WWE Raw Review – January 29, 2024
Kicking off this week’s Raw with a recap of the Royal Rumble.
CM Punk says he came really close in the Royal Rumble Match on Saturday and he felt like he had it in the palm of his hand. He says he’s not mad at anybody and congratulates Cody Rhodes then says he earned the win and hopes he can finish his story in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He says while he came close close doesn’t count in the wrestling business. He says he feels a little bit unlucky after tearing his right tricep in the Royal Rumble and says as much as he wants to push through it’s not in the cards for him. He says he doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him and although it’s always been his dream to main event WrestleMania it might not be meant for him to do. He talks about his friend Chad Gilbert and how he’s able to remain positive through cancer. He says all he has is a flesh wound and when he says Best In The World it’s not because he always wins but because he does what scares him. He says it scared him to come back after ten years when he left a place he didn’t want to and this is just a bump in the road for him. He says he doesn’t focus on negativity and says he’ll keep going like the fans who work hard do. Punk says there will always be next year.
Drew McIntyre’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He says he’s said some terrible things about Punk and while he meant them he relates to what Punk is saying. He says he’s had his dreams taken from him too and despite not knowing what he believes in, he prayed for this to happen. He says he targeted Punk in the Royal Rumble Match and he couldn’t sleep when Punk eliminated him. He says when he heard the news of Punk’s torn tricep, he slept like a baby. He says he’ll go to the main event of WrestleMania and live out Punk’s dream for the 2nd time in his career.
Punk says he’s going to rehab his tricep and main event WrestleMania 41 but before he goes that he’s coming for McIntyre then they begin brawling and McIntyre hits Glasgow Kiss on Punk. He stomps on his tricep before Sami Zayn runs down to the ring and McIntyre is forced to retreat up the ramp.
Backstage Judgment Day spoke & Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley said they needed to send the right message after failing to do so at the Royal Rumble. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest & Finn Balor spoke about showing the world how vicious they are when they defend the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles against DIY.
DIY were shown walking through the backstage area and spoke about their dream of winning the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles and showing the world who they are.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles Match
Judgement Day (Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest & Finn Balor) (c) vs. DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano)
Damian Priest & Tommaso Ciampa lock up to get this match started before Priest delivers a right hand to Ciampa then sends him crashing into the corner and tags in Finn Balor.
Balor hits an elbow to Ciampa’s head but Ciampa responds with a chop and double teams on him with Johnny Gargano.
Judgement Day land on the outside and DIY goes flying over the top rope to take them out.
Gargano tosses Balor back in the ring and delivers a chop before Ciampa tags back in and Balor rolls out of the ring. Ciampa chases him back inside but Balor clocks him.
Priest hops off the apron and gets Ciampa up on his shoulders then sends him crashing into the ring apron face first. He gets him back in the ring and tags back out to Balor.
Balor hits a Scissor Kick and wears Ciampa down with a hold before Gargano tags in but the referee doesn’t see and he tells him to get back on the apron.
While he’s doing so Priest delivers a cheap kick to Ciampa from the apron before tagging back in.
Ciampa connects with a few strikes on him & Balor but Priest hits a right hand and tags Balor back in then Gargano tags in and delivers an enzuigiri to Priest.
He hits a pair of running knees then levels both him & Balor then hits a shoulder to Balor’s midsection and a spear through the middle rope from the apron.
Balor manages to tag in Priest & Gargano rolls him up as Ciampa pulls Balor out of the ring.
Priest kicks out and Ciampa tags in & Gargano hits an assisted Sliced Bread to Priest with Ciampa before Balor tags in and delivers a stomp to Ciampa’s chest.
Balor hits a backbreaker then holds Ciampa in place for Priest to deliver a leg drop then Priest then connects with a slam on Ciampa and goes for a pin but Gargano breaks the fall.
Priest dumps Gargano out of the ring and tags in Balor & Priest looks to land South Of Heaven to Ciampa as Balor ascends to the top rope but Ciampa escapes.
Gargano hits Priest with a DDT as Ciampa ascends to the top rope and hits an Air Raid Crash. Gargano tags in and DIY hits Meeting In The Middle.
Gargano goes for a pin but Priest gets Balor’s foot on the bottom rope to break the hold.
