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WWE RAW TV REPORT
JANUARY 22, 2024
NEW ORLEANS, LA. AT SMOOTHIE KING CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 8,537 tickets were distributed; arena was set up for 8,926.
Listen to our podcast that immediately followed Raw hosted by Wade Keller with cohost Darrin Lilly discussing this episode with live caller and email contributions: CLICK HERE
[HOUR ONE]
-The “Then, Now, Forever, Together” WWE brand stamp aired.
-An aerial shot aired of New Orleans with the Superdome in the background as Michael Cole introduced the show.
-They showed C.M. Punk and Cody Rhodes each arriving at the arena rolling their suitcases. Cole referred to Punk twice as “controversial.” He said this face-to-face with them was “unthinkable two months ago.” He called it an “epic confrontation.”
-They cut live to the crowd in the arena. Seth Rollins music played. He made his ring entrance, but limped out with a knee brace on with no crutches. The graphic noted he has been champion for 240 days. Cole said Seth has been a topic of headlines since last week after he hurt his knee in the main event match last week on Raw. Cole wondered if his WrestleMania dream was in jeopardy. Barrett said: “Speculation, rumor, innuendo, guesswork, we’ve had it all week on social media. I have tried my best to completely tune it out.” He said he just wanted to hear from Seth directly. “We’re about to get the truth,” he said.
Seth entered the ring, wearing a metallic lime green suit jacket and pants with a black button up shirt. Fans sang his song. Seth didn’t smile as he waited. He removed his sunglasses and fans broke into cheers. A “Thank you, Seth!” chant broke out. Seth’s eyes were welled up with emotions. He took a deep breath. “New Orleans!” he yelled. “Welcome to Monday Night Rollins.” He said it’s been a long week, so he really appreciated the reception. He said seven days ago he was defending the World Hvt. Title against Jinder Mahal. Fans broke into boos. He smiled and said, “It’s alright, I beat him.” He said he hit a moonsault and he felt his knee bend in in a way it’s not supposed to. He said he finished the match and won. He said he went to the back and sat down. He said it really sunk in at that point that he might be out for a long time.
He said earlier in the night last week he had spoken backstage that with every title defense, he only gets better and only gets stronger. He felt helpless when he couldn’t bend his knee and he felt like “a bit of a liar.” He said he thought for the first time that it was a real possibility he might miss WrestleMania. Fans chanted, “No! No! No!”
Seth said they had to get an MRI and wait for the results. He said the results weren’t great. He said he has a grade 2 tear of his MCL and a partially torn medial meniscus. He said with surgery, doctors are telling him he’ll miss three to four months. He said if it was up to him, he’d be stomping people’s heads into the mat, but unfortunately it’s not up to him. “We don’t really know what the future holds,” he said. “So we’re taking it day by day, week by week.” He was then interrupted by Imperium’s music.
Gunther, Giovanni Vinci, and Ludwig Kaiser made their way to the ring. Gunther stepped toward Seth. Seth said if they’re there to make an example out of him, just do it and don’t waste his time. Gunther said he should just concentrate on him. He said they have been avoiding each other for a while. He said tonight felt like a great opportunity to tell Seth how he feels about him. “Have at it,” Seth said. Gunther told him not to be on edge. He said Seth has been labeled a workhorse champion right out of the gate. He said he aimed to bring honesty and honor to every one of his defenses, “a champion everyone here can be proud of, just like me.” He said now that Seth is hurt, it pulls on his heart strings to see him like that. He said finding out he might not make it to WrestleMania makes him sad.
Seth said he and his boys should’ve let him finish. He said what he was about to say was that he doesn’t give a damn what the doctors tell him. Fans broke into cheers. He said he’ll work as hard as possible to rehab. He said he will keep his promise and he will take that title into WrestleMania. More cheers. Gunther smiled. He said he’ll do everything in his power to walk out of WrestleMania as the World Hvt. Champion.
