This week’s WWE Raw featured Seth Rollins, CM Punk and Paul Heyman in the main event, plus War Raiders against The New Day, and more.
It’s WWE Monday Night Raw from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The commentary team was Michael Cole and Pat McAfee. The ring announcer was Alicia Taylor.
A recap aired about the chaotic Women’s World Title match last week on Raw between champion Iyo Sky and challenger Rhea Ripley while Bianca Belair was the referee. After Belair got hit a few times, Belair threw the match out, so there was no winner.
The Raw GM Adam Pearce was in the ring with the Women’s World Title. Pearce said that this situation had to be addressed so he brought out Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky, Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley. Pearce said he takes responsibility for what happened last week and he said he was wrong. Pearce said he was wrong to make Belair a referee. Pearce said he was wrong to think they could be professionals. Pearce said that he has decided to make it a triple threat match at WrestleMania with Iyo Sky defending the Women’s World Title against Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley. The fans cheered. Pearce wanted them to sign the contract.
Belair said that a few weeks ago it would have pissed her off. Belair said she earned her spot, yet Rhea can do what she wants and she’s in the match. Belair said now she’s happy to be added to the match. Belair said she watched her two friends fight at Elimination Chamber and she still won it. Belair said she’ll walk out of WrestleMania as Women’s World Champion and she’ll go through Ripley to get it. Belair signed the contract. Ripley spoke, so Belair shoved the contract at her and told Ripley to sign it because Ripley had whined enough. Ripley signed the contract. Ripley pushed Sky away, so Sky threw her microphone down. Sky went to the apron and Sky hit a springboard dropkick that knocked Ripley and Belair down. Sky signed the contract.
The Judgment Day was shown talking about the Intercontinental Title situation. Finn Balor said he didn’t know Dominik wanted the IC Title. Liv Morgan said she talked to Pearce about putting Dominik in the match. Balor didn’t seem thrilled about that. Liv said what’s better than one Judgment Day member in the match, but two of them and they all seemed to like it. Balor said that people think that Dom isn’t tough enough, he doesn’t have a killer instinct and he’s a loser. Balor said he’ll prove them wrong when he faces Penta. Balor left. Carlito told Dominik he has his back.
Match #1: Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Lyra Valkyria defeated Bayley by pinfall. Bayley was on offense a lot and worked over Lyra’s back a lot. Bayley had Lyra trapped in a Boston Crab, but Lyra broke free. Lyra did a jackknife pin for the win.
After the match, Lyra wanted to shake Bayley’s hand. Bayley pushed the hand away, then Bayley thought it and Bayley shook Lyra’s hand. Bayley raised Lyra’s hand as the winner.
Comedian Bert Kreischer was about to be interviewed by Cathy Kelley, but there was an interruption by Chad Gable and American Made. Gable said he’s not competing tonight, but the Creeds are in action along with El Grande Americano along with the LWO. Bert said he wasn’t there to see them. That led to Otis and Alpha Academy walking into the screen. Otis and Bert ripped open their shirts, so they bonded. Bert said that was his thing, so Otis said that was their thing.
AJ Styles was interviewed by Jackie Redmond, who asked about AJ’s match against Logan Paul at WrestleMania. Styles said he gets to embarrass Paul on the grandest stage of them all because you can’t beat experience. Karrion Kross with Scarlett interrupted. Kross said he wants to help him because we need the Styles that gets the job done. Kross said we can’t let AJ lose because we need AJ to win. Styles said if you want to see that AJ Styles then he’ll go talk to Pearce and see Kross in a match next week. Kross and Scarlett seemed happy about that.
Match #2: El Grande Americano, Brutus Creed & Julius Creed (w/Ivy Nile) defeated LWO – Dragon Lee, Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro (w/Rey Mysterio) by pinfall. Nile handed Grande a piece of metal that he put in his mask. Grande headbutted Rey on the apron and headbutted Lee to knock him down. Grande hit a top rope headbutt with the loaded mask for the win.