DIY go after Priest on the outside then Balor rolls up Gargano when he gets back in the ring but he kicks out.
Balor hits a Sling Blade and dropkicks him into the corner then ascends to the top rope and looks to hit Coup De Grace but Gargano avoids it and locks in Gargano Escape.
Ciampa locks in a Crossface on Priest but Priest makes his way up to his feet and sends Ciampa crashing on top of Balor & Gargano.
Priest tags in and sets up for Razor’s Edge on Gargano but Gargano escapes and tags Ciampa in. Ciampa fires off right hands on Priest as Gargano & Balor brawl.
Priest sends Gargano crashing into the announce table face first and Ciampa rolls him up when he gets back in the ring. Priest kicks out and tags in Balor.
Priest then hits Razor’s Edge to Ciampa and Balor follows it up with Coup De Grace for the win.
Winners & Still Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions: Judgement Day (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!!)
After the match Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh joins Priest & Balor in the ring. Balor brags about him & Priest retaining their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles and Priest says fans have seen a different side of Judgment Day for weeks thanks to 1 person: R-Truth. He invites Truth to join them in the ring and he makes his way down. Truth asks the WWE Universe to rise for Judgment Day and says he hasn’t been able to sleep since what happened in the Royal Rumble Match. He tells Priest he moved around his finances for him and Priest says Judgment Day is like family. Truth says he’s been saying that calling Priest his older brother, Balor a weird uncle questioning what else can be said about Mysterio and compares McDonagh to a step brother they don’t want in the family.
Priest cuts Truth off and says he’s never been part of the group then says he’s always liked him and won’t be the one to do this. McDonagh then attacks Truth & The Miz runs down to even the odds but Judgement Day lays him out.
Michael Cole recaps the Punk injury news then Punk was shown with medical personnel and Adam Pearce.
Tag Team Match
Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark vs. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven
Piper Niven goes right after Zoey Stark as she sends her crashing into the mat then rocks her with a back elbow.
Shayna Baszler takes a cheap shot at Niven from the apron and Stark delivers a kick.
Baszler tags in and fires off right and left hands on Niven then stomps on her arm.
Chelsea Green & Stark tag in and Green sends Stark crashing into the middle rope.
Baszler looks to lock in the Kirifuda Clutch on Green but Green escapes.
Baszler pulls Niven off the apron as Green looks to tag her in opening the door for Stark to hit Z360 to Green for the win.
Winners: Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark
2024 Royal Rumble Winner Cody Rhodes asks Tampa what they want to talk about then says he had something in mind to say. He says it was music to his ears to hear Samantha Irvin call him the winner of the 2023 & 2024 Royal Rumble matches. He calls on her to do it for a 2nd time then says the expectation on WWE is to give everyone the best action they can and provide an escape. He says sometimes people don’t realize that Superstars need an escape too and says the last 48 hours have been challenging for him. He says he needed fans on Saturday.
Before he can continue any further World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins’ music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He tells Rhodes that Tampa is right in cheering for Rhodes because he deserves it and while they haven’t always seen eye 2 eye they’ve developed a mutual respect for one another. He congratulates Rhodes on winning the Rumble and shakes his hand then says Rhodes would be making a mistake choosing to fight Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title at WrestleMania 40. He tells Rhodes he thinks he should fight him instead and tells him to hear him out.
Rollins recalls hearing Rhodes call himself the guy during the Royal Rumble Press Conference. He says Rhodes isn’t the guy nor is Reigns because he is and says it made sense to go after Reigns when there was only 1 World Title. He says he knows all Rhodes has thought about for the past year is Reigns, but he’s been on the road with him as he’s defended the World Heavyweight Title week in and week out. He says the title he holds came to be because of how tired the fans grew with Reigns showing up less and less frequently on television and cheating to win when he defended his title. He says his title is for him and the fans by him and the fans and they’ve now leveled the playing field. He says they don’t have to pretend Reigns is a God or on a pedestal and asks Rhodes if he wants the workhorse title. He says the World Heavyweight Title is about who is best between the ropes and says this is about Rhodes and his own decision. He says he wants to know what’s in Rhodes’ heart and what kind of man he wants to be.
Rhodes tells Rollins he has that same amount of respect for him and he’ll think about his offer.
