Tag: Chelsea Green

WWE Raw results 04/15/24: Rhea vacates, Sami retains, Gable snaps

Sami Zayn won in front of his hometown fans on WWE Raw in Montreal, but Chad Gable wasn’t willing to let his defeat go.

Nothing makes an otherwise ordinary start to a week in pro wrestling turn sober faster than unexpected injury news, and that unfortunately is the case for tonight’s episode of WWE Raw in Montreal.

Earlier today, a report from PWInsider emerged that Rhea Ripley had been injured during her backstage brawl segment with Liv Morgan last week. Other outlets like Fightful have since confirmed that Ripley is indeed injured, but what isn’t clear is whether she will have to vacate her Women’s World Championship.

If she does, that heavily suggests she’ll be out of action for an extended period of time. If not, she might be back sooner than feared. But either way, since Ripley was promoted to be on tonight’s show to address Morgan’s attack, the expectation is that Liv will be blamed (or credited, if you’re on her side) with putting Ripley on the shelf for storyline purposes.

It’s an unfortunate situation, to be sure, and yet it could work out for the best in the long run. Morgan seems like more of a badass for being able to step to Mami like that — while in real life, her heart surely goes out to Ripley given her own bad luck with injuries — and Rhea will be just as over when she returns.

The other big thing to watch tonight is the Intercontinental Championship match between new champ Sami Zayn and the man who trained him to help win it, Chad Gable. The thought is that Gable will play it straight and fall short tonight, leading to him snapping and turning heel for an extended program with Zayn that probably leads to a title rematch at Backlash.

Finding out is why we watch. We’ll be doing that, so follow along with us if you will.

WWE Raw results from Montreal:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Various stars are shown entering the arena, including Sami Zayn, Damian Priest, Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso
  • Rhea Ripley has her arm in a sling and gives the fans the news they’ve dreaded: She’ll have to say goodbye to her Women’s World Championship as she spends months recuperating from injury
  • Ripley gets a group hug from The Judgment Day and some words of encouragement from Damian Priest, then tells them to keep the group on top and look after Dominik Mysterio
  • Sheamus def. Ivar by pinfall
  • A lengthy hype video plays up Sami Zayn’s Intercontinental Championship victory at WrestleMania and his title defense tonight
  • Triple H is in the house to present Awesome Truth with their new World Tag Team Championship belts
  • #DIY def. The Creed Brothers and The New Day to become No. 1 contenders for the World Tag Team Championship
  • Jackie Redmond is surprised that Drew McIntyre is laughing after watching what CM Punk did to him last week, but that smile goes away fast and the Scottish Warrior takes his wrath out on a TV monitor
  • Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell def. Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri by pinfall, with Hartwell showing the first signs of following the rule-breaking path LeRae has been trying to get her to take
  • A lengthy hype video plays to promote Priest; afterward, he psyches up the team and trues to motivate both Dominik and Finn Balor, who is questioning his match with Jey Uso tonight but ends up smiling
  • Redmond talks to Chad Gable, who runs down his experience with hostile crowds and says he won’t be intimidated by Zayn’s hometown advantage tonight
  • Andrade def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall; after the match. JD McDonagh helps Dom with a two-on-one beating until Ricochet comes to even the odds and chase off the heels
  • Cathy Kelley asks Jey Uso about Tama Tonga and his attack on Jimmy Uso, and he questions adding “members we don’t even know” while also saying he needs to concentrate on Balor tonight
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven def. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter by pinfall
  • Kelley speaks with Morgan, who says she’s confused that people are mad at her, as no one had that reaction to Ripley when she injured Liv’s shoulder: “This is karma at it’s very finest, so Rhea got exactly what she deserved”; this also isn’t the end of the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour as she still needs to become champion again
  • And now, a word from our champion, Cody Rhodes, who reflects on WrestleMania and offers to watch Jey Uso’s back, though Jey says he needs to do things himself tonight
  • Kelley talks to Nia Jax about the Rhea situation, and as you might expect, she’s not too sympathetic and says that the title is hers
  • Jey Uso def. Finn Balor by pinfall; after the bell, Uso is assaulted by The Judgment Day but manages to escape into the stands and up the stairs toward the concourse, where he high-fives a bunch of people (and shoves one aside) …
  • … then he runs into Sami Zayn on his way to the ring, encouraging him to get it tonight as he defends his title
  • While Gable is on his way out, Bronson Reed stops him and says no matter who wins, that person will have to answer to “Big” Bronson Reed
  • Sami Zayn def. Chad Gable by pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • Zayn lays his title belt down in the middle of the ring and asks Gable to meet him there, then heads to the corner instead; Zayn offers a hand to lift Gable, who initially seems to accept the show of respect, but then waits until Zayn is in front of his wife to attack the champ, battering him around ringside and the apron and wrapping an ankle lock on Sami around the top turnbuckle as Raw goes off the air

Rhea Ripley does, indeed, have to vacate her title

Though she is greeted warmly by the fans in Montreal, Ripley looks unhappy and says everyone knows what’s going on right now, yeah? She says she’s been told she’s “stuck on the bench” for months, and that she must vacate the Women’s World Championship, which gets a “bulls–t” chant going.

Rhea says the title is what means the most to her, which makes this even more painful. Ripley also delivers a warning: When she comes back, she’s coming back for blood, and when she finds Liv Morgan, they’re going to have to lock her up in a Montreal jail.

She won’t have to wait long, as a cackling Morgan comes out and a swarm of security guards emerges at the direction of Adam Pearce to keep them separated. One security guard takes some of Mami’s wrath, but that’s that.

No longer Raw champions, Awesome Truth are now World Tag Team Champions

“You guys are on fire tonight, I gotta tell you that,” the WWE CCO says to the crowd in Montreal. He says it was only a few days ago we were in the midst of the biggest WrestleMania of all time, one that gave us two sets of tag team champions.

To that end, he and Adam Pearce summon the Awesome Truth. Triple H congratulates them R-Truth and The Miz for making history, then tells Truth it was awesome to see him have his WrestleMania moment.

But to represent this brand and a new era, they need to do it in a new way. They will now be known as the World Tag Team Champions and are shown their spiffy new title belts. R-Truth thinks Triple H is a magician and suggests Little Jimmy used to be visible until a magic accident.

Much confusion on Truth’s part follows, especially about who Triple H is, but the CCO finally hits his limit and hands Awesome Truth their new title belts. Pearce then reveals there’s going to be a Triple Threat match to find them No. 1 contenders.

Cody Rhodes reflects, offers to watch Jey Uso’s back

Rhodes kicks things off by thanking Adam Pearce for letting him hang around Raw when he’s technically a SmackDown superstar. He reminds us all that at Backlash, he’ll defend his title against either LA Knight or AJ Styles, but before that, he wants to reflect a little bit.

There’s one man in particular he wants to shout out, and it’s the man who said he would be Cody’s shield, Seth “Freakin'” Rollins. Rhodes also talks about The Rock and says it was news to him that he did a 12-week training camp, stating that the Final Boss has a lot more than one more match left in him. Cody adds that The Rock is probably right about making him bleed again, but no amount of training can stop the fact that if he bleeds, The Rock will bleed with him.

One thing he’s confused about is the introduction of Tama Tonga to The Bloodline with Roman Reigns nowhere to be found. His last bit of reflection is to bring someone out to the ring, Main Event Jey Uso.

Rhodes offers to have Jey’s back for his match with Finn Balor, knowing that The Judgment Day usually rolls as a group. Jey appreciates that but says he has to do it on his own.

Cody says he totally understands and wishes Jey good luck, “until we yeet again.” Cody’s words, not mine.

Sami Zayn digs down deep to defeat Chad Gable

Sami takes some time to drink in the reaction from his hometown fans once he gets his in-ring intro from Samantha Irvin. Michael Cole says there are “many ghosts in this building” for Zayn, the biggest of which was being defeated by Roman Reigns while competing for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

The announcers discuss how Gable claims he knows all of Zayn’s weaknesses while he’s taking it to Sami on the outside. The champ’s rally includes a springboard moonsault to the floor, which gets the fans to reach another level as commercials arrive.

We return to see Zayn going for a ride courtesy of a Gable Olympic slam off the top rope, and Sami’s wife is shown with her hands over her mouth after that. Zayn takes two German suplexes before firing back with two of his own.

They trade one more German each before Zayn wins a battle of standing switches for one last suplex, this time with a release that sees Gable land a bit awkwardly on his neck.

Sami has just a tad of blood on his face as he hits an Exploder, but his Helluva Kick attempt is countered with an ankle lock. Gable tries to fly off the top but is caught and powerbombed by Zayn, who is thinking Sharpshooter but seeds his ankle give out.

Gable hits a release German suplex into the buckles, then wins a series of counters to drag Zayn back into the center of the ring for another ankle lock. Sami rolls through and nearly wins it.

Another Exploder sets up the Helluva Kick, and Zayn crawls over Gable to score the very popular pinfall.

Raw After WrestleMania results 04/08/24: New era includes Rock mystery, Cena cameo, same CM Punk

The Raw After Mania didn’t disappoint, though Drew McIntyre might have his head explode thanks to CM Punk.

When WWE Raw rolls into the Wells Fargo Center tonight, it’s going to help turn the page from whatever we just came out of to what Cody Rhodes has dubbed the Renaissance Era. That’s a fine name for it since professional wrestling is back and sports entertainment seems to be fading away like a bad dream once you’ve been awake for 15 minutes.

Also, now that Rhodes is the new champion, he can call it any damn thing he wants.

Last year’s Raw After WrestleMania was famously a big letdown, feeling like any other Raw in mid-June rather than a show that would chart the course for exciting new things ahead. The blame was laid squarely at the feet of Vince McMahon, who apparently did the opposite of saying “perfect, no notes” and concocted a whole new show on the fly. And not a great one.

In contrast, even with Triple H already very much putting his stamp on WWE with WrestleMania 40, you can imagine he’ll want to keep the excitement going with a compelling show tonight in Philly. We already know the first hour is commercial-free, which WWE can no doubt afford to do after the massive WrestleMania gate and the extra sponsorships it showed off compared to years past.

There have been some more hints put out about surprises and such for tonight, but we can’t tell you what they are because Adam Pearce has us blocked on X. We’re not even sure what we did, but we’re all of a sudden big Nick Aldis fans now.

(Just kidding, Scrap Daddy, we still love you even if you don’t feel the same.)

In any case, we’re looking forward to this new era kicking off, so let’s do exactly that.