Gunther said that’s great and he’s happy to hear it. He said this week he’s standing tall, telling him he’s going to do everything it takes to walk into and out of WrestleMania as champion. He said he’d do the same thing if he were in Seth’s position. He said he reminds him of himself. “From one great champion to another great champion, on Sunday I’m going to win the Royal Rumble and I’m going to choose you as my opponent for WrestleMania.” He said he will target his knee and his back and anything that isn’t 100 percent and become World Hvt. Champion. Fans booed. Seth stared him down. A “You suck!” chant broke out. Seth said he appreciates his honesty. He said he can challenge him if he wins the Rumble, “but remember who you’re coming after.” Gunther said he better remember who is coming after him. He threw the mic down. They shook hands.
As Cole said Gunther will have to win this Saturday night (correcting Gunther who said it was on Sunday), New Day charged out and attacked Kaiser & Vinci at ringside.
(Keller’s Analysis: First of all, good news that Seth can at least keep the door open to defending at WrestleMania. It’s standard to give a longer timetable than reality so wrestlers can beat the timetable, and WrestleMania is 11 weeks away, which is just short of three months. The segment was well done, with Seth conveying what surely were real emotions about this setback and fear of what it meant all week. Gunther was stellar in his role, and this segment adds him to the list of wrestlers who the general fanbase will see as a candidate to win.) [c]
(1) NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. GIOVANI VINCI & LUDWIG KAISER
Back from the break, the match was in progress 20 minutes into the hour. Vinci took Kofi down with a running crossbody press and then he stomped away at Kofi in the corner. They cut to a break with Imperium in control and Kofi checking on a battered Xavier at ringside. They cut to a break around 3:00. [c]
Xavier hot-tagged in Kofi right after the break and he went on a flurry of offense against Kaiser. He dove through the ropes onto Vinci at ringside and then dove through the ropes and tackled Kaiser on the other side. Xavier joined in the beatdown of Vinci and Kaiser at ringside. The ref counted out both teams.
WINNERS: Double countout in about 10:00.
-The brawl continued and went into the crowd. Kaiser and Vinci got the better of New Day. Xavier saved Kofi from a chairshot by Kaiser. Kaiser and Vinci got the better of Xavier and set up a superplex off a big equipment case. Kofi intervened and New Day tackled both Kaiser and Vinci through tables below. Fans popped big and chanted “Holy shit!”
-Cole showed the cover of the WWE 2K24 video game featuring Cody and then an alternative version with Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair and another alternative version celebrating 40 years of WrestleMania with a collage of animations of top stars from the last 40 years.
-A video aired with snippets of video game action including Cody, Ripley, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, and Undertaker.
-Cole talked about Cody and Punk being odds-on favorites to win the Rumble and that they’d have a face-to-face later. [c]
-They showed the exterior of the arena.
-A video package previewed Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest.
-Backstage, The Judgment Day were gathered. Rhea Ripley told Priest it seems he wants to fight everyone lately. She said Adam Pearce just informed her that next week, Priest and Finn Balor have to defend against DIY. He said he’ll take care of Drew later. He said he’s not the one walking around backstage with a big head just because he made the cover of WWE 2K24. He told her to stop going into Pearce’s office. He said Judgment Day’s business is in his control. Priest stormed off. Ripley told Balor, Dominik Mysterio, and J.D. McDonagh that she’s disappointed in them because DIY haven’t been taken care of yet. Ripley asked Balor if he is snickering over a joke. She told him it’s not funny. She told Balor to be ringisde for Dom’s match and added, “It’s been a while since I’ve seen the vicious side of Finn Balor.” Balor said she’ll see vicious.
-Jackie Redmond interviewed Ivy Mile and Maxxine Dupri backstage. Redmond brought up how she’s seen videos of how hard she’s been training. She asked how a win over Valhala would affect her. Maxxine gave her a pep talk. The Creed Brothers walked in and gave her encouragement. Brutus massaged her shoulders and Julius gave him a look that he shouldn’t be so aggressive.