Backstage Kofi Kingston cuts a promo while Xavier Woods sat behind him & Kingston said when people talk about New Day they forget the most important thing which is that they win championships. Kingston plays up beating Gunther to win the Intercontinental Title.
After the break highlights aired of Bron Breakker’s performance in the Royal Rumble match.
Jey Uso vs. Bronson Reed
Match starts off with a lock up then Bronson Reed runs over Jey Uso and hits 3 clotheslines to him in the corner then lands a right hand across his spine and connects with a pair of right hands on his head.
Jey dumps Reed out of the ring and hits a tope suicida but Reed sends him crashing into the ring post and charges at him.
Jey ducks out of the way and Reed is sent crashing into the ring post as we go to a break.
After the break Jey fires off right hands on Reed before Reed responds with a senton but Jey connects with a kick.
They teeter on the ropes but Jey pushes Reed off and looks to fly.
Reed rolls out of the way and hits a Death Valley Driver then gets Jey back up on his shoulders but Jey escapes.
Reed then hits a splash to Jey in the corner and looks to hit Tsunami but Jey avoids it and lands a spear then ascends to the top rope and hits an Uso Splash for the win.
Winner: Jey Uso
We then head backstage and see Andrade talking to Adam Pearce then Smackdown GM Nick Aldis strolls in and Pearce announces that Andrade is the newest member of the Raw roster. Andrade walks off and Aldis expresses his frustrations with not being able to sign him 1st. He says they need to discuss Elimination Chamber business but walks off when he gets a call from Bron Breakker.
Backstage Intercontienetal Champion Gunther cuts a promo in a stairwell & spoke about what a big night it was for Kofi Kingston. He told him to leave it all out there because no one will be thinking about him once the match was over as we go to a break.
After the break we go backstage where Jackie Redmond interviewed Becky Lynch and asked her about Plan B after she failed to win the Women’s Royal Rumble match. Lynch said she let a lot of people down. She said she wouldn’t stop until she takes the title back to the main events.
Intercontienetal Title Match
Gunther (c) vs. Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston wastes no time as he fires off right hands on Gunther but Gunther responds with a tilt a whirl backbreaker and locks in a Boston Crab as we go to a break.
After the break Kingston hits a headbutt to Gunther before Gunther responds by whipping Kingston into the corner and looks to lock in a 2nd Boston Crab.
Kingston fights his way out of it and Gunther hits a bodyslam to him then hits an uppercut, but Kingston responds with a pair of overhand chops.
He follows it up with another headbutt and an enzuigiri from the apron then ascends to the top rope but Gunther catches him and lands a backbreaker then locks in a Boston Crab as we go to a 2nd break.
After the 2nd break Kingston delivers a pair of chops to Gunther and follows it up with a dropkick then dumps Gunther over the top rope and looks to land a tope suicida but Gunther catches him and sends him colliding with the ring apron.
He looks to hit a powerbomb but Kingston counters into a hurricanrana that sends Gunther crashing into the ring post then Kingston hits a pair of tope suicidas.
They get back in the ring and Kingston hits Trouble In Paradise but Gunther rolls out of the ring and Kingston follows him out then climbs up to the barricade and flues with a right hand as Gunther is draped over the ring steps.
Kingston gets Gunther in the ring and ascends to the top rope & hits Boom Drop.
He sets up for Trouble In Paradise but Gunther rolls him up then Kingston kicks out and gets caught with a clothesline from Gunther.
Gunther hits a clothesline to Kingston and dropkicks him into the corner then hits a powerbomb for the win.
Winner & Still Intercontienetal Champion: Gunther (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
After the match Xavier Woods checks on Kingston but Giovanni Vinci & Ludwig Kaiser attacks them with an attack. Kaiser holds Kingston in place and Vinci hits a boot to him. Woods goes after them but the numbers game becomes too much and Imperium send Woods crashing into the ring post face first.
Michael Cole & Pat McAfee recaps footage of Drew McIntyre injuring Sami Zayn during a match then attacking him backstage afterward.
Sami Zayn was interviewed by Jackie Redmond & she asked how he would put his emotions in check. Zayn spoke about McIntyre hurting him and then ruining his chance of a lifetime to win the Royal Rumble due to drawing #30. Zayn said McIntyre needs a reality check and he would give it to him.
