Former WWE champion Kofi Kingston got a massive welcome when visiting Gillette Stadium for the New England Patriots matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Patriots didn’t win the game, but Kingston, who is a huge fan of the team, came away with the experience of a lifetime as the team’s Week 13 “Keeper of the Light.”
The “Keeper of the Light” is tasked with the responsibility of ringing the bell at the top of the lighthouse at the stadium before the game.
In a video uploaded to the team’s social media page, Kingston could be seen touring the stadium before his lighthouse duties. He posed for a picture with all six championship rings on his fingers, stepped onto the football field and even had a face-to-face meeting with owner Robert Kraft.
The Patriots also surprised him with a custom-made jersey.
“My inner child is going crazy right now,” Kingston said. “…I don’t even know what to say right now. This is insane, like, these are my guys. This is insane.”
Kingston has made a career out of surprising fans and doing charitable work for kids. His job is bringing joy and putting smiles on faces.
It’s incredible to see it all work in reverse with him as the fan and the smile on his face.
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.
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.
A former WWE Champion rumored for Raw Day 1 surely did make an appearance in San Diego.
With all due credit to The New Day, it’s a new year, yes it is. And what better way to kick it off than with a WWE Raw Day 1 show from San Diego, chock full of championship matches and other goodies? Nothing, that’s what.
WWE has every reason to put on the best possible show since it took a rare break from all live programming between Christmas and New Year’s. Both Raw and SmackDown were year in review episodes last week while the wrestlers and crew got a well deserved holiday break.
Now it’s time to come out with the pedal down, which is exactly what Day 1 is looking to do. Both the World Heavyweight Championship held by Seth Rollins and the Women’s World Championship held by Rhea Ripley will be on the line, in addition to a first time ever meeting between Becky Lynch and Nia Jax.
If that isn’t enough for you, Triple H has hinted that rumors of a former WWE champion appearing on Raw Day 1 may indeed be true. There’s been all kinds of speculation about everyone from Batista to The Rock, so that’s another big reason to be locked in to what goes down.
Alright 2024, what have you got for us?
WWE Raw Day 1 results from San Diego:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett start the show in the ring hyping up the card, including a “former WWE champion” appearing on the show
A video package takes us through the buildup of the Becky Lynch-Nia Jax feud
Nia Jax def. Becky Lynch by pinfall
A replay is shown of Shinsuke Nakamura’s “An American Nightmare Before Christmas” and their ensuing brawl
Cody Rhodes wants to end things with Shinsuke Nakamura, but Nakamura wants him to squirm for one more week
Kofi Kingston and Jey Uso def. Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) by referee stoppage after Vinci appears to suffer a mid-match injury after taking a particularly stiff dropkick
A hype video is shown for the Rhea Ripley-Ivy Nile title match later tonight
Miz TV welcomes The Judgment Day, which turns into an argument between R-Truth on one side and JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio on the other, which in turn leads to a tag team match
The Miz and R-Truth def. Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh by pinfall
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven invade the club to threaten Kayden Carter and Katana Chance that they’re going to Adam Pearce to get a rematch, but not only do the champs not mind, they throw some beverages in the faces of the former champs
Rhea Ripley def. Ivy Nile by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship
After teasing fans by bringing out Jinder Mahal first, The Rock makes a triumphant return while also teasing a Roman Reigns showdown
Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark def. Natalya and Tegan Nox by pinfall
A video recap takes us back through the issues between Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins ahead of the main event
Seth Rollins def. Drew McIntyre by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship despite Damian Priest’s ultimately thwarted plan to cash in his MITB briefcase during the match
Nia Jax beats, bloodies Becky Lynch in first ever meeting
After reminding us that this is the first time these two have ever wrestled one on one, the announcers frame this as a bout in which Lynch will have to keep her temper in check if she wants to win.
Jax is hitting all the early offense, talking to her prey while she does so. Lynch fights back with a jawbreaker and keeps moving between forearm shots. An uppercut and a kick to the midsection land too, and Lynch manages to evade a legdrop and score a cover that’s only good for a one count.
A dropkick drives Jax back into the corner, and a missile dropkick is also on target to earn a near fall. Jax scores with a Samoan Drop during picture-in-picture action and generally stays in control until the full broadcast returns, but it’s Lynch scoring a two count right after that.
Nia gets things going her way on the outside but misses both a right hand near the post and a cannonball into the apron. Lynch saved herself big time there, and she nearly wins by countout before Jax slides back into the ring. A top rope leg drop allows Becky to cover for another two.
The Disarm-Her is locked in, but Jax powers into a pinning combination for two. Lynch pivots back into an armbar but is lifted into a sitout powerbomb and just barely manages to kick out in time.
Jax drags her foe to the corner, but Lynch springs up and looks for a Manhandle Slam off the middle rope; Jax counters into an Avalanche Samoan Drop and can’t believe it when The Man kicks out again.
Becky is fired up now, but that’s not going to help when she gets caught flush with a right hand. Jax follows with the Annihilator and gets perhaps her biggest win ever.
