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WWE RAW REPORT
JANUARY 20, 2025
DALLAS, TEX. AT AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON NETFLIX
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reports that 14,137 tickets were distributed as of showtime. The arena has a capacity of 21,000 spectators when configured for concerts.
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[HOUR ONE]
-After showing the Dallas skyline, Michael Cole set the stage for the show. He hyped the Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins match as clips aired of them arriving earlier. He hyped the second appearance of Penta who would face Pete Dunne. They showed Nia Jax attacking Rhea Ripley earlier as she arrived at the arena earlier.
They cut to a wide shot of the arena as Cole touted 15,000-plus in the arena. They went to ringside where Wade Barrett (not Corey Graves) filled in for Pat McAfee who was covering the College Football National Championship.
-They cut to Jey Uso’s ring entrance as fans did the Yeet dance. Cole met him at ringside and danced with him (breaking the Dork-o-Meter). Cole said he was exhausted from it. Barrett made fun of Cole. Cole said he has to grab moments when he can because he doesn’t get big entrances like the wrestlers (Or he could be portrayed as someone who takes pride in his role, which isn’t based on “needing fan adulation” for validation, and wants to come across as a professional announcer in his 50s who isn’t “jealous” of wrestlers or “needy” for fan pops. Anyway.) They cut to a great wide shot of the reveling crowd doing the Yeet dance as Jey’s entrance continued for a while as he soaked it up mid-ring. He wore a “Dallas ‘Yeet’ Stars” t-shirt.
Jey said he’s “taking home the big one” this weekend on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Gunther’s music interrupted. Cole said, “Well, that didn’t take long.” Gunther walked out, World Title belt around his waist. Gunther asked if he was about to say he’s going to win the World Title on Saturday. Jey affirmed that’s his belief. Gunther smiled and said, “You really are a funny little man.” Gunther said Jey said he looks at himself in the mirror every day and tells himself he’s betting on himself. Gunther said he was looking forward to facing “Main Event” Jey Uso on Saturday – “until today.” He said it appeared to him that last week’s conversation never happened, and instead acted like a big dork “and the company mascot.”
Gunther said he could have just as easily been challenged by Jimmy Uso. Jey asked to say something. Gunther said it doesn’t matter what he says because he never follows up on his words. He said the fans are naive enough to believe every word he says, but he’s not. Fans booed. He said he’s “a useful idiot” who shows up when Jimmy, Sami Zayn, and Cody Rhodes need him. “And you don’t even realize it,” he said. Gunther said his words and actions do not align. “Mine do,” Gunther said. He said on Saturday when the bell rings, he’ll expose him as a flash in the pan. Fans chanted “Yeet! Yeet!”
Jey told Gunther that everything he said was right and true. “I am the mascot, and this right here is my team, my squad,” he said. Fans yeeted as he said they will be with him on Saturday when he wins the World Title. He said he respects Gunther, but Gunther will put some respect on his name. He said only one of them main evented WrestleMania, “and it ain’t you.” Gunther jumped him and doled out some punishment. Jey fought back and tackled Gunther. The disheveled and apoplectic Gunther tried to gather himself at ringside. He hopped onto the ring apron and stared at Jey, then jumped down and retreated.
-The New Day approached JBL backstage. Xavier said, “Finally, someone who understands us.” Kofi said JBL is the special guest commentator for their match against Rey Mysterio later. Xavier Woods said they’d appreciate if he said they are the victim of a smear campaign. Kofi Kingston shoved cash ($1 bills!) in his jacket pocket. Kofi said JBL was part of a tag team where he had to cut dead weight, so he understands them. Xavier said he can be an acolyte for them. JBL said he doesn’t blame them for what they did to Big E given his muscles and fan adulation. He said now that they got rid of him, fans have to pay attention to them, “I guess.” Kofi and Xavier said he’s gone soft and then they left. JBL asked if he could keep the two dollars.
-Rey Mysterio made his ring entrance. [c]
-Cathy Kelley interviewed Bayley backstage. She asked what her announcement was. Bayley said she is officially back on Raw and it feels good. She said that’s where she started her career after leaving NXT. She said it feels right. She also declared herself for the Royal Rumble. Jax showed up and asked if she saw what she did to Ripley earlier. She said she’ll take out Tiffany Stratton herself. Then she said she is going to win the Rumble. Bayley dared her to try to do to her what she did to Ripley earlier. Jax said she’d see her later.