After the break we get highlights aired of Jade Cargill in the Women’s Royal Rumble match.
Sami Zayn & Drew McIntyre were shown warming up in separate backstage areas.
Non Title Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions Kabuki Warriors (Kairi Sane & Asuka) vs. Tegan Nox & Natalya
Kairi Sane & Tegan Nox waste no time going after each other then Natalya tags in and Sane sends her crashing into the mat then tags in Asuka.
Sane sends Natalya crashing into Asuka’s boot but Natalya sends Asuka crashing into the turnbuckles face first and tags Nox back in.
Nox hits an uppercut and an enzuigiri then hits a senton then Nox & Natalya double team on Kabuki Warriors as we go to a break.
After the break Sane tags in and double teams on Nox with Asuka then Sane lands a pair of chops on Nox. Asuka fires off stomps on the side of Nox’s head but Nox lands an enzuigiri.
Asuka locks in an Ankle Lock on Nox but Nox escapes and delivers an uppercut.
Natalya tags in and delivers a pair of suplexes then hits a German suplex and a discus lariat.
She looks to lock in a Sharpshooter but Sane prevents her from doing so by getting in the ring Natalya dumps her out of the ring.
Sane tags in and ascends to the top rope & hits In Sane Elbow to Natalya as Asuka holds her in place for the win.
Winners: Women’s Tag Team Champions Kabuki Warriors
Kayden Carter & Katana Chance were interviewed by Jackie Redmond in their dressing room where they had been watching the match & they said they would get their rematch for the Women’s Tag Team Titles next week.
After the break 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble Winner Bayley gives fans a photo op and asks when the last time the Women’s Tag Team Champions, Women’s Champion and a Women’s Royal Rumble Winner stood in the same ring. She says this is history right here, and it’s all thanks to her. She says she told everyone that Damage CTRL would take over despite what everyone said and she stands in the ring now as the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble winner. She says she beat 29 other women and set the record for the longest time spent in the match at over 63 minutes.
Before she can continue any further Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley’s music hits and she makes her way out. Ripley says Bayley only set the record because she wasn’t in it but Nia Jax blindsides her on the ramp and tosses her down the ramp. Ripley gets Jax inside the ring and looks to land a clothesline but Jax knocks her down and hits 3 leg drops. She then hits A Nia Lator and stares down Bayley as the rest of Damage CTRL hops out of the ring. Jax stares down Bayley in the corner and tells Bayley that she can choose to face Iyo Sky at WrestleMania or anyone else because Ripley won’t be making it. Bayley then says she will be making her decision about her WrestleMania opponent on Smackdown this Friday.
We go to the Gorilla Position where Drew McIntyre is interviewed by Jackie Redmond and she asked him about Zayn saying he needs a reality check. McIntyre said he’s simply told the truth and all of his actions are justified. He said Zayn has not beaten him in any of the matches they’ve had and that won’t change tonight.
Sami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre sends Sami Zayn crashing into the corner before Zayn hits a few chops and flies to join McIntyre on the outside but McIntyre tosses him over the announce table.
Zayn then goes flying to take down McIntyre as we go to a break.
After the break Zayn fires off chops on McIntyre before McIntyre sits Zayn on the top rope and joins him up there but Zayn fights back and hits a sunset flip.
He follows it up with a tornado DDT and sets up for a Helluva Kick, but McIntyre watches him with a spinebuster and a powerbomb.
He charges at Zayn in the corner but Zayn ducks out of the way and McIntyre hits Glasgow Kiss then ascends to the top rope but Zayn joins him up there and hits a superplex.
McIntyre sets up for Claymore but Zayn counters into a Blue Thunder Bomb and goes for a pin.
McIntyre kicks out and delivers a belly 2 belly suplex to Zayn then kips up and hits White Noise to Zayn off the middle rope.
He goes for a pin but Zayn kicks out and fires down right and left hands on McIntyre.
Zayn looks to hit Helluva Kick but McIntyre ducks out of the way and Zayn’s foot collides with the top turnbuckle so McIntyre takes advantage and hits Claymore Kick for the win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Next Week’s Raw
Women’s Tag Team Titles Match
Kabuki Warriors (Kairi Sane & Asuka) (c) vs. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance
