WWE Monday Night Raw 1/20/2025

WWE Monday Night Raw 1/20/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/wwe-monday-night-raw-1132025.html

We are in Dallas, Texas. Michael Cole and Wade Barrett are on commentary.

We see various wrestlers arrive with Seth wearing stupid clothing as usual.

We see clips from earlier in the day of Nia attacking Rhea against a fence. We then see various officials try to break it up.

We then see Cole and Wade talk at ringside. Jey Uso is brought out and Cole dances to Jey's music.

Jey Uso talk on the mic. Jey says he's taking home the title on SNME then Gunther immediately interrupts. Gunther comes down. He guesses Jey's going to say he will take his title and Jey agrees. Gunther says Jey said he told him he bet on himself every morning. Gunther said he was looking forward to facing him until he saw him come out and act like a dork.

Gunther says Jey is a useful idiot for people like Jimmy, Roman, Cody and Sami. He says Jey's words and actions don't align while Gunther's do. Gunther says he will expose him for being a flash in the pan who has no business being near the title.

Jey agrees that he is the mascot but says the fans are his team. Jey says he respects Gunther and says Gunther will respect him. He says there's one person in the ring who main evented Mania and it's not Gunther. Gunther then beats up Jey. Jey superkicks him out of the ring and lays the title down between them.

The New Day run into JBL. They say JBL is the guest commentator for their match against Rey tonight. Kofi tribes to bribe JBL to take their side on commentary tonight. Kofi said JBL had to cut the dead weight like they did and had the best success of their career. JBL says he doesn't blame them, everyone loved and wanted to see Big E. He says they thought that if they got rid of E, everyone would pay attention to them. Kofi and Woods then get mad and walk off.

Bayley is interviewed. She says she's now a Raw member. She said she is declaring for the Women's Royal Rumble. She says she could take on Rhea or Tiff. Nia Jax comes in. There's audio issue and Nia says she will take out Tiff and win The Royal Rumble. Bayley dares her to try and take her out like she did with Rhea.

Rey Mysterio vs Kofi Kingston

JBL is on commentary for this one. The New Day come out and say to turn the music and trons off. Kofi takes his money from JBL. Woods they says he brings to you "Rey Mysterio getting the breaks beaten off of him by Kofi Kingston".

Kofi waistlock takedowns him, rides his back and slaps his head around. Rey hammerlocks Kofi and Kofi wristlocks him. Rey kips up and side headlocks him. Kofi shoulders Rey over. Rey flying headscissors Kofi. Kofi avoids a 619 and goes out. Kofi pulls Rey down to the floor.

Kofi tries to sunset bomb Kofi but Kofi blocks it. Kofi botches a powerbomb and drops Rey on the floor. Kofi is headscissored into the steps. We go to break and return. They trade shots. Rey crossbodies him. Rey top rope diving la silla's Kofi then misses a springboard twisting crossbody. Rey basement dropkicks Kofi out of a sunset flip for 2.

Kofi 2nd rope splashes Rey's back in what had to be a botch.  Rey jumping hurricanrana's Kofi into the ropes. Woods trips Rey from the outside. The ref sees Woods do it and ejects him. Rey then nails Woods.

Rey rolls Kofi into the ropes for a 619. Rey slingshots and Kofi gets his knees up for 2. Rey turns a ranhei attempt into a pin and wins.

Thoughts: I didn't like this. They had a lot of botches and sloppy moments here with the finish not looking good.

Rey is beaten up 2v1 after. The LWO come out to save Rey.

We see clips of Penta's debut last week.

Cathy Kelly is in front of American Made. Chad is hyping up his team. Chad says he has a problem beating luchadores. He says he has it figured out. He said he went to Dominik Mysterio, who knows a thing about lucha. He says he will help him with his lucha problems. The Creed's say they want the tag titles and Ivy says she wants the women's title. Julius says they will take the tag titles from a team who is at the end of their careers and put them on a team who is at the beginning of their careers.

We see clips from June 1, 2010 of Wade Barrett in NXT in Dallas, Texas. He says him winning NXT there was one of the most pivotal moments in wrestling history along with Wrestlemania.

Sami Zayn is in the ring to talk. Sami says he's entered in The Royal Rumble. Sami talks about different levels of wrestlers. He says he's in the top tier of WWE. He says unlike the other wrestlers though in that tier, he doesn't have a world title. Sami said he doesn't need the title but he wants it.

