SETH ROLLINS IN-RING PROMO
Monday Night Raw kicks off with the World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins limping to the ring. He has a brace on his knee and the crowd is singing his song even louder than usual. Seth takes off his glasses and he is crying. The crowd erupts with a “Thank you Seth” chant. Seth says he felt his knee go in during a moonsault last week. Seth says when he got to the back it finally hit him that he could be out for a long time. Seth thought for the first time it was a real possibility that he might miss Wrestlemania. He says the MRI results weren’t great. The doctor’s are telling him with surgery he is looking at three to five months. Seth says if it were up to him he would be out here next week but it’s not just up to him. As he is explaining that he will have to take things day by day, GUNTHER and Imperium are here! Oh boy. Seth tells Imperium to not waste his time, if they want to make an example out of him then do it. GUNTHER tells Seth that Seth needs to focus on him. The Intercontinental champion says they have been avoiding each other, but now its time for GUNTHER to tell Seth what GUNTHER thinks of Seth. GUNTHER says both of them have been workhorse champions. It makes GUNTHER sad that Seth might not make it Wrestlemania. Seth says GUNTHER and his boys should have let Seth finish. “What I was about to say is I don’t give a damn what the doctors tell me. I don’t give a damn how hard I have to rehab…I will take this title into Wrestlemania!” GUNTHER says he is really happy to hear that. He admires and respects Seth for that. GUNTHER tells Seth that he is going to win the Royal Rumble on Saturday, and is going to choose Seth at Wrestlemania. GUNTHER says he will target Seth’s knee, Seth’s back, and break Seth down to become champion. Seth says he appreciates GUNTHER’s honesty. Seth tells GUNTHER to remember who you’re coming after. Seth offers a hand but GUNTHER tells him “you better remember whose coming after you.” Then GUNTHER shakes his hand. Excellent segment of the top two champions officially crossing paths.
As GUNTHER goes to leave Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston jump Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kasier! Their match is next.
THE NEW DAY VS. IMPERIUM ENDS IN A DOUBLE COUNTOUT
This feud between the New Day and Imperium has been one of the best “intense” feuds in recent memory. Vinci tags in Kaiser and he wails away with punches to Woods. Kaiser has Woods in between the ropes in the corner and just throws shot after shot before the referee can get to the five count. Vinci drops Woods spine first onto the apron and then Kaiser throws him into the barricade. Kofi comes to his partner’s aide as we head to break. Woods gets away from Vinci and makes the tag just as Kaiser does as well. Kofi is all over Kaiser in the corner. He takes out Vinci with a dive to one side, and then takes out Kaiser with a dive to the other side! Vinci hits a baseball slide onto Kofi to stop the fight, but Woods hits his diving kick. All four men are on the outside and they are brawling. They don’t give a damn about the ten count and we have a double countout. Vinci and Kofi are fighting through the crowd, while Kaiser and Woods are fighting near the announce table. Kaiser grabs a chair and just as it seems he is going to take out Kofi, Woods comes through for the save. All four men are in the stands now with Woods taking Kaiser up on top of one of the equipment cases. Woods lifts Kaiser up but Vinci makes the save before things can get ugly. Imperium go for the double suplex but Kofi makes the save. Woods and Kofi pull back and hit a double spear onto Vinci and Kaiser off the cases through tables onto the floor. Awesome, the double countout finish made sense and it forces Adam Pearce to book a stipulation match for them.
BACKSTAGE WITH THE JUDGMENT DAY
We see a video package highlighting the recent feud between Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest. Back from break the Judgment Day is arguing. Rhea Ripley says she just spoke to Adam Pearce and Finn Balor and Priest will defend their Tag Titles against DIY next week. She says Drew is the least of our worries. Priest disagrees. He leaves and Rhea tells Finn to let Priest handle Drew alone tonight. Instead Finn will come out to accompany Dominik Mysterio in his match tonight. Rhea challenges Finn to show his viscous side again.
