times, Buddy Murphy attempted to lift Black up much like he does with the Black Mass but was met by a reversal instead. The match came to a close when “The Dutch Destroyer” hit not just one, but two Black Mass kicks to the head of Murphy to put him away and end their fantastic feud once and for all.
The WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar, will return to Raw next week and could very well have his Royal Rumble opponent announced. This plus a Raw Tag Team Championship match between the Viking Raiders, The OC, and The Street Profits. Oh, and a United States Championship match between the champion Andrade and Rey Mysterio. It is shaping up to be a fantastic show to start the year for the WWE.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. We provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. WWE fan? Check out the WWE Network to fulfill all of your WWE needs.