Our WWE Raw results for tonight’s Netflix premiere include Roman Reigns challenging Solo Sikoa to Tribal Combat for the ‘Ula Fala, Jey Uso battling Drew McIntyre, Liv Morgan defending the Women’s World Championship against long-time rival Rhea Ripley, John Cena beginning his farewell tour, both the Rock and Logan Paul are set to return, CM Punk and Seth “Freakin” Rollins clashing in a match 10 years in the making. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from Intuit Dome In Inglewood, California.
WWE Raw Card:
- Women’s World Championship Match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
- Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre
- Tribal Combat Match for the Ula Fala: Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa
- CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
- John Cena’s Farewell Tour Begins
- The Rock Returns
- Logan Paul returns
WWE Raw Results:
Raw kicks off with an amazing video package highlighting the history of WWE. A spotlight hits the middle of the ring, and Triple H is standing there.
It’s Time to Play the Game
Triple H tells the crowd that they are being seen and heard by the entire globe. Triple H implores the crowd to show the people watching who they are! Be the loudest crowd possible. Even though Triple H knows the answer to his next question, he asks the crowd, “Are you ready?” With pyro blaring, Triple H welcomes us to the Netflix Era.
The light dims, and The Rock‘s music hits.
Grade: B
If you thought this show wasn’t opening with Triple H, I have some swamp land to sell you. That was a good opening segment to hype the crowd. Triple H is smart; the more hype the crowd is, the more likely they would ask themselves, ‘What’s happening here that everyone is so amped about? A casual viewer may be inclined to stick around. Triple H is money when it comes to these hype segments.
The Final Boss has Arrived
The Rock slowly approaches the ring carrying the People’s Championship. The crowd is going wild for Rock. Rock puts over Netflix and how they are making history. Tonight is the largest arena gate in WWE history. The Rock hits us with a “finally,” and the crowd plays along. Rock acknowledges the Netflix executives and puts over Cody Rhodes, who is sitting in the crowd. Rock tells Rhodes to tell Mama Rhodes he said hello. Rhodes laughs. There is one more person Rock wants to acknowledge: his cousin, the OTC, Roman Reigns. Rock is going to be watching the Tribal Combat match closely if you smell what The Rock is cooking.
Grade: C+
This was The Rock and not the Final Boss, so meh. The Rock pandered to Netflix executives and put over a guy he’s supposed to hate, Cody Rhodes. This was out of place because Triple H already did a great job of hyping the crowd.
Paul Heyman does Roman Reigns ring introduction. Solo Sikoa hands the ‘Ula Fala to Heyman. An “FU Solo” chant breaks out.
Tribal Combat Match for the ‘Ula Fala: Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa
Reigns tosses Sikoa out of the ring. Sikoa bounces Reigns’ head off the commentary desk; Sikoa sends Reigns back into the ring and levels him with a clothesline. Reigns lands a clothesline of his own after being sent into the ropes. Sikoa ends up in the corner, and Reigns unloads with repeated clotheslines. The fight spills out of the ring. Sikoa surprises Reigns with Spinning Solo at the commentary desk. Reigns gets to his feet. Sikoa clocks Reigns in the head with a monitor. Reign struggles to get to his feet. Sikoa tosses the ring steps and hits Reigns in the face with them.
After the break, Sikoa works over Reigns with a chair. Sikoa misses a hip attack. Reigns works over Sikoa with the chair. Reigns tries a conchairto. Sikoa avoids it and low blows Reigns. Sikoa spikes Reigns with Spinning Solo on a chair! Reigns kicks out! Sikoa pulls a table from under the ring. Reigns blasts Sikoa with a drive-by out of nowhere. Reigns set up a table. Sikoa wacks Reign in the face with a kendo stick. Sikoa rolls back in and canes Reigns repeatedly. Reign ends up in the corner. Sikoa chokes Reigns with the kendo stick and yells about Reigns never loving him.
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Reigns powers out of it and powerbombs Sikoa through the table. Reigns falls into the pin. Someone pulls the referee out of the ring. It’s Tama Tonga! Jacob Fatu appears and superkicks Reigns. Fatu flattens Reigns with the Best Moonsault Ever. Sikoa rolls in, and Samoan Spikes Reigns. Reigns kick out! Sikoa, Fatu, and Tonga surround the referee. Sikoa Samoan Spikes the referee. Sami Zayn and Jimmy Uso hit the ring and made the save. Jimmy superkicks Sikoa. Helluva Kick by Zayn. Reign Spears Sikoa! A new referee runs down to the ring to make the count. Sikoa kicks out!