IVY NILE INTERVIEW
Jackie Redmond is backstage with Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri. She asks Ivy about her match with Valhalla which Maxxine answers. The Creeds come in to hype up Ivy but she says she has it under control. They are using Ivy as more of a “I do my talking in the ring” type of talent.
IVY NILE DEFEATS VALHALLA
Valhalla comes out with her dirty feet and runs right into a firemans carry from Ivy. Valhalla gets out of it it and starts throwing forearms at Ivy while she’s in the ropes. Nikki Cross is wandering up on the ramp and then disappears. Valhalla hits a nice pop-up headbutt but then puts her foot on the rope waaay too early and is caught by the referee. She roars at Maxxine on the outside and then turns her attention back to Ivy. Both women are on the top rope and Ivy hits a top rope bulldog that gets the win! Not the greatest match but love seeing Ivy get a win.
BACKSTAGE WITH THE NEW DAY
The New Day are icing their injuries when Jey Uso comes in to hype them up. Jackie Redmond jumps in to ask the New Day when does it end with Imperium. Woods says they aren’t record breaking tag team champions for no reason. Kofi says just because people see the pancakes and the unicorns, they assume the New Day can’t get down like that? Kofi says Jey isn’t the only one winning titles this year. Kofi challenges GUNTHER for the Intercontinental championship next week!
NIA JAX IN-RING PROMO
Nia Jax is out and Michael Cole points out that last year in her surprise appearance during the Rumble, it took a record eleven women to eliminate her. Nia says the first time she came face to face with Rhea Ripley, Rhea got squashed. The first time Nia went one on one with Becky Lynch, Becky got squashed. Nia isn’t going to complain about Rhea and Becky coming out here last week saying they want to fight each other at Wrestlemania. They both know if Nia is against them at Wrestlemania, they have no chance. This brings out the Man for a rebuttal. Becky tells Nia to shut up. Becky may have a target on her back this Saturday, but no one has a bigger target on their back than Nia. Becky says it’s because no one in the back likes her. Bayley is here from Smackdown! She says she came here tonight to find Rhea but this is almost better. Bayley is here to make one thing clear, she is here to win – and mid sentence she pushes Becky into Nia and starts punching Becky lol Nia immediately jumps Bayley and gets the upper-hand on both women. Becky gets out of the ring and Nia drops a leg onto Bayley as a worried Becky looks on.
DOMINIK MYSTERIO DEFEATS THE MIZ
Dominik is out for his math with The Miz. A huge “We want Truth” chant breaks out. Miz has the earlier advantage until a cheap sot from Finn opens up a window for a dive from Dominik. Miz hits his corner clothesline but a distraction from JD McDonagh gives Dominik the edge again as we head to break. Back from break and the Miz has this crowd hyped as he trades punches with with Dominik. Its become three on one with the Miz having to take out both Finn and JD to even get to Dominik. Miz hits a crossbody on Dominik for a close two count. Miz goes for the Skull Crushing Finale but Dominik reverses into a 619 attempt. Some clunky interference ends with Dominik connecting with the 619 and getting the win. After the match Finn mounts Miz and wails away but here comes DIY. Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano come for the save and run off Dominik and Finn. JD is the only one left in the ring but Finn saves JD from the Meet in the Middle.
DAMIAN PRIEST INTERVIEW
Jackie Redmond is with Damien Priest but here comes R-Truth with his money from the “Tom & Nick” t-shirts. Priest says he appreciates Truth’s sense of humor, but it’s not the time. Truth understands and leaves lol Priest says Drew failed to beat Roman Reigns, GUNHTER and Seth Rollins. Now he is taking it out on Priest by trying to prevent him from being champion. Priest promises that tonight Drew will face his punishment.
BRONSON REED PROMO
“Big” Bronson Reed says he is fully aware that Jey Uso intends on becoming a singles champion in WWE. But Reed does as well. It’s inevitable that Reed and Jey’s path’s will cross, so he challenges Jey to a match next week.
