6-Man Tag Team Match:

Minutes into the match, neither Chris Jericho or Mark Henry have seen action.  Jericho finally gets the tag from CM Punk.  He goes nuts pumping up the crowd, tags Daniel Bryan, and leaves.  

Punk gets the tag from an injured Bryan, and he lays a beating on Dolph Ziggler.  Mark Henry comes in to break up a pin, Daniel Bryan looks to make the save.

Mark Henry ends up chasing Bryan up the entrance ramp and backstage.  Mick Foley comes out, saying Laurinaitis has put him in on Punk's team.  Foley is calling for a tag, and Punk finally makes it.  Foley comes in and beats down Otunga in a corner.  Foley hits the DDT, and pulls out Mr. Socko.  

Otunga taps to the mandible claw!  Foley for the win!

CM Punk & Mick Foley...

Laurinaitis comes out and says that he never cleared Foley for the match, and he reverses the decision.

Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, David Otunga def. CM Punk via DQ?

CM Punk rips the mic out of Laurinaitis' hand, and he starts cutting a great promo.  Punk says that this isn't about Foley, this is personal between him and Punk.  He says that Laurinaitis traded in his tights for a suit, and went from sucking, to sucking up.  

Punk says it eats Laurinaitis up that Punk accomplished more in one year than Laurinaitis ever did in his career.  Punk says that it doesn't matter what Laurinaitis does to him at the Royal Rumble because he'll always be better than him.  

Punk tells Laurinaitis that he'll do something Johnny couldn't ever accomplish on his own, get people talking about him.  Punk tells him that if he screws him at the Rumble, people will definitely be talking about Laurinaitis, they'll be talking about how CM Punk kicked his ass.

The crowd explodes, Punk leaves.  Johnny Ace looks livid.  Foley gives him the double thumbs up.  Laurinaitis grabs the mic, and says that he is NOT pathetic.  Foley jumps in, saying that Laurinaitis should admit that he intends to screw Punk, and admit that he's a kiss ass.  

Johnny Ace snaps.  He says Foley is damn right that he's going to screw CM Punk.  He shouts, saying that he's entertaining, and he's sick of being bullied and unappreciated.  He's not going to take it any more.  He blasts Foley with the mic, dropping him hard, and he leaves, looking like he's snapped.  

That was a strong finish to a decent episode of Raw.  Nice to see a fire in both Punk and Laurinaitis. 

Another recap of the Daniel Bryan/Big Show/AJ situation.  

Daniel Bryan comes out with a mic, and says that most of the fans think of Big Show as a lovable giant.  He claims Big Show is actually a giant, careless freak, and that he ran over AJ (who will "never be the same") just to get to his title.  

Bryan says that Big Show's tears were all fake, and if he ever sees Big Show on SmackDown again, he's going to make him pay.  He's going to be defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Mark Henry this week, and he's dedicating the match to her.  

Bryan says that AJ told him that she loves him, and in that match, he'll be showing her just how much he cares.  

6-man tag team match coming up.

Brodus Clay enters, he's infinitely funky.  This is great.  Brodus Clay is in my fav five.

Brodus Clay vs. JTG:

He crushes JTG.  Michael Cole says his crossbody finish is called the "Aww, Funk It".  YES YES YES!

Brodus Clay def. JTG via Pinfall

In the reply, as Brodus is shaking his tail feathers, there's a grey haired man with a handlebar mustache visibly laughing like mad.  That's how we should all take this.  Funk it.

John Cena attacks Swagger before the bell rings.  He's beating him senseless, and looks angry. He jumps at the referee a little and makes him back off.  

Cena is crushing him.  He whips Swagger into the steel steps, and slams his head into the steps repeatedly.  Cena is about to crush Swagger with the steps, and Kane's music hits.  He stops and gets into the ring.  

Kane appears in a pre-taped promo.  He says by the Royal Rumble event, Cena will have embraced the hate.  Cena realizes what he was just doing, and has a worried look on his face, and we cut to commercial.

R-Truth comes out and before he can speak, Wade Barrett comes out.  

"Pardon the interruption R-Truth, if that is indeed your real name."

Barrett says that people need to remember the name, and starts to talk about the Royal Rumble.  R-Truth kicks it off with "Ello' Guvnor!" 

"Don't 'what' me!  Okay, 'what' me!"

R-Truth talks about his trip to Disney land, because Barrett needs his smile back.  R-Truth shows a slide show of him with Disney characters.  There's a very funny spot where it's R-Truth and Pinnochio, who's nose grew when he said Barrett would win the Royal Rumble.

R-Truth is closing out his promo, but he's jumped by The Miz.  Miz and Barrett beat down Truth, but Sheamus runs out to make the save.  Teddy Long comes out as the heels bail out of the ring.  

Teddy says that since Laurinaitis is busy tonight, and this is a SuperShow, he's going to call the shots.  He makes a special over the top rope match between these four.  

Over the Top Match:

Barrett is eliminated quickly, Truth and Sheamus go at it.  Miz takes control shortly after, throws Truth out, but he lands on the apron.  Sheamus starts to run through Miz, but Miz counters the Brogue Kick.  Sheamus avoids being eliminated, and looks to slam Miz over the top.  

Truth runs up behind them, and eliminates them both.  

R-Truth Wins the Over The Top Rope Match

Truth has found a winning gimmick.  Crazy makes for a good face, and heel.  I'm surprised.

