WWE Monday Night Raw 1/22/2024

WWE Monday Night Raw 1/22/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/wwe-monday-night-raw-1152024.html 

We see video of Cody Rhodes and CM Punk arriving.

Seth Rollins comes out to talk and his knee is in a brace. He said it's been a long week. He said he hit a moonsault on Jinder Mahal and felt his knee go in. He said he always says he comes out of title defenses stronger, but saw his knee and realized he's a liar. He said he thought he might miss Mania and says he has a Grade 2 MCL tear and will be out 3-4 months. He said if it was up to him, he'd just keep wrestling. He says it's not though and doesn't know what the future holds.

Imperium comes out. Seth said he doesn't have time for this and said to make an example out of him if he has to do it. Gunther tells him not to worry about that. He says he needs to worry about Gunther. Gunther said they have been avoiding each other for some time now and said it's a good time to let him know what he thinks of him.

He tells him he's in a tough spot as he's labeled a workhorse champ. He said it pulls on his hear strings to see him like this and said he's sad he might not make it to Mania. Seth said he doesn't care and will take his title into Wrestlemania. He said he will do everything in his power to walk out of Mania as champ.

Gunther said he thought we would see a champ fall. He said he admires Seth saying he will go into Mania and said he would do the same thing in his position. Gunther says Seth reminds him of himself. Gunther says he will win The Rumble and will choose to face him at Mania. He says he will target his knee, back and everything that is not 100%. He said he will beat him and become champ.

Seth says he can challenge him but he needs to remember who he's coming after. Gunther says to remember who is coming after him. They then shake hands.

Kofi and Woods then jump Kaiser and Vinci outside. They fight in the ring then Imperium are thrown out.

The New Day vs Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser)

We join this in progress. Vinci crossbodies Kofi then corner stomps him. Kofi jumps off the 2nd buckle and dropkicks Vinci. Vinci is stomped by both in the corner. Vinci stunguns him then hits a big lariat. Kaiser hits mounted punches on Woods then kicks him in the chest. Kaiser then hits another mounted punch flurry.

Woods hits chops and a step up enzugiri. Vinci is back body dropped to the floor then Woods is backdropped on the apron. Woods is sent into the rails. We go to break and return.

Woods and Vinci trade chops and Woods boots him in the corner. Kofi springboard chops Kaiser then hits a punch flurry in the corner. Kofi lariats Kaiser over the top then topes both opponents. Kofi then hits more punches and forearms outside. Vinci baseball slides Kofi then Woods dropkicks both opponents through the ropes. New Day pounds on Imperium and Kaiser is sent into the rails.

The ref calls the match off. Vinci back body drops Kofi over the rail and Kaiser is sent into the rails. Kofi punches Vinci in the crowd. Kaiser sends Woods into the post and over the rail. Kaiser stomps him on the floor. Kaiser goes for a chair shot on Kofi but is pushed. Woods and Kaiser fight on electrical equipment. Vinci and Kofi join them then Kofi and Woods drive Imperium through tables.

It was a good match and good post match brawl. They showed a lot of hatred and aggression and focused on beating each other up instead of flips. I thought it was very well done.

We get a video on Damien Priest vs Drew McIntyre, which is tonight. They show some of their history together.

The Judgment Day talk in the back. Rhea tells Finn and Priest they are going to be fighting DIY next week as Pearce set that up. Rhea tells Priest he's been getting in too many fights lately. Priest accuses her of getting a big head due to being on the video game cover. He also tells her to maybe stop talking to Adam Pearce as he keeps putting them in matches. Rhea then yells at Dom and JD, saying they should have taken care of DIY a while ago. Rhea asks Finn if he thinks this is funny then tells Finn he will be with Dom for his match tonight. She said it's been a while since she's since his vicious side. Finn says if you want vicious, you'll get vicious.

Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri are interviewed. Dupri says Valhallah isn't ready for Ivy. The Creed's then come in and pump her up. Ivy said she's got it and said let's get the barefoot freak. 

Ivy Nile vs Valhallah

Val grabs her by the face hten Ivy throws her over. Ivy kicks her and Val knees her in the gut. Val punches her between the ropes then runs her over on the floor. Nikki Cross is seen near the entrance. Val chinlocks Ivy. Ivy hits a forearm and a spin kick. Val bites the ropes.

