Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2023/01/24/wwe-raw-xxx-notes-steel-cage-match-doesnt-take-place-kurt-angle-appears-with-dx-sami-zayn/
There was a Steel Cage match planned for WWE Raw 30 between Becky Lynch and Bayley. The match did not take place and Damage CTRL (Bayley, IYO SKY & Dakota Kai) ended up beating Lynch down inside the structure. PWInsider reported that the original plan was for Lynch to win and then be ambushed by Damage CTRL. The site added that ‘The Trial of Sami Zayn’ segment ran overtime.
When D-Generation X (Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, Shawn Michaels, Brian ‘Road Dogg’ James & Sean ‘X-Pac Waltman’) came out, they were joined by Kurt Angle. Angle expressed that he always wanted to join DX. They were confronted in the ring by Imperium (GUNTHER, Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci). Neither DX or Angle wanted to fight Imperium, so Seth Rollins and The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) came out for a six-man tag.
Levesque said booking is not easy and questioned why everyone was looking at him to make the match official. Teddy Long then came out to set the match and Kurt Angle was the guest referee. Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler joined commentary and the trio of Rollins, Ford and Dawkins won.
Let's just cut to the chase, why is @RealKurtAngle out here with D-Generation X at #RAWXXX?! 👀 pic.twitter.com/53ctRMU0gt
— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2023
D-Generation X vs. Imperium?!?#RAWXXX pic.twitter.com/MGqSAAOrT1
— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2023
NOW HOLD ON A MINUTE, PLAYA!@TripleH wasn't about to block the opportunity for a certain WWE Hall of Famer to make a SIX-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH at #RAWXXX!
Now you better believe that. pic.twitter.com/DyppypUFSD
— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2023
In the opening match of the show, The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) defended the Raw Tag Titles against Dominik Mysterio and Damian Priest. Due to an ‘injury’ to Jimmy, Sami Zayn filled in and him and Jey retained the belts after hitting a ‘1D’.
SAMI DID IT!!!#AndStill @WWEUsos @SamiZayn #RawXXX pic.twitter.com/BtLUJWWVTP
— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2023
There was another video package promoting Cody Rhodes ahead of his return at the Royal Rumble.
JBL wanted to get Baron Corbin into Ron Simmons and The Godfather’s poker game. Simmons and Godfather continuously referred to Corbin as a ‘stooge’ until Corbin bought his way in. After Corbin won his poker game, Mike Rotunda (IRS) came to collect the tax money.
Better luck next time…#RAWXXX pic.twitter.com/7vsz9x5RLN
— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2023
Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) kicked off the show with Jimmy Hart.
2-time WWE Hall of Famer @HulkHogan shows plenty of love for @WWE + @Eagles on #RawXXX! pic.twitter.com/GwSt2f0hkb
— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2023
NXT’s Alicia Taylor was the ring announcer for the show.