WWE Raw After Mania results from Philadelphia:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Triple H and Cody Rhodes kick off the new era, but The Rock says he’ll come for Cody eventually
  • Newly crowned champs Damian Priest and Sami Zayn are shown entering the arena
  • Ilja Dragunov def Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall
  • A video package shows how Drew McIntyre won, then quickly lost the World Heavyweight Championship, and McIntyre is shown heading into the arena earlier today
  • The Judgment Day has more singles gold but no tag team titles … and still has an R-Truth problem
  • The Awesome Truth and John Cena def. The Judgment Day by pinfall
  • Bronson Reed cuts a promo before he’s part of a four-way No. 1 contenders match, and there’s an unusual test pattern in the background on a monitor …
  • Rhea Ripley tells Dominik Mysterio he needs to handle Andrade betraying him but gets attacked out of nowhere by Liv Morgan
  • Roxanne Perez def. Indi Hartwell by pinfall
  • Sami Zayn and Jey Uso still remember their special handshake, apparently
  • Natalya and Perez bump into each other backstage and say they’ll see each other on NXT
  • Sami Zayn is now a champion but Imperium isn’t quite done with him
  • A promo video airs for the impending return of Sheamus

  • Sami Zayn and Chad Gable def. Imperium as Gable pins Vinci
  • Jey Uso cuts his own promo before the main event
  • The three general managers discuss putting their differences aside for the sake of the product, but they get a visit from Chelsea Green, upset about being left out of WrestleMania; she’s happy when she learns she has a match, but the laughs by the GMs suggest she may not be thrilled about her opponent
  • Jade Cargill def. Chelsea Green by pinfall in a matter of seconds
  • Zayn finds Gable and says he knows what Chad wants as a favor: a shot at the Intercontinental Championship; next week in Montreal, it’s on, and Gable says he can’t wait
  • Drew McIntyre says “what happened last night was complete and utter BS,” noting his moment lasted only five minutes and 46 seconds; he thanks Seth Rollins but “that bondage Undertaker” screwed it all up and also says it’s on sight with CM Punk
  • Jey Uso wins a Fatal Four-Way No. 1 Contenders Match, earning a World Heavyweight Championship shot after CM Punk prevents McIntyre from winning

Cody Rhodes finished one story, but The Rock makes it clear another one is just starting

Both “Triple H” and “thank you Hunter” chants greet the CCO as he takes the ring. “Here’s the thing, I came out here to thank you,” he says, noting that by every metric it was the biggest WrestleMania ever.

He had the privilege of welcoming everyone to Mania and now has the privilege of welcoming everyone to Raw. It’s time to welcome the man who will lead us into a new era, which of course is Cody Rhodes. The new Undisputed WWE Champion shakes hands with Triple H before holding his title aloft to multiple sides of the ring.

A big “you deserve it” chant greets Rhodes, after which Triple H congratulates him while also giving Roman Reigns some props for his title reign.

The CCO mentions it’s a gate record for an arena show tonight, and he also shows off a video tribute to Cody set to “Rise Up” (albeit on smaller monitors since the large Tron isn’t in the Wells Fargo Center to squeeze more people in). It brings Rhodes to tears, and he hugs Triple H, who departs afterward.

Cody kneels down and kisses his title belt before getting to his “What do you want to talk about?” catchphrase. Rhodes turns to Samantha Irvin, asking her to announce him again as the new Undisputed WWE Champion, and she happily obliges.

He tells the fans that together, they are standing on top of the mountain, and he acknowledges the 1,316-day run for Reigns, wondering if he’s the most important superstar of our generation. The fans start a “thank you Roman” chant in response.

Rhodes discusses the “why” and shows a clip of his daughter imploring him to finish the story. He says he wants her to know that when he goes to work, he does so in the main event and as champion. Cody ponders the new experience of having the line be for him, but as he gets to the undisputed bit, he’s interrupted by The Rock.

There are some boos for the Final Boss but a “Rocky” chant as well. Ah, but then the trolling arrives in the form of an “Undertaker” chant, and it’s hard for The Rock to start talking as he gets booed when he tries.

The Rock finally says he came out to give flowers but also to insult Philadelphia for breaking the record for the largest gathering of trailer park trash. Both men then take turns holding up their titles for the crowd. Oh yeah, The Rock as The People’s Championship, remember?

Ignoring the fans, The Rock congratulates Rhodes for beating Reigns and says his mom and late dad were proud of him. He talks about the two belts and then asks if there’s any way The Rock can hold “that title.”

Rhodes says yes, if they can swap. Rock says it feels right and thanks Cody for allowing him to do it. The fans start a “this is awkward” chant while they hold each other’s championships.

The Rock confirms that “he has to go away for a little while now,” which he doesn’t want to do since he and Cody made it cool again. When he comes back, though, The Rock is coming for Rhodes whether he’s champion or not.

“I’m looking forward to it,” replies Cody. The Rock reminds Rhodes that while Cody beat Roman, but the previous night, Rock beat Cody. Rhodes’ story with Reigns might be over, but their story has just begun.

Rhodes says that while The Rock is the Final Boss, he’s the champion, the champion of the fans, and that means he’s The Rock’s champion. The Rock says he has something to give Cody before he rides off into the sunset, and he insists Rhodes doesn’t even have to open his hand to know what it is.

“Don’t you ever break my heart again,” The Rock says before departing. And Rhodes suddenly looks shook.

New gold in The Judgment Day hasn’t solved their R-Truth problem

Finn Balor taunts the doubters, and Rhea Ripley says they have some business to attend to. First, though, they bring out the new World Heavyweight Champion, Damian Priest.

The celebration doesn’t last long before it’s crashed by R-Truth, who says he’s brought the tag team titles back to The Judgment Day. It sounds like he’s about to advocate for The Miz joining, but The A-Lister instead joins them in the ring to try to explain to his partner that neither of them are in the group.

Balor is unamused, vowing that the Awesome Truth is going to have the shortest title reign ever. Finn challenges them to put the titles on the line right here, right now, but R-Truth says they can’t because there are only three of us.

He’s not talking about Little Jimmy, but rather “the guy you can’t see.” JD McDonagh happily accepts, then The Judgment Day starts beating Truth down before he can reveal their partner.

“The man you can’t see” helps Awesome Truth defeat The Judgment Day

Well this is a handicap match to start, but we’ll see if it stays that way. Does R-Truth have a real live person to partner with them? They might not need one the way they’re performing early on.

The momentum for the new Rag Tag Team Champions seems to be fading during a picture-in-picture segment, but reinforcements arrive in the form of John Cena. He quickly tags in and hits some offense, and all three men pull off the “15 Knuckle Shuffle” and simultaneous Attitude Adjustments to get the win.

Sami Zayn hasn’t quite freed himself from Imperium

Yet another new champ and another “you deserve it” chant. Zayn says he really wanted to do something historic this year at WrestleMania, and he did it by defeating the best Intercontinental Champion of all time.

With the fans singing again, Sami says they all helped him with their belief. Same with his wife and kid, and his friend Kevin Owens. One other person helped him too, but before he can get to that, he’s interrupted by Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci.

Kaiser says Gunther spent two years putting all his hard work into elevating the IC title, and it breaks his heart to see “somebody like you” holding that championship right now. Imperium heads toward the ring but thinks better of it when Chad Gable joins Sami in the ring.

CM Punk screws Drew McIntyre, Jey Uso wins a title shot

A strong case could be made for any of these four gentlemen, though you’d assume either Jey to keep the face-heel dynamic intact or Drew to seek revenge for the MITB cash-in.

Oh yeah, no DQs in a match like this, so sure, table in the corner, why not? It’s unfortunate for Jey as Reed powerslams him through it.

One thing the fans enjoy is Reed and McIntyre exchanging chops in the finest big meaty men tradition. Reed ends up eating a bunch of superkicks until he’s speared by Uso, and McIntyre hustles to break up the pin.

Reed recovers quickly and nearly pins Ricochet, then McIntyre prevents him from launching into a Tsunami. Reed clears off the Spanish announce table (even though they aren’t there), but he’s the one who ends up on it, and Ricochet hits him with a springboard 450 splash to put him through it.

With McIntyre looking for a win, he’s suddenly grabbed by CM Punk, and Uso takes advantage with a spear and an Uso Splash to win it.

WWE Raw results 02/12/24: Drew McIntyre is still living his best life

Lexington also saw three more wrestlers qualify for Elimination Chamber matches.

Happy pre-Valentine’s Day to those who celebrate. We’re not thinking love so much for WWE Raw tonight from Lexington, but more the opposite thing: Getting people out of our lives, or at least out of contention for the Elimination Chamber matches.

(Yes, we’re aware sometimes Valentine’s Day soul-searching leads in somewhat the same direction, but we digress.)

As of the start of this show, only two of the six men’s and women’s Elimination Chamber spots are spoken for. That will change tonight, with two men’s qualifiers and one women’s qualifier filling up more of those pods.

Perhaps the most interesting candidates right off the dome are LA Knight and Liv Morgan. Both are fan favorites, the kind of performers that will have big chunks of the WWE Universe backing them to make the Elimination Chamber bouts.

It’s also hard to see where they fit into the larger WrestleMania picture right this second. Knight has ridden his populist wave to two championship shots but hasn’t broken through. Morgan is a former champ, but has been out of action for a while due to injury and is trying to make her way back into contention.

Does that mean they might get upset tonight? It doesn’t feel like it, but it’s worth filing away in case it happens.

There’s also a fun six-man tag featuring The New Day and Jey Uso against Imperium, so this should be an entertaining Monday night. Off we go to Kentucky.

WWE Raw Results from Lexington:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Cody Rhodes is shown heading into the arena this afternoon as Michael Cole reminds us Cody has another shot at Roman Reigns at WrestleMania
  • The New Day and Jey Uso def. Imperium by pinfall
  • Highlights of WrestleMania XL Kickoff are shown
  • Andrade says he needed to leave WWE to remember who he was, but now that he’s back, his direction is clear
  • Bobby Lashley def. Bronson Reed by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
  • Sami Zayn is shown coming to the rescue of Cody Rhodes after Raw went off the air last week; afterward, we see Zayn talking to Jackie Redmond about why he believes he is still a contender and will be a champion until he’s interrupted by some taunts from Shinsuke Nakamura on all the arena’s big video screens
  • Cody Rhodes is back on track to finish his story, but he may need some help — and Seth Rollins offers it
  • Cathy Kelley is backstage with a happy New Day and Jey Uso, who only get happier when they learn Uso will get an IC title shot next week
  • Liv Morgan def. Zoey Stark by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
  • Damian Priest tries to tell R-Truth the truth about his status with The Judgment Day, and it might finally be sinking in; later we see Truth desperately trying to get The Miz to join him ringside
  • JD McDonagh def. R-Truth by pinfall; after the bell, Truth tries to fight off all of The Judgment Day, and it goes about as poorly as you’d expect until #DIY finally comes running down with steel chairs to chase off the heels
  • Rhodes stops by to thank Zayn for having his back last year, and Cody also reassures Sami that he and the WWE fans all believe in him, which earns the American Nightmare a grateful hug
  • Becky Lynch is still locked in on WrestleMania, but both she and Rhea Ripley can’t overlook Nia Jax
  • Drew McIntyre is still taking credit for pushing Rhodes in the right direction and insists he’s still the underdog, and it appears he’ll be facing Cody next week
  • Truth thanks #DIY for the save, but thinks they are DX
  • LA Knight def. Ivar by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
  • McIntyre and Zayn have a brief but tense run-in backstage as Sami heads for the ring
  • Chelsea Green asks Adam Pearce if she’s going to be in the Last Chance Qualifier for the Elimination Chamber match, angering Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, who are also in there; Green insults Shayna Baszler and Stark, who of course end up right behind her
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Sami Zayn by pinfall, with an assist to McIntyre for a timely distraction
  • When McIntyre and Nakamura try for a post-match beating, Rhodes hustles down to the rescue, hitting a Cody Cutter on Drew and Cross Rhodes on Shinsuke
Image credit: WWE.com

The New Day and Jey Uso prove to be a formidable team against Imperium

The crowd gets behind The New Day as soon as the bell rings, motivating Kofi Kingston to go right after Ludwig Kaiser. Jey Uso and Gunther quickly get tagged in, but the Ring General does the classic heel thing and deprives the fans of the matchup they want to see by tagging Giovanni Vinci in.

Only after Vinci takes control does Gunther tag back in to get some work done on Jey. Uso gets sent out to the floor in enemy territory, leaving Imperium in full control as of a commercial break.