-They showed Mason Taylor and Austin Richardson, professional bull riders, and Matt West, the PBR announcer.
-JBL joined Cole and Barrett on commentary. He sat about five or six feet from Barrett and Cole off to the side of the new announce desk.
-New Day’s music played, but they came out and said their music should be shut off. Xavier said, “It’s your boys!” Kofi said in response to the boos and catcalls that the fans were starting to piss him off. He said they’ve been too good for too long to be disrespected like that. Kofi went up to JBL and took his money back from his jacket pocket.
(1) REY MYSTERIO vs. KOFI KINGSTON (w/Xavier Woods)
JBL said he never thought he’d root for “a dead beat dad like Rey Mysterio,” but against Kofi, this is one time. The bell rang 26 minutes into the hour. Cole asked about Rey turning the locker room against New Day. JBL said he doesn’t mind a locker room leader, but he should be ashamed of himself. He made a “Game of Thrones” and “Leave It To Beaver” comparison regarding Rey as a father. Kofi took control early and beat up Rey at ringside. He had some words for JBL at ringside. Rey head scissored Kofi into the steps. They cut to a break. [c]
Rey rallied with a flurry of signature moves and scored a two count after a basement dropkick at 11:00. Rey set up Kofi for a 619, but Xavier tripped him as he ran the ropes. The ref saw it and booted Xavier to the back. Kofi hit a distracted Rey from behind, but Rey fired back and connected with a 619. When he went for a splash, Kofi lifted his knees and scored a two count. Rey countered Kofi’s attempt at a Boom Drop and leveraged his shoulders down for a leverage three count.
WINNER: Rey in 11:00.
-Xavier came back and joined Kofi in attacking Rey. Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro made the save. New Day retreated.
-They went to the announcers at ringside. Cole thanked JBL for joining them. JBL said it was a pleasure. Cole then threw to a video package on Penta’s emotional debut on Raw last week.
-Kelley stood backstage and said she was scheduled for an interview with Chad Gable. Gable was throwing a fit in the background, yelling at Ivy Nile and The Creeds. He then walked up to Kelley and said he was inspiring the team. He said he’s been the talk of the whole wrestling world last week, but he’s man enough to know when he has a problem. He said he has had trouble with Penta, Dragon Lee, and Rey Mysterio. He said he asked Dominik Mysterio to help him. Ivy said she’s destined to win the Women’s Title. The Creeds then talked about how they’re going to win the tag titles. Brutus Creed is acting like Mark Briscoe compared to Julius Creed’s Jey Briscoe.
-They showed Sami Zayn backstage and said he’d be out next. [c]
-They showed an aerial view of Dallas, Tex. as Cole talked about the history of Dallas pro wrestling including the Von Erichs-Freebirds feud. They cut to the June 1, 2010 episode when Wade Barrett was announced as the winner of the first-ever NXT competition. They went to Barrett who called that a pivotal moment in pro wrestling.
-Sami’s music faded as he stood mid-ring. Fans sang his song sans music. He said he has spoken to Adam Pearce and he is now officially in the Royal Rumble match. He said since Seth Rollins told him to start looking out for himself, he has been thinking about what he wants. He said he started thinking about 14 year old Sami and when he dreamed of being a pro wrestler. He said there’s an elite top tier, and the difference between him and Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre, and Seth Rollins is that they have a world championship to their name “and I don’t.” He said he’s had a great life and career and he doesn’t feel he needs a world title to complete him. He said the fans have supported him over the years and that has meant more to him than any world championship could ever mean. He said he doesn’t need a world title, “but dammit, I want it!” He said the 14 year old him is still with him and he wants it. He said therefore he is going to take it. Kevin Owens’ music kicked in and Sami froze and glared at the entrance stage.
