WWE Monday Night Raw 1/6/2025

WWE Monday Night Raw 1/6/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/12/wwe-monday-night-raw-12302024.html

This is Raw's debut on Netflix. Raw just won't be live in the US but will be live worldwide, so there's going to be a ton of people watching this. We won't know how many though unless it's announced because Netflix is private. The one big downfall is that the move to Netflix will make it hard for some fans in more rural areas to watch it as there is nearly no internet in some parts of the US.We are in Los Angeles, CA at the Inuit Dome. Michael Cole and Pat McAfee are on commentary.

We see various wrestlers arrive.

The ring is covered with a warp and we get a video played on the tarp. The video is about the story of wrestling. They say as TV changed so did wrestling and wrestling changed America. Triple H says it's the eternal battle of the face vs the heel. They almost mention "the shoot and the work" and "the real and the unreal". They say every story in wrestling has an element of truth. They say the screen gets smaller but the show gets bigger. They say they are presenting the story of WWE. We then get some fireworks and the tarps fall down.

Thoughts: I didn't like this as they broke kayfabe here.

Triple H is in the ring with a spotlight on him. HHH says we are being seen and heard by the entire globe. He says to tell them this is WWE and we are louder than anything you have seen before. 

HHH asks us if we are ready. He says welcome to Raw and welcome to the Netflix Era.

The Rock comes out. The Rock has his personalized title with him and has grey facial hair now for some reason. Rock said the only way you used to be able to watch wrestling was to buy a ticket or watch on Saturday mornings. He says it's a different story now. He says it's the largest arena in the history of WWE.

Rock says you gotta have the right partners and Netflix loves WWE. We then cut to Netflix people in a box. Rock thanks Cody Rhodes for carrying the company on his back and we see Cody in the front row with a suit on. Rock says to tell Mama Rhodes he says hello. Rock says he wants to acknowledge Roman Reigns. He says Roman is the original tribal chief.

Rock says he will be watching tribal rules tonight and says he's a high chief. He says he loves everyone and says let's get the show on the road. Cody then hugs Rock.

Thoughts: I was expecting more from this. This had nothing to do with any storylines and accomplished nothing.

The ring mat is black and has some advertisements on it. The ref is also wearing a gray and black shirt with two black vertical stripes on it. The video quality is great.

Tribal Combat Match - Solo Sikoa vs Roman Reigns

Roman had his usual super long entrance here. Heyman's going to hold the necklace. We then go to break and return. 

They lock up and Solo is thrown out. They drive each other into the post, rail and apron. Roman's head is banged off the commentary table. Solo lariats him. Solo hits headbutts. Roman lariats him then flying lariats him. Roman hits corner lariats. Roman running facekicks him out. Solo uranages him on the commentary table. Solo hits Roman with a monitor. Solo throws the steps at Roman's head. We go to break and return.

Solo grabs a chair and hits Roman in the gut with it. Solo hits him in the back with it then hits a bunch of chair shots while Roman is down. Solo hits shots and talks trash. Solo puts a chair around Roman's head then misses a corner hip attack.

Roman chairs Solo then bangs Solo's head off the chair. Roman misses a conchairto then Solo low blows him. Solo rock bottoms him on the chair for 2. We get a drone camera shot I think. Solo grabs a table. Roman drive-by kicks Solo while he pulls the table out.

Solo hits Roman with a kendo stick. Solo shoves the stick in Roman's face and says Roman will never love him. Roman powerbombs Solo through a table. Roman goes for the pin and Tama Tonga pulls the ref out. Jacob Fatu comes out. He nails Roman, superkicks him and hits an impaler ddt.

Fatu double jump moonsaults Roman. Solo samoan spikes Roman for 2. Solo then samoan spikes the ref. Sami Zayn and Jimmy Uso finally come out to help Roman after several minutes. Fatu is sent int othe steps and Tama goes into the post. Jimmy superkicks Solo and Sami helluva kicks Solo.

Roman spears Solo and another ref comes down. Roman gets a 2 count. Jimmy and Sami then dive out on Tama and Fatu. Kevin Owens then comes out and stunners Roman. KO tells Solo to pin Roman and Solo gets a 2 count. KO pounds on Roman. Cody Rhodes then comes out and fights KO. Cody hits a cody cutter on KO. They then fight in the crowd.

Roman hits a big spear on Solo then hits another for the win.

Thoughts: It was so-so. It had the usual issues with WWE hardcore matches where you can't have blood so it was limited to table and chair spots. The match was slower paced and didn't really pick up until people started interfering. If you were hoping for some big special epic match, this was not it. 

Paul goes to give Roman the necklace. The Rock then comes out. Rock asks for the necklace. Rock puts the necklace on Roman and they stare at each other. They shake hands and hug. Rock watches Roman pose and they all walk out together.

They announce that The Royal Rumble will be in Saudi Arabia in 2026. I'm not a fan of it as I think PPV's and bigger events should stay in the US and Canada for the most part.

We see Smackdown wrestlers in a suite and some wrestler in the front row like The War Raiders, Rey and LA Knight. 

John Cena comes out. Cena says there's people everywhere here. Cena says the audience just got bigger and says the fans' electricity is felt all around the world. John says he couldn't think of a better way to start the world tour than LA. He said he worked out at Gold's Gym, learned how to wrestle here and lived near the building. He says The Prototype was born here and he won his first world title here.  

John talks about who he may face next, bringing up Logan, Drew, Punk, Gunther and Cody. He says people also ask when he becomes 17x world champ. Cena says he doesn't see it happening though. He says it's been 2,446 days since he won his last match. He says his time is up. He says the 17th championship won't happen. He says it would take a miracle and says he has a better chance at winning an oscar. He says you'd have to win MITB, The Elimination Chamber or The Royal Rumble to make that happen. Cena says maybe he can win The Rumble. He says it's only a lottery ticket but says he should play and maybe he wins. He says then he could make history at Wrestlemania.

Cena says it sounds impossible but nothing is impossible with him. He says we only say never when we say never give up. He says he's not just going to The Royal Rumble, he's going to win The Royal Rumble.

Thoughts: This was a great promo from Cena and got me hyped for The Rumble.

We get a video on Logan Paul. He says he'd hate him too. He says he has never fallen in line or waited his turn. He says it must keeps us up at night that he's been so good at this. He says he's dedicating his life to this. He says there's no more side hustle or BS, he's a 100% WWE Superstar. He says it's beginning of the era of Logan Paul. We then cut to Logan in the front row. 

We see people in the crowd like McCauly Caulkin, Topanga, X-Pac, Bianca, Naomi and Nakamura. 

Women's World Title - Liv Morgan (c) vs Rhea Ripley

They hockey fight to start. Rhea knees her and stomps her foot. Rhea picks her up by the throat and throws her down. Rhea cannonballs Raquel on the outside when Liv moves. Dom trips up Rhea outside and Liv knees Rhea off the apron. Liv tries to flying headscissors Rhea from the apron but is powerbombed onto the commentary table. We go to break and return.

Liv stomps on Rhea in the corner. Rhea pulls her into the buckles. Liv 2nd rope diving facebusters Rhea for 2. Liv bangs Rhea's head off the mat. Liv hits slaps then Rhea short arm clotheslines her. Rhea drops her face first on the mat then running knees her. Rhea suplexes her.

Rhea does a half and half suplex for 2. Liv backcrackers her then throws her into the buckle. Liv tornado ddt's her. Liv step up enzugiri's her. Rhea slides through her legs and hits a riptide for 2. 

Dom throws the title in. The ref takes it away. Raquel brings a chair in and Rhea takes oblivion onto the chair for 2. Liv hits three amigos. Liv hits a top rope splash for 2. Rhea blocks oblivion then hits another riptide. Rhea then goes for another and wins.

Thoughts: It was about average. They didn't go all out here or anything and there wasn't a ton of story outside of basic face vs heel stuff. I liked Rhea sliding through Liv's legs for a riptide. That was a cool spot.

Dom slides in behind Rhea after. Rhea turns around and Dom offers a hug. Rhea teases hugging him and kicks him in the nuts. Rhea then hits riptide. 

Rhea poses in the entrance way and The Undertaker's music hits. Taker rides his motorcycle in and goes around ringside. Taker fist bumps Rhea and they pose together as fireworks go off.

We see wrestlers cheering in a suite and we see New Day just staring at them.

Cathy Kelly wants to talk to Adam Pearce but Adam is talking to Bayley. American Made interrupts before Adam can say anything. Chad says he's an olympian and a valedictorian. He says he will win a single's title this year and will dispel any rumors there are that he can't be luchadores. Chad asks Adam to send the best luchador he has next week. Adam asks if he's sure and Chad says he is. Adam says he will make a phone call.

We see an instagram video of The Rock leaving. He hugs Paul Heyman and Triple H. He then hugs Roman. We see him in the parking lot hugging more people including Cody. He says he'll see us at NXT tomorrow. Rock then commits a DUI on camera as he drinks and drives.

Michele McCool is in the crowd with Lyra Valkyria, who they don't mention. We see Iyo and Dakota in the crowd then they cut back to Lyra.

A rapper named Travis Scott is in the stands and Jey Uso comes out near him. Scott is smoking in the stands which I'm pretty sure is not allowed.

Jey Uso vs Drew McIntyre

The ref is wearing a ref cam. Jey topes Drew before he gets in. Jey is rammed into the apron and takes a belly to belly on the floor. Jey back splashes and step up enzugiri's Drew. Jey goes for an up and over and is kicked. Drew hits chops and forearms Jey. 

