WWE Monday Night Raw 12/16/2024

WWE Monday Night Raw 12/16/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/12/wwe-monday-night-raw-1292024.html

We are in Boston, MA. Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are on commentary.

We see various wrestlers arrive. 

They show us clips of Kevin Owens hitting a package piledriver on Cody Rhodes after SNME went off.

CM Punk comes out. The crowd chants for him and Punk says some people may get mad when they chant his name. He points out a fan wearing a New York jersey. He says he's in a bad mood because he's been doing nothing about thinking about Seth Rollins. He says whatever the feud is between him and Seth, it's just a matter of time until they fight in the ring. He says he knows anytime he talks on the mic, Seth Rollins' music might hit and he might come out.

He says just because Seth wears Elton John glasses, it doesn't make him Elton John. He says him wearing wrestling boots also doesn't make him CM Punk. He says him and Seth are on a collision course. He says he is the bad guy in this feud. 

He says there's no such thing as a bad student, it's just bad teachers. He says he's a failure as a teacher and says he's ready to give Seth the wrestling lesson he asked for years ago for free. He says he will fill Seth's shoes if he wants but says the last guy who did that was Drew. He asks if Seth is tougher than Drew and says Boston knows he isn't. He says there's not enough staples to put Seth back together when he's done with him.

Seth Rollins appears in the crowd and chants Punk's name. He says he had hoped seeing him in the crowd perspective might give him a better perspective of who he is. He says Punk is still an @ss even way out there. He says Seth is coming out from the right spot as he should be in the crowd with the CM Punk fans.

Seth says he's a fan and loves this place. He said he put WWE on his back when Punk left. He said Punk should be embarrassed because he has more main events than Punk ever will. He then calls him, "Phil". They fight in the crowd, then at ringside and officials and refs come to break it up. 

They then end up fighting in the ring. They run around in the crowd to fight with each other.

Judgment Day are in the back and Finn is upset. Finn asked where they were during the three-way when he lost. Liv said they didn't think he needed help. Liv says they are banned from the tag title match and say Finn has everything under control tonight and says Raquel does too. It seemed like Liv was not being genuine here.

We see Triple H taking a limo to the WWE Headquarters talking about the importance of a logo. We then see him showing the new Raw logo for Netflix on 1/6/25.

There will be a Raw on Netflix kickoff on 12/18 at 2pm on various social media sites.

Adam Pearce catches up to Seth Rollins in the back and asked what that was about. Seth says he wants the fight with Punk and wants to make it stat. Adam says he might be able to do it if they stopped trying to pull each other's eyes out. Seth tells him to do his job.

Drew McIntyre comes up to Seth. He says Seth told him to just get over his issues with Bloodline. Drew says it's not easy to do that when it's seeing you in the face. Drew says Roman is the same person he has always been and says Seth knows everyone enabling him needs taken out. He says that includes The Uso's, Sami and Roman.

Seth said he took Roman out of power and said Jey and Sami helped. He said they are his friends and Drew is not his friend. He says common interests don't make friendships but respect does. He says he respects Jey and Sami but the jury is out on him. He says he has to do something Drew couldn't do and end CM Punk. 

WWE Intercontinental Title - Bron Breakker (c) vs Ludwig Kaiser

Bron drives him into the corner and hits corner spears. Bron overhead suplexes him. Kaiser slaps him in the corner. Bron then takes him down and pounds on him for it. Bron running lariats him.

Kaiser goes out and we go to break. Bron lariats him over then hits corner punches. Kaiser leapfrogs and is caught with a slam. Bron slams him. Kaiser eye rakes him and kicks his arm on the ropes. Bron suplexes him and Kaiser goes out.

Bron dives off the apron and lariats him over the commentary table. Bron holds his arm after. Kaiser throws Bron down by the arm then stomps the shoulder. Kaiser armlocks him. Kaiser stomps on him.

Kaiser pulls Bron's arm around the top rope then dropkicks the shoulder. We go to break and return. Bron hits overhead shots on Kaiser. Kaiser hammerlocks him and drops the elbow on the arm. Kaiser double stomps the arm while it's bridged on the ropes.

Kaiser single arm ddt's Bron then armlocks him. Bron hits a nice jumping knee. Bron hits shots on Kaiser while holding his arm. Bron jumping back elbows him. Bron walks up the buckles and hurricanrana's Kaiser off the buckles for 2.

Kaiser hits a rolling death valley driver then armlocks him. Bron goes into the buckles shoulder first when Kaiser moves. Bron runs around the ring and hits a flying shoulderblock. Bron fireman's carry gutbusters Kaiser. Bron runs the ropes and spears Kaiser. to win.

Thoughts: It was an okay match with Kaiser working the shoulder and Bron selling it then overcoming the pain to win. There was nothing wrong with this and Bron was pretty much a pure face here.

The New Day arrive. They try to go into a locker room and run into Rey Mysterio, who is wearing all pink. Rey says him and the locker room all have a problem with what they said to E. Kofi tells him to do something. Rey says they crossed the line and says it's best if they find somewhere else to change for their own good. Woods says they didn't want to share a locker room with them anyway.

The announcers say Cody is resting at home and they wish him a speedy recovery from Owens' attack on him.

The War Raiders say they go to war with The Judgment Day tonight. They talk about the pain from their injuries and say their careers should have been ended. They say Judgment Day cheated them and tried to end their careers but they are stronger than ever. Ivar says he wants his son to know all the pain and damage was worth it and the only way to do it is to bring the tag titles home.

Adam Pearce is interviewed by Cathy Kelley. He says on 1/6, it'll be CM Punk vs Seth Rollins 1v1.