Owens walked out with the winged-eagle belt. Cole said he probably knows Sami as well as anyone. When Owens entered the ring, he asked how it was going to go down. Owens asked what he meant. Sami said he knows how he reacted to Cody Rhodes teaming with Roman, and he teamed with him at Survivor Series. Owens said he looked at Sami’s situation and it’s different because he and Roman had so much history. He said that’s like they have a history. He said Sami overlooked a lot of what Roman did to him, just like Sami overlooked a lot of what he did to him. He said Sami forgave him, just as he did Roman. He said Sami is a good person. He said Sami does a lot for other people, especially his friends. He said Sami is more like a brother than a friend. He said he believes Sami can and will win the Rumble. He got hyped up as he talked and said Sami deserves it and he knows he will do it. Sami stared at him, conveying some skepticism but also seeming to soak up something genuine.
Owens said if Sami wins the Rumble, and he walks out of the Rumble as the WWE Champion, they can headline WrestleMania together. He said he knows both of those things are going to happen. He said he has Sami’s back, and he knows Sami has his back, too. “If I need you, I know you’ll be there,” he said. He dropped the mic and left.
(Keller’s Analysis: As overexposed as the feud can seem at times over the years, the dynamic between these two is tremendous and this was a really good segment playing into that. I really like how this year they’re giving so many wrestlers a chance to make their case for why they can win the Rumble.)
-Cole hyped Shawn Michaels moderating the contract signing at Saturday Night’s Main Event between Cody and KO for their match at the Rumble. He then plugged the Priority Pass for SNME.
-Kelley interviewed Sheamus backstage about his Intercontinental Title match on SNME against Bron Breakker. Sheamus said some people think he’s had a backward career. He said he beat John Cena for the World Title early, but as a kid he dreamed of winning the IC Title first. Breakker walked up to him and told him to look at the belt. He said, “It’s mine and it’s as close as you’ll ever get to winning this title.” He said he’ll beat him and break him like an old man. He said he should just retire. Sheamus shoved him. Breakker laughed and walked away.
[HOUR TWO]
-They showed Bayley backstage, then Jax. Cole said their match was up next.
-A Bob Uecker memorial graphic was shown. [c]
-Cole said Jax was talking to Pearce about the transfer window and perhaps coming to Raw. They replayed her attack on Ripley earlier. Then they showed Roxanne Perez at ringside. Cole talked about her getting into it with Bayley last week. He said she sent out a message on social media that Raw gained a loser in Bayley.
(2) BAYLEY vs. NIA JAX
As Bayley made her entrance, Cole said these two have a rivalry dating back to NXT a decade ago. He said they’ve wrestled ten times and Jax has a slight 7-6 edge in victories. They showed Perez and Bayley eyeing each other. Cole said he’s glad to have Bayley on Raw. Barrett called him out, noting that he’s done nothing but talk smack about Bayley for several years. Cole said he’s trying to turn another leaf. The bell rang 3 minutes into the second hour.
Bayley DDT’d Jax early for a one count. Jax slammed Bayley seconds later and scored a two count. Jax battered Bayley as Cole talked about Jax having 20 all-time eliminations and how she is the only wrestler to ever compete in two Rumbles in one night. Jax landed a uranage.
Bayley dove onto Jax at ringside at 3:00, then yelled at Perez in the front row. Perez took a swing at her, but Bayley blocked her and hit her. A security guy held her back. Bayley smiled and waved. Jax, meanwhile, recovered in the background. [c]
Jax took over during the break. Bayley made a comeback and scored a two count. They went to a wide shot as Cole touted the sellout crowd. Jax yanked Bayley’s arm over the top rope, then gloated. She went for a legdrop on Bayley’s arm on the ring apron, but Bayley moved. Bayley then sunset-flipped Jax into the ringpost, sending her off the ring apron and crashing to ringside. Cole said Bayley would take a countout win here. Jax rolled back in. Bayley gave Jax an Annhilator for a two count. She followed with an elbowdrop for a two count.
Jax took over a minute later and landed a backbreaker for a near fall. Jax smashed Bayley in the corner and then rammed her into shoulder-first into the ringpost at 11:00. Jax set up an Annihilator, but Bayley moved and then landed a knee and scored a two count. A “Let’s Go Bayley!” chant rang out. Jax set up a second rope move, but Bayley shifted it into a sunset bomb for a two count. Bayley leaped off the top rope with a flying elbow for a near fall.