Drew hits corner punches on Jey. Jey sitout powerbombs him. Jey hits punches and spinning enzugiri's him. Jey corner hip attacks him then hits a top rope crossbody for 2. Drew neckbreakers Jey and kips up. Jey superkicks Drew on a claymore kick attempt. Jey goes for a top rope splash and Drew gets his knees up. Drew spinebusters him for 2.

Drew sitout powerbombs him for 2. They trade shots. Drew hits a double underhook ddt for 2. Jey spears Drew for 2. Jey hits a superkick then Drew hits a claymore kick for 2. Drew bangs Jey's head off the mat.

Drew wants another claymore but Jey falls down. Jey avoids a claymore and rolls Drew up to win.

Thoughts: It was a bit slow in the finishing stretch and Jey won by surprise. It was okay but not the best match possible. The crowd wasn't great for this one.

We get a Gunther video. He says it's a new era for everyone else but not him. He says people's personal problems and outbursts mean nothing to him. He says he's where wrestlers dreams, hopes and ambitions go to die. He says he's the light at the end of the tunnel as he holds the prize everyone wants. He says he's the world champ. 

Cathy interviews Gabriel Iglesias for some reason. The New Day interrupt. They complain about not having time to explain what happened with Big E. Kofi says they should be interviewing them and not this fluffy babboon. Alpha Academy walk in. Gabe says he has to go and starts a "New Day Sucks" chant.

Paul Heyman talks to Roman Reigns in the back. He says he's the head of the table again and says they need a platform for the whole world to acknowledge him. Roman says to book it on January 27th which will be Monday Night Raw.

Bron Breakker, Tiffany Stratton and Nikki Bella are watching at ringside.

Hulk Hogan's music hits. Hulk comes out with Jimmy Hart, who is waving a USA flag. Hulk's looking real thin. The crowd boos Hulk. Hulk shills his new beer. He says he's had partners like Macho and says WWE's greatest partner is Netflix. He then rips his shirt off and shows a Netflix shirt.

Thoughts: I really don't like Hulk shilling beer. It's not something his on-screen character would do.

Damian Priest fights Finn Balor in a street fight next week. That feud just won't end.

Stephanie McMahon is in the crowd.

Seth Rollins vs CM Punk

They trade shots. Seth lariats him against the ropes then Punk lariats him over the top. Punk misses a slingshot plancha then Seth topes him into the rail. Seth argues with the ref and sends Punk into the rails. Punk back body drops him on the floor. Punk double axe handles him off the rails.

Seth jumps off the rails and takes a shot to the gut. Punk drops the table top on Seth's back. Seth misses a curb stomp. Seth does facewash boots on Punk. Seth argues with the ref. Punk jumping facekicks Seth. Punk drops Seth on the ropes gut first. Punk hits a top rope neckbreaker.

We go to break and return. Seth running forearms Punk in the corner. Punk step up knees him in the corner. Punk hits double axe handles and neckbreakers him. Punk neckbreakers Seth over the top rope. Punk plancha's him outside. Seth rolls through Punk's crossbody off the top. Seth then hits his own go to sleep. Punk then rolls out.

They get back in and Punk curb stomps Seth. Seth hits a go to sleep for 2. Seth misses a curb stomp. Punk's head is banged off the commentary table. They get on the table and Seth pedigrees him onto it. Seth then holds his knee after. Seth then hits a pedigree for 2. 

They slap each other on their knees. They trade shots and Punk high kicks him. Seth buckle bombs Punk then curbstomps him for 2. Seth walks up the buckles and superplexes Punk. Seth holds on and Punk hits a go to sleep. Seth falls onto Punk's shoulders. Punk hits another go to sleep and pins him.

Thoughts: It was a good main event. Both did did more than usual and busted out some rare stuff like the Punk curb stomp and the Seth go to sleep. The crowd was also a little better for this one than usual. I though they did an okay job in conveying the hatred they had for each other as well. I'm curious to see where things go from here.  They were taking a risk here by having Punk jump off the top, jump to the outside and off the rails. The ref had to help Punk up after and hopefully he's not hurt.

Overall thoughts: I had high hopes for this one. It didn't quite live up to expectations. They spent a ton of time on celebs and wrestlers in the crowd which got old fast. The Rock was on the show but did nothing but likely earn a DUI. Roman/Solo was slow and just not that good. Drew/Jey wasn't either guys best work and Liv/Rhea wasn't that great. The main was good though and Cena's promo was good. I also didn't like the opening video breaking kayfabe. WWE really did try to make this special but the work was similar to the work you'd find on a Crown Jewel show where nobody was giving their best. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 overall and I'd say that's disappointing as this should have been a classic.