Cody Rhodes is stuck on Shinsuke Nakamura whether he likes it or not
So, San Diego, what do you wanna talk about? Rhodes says he has the privilege of being the first superstar to officially welcome everyone to a Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw.
While people like to talk about their goals for the year, he’s a little stuck, and what he’s stuck on is Shinsuke Nakamura. Rhodes says he was expecting something more sophisticated from Shinsuke and thinks their issue should be over.
To that end, he gives Nakamura the chance to end this right now, which brings Shinsuke to the big screen. He says he never dreamed it would be so easy to get in Cody’s head, and while he plans to author the final chapter of Rhodes’ story, he wants to give the American Nightmare one more week to dream.
Shinsuke says he’ll “close your book” next Monday before spraying red mist all over the camera.
Miz TV welcomes The Judgment Day … sort of
The Miz is excited to welcome The Judgment Day to his show, but all he gets right away is R-Truth. He says he’s trying to make the group likeable to everybody, but JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio come out to play party pooper.
McDonagh says this all has to end tonight, while Dom gets shouted down and Truth has to point out his own hometown is booing him. Miz comes to Truth’s defense when he asserts that JD should be gone from the group after losing the Miracle on 34th Street Fight, and Dominik is unable to get in a rebuttal due to the crowd booing him mercilessly.
The Miz responds to what was apparently Dom ripping on him by admitting that 2023 wasn’t great for him. But he’s bounced back to be as relevant as he’s been for a long time, and he adds that his only memory of Dom last year was “getting spanked by your daddy.”
You see where this is headed: JD and Dom vs. The Miz and R-Truth.
Ivy Nile impressive even in defeat against Rhea Ripley
What a big spot for Nile, though it should be a good one for her. She tries to show off her power early on but gets dropkicked in the head for her trouble.
Nile is whipped into the corner but stays a step ahead of the champ to hit a cross body, though it only keeps Rhea down for one. Ripley starts smacking her challenger around while verbally berating her at the same time. A spinning headscissors and a followup slam halt Rhea’s momentum, and she takes a short breather on the outside during side-by-side commercials.
It’s pretty much all Ripley during the break, but Nile definitely isn’t backing off. She hits a beautiful suplex on the floor and a nice tilt-a-whirl DDT back in the ring and forces Rhea to kick out at two.
Ripley’s missile dropkick is an effective response and also good for a two count. A Riptide is countered by a head kick, and a gutwrench slam leads to another near fall for the challenger.
Nile’s face is driven into the champ’s knee, then the mat. Ripley covers but can only get two again.
With both women looking to go up top, it’s Nile who prevails, German suplexing the champ off the ropes but finding Ripley still has enough left to kick out. Ivy ascends to the top rope but her cross body is met with a stiff headbutt. A knee shot sets up the Eradicator, and Ripley is still Women’s World Champion.
Smell that former WWE champion returning? Yes, The Rock is back, teasing a showdown with Roman Reigns
To say the fans are disappointed when Jinder Mahal comes out to the ring would be a mild understatement. But the way Michael Cole is lampshading it and Mahal is referencing it makes it feel like they’re trying too hard to get us to buy into it.
Mahal starts in on a bilingual attack on America and how its people are divided. Is someone coming out to beat him up?
Yes … and it’s The Rock!
He and Jinder argue about whether he should be embarrassed to be The People’s Champ (spoiler: he’s not), and while channeling the spirit of the late Iron Sheik due to Mahal dropping his name earlier, The Rock calls him the “biggest a–hole watching God’s green Earth.”
After some self-deprecating “Baywatch” jokes, The Rock stands up for the U.S. as well and dubs Mahal the “Day 1 Douchebag,” a moniker the crowd enjoys. The Rock encourages it even more with a chant using both sides of the arena.
A new version of the national anthem that also disses Mahal makes Jinder snap, but his attack is quickly repulsed and ends with him receiving a spinebuster. The People’s Elbow is next, getting a huge pop.
And damn, does it look like The Rock is having a great time. After dispensing of Mahal, he says he’s going to grab something to eat later and wonders if he should sit … at the head of the table.
Well now.
Seth Rollins prevails over Drew McIntyre despite Damian Priest’s designs to cash in his MITB contract
The announcers tell us that this is a different McIntyre than the one Rollins defeated at Crown Jewel, but we’ll see if that is indeed the case. He’s taking it to the champ early, bouncing him off the announce table, though Rollins manages to grab the ropes to prevent an Alabama Slam on the floor … only to launch himself right into a belly-to-belly throw on the floor anyway. Welp.
After McIntyre stays in charge through most of a side-by-side commercial sequence, Rollins is able to smash McIntyre into the post, then deliver a tope con hilo. A counter tilt-a-whirl DDT also connects, as does a frog splash for a near fall.
They battle to the top rope, where Rollins hits a superplex only to have McIntyre roll through it for a Falcon Arrow and his own near fall. Michael Cole is really getting into this now.
After more ads, McIntyre has Rollins up top, and he doesn’t miss with White Noise off the middle rope. Rollins kicks out at two and both men are slow to rise.