Bayley’s shoulder gave out when she went for a Bayley-to-Belly. Jax then delivered a pop-up Samoan Drop and a running senton followed by an Annihilator for a three count.
WINNER: Jax in 14:00.
-Afterward, as Jax celebrated her win, Ripley made her entrance as her music played. Jax went wide-eyed as Ripley charged at her in the ring and went on the attack. Security ran into the ring and separated them. Jax broke free and landed a running splash in the corner. Ripley charged back after her a few seconds later. They fought to ringside. Ripley leaped onto Jax and a crowd of security and agents. Fans chanted, “Mami! Mami!” Ripley stood on the announce desk and said, “You, me, Saturday Night’s Main Event!” Cole yelled at Adam Pearce to make it official.
(Keller’s Analysis: No surprise Jax won since she’s feuding with Ripley, who’s a top act, and no surprise Bayley lost since she’s shifting to a feud with newcomer Perez.)
-Cole and Barrett commented on clips of Damien Priest beating Finn Balor last week on Raw.
-They cut to Gable asking Dom in the Judgment Day Clubhouse for some advice. Dom handed Gable a sheet of paper. “This is the guy?” asked Gable. Dom said it is. Gable said he’s about to master the “dark arts of Lucha Libre.” J.D. McDonagh asked what that was about. Dom said it’s a long story, but it can’t hurt to have Gable owe them a favor. McDonagh asked if Balor would be healthy in time for their tag title match next week. Liv Morgan said listening to Balor hasn’t helped them much lately. Dom suggested he take Balor’s place. McDonagh was okay with it as Carlito searched for the perfect apple in the background. Liv said she hoped the tag match goes better for Dom than her match with Ripley. Dom said he thought she wasn’t mad. Liv said she’s not mad and asked if he can take a joke. He said he knows she’s not mad and said he has an idea for her and he’ll make it up to her. Carlito tried to listen in, but Raquel Rodriguez shoved him away.
-A vignette aired with Lyra Valkyria narrating highlights of her Women’s IC Title win last week.
-Cole and Barrett hyped Penta’s match, then shifted to a video honoring Martin Luther King Jr. [c]
-Cole threw to a video on Marcus Freeman, head coach of Notre Dame’s football team.
-Cole plugged WrestleMania tickets.
-They showed Seth Rollins warming up backstage. Sami walked up and said he really appreciated what he told him last week and said it really got through to him. Seth said it’s about time for that Sami Zayn to show up. He said he’s almost rooting for that one, but he’ll throw him out of the Rumble if he gets the chance. Sami said not if he gets the chance first. It was friendly but with some tension.
(3) PENTA vs. PETE DUNNE
Dunne was already in the ring. Cole said as Dunne was saying no one respects him, his mic was cut off. Barrett called it gross incompetence by someone in production. Penta’s entrance then took place as Cole touted the fanfare and crowd reaction for Penta last week. He said these two wrestled in 2018 at a Rev Pro event. The bell rang 32 minutes into the hour. Penta and Dunne exchanged strikes early. When Dunne snapped Penta fingers, Barrett said he was “trying to break the shiny new toy of WWE management.” Barrett said the honeymoon period for Penta is already over. Penta kicked Dunne out of mid-air. Dunne rolled to ringside. Penta played to the crowd just long enough that Dunne recovered and punched him out of mid-air. He then followed up with a suplex of Penta on the ring apron at 2:00. [c]
Dunne was in control after the break. Penta made a comeback a minute later and landed a handstand into a swing kick in the corner followed by a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Penta landed a Mexican Destroyer. Dunne rolled to ringside. Penta landed a running flip dive onto Dunne. Both were down and slow to get up. Dunne drove Penta’s shoulders down and scored a very near fall. Both were down and slow to get up again. They sat up and exchanged strikes. Penta landed a dead lift powerbomb and then snapped Dunne’s arm with The Sacrifice. He followed with a Penta Driver for the win. Cole said Penta “is a joy to watch” and is off to a great start in WWE.