Cena runs up to Laurinaitis backstage, complaining about what happened with Zack Ryder.  Laurinaitis says it seems like Cena has a lot of pent up anger, and gives him a match with Jack Swagger, next.  

Backstage, Ryder is being checked on, and Laurinaitis comes to him and apologizes, saying he just read the doctor's letter.  Eve Torres gets on his case, Laurinaitis tells her to watch her mouth, and show respect to authority.  

Perez Hilton comes out, is booed, and announces the upcoming Divas tag team match.

Kelly Kelly & Alicia Fox vs. The Bella Twins:

Perez has an old school "Raw is War" shirt on...that's kinda cool...I didn't just say that, did I?  

The Bella's try some "twin magic" and Perez pulls the fresh one out of the ring.  Kelly Kelly gets the roll up, and that's a wrap.  After the match, the Bellas push Perez down, but K2 and Foxy chase them off.

Daniel Bryan will have an update on AJ later tonight.

Zack Ryder vs. Jack Swagger:

Swagger is targeting Ryder's back immediately, and he hits him with the Swagger Bomb while he's face down.  Swagger is just dominating him, but Ryder continues to kick out.  

Ryder kicks out of two gutwrench powerbombs, and Swagger is getting mad.  Swagger hits a third powerbomb, and gets the pin.  Swagger is the United States Champion.  Wonderful...

Jack Swagger def. Zack Ryder via Pinfall

To clarify the 6-man tag team main event, Punk, Daniel Bryan, and Chris Jericho are facing Ziggler, Mark Henry, and David Otunga. 

Zack Ryder has not been cleared to compete by his doctors, he's backstage for an interview with Eve Torres.  He's going to go out to the ring tonight, but he says he won't forfeit his title.  Eve Torres forgets her line when Zack says he's going out to the ring, Zack makes a face, she remembers and that ends that horrible segment.  

Ryder is showing his more serious side, Eve better get herself together and not mess this up for my broski.

We get a long video recap of the Kane/Cena/Ryder situation.

Swagger vs. Ryder for the United States Championship is up next.

Epico & Primo vs. Air Boom:

Epico and Primo get jobber entrances.  It'd be comical if Air Boom actually gets the titles back tonight, rather than find themselves absolutely depushed because of Bourne's backstage issues.

That was wishful thinking.  Evan Bourne gets Air Bourne countered, and hit with the Backstabber for the 3 count.

Epico & Primo def. Air Boom via Pinfall

Backstage, Otunga tells Laurinaitis that "you know who" is at the door.  He brings him in, but whoever it is stays off camera.  Laurinaitis tells the mystery man that he's going to be in the main event, a six man tag team match...

It's Chris Jericho!  Jericho smiles, turns out the lights, and hits his light up jacket.  Pure class.

The show opens with a Martin Luther King Jr. package, showing respect to MLK on this special day.

After we're greeted by Michael Cole, Mick Foley is introduced, he's wearing flannel and tie dye.  Only Mick.

Zack Ryder will be defending his United States Championship tonight against Jack Swagger, we're informed as Foley gets into the ring.  

Foley grabs a mic and plugs Disney Land, as they're in Anaheim, CA.  Mick mentions how he's enjoyed his most recent appearances, because he's had the opportunity to live out his dreams in the ring.  He has one more dream, and that's for his two youngest kids to have an opportunity to see him in the ring one more time.  

He announces that he intends to be one of the 30 men in the Royal Rumble.  Vickie Guerrero enters with Dolph Ziggler, with her classic "Excuse me!"

She introduces the "future WWE Champion" Dolph Ziggler.  They enter the ring, and Ziggler criticizes Mick for taking one of the sought after Royal Rumble numbers just for his snot nosed, bratty kids.  Ziggler cutting a solid promo here.  

Mick defends himself saying that's the great thing about the Rumble, he might just get owned, or magic could be in the air, and fate could favor him.  Mick doesn't just want to be in the Rumble, he wants to win it.  

Ziggler builds himself up, citing how he "sent Cena running" last week, and has beaten CM Punk.  He says he can't think of a bigger let down than to defeat Punk for the WWE Championship, only to face someone like Mick at WrestleMania.  Ziggler insults him repeatedly, Mick looks intense as Ziggler tells him to get a new shirt, eat a salad, and just go away.  

They stare each other down, and CM Punk's music hits, bringing a smile to Mick's face.

Punk enters to a nice pop from the crowd, and joins them in the ring.  Punk says it's good to see Mick, Ziggler chimes in and says it's because they get their clothes from the same place, and dress like bums.  

Punk says he and Mick are very different, but they have something in common, they don't hide behind women.  Punk adds on by calling Vickie a "poor excuse" for a woman.  He trashes Ziggler's look, pink shirt and all.  Punk also hits on John Laurinaitis.  At the end of the night at the Royal Rumble, he's still going to be the WWE Champion...because he's the best damn wrestler in the world.  It's important that he just plugged the "best in the world" line.

Punk think it'd be cool to face a legend like Foley at WrestleMania.

Laurinaitis comes out, he tells Mick he won't be in the Royal Rumble and leaves.  Vickie Guerrero laughs in Mick's face, and we go backstage.

Air Boom is backstage, they're having their rematch with new WWE Tag Team Champions Epico and Primo, next.

WWE Monday Night Raw is live!  Coverage of the opening segment is coming up next.