An enzuigiri and some additional kicks have Rollins feeling like ending it. He misses a Stomp, however, and is planted by the Future Shock. McIntyre kips up and counts down … but Rollins counters a Claymore attempt with a sitout powerbomb for two.
Rollins’ corkscrew plancha misses, as does another Claymore, but the champ’s Pedigree does not. He covers but can only keep Drew down for two again.
Suddenly Damian Priest’s music hits, and he’s on his way down with his MITB briefcase. Dominik Mysterio is with him too, and Priest smashes Rollins with the case. However, McIntyre takes out Priest and Mysterio and hits the Claymore … only to see Rollins get his foot on the bottom rope.
With the match continuing, Rollins delivers a Pedigree on the announce table, somehow not breaking it. He follows with a Stomp in the ring and hears the three counted to keep him the champion against all odds.
Also tonight on WWE Raw from Cleveland, CM Punk tells the world where he’s signing.
The funny thing about revenge is that it getting it might not make you feel all the way better about what got you upset in the first place. That’s worth keeping in mind for Drew McIntyre as he gets a one-on-one match with Jey Uso tonight on WWE Raw from Cleveland.
If you’ve been watching WWE programming over the past few months, you’re familiar with McIntyre’s grievances. Headed for one of the biggest victories of his career, in front of friends and family at Clash at the Castle in the fall of 2022, the Scottish Warrior instead tasted bitter defeat thanks to The Bloodline.
You may also recall that Jey Uso was a member of said Bloodline.
Jey has made amends with most people since becoming one of the top fan favorites on Raw, but McIntyre — who arguably had the biggest and most understandable gripe of all — couldn’t forgive or forget. That truth has shaped all of his actions as of late.
The question now is whether Drew will feel like that void inside would be filled even if he beats Jey. And the guess here is that no, it probably won’t. But that’s what makes McIntyre so compelling right now.
Oh, and there’s also something big going on with CM Punk tonight: He’s going to tell the world if he’s signing with Raw or SmackDown. Wonder if a certain World Heavyweight Champion might try to influence his decision one way or another …
We’re ready for all of this. We’re even ready to yeet again. Let’s do the thing.
WWE Raw results from Cleveland:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Jey Uso welcomes everyone to Raw, is excited about having yeet back and says get well to Sami Zayn before he takes on Drew McIntyre; The Scottish Warrior says he doesn’t want CM Punk on Raw and offers a semi-apology to Zayn before explaining again why he’s justified in seeking revenge against Jey
Drew McIntyre def. Jey Uso by pinfall after using a thumb to the eye to soften up Uso for a Claymore
CM Punk’s promo from SmackDown is replayed ahead of his big decision tonight
The Shinsuke Nakamura warning for Cody Rhode is played again too
There’s finger pointing in The Judgment Day clubhouse, and plenty of blame to go around, but Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley get into it more than anyone
Alpha Academy and The Creed Brothers fire up Maxxine Dupri, and Chad Gable warns R-Truth not to keep messing with The Judgment Day as he prepares to put holiday lights in their clubhouse
Rhea Ripley def. Maxxine Dupri by submission
A video promotes Kayden Carter and Katana Chance
Adam Pearce is shown entering CM Punk’s dressing room
CM Punk makes the choice to sign with Raw, setting off a passionate confrontation with Seth Rollins
Bronson Reed and Ivar talk some asynchronous trash to each other as they get ready to do battle
Bronson Reed def. Ivar by pinfall
The Judgment Day says hi to Punk, with Priest saying he hopes Punk is the one to finish a story around here, because if he does, Damian will be the one waiting for him
The Judgment Day tries to have some fun at the expense of R-Truth
McIntyre tells Punk he doesn’t care about anything but finishing his story and that he has that figured out, and he quickly says hi to Kofi Kingston, Chad Gable and Ricochet, who Pearce wants to talk to
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance def. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell by pinfall as Chelsea Green and Piper Niven watch on guest commentary
#DIY discuss their mystery partner, not revealing his identity to Ludwig Kaiser, and Gunther stops by to wish them luck and express his skepticism over anyone teaming with them
Becky Lynch wants to “end” the lie that Nia Jax made her career, but Jax is willing to make her wait
Cody Rhodes says he’d be a lot more excited about facing Nakamura if he hadn’t been misted in the face, but agrees with Shinsuke’s assertion that he asked for this
#DIY and The Miz def. Imperium by pinfall
Gunther berates his flunkies as per usual, then turn arounds and finds Miz demanding an Intercontinental Championship rematch; Gunther grants it, but says the condition is that if he wins, Miz can’t challenge for it again as long as he’s champion, and Miz accepts it
Cody Rhodes def. Shinsuke Nakamura by DQ after Nakamura uses the mist on Rhodes, and a post-match attack gets in some more punishment on Cody until The Creed Brothers can make the save … but Nakamura runs down for one more shot as Rhodes is being helped to the back
Image credit: WWE.com
Drew McIntyre continues further into the shadow realm, cheating to defeat Jey Uso
Spinning out of the opening segment, McIntyre doesn’t even get his jacket off before Uso sends him to the floor and the show to commercials. After the break, Jey gets a near fall with a cross body off the top.
