WWE Raw results: New tag team champions crowned as Becky Lynch gets a new challenger

WWE Raw returned with its latest episode airing live from the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is a city that has for decades had a strong wrestling influence, meaning fans were going to be at their loudest.

That might not have always been the case on this particular night, but that might also have been because the show they witnessed didn’t necessarily have a major amount of high points.

That this is the case with WrestleMania season round the corner says a lot. But such is the plight of WWE Raw at present; the show can often drag from great to average.

Here’s a full recap of what happened on this latest episode.

New tag champs, new women’s title challenger

The Apha Academy – Chad Gable and Otis – beating RK-Bro – Randy Orton and Riddle – for the RAW tag team championships was the genuine standout moment of the show.

It helps that they told a simple story throughout this feud. For the Academy, Otis is the X-factor. The former Money in the Bank winner is unstoppable, either by Riddle or Orton. And it was he who picked up the win.

LOOK AT THAT FACE!

Congratulations @WWEGable & @otiswwe on becoming the NEW #WWERaw Tag Team Champions.

SCHOOL. IS. COOL. pic.twitter.com/FJCLZmIfsa

— WWE (@WWE) January 11, 2022

Where things took a surprising turn was that it was Orton who took the fall. Because, whenever RK-Bro are on the losing end, it is normally due to Riddle’s shenanigans. This time, however, it was Orton who had no one to blame but himself.

Is this the match that leads to their break-up? It could be, given WrestleMania is around the corner and this would be a good feud for the show.

Of course, it is equally likely they simply win the tag titles back and continue to remain on the same page.

In another notable moment, Doudrop beat Bianca Belair and Liv Morgan to earn a shot at Becky Lynch’s RAW women’s title. That it came after Lynch attacked Belair somewhat dampened the win though.

It implies that the eventual plan could well be Lynch vs Belair at WrestleMania. But it did not help establish Doudrop as a legitimate title contender in the slightest.

WWE Raw results – best of the rest

• Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley had a showdown, with the former continuing to treat the latter like an afterthought. Afterwards, Lashley beat up Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin.
• The team of Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler and Apollo Crews beat the Street Profits and Damian Priest in a six-man tag match.
• Seth Rollins beat Big E in a match that had no stakes but was solid regardless.
• Alexa Bliss began her journey back to RAW with a therapy session.
• Maryse and Miz had yet another segment with Edge and Beth Phoenix. If this seems repetitive at this point, it’s because it probably is.
• AJ Styles beat Austin Theory by DQ thanks to interference from NXT star Grayson Waller.
• Omos beat Nick Sanders in a squash match.

Grade: C