WWE Monday Night Raw 1/29/2024
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/wwe-monday-night-raw-1222024.html
We see Imperium and Damage Ctrl arrive from earlier in the day. We then see Cody arrive earlier in the day.
Pat McAfee comes out and he's going to be the commentator on Raw with Cole going forward.
CM Punk comes out with his arm in a sling. Punk looks at the Wrestlemania sign and said he came close and felt like it was in the palm of his hand. He congratulates Cody and said he earned it. He said he hope he goes to Mania and finishes his story.
He said close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. He said he doesn't believe in luck but feels unlucky. He said he tore his right tricep at The Royal Rumble. He said winning Elimination Chamber and getting to Mania is not in the cards. He said main eventing Mania was his dream but it's not going to happen.
He talks about his friend Chad Gilbert who has cancer. He said Chad's always in a good mood and never down about it and it's soul crushing. He said this is just a flesh wound compared to that. He said he calls himself the best in the world but he has lost before and brings up the UFC. He said he did it though because he had a dream and it scared the crap out of him.
He said Wrestlemania scares him and might haunt him all of his life. He said best in the world is for people who fight cancer and put their lives on the line as firefighters. He said he just entertains us. He said the people love him and he will keep doing it until the wheels come off.
He said he has overcome adversity many times. He said there's always next year. Drew McIntyre then comes out. Drew said he said some terrible things about him. He said he meant them and thinks he's a poison in the locker room. He said he can relate to everything Punk is saying and said his dreams were taken too when he was fired from here. Drew said he prayed for this and it happened.
Drew said he targeted Punk. He said he couldn't sleep knowing Punk eliminated him but slept well knowing Punk is injured. He said Punk won the battle but not the war. He said it's mission accomplished and he exorcised the demon, CM Punk.
Drew said he will live CM Punk's dream again and headline Mania again. Punk said his heart hurts than his tricep does. He said he will come back and main event Mania, but first on his checklist is Drew. He said he's coming right for him. Drew misses a shot on him, Punk then hits a shot. Punk is put down then Drew stomps his injured arm. Sami Zayn then runs out and Drew runs away.
This was a great angle and a great promo from Punk.
The Judgment Day talk in the back. Rhea said it doesn't matter what Drew does as it doesn't concern them. Dom wonders if Bayley is dumb enough to show her face tonight. Rhea said it will be her funeral at Mania if she shows her face. Rhea said the boys need to show people who they are. Priest said they are done with destractions then they talk in Spanish. Finn says everyone around here is too comfortable to challenge them and says tonight, they show how vicious they are.
DIY talk in the halls. they said they waited 7 years for this moment and it's a lifetime in the making. Ciampa says they will show the world who they are.
Undisputed Tag Titles - The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) vs DIY
Priest backs Ciampa up and hits him in the corner. Ciampa's head is banged off the buckle then Finn hits shots in the corner. Ciampa forearms Finn then is knocked down with shots. Finn takes a double team and is ulled into a lariat. Priest is double lariated over the top then Finn is thrown out into him. DIY then do stereo plancha's outside.
Finn takes a back elbow and lariats Ciampa out. Ciampa takes snake eyes on the apron. Ciampa takes kicks from both opponents and takes a scissors kick from Finn. JG is tagged in but the ref doesn't see it. Ciampa then takes a kick to the face. Priest forearms Ciampa then Ciampa fights out of the corner. Priest spinning forearms him then Ciampa reverse ddt's him. JG is tagged in and does a bulldog + lariat combo on Finn and Priest.
JG slingshot spears Finn. Finn elbow slices JG for 2. JG rolls up Priest for 2. Priest misses a corner splash then JG does an assisted shiranui on Priest for 2. Priest backdrops Ciampa then flying back elobws him. Finn slingshot stomps Ciampa then Ciampa takes a backbreaker + legdrop combo for 2.
Priest powerslams Ciampa and throws JG out. JG slingshot ddt's Priest then Ciampa 2nd rope air raid crashes Finn for 2. Finn takes a running knee + superkick sandwich shot for 2. Ciampa tries to plancha Priest but is swatted down. JG topes Priest across the announcer's table. Finn sling blades JG then john woo's him. JG does a la mstica into a border city stretch on FInn then Ciampa crossfaces Priest at the same time. Priest drops Ciampa on Finn to break it up.
Ciampa hits shots on Priest and JG spinning forearms Finn. Finn pele kicks him then Priest superkicks Ciampa. JG topes Priest then takes a lifting flatliner onto the announcer's table. Ciampa cradles Priest for 2. Ciampa takes a razor's edge and a top rope double stomp. Ciampa is pinned and Judgment Day wins it.
It was a long back and forth tag. Not a classic but a solid and longer tag match.