McIntyre fires back to pummel Uso near the ropes, dropping right hands repeatedly. A vertical suplex follows, allowing the Scottish Warrior to continue his measured attack.
Jey takes some additional punishment in the corner and while strung through the ropes. Uso finally gets an opening, and he takes full advantage with a suicide dive before ads set in again.
We return to find McIntyre in the Tree of Woe, then quickly out as he sits up and hurls Uso off the top rope. He also used the bottom of the ring as a weapon during the commercials, which made for a pretty cool replay.
Uso fights back with right hands until a Glasgow Kiss halts him in his tracks. Drew goes up top but gets caught with a superkick to the gut when Jey rolls away. A Samoan Drop is next, but McIntyre kicks out at two.
McIntyre reaches back to execute a neckbreaker, then kips up. He heads to the corner opposite Uso but his Claymore attempt is countered with a superkick. An Uso Splash is next, but it catches nothing but knees, and Jey has to dig down to kick out at two following the Future Shock.
With Uso slow to rise, McIntyre removes the turnbuckle cover atop one corner. He rushes in again but no Claymore as a spear catches him first, and Uso earns another near fall.
As the ref looks at the turnbuckle, McIntyre thumbs Uso in the eye, following up with a Claymore to get the three count.
Image credit: WWE.com
Rhea Ripley has little trouble with Maxxine Dupri
This seems like a tough spot for Dupri, though at least she has Ivy Nile out there to support her. She slaps the champ in the face early on, which seems more brave than smart.
Dupri doesn’t really pull off flinging Ripley into the corner with her legs, then gets slammed down afterward. And again. She ends up twisting Dupri like a pretzel with her knee on Maxxine’s neck, and a tapout isn’t long to follow.
Nile confronts Ripley after the bell, which is interesting.
Image credit: WWE.com
CM Punk makes Adam Pearce happy, but Seth Rollins is not so thrilled
Adam Pearce says the man who’s coming out needs no introduction but does need to make a decision. Punk joins him in the ring and says he thought he was a bit sullen until he came out and saw the fans and the signs.
Punk says “we” have a decision to make and notes that Cleveland hasn’t always been kind to him. There are a lot of ghosts in these hallways, as he remembers his debut in this building and his return as world champion. The latter incident involved him getting kicked in the head backstage by Randy Orton and being stripped of his title.
Then 10 years ago, Punk had to make the hardest decision of his life, walking out in Cleveland. If you were disappointed when he did that, Punk apologizes.
He muses about how the deal that Pearce put together was better than the other brands, but he says that when he saw Cleveland was the location of tonight’s show, his mind was pretty much made up. Ten years ago he walked out, and tonight he’s walking right back in. Yep, Punk is home on Raw.
Punk signs for a happy Pearce, but someone is not: Seth Rollins. The World Heavyweight Champion heads straight to the ring to stare Punk down, then grabs a microphone. Rollins is offended by Punk calling WWE his home, though the fans chant for CM right after that.
Rollins accuses Punk of abandoning WWE and slandering the talent over the past 10 years. “This is not your home, this is my home!”
The champ calls the other talent and the fans his family and that he’ll do everything possible to protect it from people like Punk. Rollins says he wants to ensure that Punk understands something: “I hate you.” But if he’s going to be in WWE, Rollins wants him on Raw, because this is CM’s last chance, and either Punk will self destruct, or if he has changed and has any gas left in the tank, Seth can expose him as a fraud in a title match.
“I will wrestle circles around you, and I will make you understand in real time what it means to be the best in the world.”
Punk asks if Rollins is done and says this is Seth’s one pass to speak to him disrespectfully. He also confirms he’s entering the Royal Rumble and when he wins, maybe it’s Seth he’s coming after.
Image credit: WWE.com
Bronson Reed wins battle of big men with Ivar
Big E, this one is for you! Reed gets off to a fast start, punishing his foe until a double clothesline puts them both down. They both take each other down on the outside as well, leading to commercials.
There’s more craziness when we return, with Ivar hitting a cannonball off the apron onto Reed. But the retaliation is even more impressive as it takes the form of a massive superplex, allowing Reed to get the three count.
Image credit: WWE.com
The Judgment Day wants to remind everyone who they are, but The Creed Brothers aren’t listening
Trying to get some of their mojo back, the four men in The Judgment Day say they are putting everyone, old, new and returning alike, on notice. They’re about to specifically address The Creed Brothers when R-Truth joins them.
He’s confused about the locks on the clubhouse, getting him a tongue lashing from JD McDonagh. But Damian Priest invites him into the ring, saying he wants to hear what Truth has to say.
Alas, the first thing he has to say is that he thinks McDonagh should be kicked out. Second, Priest needs to quit calling himself the boss because it makes Mami mad.
Damian says everyone likes R-Truth … except him. Priest lays him out and the others join in, but The Creed Brothers come hustling to the rescue. They’re outnumbered, but that hardly matters as they manage to clear the ring anyway.
