WWE Monday Night Raw 1/13/2025

WWE Monday Night Raw 1/13/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/wwe-monday-night-raw-162025.html

We are in San Jose, CA. Michael Cole and Pat McAfee are on commentary.

We see CM Punk arrive in an SUV. Punk then heads to the ring. Punk says he beat Seth Rollins last week and now Seth is no longer on his plate. Punk talks about John Cena and does his taunt. He says he sees Cena and always have. Punk declares himself for The Royal Rumble.

Seth Rollins comes out. Seth says he told him he'd be out here, win lose or draw. He said if he didn't keep his word, it wouldn't be him, it would be Punk. Seth says he'd rather be the worst version of himself than any version of Punk. He said last week was the worst loss of his career. He says the only way to take redemption is to flush Punk's dream down the toilet. Seth says he will win The Royal Rumble.

Seth says he will dump him over the top on the way to Mania. Punk says Seth couldn't pin him and is taking the easy way to Mania. Drew McIntyre comes out. 

Drew said Punk topped himself in being self-serving and disgusting. Punk says last time he saw him, Drew was begging for his life. Punk says it'll take more than 15 staples to close his head if he takes another step towards the ring. Drew calls him "Phil" and says he was talking to Seth. Seth ells him to come down here. Drew says they are alike but says Punk admits what a piece of crap he is. Drew says Seth lost his match last week and that's pathetic. Seth said he has no patience for him. Punk says he has no patience for either and asks who wants to swing fists. Drew teases coming down but says no. He asks why would he ever do that?

Drew says there's a bigger problem no with Roman, who is playing chess while everyone else plays checkers. Drew says he will have to step up for the locker room. Drew says he needs to get to the title before Roman does. He says he will both of them at The Rumble.

We see various wrestlers arrive.

Chad Gable vs Penta

This is Penta's debut. They had been teasing him and it's been said he was leaving AEW. I'm not much of a fan of and I think he will end like other failed "next Rey Mysterio" types.

Penta goes to do his taunt and Chad wristlocks him. Penta does it back and side headlocks him. Chad does Tiger Mask's spinning takedown then side headlocks him. Penta rolls him up for 1. Chad la magistral's him. They trade armdrags and legsweeps. They then go face to face.

Penta superkicks him. Penta backrolls into a headscissors. Penta botches a seated springboard legdrop. Chad exploders Penta for 2. Chad hits corner punches. Penta superkicks Chad's head into the top buckle. Penta handstand pendulum dropkicks him in the corner. Penta spin kicks him in the gut.

They fight on the apron and Penta takes a german on the apron. Chad bangs Penta's head off the post and Penta does a funny sell for it. Chad knee drops the leg then yanks it. Chad kneebreakers Penta then backdrops him for 2. Chad misses a top rope diving headbutt. Penta superkicks him.

Chad belly to belly suplexes Penta into the corner. They trade chops. Penta hits a slingblade bulldog. Chad is back body dropped over the top. Penta tope con hilos him. Penta top rope crossbodies him. Penta does an up and over backcracker. 

Chad germans him for 2. Chad armbars him over the top rope. Chad sits up top and Penta headscissors him in. Penta of course hits a canadian destroyer for 2. Penta buzzsaw kicks him. Chad dragon screws him then ankle locks him. Penta cranks Chad's arm back. Penta hits a made in Japan and wins.

Thoughts: Chad tried but I didn't like it that much. The canadian destroyer meant nothing as usual with Penta and there wasn't that much logic from Penta's end leading up to the finish. Penta did try to sell here at least.

Penta is interviewed in the ring after. He thanks San Jose. He says this is his new home. He says he knows everyone was waiting for this and he says he was waiting for this moment too. He then talks in Spanish, which most of the people watching won't be able to understand (Pat even said he didn't understand). He says it's the new era and the Netflix era. He says it's the Penta era.

The Judgment Day meet in the back. Finn tells Liv he was telling everyone she'll be champ again. Liv syas something but I couldn't hear it. Dom comes in and gives Li flowers and Finn says he will let them fix their issues. Liv says she's not mad. She tells Dom to go grabs her bags from the car and get the valet ready for them later. Liv then throws the flowers at Carlito and says put that somewhere nice.

Finn says he puts an end to Priest tonight then says him and JD will take the titles from the War Raiders. JD says he will get in Adam Pearce's face and ask for a title shot. Dom asks Finn if he needs him out there. Finn says Dom has things to sort out with his girl.

Sheamus vs Ludwig Kaiser

Bron Breakker is watching this one in the seats. Sheamus pounds on him in the corner then lariats him. Sheamus pulls on his mouth. They trade shots outside and Kaiser goes down.Kaiser stunners Sheamus over the top rope then knocks him off the apron into the commentary table. Kaiser runs around the ring and dropkicks Sheamus into the rails.