IVAR DEFEATS CHAD GABLE
Chad Gable is out to avenge the post match attack Ivar laid out on Akira Tozawa last week. Ivar is out sans stinky girl. Gable starts with a rolling Liger kick and he doesn’t let up. Ivar catches Gable off the ropes and plants him with the spinning slam. Gable hits a swinging neck-breaker and follows up with a diving headbutt for a two count. Ivar suplexes Gable near the ropes and they both look like they may fall over but only Gable goes. Ivar recovers and splashes off the apron onto Gable to send us to break. Back from break and Gable suplexes Ivar off the tope rope but only gets a two. Ivar hits his double underhook powerbomb but that only gets a two. Gable picks Ivar’s ankle from a victory roll but Ivar is able to kick out of it. Ivar hits a top rope leg drop (!!) but it’s still not enough. Ivar stalks Gable but Gable picks the ankle. Gable has Ivar in the middle of the ring but Ivar gets to the ropes. Ivar plants Gable with a popup spinebuster but only gets a two. These two are working working. Ivar goes for it all with the moonsault but gets nothing but the mat. Gable hits a stalling German suplex on Ivar that somehow someway doesn’t get the three. Both men are back to the top rope, Gable slips behind Ivar and hits a freaking German from the top. Gable goes back up but Valhalla is here. Oh no…Ivar throws Gable off the ropes but it looked like a nasty landing. Ivar goes back up and hits the moonsault for the win. What a insane match. Ivar continues to be a singles star in 2024.
CODY RHODES & CM PUNK FACE TO FACE
Well folks let’s see how many AEW references we get here. This is gonna get interesting. Cody Rhodes is out first followed by CM Punk. We get a handshake to start, let’s see if things end as cordial as they begin. Cody asks CM Punk what does he want to talk about? Punk says “I want to talk about your Dad.” Punk says in 2007 he got a call from Dusty that he was sending his youngest son Cody to OVW to start his wrestling career. Dusty asked Punk to look over Cody. Punk says it wasn’t a hard job, and he watched Cody grow from a preliminary wrestler to a main-event superstar. Punk says he is proud of Cody. Punk says he brings that story up because on Saturday he feels like he will be breaking a promise. “I won’t be looking out for you, I’ll be looking for you.” Punk says he will do whatever he has to do. Cody says Punk is not alone in talking to Cody but thinking about Dusty. Cody says it’s a very large shadow, but he has done everything in his power since he left here to be the light in that shadow. Cody says the OVW story is true, Punk treated him like a peer in OVW. Cody says in the Royal Rumble there are no friends. Punk says he knows that, but what about Sunday morning? Punk can separate personal from business. Can Cody? Punk says they had two very different paths but they have very similar goals. Punk says his own father was an electrician. “That makes it ironic, I’m more of the American Dream than you are.” That gets a big reaction from the crowd. Cody says okay okay, he wants to talk about the Pipebomb. Cody says Punk rattled off the formula for a revolution. But then Punk left. And when Punk left, he really left. Punk didn’t pass the torch on his way out he dropped it. But Cody picked it up. Everything that Punk talked about, Cody did. “So what’s actually ironic, that makes me more CM Punk than you.” LETS GO. Punk tells Cody fine he can get the true CM Punk road to Wrestlemania story. Cody has carried this company on his back for two soul crushing years. And right when you’re about to cross the line and finish your story, oh whats that it’s a much bigger superstar coming to take your spot. “And I’m talking about me.” Cody says his Dad was his best friend and he often liked to quote John Wayne. His favorite quote was “courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.” Cody says he has only one direction and that direction goes through you. Cody walks past Punk and he pulls him in. They are nose to nose and we are out here!
Whew man that ROCKED. They leaned just enough into the outside WWE stuff to connect but didn’t go too inside baseball to mess with things. The crowd bought it and they got every line. Excellent stuff.
