WWE Monday Night Raw 1/27/2025

WWE Monday Night Raw 1/27/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/wwe-monday-night-raw-1202025.html

We are in Atlanta, GA. Michael Cole and Pat McAfee are on commentary. This is the final Raw before The Royal Rumble.

We see various wrestlers arrive.

Cole and Pat hype up the show at ringside.

Seth Rollins comes out. Seth says it's his favorite time of year as it's almost Wrestlemania Season. He says it kicks off Saturday when he wins The Rumble. He says there's no one better when he's the most focused version of himself. He talks about people he is throwing out at The Rumble. He says he's especially tossing Roman out. He says he hopes he throws out Punk last so he can crush his Mania dreams to dust.

He talks about what title to go after. He says Gunther has the title until he goes after it again. He says it would be nice to take the title from Cody that he helped him win last year. He asks the crowd who he should face when he wins The Rumble. 

Gunther comes out. Seth asks if Gunther is keeping the belt warm for me. Gunther asks where he's been the last few months. Gunther says he was defending his title against Jey Uso. He say he beat his @ss.

Seth says Gunther title wouldn't exist without Seth. Seth says he made the title and it's synonymous with him. Gunther says it's 2025 and Seth isn't the best wrestler in the company anymore, Gunther is. He says his title proves it. He begs Seth to win The Rumble and challenge him so he can lay on his back and look at the lights. 

Logan Paul comes out. Logan says Gunther and Seth think they are special. He says they command attention because they are great at wrestling but he gets attention because he's great everything. Logan is booed loudly. He says they should worry about the man who built a WWE career faster than both of them. He says he doesn't have to win The Rumble, he has to work smarter and not harder. He says he just has to be the last one in there. He says when he is, he will main event Mania and and can choose anyone.

Gunther says he changes his mind and says he wants Logan to win The Rumble so he can slap the smirk off his face. Seth says Gunther will get embarrassed though if he decides to take his title back.

CM Punk is interviewed. He says he'd throw Cathy Kelly out if she was in The Rumble. Sami Zayn interrupts. Sami agrees that him and Punk aren't on the same level. He says one of them is a Wrestlemania main eventer and it's not Punk.

Karrion Kross talks to Sami. Sami tells him to stop as Kross is trying to stir up trouble. Kross says it could be Sami and Kevin at Mania for the title and says it could be the best chance of his entire career. He says to recognize there is a world of opportunity right at this feet.

Cody Rhodes goes up to Sami. Sami says good to see you and walks away.

We see Judgment Day and The War Raiders getting ready for their match.

Grayson Waller and Austin Theory are in the front row near rappers. The Creed's are also there.

World Tag Titles - The War Raiders (c) vs Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonaugh)

The heels attack at the bell. Ivar is thrown out then Dom topes him. JD jawbreakers Erik then Dom neckbreakers Erik. JD asai moonsaults outside and hits his head hard on the commentary table.

Dom clubs on Erik. JD stomps on Erik. They trade shots. Dom hits corner spears. Ivar back body drops JD and spinning side slams Dom. Ivar low crossbodies Dom. Ivar butt drops JD in the corner. Ivar goes over the rail when JD moves. Erik catches Dom off the apron and powerbombs him into JD. Ivar then jumps off the rail and cannonballs both opponents.

We go to break and return. Dom slingshot swantons Ivar for 2. Ivar does a handspring double back elbow on his opponents. Erik overhead suplexes Dom and forearms him down. Erik release blue thunders him. Erik hits a reverse go to sleep on JD. Erik uranage's Dom.

Erik knees Dom in the face. Dom avoids a double team. JD takes knees to the gut. JD stops a double team and headbutts Erik. Ivar face kicks JD. JD yanks Ivar off the buckles into a backdrop for 2. Ivar spinning heel kicks Dom. 

Carlito comes out. He spits apples in Ivar's eyes. Dom dropkicks Ivar. Dom 619's Ivar. JD top rope moonsaults Ivar. Dom top rope frogsplashes Ivar and the pin is broken up. JD is back body dropped over the top. Ivar hits Carlito on the apron. Dom is popped up into a springboard lariat + german. Dom is then pinned.

Thoughts: JD took some awful hits to the back of the head here and I'm surprised they let this go on. What we got from this one was fine but not quite as good as it should have been.

Ludwig Kaiser goes up to Pete Dunne. He says things didn't go his way. Kaiser says someone should that guy how they do things around here. The New Day come in and Kaiser and Pete want nothing to do with them.

The New Day are interviewed. Kofi says Woods has come home - Atlanta's favorite son. The interview isn't sure and guesses it Bron, Cody or Theory. Woods says he will beat the breaks off of Rey in front of his city and family. Kofi asks if his family is here yet. Woods says they will show up and says he spent too much on front row seats.

