WWE Raw Results – January 22, 2024

Written by John Canton • Published Jan 23, 2024 00:16 EST

It’s WWE Raw with CM Punk going face to face with Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre in action against Damian Priest and Seth Rollins talking about his future.

Raw took place at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana with Michael Cole and Wade Barrett on commentary.

Seth Rollins started the show with the World Heavyweight Title around his waist and a brace on his left knee. Rollins spoke about injuring his left knee after doing a moonsault in the match when he beat Jinder Mahal. Rollins said that he did an MRI and the results were not great. Rollins said that he has a grade two tear MCL, a partially torn medial meniscus and with surgery, we’re looking at 3 to 4 months. Rollins said if it was up to him he would be out here stomping heads into the mat, but unfortunately it’s not just up to him. There was an interruption from Gunther.

When the Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER got into the ring with Rollins, he said it felt like they had been avoiding each other. Gunther spoke about Rollins bringing respect, dignity and honor to the championship. Gunther said that Rollins was a champion everybody could be proud of…just like Gunther. As Gunther mentioned Rollins possibly missing WrestleMania, Seth said that Gunther should have let him finish.

Seth Rollins said he didn’t have to give a damn how hard he has to rehab or push this knee, he will keep this promise and he will take this title into WrestleMania. Rollins said he would do every single thing in his power to walk out of WrestleMania as the World Heavyweight Champion. At that point, Gunther said he would win the Royal Rumble and challenge Rollins at WrestleMania. Rollins said he could challenge Rollins at WrestleMania, but he wanted Gunther to remember who he was coming after. Gunther told Rollins to remember who was coming after him. They shook hands.

Nobody will stop @WWERollins from making it to #WrestleMania!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/pTqmbak7BK
— WWE (@WWE) January 23, 2024

Match #1: The New Day – Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods vs. Imperium – Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci ended in a double countout. The two teams were fighting on the floor and the referee called for the bell. After the match, they fought in the crowd and Woods/Kingston tackled Kaiser/Vinci off equipment cases onto two tables that were on the floor. All four guys were down lying on the tables.

The Judgment Day were in their clubhouse. Rhea Ripley informed Damian Priest & Finn Balor that next week on Raw, the Tag Team Champions Priest & Balor have to defend the titles against #DIY’s Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa.

Match #2: Ivy Nile defeated Valhalla by pinfall. Nile won a short match with a top rope bulldog.

The New Day were backstage with Jey Uso supporting them. Kofi Kingston said he’s going to challenge GUNTHER to an Intercontinental Title match for next week on Raw.

Nia Jax did an in-ring promo talking about how she has beaten Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch in the past, so she’s going to ruin their WrestleMania plasn against eachother. Lynch interrupted the promo telling Jax that she’ll win the Rumble and enjoy watching Jax lose. Bayley from Smackdown showed up to declare she was going to win the Women’s Royal Rumble. That led to a brawl. Lynch dropped Bayley with a Manahandle Slam while Jax clotheslined Lynch over the top to the floor. Jax also hit a leg drop on Bayley, so Jax stood tall in the ring.

Match #3: Dominik Mysterio defeated The Miz by pinfall. After JD McDonagh distracted the referee, Finn Balor did a cheap shot kick to Miz. Dominik hit a 619 and Frog Splash off the top rope to win. After the match, Balor attacked Miz, so #DIY’s Ciampa & Gargano made the save.

Bronson Reed did a promo in a darkened room. Reed mentioned that Jey Uso is focused on winning singles gold this year and Reed said he wanted the same thing. Reed challenged Jey Uso to a match on Raw next week.

Match #4: Ivar defeated Chad Gable by pinfall. Gable hit some impressive suplexes in the match. Valhalla distracted Gable, so Ivar slammed Gable off the top rope. Ivar hit the Doomsault (top rope moonsault) for the pinfall win.

Cody Rhodes and CM Punk had their Face to Face segment in the ring. Punk talked about how Cody’s dad Dusty Rhodes wanted Punk to watch out for Cody when Cody first started in OVW in 2007. Punk told Cody that in the Royal Rumble, he’s going to be looking for Cody and do what he has to do to win the Royal Rumble because Punk is going to win the Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania. Cody talked about how he has become his own man. Cody said Punk could have treated him poorly and instead Punk treated him like a peer. Cody said they became friends. Cody said in the Royal Rumble, there are no friends.

CM Punk said Dusty was one of the greatest of all time. Punk talked about how he didn’t think of Cody as a nepotism hire. Punk said he saw the burden of Cody’s last name and how hard it would be to get out of that shadow, but Cody has done it with final colors. Punk said he didn’t have Dusty Rhodes as his dad who was recognized on the streets. Punk said that his father was a regular guy – an electrician. Punk said it’s ironic because he’s more of the American Dream than Cody is. The fans let out an ”ooohhh” reaction to that.

Cody spoke about how he wanted to talk about the Pipebomb promo that Punk did in June 2011. Cody said that Punk inspired countless wrestlers with that promo and Cody was one of them. Cody said that Punk left and he didn’t pass the torch off because he walked away. Cody said he picked up the torch. Cody said that everything that Punk spoke about, Cody literally did. Cody said that when Punk talked, Cody walked and that makes Cody more CM Punk than Punk is.

Cody said that he only has one direction he can go and that’s forward. Cody said that direction goes through Punk. Cody walked off, he bumped Punk’s chest and Punk spun Cody around. Punk and Cody had a staredown. The fans were standing up as they went to nose to nose. There were “Cody” chants and “CM Punk” chants. They left the ring on opposite sides. Punk told the announcers he would win the Royal Rumble and to bet on him.

Match #5: Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark defeated Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell by pinfall. Stark won with the Z360 knee to LeRae for the pinfall win.

After the match, Women’s Tag Team Champions Kayden Carter & Katana Chance held up their titles in front of Stark & Baszler. Kairi Sane & Asuka attacked the champions from behind.

Drew McIntyre did an interview backstage saying he already said what he needed to say to CM Punk & Cody Rhodes about winning the Royal Rumble. Drew said everybody talks about a destiny and a story, but there’s only one Chosen Onoe and you’re looking at him.

Match #6:Drew McIntyre defeated Damian Priest by pinfall. R-Truth showed up at ringside to give Priest money for The Judgment Day merchandise. Priest shoved Truth away. Tried tried to open Priest’s Money in the Bank briefcase to put the money in, so that distraction led to a Claymore Kick for the pinfall win.

Drew McIntyre had a quick celebration to end the show.

In regards to WWE Raw, the brand is facing uncertainty towards the end of the year.