We go to break and return. Kaiser gets a 2 count on Sheamus. Kaiser PK's him and kicks him in the back. Sheamus hits a chop flurry then lariats him over. Sheamus chest clubs Kaiser then lariats him back in. Sheamus hits an air raid crash off the 2nd rope for 2. 

Sheamus pumping knees Kaiser for 2. Kaiser step up enzugiri's Sheamus for 2. Sheamus pumping knees Kaiser then Kaiser finlay rolls him for 2. Kaiser misses a gamengiri and Sheamus brogue kicks him for the win.

Thoughts: It was a shorter match but what we got was fine with them stiffing each other some and keeping it interesting.

Sheamus celebrates with Pat McAfee and roughs him up a little. Sheamus and Bron Breakker have words. Bron shoves him and the ref tries to break it up.

Seth Rollins is interviewed in the back. Cath Kelley says Seth faces Drew McIntyre next week. Seth says Drew has been needling him for months. He says he owes Drew one for Mania and says next week will be fun.

Seth runs into Sami Zayn in the back. Sami said he heard what he said and he's here if he wants to talk. Seth says last week was rough but a great week for Sami. Seth says Roman got the necklace back and is the tribal chief again thanks to Sami. He asked if Seth will keep helping Roman out or will Sami help himself?

The Miz talks to Karrion Kross in the back. Kross says The Wyatt Sicks have been moved to Smackdown. Sami walks past and asks if Adam Pearce is in there. Kross said he heard Seth's convo with him and thought it was interesting. Kross says Sami's friends are all trying to be champ like Sami. Miz saystalking about world titles, they don't need to worry about Sami. Sami says nobody needs to worry about Miz with what he's been doing lately. Miz says he's been champ 2 more times than Sami has. Sami says he will ask for a match with Miz tonight. Miz tells Kross "we have him to deal with" and Kross says, "we?".

We see Oba Femi in the crowd. 

Gunther talks in the ring. He says he was impress with the visuals of last week's show but was not impressed with the in-ring part. He said everyone is worried about personal drama but says the only prize worth fighting for is the world title.

Jey Uso comes out. He asks if he heard Gunther say he needs someone to care for the title. Jey says he's looking at him.  He says Drew and Bloodline are behind him and he says they should have a match at the next SNME. Gunther asks if he's serious about this.

Gunther says he admires the courage. He says Jey needs to think about this as he beat him twice for the IC Title. He says Jey is capable of a lot less than him. He says Jey is funny and entertaining but he will expose him for what he is - a talented tag team wrestler. Gunther says main event is a nickname for Jey but that's where he (Gunther) belongs. 

Gunther tells him to stick to yeet and stay out of title business. Gunther says SNME is fine with him but the choice is up to Jey. Jey says he respects him and says what Gunther said is true. He says he agrees he's not supposed to be here and is just a tag team guy. Jey says he was scared to do it alone but he wakes up everyday and bets on himself to earn his respect. Jey says Gunther will respect him when he beats him for the title. Jey says it's not just a nickname, it's where he belongs. He then has the crowd say yeet on three if they want him to belong.

Thoughts: Now this was one of the few programs they got right with Gunther so far. Jey cut a good promo here and Gunther laid the story of why Jey doesn't belong in the main event well.

We get a video on Lyra Valkyria. She says she knows the fear of being on the cusp of greatness then watching it slip through her fingers. She says everything she has been through is all preparation for this. She says she's walking through with the expectation of victory. She says she's ready to make history and ready to walk out the first Women's IC champ.

Dakota Kai does a video. She says she told the world she's ready to be champ. She said she has never wanted this more or been so confident. She says she's done bringing up the past and will take what she deserves.

WWE Women's Intercontinental Title Tournament Finals - Dakota Kai vs Lyra Valkyria

This is a pretty weak match in the finals here. Neither girl is that established nor has either been featured much lately.

They dodge moves early. Lyra cartwheels out of a move then takes a snapmare. Kai is pulled out and rammed into the apron edge. Lyra's dropkick through the ropes is caught and Kai drops her face first on the apron. Lyra sweeps her on the apron edge. Lyra then suplexes her from the apron to the floor.

We go to break and return. Lyra pulls back on Kai's arms Kai cradles her for 2 then superkicks her. Lyra hits kicks on her. Kai hits scorpion kicks then hurricanrana's her. Kai facekicks her in the corner and hits a reverse back cracker off the canadian destroyer. 

Lyra sitout powerbombs her for 2. Lyra top rope legdrops her while she's bent over for 2. Kai hits a GTK but Lyra rolls out. Kai misses a facekick in the corner and takes a zig zag. Lyra cradle shocks her and wins.