Finn gets on the mic after and brags. Priest then gets on the mic. He said we saw a different side of Judgement Day and we know the reason for it. Priest says everyone in the ring including himself owes an apology to R-Truth. He then tells Truth to join them in the ring.
R-Truth comes out. He asks if we can all rise for The Judgment Day. Priest says people only do it if Truth says it. Truth said we can talk about The Royal Rumble later. He said he hasn't been able to sleep after what happened. He said he turned Priest's cash to crypto, filed his taxes and liquidated his assets. He said he's good to go.
Priest said there's no way he knows what any of that means. Priest said their a family and Truth said he's been trying to tell him that the whole time. Truth said Priest is like his older brother. He said Finn is that weird uncle. Truth said JD is like the step brother they got that they don't want to admit is in the family. Priest said Truth needs to let him finish talking. Priest said Judgment Day is a family but Truth is not part of it and never was. Priest said he likes him and thinks he's funny. He said that's why he won't be the one to do this. JD then clocks Truth from behind and rips off his shirt. The Miz then makes the save. Miz gets beat up and Dom frog splashes Miz. Judgment Day then pose.
I was disappointed here. I thought they could have gotten more out of the Truth angle and at least got it to Mania, but they opted not to.
Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark vs Piper Niven and Chelsea Green
Piper lariats Zoey over then Zoey spinning high kicks her. SB hits mounted shots on Piper then stomps her arm. Piper backs SB up in the corner then Green is tagged in. Green evades Zoey then sends SB out. Green does a zig zag type of move on Zoey for 2. Zoey hits the Z360 on Green and wins it.
Green avoiding everyone was clever before her eventual demise. This got no time whatsoever.
Cody Rhodes comes out to talk. He asks what we want to talk about like usual. Cody asks the announcer to say that he was the Royal Rumble winner again. Cody said let's make Wrestlemania 40 official then Seth Rollins comes out.
Seth said they have a mutual respect for each other. Seth said if he's choosing to fight Roman at Mania, he's making a mistake. Seth said he should fight him instead. Seth said Cody thinks he's the guy, but he's not the guy. Seth said Roman isn't the guy either, he's the guy.He said he's the guy and his title is the title in WWE.
Seth said there was only one champ last year when Cody went for Roman. Seth said the landscape had changed. Seth said he got the title because the people were tired of Roman not showing up all the time, not defending the title much and cheating every time. Seth said his title is "our title" and said it is "for us and by us".
Seth said they don't need Roman Reigns and asks him which title he wants. He asks if he wants the poser and hollywood title or the Dusty Rhodes title. He asks if he wants the workhorse championship and the blue collar championship. He said it's about who is the very best between these ropes. Seth said he didn't need an answer now and wants him to think about it because it's the biggest decision of his life. He said he wants to know what's in his heart and asks him what kind of man he wants to be.
Cody said he respects him and said he'll think about it.
I know what they were going for here but it didn't look good to have Seth begging Cody to choose that title and unintentionally, it came off looking like the worse title.
Kofi is hyped up after doing what he did to Imperium last week. He said people forget to talk about how they win titles and Kofi said he's about to do that tonight.
Jey Uso vs Bronson Reed
Jey hits shots and is body blocked. Reed headbutts him then hits corner lariats. Reed goes out and Jey topes him. Reed runs at Jey and goes into the post. We go to PiP break and return.
Jey hits punches then top rope crossbodies him for 2. Reed sentons him for 2. Jey hits superkicks then a jumping kick. Reed gets knocked off the top, Jey misses a splash then Reed death valley drivers him. Reed corner splashes him then misses a top rope splash.
Jey superkicks him then hits a spear. Jey top rope splashes him and wins it.
It was a quick TV match. If you were hoping for a main event style match, this wasn't it. Reed didn't get a lot in here and didn't get to look that impressive.
Andrade signs his Raw contract with Adam Pearce. Nick Aldis walks in. Adam tells him he just signed with Raw. Nick congratulates him and said he had a good offer for him. Andrade tells Nick to say hi to Zelina for him.
Nick and Adam talk. Nick said he lent them Damage Ctrl and he pulled this stunt. Nick then gets a call from Bron Breakker and leaves.
Gunther says Kofi will have the biggest fight of his career. He said he's fighting for every accomplishment he has made and will remember this for the rest of his life. Gunther says he will forget about him after this and tells him to leave it all out there. Gunther says nobody will speak of him anymore after tonight while he carries on as champ.
WWE Intercontinental Title - Gunther (c) vs Kofi Kingston
Kofi rushes him with forearms. Gunther tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him. Gunther then crabs him.
We go to PiP break and return. Gunther elbows him in the nose. Gunther slams him. They trade shots and Kofi running forearms him. Kofi comes off the top and Gunther backbreakers him. Gunther crabs him again and we go to PiP break again.
