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WWE RAW TV REPORT
JANUARY 22, 2024
NEW ORLEANS, LA. AT SMOOTHIE KING CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA
REPORT BY MAURICIO POMARES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
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]
– To start the show, C.M. Punk and Cody Rhodes were shown arriving at the arena earlier today.
– Seth Rollins made his way to the ring wearing a knee brace to a thunderous reaction from the crowd. Rollins talked about defending his title against Jinder Mahal last week and feeling his knee going in in a way it shouldn’t. Rollins said that after going backstage, he thought there was a real possibility that he would miss WrestleMania. He confirmed that after an MRI, he was told that he had torn his MCL and meniscus. Rollins said that he was told that he would be out for four months and that they needed to figure out what to do.
– Gunther interrupted to tell Rollins what he thinks of him. Gunther told Rollins that he was a champion that worked hard and honestly to bring honor to a championship just like himself. He admitted that Rollins missing WrestleMania made him sad. Rollins clarified that he didn’t care about what the doctors said and he would do anything to take the title to WrestleMania. Gunther told Rollins that he respected his choice before claiming that he would the Royal Rumble to face Rollins at WrestleMania.
– Gunther said that he would target Rollins’ knee and back because he would do anything to take his title. Rollins simply told Gunther to remember who he was coming after. Gunther told Rollins to be the one who remembers who is coming after him before they shook hands. As Gunther left the ring, the New Day attacked the entirety of Imperium from behind, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
(Pomares’s Analysis: A very strong opening segment to confirm Seth Rollins’ status and introduce Gunther to the title picture. The real life aspects of this segment gave it an extra emotional edge with the crowd clearly on board. While I don’t think Gunther is going to win the Royal Rumble match, this was a great way to plant the seeds for a future match-up.)
[Commercial Break]
(1) NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. IMPERIUM (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci)
Back from break, Vinci nailed Kofi with a running crossbody for a two count. Kofi nailed Vinci with a springboard dropkick, followed by a barrage of stomps from him and Woods. Vinci caught Woods with a forearm to the back of the neck, allowing Kaiser to blast him with a kick to the face. Kaiser maintained control over Woods with chops, stomps and forearm strikes. Woods clocked Kaiser with an enzuigiri and catapulted Vinci out of the ring, but couldn’t give Kofi the tag. Vinci planted Woods with a back suplex on the apron, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Woods and Vinci traded chops to the chest, until Woods nailed Vinci with a thrust kick. Kofi got the hot tag to take Kaiser down with a springboard axe handle and a clothesline over the ropes. Kofi took Vinci and Kaiser down with suicide dives before receiving a sliding dropkick from Vinci. Woods surprised Vinci and Kaiser with a dropkick through the ropes. They all continued brawling on the floor, ignoring the referee’s Ten Count.
WINNER: Double countout at 8:52
– After the match, Kofi Kingston and Giovanni Vinci took the brawl into the crowd while Ludwig Kaiser and Xavier Woods continued at ringside. Woods saved Kofi from a chair shot to the head, tackling Kaiser into a storage crate. Vinci saved Kaiser from a powerslam atop the crate, but couldn’t follow up with a double suplex. Kofi and Woods tackled Vinci and Kaiser off the crates, crashing through a pair of tables.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Lots of intensity while the encounter lasted, leading to a really fun post-match brawl. They have done a very good job, heating up this rivalry and I think it could realistically come to an end in a No DQ bout at the Royal Rumble.)
– The game covers for WWE 2K24 were shown, followed by the game’s trailer.
[Commercial Break]
– A recap of the brawl between the New Day and Imperium was shown.
– A video package recapping the rivalry between Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest was shown.
– Backstage, Rhea Ripley called Damian Priest for picking up fights with so many people, including a title defense next week. Priest claimed that he wasn’t the one looking for fights before walking away angrily. Ripley demanded Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh to win their match tonight and told Finn Bálor to accompany them. Before Finn walked away, Ripley told him that she hadn’t seen his vicious side in a while.
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Ivy Nile about her upcoming encounter with Valhalla. Maxxine Dupri took over and said that Valhalla wasn’t ready for Nile.
– Ivy Nile made her way to the ring, ahead of her match against Valhalla.
[Commercial Break]
(2) IVY NILE (w/Maxxine Dupri) vs. VALHALLA
Valhalla blocked a power move, only for Nile to immediately hit her with a kick to the abdomen. Valhalla pummeled Nile down before knocking her down with a running forearm strike. Nile caught Valhalla with an enzuigiri, setting her up for a headscissors takeover. Valhalla took Nile down with a pop up uppercut, but the referee noticed her feet on the ropes. Nile avoided a running knee strike and smashed her Vallhala’s head into the ring post. Nile hit Valhalla with an avalanche bulldog for the three count.