Ivy hits euros then spinning headscissors her. Val pop-up headbutts her then uses the ropes for leverage. Dupri points this out to the ref then Val gets up in Dupri's face. Val's head is banged off the post then Ivy 2nd rope bulldogs her to win it.

That was a new finisher from Ivy there. It was short and the match wasn't anything special.  

Jey Uso goes up to The New Day in the back. He said he sees them out there and says to stop playing with them. Jackie Redmond asks where this ends with them an Imperium. Woods said they are sick of people walking in here and thinking they don't do this. Kofi said people have them confused and think they can't get down when the time is right. Kofi said that's an example of what happens when you push them too far. Kofi said they took out the henchmen and now Kofi wants the big boss - Gunther. He is challenging him for Raw next week. Kofi says "yeah, yeah" then Jey says, "yeet". Nice little promo there.

Nia Jax comes out to talk. She said the first time she went face to face with Rhea, Rhea got squashed. She said Becky got squashed the first time they fought, she got squashed too. Nia says Rhea doesn't want to face her and says Becky knows her path to Mania requires going through her. She says she will kill both their dreams at The Rumble.

Becky Lynch comes out. Becky tells her to shut up and calls her a dope. She said beating her gives her something new to talk about for the next 5 years. Becky said she knows she has a big target on her back but says nobody has a bigger target on her back than she does. Becky says the only thing the locker room agrees on is that they don't like Nia.

Becky said she doesn't know if she will enjoy winning The Rumble more or watching her lose. Bayley comes out. She says both of them will lose. She said she came to find Rhea but this is almost better. Bayley says she's winning The Rumble. She then pushes Becky and hits some shots then Nia throws and stomps her. Becky hits shots on Nia then uranage's Bayley. Nia then throws Becky over the top to the floor. Nia legdrops Bayley. Refs then come to break it up as Becky and Nia stare down.

Becky walks the halls in the back and runs into Rhea Ripley. Rhea said it looks like she should make other plans for Wrestlemania.

We see video of R-Truth and The Miz from earlier in the day. Miz tells Truth he doesn't want to see him get hurt and Truth tells him the same. Truth tells him not to tag in and Miz says he's in a singles match, not a tag. Truth tells him he won't come out if he doesn't want him to then tells him to keep his eyes on The Mysterio Boys. Miz asks about them and Trick says it's Tom and Nick. Miz says it's one guy - Dominik.

The Miz vs Dominik Mysterio

The crowd chants, "We Want Truth". Miz armdrags Dom. Dom avoids one then is rolled up. Dom kicks Miz then is lariated. Miz hits punches on Dom. Dom fires back and sends him out. Finn Balor punches Miz outside then Dome topes Miz. Dom slingshot swantons Miz for 2. Dom hits mounted punches. Miz fire sback with chops then knees him in the gut.

Miz corner lariats Dom then Dom kicks the middle rope into his crotch. Miz is sent out and we go to break. We return and both are down. Miz hits punches on Dom then lariats him several times. Miz neckbreakers him for 2. Miz and Dom trde pin attempts and Miz dropkicks Finn through the ropes. Miz hurricanrana's JD outside then springboard crossbodies Dom for 2. Miz hits kicks to the chest then buzzsaw kicks him.

Dom misses a 619. JD gets on the apron then Finn hits Miz. Dom 619's Miz then hits a top rope frogsplash to win it.

Nothing wrong with this. They kept it moving and the two matched up okay.

Finn pounds on Miz after. DIY come out to make the save. Johnny slingshot spears JD then Miz hits a skull crushing finale on JD. Finn then pulls out JD.

Damian Priest is interviewed. He congratulates Dom for handling business. R-Truth comes up to Priest and he gives him a stack of money. He says we have to do something about JD and Priest tells him it's not the right time. Priest says Drew likes to talk and likes to be real. He said Drew talks about being the man around here when everyone was struggling. He said when everyone was back to 100%, Drew couldn't beat anyone. He said out of jealously, Drew is trying to make sure Priest doesn't cash in. Priest says Drew will receive his punishment (likely referring to his former name, Punishment Martinez). I liked Priest's lines about Drew only being able to win when people were not 100%.