-Nile made her ring entrance, accompanied by Maxxine. [c]
(2) IVY NILE (w/Maxxine Dupri) vs. VALHALA
The bell rang 49 minutes into the hour. Barrett touted how hard Nile trains. Valhala knocked Nile around ringside for a few seconds and then threw her back into the ring at 1:00. Valhala bit the bottom rope and growled into the ringside camera. Nile rallied, but Valhala landed a headbutt to cut it off quickly. She tried to score a pin with her legs on the middle rope. Maxxine made sure the ref saw it. Valhala yelled down at Maxxine. Nile and Valhala battled in the corner. Nile leaped off the top rope with her Pitbull bulldog for the win.
WINNER: Nile in 3:00.
-Redmond approached Jey Uso talking with New Day backstage. She asked when it’ll end. Xavier said they aren’t 12-time WWE Champions for no reason. He said they’ve been the best tag team for a decade. Kofi said people see them joking around and think they can’t get serious when the time is right. He said when you push them too far, the results are what everyone saw earlier. They said they took out Kaiser and Vinci. Kofi challenged Gunther to a match for the IC Title next week on Raw. [c]
-They showed scenes of New Orleans.
-Cole plugged Undertaker’s one man show.
[HOUR TWO]
-Nia Jax made her ring entrance. She said the last time she faced Ripley, she got squashed. She said the first time she faced Becky Lynch, she got squashed. She said Becky and Ripley want to face each other rather than her. She said this Saturday at the Rumble, she’s going to kill both of their dreams and go to WrestleMania. She was interrupted by Becky’s music. Becky then made her ring entrance. “Shut up, Nia, ya’ dope,” Becky said. She said beating her gives her something else to talk about for the next five years. She said she has a target on her back going into Saturday, but so does Nia. She said that locker room don’t agree on anything except for one thing. “Nobody likes you,” she said. Nia smiled and nodded. She said she throws her weight around “and you probably injured half of them.” She said she’s not sure what she’s going to enjoy more, winning the Rumble for the second time in her career or watching Nia lose.
Bayley interrupted and said, “Both of you idiots are going to lose.” She entered the ring and said she’s there to make it clear that she’s going to win the Rumble and point at the WrestleMania sign. Bayley jumped Becky. Jax stomped on Bayley. Becky went after Jax and then gave Bayley a Manhandle Slam. Jax threw Becky over the top rope. She then legdropped Bayley’s chest and eyed Becky.
-They went to Cole and Barrett at ringside. Cole threw to the Rumble “by the numbers” video.
-Dom, Balor, and McDonagh walked out. [c]
-Ripley crossed paths with Becky backstage. Ripley told Becky, “It looks like I should make other plans for WrestleMania.”
-A clip aired from earlier of R-Truth telling Miz not to get hurt and not tag in. Miz explained it wasn’t a tag match. Truth told Miz to keep his eye on Tom and Nick, the Mysterio boys. Miz exclaimed, “It’s Dominik. It’s one guy, Truth!”
(3) DOMINIK MYSTERIO (w/J.D. McDonagh, Finn Balor) vs. THE MIZ
Miz’s ring entrance took place. The bell rang 14 minutes into the hour. Fans chanted, “We want Truth!” Miz clotheslined Dom early and then looked down at Balor and McDonagh. Dom took control and then they cut to a break at 3:00 after Dom leaped through the ropes and tackled Miz at ringside. [c]
Miz made a comeback after the break. At 9:00 Dom went for a 619, but Miz avoided it. Balor kicked Miz as McDonagh distracted the ref. Dom then landed a 619 and followed with a top rope frog splash for a three count.
WINNER: Dominik in 10:00.
-Balor attacked Miz afterward. Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa ran out for the save. Miz gave Dom a Skull Crushing Finale. Balor saved McDonagh from a Meet in the Middle by DIY.
-Redmond interviewed Priest. Priest said Dom took care of business just as he thought he would. Truth barged in and gave him another wad of cash from the latest t-shirt sales. He said McDonagh followed him on Venmo and they need to do something about him. Priest said they’d talk later, but he has serious business to address. Truth left. Priest said Drew talks about how he was the man around there. He said that was at a time when everyone was struggling. He said then everybody was back to 100 and he couldn’t beat Roman Reigns, Gunther, or Seth Rollins, and now out pure jealousy, he doesn’t want him to become champion. He said he will either win the Rumble or cash in and become champion. He said Drew will receive his punishment later.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good promo from Priest.)