Kofi pumping knees him. Kofi single leg dropkicks him and Gunther's chest is bleeding. Gunther sleepers him. Kofi hurricanrana's him over the top rope. Gunther catches Kofi's tope and Kofi is dangerously thrown into the apron side. Kofi hurricanrana's Gunther into the post.
Kofi tope's him twice then corkscrew kicks him. Gunther is sent into the steps and Kofi clubs him off the rails. Kofi top rope legdrops him for 2.
Kofi misses a TiP kick then cradles him for 2. Gunther hits a stiff lariat. Kofi hits an SOS/ranhei for 2. Gunther hits another lariat and john woos him. Gunther powerbombs him for the win.
It was a good match though it took some time for it to get going. The commercials really ate the first part of this one up. I thought that apron powerbomb spot was super dangerous. I thought it was pretty obvious Kofi had no real shot of winning here due to this not having any real hype for it.
Xavier Woods checks on Kofi after then Vinci and Kaiser jump them. Woods takes a 2v1 outside then he is sent into the post.
Sami Zayn is interviewed. He said it's hard to sit on the sidelines. He said Drew took him out then took him out at The Rumble. He said Drew is always pointing the finger at others instead of himself. Sami said Drew needs a reality check and he will give him one tonight.
The Kabuki Warriors vs Tegan Nox and Natalya
Nox trips Sane then rolls her up. Sane is tripped and basement dropkicked. Sane pulls Nat down by the hair. Nox hits punches on Asuka. Nox goes up and over in the corner then enzugiri's her. Nox corner sentons her then Nox and Nat do stereo running boots.
We go to break and return. Nox takes a kick combo that ends in a bulldog and basement dropkick. Sane boot flurries her in the corner. Asuka hits forearms then Nox boots her. Asuka ankle locks Nox then Nox rolls her up. Nox headbutts her in the chest then euros her.
Nat snap suplexes Asuka then flurries on her in the corner. Nat release germans her and spinning lariats her. Nat throws Sane out. Nat goes to tag in Nox and Nox kicks Sane instead. Nat baseball slides Sane. Nat rolls up Asuka off the bottom rope. Nat takes a reverse ddt + top rope elbow drop and is pinned.
There were some good things here. Nat's snap suplexes were good and I liked her flurrying on Asuka. The crowd didn't care a single bit about this one though.
Katana Chance and Kayder Carter are interviewed in the back while watching the women's match. Chance said they are getting a rematch for their tag titles next week on Raw.
Bayley and Damage Ctrl come out. Bayley said she told everyone she would win at The Rumble and nobody believed her. She said she saw the bigger picture and stands here proud as the Women's RR winner. She said she was in the Rumble for 63:53 then Rhea Ripley comes out.
Rhea isn't impressed. She said Bayley beat her time in The rumble because she wasn't in it. Nia Jax then nails Rhea from behind and they fight. Nia body blocks her in the ring then legdrops her. Nia then banzai drops her.
Nia gets in Bayley's face after. She says Rhea isn't making it to Mania and says not to pick her. Bayley said she will make her announcement on Smackdown.
They had a newish graphic that said "one match to go" and had a bank sponsor for it.
Sami Zayn vs Drew McIntyre
Sami hits chops in the corner then hits jabs and chops. Drew is thrown over the top and Sami plancha's him. Drew catches the plancha and swings him onto the commentary table.
Drew has words for Pat McAfee outside then is tope'd by Sami into the table. We go to PiP break and return. They fight up top and Sami sunset bombs him. Sami does a walk up the buckles tornado ddt. Drew spinning spinebusters him for 2. Drew does a deadlift sitout powerbomb for 2.
Drew spears the post when Sami moves. Drew headbutts him and is crotched up top. Sami superplexes him then drew lariats him. Sami blue thunders him for 2. Drew belly to belly suplexes him then hits a 2nd rope white noise for 2.
Drew tells Sami he's out of his league and said some people you just can't touch. Sami hits punches. Drew blocks his head on a helluva kick and Sami sells it as he got nailed in the crotch. Drew claymore kicks him and wins it.
The finish was lame and they did too much here. They gave full effort though and tried, just too many high impact moves. They did not hit the finish as they were supposed to and the general nature of it was not easy to really see and react to. The announcers argue over whether Drew meant to hit him low or not.
Overall thoughts: It was a good Raw. Punk's segment delivered and set up a match with Drew down the line. I didn't like Judgment Day fully turning on Truth as it was working and there more legs to that program. The tag title match was fine. Jey/Reed didn't deliver. Gunther/Kofi was good, Nia's segment was good and the main would have been okay, just they did too much.
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