Thoughts: It didn't get enough time which is a shame since this is the first match ever for the title. What we got was okay but this was a midcard match. Lyra winning wasn't much of a surprise here and we'll have to see where things go with this.

Adam Pearce gives Lyra the belt after. Kai holds up Lyra's arm and they hug. 

The Miz vs Sami Zayn

Miz boots him in the gut and pounds on him. Sami punches him down then bangs his head off the buckles. Sami 2nd rope double axe handles Miz. Miz knees Sami in the gut then running boots him. Miz hits elbows on Sami.

Sami hits shots. Sami lariats Miz then hits corner punches. Sami exploders Miz in the corner. Sami runs at Miz and takes a facekick. Miz ddt's him for 2. Miz hits chest kicks. Sami rolls up Miz for 2. Smai hits a helluva kick and Sami blue thunders Miz for the win.

Thoughts: It was a short and nothing match for the most part. They didn't get a lot of time for this and it was only going to be so good because of it.

Rhea Ripley comes out to talk. She says she's the women's champ again. Nia Jax comes out. She says she was talking to Adam Pearce about the transfer window. She said she wanted to come talk to mami. She says she will win The Royal Rumble. She says she will take whatever title she wants. She says Tiffy thinks she's on the tippy top, Rhea thinks she's on top and says she doesn't know what Bayley is doing here (Bayley's in the front row). Nia says there's only one woman at the top of the division and it's her. She says it's not Rhea and it's surely not Bayley.

Bay heads into the ring. Bay tells Nia to say what she has to say in her face. Nia pushes her over then pushes Rhea. Rhea headbutts Nia in the chest then Nia headbutts her down. Rhea is sent out with a big boot from Rhea.

Finn Balor does a video. He says Damian Priest brought this on himself. He says Priest betrayed judgment Day as they were supposed to have no leaders. He says that al lchanged when Priest became champ. He says he will wait until Priest has almost forgotten him, then he stab him in the back again and again. He says backstabber Balor is about.

Damian Priest responds. He says he thought Finn was his brother but he is not. He talks in spanish. 

Street Fight - Damian Priest vs Finn Balor

Finn pops up from behind and hits DP with a kendo stick several times. DP throws him by the kendo stick and hits him in the gut with the stick. DP hits him in the back and the legs. DP throws him down chest first. Finn bangs DP's head off the commentary table. DP lifting flatliners him on the commentary table. DP throws Finn over the table.

Finn throws DP over the rail. DP then throws Finn over a hockey board in the ring. Finn hits DP with a trash can. DP hits him with the trash can. DP drops Finn chest first on the rails. Finn throws DP over the rails on the other side and rams a chair into him.

Finn is thrown into a rail. They go up into the stands. They fight near a stand. DP hits a falcon arrow of a box on him through tables. We go to break and return. Finn is put on a stretcher and then Adam Pearce and Judgment Day checks on Finn.

DP beats up Judgment Day and beats up Finn on the stretcher. DP wheels Finn to the ring and rams the stretcher into the ring. DP hits a rebound lariat. Carlito backstabbers DP then JD pounds on DP. JD top rope moonsaults DP. Finn is put up top and he top rope double stomps DP. JD puts Finn on DP and DP kicks out.

Judgment Day brings a table out. The War Raiders then come out. Ivar spin kicks JD then JD takes a double team pop-up powerslam. Finn sling blades DP. Finn chairs DP. DP is put in a chair. Finn chairs him then puts a chair around his neck. DP hits a south of heaven chokeslam while the chair is still around his neck.

Finn sling blades DP on the floor. Finn double stomps DP off the apron through a table. DP rams Finn through the rail. DP hits a razor's edge on Finn through a table. DP says he's not his brother's keeper and hits a south of heaven chokeslam on Finn in the ring. DP then gets the win.

Thoughts: They really beat each other up here and both took some hard bumps. I won't be surprised if both guys end up injured off of this. It wasn't great but it was a good hardcore match with them doing a lot. It got a lot of time and they did about the best these two could do together. The only part I didn't like was the stretcher part. Finn was so out of it that he needed to be stretchered out then just wrestled for another 10 minutes.

The show then ends at about 2 hours and 30+ minutes which is a surprise. I wondered what would follow this one since they had plenty of time left and it turns out it's nothing. I'm okay with it though I do question why the Women's IC Title match was so short when they had extra time to play with.

Overall thoughts: The show only lasted 2 hours and 30 minutes or so. Triple H said in a recent interview that's around his ideal show time so that's probably where it came from. It was a solid Raw with a good main and a very good Gunther/Jey Uso promo segment. Penta debuted here and while he tried a little more than usual, it wasn't for me. They also have something going with Drew/Seth/Punk and Sami seems like he might be done helping out other people. We also crowed our first Women's IC champ, but the match didn't get that much time and wasn't special. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 overall and I thought it was good.