-Chad Gable made his ring entrance. [c]
-A promo aired with Bronson Reed challenged Jey Uso to a match next week.
-A clip aired from earlier of Gable practicing lifting Otis. Tozawa tried, also, but couldn’t get Otis up.
(4) CHAD GABLE vs. IVAR (w/Valhala)
The bell rang 35 minutes into the hour. Gable landed a top rope headbutt for a two count. Ivar blocked a suplex attempt and slapped Gable. Ivar splashed Gable at ringside. They cut to a break at 3:00. [c]
Gable superplexed Ivar. Ivar came back with a sitout powerbomb for a near fall at 7:00. Barrett said Gable was getting ragdolled. Ivar landed a second rope legdrop for a convincing near fall. Gable avoided a moonsault a minute later and then landed a German suplex into a bridge for a near fall at 10:00. Gable landed a German suplex off the top rope and then climbed to the top rope. Valhala screamed in Gable’s face. Ivar threw Gable off the top rope. Gable landed on the side of his head. Barrett called it a “sickening landing.” Ivar then landed a top rope moonsault for the win.
WINNER: Ivar in 11:00. [c]
-Cody Rhodes made his ring entrance to cheers. Punk made his entrance to cheers next. He greeted fans at ringside. Cole said it was a decade ago that Punk wrestled his last WWE match at the Royal Rumble. As Cody was about to talk, a loud “C.M. Punk!” chant broke out. Punk appreciated it. A “Cody!” chant broke out next. Cody smiled. Punk said he was going to suggest they take a moment to appreciate the circumstance. He said they’ve taken vary different paths to get to that moment. He said he hopes they’re friends as of Sunday morning, but he wanted to take a moment to enjoy the situation.
[HOUR THREE]
Cody asked Punk what he wanted to talk about. Punk said he had a story he’s never told before. He said Dusty Rhodes called him in 2007 and said he was sending Cody to Ohio Valley Wrestling. Punk said Dusty told him to keep an eye on his kid. Punk said he wasn’t sure he should be the guy and he didn’t know Cody yet, “but when the American Dream asks you for a favor, you say yes.”
He said it wasn’t a hard job. He said he stayed out of trouble and didn’t fall into the same vices a lot of their contemporaries did. He said he watched him grow into a main event championship caliber Superstar who stands there now. He said it might sound condescending to say it, but he’s proud of him. He said on Saturday, he won’t be looking out for Cody, he’ll be looking for him. He said he’ll win the Rumble and go on to main event WrestleMania.
Cody said he has worked with many dignitaries over the years including Triple H, Bruce Prichard, Michael Hayes, and Paul Heyman. He said when they see him, they can’t help but see Dusty too. “It’s a very large shadow,” he said. He said he’s done everything in his power since he left WWE to not be in the shadow and subvert expectations on his own last name and be his own man. He said Punk wasn’t lying about OVW. He said he had no matches under his belt and it was “a complete nepotism hire.” He said Punk could have treated him poorly, but he treated him as a friend. He said that’s what makes it all bittersweet. He said in the Rumble, there are no friends.
Punk asked about Sunday morning. He said they have traveled different paths because he had no connections. He said Cody was born on third base and had a head start that he didn’t get. He said he saw the burden of his last name, though, and how hard it’d be to come out of that shadow. “Congratulations, you have done it with flying colors,” he said. He said Cody wore a nice expensive suit and he’s wearing what he wore to the gym earlier. He said they have taken different paths, but they have the same goals. He said his father was blue collar and a regular guy, an electrician. He said it’s ironic because that makes him more of an American Dream than Cody. Fans gasped and roared. Cody paced.