Image credit: WWE.com
Becky Lynch wants to fight, but Nia Jax is content to make her wait
Wasting no time, Lynch says she’s here to call out Jax. While they’ve never had a singles match, they’re linked forever by the right hand that smashed Lynch’s face five years ago in a Raw vs. SmackDown battle.
After Becky gets in some barbs on Nia, Jax has heard enough and heads down to the ring. Nia says she’s right there in front of her better than ever, and says the punch was just a lucky swing … and it still almost ended Lynch’s career. Just imagine what her full force would do.
Jax claims Lynch owes her career to Nia, which Becky takes offense to as she should. It wasn’t just about a broken face but getting back up and persevering. The Man says she needs to end the lie or end Jax, which amuses Nia since she figures Becky needs to prove it to herself.
Lynch says she came looking for a fight and offers Jax a free shot, but Nia says Becky needs this a lot more than I do and walks away.
Image credit: WWE.com
Cleveland’s finest: The Miz, #DIY join forces to defeat Imperium
Michael Cole reminds us how truly unlikely the team of Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa and The Miz are given the history between them. That feels like a lifetime ago now.
DIY shows off their usual excellent teamwork early, but a big boot from Gunther to Ciampa changes that in a hurry before a commercial break.
It’s Imperium’s turn to show off some teamwork now, even with the issues they’ve been having. Gargano geta a hot tag, however, and his flurry leads to a slingshot spear to Ludwig Kaiser that forces a save from Giovanni Vinci.
The Miz finally enters the fray, much to the delight of his hometown fans, hitting a cross body and some kicks on Gunther. More kicks force the IC champ back into the corner, but only until Gunther can catch one of them and lock in a Boston Crab.
Things break down as multiple men hit the ring, and Gargano and Miz both hit tornado DDTs at nearly the same time. Miz gets the Figure Four on Gunther while Gargano gets the Gargano Escape on Kaiser.
Alas, Gunther tags Vinci, who drops an elbow on Miz. But Miz gets Vinci in position for a Skull Crushing Finale, and he hits it to secure the victory.
Image credit: WWE.com
Shinsuke Nakamura proves it’s not about defeating Cody Rhodes
Is Nakamura more dangerous than he’s ever been? We’ll see here, but it is kind of crazy they’ve never wrestled a singles match before. Shinsuke is a step ahead of Cody early on, sending Rhodes to the floor with a sliding kick.
Rhodes is experiencing Good Vibrations when the broadcast returns, and his attempt to battle back is halted by another stiff kick. Shinsuke grabs a headlock as Cody shows to the ref he’s not fading.
A Cody Cutter is blocked, and Nakamura tries for an armbar, even countering out of a Cross Rhodes attempt to stay at it. Shinsuke hits his sliding release German suplex, smiling before a jumping knee off the top earns him a near fall.
A Kinshasa attempt is cut off by a low dropkick that chops out Nakamura’s legs. Rhodes hits a dragon screw with his foe trapped in the ropes, then drops him face first after lifting him in from the apron.
Rhodes administers a half crab, and Nakamura has to will himself to the ropes for a break. Both men go crashing to the outside as we break for ads one last time.
They’re back inside and slugging it out now. Nakamura wins that exchange, but Rhodes hits a flying forearm shot and a powerslam to regain the momentum. He has to fall backward, however, when Shinsuke hops on his back for a sleeper.
Both have slowed now, but Rhodes is able to catch his opponent with a Disaster Kick that’s good for a two count. Here come punches and a Bionic Elbow, and the Cody Cutter is on the mark too. Rhodes wants Cross Rhodes but gets the red mist to the face.
The ref calls for the bell, but Nakamura doesn’t care continuing his attack. A blinded Rhodes attempts to fight back, but Shinsuke drops him to his knees and hits the Kinshasa to the back of the head.
With Shinsuke wielding a chair, The Creed Brothers head down to prevent any more damage, and Nakamura decides to retreat since his job is done.
Except when Rhodes is being helped to the back, Nakamura comes running down and gets in one more shot. Thanks for nothing, Creeds.
WWE Raw from Omaha saw several championship matches, including the first defense by Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso.
Athletes of all kinds have to play through pain sometimes, but pro wrestlers are a different breed. To wit, Becky Lynch suffered a gash so nasty the last time she defended her NXT Women’s Championship that we don’t want to show it again here, yet she still might defend her title less than two weeks later on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw from Omaha.
Lynch is supposed to take on Tegan Nox, who has waited patiently for her opportunity and has had veterans like Natalya and Lynch herself vouching for her. The question is whether Becky will be cleared to compete tonight, but Fightful Select (subscription required) says that as of a few hours before showtime, it was looking good. If the match proceeds, the thing to watch for is whether Nox might be setting Lynch up for a turn as she seems a little “too” good right now.
One thing that hasn’t been good is the way The New Day has been getting roughed up by the one healthy member of the Viking Raiders, Ivar. Kofi Kingston will try to switch things up for your boys, but it’s fair to wonder if agreeing to a Viking Rules match that falls right into Ivar’s wheelhouse is the best way to do it.