Rey Mysterio vs Xavier Woods

We are told Zelina Vega has been traded to Smackdown. Rey headscissors Woods then kicks him from the mat. Rey 2nd rope twisting crossbodies Woods. Woods shoulders him over. Rey lariats Woods out of the corner. Woods hits chops. Rey flying headscissors Woods. Woods rolls through a slingshot sunset flip. Woods 2nd rope double stomps Rey as he lays over the 2nd rope.

We go to break and return. They trade shots. Woods walks around with Rey and suplexes him for 2. Woods hits shots on Rey then hits corner spears. Rey boots Woods out of the corner. Woods top rope la sillas Woods then flying headscissors him.

Rey hits corner punches and is pulled down face first on the buckles. Rey hits a 2nd rope sunset bomb and a code red for 2. Rey dropkicks Woods into the ropes. Rey is pushed into the commentary table outside.

Woods spots his family at ringside. Theyshow their shirts and they say "The New Day Sucks" on them. Woods gets mad. Rey 619's Woods in the ring and slingshot splashes him for the win.

Thoughts: It was average but I liked the finish here with Woods parents disapproving of Woods' actions.

Rey then puts on a "New Day Sucks" shirt on after and make friends with Woods' family. 

Sami and Seth talk in the back. Sami says he didn't mean to kick Seth last week. Seth accepts it but says Sami has to understand why he feels it may not have been. Seth says Sami's relationship with Roman doesn't rest easy with him. Seth says if something like that happens again, he can't be sure it's a mistake.

Jey Uso comes out through the crowd with a rapper. Jey says he lost on Saturday. He says he can beat Gunther though. He says he will through Seth and Gunther over the top at The Rumble and win it. He says he will go on to main event Wrestlemania and become champ.

Jackie Redmond interviews Lyra Valkyria. Lyra says she's declaring for The Royal Rumble. American Made walks in. Chad says not to get used to the Women's IC Title as Ivy is taking it for him err the team. Lyra says it's the closest they will ever get to an IC Title. Ivy says she will wake it and eliminate her from The Rumble then clip her bird wings.

American Made then sees Alpga Academy dancing. Chad asks Otis how his ankle is. He says they are failures and should be embarrassed. Ivy says Dupri especially should be.

Bianca Belair and Naomi (c) vs Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez

BB racks liv and Liv escapes. BB hits a corner spear then corner punches. Liv pulls her off the buckles by her hair then pulls her down by it. RR and BB go at it.

Raw corner splashes BB. RR takes a double russian legsweep and a double elbow drop for 2. RR corner splashes Naomi and Liv gets a 2 count off of it. Naomi dropkicks her. Liv takes a double hiptoss then a standing moonsault + legdrop combo.

The four girls fight in the ring. Naomi 2nd rope crosbodies Liv then RR takes one from BB. We go to break and return. RR lariats Naomi for 2. RR front facelock swings Naomi. RR rams Naomi's head into the post. RR chokes her over the top rope. Naomi piledriver her over the 2nd rope onto the apron.

Naomi step up enzugiri's RR. BB gets in and gets offense on Liv. BB suplexes Liv then hits a corner spear. BB hits corner punches on Liv. BB spears both in the corner and hits corner shots on them. BB spinebusters Liv. BB then handspring moonsaults Liv for 2. 

Liv shotgun dropkicks BB. BB takes a double chokeslam bomb then RR powerbombs Liv onto BB for 2. Naomi botches a slingshot facebuster on RR for 2. RR fallaway slams Naomi. Liv codebreakers BB. BB stops Liv's oblivion then BB hits a KOD on Liv. Dominik Mysterio gets on the apron and distracts the ref.

BB planchas Dom then Naomi split legged moonsaults Liv for 2. RR single arm powerbombs Naomi on the apron then Liv pins Naomi for the win.

Thoughts: It was okay though it had some sloppy moments. The two teams worked better than expected, it got enough time and they tied in Dom's storyline with it. I feel like Liv did the most work in this one.

Rhea Ripley is interviewed in the back. Rhea says she's banged up some after Nia. She says she reminded Nia why Rhea is always on top. She says it doesn't matter who wins The Rumble as they will get brutalized if they face her. Bayley walks in. She said she won The Rumble last year and says maybe Rhea will see her this year. Rhea says good luck. Iyo then walks in, stares down Bayley and says, "see you Saturday".

Penta does a video. he says it's only the beginning then does a translated promo. He says he needs to face the best in the world and says he will fight the best in WWE. He says he will be in The Royal Rumble. He says he will have his Wrestlemania Moment.

Paul Heyman comes out to talk. He says he's the one behind the one. He shows the WWE 2K25 cover with Roman on it. He says you have a big responsibility when you are on the cover of a game like this and he says Roman can.

He says Roman took back his necklace as he said he would. He says Roman is coming back for his title. He says it all starts at The Rumble. He says all 29 wrestlers are coming after Roman. He says Roman is the biggest star in wrestling and on this planet. He says he'll be the biggest star on Mars when Elon Musk colonizes it.

He says there's two types of people who will be in The Rumble. One is Roman and the other is everyone else. He say everyone wants to be him and prays to be him. 