A video aired about D-Generation X’s history to focus on Triple H’s role in the group. This was done to promote Triple H for the WWE Hall of Fame.
The World Heavyweight Champion Gunther entered the ring and looked like he was going to talk but he never said a word. Jey Uso made his entrance from the crowd while wearing a black tank top and he had Yeet sunglasses. Jey wasn’t doing the Yeet arm swinging because he was serious on his way to the ring. Gunther was laughing at Jey on his way into the ring. Gunther was about to speak, but Jey slapped the microphone out of his hand. Jey: “Gunther. Do you have a mother?” Jey asked Gunther if he talked to his mom and he wondered what do they talk about? Family stuff? Jey said does she ask how the wife and her grandson are doing while saying it’s regular family stuff. Jey said that he had to tell his mom that her oldest son was laid up in a hospital bed and got 15 stitches across his forehead. She asked Jey: “Why didn’t you protect him, Joshua?” Jey said he never lied to his mom. Jey said he told her that he was afraid of Gunther. Jey said that Gunther is playing chess and Jey is playing checkers. Jey said it’s not enough for Gunther because he had to get the family involved. Jey told Gunther you know how Jey feels about his family, especially Jimmy.
Jey told Gunther that you left Jimmy a bloody pulp while Jey was tied to the ropes. Jey said that Jimmy’s blood is on Jey’s hands too. Jey said he never felt so hopeless, helpless, disrespected, mad, angry and damn near scared. Jey said that Gunther made the world stop and violated Jey’s twin in front of him. Jey said in his darkest moment in front of the world, a lightbulb went off for him. Jey said he realized he’s not afraid of Gunther anymore. The fans cheered. Jey said before WrestleMania, he wanted Gunther to hug and kiss his family. Jey said that the night before WrestleMania, he’ll lay his head down, say a prayer for Gunther moreso for Jey and ask the Lord to forgive Jey for the man he’s about to become. Jey said he’ll get him, he’ll get him for Jimmy and get him for his whole damn family. Jey said he’ll take the World Heavyweight Championship. Jey’s music played to end it.
Natalya was backstage with Maxxine Dupri talking to Raw GM Adam Pearce. Natalya wasn’t thrilled about teaming with Dupri in a Gauntlet Match, but Pearce said it was WrestleMania season, so he wanted Natalya to do it. Natalya begrudgingly said okay.
The comedian Tony Hinchcliffe was on commentary for the next match. Tony has a new Netflix show and he’s hosting the Roast of WrestleMania as well. Tony said he’s been a fan since the Attitude Era. Tony Hinchcliffe made old jokes about Cole along with a joke about Big E’s neck, to which the former WWE Champion has responded.
Match #3: World Tag Team Championships – The New Day – Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods defeated The War Raiders – Erik & Ivar by disqualification. Ivar hit a double team clothesline into a Suplex for two because Woods made the save. Woods brought a chair into the ring, Ivar took the chair away and Ivar hit Woods in the ribs with the chair. The referee saw it, so he called for the DQ.
After the match, Kofi nailed Ivar in the back with a steel chair. Kofi wedged a steel chair against the turnbuckle. Woods and Kofi sent Erik face first into the steel chair. It was really Erik’s arms hitting the chair first, but it was still a good bump. The New Day sent Ivar over the barricade at ringside. The New Day wanted to do more damage to Erik with the steel chair, but WWE Producers and referees were there to stop them. The Producers and referees helped New Day out of the ring.
A video package aired about the WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. The video package featured the song “Last of My Kind” by Shaboozey while they showed videos and photos of Cody throughout his career. It also featured some of Cody’s promos in recent weeks about his bond with the fans.
Match #4: Penta defeated Dominik Mysterio (w/Carlito) by pinfall. Penta won with the Penta Driver.