Plus, Fastlane gave us new Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, and since Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso are both members of the Raw roster, it would be silly for them not to be featured on tonight’s show. Michael Cole will get some interview time with the new champs, but will an angry Judgment Day come looking for them too?
We’re looking forward to finding out.
WWE Raw results from Omaha:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Seth Rollins looks OK considering what he went through at Fastlane, and he gets a new challenger, albeit one willing to wait until Crown Jewel
Ivar def. Kofi Kingston by pinfall in a Viking Rules match
Byron Saxton tries to get some comments from Shinsuke Nakamura, but Riochet comes and finds Nakamura first
An angry Priest wants to take his frustration out on JD McDonagh, but Rhea Ripley calms him down by pointing out that he still has the MITB briefcase; The Judgment Day also gives JD the unenviable task of “taking care of” McIntyre
Raquel Rodriguez vs. Nia Jax is a no contest as both Ripley and Shayna Baszler both decide to wade into the action
Rollins wants an explanation from McIntyre and tells him he doesn’t need to worry about The Judgment Day taking the world title from him
Some former tag team champs want a shot at the new ones, as Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn challenge Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso … and the champs say they’re willing to do it tonight
Bronson Reed mocks Chad Gable for thinking he’s going to get another crack at the Intercontinental Championship by winning the Triple Threat match tonight …
… which Ricochet is also in, but he gets jumped by Nakamura on his way to the ring
Bronson Reed def. Chad Gable and Ricochet to earn an Intercontinental Championship shot at Gunther next week on Raw
Becky Lynch plugs her book that’s on the way this spring but says she’s ready to give her all against Tegan Nox tonight; she also tells Xia Li she’s not hard to find when Li asks when she may get a title opportunity
Drew McIntyre def. JD McDonagh by pinfall
Ripley has an idea and tells Priest to trust her
Wade Barrett talks to Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa about their DIY reunion, but before they can answer a question about whether they will be a legit tag team on Raw, they get a surprise ambush from Imperium and are left lying on the dressing room floor
A video package hypes up Tegan Nox, who also gets a visit from Natalya, who says she meant what she said about her and tells Nox to knock it out of the park
Adam Pearce tells Ricochet that next week, he’s got a Falls Count Anywhere match with Shinsuke
Becky Lynch def. Tegan Nox by submission to retain the NXT Women’s Championship; afterward, Lynch shows Nox respect for a game effort
Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell check with Adam Pearce on the condition of Gargano and Ciampa until Ripley demands they leave so she can demand a match with Baszler next week to “get my division in order”
Natalya, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter try to cheer up Nox, and when the tag team champs are less hospitable, Natalya agrees to fight Piper Niven next week on Raw
McIntyre tells Jey Uso he knows Jey will show his true colors eventually and he’ll be right there to take him down; Zayn stops by to defuse the situation, and the two men agree even though they are friends, it’s go time tonight
A vignette pushes Ludwig Kaiser as European elegance and an A+ specimen … really!
Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship; after the match, Owens finally shows Uso he respects Jey with a handshake and bro hug
There’s also bound to be fallout within The Judgment Day on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw from Omaha.
Becky Lynch wanted to give someone she thought deserved a title shot a championship opportunity. Now The Man has to make sure she doesn’t regret that decision tonight on WWE Raw in Omaha.
When Lynch won the NXT Women’s Championship, she did it to cross a rare remaining line item off her career checklist, sure. But she also wanted to test herself against the best of the upcoming generation of wrestlers.
She did exactly that against Tiffany Stratton, but Lynch told Tegan Nox she is part of that conversation too. Nox got the seal of approval from Natalya after beating her, and now will look to make good on her moment in the spotlight against Lynch. There’s no question that it will be interesting to see where WWE goes with this.
That’s not the only intrigue in the women’s division. Nia Jax has been an absolute wrecking ball since she made her WWE return, with no one really able to stand up to her. That may end tonight, however, when she faces Raquel Rodriguez, whose gig is basically standing up to anyone who tries to bulldoze the division.
We’ll also see Kofi Kingston take on Ivar in a Viking Rules match, which means weapons with a Viking theme will be used based on previous matches in the past. Alpha Academy is now somewhere nodding slowly.
On top of all that, Fastlane shook things up for what is (was?) Raw’s most dominant faction, The Judgment Day. Damian Priest and Finn Balor now have to watch Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso parade around with the tag team titles that used to be theirs. Even worse, Rhea Ripley is bound to be enraged, and it was the unsuccessful assistance from wanna-be stable member JD McDonagh that turned the tide.
Will things come to a head in Judgment Day land tonight? Heck, who can they not?
WWE Raw graces our flatscreens tonight as always at 8 p.m. ET. Be sure to join us back here at Wrestling Junkie at that time for results and updates if you can’t watch the show live.
If The Judgment Day won’t accept JD McDonagh now after his key role on WWE Raw, they probably never will.
As the late, great philosopher Guru of Gang Starr once said, “Give the credit y’all, where it is due.” And in this case, the credit is due Dominik Mysterio as he prepares to defend his NXT North American Championship on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw in Ontario, California.