That’s no longer the case on the other side, with Kingston unleashing a wide variety of offense and scoring a near fall on Vinci with a frog splash to the back. Kofi takes flight with a leaping clothesline and a Boom Drop on Vinci, but Imperium manages to send him to the outside and then into the steel steps.

Kofi kicks out after a boot to the face from Vinci, but now he’s dealing with Gunther’s methodical attack. The Ring General stops him from tagging a partner and puts him in a Boston Crab, but Jey breaks the hold with a nasty slap to the face.

After more commercials, Uso leads a furious rally, dropping both of Gunther’s wingmen and locking in on the man himself. Jey loses a battle of chops, however, and has to fight back with an enzuigiri. He hits a cross body off the top and covers for two.

A short-arm clothesline earns Gunther a two count of his own before he mocks Jey’s entrance. He pays for it by eating a spear, yet he manages to get a save from Kaiser.

After Kaiser is sent into the post, Vinci tags in and trades superkicks with Jey. The New Day returns to help pull off the 1-D, allowing Uso to hit a top rope splash on Vinci to end it.

Image credit: WWE.com

Cody Rhodes gets an offer of backup from Seth Rollins

Ever the consummate babyface, Rhodes stops to autograph some action figures for young fans on his way to the ring. The fans loudly chant his name once his music stops.

Cody says they could talk about him challenging Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40. He says the only reason he can say that is because of the fans making their voices heard, and there’s only one way he can repay them.

Though he’s a passionate guy, Rhodes says he doesn’t want to get emotional because then he’d become a crybaby, referencing The Rock’s taunt toward him. He also shows footage of The Rock on “The Pat McAfee Show” coining the term, for which Michael Cole needles McAfee.

One thing The Rock does not do well is listen, Rhodes says, because he said nothing insulting about Rock’s ancestors and he still got slapped anyway. For that, Cody vows to hit Rocky back.

That brings Seth Rollins to join the party, and the fans greet him warmly as well. Cody wants to thank Seth for coming to his aid at WrestleMania Kickoff, and Rollins thanks him before saying he understands why Rhodes made the choice he did.

The Visionary tells Rhodes he must finish his story, because if he does not, the landscape on the other side of WrestleMania is very dark. As he sees it, this is probably the last real chance anyone has to take Roman’s title and power and give it to the people.

But Rollins also has a question: What’s your plan? Because last year, Cody got screwed by outside interference form The Bloodline, and now he’s facing that plus dealing with The Rock as well. Yet Rollins says he doesn’t have to fight this battle alone, as he’s been moved by the idea of taking everything from Roman.

He also says it’s partly his own fault that Reigns is the man he is today, with Rollins suggesting he taught Roman everything he knows during The Shield days.  Seth says “there’s only one man on Earth who is uniquely suited to be your shield,” heh.

“Think about it,” Seth mouths after throwing down the mic.

Image credit: WWE.com

Liv Morgan is headed to Perth after taking down Zoey Stark

Morgan tries for a quick dub as her rollup gets a two count. Liv stomps away in the corner and shrieks as the referee pulls her away. Stark’s lariat gives her control, and she does some yelling of her own as she presses her advantage.

Liv hits a hurricanrana and smashes her foe’s head into the top turnbuckle before a springboard kick lands and sends Zoey to the floor. Stark fires back with a right hand that prevents a suicide dive, then follows with a painful looking Death Valley Driver on the apron.

Both women have chances to win it right after a commercial break. Stark gets a second in quick succession following a springboard missile dropkick before verbally berating Morgan.

Liv tries for a Codebreaker but gets sent into the turnbuckles instead, though Morgan instantly turns the tables … until she runs into a head kick and has to kick out at two again.

Zoey drags Liv to the corner, but her corkscrew splash finds no one home, and Oblivion means she’s not getting back up.

Image credit: WWE.com

Becky Lynch has her eyes on Rhea Ripley, but there’s a Nia Jax roadblock first

After promising to go to the prom in 2034 with a fan who has a sign to that effect, The Man talks about how much she loves the business and how it’s given her everything, including her husband and their daughter. But her obsession with wrestling has caused her to miss important moments in her loved ones’ lives, and more recently, it’s led to some tough conversations with her daughter.

On the plus side, her obsession has kept Becky on track for her intended WrestleMania date with Rhea Ripley. Lynch says a lot of fans love Ripley and think no one can beat her, but Becky isn’t just anyone. She grabs a drink and proposes a toast to Rhea’s last few weeks as champion.

It’s not Ripley but Nia Jax who comes out in response. Jax is emotional when talking about Lynch’s example as a mother, but it all turns into a shot at Ripley, who comes rushing to the ring for a donnybrook.

Lynch catches a stray in the corner, so she decides to clear Jax out with a missile dropkick. That leaves Lynch and Ripley face to face, though Rhea rushes over to smash Jax with a boot to the face.

Image credit: WWE.com

Shinsuke Nakamura gets an assist from Drew McIntyre to outlast Sami Zayn

Sami looks ready for Shinsuke in the early going, even having time to mock his “come on!” taunt right before the first commercial break. He’s still in control on the other side, at least until Nakamura buries some knees in his midsection.

Shinsuke goes for a couple of covers but doesn’t really seem to think they’ll be enough to end it. Zayn eats some kicks to the chest, even after catching a leg, and has to kick out again at two.

Stuck in the ropes, Sami takes a kick to the back of the head and the sliding German suplex, which means he’s got to kick out one more time. Zayn finally rallies with a Michinoku Driver, earning a flash two count.

After Nakamura is sent to the floor, Zayn finds the target with a tope con hilo, and we’re off to the final ads of the evening.

They’re standing and trading forearm shots when the broadcast returns, and now Nakamura is feeling it as he emerges in position for the Kinshasa. Sami counters with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but it’s only good for two.

Shinsuke rolls out to the floor to avoid an incoming Helluva Kick, and he’s able to catch Sami with a kick to the face when he tries to dive between the ropes. A knee to the back of the neck off the top rope has Zayn looking done, but he’s able to muster one more kickout.

There’s another back of the neck shot and another kick at two. Zayn is showing incredible resilience, but can he rally to win?

A clothesline helps, as do the cheers from the fans. Open hand strikes and punches force Nakamura back into the corner, and an exploder suplex puts him right back there.

It could be the end, except that Drew McIntyre distracts Zayn. Shinsuke takes Sami’s legs out, and the Kinshasa seals the deal.

WWE Raw results 01/29/24: Seth Rollins complicates Cody Rhodes’ Road to WrestleMania

Gunther retained and Drew McIntyre wore out Sami Zayn on WWE Raw from Tampa.

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The Royal Rumble is in the rear view mirror, so it’s mash the gas on the Road to WrestleMania, right? Well, yes, but also there are some potholes on that road, which tonight’s WWE Raw from Tampa will try to pave over.

Some things we expected to happen at the Rumble did indeed take place. Bayley won the Women’s Rumble match, seemingly hammering in another plank in her plan for Damage CTRL to win all the gold. That would require her to challenge Rhea Ripley, though … and is that actually what the Role Model is going to do when she appears tonight?

No such mystery hangs over Cody Rhodes, who certainly has his eyes and heart set on a rematch with Roman Reigns. The questions instead are floating around the man who finished runner-up to Rhodes on Saturday night: CM Punk, who reportedly suffered an injury that would likely cause him to miss out on WrestleMania 40. WWE hasn’t advertised it, but Punk is expected to address his status tonight.

Plus we’ve got championship matches on the card. Gunther will attempt to put another impressive defense on his Intercontinental Championship resume when he faces Kofi Kingston. And the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship is also on the like when Damian Priest and Finn Balor contend with #DIY.

Oh, and to top it all off, Raw is going to be commercial-free for the first 60 minutes, which is fantastic for viewers but not as much for those of us who type along with the show. Finger breaks are important, y’all.

Anyway, we’re looking forward to this show and ready to capture everything that goes down.

WWE Raw results from Tampa:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • A Royal Rumble highlight package kicks off the show
  • Pat McAfee is on hand to join Michael Cole on commentary
  • CM Punk already has his right arm in a sling, telling the WWE Universe he’ll be back, but Drew McIntyre revels in his misfortune
  • The Judgment Day appears to be unified ahead of the tag team title match … but so do #DIY
  • The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. #DIY by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • Damian Priest calls for R-Truth to join The Judgment Day in the ring, which is just the impetus for an attack by JD McDonagh; The Miz attempts to make a save but ends up laid out along with Truth
  • Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark def. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven by pinfall
  • Cody Rhodes addresses his Royal Rumble win, but Seth Rollins gives him something to think about with regard to his WrestleMania decision
  • Jey Uso def. Bronson Reed by pinfall
  • A video narrated by Cole and McAfee puts over the return of Andrade, who is then shown signing with Adam Pearce and Raw; Nick Aldis arrives as well, a little ticked but happier once he gets a call from Bron Breakker
  • Gunther says Kofi Kingston will remember this match fir the rest of his life, while he will forget about Kofi and continue his record-breaking Intercontinental Championship reign
  • Jackie Redmond talks to Becky Lynch about what her Plan B is after losing the Royal Rumble, and The Man says it involves her not stopping until she’s back at the top
  • Gunther def. Kofi Kingston by pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • After the match, Xavier Woods comes out to check on Kingston and gets attacked by the other members of Imperium, and that ends badly for Woods
  • Sami Zayn talks about his repeated run-ins with McIntyre and says he’s tired of Drew blaming others for his misfortune and promises to give him a reality check
  • A quick hype video shows Jade Cargill making her in-ring debut in the Women’s Royal Rumble match
  • Kabuki Warriors def. Natalya and Tegan Nox by pinfall
  • Katana Chance and Kayden Carter tell Jackie Redmond their rematch for the tag team titles is coming next week on Raw
  • Bayley does some gloating, but Nia Jax destroys Rhea Ripley and gives Bayley a warning
  • McIntyre does a quick interview with Redmond, reminding everyone that Zayn has never beaten him in a match
  • Drew McIntyre def. Sami Zayn by pinfall
Image credit: WWE.com

CM Punk addresses his injury, but Drew McIntyre is happy about it

As the fans chant his name, Punk looks forlornly at the WrestleMania 40 sign. “I came real close Saturday night, and I felt like I had it in the palm of my hand,” he says, explaining that he’s not mad at Cody Rhodes, congratulating him and saying Cody earned it.

Though he says he never believed in luck, he can’t help but feel a little unlucky. Punk confirms that he tore his right triceps during the Royal Rumble match and it’s not in the cards to work through it. Still, he doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him, it’s just a flesh wound and nothing compared to people who have real fights — like a cancer patient he calls a friend.

Punk says he loses more often than he wins, mentioning his unsuccessful foray into UFC. That scared him, as did coming back to WWE, not his injury. He promises he’ll keep entertaining people until the wheels come off, and he’ll continue to take inspiration from people of all walks of life who wake up and keep going.

“There’s always next year,” Punk says, before he’s suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Drew McIntyre. The Scottish Warrior admits he’s said some terrible things about Punk and he meant them, but he relates to what Punk is saying now.

McIntyre says he’s never been a spiritual person, “but I prayed for this and it happened.” Drew says he was angry when Punk eliminated him, but he slept like a baby once he heard about the injury news. He vows to put himself into the spot Punk thinks he was going to get.

Punk walks right up to McIntyre and says he’ll rehab and eventually get to that WrestleMania main event, but before that, he’ll go right after Drew. They have a quick fight, which Punk loses and gets his already injured arm stomped. Sami Zayn comes to the rescue, driving McIntyre off.