After the match, Carlito and Dominik attacked Penta with kicks. Bron ran down the ring and hit a massive Spear on Carlito on the floor. Bron hit a Spear on Dominik as well. When Penta got back up, Bron nailed him with a Spear too. Finn Balor attacked Bron from behind and Balor hit an elbow drop into a reverse DDT to put Bron down. Balor held up the Intercontinental Title. Bron was back up and he went for a Spear, but Balor left the ring.
Paul Heyman was in the ring in the main event saying he will always be loyal to his “Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns. Heyman claimed he would always be loyal to his best friend in the world, CM Punk. Heyman said just because he’s loyal to both of them, it doesn’t mean he’ll be disloyal to either of them. Heyman said when it comes to WrestleMania, let’s get one thing perfectly clear. Here comes Seth Rollins.
Seth Rollins made his entrance with the fans singing his song as usual. Rollins welcomed us to the show while running down his nicknames as usual. Rollins said tonight is about Paul Heyman. Rollins asked Heyman, whose side are you on? Rollins wondered if Paul would be the very best friend to CM Punk or are you going to be the “Wise Man” to Roman Reigns. Rollins said it sounds like Heyman thinks he can do both at the same time. Reigns told Heyman that Reigns doesn’t care about him. Rollins said that Reigns doesn’t respect Heyman. Rollins said that last year at WrestleMania 40, Reigns loses his WWE Championship and then Reigns disappeared into the ether. Rollins said that Reigns left Heyman in the loving hands of Solo Sikoa and did they treat you well? Rollins said they treated Paul like the scum of the Earth. Rollins asked if Reigns rescued him? Heyman said no. Rollins said that Reigns left Heyman to get massacred in his hometown in front of his children. Rollins said that Heyman’s kids has to watch their father get put through a table since Reigns wasn’t there for him. Rollins said that CM Punk wasn’t there either.
Rollins said that 10 years ago, Punk walked out on this arena and he walked out on Heyman as well. Rollins said Punk didn’t embrace Heyman on his return to WWE. Rollins reminded Heyman that Punk was not the first choice on Team Roman in WarGames because Rollins was. Rollins declined. Rollins said that Punk was the last choice. Rollins said that Punk knew he could use it to get a favor out of Heyman. Rollins said that Punk was not Heyman’s best friend because Punk loves nobody but himself. Rollins suggested that Heyman remove himself from the situation entirely so that Reigns, Rollins and Punk can battle it out. Rollins said he knows that Heyman can’t betray the Tribal Chief or his best friend. Rollins wondered if there was a way to remove Heyman from the situation. Rollins said it would take it as a privilege to remove Heyman from the situation right here, right now. Rollins said a boot to the head and one quick Stomp and it’s all over. Rollins said that Roman Reigns isn’t there to save you while CM Punk isn’t there to make friends, he’s there to make money. Rollins wondered how much is Heyman worth? Rollins shoved Heyman in the chest and Rollins slapped Heyman in the face. Rollins grabbed him, so Heyman said don’t put your damn hands on me again. Rollins pushed Heyman into the turnbuckle.
CM Punk made the save by running down to the ring and going after Rollins. Punk fought with Rollins in the ring and then they went fight over the commentary table. Punk sent Rollins over the Prime station. Punk sent Rollins into the steel steps. Punk punched Rollins a few times. Punk went for a Stomp on the steps, but Rollins got back in the ring. When Punk got into the ring, Rollins hit Punk with The Stomp in the middle of the ring. Rollins teased doing The Stomp to Heyman, but Rollins stopped himself. Rollins: “Now you owe me a favor.” Seth’s music played again and Seth left the ring while Heyman had a shocked look on his face. That was the end of Raw.
This week’s Raw runtime was 2 hours, 33 minutes.
Next Week On WWE Monday Night Raw
Here is what WWE is advertising for next week on Raw.
* AJ Styles vs. Karrion Kross
* Roman Reigns returns
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading.