Our WWE Raw results for tonight include Sheamus battling Ludwig Kaiser, Chad Gable taking on a mystery luchador, Lyra Valkyria and Dakota Kai clashing in the finals of the Women’s Intercontinental Championship tournament, CM Punk addressing the WWE Universe. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
WWE Raw Card:
- Street Fight: Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest
- Chad Gable vs. A Mystery Luchador
- Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser
- WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Finals: Lyra Valkyria vs. Dakota Kai
- CM Punk addresses the WWE Universe
WWE Raw Results:
A truck pulls up backstage. CM Punk exits and walks straight to the ring.
The Best in the World…
Punk puts over the first responders who are helping with the LA wildfires. The crowd cheers. Punk asks the crowd if they watched the show last week. The crowd yells yes. Punk notes that he has a lot on his plate, but one thing that isn’t anymore is Seth Rollins. Punk notes that his future was in doubt after his injury at last year’s Royal Rumble. For the first time, he couldn’t see (does the John Cena you can’t see me taunt) his dream coming true either. Punk officially declares for the Royal Rumble. Punk says he can see John Cena, and he plans on throwing him over the top at the Royal Rumble, and they are going to play Punk’s music. The crowd roars. Punk yells for them to play his music. Seth Rollins theme hits instead. Punk drops to his knees and bemoans the interruption.
Rollins says he told Punk that win, lose, or draw, he would be standing in the ring here tonight on Raw. If Rollins ran away when things got tough, he wouldn’t be himself; he’d be Punk. Punk chuckles and asks if he’d still be the winner. Rollins says he’d rather be the worst version of himself than any version of Punk. Rollins says he’s lost many times in the past, but last week was the worst loss of his career. The only thing Rollins can do is rip away Punk’s WrestleMania dream. Rollins declares for the Royal Rumble. Punk says Rollins is just taking the easy way out; Rollins couldn’t pin him, so he’s going to try to throw him over the top.
Read More: Report: Seth Rollins Shares The Moment He Knew He ‘Had To’ Cash-In MITB Contract At WrestleMania 31
Drew McIntyre inturupts. McIntyre says he’s never seen someone be so selfish in his life. A livid Punk tells McIntyre not to take another step to the ring, or he will end him. McIntyre says he was talking to Rollins. McIntyre dumps on Rollins for not getting involved in the tribal combat to keep Roman Reigns out of power. Punk says he’s done with talking and wants to fight. Rollins is ready to throw hands. McIntyre says not tonight because he has a better idea: he will win the Royal Rumble and the title himself.
Grade: B+
The Royal Rumble is taking shape. The Rumble is always better when main event players and narratives are in play. So far, we have John Cena, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Drew McIntyre officially in the match.
Chad Gable vs. Penta
Penta gets in Gable‘s face and tries his taunt, but Gable grabs Penta’s fingers. Gable takes down Penta. Penta and Gable trade pin attempts and hip tosses, which leads to a stalemate. Gable lands a few strikes. Gable runs into a superkick and falls out of the ring. Penta sets up a dive. Gable cut Penta off with a suplex. Penta kicks out. Corner ten punches by Gable. Penta escapes and traps Gable’s head in the turnbuckle. Superkick by Penta. Headstand dropkick by Penta. The fight spills out to the apron.
Gable German suplexes Penta on the apron. Gable works over Penta’s leg. Penta is out on the mat. Gable misses a diving headbutt off the top. A limping Penta lands a superkick. Penta charges in and gets suplexed into the corner. Gable and Penta trade chops. Reverse slingblade by Penta. Penta back body drops Gable over the top. Tope con giro by Penta. Gable kicks out of Penta’s backstabber. Penta kicks Gable’s soul out of his body. German suplex by Gable. Gable goes up top. Penta cuts Gable off.
Gable traps Penta in a rope hang armbar. Penta surprises Gable with an in-and-out rana. Running Mexican Destroyer by Penta. Gable kicks out! Gable eats a head kick. Penta plays to the crowd. Penta tries another kick. Gable counters with a dragon screw. Ankle lock by Gable. Penta reverses it into the sacrifice arm breaker. Gable screams in pain. Penta hits the Penta Driver for the win.