Jimmy and Zayn take out Fatu and Tonga with stereo dives. Reigns calls for another Spear. Kevin Owens hops the barricade and drops Reigns with a Stunner. Owens tells Sikoa to pin Reigns. Reigns kicks out. Owens sets Reigns up for a Package Piledriver. Rhodes runs down to ring and drops Owens with a Cody Cutter. Rhodes and Owens fight to the back. Reigns tries a Superman Punch. Sikoa catches Reigns in the air. Sikoa tries a Samoan Spike. Reigns ducks it and lands a Superman Punch. Sikoa stumbles around the ring. Reigns lands a Spear for the win!
Winner- Roman Reigns
After the match, The Rock walks down to the ring and places the ‘Ula Fala on Reigns. The Rock and Reigns shake hands and hug.
Grade: B+
What a match. It was overbooked to the gills, but it had to be. There are just too many moving parts for everyone not to be involved in the finish. This was a brutal way to usher in the Netflix Era. It’s interesting that we didn’t see Jey Uso get mixed up here. Yes, he has a match, but this was a pretty important family business. This writer can’t help but wonder if something is brewing there. With that, Reigns and Sikoa tried to kill each other tonight. Sikoa dominated most of it, which needed to happen. Regardless of what’s next for Sikoa, he’s a made man at this point. The interaction with The Rock after the match was odd in the sense that it didn’t tease those two about what was next. Does that mean there isn’t a next for Reigns and Rock?
The Last Time is Now
John Cena started this by cutting the same promo that Triple H and The Rock did; he put over Netflix and told the people to be loud. Cena talks about his strong connection to the LA area and how he started his career there. As Cena thanks the crowd, the crowd thanks him. Cena notes that this is going to be a year of making moments. Cena notes all of the different people he could face (Rhodes, Gunther, etc.) Everyone wants to know when he will challenge for his record-breaking 17th World Championship.
He has to be honest; Cena doesn’t see that happening. Why? Because of the streak. It’s been 2046 days since he won his last match. It would take a miracle for that to happen. Cena would have to win Money in the Bank… The Elimination Chamber… or The Royal Rumble. Cena has a crazy idea; maybe he’ll win the Royal Rumble. Cena declares he isn’t just going to the Royal Rumble, he’s going to win the Royal Rumble.
Grade: B-
Why is Cena cutting the same promo we have heard two times already? Loved how Cena ended this with his Royal Rumble declaration, but the pandering to start the promo was tired at this point.
Women’s World Championship Match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Mogan and Ripley start throwing hands as soon as the bell rings. Ripley choke tosses Morgan clear across the ring. Morgan rolls out of the ring and is comforted by Rodrigez and Dominik. Ripley takes out Rodrigez with a cannonball off the apron. After a distraction from Dominik, Morgan knocks Ripley off the apron. Morgan dives off the apron for a rana. Ripley catches Morgan and powerbombs her on the commentary desk.
After the break, Morgan is working over Ripley. Morgan slaps Ripley. Ripley begs for more. Ripley unloads on Morgan with strikes. Running knee by Ripley. Ripcord suplex by Ripley. Morgan tries a roll up. Ripley reverses it into a half nelson suplex. Morgan kicks at two. Morgan surprises Ripley with a backstabber. Tornado DDT by Morgan. Ripley kicks out. Ripley counters Morgan into the Riptide. Morgan somehow kicks out! Ripley is shocked.
Dominik slides the championship into the ring. Rodriguez slides in a chair. While the referee is distracted, Morgan hits Oblivion on a chair! Ripley kicks out! Three Amigos by Morgan. Morgan lands a frog splash. Ripley kicks out again! Morgan tries Oblivion, but Ripley puts on the brakes. Ripley stares at Morgan and smiles. Ripley slams Morgan to the mat and hits two Riptides for the win!
Winner- Rhea Ripley
After the match, Dominik sneaks up behind Ripley. Ripley turns around. Dominik asks for a hug. Ripley acts like she is going to hug Dominik, but she kicks him below the belt instead. As Dominik is hunched over, Ripley sends him flying with Riptide.
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While Ripley is walking up the ramp, we hear a familiar gong. The Undertaker rides his motorcycle down and gives Ripley a pound. Ripley and Undertaker throw up their fist in the aisle.
Grade: A
Ripley and Morgan killed it. With all the drama leading up to this final match, they delivered. At several points, this match could have ended, and it would have made perfect sense. The one time it’s okay to kick out of a finish is if it’s a blow-off match in a blood feud. And even with that, it’s only okay if it hasn’t happened. It added to the already electric drama surrounding this contest. To cap it off, Ripley was able to assault Dominik to close this out. This is how you end and angle.
Jey Uso makes his entrance with Travis Scott. Pat McAfee and Michael Cole stand on the commentary desk yeeting all over each other.
Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre
As McIntyre approaches the ring, Jey surprises him with a dive. Jey tries another, but McIntyre catches Jey. McIntyre drives Jey into the ring apron. McIntyre sends Jey back into the ring, and the bell rings. Jey gets to his feet. McIntyre misses a Claymore. Jey tries a leapfrog, but McIntyre catches him with a kick to the chest. McIntyre works over Jey. McIntyre works the ten punches in the corner. Jey counters with a sit-out powerbomb. After a series of strikes, Jey lands a running hip attack. Crossbody block by Jey. McIntyre kicks out. Jey tries a clothesline, but McIntyre counters with a neckbreaker. McIntyre calls for the Claymore.
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Jey catches McIntyre with a leaping Superkick. McIntyre kicks at two. Jey tries the Uso Splash. McIntyre gets his knees up. Spinebuster by McIntyre. Deadlift sit-out powerbomb by McIntyre. After trading counters, McIntyre lands the Future Shock DDT. Jey kicks out. McIntyre calls for the Claymore again. Jey catches McIntyre with a Spear! Kick out by McIntyre! Jey lands a few superkicks. McIntyre blasts Jey with a Claymore. Jey kicks out. Glasgow Kiss by McIntyre. McIntyre sets up another Claymore. Jey collapses before McIntyre can land it. McIntyre laughs. McIntyre tries another Claymore. Jey drops down and rolls McIntyre into a crucifix pin for the win.
Winner- Jey Uso
Grade: B-
This one started and finished hot. Jey got a surprise win here, as he hasn’t beaten McIntyre since this whole thing started.
CM Punk vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins
Punk and Rollins stare each other down as the crowd goes insane. Rollins and Punk charge each other and trade punches. Rollins lands a series of clotheslines but misses the big one. Punk clotheslines Rollins over the top. Punk misses a dive. Rollins lands one of his own. Rollins clears the commentary desk. The referee argues with Rollins about the rules. Rollins sends Punk into the barricade. Punk back body drops Rollins into the crowd. Punk lands a dive off the barricade. The fight spills back over the barricade. Rollins tries a diving axe handle, but Punk slugs Rollins in the gut.
Punk sends Rollins back into the ring. As Punk rolls in, Rollins misses a Stomp. Punk tries the GTS. Rollins escapes and stomps Punk in the corner. Rollins argues with the referee. Punk almost decapitated Rollins with a big boot. Top rope swinging neck breaker by Punk. After the break, Rollins is working over Punk. Punk fires up and lands his running bulldog. Punk focuses his assault on Rollins’ neck. Rollins gets to his feet. Punk lands a dive after stunning Rollins on the top rope. Punk tries a crossbody off the top. Rollins rolls through and hits the GTS on Punk. Punk falls out of the ring.
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Rollins sends Punk back into the ring. As Rollins rolls in, Punk lands a Stomp! Rollins kick out! Punk tries another GTS. Rollins reverses it and hits a GTS again! Punk kicks out! Rollins misses the Stomp as Punk rolls out of the ring. Rollins hits a Pedigree on the commentary desk. Punk rolls off the table. Rollins hurts his knee in the process. Rollins drags Punk back into the ring and hits another Pedigree! Somehow, Punk kicks out again! Rollins and Punk trade strikes. Punk tries a running knee in the corner.
Rollins counters with a buckle bomb. Rollins immediately hits the Stomp! Punk gets his foot on the bottom rope. Rollins sets Punk on the top rope. Punk punches Rollins and he falls to the mat. An enraged Rollins leaps back up top and lands a superplex. Rollins tries to transition into a falcon arrow, but Punk reverses it into a GTS. Rollins stumbles into the ropes and falls back onto Punk’s shoulders. Punk lifts Rollins and gives him another GTS for the win.
Winner- CM Punk
Grade: A+
Hell of a match. The intensity both men embodied on the road to this match was in full display tonight. Rollins had fire in his eyes as he attempted to Stomp Punk into oblivion. Punk smartly focused his energy on Rollins previously injured… well, everything. Rollins lost this match because he let his rage get the better of him. This will be the first of many clashes between these two. After this contest and the stuff with Drew McIntyre, Punk can’t miss at this point.
WWE Raw Review:
The Netflix Era of WWE began with amazing production values, rich storytelling, and an engaging presentation designed to captivate both longtime fans and newcomers. The improved visuals were a nice touch, particularly with competitor stats and history flashed on the screen. This new wrinkle was a great primer for viewers unfamiliar with certain stars or storylines. The night wasn’t perfect; the sameness of the promos delivered by Triple H, The Rock, and John Cena was a bit on the annoying side.
Thankfully, the in-ring action more than made up for that. Match of the Night was the main event between Rollins and Punk, but it didn’t win that honor by much; Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley were only inched out from that award by having a better finish. This was a fantastic start to the Netflix Era. And on top of that, Hulk Hogan got booed out of the building. Now, That alone was worth the price of admission. Let us know what you think in the comments!
Rating: B+
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