Kevin Owens comes out. Sami said he knew it was a matter of time until KO came out. KO says Sami had a lot of history with Roman like Sami has with him. He says Sami forgave and overlooked some things KO did to him. He said Sami's a good person and that's who he is. KO says Sami's his best friend and like a brother to him. He says he believes Sami can win The Royal Rumble. He says Sami deserves it. He says Sami can get a chance to do it as long as he walks out of Royal Rumble as champ. He says he knows Sami will win The Royal Rumble as he has his back.

KO says he will walk out of The Rumble as champ and says Sami has his back like he did Roman, right? KO says he knows it as Sami is his best friend and brother. KO then leaves. 

Thoughts: Well that was an interesting segment. I wish we had more time to develop this one before The Rumble but it may add a nice twist to the Cody/KO ladder match.

Sheamus is interviewed in the back. Sheamus says some would say he had the perfect WWE career backwards. He says he has been chasing the IC Title for 5 years. He says he has been close to it many times and says the stars are finally aligned. He says he will fulfill his destiny against Bron Breakker.

Bron interrupts. Bron tells him to look at the title. He says it's his and it's as close as Sheamus will ever get to it. Bron says he will beat him and break him like an old man. He says to do us a favor and retire. Sheamus then shoves him.

We get a graphic for Bob Uecker, who died this week.  

Nia Jax vs Bayley

Roxanne Perez is watching in the front row. Bay hits forearms on Nia and hits corner punches. Nia pop-up headbutts her. Nia foot chokes her. Nia misses an elbow drop. Bay hits forearms then backdrops her for 2. Nia urnaages her. Bay topes her and has words with Perez. Perez goes to hit her and is nailed. Security then grabs Perez.

We go to break and return. Nia works Bay's arm. Nia misses a legdrop. Bay does elbow drops for 2. Bay running knees Nia then Nia pulls Bay's arm down over the ropes. Nia misses a legdrop on the apron. Bay sunset bombs her into the post.

Bay banzai drops her for 2. Bay elbow drops her off the buckles for 2. Nia shoulderbreakers her for 2. Nia corner splashes her then sends Bay's shoulder into the post. Nia hip attacks Bay against the post. Nia is pulled off the buckles.

Bay running knees her for 2. Bay sunset bombs Nia off the buckles for 2. Bay top rope elbow drops Nia for 2. Bay clips her. Nia pop-up samoan drops her then sentons her. Nia banzai drops Bay and wins.

Thoughts: It went a little longer than it needed to but it was a decent match with Nia working the arm and eventually finishing Bay with the banzai drop. Bayley kind of needed a change and maybe this will play into it somehow. But it's not good when she's losing on her first match on Raw.

Rhea Ripley comes out and fights with Nia after. She hits corner spears and security breaks it up. Nia bangs Rhea's head off the commentary table. Rhea gets on the table and cannonballs Nia and security. Rhea challenges her for Saturday Night's Main Event.

The Judgment Day talk to Chad Gable in the back. Chad asks Dom for help with his lucha problem. Dom says he knows someone who can help him and gives him a piece of paper. Chad says he's off to master the dark arts of lucha.

JD says they have a tag title rematch next week but Finn is out. Dom says he could replace Finn and says he won't mind. JD agrees. Liv says she hopes this plan goes better than his plan in the match with Rhea. Dom says he has an idea for her as well and says he will make it up to her. Carlito then puts his head on Raquel and she pushes it away.

Lyra Valkyria does a video and talks about winning last week. She says it's about what comes next and says that's building a legacy as a fighting, valiant women's IC champ.

Sami tells Seth he appreciates their talk last week and said it got through to him. Seth says he's rooting for that Sami but says he will throw him out at The Rumble if it comes to that. Sami says not if he throws him out first.

Pete Dunne vs Penta

They trade leg kicks, forearms and chops. Pete knocks him over then twists his fingers. He stomps Penta's arm into the mat. Penta enzugiri's Pete in the corner then Pete does it to him. Pete tries to moonsault but gets kicked on the flip.

Pete goes for a tope and is hit with a forearm. Pete release suplexes him on the apron. We go to break and return. Pete running forearms Penta. Penta superkicks him in the gut then hits a slingblade bulldog. Penta handstand pendulum double knees him in the corner. Penta spinning death valley drivers him for 2. Penta hits a canadian destroyer and Pete goes out. Penta tope con hilos him outside. Pete b-drivers him for 2.