Drew McIntyre comes out. Drew says Paul looks nervous. He says only Sami should be nervous. He says him and Paul never get to talk. Drew says he's the daddy of The Bloodline. He says he just a wants a simple, "Thank you, Drew". Paul says, "Thank you Drew, but you are crowding me right now". Drew backs up and says to tell Roman that he will be targeting him. He says he will throw him over the top. Paul says he will. Drew says he wasn't talking about Roman. He says he was talking about CM Punk. Drew tells Paul to run.

Sami Zayn vs Drew McIntyre

They lock up and Drew pushes Sami in the corner. Sami hits punches and flurries Drew. Sami hits forearms. Drew hits a double shot to the throat and chops him. Drew is thrown over the top. Sami sitout moonsaults Drew outside.

Drew chops Sami down inside. Sami hits corner punches. Drew gets a 2 count on Sami off a kick in the corner then stomps Sami's face. Drew chops Sami down and poses. Sami 2nd rope elbows Drew in the head.

Sami does a nice ddt on Drew for 2. Sami's nose starts to bleed. Sami walks up the buckles and is crotched by Drew on the ropes. Drew misses a claymore kick outside and lands back first on the commentary table.

We go to break and return. Drew hits shots on Sami. Sami hits punches back. Sami blind springboards over him then lariats him. Drew spinebusters him for 2. Drew deadlift sitout powerbombs him for 2.

Drew goes up to the 2nd rope and Sami sunset bombs him down for 2. Drew overhead throws Sami. Sami blue thunders Drew for 2. They each are crotched on the top rope. Drew crackerjacks him off. Sami gets a 2 count and Drew spears the post on accident. Sami exploders Drew in to the buckles.

Sami misses a helluva kick and Drew pins him with hits feet on the ropes.

Thoughts: It was a good match between these two as usual with nothing really being wrong with it. Drew won which they telegraphed here as they poinnted out how Sami has never beaten Drew.

Drew nails Sami from behind after then hits mounted punches. Drew rakes Sami's face. Cody Rhodes comes out and fights with Drew. Cody hits a cody cutter on Drew. Kevin Owens knocks down Cody with a punch. Cody stomp flurries KO.

Sami helluva kicks Cody on accident and Drew laughs. KO is happy and slaps Sami on the chest.

Thoughts: I liked the ending here as it followed up on a bunch of storylines quick. 

Sami says he's sorry after and walks out.

Roman talks about being on the WWE2K25 cover.

We go back to Cody Rhodes in the ring. He talks about the titles that are up in the air on the hanger. He says he spent 39 years to get that belt. He says it's the mindset and the work about being champ. He says he's looking forward to moving past Owens at the Rumble.

CM Punk comes out. He asks if Cody is alright. Punk says it looks like all of this is starting to get to Cody. Punk says he knows what it's like as he was a champ for 400+ days. he says he got burned out at the 300 day mark. Punk says Cody wants to be Bruno and Cena but says none of us are Superman.

Cody says he doesn't have many friends and says Punk is his friend, right? Punk says yes, that's why I'm out here. Punk says he will always be his friend because of the promise he made to his dad and because he loves him. Punk says he feels like he let him down and says he didn't prepare him for this. Punk says Cody is the man on top of the mountain and says there's no friends. He says Cody has a target on his back as champ.

Cody asks Punk to tell him what's next for him as a friend. Punk says Cody is home and gets to sleep in his own bed. Punk says Cody won't sleep at all because he will do media and promotion for the biggest match of his career. He says Cody will also be thinking of the title.

Punk says Cody will continue to have less time with his family and empty nights. Punk says someone will win The Rumble and meet him at Mania then take the belt from him. Punk says that's the good news. Punk says the bad news is that the person who does it is him. Punk says unlike Cody's friends who stab him in the back, he will win The Rumble and the title and stab him in the front.

Cody says he met Punk when he first showed up in OVW with Greg Gagne. He says Punk was the man and he and others were chasing him. Cody says they were then chasing him on the main roster. Cody says their dynamic has changed because he's no longer chasing him, Punk is chasing him. Cody says he hopes Punk wins The Rumble because he wants him to catch up.

Punk stops him. He says there's a lot of people who wanted to catch him and there's graveyards of people who did. Cody says he wants Punk to catch him so he figures out that the best in the world isn't the best in the world anymore.

Thoughts: I didn't like them making having the title seem so unglamorous especially since Cody really does look super tired out. I think they had the right idea here but it was hard to get too invested since it's The Rumble and anyone could win. And unlike some years, there's really a lot of people who could win. I could see Roman, Punk, Cena, Seth, Drew or maybe even Sami pulling it off.

Overall thoughts: It was a pretty average show for the most part. The Rumble is this week and SNME just happened so we weren't going to get too many big new developments here. The main was good but nothing was must see on this. They did do a good job of making you want to see The Rumble though. Raw notably has no matches at The Rumble so they didn't have to worry about building much here. I'd give this one a 5 out of 10 as it wasn't one you had to see.