WINNER: Ivy Nile at 2:48
(Pomares’s Analysis: Not a great match, but it served its purpose of giving Ivy Nile a win on TV. The only thing really worth mentioning is that Nikki Cross was briefly seen on stage at the start of the match. I’m hoping this actually leads to a meaningful storyline because she has remained directionless pretty much since dropping her superhero gimmick.)
– Backstage, Jey Uso gave the New Day ice before Jackie Redmond showed up to interview them. Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston said that there was a reason they have been champions so many times. Kofi called Gunther out, challenging to a title match on next week’s Raw.
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR TWO]
– Nia Jax made her way to the ring to list the people she squashed since returning. Jax claimed that Rhea Ripley was scared of her before reiterating that she would win the Royal Rumble. Becky Lynch interrupted to tell Jax that she has the biggest target on her back. Lynch wondered if winning the Rumble a second time or seeing Jax lose would feel better. Bayley interrupted to remind Lynch and Jax that she would win the Royal Rumble. They all started brawling, until Lynch planted Bayley with the Manhandle Slam. Jax threw Lynch out of the ring before crushing Bayley with a leg drop.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Decent segment, but the brawl felt pretty lackluster for the final build to the Women’s Rumble match. For a match with 30 participants, they haven’t really tried building anyone besides these three.)
– The annual “Royal Rumble by the numbers” video package was shown.
– Dominik Mysterio made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against The Miz.
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Rhea Ripley told Becky Lynch that she should start making other plans for WrestleMania.
– Earlier today, The Miz warned R-Truth that the Judgment Day would turn on him.
(3) THE MIZ vs. DOMINIK MYSTERIO (w/Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh)
Miz took Dominik with a pair of arm drags before receiving a rising kick. Miz turned Dominik inside out with a clothesline, only for Finn to shut him down with a clothesline behind the referee’s back. Dominik blasted Miz with a suicide dive, followed by a slingshot senton for a two count. Miz nailed Dominik with a pair of chops and a corner clothesline, but Dominik knocked him off the apron, as WWE Raw went to a commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Miz hit Dominik with a series of clotheslines and a neckbreaker for a two count. Finn distracted Miz, allowing Dominik to get a nearfall with an O’Connor Roll. Miz took Finn down with a dropkick through the ropes and JD with a hurracarrana on the floor. Back in the ring, Miz crushed Dominik with a springboard crossbody, but he kicked out at two. Miz nailed Dominik with a barrage of kicks and evaded the 619. Finn cracked Miz with an enzuigiri behind the referee’s back, setting him up for the 619, the Frog Splash and the win.
WINNERS: Dominik Mysterio at 9:22
– After the match, The Judgment Day assaulted The Miz, until DIY showed up to make the save. Miz took JD McDonagh down with the Skull Crushing Finale.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Alright match to give Judgment Day something after recent losses, but nothing particularly special. I hope DIY win the belts next week, but I don’t think they will.)
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Damian Priest about his match with Drew McIntyre. Priest congratulated Dominik for his win before R-Truth interrupted to give him his part for the new shirts. Priest told Truth that this wasn’t the time and said that Drew can no longer win anything after his losses to Roman, Gunther and Rollins. He said that it doesn’t matter if it is his briefcase or winning the Royal Rumble, he would become champion.
– Chad Gable made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Ivar.
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Bronson Reed challenged Jey Uso to a match, claiming that he was coming for the Intercontinental title.
(4) CHAD GABLE vs. IVAR
Gable immediately blasted Ivar with a running flipping kick, followed by a couple of chops. Ivar shut Gable down with a spinning powerslam, but missed a follow-up elbow drop. Gable hit Ivar with a cross chop, followed by a running blockbuster and a diving headbutt for a two count. Ivar blocked a Xploder before dropping Gable on the floor with a suplex. Ivar crushed Gable with a splash off the apron, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Gable laid Ivar out with a modified superplex before sending him out of the ring with a crossbody. Gable avoided a leg lariat, but Ivar quickly planted him with a double underhook powerbomb for a nearfall. Gable put Ivar down with a dragon screw, following it with an Ankle Lock. Ivar kicked Gable away and took him down with a seated senton, setting him up for a diving leg drop for a close two count.
Gable countered another leg lariat with an ankle lock, forcing Ivar to crawl for the ropes. Ivar laid Gable out with a spinebuster, but missed the follow-up moonsault. Gable immediately hit Ivar with a bridging German suplex for a close nearfall. Ivar tried to superplex Gable, only for Gable to hit him with a sunset flip powerbomb. Valhalla distracted Gable, allowing Ivar to knock him off the top turnbuckle and beat him with a moonsault.
WINNER: Ivar at 11:01
(Pomares’s Analysis: A really good match with a really lame finish. Gable and Ivar have been featured a lot over the past few months, but it doesn’t feel like either of them is being pushed forward in any meaningful way.)
