WWE RAW Flops and Hits: Kevin Owens breaks top champion’s streak, Seth Rollins gets a message from Roman Reigns (January 17, 2022)
WWE RAW had a good show lined up for fans this week. The red brand witnessed several high-profile matches as top superstars looked to gain momentum ahead of Royal Rumble. The episode had its fair share of drawbacks, but most of them were non-consequential.
BETH SAYS 🎤
@EdgeRatedR @TheBethPhoenix
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Before we discuss the biggest flops and hits from this week’s WWE RAW, let’s take a moment to acknowledge this gem of a fan in the background who stole the show with his non-verbal antics.
He was one of the best parts of the segment involving Edge, Beth Phoenix, Maryse, and The Miz and deserved a special mention for making the most of his accidental screen time.
#5 Hit on WWE RAW: Kevin Owens becomes the first superstar to pin Damian Priest on the main roster
PICTURE PERFECT!
@FightOwensFight
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Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins featured in the KO show on WWE RAW. Owens took the opportunity to officially declare himself a participant in the men’s Royal Rumble match later this month.
He also reminded Rollins about their recent friendship. KO believes that his “best friend” can dethrone Roman Reigns as the Universal Champion at Royal Rumble 2022.
Owens predicted that he would win the Royal Rumble match and challenge Rollins for the title at WrestleMania to give fans the match they want to see. It was an entertaining segment, and both superstars have been nothing short of brilliant in their respective runs as heels on WWE RAW.
Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens were glorifying their friendship inside the ring when they were interrupted by United States Champion Damian Priest.
😲😲😲
@ArcherofInfamy
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The latter boldly claimed that Rollins wouldn’t beat Reigns and Owens wouldn’t win Royal Rumble. He further decided to prove his superiority in the singles match against KO on WWE RAW.
It was a good match that allowed both superstars to play to their respective strengths. Priest orchestrated several spectacular spots in the match and made for an impressive opponent against a well-established star.
The match eventually ended when Kevin Owens tricked everyone into believing he was hurt only to hit Damian Priest with a Stunner out of the blue. He then pinned the champion to pick up a statement victory.
This booking was executed well as it protected Priest while simultaneously ensuring that Owens gets a shot at the United States Championship in the future.
Looks like @FightOwensFight just outsmarted @ArcherofInfamy and the entire @WWEUniverse!
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It is worth noting that this was the first time that Damian Priest was pinned in a singles match on the WWE main roster. It would undoubtedly serve as the perfect groundwork to start a brutal title feud between Priest and Owens.
Brock Lesnar is currently feuding with Bobby Lashley, and Roman Reigns has an old score to settle with Seth Rollins. This temporarily leaves Big E and Kevin Owens out of the world championship picture.
It is good to see that KO is still competing with top champions, an acceptable way to keep him busy for the time being. We hope to see Big E being booked just as strongly as well.