Winner- Penta
Grade: B
“Welcome to the big time, Penta!” Did anyone else laugh when Michael Cole said that? This was a solid debut for Penta(gon)(jr), save for some slight sloppiness at the start of the match. Gable was the right guy to have in the ring with Penta the first time around. The crowd LOVED everything Penta did tonight. The promo was a little rough, but not as rough as it could have been. Side note: why does Penta have stock music? Wasn’t that John Cena’s music when he first debuted? What the heck was that?
Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser
Sheamus is all over Kaiser, landing a flurry of strikes. The fight spills out of the ring, and Sheamus continues his beatdown. Kaiser knocks Sheamus off the apron into the commentary desk. Kaiser dropkicks a chair into Sheamus’ face. IC Champion Bron Breakker is watching the match from the crowd. Kaiser works over Sheamus. Sheamus avoids a flying kick from Kaiser and lands a Brogue Kick for the win.
Winner- Sheamus
After the match, Sheamus and Bron Breakker get into it over the barricade.
Grade: C+
These two have been having the same match for months now. It’s perfectly fine. Key word being fine.
The World Champion has Arrives on Netflix
Gunther dumps on everyone who completed on Raw last week. The only thing that matters is Gunther and his gold. Jey Uso interrupts. Jey wants a title shot. Gunther laughs and asks Jey if he’s serious about this. Gunther says he appreciates Jey’s confidence but reminds him that he’s already beaten him twice (back when Gunther was IC Champion). Jey bows up at Gunther. Gunther tells Jey that he’s funny and all that, but if they step in the ring, he will expose Jey for what he really is: a talented tag team wrestler. Gunther walks off. Jey tells Gunther he’s going to beat him at Saturday Night Main Event.
Grade: C+
Gunther has come into his own on the mic. Jey is over but has a snowball’s chance of winning.
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Finals: Lyra Valkyria vs. Dakota Kai
After a bit of back and forth, Kai misses her running boot finish. Valkyria hits a slingblade, followed by Nightwing for the win.
Winner- Lyra Valkyria
Grade: B
Solid match, but the wrong person won. The crowd let it be known how they felt about this one.
The Miz vs. Sami Zayn
Miz takes control early. Zayn fires up and hits the Helluva Kick. Zayn follows that with a Blue Thunder Bomb for the win.
Winner- Sami Zayn
Grade: C+
Does Miz ever win at this point? Standard impromptu TV match. The news that the Wyatt Sicks have been moved to SmackDown instantly makes Miz and The Final Testament less interesting. This match gets a slight grade bump because Zayn actually finished a match with the Blue Thunder Bomb.
Mami is Back on Top
Ripley proudly announces she’s always on top. Nia Jax interrupts. Jax says she was talking to Adam Pearce about the transfer window and had to come out. Jax says she’s the most dominant woman in WWE and will win the Royal Rumble. Bayley is in the crowd. Jax dumps on Bayley’s hometown. Bayley hops the barricade. A brawl breaks out. Ripley and Bayley clear the ring.
Grade: B
Unless Jax ends up on Raw, this is just another setup for the Royal Rumble. We’ve gotten enough of that this show. Save some of this for SmackDown.
Street Fight: Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest
Priest beats Bálor with a kendo stick. The fight spills out of the ring. Priest drops Bálor with a flatliner on the commentary desk. Bálor and Priest trade shots in the crowd. Priest hits a broken arrow off the balcony through a table. Referees and officials check on both men. After the break, Bálor is being stretched to the back. Carlito and JD McDonagh are out to check on Bálor. Priest says to hell it and takes out McDonagh and Carlito.
Priest rolls Bálor back to the ring on stretcher. Priest levels Bálor with a lariat. McDonagh and Carlito attack Priest from behind. Bálor lands his double stomp. Priest kicks out. The War Raider make the safe. After a bit of back and forth, Bálor double-stomps Priest through a table. Before Bálor can bring Priest back into the ring, Priest drives Bálor through the barricade. Priest sends Bálor through a table with a Razor’s Edge. South of Heaven by Priest. Priest pins Bálor.
Winner- Damian Priest
Grade: B+
This was a PLE quality match. They didn’t overdo it with the garbage, even though this was the definition of a garbage match.
WWE Raw Review:
This week’s Raw succeeded in advancing storylines for the Royal Rumble, which was highlighted by the strong performances in the opening segment and main event. While mid-card matches and certain segments felt uninspired, the overall show maintained a solid pace and delivered enough memorable moments to keep fans invested. Match of the night was the main event, with Penta’s well-done debut a close second. What happens next? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Rating: B-
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