No, really. Though Dom is definitely the person you love to hate at the moment, he’s gone from “get this guy off my screen” heat to “we hate you because you’re a big heel” heat. In that respect, strapping him up only helped, which is why WWE did the right thing by doing so even though most people griped at the time.
He’ll have one of his biggest showcases tonight, trying to fend off Dragon Lee. There’s no question Lee reminds Dominik of his famous father in all the ways that get under his skin most, which is why a loss would definitely burn. WWE could potentially help make Lee a star with a win, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out, and if Mysterio needs help from his teammates in The Judgment Day to pull out a victory.
If they can’t help him, it might be because they’re busy too. Damian Priest and Finn Balor won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship from Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, but now they’ve got to keep the Canadians from getting it back. Plus there’s lots going on around the champs, what with trying to recruit The Usos and that JD McDonagh guy always wondering “How can I be down?”
All that plus Drew McIntyre on Miz TV, Shinsuke Nakamura addressing Seth Rollins’ challenge and Cody Rhodes kicking off the show. Sounds like a night, doesn’t it? Let’s find out.
WWE Raw results from Ontario:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Cody Rhodes gets interrupted again, but he finds plenty of allies rally to his side against The Judgment Day
Bronson Reed def. Otis by pinfall
Becky Lynch asks Tegan Nox why she didn’t take the open challenge last week and says she’s next in line once she wins at No Mercy
Nox and Natalya get into an argument in front of Adam Pearce over who deserves a shot at Lynch next, so he proposes they battle it out in the ring
Tommaso Ciampa def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall despite, and indeed perhaps thanks to, Giovanni Vinci’s attempt to help his Imperium mate
A hype video puts over the skill and athleticism of Dragon Lee
Tegan Nox def. Natalya by pinfall
A furious Priest kicks McDonagh out of The Judgment Day’s dimly lit dressing room
Seth Rollins gets his answer from Shinsuke Nakamura, and he is undeterred in agreeing to a Last Man Standing match at Fastlane
Even on crutches, Ricochet says he has unfinished business with Nakamura no matter who wins at Fastlane
Dominik Mysterio def. Dragon Lee by pinfall to retain the NXT North American Championship
KO and Sami say their actions earlier weren’t about helping Jey Uso but about getting their hands on The Judgment Day and winning the titles back together
Michael Cole has the unenviable task of interviewing Nia Jax, who brags about squashing Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler and everyone, really; Zoey Stark heads to the ring and gets in Jax’s face, seemingly unafraid of being squashed, and they brawl into a commercial break while referees try to pull them apart
Nia Jax def. Zoey Stark by pinfall
Jey Uso tells Byron Saxton that he’s not joining any groups of any kind and will be keeping a close eye on The Judgment Day the rest of the night, especially during the tag team title match
Finn Balor celebrates with Mysterio and tells him Priest needed to cool off, but they’d all be celebrating by the end of the night
Miz TV welcomes Drew McIntyre for a bit of a morality discussion involving The New Day, and Miz ends up on the receiving end of some well deserved violence
Chad Gable tries to console Otis, then tells Kaiser, who is creeping on Maxxine again, to deliver a message to Gunther: Master Gable still has his eyes on him
Drew McIntyre def. Kofi Kingston by pinfall, undeterred by Ivar beating up on Xavier Woods during the match and doing the same to Kingston afterward
Gunther lays into Kaiser, making Vinci his responsibility while he takes care of his responsibility as IC champ, saying he’ll beat Ciampa himself
Asked about beating up The New Day, Ivar says it’s for taking out Erik, and Valhalla says “an eye for an eye”
Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, with a huge assist from McDonagh
After the main event, KO, Zayn, Uso and Rhodes continue to take part in a massive brawl with The Judgment Day and McDonagh
Who stood by Jey Uso on WWE Raw from Salt Lake City, and who still isn’t convinced he’s changed his ways?
Pro wrestling logic is a funny thing sometimes. Run with a pack and try to beat me up using the numbers game, partly to keep a ruthless heel champion in power? We’re mortal enemies. But come at me straight up and fight me one-on-one and maybe we can be allies if not necessarily friends.
That second path may work in the favor of Jey Uso tonight on WWE Raw in Salt Lake City. Outside of Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn, Jey has found precious few willing to fight beside him since joining the Monday night scene. And who can blame the rest of the roster?
Drew McIntyre is one who remembers all too well that Jey was trying everything possible to keep Roman Reigns atop the WWE mountaintop not that long ago, and naturally distrusts him as a result. The thing is, if Uso fights him honorably tonight, it could go a long way toward at least convincing the Scottish Warrior that they could fight together if need be.
Speaking of Rhodes, he’s got a match too, and it might be one that sees these two plot threads intertwine. The American Nightmare will face Dominik Mysterio, and that means the rest of The Judgment Day could get involved. That would be the same group currently trying to recruit Jey Uso to their side, so it will be intriguing to see if these bouts end up part of the same overall stew of wrestler interactions.