WINNER: Penta in 10:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: There was only one spot in this match where Penta playing to the crowd backfired and led to the heel recovering and countering one of his moves. I don’t think Penta’s living up to the hype in the ring. He’s fine, but he’s not off the charts memorable move-wise, but he definitely has more personality and energetic charisma than most previously pushed Lucha newcomers. Glad they kept it shorter since Dunne isn’t exactly a protected top tier star.)
-A vignette aired on Logan Paul. He said he will eat, sleep, and breathe wrestling until he’s accepted as the greatest WWE Superstar ever. “You’re looking at the GOAT,” he said.
-Cole then hyped that Logan would make his Raw debut next week. Barrett hyped War Raiders vs. Dom & McDonagh next week in a World Tag Team Title defense. Cole said Cody will be on Raw next week in his hometown of Atlanta.
-They showed C.M. Punk making his way through a crowd of fans in the concourse and into the arena bowl, slapping hands the whole way. Jackie Redmond interviewed Punk at the top of the lower bowl. He asked if it’s great to be in Dallas on Monday night “or what?” She asked him about the Rumble. She said he’s never won it, but it’s one of the most stacked fields ever. She listed the declared wrestlers. She asked what will be different this time for him. He said history is on his side and when the stakes are so high, that’s when he rises to the occasion. He said no one can beat him when the fans are behind him.
He asked if she mentioned John Cena. Redmond said yes. He said he can’t see him throwing him over the top rope. He said there are no friends to help Roman in the Rumble. He said he put Drew in the dirt. He said Sami’s not in his league. He said if they put Hulk Hogan in the Rumble, he’d toss out his “dusty ass” and end Hulkamania once and for all. Fans cheered. Punk said he’ll call in favors if he needs to, and one man will get his hand raised, and it’ll be him.
-They showed Drew McIntyre in a stairwell. Cole said he showed himself to be a hypocrite on social media this weekend and he’d elaborate after the break. [c]
-Cole hyped Elimination Chamber tickets.
(4) PURE FUSION COLLECTIVE (Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark w/Sonya Deville) vs. IYO SKY & DAKOTA KAI
Cole noted that Stark and Sky were once tag partners in NXT.
At 6:00, Baszler applied a Kirafuda Clutch on Sky, but she escaped and drove Baszler into the middle rope. Sky then leaped off the top rope with a moonsault for the win. They showed a dejected PFC at ringside.
WINNERS: Sky & Kai in 7:00.
-Cole and Barrett plugged Saturday Night’s Main Event. He then shifted to setting the stage for the main event, Drew vs. Seth. He called it a WrestleMania rematch.
-A video package previewed the match.
-Seth’s ring entrance took place. [c]
(5) SETH ROLLINS vs. DREW MCINTYRE
The bell rang 15 minutes into the hour. Seth had words for Drew as fans sang Seth’s song. Drew overhead-tossed Seth onto the announce desk at 3:00 and they cut to a break. [c]
Seth made a comeback and got in sustained offense. As Seth went for a Falcon Arrow, Drew countered into a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. They kept blocking each other’s big moves. Drew leaped off the top rope, but Seth side-stepped him and drove Drew to the mat and then applied a crossface mid-ring. Drew came back with a Future Shock DDT after pulling Seth’s hair. Seth eventually landed a jackknife cover for the leverage three count. Barrett said Drew got caught napping.
WINNER: Rollins in 17:00.
-Drew attacked Seth after the match. He landed a Claymore. Cole said Drew was humiliated. Barrett said the trauma of the last few years has conspired to create an anger prison inside Drew. Sami ran out and attacked Drew at ringside. Cole said he was there to help his friend, Seth. Sami checked on Seth, then turned back to Drew. Drew gave Sami a Glasgow Kiss and then rammed him hard into the ringside barricade. An enraged Drew re-entered the ring and went after Seth, shoving him into the corner. Sami charged at Drew, but Drew moved, so Sami hit Seth with a Helluva Kick. Drew smiled at ringside. Cole asked if there will be any repercussions. He said Drew was loving it. Seth sat up and glared at Sami. Sami explained what happened.
(Keller’s Analysis: How can Seth be upset at Sami? He obviously didn’t mean it, and that’s pretty obvious or should be once Seth sees the footage.)
NOTE: The show ended 35 minutes into the third hour.
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
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Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Raw. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
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