7th Jan 2013
Location: Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa Bay, Florida
Opening Credits.
Promo: The show opens with Mr McMahon striding down to the ring, it's a new year in the WWE, and we are on the Road to Wrestlemania............and the first stop at the end of the month is the Royal Rumble.................and based on the results from TLC, where WWE crushed TNA, Mr McMahon reveals that he has nothing to fear from TNA, which is why if they earn it, they will be included in the Rumble..........a FORTY Man Royal Rumble....................
Commentary: Referring to the announcement just made, they agree that it is a huge announcement, then moving onto last night at TLC, they refer to WWE's domination including Edge's successful Title defence, while also alluding to Big E inserting himself into the WWE Title picture.................also tonight in the Main Event, the United States Title will be defended by Ryback against The Miz, and in order to prevent outside interference, this match will take place inside a Steel Cage................but then they are interrupoted by the entrance music of The Beautiful People...................
Promo: Irate at the distraction caused by Nikki Bella last night at TLC, Angelina claims that Trish took the easy way out to retain the Diva's Title, while proving wht the WWE Diva's will never be in the same league as The Beautiful People............then she demands Nikki come down to the ring and take the beating she deserves..............
Nikki Bella v Angelina Love w/ Velvet Sky
Winner: Nikki Bella via Pinfall.
Post Match: Velvet Sky jumps into the ring while Nikki is celebrating and beats her down, before unceremoniously ejecting her out of the ring, then together with Angelina Love celevbrated.............before addressing Trish Stratus, as she claims personally to bring the Diva's Title to TNA........to The Beautiful People.........
Backstage : Stone Cold walks in on Big E, which Big E is offended by, he claims that he is going places now that he has dropped Austin, and uses hius actions last night as an example............however Austin is not impressed by beating an already grounded opponent with a steel chair.......Big E gets irate, but just then Sting walks in and gets in Austin's face,, he claims that maybe Austin hit his head too hard on the ring post last week, because he simply denies to accept his time is up..............Austin retaliates claiming that Sting is a shadow of his former glory, a shadow that is fading day by day..............a shadow that simply isn't worth his attention...........Sting turns to leave then sucker punches Austin, resulting in a mass brawl backstage, resulting in them having to be dragged off each other by fellow Superstars.............
Promo: WWE Champion Edge comes down to the ring to address last night and the future...............as a result he demands Big E explain himself..............Big E wastes no time making his way to the ring............he claims that ever since he arrived in the WWE he has proven to be deserving of a WWE Title shot, and last night he decided to take his chance rather than keep on waiting..............just then though they are interrupted as Drew McIntyre makes his way to the ring..............he claims that he is sick of the amount of times talented British Superstars have been overlooked by the USA, and he will not allow it to happen again, which is why the United States of Britain, will be taking ovewr Raw, and he will once again be WWE Champion..................just then though, loser from last night, Samoa Joe enters the scene and is immediately confronted by McIntyre, who gloats about Joe's defeat last night, after he "Stole" McIntyre's Title Match...............but Joe's not here to talk, he's here to fight................and without warning he launches at Edge, and Big E attacks McIntyre............and a full on brawl breaks out in the ring..........
a brawl that Big E dominated as he flattened McIntyre, delivered a Big Ending to Edge and laid out Samoa Joe...........
before strolling to the back leaving destructyion in his wake.
Backstage Interview: R-Truth has a Royal Rumble Qualifying match next week against the man who has caused him a lot of trouble in the last couple of months.........Sting, his reaction to this news............R-Truth is delighted to finally get Sting 1 on 1 in a match where Sting dare not get himself Disqualified like last week, because he knows he can beat Sting, go on to the Royal Rumble, win that, then become Champion at Wrestlemania!!!!!! Then just as the interview is finished, Truth falls victim to a sneak attack by Sting who claims Truth will be lucky to even make it to next weeks episode of Raw................
And coming up next in order to determine new Number 1 Contenders to the WWE Tag Team Championships, over the next few weeks Raw & Smackdown will be hosting a Tag Team Tournament, and currently standing in the ring, the team of Damien Sandow & Kaval are awaiting their opponents........................
Paul Heyman comes out to address everyone, he claims that TNA WILL go onto challenge for the Tag Titles, because their team on Smackdown will prevail, and here on Raw this team will prevail...............
and then out come.................BEER MONEY!!!!!!!!!!