[HOUR THREE]
– Cody Rhodes and CM Punk made their way to the ring to thunderous reactions from the crowd. Punk told Cody that he wanted to talk about Cody’s dad. Punk talked about Dusty Rhodes telling him to keep an eye on Cody when he started his training in OVW. He put over how far Cody has gone since first seeing. Punk said that he felt like he would break a promise by eliminating Cody from the Royal Rumble. Cody talked about all the people he has worked with throughout the years and doing everything to not live in the shadow of his father.
– Cody told Punk that at the Rumble there would be no friends. Punk said that he can separate friends from business and questioned if Cody could do so after growing in the business. Punk congratulated Cody for leaving his father’s shadows with flying colors. He talked about having a father who was a blue-collar which makes him more of an American Dream than Cody. Cody mentioned Punk’s pipebomb where he inspired so many, only to leave.
– Cody said that when Punk dropped the torch, he picked it up and did everything that Punk said he would, making him more C.M. Punk. Punk told Cody that the CM Punk Road to WrestleMania is going with all momentum and being in the cover of a videogame, only for a superstar to return and take his spot. Cody said that he would go through Punk and win the Royal Rumble. They had one final face-off before walking away.
(Pomares’s Analysis: In terms of delivery and crowd reactions, this was a top-notch segment to hype up the Royal Rumble. However, I really didn’t care for the majority of their content. Aside from the American Dream line, I thought most of their arguments weren’t very genuine and ultimately found this segment pretty underwhelming.)
– A video package with Hulk Hogan talking about the Royal Rumble matches was shown.
– Katana Chance & Kayden Carter were watching the next match from ringside.
(5) CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL vs. SHAYNA BASZLER & ZOEY STARK
LeRae and Baszler swept each other off their feet before LeRae took Baszler down with a series of arm drags. Indi nailed Stark with a boot to the face and tossed Baszler out of the ring. LeRae launched Starkz off the apron onto Baszler with a hurracarrana, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, LeRae hit Baszler with a basement dropkick and Stark with an enzuigiri. LeRae nailed Stark with a Codebreaker on top of Baszler for a nearfall. Stark knocked Indi off the apron with a thrust kick before being thrown out of the ring. Baszler put LeRae in the Kirifuda Clutch before Stark got the blind tag and knocked LeRae out with the Z-360.
WINNERS: Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark at 6:35
(Pomares’s Analysis: Bit of a nothing match with a tired crowd. At least, they keep on building the tag division and even hyped up the title match on Smackdown.)
– After the match, Katana Chance & Kayden Carter faced Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark, only for Damage CTRL to attack them from behind.
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Drew McIntyre about what Cody and Punk said. Drew said that he didn’t have anything to say about them before focusing on Damian Priest. Drew told Priest that he wasn’t ready and that there was only place for one “chosen one.”
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Natalya and Tegan Nox confronted Damage CTRL, until Adam Pearce interrupted. Pearce said that he didn’t invite them to cause chaos on his show, only for them to claim that he would see more of them after they win the titles. Indus Sher interrupted Pearce to tell him that they needed to talk in their office.
– Damian Priest made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Drew McIntyre.
[Commercial Break]
– It was announced that Judgment Day would defend their tag titles against DIY, Jey Uso would battle Bronson Reed and that Kofi Kingston would challenge Gunther for the Intercontinental title next week.
(6) DREW MCINTYRE vs. DAMIAN PRIEST
Drew knocked Priest down with a shoulder tackle, only for Priest to respond with a shoulder tackle of his own. Drew put Priest down with a clothesline, but Priest quickly retaliated with a forearm strike. At ringside, Drew countered an axe handle with a belly-to-belly suplex, following it with a clothesline. Priest blocked a belly-to-belly suplex before ramming Drew’s head into the ring post. Priest hit Drew with the Broken Arrow on top of the announce table, as WWE Raw went to its final commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Priest clocked Drew with a series of kicks and a clothesline for a two count. Priest clobbered Priest with a forearm to the back before they knocked each other down with big boots. Drew launched Priest away with a belly-to-belly suplex and a neckbreaker, but missed the Claymore. Drew dropped Priest with a spinebuster, only for Priest to nail him with a bell clap. Priest planted Drew with a flatliner for a close two count. Drew blocked a leaping elbow drop and cracked Priest with a Glasgow Kiss.
Priest avoided a diving move to nail Drew with a cyclone kick and a Broken Arrow for a nearfall. Priest crushed Drew with a Tope con Hilo before shoving R-Truth out of the way. The distraction allowed Drew to hit Priest with a Future Shock DDT. Truth distracted Drew to ask Priest about the code for his briefcase, allowing Priest to counter the Claymore with South of Heaven. The referee got distracted taking Truth out of the ring, angering Priest into throwing him out. Drew immediately knocked Priest out with the Claymore for the victory.
WINNER: Drew McIntyre at 13:07
(Pomares’s Analysis: A pretty solid main event with a pretty overbooked ending. For a match that was built throughout the show as an encounter months in the making, it didn’t really hit its full potential. The R-Truth bit is very over with the crowd, but on this show it felt like more of the same which would be fine if this wasn’t booked as the main event of the show.)
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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