Cody called Punk “American Dream” and said he wanted to talk about the Pipe Bomb. He said he sat on the stage and rattled off the formula for a revolution. He said he was among those inspired by his words. “But then you left,” he said. “You really left. You didn’t pass the torch. You dropped it on the way out.” He said he picked it up. “Everything you spoke about I literally did,” Cody said. He said what Punk spoke, he did. “What is actually ironic is that makes me more C.M. Punk than you,” he said. More gasps and roars from fans.
Punk took off his jacket and said it’s getting hot in there. Punk stepped into Cody’s face. He said Cody has carried the company on his back for “a soul-crushing two years.” He said they handed him the cover of the video game, too. He said right when he’s about to cross the finish line and finish his story, suddenly a “much bigger Superstar who hasn’t been around in a long time shows up to take it all away from you.”
Cody said, “There you are, looking out for me again.” He said Punk might be right. He said courage is being scared to death, but saddling up and going forward anyway. He said he only has one direction he can go and he has go, and that’s forward to WrestleMania. “And that direction goes through you,” he said. Cody turned to leave. Punk swung him around and got nose-to-nose with him. Cody left the ring first to his music.
(Keller’s Analysis: I’m against injecting reality into on-air storylines just for the sake that reality is better than fiction, but if the best story you can tell to hype a match has a ton of reality to it, then by all means lean into it because it will be elevated. This was one of those occasions. Great stuff that didn’t try to sway fans either way, but just felt like an immersive moment of two stars crossing paths for the first time since becoming stars.)
-They went to Cole and Barrett at ringside. Punk went up to them and smiled and said he’s going to win the Rumble. Cole threw to a video on Hulk Hogan winning the WWF Title 40 years ago at MSG. They aired soundbites of Hogan talking about Cody and Seth and Punk and Bayley and Becky and the men’s and women’s Rumbles. He said there’s also the Wildcard. “You never know, I might have one more in me,” he said.
-They cut to the arena as Hogan’s theme was playing and his logo was on the screen. [c]
(5) CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL vs. SHAYNA BASZLER & ZOEY STARK
Kayden Carter & Katana Chance watched from ringside. They cut to an early break after Stark leaped onto Baszler at ringside. [c]
Stark finished LeRae with her Z360
WINNERS: Baszler & Stark in 7:00.
-After the match, Asuka & Kairi Sane attacked Chance & Carter. Cole said they’d face Carter & Chance on Smackdown on Friday.
-Redmond asked Drew if he has anything to say about what Punk and Cody just said. He said no. He said everything he had to say to them he said to their face. He said he heard what Priest said earlier. He said he’s tired of people downplaying what he did during the pandemic. He said people say they literally saved their lives. He said everybody has a destiny and story and says variations of the same thing. He said to be a World Champion, you have to be tough mentally and physically, and he is the only Chosen One.
-Cole hyped the main event. [c]
-Adam Pearce yelled at Damage CTRL for causing chaos. He told them to save it for the Royal Rumble. Jinder Mahal asked Pearce what his plans are for him. He was joined by Veer Mahaan and Sanga who intimidated Pearce into having a meeting with them. Pearce said, “I need a drink.”
-They went to Barrett and Cole who hyped the Rumble.
-Priest made his ring entrance. [c]
(1) DREW MCINTYRE vs. DAMIAN PRIEST
The bell rang 47 minutes into the hour. They cut to a break at 3:00. [c]
Priest controlled the action after the break. Drew bailed out to ringside. Priest ran and springboarded into a flip onto Drew at ringside. The fans stood. Truth showed up with a wad of cash. Priest shoved him down in frustration. Priest then returned to the ring, but Drew kicked him and landed a Future Shock DDT. Truth stood on the ring apron and yelled over to Priest. Drew punched him. Money flew around the ring. Priest landed a South of Heaven chokeslam, but the ref was admonishing Truth. Priest grabbed Truth and yelled at him and then threw him to the floor. Drew then caught Priest with a Claymore for the win. Cole said Truth means well and then closed with a final push for the Rumble.
WINNER: McIntyre in 12:00.
Listen to our podcast that immediately followed Raw hosted by Wade Keller with cohost Darrin Lilly discussing this episode with live caller and email contributions: CLICK HERE
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