Raw results, Jan. 13, 2020: Buddy Murphy joins forces with Rollins and AOP in Fist Fight

The high-flying Ricochet takes on Mojo Rawley for the first time ever on Raw. Catch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

If you’re preparing for the Royal Rumble Match and aren’t the biggest dog in the fight, it helps to go against a dog with a lot of fight in them. So Ricochet’s victory over Mojo Rawley is a good omen for the high-flier’s chances in the Jan. 26 melee. After all, Mojo has the energy of 29 other men crammed into his body, and the former U.S. Champion had to get inventive to get past him, escaping Rawley’s gorilla-press gutbuster to land a Recoil that dropped Mojo like a rock. Ricochet followed up with the 630 for the victory, but crucially, he also threw Mojo over the top rope during the middle portion of the match. That tactic was as sure a sign as any that his focus lies on the biggest victory possible, and perhaps, The Grandest Stage of Them All.

The first Superstar to declare for the Royal Rumble, The Queen, and Sarah Logan fight tooth-and-nail. Catch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

Charlotte Flair vs. Sarah Logan wasn't much of a match last week, as a before-the-bell ambush from Logan immediately turned things into a wild brawl that Charlotte ultimately got the upper hand in. But, oddly enough, Flair didn’t beat her, opting instead to simply leave Logan down at the end of the tussle and settle for bragging rights in lieu of a proper victory.

The Queen quickly corrected the record this week, booting Logan straight in the face to kick off (so to speak) what ended up being a fairly one-sided affair. Logan had no problem throwing hands with the 10-time Women’s Champion, so points must be awarded for bravery. But they must be equally docked for awareness, as Logan narrowly avoided a count-out only to runs headlong into a Figure-Eight that forced a submission. Pointedly, Charlotte threw Logan over the top rope once the referee had placed her robe back over her shoulders, a flex that’s as devastating as it is understandable. After all, what’s the use of being a Royal Rumble favorite if you don’t dress the part?

After a loss in a Tables Match at WWE TLC, The Bulgarian Brute is out for retribution against Bobby Lashley. Catch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

Even the vaunted return of “The Bulgarian Brute” wasn’t enough to put Rusev over the top against Bobby Lashley, who he memorably humiliated for two weeks straight but can’t manage to defeat as long as Lana remains in The All Mighty’s corner.

In fairness, Rusev certainly demoralized Lashley before the proceedings went pear-shaped, overwhelming his opponent with a punishing offensive press and screams of “COME ON, BOB!” while pie-facing Lashley into the corner. Great stuff all around, especially the savage shake-off of a German suplex from Lashley down the stretch, but Liv Morgan’s arrival led to a confrontation with Lana that stopped Rusev in his tracks and allowed Lashley to pounce with a Spear for the win.

The Singh Brothers pay a painful price when they answer an open challenge issued by Raw Tag Team Champions The Viking Raiders. Catch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

There is clearly no show on which The Singh Brothers won’t compete, but they might have done well to sit out against The Viking Raiders. For all Sunil & Samir’s well-documented pluckiness, they were little more than grist for the mill upon answering the Raw Tag Team Champions’ open challenge, as Erik & Ivar sealed the win with a Viking Experience in what felt like a matter of seconds. To be fair, sometimes confidence gets you the win. This was not one of those times.

In their third recent encounter, Aleister Black and Buddy Murphy go to war. Catch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

That’s three in a row for Aleister Black, who once again defeated Buddy Murphy to seemingly close the door (literally and figuratively) on a show-stealing series against The Best Kept Secret, as the rivalry now has a clear winner in the former NXT Champion.

Murphy, obviously, did not take the loss well, which was understandable given the outstanding performance he put on in defeat. Not only did Murphy land a Murphy’s Law that would have won the match if not for a rope break, he kicked out of Black Mass with his last gasp of strength. It was an effort that anyone could theoretically be proud of, but after Aleister earned the win with another ruthless Black Mass, Murphy was left desolate on the outside, having taken his best shot three times and missed, left with nothing but more questions than answers.

When Erick Rowan appears to be bitten by what’s inside his mysterious cage, he takes out his anger on a hapless local competitor. Catch WWE action on WWE Network, FOX, USA Network, Sony India and more.

After weeks of closely guarding the secret of his cage, Erick Rowan has turned a corner. Now he wants to show what he's hiding to the locals he destroys. Ironically enough, the thing in the pen might not share that enthusiasm. When Rowan tried to remove the unidentified being from the covered pen, he instead withdrew his hand sharply, having apparently been bitten by whatever is inside. Far from humbled, however, Rowan was even more energized, quickly executing an Iron Claw to put away the local.