Bronson Reed talks. He said he knows Jey wants to be a singles champ, but Reed says he wants to also. He said their paths will eventually cross and the sooner the better. He challenges Jey Uso for next week. He said he will be made into an example next week.

We see Alpha Academy working out earlier. Chad lifts Otis and Dupri gives him a towel that says, "thank yew crew". Tozawa can't lift Otis.

Chad Gable vs Ivar

Chad koppo kicks him then top rope lariats him. Chad hits chops then Ivar spinning slams him. Chad dropkicks him then Ivar misses an elbow drop. Chad double throat thrusts him then flipping neckbreakers him. Chad top rope headbutts him for 2. Ivar suplexes Chad over the top and almost goes with him. Ivar splashes him off the apron on the floor.

We go to break and return. Chad top rope exploders him then lariats him over the top, going over with him. Ivar spinning high kicks the post when Chad moves then Ivar tiger drivers him for 2. Chad dragon screws him then rolls him up into ankle lock.  Ivar butt drops him in the corner then 2nd rope leg drops him for 2. Ivar spinning high kicks him but Chad catches his ankle. Chad ankle locks him and Ivar rope breaks.

Ivar sit out spinebusters Chad. Ivar misses a top rope moonsault then Chad delayed germans him for 2. Ivar goes for a superplex on the 2nd rope, Chad slips out then germans him. Chad goes up top and Valhallah distracts him. Ivar nearly drops Chad on his head with a reverse slam. Ivar top rope moonsaults Chad and gets the win.

I thought they did too much here. There's no way Ivar should have been able to survive that top rope exploder, yet they probably had another 5+ minutes after. I would have liked this otherwise as the two matched up well.

Cody Rhodes and CM Punk come out to talk. Punk says they have been on different paths to be here. He said it changes on Saturday and he hopes they are still friends Sunday. Cody asks him what he wants to talk about. Punk says he wants to talk about Dusty. Punk said Dusty told him he was sending Cody to Ohio Valley Wrestling to become a wrestler and asked Punk to keep an eye on his kid. Punk said when The American Dream asks a favor, you say yes. Punk said it wasn't a hard job and saw Cody go from a prelim wrestler to a championship caliber superstar.

Punk says he won't look out for Cody at The Rumble, but will be looking for him. He says he will do what he has to do because he will win The Rumble. Cody says Punk is not alone in that feeling in thinking about Dusty. Cody said people can't help but see Dusty when they talk to him. He says it's a hard shadow to live in.

Cody said he showed up to OVW with no matches, being a nepotism hire. He said Punk could have treated him poorly but he didn't. Cody said they became friends but at The Rumble, there are no friends. Punk asks about Sunday morning. He said he can separate business from personal and asks if he can. He said he wasn't born in this business like Cody was. He said he wasn't a nepotism hire and had to fight to get where he was.

He said Cody came out of his dad's shadow. He said they had two different paths but the same goal. They do Dusty's line and Punk said his dad was a normal guy and a electrician. Punk says he's more of The American Dream than Cody is.

Cody said he wants to talk about the pipe bomb. He said Punk gave the formula for a revolution and said he inspired people including him. He said Punk left and didn't pass the torch, but left it. Cody said he picked the torch and did everything Punk spoke about. He said Punk talked while he walked and Cody said it makes him more CM Punk than Punk.

Punk takes off his jacket and gets in his face. He said Cody has carried the company on his back for 2 years and said they handed him the cover of the WWE video game. Punk said right when Cody is about to finish his story, it's a much bigger superstar coming to take it all away from him on the finish line. Cody says there Punk is, looking out for him again. Cody said Punk might be right and said Dusty quoted John Wayne, saying "courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway". Cody said he only has one direction to go and that's forward, right through him at The Rumble. Cody goes to walk away, Punk grabs him and they go face to face and stare down. They then back off and keep looking at each other and Cody walks to the back.

It was a great segment that really felt like a big moment. Punk's been doing such a great job since he returned.

Punk tells Wade Barrett that he's going to win The Rumble and to put his money on him.