There’s also a battle between Ricochet and Shinsuke Nakamura to look forward to, which should be a fun affair and could draw World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins into the mix as well. Let’s dive into the action.
WWE Raw results from Salt Lake City:
(scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Cody Rhodes is greeted warmly by the Salt Lake City crowd and says since he was interrupted last week, he’d like to talk about Main Event Jey Uso; he’s interrupted again by Dominik Mysterio, however, who brags about The Judgment Day recruiting Jey and dedicating his victory over Cody to Rhea Ripley, which Rhodes rightfully mocks
Cody Rhodes def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall, then gets reinforcements in the form of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to chase off The Judgment Day
KO hangs in the ring and calls Rhodes back to “talk about something,” which turns out to be a discussion about whether they can trust Jey Uso
A replay of the return of Nia Jax and her attack on Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez is shown
Kofi Kingston def. Ivar by pinfall
Ricochet is asked for final comments and says Shinsuke Nakamura will find out he’s nobody’s pawn, and that Shinsuke playing games only fires him up
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Ricochet by disqualification when Ricochet uses a steel chair; afterward, Nakamura manages to get some punishment in on both Ricochet and Seth Rollins before officials and referees can finally pull him away
Rollins angrily tells a ref he doesn’t need help, but it appears he does to get to the trainer’s room
Chelsea Green tells Byron Saxton that she and Piper Niven are best friends, but Chelsea clearly doesn’t know what country Piper is from
Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven is a no contest (we think) after Nia Jax shows up and assaults everyone
Chad Gable asks Pearce what he can do to work himself back into another title shot against Gunther; conveniently, Bronson Reed drops by and ends up talking himself into a match against Gable
The Rock’s surprise return on SmackDown is shown again
Jey Uso is asked about Owens’ remarks and how Drew McIntyre feels about him too, but Damian Priest arrives to tell Jey he wants Main Event Jey for The Judgment Day and says their group can be the family he’s looking for … but they want an answer by the end of the night
Bronson Reed def. Chad Gable by pinfall
Tommaso Ciampa says being patient didn’t work for him, so he’s creating his own opportunity by going through Imperium to get to Gunther
A highlight package shows the best moments from Becky Lynch’s victory over Tiffany Stratton to win the NXT Women’s Championship, and The Man is shown accepting a fist bump from Akira Tozawa backstage
Owens runs into Jey Uso and has to be calmed down by Zayn, once again playing peacemaker; Sami also tells Jey that he doesn’t know what The Judgment Day business is all about but it appears Jey has a decision to make tonight
Lynch explains why she went after the NXT title, saying it wasn’t just to become Grand Slam Becks but also to test herself against the best the future has to offer; she wants to face someone tonight, however, and her challenge is answered by Natalya, who emphatically won’t take no for an answer when Lynch points out her challenge was intended for someone “newer”
Becky Lynch def. Natalya by pinfall to retain the NXT Women’s Championship
Dominik accuses Pearce of not doing his job and punishing Nia for attacking Rhea, and he exchanges words with Dragon Lee, who he’ll face next week
Tommaso Ciampa def. Giovanni Vinci by submission
Rollins tells Saxton he’s trying to keep it together but is so upset that he’s willing to do anything to get Shinsuke in the ring, so much so that he says the ball is in Nakamura’s court: time, place, even stipulation, but he warns that it could mean Seth defining Shinsuke’s legacy
A hype video is shown for the main event, detailing the history between Uso and McIntyre
Drew McIntyre def. Jey Uso by pinfall after Uso gives superkicks to every member of The Judgment Day
The Judgment Day beats up on Uso after his defeat, and while McIntyre stands on the stage and decides not to help, Rhodes runs down and chases the heels away
The return of Kofi Kingston would be a welcome one for WWE fans and sounds like it is on the horizon.
Kofi Kingston has been out of action since March due to an ankle injury, but it appears he’s on track to get back in the ring relatively soon.
In this week’s latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required), Dave Meltzer noted that Kingston is starting to be promoted for upcoming WWE shows, and that while those events are still a few months away, Kingston has been “ahead of schedule on the recovery” from ankle surgery.
The former WWE Champion and New Day stalwart was injured when Drew McIntyre accidentally landed on his leg during a battle royal, requiring surgery to clean up both bone and ligament damage. He’s commented that his in-ring return will hopefully be “sooner than later.”
Meltzer also said that Kingston will be reunited with Xavier Woods as a tag team when he’s back. As members of The New Day, they’re among the top tag teams in WWE history, with historic numbers for both title reigns and longest reign to their credit. It would be fun to see them go up against current tag team champs Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, for sure.
And perhaps there’s still a chance the entire group will be back together at some point as well. Big E, who has been on the shelf for more than a year to recover from a broken bone in his neck, said in April that his neck is feeling great, and that he continues to hit important marks in his recovery.
There’s still no timetable for an in-ring return for Big E, but his presence around WWE events and initiatives has picked up. With Kingston on the way back as well, there’s a chance for a full fledged reunion of The New Day before the end of 2023, and that would be something fans would undoubtedly love to see.