SHAYNA BASZLER & ZOEY STARK DEFEAT CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL
Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae are out for their tag match with Shayna Baszler and Zoey stark who are already in the ring. The champions Katana Chance and Kayden Carter are on the outside taking the match in. Candice and Shayna start things out with Candice frustrating Shayna with a few deep arm drags. Candice walks the ropes with the help of Indi and hits a rana onto Zoey that sends her into Shayna. Zoey springboards off the ropes but right into a spinebuster from Indi. Shayna locks in the Clutch but Zoey makes the blind tag. Candice reverses the hold into a pinfall attempt but Zoey grabs Candice and plants her with the Z360 for the win. Great innovative finish. Carter and Chance are staring down Shayna and Zoey but the Kabuki Warriors attack the champions from behind. They have a title match this Friday on Smackdown.
DREW MCINTYRE INTERVIEW
Jackie Redmond is backstage with Drew McIntyre and asks him if he has anything to say about the war of words from Cody Rhodes and CM Punk. Drew says no, they are following in his footsteps as he is someone who has won the main-event of Wrestlemania. Drew says of what Priest says, Drew can also rattle off some names. He beat names like Goldberg, AJ Styles, and Randy Orton. Drew says being champion during the pandemic was very important to him and he’s had people say they saved their lives by continuing to wrestle. So he doesn’t want to hear anymore of it. Tonight he shows Priest why there can only be one “chosen one”
BACKSTAGE WITH DAMAGE CTRL
Backstage Bayley catches up with Damage Ctrl who seem less than thrilled. Tegan Nox and Natalya confront them before it devolves into a shouting match. Adam Pearce interrupts and tells them all to save it for the Royal Rumble. Bayley says once the Kabuki Warriors win the tag titles, Pearce will be seeing a lot of them on Raw. Jinder and Indus Sher come in and ambush Pearce into having a meeting. Pearce hits his “I need a drink” line.
DREW MCINTYRE DEFEATS DAMIAN PRIEST
Damian Priest is out by himself for a pure one on one clash with Drew McIntyre. A rare heel versus heel main-event, will be interesting to see how the live crowd reacts to it. My god these two are laying it in, Priest hits a forearm that sent Drew to the outside. Priest runs around the ring but Drew catches him for a belly to belly on the outside. These two continue to find themselves on the outside with Priest hitting the Broken Arrow on Drew onto the announce table to send us to our final break of the evening. Back from break and Michael Cole informs us this is the 1600th episode of Raw. Priest and Drew both think big boot and they both connect. Both men are back up but Drew is in the drivers seat with a series of lariats and a belly to belly throw. Drew kip’s up and the crowd knows what’s next. Drew throws up the Claymore count but Priest ducks it. Priest tries for a spinning kick but Drew is able to avoid it. Priest catches Drew with a Flatliner but it only get a two count. Priest goes for his corner splash but Drew catches Priest mid air. Drew hits the Glasgow Kiss and follows it up with a diving shoulder tackle attempt. Priest connects with a kick and nails the Broken Arrow for a two count. Drew rolls out of the ring but Priest stays on him with a springboard dive to the outside. Oh my god R-Truth is here with his money and Priest pushes Truth down. Priest jumps back into the ring but gets caught by Drew for a future shock DDT. Drew wants the Claymore but Truth is up on the apron asking for the password for the briefcase. That distraction allows Priest to catch Drew with the South of Heaven. Priest has him but the referee is dealing with Truth and the money in the ring. Priest is yelling at Truth and eventually throws him out of the ring. Priest turns around and eats a Claymore from Drew! That will do it and Drew picks up the win and the momentum heading into the Royal Rumble.
Not a bad main-event, loved seeing a new pairing in the main-event scene. I’m kind of surprised the R-Truth stuff got the top slotted match/segment but it’s clearly working. I’ll see you next week when we will know who is going to the main-event of Wrestlemania!