Image credit: WWE.com

The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) fends off a serious title challenge from #DIY

Balor and Tommaso Ciampa start the match against each other, but the challengers quickly get to work doing double team offense. Both Ciampa and Johnny Gargano dive to the floor at once and take a second to pat themselves on the back.

The champs are able to get their feet under them just in time to tag in Priest, who bounces Ciampa’s face off the apron. Balor tags back in and hits a scissor kick for a near fall.

Balor does his best to stop Ciampa from getting to his side for a tag and is able to get another two count. Michael Cole says he’s not sure who the referee is for this match, which is funny. Ciampa gets his own two count, then hits a reverse DDT and tags in Gargano for a rally ending with a slingshot spear and another two.

Balor’s response is dropping an arm across Gargano’s neck for his own hear fall, and the possible falls are coming fast and furious now. Priest kicks out of another double team move, but he’s able to power out of a Fairytale Ending attempt.

The Judgment Day does the double team thing in their own right, forcing Ciampa to kick out of a big legdrop. A powerslam has Ciampa in trouble too, but Gargano comes to make the save.

DIY hits a pair of high impact moves, including Ciampa’s White Noise off the turnbuckles, though it’s still not enough to keep Balor down for three. Finn eats the Meet in the Middle as well, yet his partner is able to drag his foot to the ropes for a break.

Ciampa and Gargano fly out to the floor to hit Priest in quick succession, but Balor is feeling it now back in the ring. Gargano evades the Coup de Grace, though, and has Finn in the Gargano Escape. Ciampa has Priest in the Sicilian Stretch too, but Priest picks him up and drops him on his partner to break the other hold.

Both Gargano and Balor could use tags, and they eventually both make them. A series of moves from all four men leaves Priest the last man standing, and he treats Gargano to a Flatliner onto the announce table. Ciampa rolls up Priest coming back into the ring, but it’s still only a two count.

With Gargano out of the picture, Ciampa takes the Razor’s Edge and the Coup de Grace, and that’s a wrap for the champs.

Image credit: WWE.com

Cody Rhodes gets an interesting proposal for his WrestleMania decision from Seth Rollins

“You deserve it” chants greet the American Nightmare before he even gets a chance to start talking. Pretty sure we know what everyone wants to talk about, though he asks Samantha Irvin to repeat her announcement of him as the 2023 and 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble matches, and she obliges.

Rhodes says the fans will never know how much he needed all of them on Saturday night, but just as he suggests they make WrestleMania 40 official, he’s cut short by the entrance theme of Seth Rollins. The World Heavyweight Champion gets a lengthy singalong as he makes his way to the ring.

Rollins agrees that Rhodes does deserve it and thinks they’ve developed a mutual respect for each other. But he wants to be real with Cody: If he chooses to fight Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, he’s making a mistake. Rollins says Rhodes should fight him instead.

Let’s hear him out. Rollins says Rhodes called himself The Guy at the Royal Rumble press conference, but neither he nor Reigns fits that description. Rollins suggests he’s The Guy and that his World Heavyweight Championship is The Title in WWE.

When Cody won the 2023 Royal Rumble, it made sense to go after Reigns, but that was when there was only one champion. As Seth reasons, Cody has been on the same ride with him since the World Heavyweight Championship was created. And it was that title that was defended all along the way.

This is a good plea, at any rate. Will Rhodes go for it? Rollins even calls his championship “the Dusty Rhodes title” as he makes his closing argument.

Rollins says he doesn’t need an answer right now, encouraging Rhodes to think about it before telling Seth what’s in his heart. “What kind of man do you want to be?”

Cody says he has an “insane” amount of respect for Seth and can’t believe they’re talking about this. He does say he’ll think about it.

Image credit: WWE.com

Kofi Kingston shows his heart again, but it’s not enough to dethrone Gunther

“That man is a machine,” Michael Cole says, as the announcers ponder what Kingston needs to do to give himself a chance of winning. Kofi ends up in an Boston Crab right out the gate, which isn’t optimal, as we get some side-by-side commercials.

Pretty much nothing has changed on the other side of that half-break, as it’s all one-way offense, as Wade Barrett would say. A backbreaker leads to another Boston Crab, which appears to be the official move to set up commercials. Well played, that.

Kingston finally looks like he’s found a foothold coming back off this half-break, and he manages to hurl Gunther to the floor with his legs as a powerbomb counter. He launches a tope suicida but gets caught and driven in the apron.

Kofi sends Gunther into the ringpost and heads back inside. This time Kingston does hit the tope suicida, not once but twice. There’s a jumping kick as well, but the Ring General has the wherewithal to roll to the outside.

Kingston keeps his edge, though, and hits a huge leaping shot to Gunther on the steps, then a Boom Drop off the top rope back inside the ring for a near fall. He wants Trouble in Paradise but gets countered, and his rollup for two is immediately answered by a clothesline.

We’re still going back and forth, with Kofi hitting the SOS for another two. Kingston walks into another nasty clothesline, plus a dropkick. Gunther powerbombs Kingston and stacks him up to secure the dub.

Image credit: WWE.com

Bayley doesn’t make her WrestleMania challenge, but Nia Jax gives her more to think about

The other members of Damage CTRL is waiting in the ring for Bayley, presumably to help celebrate her Royal Rumble win. She points to the sign as the fans chant for her.

She says she’ll give the WWE Universe a rare chance to take a picture of them, because there’s never been a group that had the WWE Women’s Champion, the Women’s Tag Team Champions and the Royal Rumble winner … and it’s all because of Bayley.

While she’s had her share of doubters, Bayley says she never listens to their opinions, and even though the roster is as stacked as it’s ever been, she came out on top. She gloats about breaking Rhea Ripley’s time in the ring too.

That brings Ripley out, who says Bayley will remain the one member of the group without gold … but then gets attacked from behind by Nia Jax. Nia beats Rhea all the way into the ring and drops a leg on her twice as Damage CTRL watches from the corner. There’s a third legdrop for good measure.

After an Annihilator, Jax tells Bayley that she can pick any other champ, because Rhea isn’t making it to WrestleMania. Bayley responds that she’ll make her decision on SmackDown, which leaves IYO SKY looking less than pleased on the outside.

Image credit: WWE.com

Drew McIntyre shows no remorse in dispatching Sami Zayn

Zayn gets an early taste of McIntyre’s power that sends him over the announce table. Drew hurls him back into the ring and takes exception of Pat McAfee talking about him, giving Sami a chance to return the favor to his foe.

After some ads, McIntyre continues to turn Zayn’s chest red with chops. They both end up on the top rope, where Zayn pulls off a sunset flip powerbomb that hints at a momentum swing.

Zayn counters the Future Shock by walking the ropes and hitting a tornado DDT for a two count. McIntyre gets a pair of pinfall attempts, including one with a sitout powerbomb, but Zayn kicks out of both of them.

The fans try to urge Sami on, but Drew just shoves him around as he tries to get back to his feet. He does lure McIntyre into flying into the post, but he has trouble getting his foe up for a Blue Thunder Bomb and eats a Glasgow Kiss.

Drew heads up top again and gets crotched for his trouble. Sami launches into a thunderous superplex, but both men are down and there’s no immediate cover.

Both men evade each other’s finishers, and Zayn gets most of a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. A “this is awesome” chant gets going, albeit briefly.

A belly-to-belly overhead throw has McIntyre feeling good as he kips up. He hits White Noise off the middle turnbuckle only to see Zayn kick out again.

McIntyre can be heard verbally berating Zayn, which only seems to fire him up until a Glasgow Kiss halts his attack. Sami goes for a Helluva Kick but Drew covers up and nails Zayn low. McIntyre follows with a Claymore to secure a victory.

WWE Raw results 01/15/24: Jinder Mahal comes close but not quite against Seth Rollins

See how Jinder Mahal came within a hair of dethroning Seth Rollins on WWE Raw in Little Rock.

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With less than two weeks to go until the Royal Rumble in Florida, it’s time for some of the top talent on WWE Raw to get their current programs finished and turn their attention to securing a spot at WrestleMania.

Cody Rhodes might have the first half of that plan finally checked off after he defeated Shinsuke Nakamura again last week, so he can finally put all his effort on winning the Royal Rumble match. Or we think that’ll be the case anyway, since WWE says he’s kicking off the show tonight.

What if we’re wrong, though? Is it possible Rhodes has one more in a seemingly ceaseless string of hurdles placed in his way? TBD.

Seth Rollins knows he can’t worry about Royal Rumble just yet, as he has a World Heavyweight Championship defense to attend to this evening. Plus it’s against the man of the hour, Jinder Mahal, not something we expected to be typing as recently as two weeks ago.

There would seem to be little chance WWE would put this title on Mahal, especially given the time of year we’re in. Things need to be cemented, not chaotic. Right?

Normally, we’d say yes. But there’s that little matter of Elimination Chamber in Australia, where WWE will need to put on a big show next month. Roman Reigns probably won’t be there, and while the Chamber matches are attractions in their own right, a world title match doesn’t seem like too much to ask for.

So we’re just putting this out there: Maybe Mahal wins tonight and Rollins has to win it back from him at Elimination Chamber. Or a certain Straight Edge Superstar could snag it there and go into WrestleMania making Seth chase him.

Or, you know, Rollins could just win tonight and speed on down the Road to WrestleMania. That’s why we watch, which we’ll be doing starting right now.

WWE Raw results from Little Rock:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • A tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. starts the show
  • Are Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre more alike or different?
  • Damian Priest takes R-Truth to task for selling Judgment Day merchandise in the parking lot, but Truth is making a killing off the gear, and Priest relents while also telling him not to tag in during their tag team match tonight
  • #DIY def. The Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh) by pinfall
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven interrupt a conversation between Adam Pearce and Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, which Pearce turns into a match between those two teams tonight
  • Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell def. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven by pinfall
  • Rhea Ripley sees a Nia Jax hype video and leaves to “address her division,” while the rest of The Judgment Day takes Priest to task about the R-Truth situation; Damian shows the money he’s been bringing in and suggests to McDonagh that he may not get a cut because “your name’s not on the shirt”
  • Gunther is back and offering rare praise for Ludwig Kaiser, who gets a challenge from a vengeful Xavier Woods
  • Ludwig Kaiser def. Xavier Woods by DQ after Woods uses a steel chair, though he ends up getting it kicked into his (already bloody) face afterward
  • Bronson Reed says there is a champ right now who is unaware his championship will soon belong to Reed … though he doesn’t name which champ he’s talking about
  • Byron Saxton tries to get a word with Woods, but Kaiser attacks him until Jey Uso puts a stop to it
  • A video package shows us how we got to a Seth Rollins-Jinder Mahal world title match
  • Akira Tozawa def. Ivar by pinfall, though after the bell, Valhalla assaults Maxxine Dupri after the bell and Ivar hits a moonsault on Tozawa
  • CM Punk and Rhodes will be face to face next week on Raw
  • Ivy Nile says she will look for Pearce to deal with Valhalla; Chad Gable says he will teach Ivar a lesson next week too
  • Rhea Ripley addresses her division and ends up in a showdown with Becky Lynch
  • Seth Rollins says the only way to head to WrestleMania is to continue to be a fighting champion, a workhorse champion, and he knows this is the best version of Jinder Mahal and he wouldn’t have it any other way
  • Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. The Miz and R-Truth by pinfall
  • Jinder Mahal says everyone is divided but his focus is singular, and everyone will be unified when he defeats Rollins to become World Heavyweight Champion
  • Apparently Shinsuke Nakamura isn’t done with Cody Rhodes, which is interesting
  • Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark def. Natalya and Tegan Nox by submission, with Baszler making Natalya tap out
  • Seth Rollins def. Jinder Mahal by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
Image credit: WWE.com

Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre bicker over who will finish their story first

Rhodes asks Little Rock what they want to talk about, giving some options. He’s about to launch into his “I’m on my way to Royal Rumble” routine when he’s interrupted by the arrival of Drew McIntyre.

The Scottish Warrior turns Cody’s question around on him before reminiscing about how they came up the first time in WWE together. McIntyre says he’s proud of Rhodes as both a man and performer and also reminds him they were tag team champs together as The Dashing Ones.

Drew mentions that both of them had to leave WWE to find themselves and “become verbs.” He believes in Rhodes now too, saying he will finish the story … but not before Drew finishes his.

Rhodes says Drew could win the Rumble, but so could Jey Uso. So could CM Punk. You can’t count anybody out.

McIntyre tells Rhodes he should just be himself and doesn’t need to smile all the time and try so hard. Cody seems irritated by that, insisting that he smiles when he comes out because he is grateful for his second chance while Drew stands and complains about his.

Undeterred, McIntyre claims Rhodes is standing in his way, and at WrestleMania, the story belongs to him. But the American Nightmare says McIntyre is still blaming everyone but himself, and if he wants to keep bringing up the last time they wrestled, he has one question: Who won?

Image credit: WWE.com

#DIY closes in on a tag team title shot with a victory over the champs’ teammates

The framing here is that #DIY is stringing together wins to get closer to a tag team title shot, and this is a victory that would surely help considering it’s the other two Judgment Day men who hold the gold.

Tommaso Ciampa takes flight with a corkscrew plancha, and Johnny Gargano does the same to send McDonagh over the announce table. They do their sitting on the apron and clapping thing as commercials arrive.

With some timely rulebending and double teaming, Mysterio and McDonagh take charge after the break. Wade Barrett calls out Dom’s fuzzy boots, which are, in fact, incredible.

Gargano is isolated and taking a beating far from his own corner. He finally hits Dom with his slingshot spear, and he nearly dives for the tag before Ciampa gets hauled off the apron by McDonagh.

Ciampa is the legal man after a second commercial break so must have gotten himself back in position while we were away. Gargano prevents a double team and Ciampa nearly rolls up Mysterio for three.

McDonagh saves his partner from another close call seconds later. Big shots start flowing in every direction, eventually leaving all four men down. The fans approve, starting a “this is awesome” chant.

Also awesome: McDonagh’s standing Spanish fly and top rope moonsault, leaving Ciampa in need of a save from his partner. Mysterio’s attempted 619 is foiled and he gets sent to the floor by a hard knee shot.

McDonagh looks like he’s in trouble now, and he eats Meet in the Middle, leaving him helpless as Gargano covers for three.

Image credit: WWE.com

Gunther is … happy with Ludwig Kaiser? Xavier Woods definitely is not

Ludwig Kaiser does his usual ring intro for Gunther, who is back from IRL paternity leave. Giovanni Vinci is hurt, so this is all the Imperium we get.

The Ring General says he can smell the desperation this close to Royal Rumble, which he reminds us he was close to winning last year after a record-setting time in the ring. This year, he plans on winning and main eventing WrestleMania. As one does.

But for now, he wants to focus on Kaiser, reviewing what’s been happening while Gunther was gone. The champs likes the grit, confidence and courage Kaiser showed in his attack on Kofi Kingston and gives him a hug as a sign of his happiness.

Not as happy? Xavier Woods, who is here and hot for some payback. He challenges Kaiser to a match, taunting him for needing to ask his “daddy” for permission.

Kaiser accepts and says what he did to Kingston is nothing compared to what he’ll do to Woods, who comes right after Ludwig, leaping off the apron and hammering him on the floor until a ref finally calms him down.

Mami vs. The Man? Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch tease Mania showdown

Mami makes it simple: This is her division, which is why she is the champion. As such, she says the Royal Rumble winner will be wasting a WrestleMania opportunity if they choose her. It’s just going to go the way it did last year, because Mami is always on top.

Some familiar music hits as an answer, and Bekcy Lynch joins Ripley in the ring. The Man says they are two very different people but with two very similar journeys.

Lynch says they’re the two very best to do it, but the voice in her head keeps her awake asking if perhaps Ripley is better than she is. Becky says she needs to prove that Rhea is not, and to do that means taking the title, and to do that means winning the Royal Rumble match.

Ripley says she really does want Lynch to win the Rumble and will see her at WrestleMania.

Image credit: WWE.com

R-Truth gets some harsh truth from Damian Priest and Finn Balor

Truth is not only in The Judgment Day’s entrance video, he also walks out behind them despite being on the opposing team. He then proceeds to spill cash all over the ring before the bell. Miz is basically pleading with his partner to convince him they’re on the same team. Funny stuff.

Truth ignores Priest’s suggestion earlier in the show that he not tag in, earning him a beating from Balor as commercials arrive. Nothing has changed after the break, really. Priest tags in but is immediately outmaneuvered by Truth, who get Miz in for his first extended action.

Miz fights Balor to the floor and sends Priest over the announce table. The A-Lister is rolling, but only until Balor counters away from a Skull Crushing Finale, and Truth tags himself in for a scissor kick to Balor. Priest blasts Miz with a kick but manages to stop Truth, who ends up kicking Balor and then taking South of Heaven from Priest.

Balor crawls over and pins Truth for a chaotic win as boos rain down from the fans.

Image credit: WWE.com

Seth Rollins overcomes chaos, retains against Jinder Mahal

Indus Sher accompanies Mahal to the ring, giving Rollins potentially one more thing to worry about. Seth has got plenty to worry about from Jinder himself in the opening minutes, though he connects on a flying knee off the apron to get a foothold in things. Damian Priest wanders out casually with his MITB case, and Rollins has a grim look on his face heading into commercials.

After we return, Mahal is treating Rollins to some pain inside the ring. Seth finally battles free of an abdominal stretch for the obligatory exchange of strikes, which the champ wins thanks to a healthy clothesline.

Rollins is tossed over the buckles, then comes flying back in with a cross body for a near fall. A second rope moonsault gives Rollins another near fall, though the announcers wonder if he tweaked a knee or ankle.

Both men want suplexes, but Rollins wins the day by pivoting to a Falcon Arrow. Seth is thinking Stomp but runs into some head kicks, though he perseveres for a Pedigree … sort of, as his knee gives out, and his cover is thwarted by Indus Sher’s timely assistance.

Rollins dives onto one of Mahal’s wingmen on the floor but misses a splash back into the ring. Priest is up on his feet as both combatants are down, but Drew McIntyre is there to throw hands with him.

While the ref is distracted by their brawl, Mahal follows a cheap shot by Indus Sher and comes darn close to stealing the world title. A chair is slid into Mahal, and dealing with that allows Indus Sher to get in a briefcase shot. Mahal hits the Khallas … but Rollins kicks out.

As Mahal tries for a second Khallas, Rollins evades it and hits a Stomp, closing the show by retaining his world title.

WWE Raw results 01/08/24: Cody might finally be done with Shinsuke

CM Punk also had a showdown with Drew McIntyre on WWE Raw from Portland.

While we all ponder where we might be watching Raw come this fall, we know where to catch it tonight: on USA, as per usual. The show comes to us from Portland, where one matchup has our attention.

That would be Cody Rhodes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. Everyone expects that Rhodes will be in position to “finish the story” later this spring, but he keeps getting roadblocks thrown in his way in the meantime. Nakamura has been an especially persistent one, showing his full sadistic side during this program.

Would defeating him again help end it? Probably couldn’t hurt, and with Rhodes looking forward to the Royal Rumble match later this spring, he really needs to put Shinsuke in the rear view mirror if at all possible.

Portland will also see CM Punk make an appearance, though it looks like it may just be to talk in the ring. That’s fine since he’s one of the best at that, but you figure that sooner or later, WWE will want him to actually wrestle on Raw. Probably.

We’re ready for these segments and everything else thrown our way tonight, so off we go.

WWE Raw results from Portland:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Cody Rhodes is all smiles as he enters the building ahead of tonight’s main event
  • Drew McIntyre has something to say, but so does CM Punk
  • Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano walk out toward the ring, and Ciampa calls this a “must win” match that will lead to #DIY becoming tag team champs in 2024
  • Tommaso Ciampa def. Finn Balor by pinfall
  • Becky Lynch says she thought about the bad things that could have happened in the match with Nia Jax, and she’s taking the positive view since she didn’t end up in the hospital, and that maybe this is just the beginning of a run for her
  • Kofi Kingston vs. Ludwig Kaiser goes to a double countout, much to the dismay of the fans; they decide to keep fighting even after the bell, and Kaiser throws one of the announcer’s chairs in Kingston’s face and then dropkicks his head into the steel steps
  • Asked backstage about his attack, Kaiser screams and says it’s Kofi’s fault he is carrying the weight of Imperium alone
  • Nia Jax and Rhea Ripley have a face to face confrontation and sling some barbs at each other
  • A replay of The Rock’s appearance on last week’s episode of Raw is shown
  • Shinsuke Nakamura assaults Cody Rhodes backstage while he’s trying to be interviewed, and Adam Pearce and officials have to hustle to pull them apart
  • Kayden Carter and Katana Chance def. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
  • Due to their earlier brawl, the Rhodes-Nakamura main event is now a Street Fight
  • R-Truth explains why The Judgment Day is a “real family” now that he’s in and JD McDonagh is out, heh
  • The Judgment Day argues again about Truth, and Ripley tells McDonagh he needs to “handle” The Miz
  • The Miz def. JD McDonagh by pinfall, and R-Truth celebrates the win afterward, as confused as ever
  • Ripley goes to talk to Pearce about “our plans for next week,” and Balor and Priest agree that “this needs to end”
  • Seth Rollins is in the house, and he gets a visit from Jinder Mahal
  • Ivar def. Otis by pinfall
  • Jey Uso is asked if he has any plans for the new year, but Bronson Reed warns Jey not to get in his way
  • Cody Rhodes def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall in a Street Fight
Image credit: WWE.com

Drew McIntyre and CM Punk have a heated discussion about leadership

The Scottish Warrior says again that last Monday was all or nothing, and that he cost himself the match. He’s been thinking about it all week, and perhaps it is Drew McIntyre who is holding Drew McIntyre back.

If that’s the case, he needs to get his head screwed on straight and step away from WWE for a while. But … he didn’t lose straight up! It was because Damian Priest tried to cash in his MITB contract during the match, and due to that, he screwed McIntyre and himself.

Or maybe he can leave the company for nine years and get a hero’s reception when he returns. You know who did that? CM Punk, that’s who, and he does indeed get a great reception from the fans as he joins McIntyre in the ring.

Punk says it’s Piper Country and questions whether McIntyre is known for talking like Roddy was. If Drew has anything to say to CM, he can say it to his face, as he makes himself comfortable in the corner.

The Scottish Warrior mocks Punk for making it a month into his comeback while also suggesting he knows the “real” CM Punk. At one point in his career, McIntyre says he needed a leader to show him the way, but Punk was never that person and still isn’t. Indeed, Drew suggests he’s the one who is a leader now.

Punk retorts that he’s always led by example — including when he left the company, suggesting that gave McIntyre a blueprint to make himself better. He also disputes Drew’s assertion that he’s a demon, saying instead that he’s a nice guy but can be “Satan himself” when pushed too far.

McIntyre says what he did before, he did for the fans, but when he eliminates Punk from the Royal Rumble and heads to WrestleMania, it will be for him. Punk says the only person who can stop himself from accomplishing his goals is him, and not Drew, Seth Rollins or Cody Rhodes can prevent him from winning the Rumble. He claims he’ll throw McIntyre out last before he leaves the ring.

Image credit: WWE.com

Tommaso Ciampa outwits Finn Balor with a little help

Apparently R-Truth was responsible for this match, calling Balor a “scaredy-cat” and goading him into this matchup. There are high stakes too, since #DIY will get a title shot if Ciampa wins.

Both Damian Priest and Johnny Gargano are ringside to support their respective teammates, with Priest staring down Ciampa when they find themselves face to face outside the ring. Balor sends Tommaso crashing down into the announce table right before commercials.

Ciampa’s DDT right after the break gets him a near fall. A stomp to the chest is Finn’s answer, but he takes a running knee and Project Ciampa and has to kick out at two again.

Balor rallies but sees Ciampa roll away from the Coup de Grace, and then gets rolled up for another near fall. Priest is up on the apron, and Gargano nearly finds disaster when he gets involved.

Will Ciampa pay for halting to help his partner? He does not, as he’s able to capitalize on Gargano grabbing Balor’s foot after a suplex to get a quick three count. Turnabout is fair play, as they say.

Nia Jax has a Mami problem, or is it the other way around?

Michael Cole gets a word in the ring with Jax, who scoffs at the idea that it was “shocking” that she defeated Becky Lynch. But when she gets to the part about running through the Royal Rumble, Rhea Ripley joins her.

Rhea says the people know what’s up and they know how Nia loves to talk a good game. She reminds Jax who threw her out of last year’s Rumble (it was Rhea) and warns Nia not to walk around like she owns the division, because she doesn’t.

Ripley says it’s best to keep Rhea’s name out of her mouth; Jax fires back that she’s too scared to face off one on one. But once she squashes everyone else in the Rumble, she plans on choosing Ripley. “See you soon, unstoppable champ.”

Image credit: WWE.com

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance retain after friendly fire downs the former champs

Wade Barrett suggests that even with the gold, Carter and Chance feel like underdogs coming into this title defense. Many other members of the women’s roster are shown watching backstage.

The champs go for some quick falls, trying to keep Green busy and isolated. Green finally sends Chance headfirst into the turnbuckles, and Niven tags in and treats her to a cannonball for a near fall.

After commercials, Carter gets her first chance for some extended offense, including a near fall on Green. A springboard legdrop is good for another. A top rope Frankensteiner by Chance forces Green to kick out yet again, but the champs are really rolling.

Green finally scores with a Roughrider on Carter and her own near fall. Niven tags back in, using a senton on Carter that means Chance has to save her partner. A uranage sends Carter down, but Chance pulls her partner out of the ring, and Niven hits a Vader Bomb on her own partner. Oh dear.

After getting Niven out of the ring, the Keg Stand on Green seals it up for the champs.

Image credit: WWE.com

Seth Rollins fights off Jinder Mahal … no, really

The World Heavyweight Champion reminds Portland that Royal Rumble is close and after that, we are on the Road to WrestleMania. While Seth says his Mania record is pretty good, he says he’s never taken a world title into the event. He’s never been on the marquee, but he says that will change this year.

But the question is who he’s going to beat on the Grandest Stage of Them All? That starts a somewhat unorganized CM Punk chant, to which he responds by saying “in his dreams, maybe.” Instead, Jinder Mahal comes down the ramp.

Mahal suggests he was more of a Visionary in five minutes last week than Rollins has been his whole career. He also gripes that Seth is giving out opportunities to others less deserving than him, which … not sure that’s true but OK.

Seth says Jinder is right and that he’s been overlooked — but it’s been on purpose, until last week when he showed up “and The Rock put your balls in a vice.” He does admit that Mahal was able to rebound from that and show back up, but he’s not crazy about Jinder coming out and interrupting his segment.

The champ tells Jinder to take a swing, but he chooses to take a cheap shot instead. Rollins easily repulses his attack, however, and is the one standing tall in the ring.

Image credit: WWE.com

Cody Rhodes might finally be done with Shinsuke Nakamura after winning a Street Fight

It doesn’t take long for these two to fight up toward the stage, then back toward ringside where Rhodes is fully in charge. He bounces a water bottle off Shinsuke’s face as the crowd chants for tables.

Rhodes goes up top but sees his foe escape, then pop back up using a broom as a weapon. A kendo stick is next to be brought to bear, and Rhodes has to head for the floor for a respite.

Nakamura is bossing things after a commercial break, paintbrushing Rhodes and toying with him a bit. He kicks Rhodes in the face, then the back of the neck.

Shinsuke switches gears, looking for a half crab. More kicks land too, but Rhodes fires himself up with a forearm shot off the ropes and a powerslam. A Disaster Kick follows and earns a near fall.

Nakamura gets some nunchaku out and puts them to good use over by the announce table. But his attempt to spray his mist misses Rhodes and hits the timekeeper right in the face instead. While Cody asks for help, Shinsuke attacks him with a steel chair, and more ads arrive.

He’s still going to town with that chair when we return, though now both men are back in the ring. Rhodes is able to turn the tables with the fans urging him on, and he meets Shinsuke for an exchange of strikes that he wins with a pair of Bionic Elbows.

The American Nightmare sets up a table but is greeted by a headbutt. Rhodes ends up on the table and takes double knees to drive him through it. Nakamura covers but only gets a two count.

Shinsuke gets another table out from under the ring, smiling as he goes about setting it up. They battle into a corner, and Nakamura hits his sliding German suplex. Off the second rope comes Nakamura with a knee strike, yet Rhodes manages to kick out again.

In the middle of the ring, Rhodes delivers a Pedigree for his own near fall. A Cody Cutter is next, but it’s still not quite enough to end it.

Nakamura counters a Cross Rhodes attempt and looks for a Kinshasa, but Cody sends him into the corner table. Cross Rhodes doesn’t miss this time, and the American Nightmare is triumphant.

WWE Raw preview 01/08/24: What will CM Punk say next?

Tonight’s WWE Raw from Portland will also see the rematch between Cody Rhodes and Shinsuke Nakamura.

Now that we’ve all had a chance to get accustomed to the idea that it’s 2024 in earnest, it’s time to turn our attention to the next big milepost on the WWE calendar: the Royal Rumble, which is coming up fast. And before that, we’ve got tonight’s episode of WWE Raw from Portland.

What’s next for CM Punk?

To say that CM Punk has settled in nicely since his shocking return to WWE late last year would be a bit of an understatement. He’s looked extremely happy with the reunion, helped draw a big crowd to MSG for a house show over the holidays and likely is moving merch at an insane pace.

He’s also stirred up hope for a feud with Seth Rollins, which seems likely to happen for WrestleMania. What happens until then? We know he’s going to be in the men’s Royal Rumble match, but as for beyond that, we’ll probably get an inkling tonight.

Cody Rhodes vs. Shinuske Nakamura, round 2

Another superstar who is undoubtedly looking forward to Royal Rumble and WrestleMania is Cody Rhodes, but unlike Punk, he’s embroiled in something that just won’t let him go in the meantime. Or more precisely, someone: Shinsuke Nakamura, who has the American Nightmare in his sights and won’t let him go.

This is wrestling, though, and maybe Rhodes can simply beat his problem into the mat. He’ll get a chance when the two men have their rematch on Raw. Watch out for the mist is all we’ll say.

Former tag team champs challenge current titleholders

The party probably hasn’t stopped for Kayden Carter and Katana Chance since they won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, especially since that’s part of their gimmick. Now it’s time to get back to work, however, and against the team they won those titles from, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.

A thought, however: Green and Niven are doing such great character work that they really don’t need the titles now. Carter and Chance would benefit more from keeping them, in our opinion, but we’ll see what happens in Portland.

Also advertised for Raw tonight:

  • Finn Balor vs. Tommaso Ciampa, with #DIY earning a tag team title shot if Ciampa wins

We’re set for Raw tonight even if we’ll admittedly be keeping one eye on a certain college football game at the same time. Join us back here at Wrestling Junkie at 8 p.m. ET tonight for live results and more.

WWE Raw results 12/18/23: Challengers go 1-for-2 in tag team title matches

See which set of tag team title challengers broke through on WWE Raw from Des Moines.

We’re nearly out of days in 2023, and tonight’s WWE Raw from Des Moines, Iowa very well could be the last live televised show of the year. And with that being the case, why not finish strong?

It looks like we might have exactly that kind of card tonight, with three championships on the line. One is a rematch between Gunther and The Miz for the Ring General’s Intercontinental Championship. Miz has shown the drive and form to work himself back for a second shot, but as many have found out, standing up to Gunther and defeating him are two very different propositions.

Both the men’s and women’s tag team titles are also at stake in Des Moines. In both cases, there are up and coming teams looking to prove they’ve truly arrived — The Creed Brothers and Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. Can one or both duos succeed and claim their first main roster gold?

Warm up your singing muscles, as we’ll see Seth Rollins get some microphone time tonight. The World Heavyweight Champion did some verbal jousting with CM Punk last week, but he’s got a (literally) bigger foe to worry about first in the form of a very focused Drew McIntyre. Rollins might not even make it past Jan. 1 with his title if he doesn’t keep his eye on the Scottish Warrior.

Last but not least, R-Truth has been an unexpectedly delightful monkey wrench thrown into The Judgment Day’s machine as of late. We’ll see if he can avoid taking a big ‘L’ in Iowa as he faces JD McDonagh in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight.

We’re looking forward to taking in all the action and recapping it right here for you, so let’s get to it.

WWE Raw results from Des Moines:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • The Judgment Day is in the building … and so is R-Truth
  • R-Truth def. JD McDonagh by pinfall in a Miracle on 24th Street Fight
  • Kayden Carter and Katana Chance are feeling good ahead of their tag team title shot tonight
  • Becky Lynch can’t quite get Nia Jax to fight tonight but does get a taste of her power
  • Kofi Claus drops off a YEET shirt for #DIY, who give some props to The Miz before he gets a backstage interview to suggest he’s ready to finish what he started the first time he rattled Gunther
  • Gunther def. The Miz by pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship; according to the stipulation, Miz can’t challenge for this title again as long as Gunther holds it
  • The other members of Imperium congratulate Gunther, but he berates the whole year as a complete write-off for them, and says he expects them to grind and impress him for a few weeks while he takes a much deserved break; Kofi Claus also stops by to give Ludwig Kaiser some coal
  • Shinsuke Nakamura treats everyone to an atmospheric reading of “The American Nightmare Before Christmas,” but Cody Rhodes is unamused by the personal attacks it contains and attacks him, with their battle heading all the way from backstage to the ring before WWE officials can finally separate them
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven try to convince Adam Pearce to cancel their title match but fail; Bronson Reed stops by afterward to discuss Gunther’s next challenger
  • Kayden Carter and Katana Chance def. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven by pinfall to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
  • Akira Tozawa surprises his Alpha Academy teammates by informing them he has a match with Ivar, and Chad Gable can only cringe at the thought
  • The new tag team champs get some props backstage before heading out to party, while some other tag teams (Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark, and Natalya and Tegan Nox, specifically) discuss how Carter and Chance
  • Ivar def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall
  • CM Punk’s decision to sign with Raw and subsequent showdown with Seth Rollins is replayed
  • Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre speak their minds, but one person takes it to a physical level
  • The Creed Brothers geek out a bit after Cody Rhodes wishes them good luck and says he hopes they win tonight
  • Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci beat up Kofi Claus, but Jey Uso hands out some “season’s yeetings” as payback, and Uso makes it clear he wants Kaiser in the ring
  • Jey Uso def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall
  • The Judgment Day tries to console McDonagh, and he’s not kicked out of the group, and Ripley tells Priest and Balor to take care of business tonight
  • Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. The Creed Brothers by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Image credit: WWE.com

The Judgment Day still can’t quite convince R-Truth he’s not in the group

After Damian Priest tells us to all rise, Finn Balor congratulates The Creed Brothers on getting to the No. 1 contenders spot. But where it’s the biggest night of their life, it’s just another night at the office for the tag team champs.