Pete splits Penta's fingers then triangles him. Penta powerbomb backbreakers him to break it. Penta cranks back on Pete's arm. Penta hits a made in Japan on Pete and wins.

Thoughts: I wasn't a fan of this. The canadian destroyer meant little here and that hurt the match for me. Pete did his usual small joint manipulation here like always.

Logan Paul does a video. He says it must suck to be a Paul hater. He says when he does something, he becomes the best at it. He puts himself over. He says this is his life now and he will breathe and sleep wrestling until he becomes the best ever. He says we are looking at the GOAT.

We see CM Punk head to the ring through the concourse. Punk is interviewed near there. Jackie says Punk has never won The Rumble and says the field is looking stacked. Jackie asks what makes this one different and he says history. Punk says he beat Seth who is favorited to win The rumble. He says he has made history lately and will do it in 2 weeks when he throws 29 other superstars over the top. He says he's at his best when the people are behind him. He talks about Roman, Drew, Sami, Hulk Hogan and Cena. He says his name is CM Punk and he will settle scores and cash in debts. He says he will call in a favor if he needs to and says he will get his hand raised.

Damage Ctrl (Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai) vs Pure Fusion Collective (Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler)

SB leg kicks Kai. Kai rolls her up for 2. Kai dropkicks her. SB takes a rolling snapmare then Zoey springboard dropkicks Kai. Zoey hits elbows on Kai's neck. Kai is put on SB's knee and takes a running lariat. SB pulls on Kai's foot/leg.

Kai upkicks SB. Kai step up enzugiri's Zoey. Iyo hits shotei's on Zoey then dropkicks her. Iyo germans SB. Iyo is thrown into the ropes but does a tope off of it. Iyo hits a top rope dropkick on Zoey.

Iyo corner meteora's Zoey for 2. Sonya gets on the apron and Kai trips her. SB lariats Kai outside. Zoey hits an attaxia variation for 2. Zoey misses a plancha on Kai. Kai PK's her from the apron. SB sleepers Iyo. Iyo top rope moonsaults SB and wins.

Thoughts: It was average and nothing too much of note. Zoey's springboard dropkicks was nice here. I was surprised Damage Ctrl lost clean. 

Drew McIntyre vs Seth Rollins

They took forever to get the intros done with this one and wasted some serious time. Seth throws his jacket at Wade on commentary.

They stare down face to face then trade chops. Drew shoulders over Seth twice. Seth slingblades Drew then lariats him over the top. Seth dropkicks him through the ropes then topes him. Drew overhead suplexes Seth into the commentary table, making him roll off of it. We go to break and return. Drew calls Seth selfish and they trade punches. Seth boots him out of the corner. Drew goes for a reverse alabama slam and Seth rolls him up off of it. Seth boots him out of the corner and both go down. Seth hits punches and chops on Drew.

Seth sends Drew's shoulder into the posts. Seth bangs Drew's arm off the post. Seth springboard flying knees Drew then pumping knees him for 2. Seth springboard swantons him for 2. Drew forearms Seth from the apron. Drew goes up top and is superplexed. Drew holds on and falcon arrows him for 2.

Drew misses a claymore kick then he spinebusters Seth for 2. Seth hurricanrana's Drew then superkicks him. Seth falcon arrows Drew for 2. Drew lariats him. Drew is caught off the top. Seth crossfaces him and Drew ropebreaks. Seth yells at him for questioning his integrity. The ref pulls Seth off of Drew. Drew hits a future shock ddt on Seth for 2.

Drew short arm clotheslines Seth. Seth then get a jack knife pin and wins.

Thoughts: They got a bit more time than they needed for this and it got slow at times. They made it seem like it had more of a story to it than it did. I really liked Seth's rolling bump on the table and Drew hit some hard lariats here. They did a lot of yelling at each other in this one.

Drew beats up Seth after. Seth fights back and takes a claymore kick. Drew tries to kick Seth's head against the post but Sami Zayn saves Seth. Sami sends Drew into the post and checks on Seth. Drew headbutts Sami and throws him into the rail. Drew has Seth in the corner. Sami tries to facekick Drew but nails Seth instead.

Overall thoughts: I wasn't a big fan of this Raw. We didn't get a ton of new developments and none of the matches really delivered either. This was kind of a filler show with SNME this week and The Royal Rumble coming up soon after. I thought it was boring at times and would only give it a 5 out of 10. I wouldn't recommend it.