Liv, Dom and Raquel come out to talk. Dom calls Liv the greatest women's champ of all time. She grabs a megaphone and yells on it at the fans. She says 2024 was the year of Monday Night Morgan. Liv says they are just getting started. She says there's no one better or hotter to lead the company than her.

Rhea Ripley interrupts. Liv says no one cares what she has to say and Rhea tells her to shut up. Rhea says it's time they settle their feud once and for all. She said Adam Pearce made her #1 contender to Liv's title. She says Liv can only get excited for the end of her title reign as she will be the new women's champ. She says Liv will just be left with her "little chicken tender slut".

Seth Rollins is interviewed in the back by Jackie. Sami Zayn nails Drew McIntyre as Drew gets near them. Officials come to break it up.

The Final Testament and Miz talk in the back. Miz says they don't need him anymore. Miz said they beat The Wyatt's and can go their own ways. Kross says this thing isn't over until he says so. He says they were reacting to The Wyatt's and will now make the first strike. He says Miz will fight Dexter Lumis next week. Paul Ellering says he saved Miz twice and he owes them. Kross tells Miz to get the match done. He says Miz won 22 titles in his career and can do this. Miz says he will go to Pearce. Kross says he doesn't know if Miz can take Lumis. He says Miz will learn that if you make a deal with The Devil, you don't run out on it.

Women's United States Title Tournament 1st Round - Raquel Rodriguez vs Kayden Carter vs Zoey Stark

KC attacks Zoey. RR throws Zoey and splashes both in the corner. RR lariats KC then hits forearms on RR. Zoey flips out of a monkey flip. She ddt's RR. KC runs up the buckles, does rope tricks and flying headscissors RR. Zoey rolling death valley drivers KC and superkicks her for 2. Zoey superkicks RR on the apron. RR facekicks Zoey down. KC tornillo topes both opponents outside.

We go to break and return. KC does a dropkick + elbow drop. RR elbow drops Zoey. KC ties up RR's legs and does a twisting suplex on Zoey, which twists RR's legs. KC facekicks Zoey on the bottom rope then springboard legdrops her. RR pulls KC out to the floor.

Zoey springboards onto both opponents outside. RR pounces Zoey over the top. KC bottom rope springbord dropkicks RR. KC hits corner punches on RR and Zoey 2nd rope germans KC. RR lariats Zoey for 2. RR hits a vader bomb elbow drop on KC. RR lifts KC for a powerbomb and Zoey springboard dropkicks her. Zoey botches a Z360 on KC and wins.

Thoughts: There were a couple of ugly spots here with the finish being botched. It was a shorter one and wasn't that good.

Alpha Academy talk to R-Truth in the back. Truth their commercial was outstanding. He brings up Butch and Pete Dunne comes in. He says he's tired of hearing that name and says he will break his jaw if he hears it again. Truth says, "Butch Please".

American Made walk in. He calls Alpha Academy a clown show and said they ruined The Academy. He says their commercial is pathetic. Otis tells him to shut up and says it's time to kill his darlings. He says he'll start with Tozawa.

Thoughts: The Chad vs Alpha Academy feud never really started up and got dropped. It seems like it's back on.

We get a video on JD McDonaugh and Finn Balor. 

We get some kind of graphic with a red circle with a line in it before we get a Netflix graphic.

Jackie interviews The New Day. Woods complains of biased journalism. We then see Pure Fusion Collective attacking Kairi's Sane hand with a production moving box.

World Tag Titles - The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and JD McDonaugh) vs The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar)

JD hits boots on Ivar. Ivar shoulders him over. Ivar hiptosses Finn in. Ivar slams JD twice then Erik slams Ivar onto him. We go to break and return.

JD takes an Erik knee to the face. Ivar's neck is pulled down over the top rope by the beard. Finn hits a final cut on him. JD legdrops Ivar over the bottom rope. Finn stomps on Ivar.

Ivar takes a double lariat then hits a handspring double back elbow. Erik overhead suplexes JD then forearms him. Erik backdrops him then musou's Finn. Erik throws JD out. Finn trips Erik. JD knees Erik in the back from behind. Erik is sent into the steps. 

We go to break and return. Finn stomps on Erik. JD seated moonsaults Erik for 2. JD misses an elbow drop off the ropes on Erik. Both guys tag out. Ivar shoulders and side slams Finn. Ivar low crossbodies him. Ivar butt drops Finn in the corner and spinning high kicks JD.

Ivar bronco busters Finn. Ivar 2nd rope slams him for 2. JD is popped up into a powerslam from Ivar for 2. Finn stops The Raider's finisher. JD rolls up Erik for 2 and headbutts him.

Erik hits knees and forearms on Finn. Erik takes a slingblade then a john woo in the corner. JD top rope moonsaults Erik. Finn top rope double stomps Erik and Ivar breaks the pin.

Finn tries to grab a chair but Damian Priest stops him and takes the chair. Finn takes a springboard lariat into a german and is pinned.

Thoughts: It was a good main as expected here. Priest getting involved was an unexpected twice. The faces could have maybe threw around Judgment Day more but there were no real issues with this one. Both teams looked good in this. It looks like we are headed towards another Priest/Finn match and I'd guess it'll be on the Netflix debut.

Overall thoughts: It was probably the best paced Raw since we went to 2 hours. The important matches got more than enough time. Shockingly, we only got 3 matches on this show which may be a record for Raw. There was nothing to complain about here outside of maybe wanting the women's match to be better. Everything is making sense and the Netflix debut show is shaping up to be a can't miss affair. I liked the show and would give it a 7 out of 10. I wouldn't say it was must see though.