Rhea Ripley delivers a warning to Ivy Nile and promises The Judgment Day will continue to run things in 2024, but Dominik Mysterio is interrupted by R-Truth. He didn’t know they were opening the show and thinks the beatdown he got last week was his initiation into the group, even though it hurt him physically and emotionally.

Since everyone is looking for a fight, Truth needs someone to beat up on, and the fans suggest JD McDonagh. He suggests a Miracle on 34th Street Fight, to which JD tells him it’s already been booked and it’s happening right now. Truth says there’s an added stipulation: It’s a Loser Leaves Judgment Day match.

Priest likes that idea, and even though Ripley does not, McDonagh seems like he’s fine with it.

Image credit: WWE.com

JD McDonagh has a Blue Christmas at the hands of R-Truth

The announcers debate whether there really is a stipulation in effect saying McDonagh has to leave The Judgment Day if he loses. He has some assistance from Dirty Dom to try to avoid finding out.

Truth delights the crowd by getting out a table, but McDonagh plays Scrooge by dropkicking him in short order. Dom trips Truth but ends up driving Truth’s head into his teammate’s groin, and Christmas trees and a fire extinguisher also come into play.

A flurry of offense by R-Truth has JD down, and a Five Knuckle Shuffle pays homage to John Cena. McDonagh ends up atop a table, and even when he escapes, Truth ends up almost accidentally driving him through it for the pinfall. Michael Cole is excited that JD is out, but we’ll see if he really is.

Image credit: WWE.com

Becky Lynch and Nia Jax are going to fight … but not tonight

Becky Lynch interrupts Nia Jax before she can even say a word, unimpressed that she’s out to announce she’s entering the Royal Rumble.

In response, Jax suggests that the reason they’ve never had a singles match is because everyone is scared Nia would destroy the “moneymaker of the company.” The Man disagrees, saying that Jax is the one who is scared and that she’s the one whose existence is owed to others.

To prove her wrong, why not fight right there? Jax calls for a ref and Michael Cole is excited, as are the fans. But you know what’s coming — Jax backs off, saying this will happen on her terms, and in her hometown of San Diego in two weeks on the Day 1 episode of Raw.

Jax is laughing as she turns to leave, but not for long as Lynch goes firing up the ramp to attack her. That goes poorly for The Man, though, as one right hand sends Becky to the ground.

Image credit: WWE.com

No shame in defeat as The Miz pushes Gunther to the limit

If Miz loses this, he can’t challenge again for this title as long as Gunther holds it. Those are high stakes.

The champ tries to bully Miz early on, smiling after he chops the challenger down. But Miz briefly grabs an ankle lock, suggesting he’s very much up for this, and Gunther has to wiggle over for a couple of rope breaks.

After Miz misses a swinging kick to the floor, Gunther greets him with a chop and powerbombs him on the apron. It’s still the champ in control after a commercial break as the fans try to rally The Miz.

Gunther is playing to the crowd as he continues his methodical attack, and Miz’s chest is showing numerous welts. The challenger finally connects on a running clothesline, but Gunther kicks him out of midair and tortures him on the top turnbuckle.

Finally a potential break as Miz ducks a chop and Gunther’s hand smacks the post before we go for more ads. Miz breaks out of a sleeperhold when we return, trying to continue working Gunther’s hand.

The champ can’t get a Boston Crab applied but switches to a reverse crossface; Miz breaks free and hits a DDT. Miz looks confident now, executing a tilt-a-whirl DDT for a two count.

A missile dropkick leads to a powerbomb, and the champ has his own near fall. Gunther flips Miz right over into a Boston Crab, and the crowd comes alive again as Miz makes it to the ropes for a break.

As Gunther tries to hammer Miz on his knees, the challenger smiles and waves him in. Miz comes close to stealing a win, then switches to a Skull Crushing Finale and getting very close to the three.

Will that be as close as Miz gets? Gunther hits a big punch and heads up top, fighting off the challenger for a second. Miz kicks Gunther in the hand and nails the Skull Crushing Finale off the second rope. But they don’t call him the Ring General for nothing, and Gunther uses Miz’s brief delay to roll out of the ring.

When they return to the ring, it’s powerbomb/clothesline/powerbomb for Gunther, and he stacks up his foe to finally bring it to a close.

Image credit: WWE.com

Let the party commence: Kayden Carter and Katana Chance are tag team champs

Niven has a serious power advantage against both of the challengers, so we’ll see if they can use their speed and teamwork to neutralize that. Piper manages to squash both of them with a corner bomb, but it’s only good for a near fall prior to commercials.

It’s Green taking the brunt of the punishment when the broadcast returns, especially when Niven accidentally lands on her. Carter nearly pins her and looks frazzled when it’s only two.

Carter and Green go to the top rope, but nothing huge ends up connecting and Chelsea ends up hitting a Famouser of sorts for two. Niven tags back in for a running senton on Carter, who is saved by Chance.

The challengers have Niven in some trouble with the Keg Stand, but Green saves her partner at the absolute last moment. Chelsea isn’t out of the woods, though, and she takes the Afterparty and can’t kick out. We’ve got new tag team champs, folks.

Image credit: WWE.com

Drew McIntyre doesn’t want any pity from Seth Rollins

Iowa’s own gets a warm welcome from the fans in Des Moines. Rollins says things are heating up around here, and that the little “confrontation” he had last week (with CM Punk) has him more motivated than ever. Seth says he’s planning for a big 2024, and that stars on Day 1 when he faces Drew McIntyre.

Speak of the devil … er, the Scottish Warrior. McIntyre joins Rollins in the ring but is warned to “tread lightly.” McIntyre says he isn’t there to fight but instead to say he’s proud of Rollins for standing up to Punk and telling him the truth. “And that, my friend, is a real leader.”

McIntyre says the last time he went home he wondered if the sacrifices he’s made were worth it, and that Rollins might understand it because his wife, Becky Lynch, is on the same journey far from home. Drew says he doesn’t want Seth’s title, he needs it so he can find out if all the sacrifices he’s made were worth it — and he’s willing to hurt Seth to get it.

Rollins says he wants to believe McIntyre but his actions and words haven’t lined up. He does respect Drew, however, because of the way he worked his way back into title contention after Crown Jewel. But what makes McIntyre think the outcome will be any different this time? Is it just the willingness to take shortcuts? Either way, Seth muses, Drew isn’t taking responsibility for his actions.

The champs says he pities McIntyre as a result, and that finally gets the Scottish Warrior to snap. A brief scuffle leads to Drew giving Seth an Alabama Slam on the steps, leaving Rollins grasping his left arm in pain.

Image credit: WWE.com

Damian Priest, Finn Balor squeak by The Creed Brothers to retain

The Creeds look bright to start, with Brutus in command after a quick commercial break. Balor is getting double teamed and not enjoying it, but Priest low bridges Julius and treats him to a clothesline.

Rhea Ripley is doing some distracting as well, but she gets dangerously close to getting taken out. The champs stay in control through another commercial break, so the question now is whether the Creeds have another rally in them.

Brutus makes it look like he does, showing off some impressive strength by suplexing Priest. Both sides make tags, but it’s Julius hurling Balor all over the place and following with a standing Shooting Star Press for two on Finn.

Is it Brutus Ball time? Priest says no as he intercepts. Julius and Balor both clothesline each other at once, and Ripley gets into it with Ivy Nile on the outside, paying for it by getting bounced off the apron.

Balor is in trouble again, taking the Brutus Ball, but Priest hustles to make the save. A dropkick prevents a South of Heaven, but Julius responds by flying to the floor to take out Priest.

All four men might figure into this finish; Priest takes the Brutus Ball, but Balor hits Julius with a Coup de Grace to the back as he covers. Amidst the commotion, Priest is able to hit Julius with a South of Heaven, covering to secure the win.

 

WWE Raw preview 12/18/23: 2 tag team title matches in Des Moines

Can either The Creed Brothers or Kayden Carter and Katana Chance win gold tonight on WWE Raw?

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We made it, folks. While WWE hasn’t officially announced it yet, the Christmas Day episode of Raw is expected to be a “Best of 2023” show, meaning tonight’s edition from Des Moines, Iowa will be the last live Raw of the year.

(And more than that, probably the last live televised WWE show of 2023, since the Dec. 22 SmackDown was taped last Friday and the Dec. 29 episode is likely to be pre-taped too.)

Happily, that doesn’t mean that WWE is just going to send 2023 out with nothing interesting happening.

Can The Creed Brothers ride their hot streak all the way to gold?

Calling The Creed Brothers impressive since they received their main roster callup would be a little bit of an understatement. They’ve defeated a number of more established teams, and their combination of power, athleticism and teamwork makes for good entertainment every time out.

The Creeds have even defeated two members of The Judgment Day, but let’s face it: They were the weakest duo you could make out of the four male members. It’s a different story altogether going for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship against Damian Priest and Finn Balor, and we’re not quite sure WWE thinks we fans are ready to believe the brothers can take down those two clean. We’ll find out tonight.

Will it be the ultimate party for Kayden Carter and Katana Chance?

WWE has followed some of the same blueprint it used for the Creeds with Kayden Carter and Katana Chance, albeit not spending quite as much time in doing it, establishing them as legitimate tittle threats with victories over several other teams. It would be fun to see them break through and win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship if only because the titles have so rarely been held by an actual tag team as opposed to two singles wrestlers thrown together.

That goes for current champs Chelsea Green and Piper Niven too. Yet it’s hard to deny that Niven has come alive since she’s been paired with Green, who is a sparkplug that lights up any segment she’s in. Maybe WWE shouldn’t make a title change here right now, even if Carter and Chance deserve it at some point.

We’re set to recap all the action in this last live Raw of the year tonight at 8 p.m. ET, so join us back here at Wrestling Junkie at that time if you need a way to follow along.

WWE Raw results 12/4/23: Jey Uso can’t quite dethrone Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre’s truth hurts (others)

Seth Rollins still has his title, but an angry Drew McIntyre is trouble for him and everyone on WWE Raw.

Will Seth Rollins regret giving Jey Uso a chance to defeat him for the World Heavyweight Championship? That’s what we’re about to find out in what should be the main event tonight on WWE Raw from Albany, N.Y.

Not that Jey doesn’t deserve the opportunity, mind you. He’s been pulling his weight and fighting the good fight against heels like The Judgment Day ever since he joined the Raw roster.

But not only could he potentially defeat Rollins, there’s also every chance certain interested outside parties could disrupt things. Drew McIntyre, for one, who would be livid if Jey won the world championship. The Judgment Day certainly hasn’t forgiven Uso or Rollins for the loss they helped hand the group in WarGames.