They did a video saying it's been 40 years since Hulk won the WWF title for the first time. Hulk says Hulkamania was born that day and said he had no idea how powerful it was. He said 40 years of Hulkamania blows his mind. He said he sees so many shades of Hulkamania through Seth, Roman and Cody. He says Hulkamania will live forever. He talks about the women's Royal Rumble and said he would not want to be in that rumble, brother. He said he'd bet on Cody and Punk. He said you never know who might show up and said he might have one more in him.

Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell vs Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark

 

SB and CL go at it. SB takes her down and boots her in the head. SB backs her up then leg sweeps her. CL legsweeps her then hits armdrags. Chance and Carter are watching outside. Zoey and Indi get in and Indi kicks her. Indi throws SB out then CL walks the top rope and hurricanrana's Zoey off the apron to the floor.

We go to break and return. Zoey comes off the 2nd rope and is spinebustered down. CL hits shots on SB then low dropkicks her. CL step up enzugiri's Zoey. CL hits a senton on SB's back while hitting a codebreaker on Zoey. Green and Piper are seen watching in the back. Indi is superkicked off the apron by Zoey.

SB puts CL in a choke and then Zoey grabs CL and hits a Z360 for the win.

The finish was pretty smooth here but it was a short waste of time for the most part. There was jut not enough time to do anything here.

Damage Ctrl nails Chance and Carter from behind after. 

Drew McIntyre is interviewed. He is asked about the Cody/Punk segment. He has nothing to say and said they are following in his footsteps. He said he heard what Damian Priest had to say. He said things weren't great when he was champ, but WWE needed someone to step up and he stepped up. Drew said everyone here has a story and destiny here, but there's only one chosen one and he's it.

Damage Ctrl talk in the back. Natalya and Tegan Nox go up to them. Nat asks if they think they can just come to Raw and gt away with it. The girls then argue. Adam Pearce gets involved. He says to save it for The Rumble. Adam said he invited Bayley here not to cause chaos and go into business for herself. Bayley said he needs to get used to seeing their faces and said they will be seeing a lot of them when The Kabuki Warriors win the tag titles.

Pearce runs into Jinder, Sanga and Veer. Jinder wants to know what the plans are for his future. Pearce says he will meet him in his office and says he needs a drink. 

Damien Priest vs Drew McIntyre

Drew shoulders Priest over then Priest shoulders him over. Priest forearms him and hits boots. Drew chops him then Priest hits a hard running forearm, knocking him out of the ring. Priest comes off the steps and takes a belly to belly suplex onto the floor. Drew lariats Priest over the top. Priest kicks him in the gut then the back of Drew's head goes into the post.

Priest suplexes Drew onto the commentary table. We go to break and return. Priest hits kicks then hits a big lariat. They boot each other in the face at the same time. Drew hits laraits then belly to belly suplexes him. Drew neckbreakers him then kips up.

Drew misses a claymore kick and Priest misses a spinning high kick. Drew does a nice spinebuster for 2. Priest claps Drew's ears then takes a boot. Priest hits a lifting flatliner for 2. Priest hits kicks to the body and legs. Drew headbutts him. Priest hits a pump kick then falcon arrows him for 2. Priest step up tope con hilos him outside.

R-Truth comes out to hand Priest money. Priest shoves him down. Truth says, "he wanted it in the briefcase, right?". Priest comes off the 2nd rope then takes a future shock ddt. Truth asks Priest what the password is for the briefcase. Truth gets on the bottom rope to do this and Drew nails Truth. Priest hits a south of heaven chokeslam but the ref is dealing with Truth insted of counting the pin.

Priest grabs Truth and throws him out. Drew claymore kicks Priest and Drew wins it.

They had a pretty good match with the two moving around well and gelling together. I kind of expected Truth to get involved here but I don't know if I would have done it this way. I don't know if it got the intended reaction and it was a bit of a downer. Priest beating Drew with the help of R-Truth would have been a more interesting outcome as it could have justified Truth sticking around Judgment Day longer. Him costing Priest the match makes it harder to justify Truth sticking around Judgment Day longer.

Overall thoughts: Cody and Punk's segment was great. New Day and Imperium had a good match and brawl. Gable/Ivar had the right idea but they did too much. The main was good but the finish was a bit of a downer and seems to be paving the way for the end of Truth in Judgment Day. I did like the show and you should see the Cody/Punk segment if nothing else.