Beer Money (James Storm & Bobby Roode) v Kaval & Damien Sandow
Winners: Beer Money via Pinfall following a Super Kick by James Storm to Damien Sandow
Backstage: Cody Rhodes walks into the GM Office to demand payback for the betrayal last week by Drew McIntyre, he also wants wade Barrett for his disparaging remarks about the USA, Tiffany denies him the match, because she knows McIntyre and she knows how he thinks, but if Cody wants to blow off some anger, he can take on The British Invasion.............
Meanwhile McIntyre, Barrett & The British Invasion make their way to the ring................once again McIntyre criticizes America claiming that The Nexus were like the USA, pathetic and inept at fulfilling their duties,but with the newly formed USB, he now has the British style of fighting, that will conquer all..............
Ad Break
Promo: Following on from his success over A J Styles last night, Swagger is out to make an announcement, he has now proven once and for all that Styles was no more than hype, and now he moves on.............and so at the Royal Rumble he will go onto win the Rumble for the 2nd year in a row and then go onto Wrestlemania and become WWE Champion.........................this gets a response from MVP who ridicules Swaggers record in WWE, in the 3 years he's been with WWE, Swagger has won ONE Championship, and that record is simply not good enough for someone like MVP.................so pass the spotlight on................and move on!
Backstage Interview: Following earlier events, does Sting have any response? Sting cuts into the question, claiming that no matter about next week, he IS going to the Royal Rumble, and it doesn't matter who he has to face, he is going to Wrestlemania...........then just as abruptly he storms off................
Next up can Cody Rhodes get a little respect back for the USA..........
Doug Williams & Magnus v Cody Rhodes
Winners: Doug Williams & Magnus via Pinfall by Magnus.
Post Match: Despite a valiant effort, Cody was unable to pick up the victory, however the victory was not enough for Magnus & Williams, as they decided to inflict further damage on Rhodes............then just as Magnus brought a chair into the equation, but he didn't get to use it as just then Goldust stormed down to the ring causing British Invasion to exit the ring, as Goldust checked on his brother, British Invasion celebrated gleefully on the entrance ramp.
Backstage: In the GM Office, Drew McIntyre is confronting Tiffany, who admittedly is not impressed with his recent remarks about the USA, he retaliates by telling her to do her job which is to get the WWE Title back round his waist, to forget about the TNA Invasion, and ignore the United States & Diva's Titles..............she reminds him that if TNA win this war, the WWE Title will be worth nothing anyway.............at this point Drew gives Tiffany an ultimatum, she chooses the USA or she chooses him, she has 7 days to decide..............
Promo: Making his way to the ring, fresh from putting Abyss through a flaming Table at TLC........it's Kane!!!!!!
And he's here to compete against Suicide, where if Suicide wins he qualify's for the Royal Rumble..............
But first off Kane reminds everyone of his achievement last night, and that Suicide's name is ironic, because getting in the ring with Kane is CAREER SUICIDE..............just then in a shocking twist, Abyss came out apparently unharmed............he addresses Kane telling him that it will take more than a flaming table to keep him down, and that he was by no means finished with Kane.................
Suicide v Kane
Mid Match: As was expected Kane dominated Suicide, so much so that Suicide left the ring to get a breather, however Kane was not going to allow that, he followed him to the outside................Suicide slid back into the ring and hid behind the referee causing the referee to lose concentration, and this allowed Abyss to return and deliver a Black Hole Slam from behind on Kane, before rolling him back into the ring, which Suicide took full advantage of.........
Winner: Suicide via Pinfall.
Post Match: Suicide celebrated his victory, but took too long, as Kane recovered from the Black Hole Slam, and zeroed in on the nearest target, grabbing Suicide by the throat he delivered a huge Chokeslam, before causing the turnbuckles to burst into flames...............
Backstage Interview: Following his failure toi win the X Division Title last week, what is next for Sin Cara, Sin Cara while admitting the failure was his alone would like another opportunity, this time with no Paul Heyman at ringside, however that isn't likely to happen and since he can't change the past, he'll have to create the future, by winning the Royal Rumble and going to Wrestlemania and becoming WWE Champion...........
Coming up next it's our Main Event, the United States Title Match in a Steel Cage..........Pinfall & Submissions only.....
(c) Ryback v The Miz
United States Title
Winner and STILL United States Champion: Ryback via Pinfall
A successful Title defence for Ryback, which he celebrates as the Cage rises.............then from out of nowhere A J Styles fly's into the ring delivering a massive Phenomenal Forearm to Ryback, then turning to The Miz hit him with The Styles Clash............before picking up the United States Title and holding it aloft whiile standing over Ryback............
End Credits.