The other members of that team (minus Randy Orton, who decided to sign with SmackDown) also have their hands full tonight. Sami Zayn will battle McIntyre after trying to help his mental state last week. The thanks we get sometimes.

Cody Rhodes has a new problem after it was revealed that the person Shinsuke Nakamura has been stalking was him. Originally it looked like they were going one-on-one tonight, but now apparently we’re just getting a Cody appearance of some sort.

Plus there’s a potentially important women’s division matchup between Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler, and The Creed Brothers taking on two-fifths of The Judgment Day. Plenty of good reasons to watch, so let’s see what this night brings.

WWE Raw results from Albany:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Drew McIntyre says what he thinks to Sami Zayn, who touches a nerve with his response
  • Drew McIntyre def. Sami Zayn by pinfall
  • Shayna Baszler says it was her that put Nia Jax on the shelf a while back, and she’ll remind the world of that tonight
  • Jey Uso explains in his own words why it hurt so much for his twin brother to sabotage his last world title opportunity against Roman Reigns and how Cody Rhodes convinced him to make his own legacy
  • Not content with beating him in the ring, McIntyre finds Zayn backstage and beats him down some more, yelling Sami he brought it on himself
  • Medical personnel check on Zayn as Uso tries to tell him it’s going to be alright
  • Becky Lynch is asked by Nia Jax if she’s on The Man’s list, and when Becky confirms she is, Jax promises “I’m all yours” after she’s done with Baszler
  • Nia Jax def. Shayna Baszler by pinfall, then takes a powder when Lynch comes down to the ring
  • A package of reactions to CM Punk’s return is shown
  • Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell wish #DIY good luck and manage to turn around Imperium’s efforts to mock them; Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci tell each other they better not mess this up
  • #DIY def. Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) 2-1 in a 2 out of 3 Falls match
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven taunt Natalya and Tegan Nox just for fun, then bounce
  • The New Day congratulates The Creed Brothers for being the No. 1 contenders for the tag team titles, and Alpha Academy offers to help train them; Ivy Nile gets props for her strength, but Maxxine Dupri proves she’s no slouch by squatting Akira Tozawa
  • R-Truth befuddles The Judgment Day until they kick him out of their clubhouse, and Damian Priest gives Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh a pep talk
  • Katana Chance and Kayden Carter def. Natalya and Tegan Nox by pinfall, angering Green for some reason, who gets blasted off the apron by Chance
  • Cody Rhodes gets an explanation for Shinsuke Nakamura’s behavior from Shinsuke himself
  • Uso asks Adam Pearce for an update on Zayn, saying he’s going to have to handle McIntyre too if needed and talking about how fired up he is; Gunther also stops by to discuss his next challenger
  • The Creed Brothers def. Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh by pinfall
  • Pearce tells Seth Rollins he invited CM Punk to Raw next week and intends to sign Punk to a contract; Rollins says that’s fine, but when it all blows up, everyone needs to stay out of his way; Jey drops by too, and it quickly becomes clear they’re going to be respectful but very competitive
  • Priest wants an explanation, and his teammates tell him that the Creeds are legit
  • Seth Rollins def. Jey Uso by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
  • After the match, McIntyre attacks Uso and puts him through the announce table as the show goes off the air

Sami Zayn touches a nerve with Drew McIntyre

The Scottish Warrior says it feels like everyone’s lost their minds recently, because you can leave the company, do whatever and come back and you’re instantly forgiven. The crowd starts a “CM Punk” chant but McIntyre insists he could be talking about anybody.

Sarcastically, Drew goes in on a few people, including Jey Uso, before arriving on Sami Zayn, whose music hits and brings him to the ring. Zayn asks for McIntyre to say what he wants right to this face. Drew says Sami is the one person in the world who deserved to be screwed over by The Bloodline.

After all, Sami joined The Bloodline, then screwed them over. Zayn admits McIntyre was right about one thing: They’re nothing alike. Sami says he’s not delusional and not one to blame others for his own shortcomings. When he failed to grab the brass ring in front of friends and family, he stayed hungry and driven, eventually finding redemption in the main event of WrestleMania.

Zayn says he made his family proud, but did McIntyre? An angry Scottish Warrior says get a referee now because one of them isn’t walking out of there …

Drew McIntyre doesn’t let compassion stop him against Sami Zayn

The announcers remind us that McIntyre told the world that he let his empathy take over for a second when he took on Seth Rollins for the world championship and it cost him, so he won’t do it again. Wade Barrett also says Drew is upset about being left off the Royal Rumble poster.

He’s all over Sami after an early commercial break, and even though Sami halts Drew’s momentum with an elbow shot off the top, he lands hard on his ankle. Zayn persists with a tilt-a-whirl DDT to earn a near fall.

The fans get behind Sami, chanting his name as he tries another top rope elbow, which is caught and countered by a belly-to-belly, then another, then a neckbreaker. McIntyre kips up and shakes the ropes, drawing a mixed reaction from the fans and allowing Zayn to get in a shot with his back turned.

Alas, when Sami takes flight to the floor, Drew catches him and effortlessly slings him over the announce table. McIntyre is still in control after a second set of commercials, with Zayn taking a series of power moves and needing to dig down and keep kicking out.

McIntyre heads up to the middle rope with Zayn on his shoulders, but Sami counters with a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count. Sami also counters a Claymore with a kick and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb, only to see Drew kick out again.

An exchange of chops and kicks goes surprisingly well for Zayn until his injured leg flares up on him. Drew takes full advantage with a chop block, leading to a Claymore that ends things for Sami.

“The truth will set you free,” McIntyre says into the camera.

Nia Jax outlasts Shayna Baszler but has Becky Lynch’s full attention

Baszler tries to attack Jax’s legs with kicks, which isn’t a bad idea. Nia is able to mostly shrug those off, but Shayna keeps up her efforts to stick and move.

An attempt at an armbar up over the top rope goes for naught as Jax powerbombs Baszler and presses her advantage on the outside. Shayna tries going after Nia’s left arm but gets her legs swept out from under her and nailed with a legdrop.

Jax is still dominating her foe after a commercial break, and it seems like there might not be another rally coming for Baszler. She’s finally able to roll out of the way of a move in the corner, and Shayna connects on a running knee for a two count of her own.

Will some kicks keep Jax at bay? Nope, as she smashes Baszler along the ropes and hits a running senton … yet Shayna kicks out again.

That only means it’s time for the Annihilator, but Baszler suplexes Jax off the second rope instead. Shayna lands hard too, so she can’t cover right away. She tries for the Kirifuda Clutch instead, but Jax powers up and falls backward to crush her opponent against the mat.

Up goes Nia for the Annihilator, and that’s that. Good game, good effort from Baszler.

After the bell, Becky Lynch comes to the ring, but Jax decides this isn’t the time for a confrontation.

Imperium stays united, still falls to #DIY

You know by now that the imperium peeps have been having issues staying on the same page, but Wade Barrett reminds us of that again just in case. Kaiser looks like he’s confident starting things out, and Vinci takes over to keep the pressure on Tommaso Ciampa.

Vinci hits a nasty cross body and Ciampa is still in trouble in the enemy corner. Ciampa gets inches away from Johnny Gargano before finally making the tag. He picks up the pace against Kaiser, smashing a head kick from the apron and a slingshot spear.

The faces want Meet in the Middle, but Vinci drags Gargano out to the floor and Kaiser pulls the tights while rolling up Ciampa for three.

As you might expect, #DIY evens the score at 1-1 when there’s some confusion between Vinci and Kaiser. They have all the momentum now as Ciampa is taking it to both members of Imperium at once.

Gargano is isolated against Vinci and has to kick out of a pinfall attempt. Imperium looks for their double team finisher, and even though Gargano escapes it, Kaiser hits him with a DVD.

Vinci tags in and hits a moonsault, but Ciampa hustles to break up the pin. All four men are in the ring trading shots until they’re all down on the mat.

The fans start the “this is awesome” chant as the two teams slowly get things back on track. Ciampa hits a leaping backbreaker off the top, and they’re set up again for Meet in the Middle. Imperium tries the same tactics from the first time but they backfire, and after Vinci is sent into the steps, Kaiser takes the Meet in the Middle and is pinned by Ciampa. #DIY wins 2-1.

Cody Rhodes finds out why Shinsuke Nakamura has been stalking him

Rhodes says that the first time he saw the poison mist he was just a kid, and he was terrified of the Great Muta as a result. But Cody says it’s his fault, because he should have listened to the clues Shinsuke Nakamura was dropping.

That said, Shinsuke has his attention now as well as the attention of the WWE Universe. So they could do this two ways: Nakamura could emerge for an explanation … or they could fight right here and now.

The lights go out, leaving only a spotlight on Rhodes. Nakamura appears on the big screen to promise he will open Cody’s eyes, saying they’ve walked the same path. Shinsuke notes that he had a title shot at WrestleMania and came up short, just like Cody.

Since their stories are so similar, Nakamura says he will finish Rhodes’. Cody says he appreciates the explanation but says he doesn’t respect Nakamura until he proves they’re the same.

The Creed Brothers keep rolling, take down Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh

It would be a mistake to match the Creeds strength for strength, but Mysterio and McDonagh have another problem as R-Truth is out at ringside and has Dominik’s title belt. The Judgment Day has the momentum, however, going into the commercial break.

When we return, it’s Brutus Creed powering out of the final leg of Dom’s Three Amigos and slamming Mysterio to the mat. Tags are made both ways, with Julius suplexing dudes left and right and kipping up after each one. Michael Cole can’t believe himself at the announce table.

It looks like JD might get the Brutus Ball, but Dom drags Brutus off the top rope. McDonagh takes flight to the floor and Mysterio hits the 619 for a near fall.

Julius suplexes both of his opponents at once, because why not? Mysterio gets hurled over the announce table, meaning McDonagh is the one who takes the Brutus Ball as the Creeds wrap up their win.

Main Event Jey Uso earns the name, but Seth Rollins retains

Both men smile as they anticipate locking up. Uso runs over Rollins with a shoulder tackle and they both go for quick covers before ending up in a staredown.

Jey is in some trouble after the first commercial break, with Seth hitting a running kick from the floor. The champ hits a springboard senton followed by a moonsault to earn a near fall.

Rollins hits a kick to the spine as Uso tries to gather himself. A belly to back suplex gets another two count for Seth.

Uso finally manages to fight back, driving Rollins into the corner and lifting him for a backbreaker. Jey covers and finds only two, with the announcers figuring it was more of a heat check cover.

Rollins stops Uso from going up top, knocking him to the apron before following him there. They battle with counters until Uso finally hits a DDT on the floor, bringing more commercials.

The battle leads to simultaneous cross bodies leading to both men being down. Uso recovers first, but Rollins meets his aggression with a clothesline.

Uso does his Umaga tribute with a hip attack, and Rollins answers with a top rope splash. Seth looks for a Pedigree, but Jey counters with a back body drop for two.

Uso’s kicks leave Rollins in position for an Uso Splash, and he hits it flush but still can’t keep the champ down for three. The fans chant for Jey as he climbs again, only to be met by Rollins who hits a superplex rolled into a Falcon Arrow for a close near fall.

A Pedigree is next, but Uso kicks out of that too. We’ve hit the “What will it take?” portion of this one now. Seth wants the Stomp but is met with a Spear … and Rollins somehow kicks out.

Jey hits another spear and an Uso Splash, and Cole’s voice goes up an octave yet it’s still not enough to finish off Rollins. A superkick lands, but Rollins manages to answer immediately and hit a Spear.

The Stomp is next, and that finishes the match, finally.