WWE RAW North Little Rock, Arkansas
The commentators are Michael Cole and Wade Barrett.
– Tonight is WWE RAW, the red show begins with a video honoring Martin Luther King.
– Then we see a video from today of Seth Rollins and Jinder Mahal arriving at the gym despite the snowstorm in the area.
– Cody Rhodes enters the ring and takes the microphone. Cody asks the fans what they want to talk about tonight. There's a song about Little Rock, it's a beautiful song, his wife likes it. We can talk about the song or his win against Shinsuke Nakamura. Or we can talk about why he's here tonight. The reason he returned to WWE. And the Royal Rumble is just around the corner. Drew McIntyre's music begins to interrupt Cody and he enters the ring.
McIntyre asks Cody what he wants to talk about. He and Cody haven't had a chance to talk, they come from far away. The two grew up together in the WWE and have had a similar journey. He wants to tell him personally that he is proud of Cody. About the man he has become and the wrestler he is. They have been WWE Tag Team Champions in the past under the name The Dashing Ones. They didn't get far as a team because they saw themselves as solo wrestlers. They had to leave WWE to see clearly and evolve. They redefined the word wrestler outside of WWE. Cody was so undeniable that WWE called him. McIntyre says his last match before returning to WWE was against Cody. Cody told him that he would be a future world champion after that match, and he did it twice. Tonight he announces to everyone that Cody will be the first in his family to win this championship. Drew says Cody will finish this story, but not before he finishes his own.
Cody says Drew will be at the Royal Rumble and so will he. Yes, Drew could win, Jey Uso could win, CM Punk could win. Cody says you can't underestimate anyone as a potential winner. Drew says it's between the two of them. Drew says Cody needs to be himself. Cody can forget the suit, Cody can be himself, Cody doesn't have to smile all the time. Cody can establish himself as the real Cody and destroy those who are against him. Cody says it doesn't matter. He smiles when he comes here because that's what he likes. He values his opportunities because he works for them. Yes, they are similar, but he takes advantage of his second chance while Drew just complains about his second chance. Drew says if this is the real Cody, then why did Cody bring Jey Uso here? Why support CM Punk? Cody knows Punk well, he was recently at Punk. If Damian Priest wasn't an idiot, he would be world champion and they wouldn't be talking tonight. If Cody gets in his way, he will eat him alive. At WrestleMania 40, the story goes to Drew McIntyre.
Cody says it's still an if for Drew. Cody says Drew wishes they were similar, but no. When he finishes his story, he doesn't look at Drew. He looks around the ring and at the fans. So if Drew wants to settle things at the Royal Rumble, he'll give Drew another reason to complain. Drew talks about their story, but who won in the end? Cody leaves the ring.
– Behind the scenes, Damian Priest stops R-Truth. Priest says it's no longer funny, R-Truth is selling illegal Judgment Day t-shirts in the parking lot. You have to be serious. R-Truth pulls out a wad of money and says it's the priest's rib. Everyone will have a side in the clan. Damian Priest changes his mind and tells Truth he can still sell his t-shirts. Priest also says that R-Truth can't win the title in tonight's match. Truth laughs as he repeats the phrase.
– Back after the break, the wrestlers arrive.
Tag team match
Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh vs. DIY (Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano)
At the end of the match, Ciampa performed a DDT and DIY a running knee on McDonagh for a three count while Dominik was still dazed at the bottom of the ring.
Winner: DIY
– Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell tell Adam Pearce via video today that they are ready for 2024. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven arrive. Green says Pearce doesn't seem to be watching her show, she beat Kayden Carter but her referee made the slowest count in history. Therefore, they will accept the rematch. Pearce says they missed their rematch. Hartwell and LeRae want to fight, Green and Niven want to fight too, so they will fight each other tonight.
– Back we present a presentation video about the duo Hartwell and LeRae.
Tag team match
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven vs. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae
At the end of the match, Hartwell dodges a cross body and Niven, knocking her out of the ring. LeRae takes over the day. Hartwell blocks Green's finisher and blocks her in the cables. LeRae follows up with a lionsault on Green for a three count.
Winners: Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae
– Back we present a video about Nia Jax.
– Behind the scenes we find the Day of Judgment. Rhea Ripley says she needs to talk to her department. Damian Priest comes out and says he's the only one who has a problem with Drew McIntyre talking, so he went to Adam Pearce about the issue. JD McDonagh says they should beat R-Truth tonight. Priest says McDonagh should be worried about today's defeat. McDonagh asks what Truth brings back to the group. The priest takes out the money and the group is impressed.
– Ludwig Kaiser presents Intercontinental Champion Gunther making a comeback. Gunther says we're two weeks away from the Royal Rumble and he senses desperation here. Once he was gone, he looked on and saw his colleagues arguing about how they would win the Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania. So he had to come here and remind people that last year he entered the Rumble Match first and was one elimination away from winning the match. He was in the Royal Rumble match longer than anyone else in history. Therefore, Ring General, the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion, will take part in the Royal Rumble and the main event of WrestleMania 40 this year ! But now he wants to focus his attention on Ludwig Kaiser. He wants to take a moment to see what happened while he was gone.
We see a video from last Monday of the fight between Kofi Kingston and Kaiser. Gunther says he loved seeing that. Kaiser showed a side that was necessary, self-confidence, courage. It was played well. Gunther and Kaiser hug each other. But the New Day music starts and Xavier Woods arrives. Xavier Woods says he and Kaiser have a problem. Kaiser went too far with the drop kick against the steel step. He talked to Kofi earlier and Kaiser is the reason Kofi isn't here tonight. But unfortunately for Kaiser he is here, he is here to avenge Kofi. Will Kaiser accept the challenge or will he have to get his father's approval? Gunther gives Kaiser the microphone and leaves the ring. Kaiser says Woods really wants to challenge him after his actions last week? What he did to his friend will be nothing compared to what he will do tonight. The challenge is accepted.
Kaiser and Woods begin fighting at ringside, a referee arrives to separate them.
– Back, the game begins.
Single game
Ludwig Kaiser accompanied by Gunther against Xavier Woods
At the end of the fight, Kaiser wants to throw the commentary chair at Woods like last week, but Woods manages to avoid this. Woods hits Kaiser and throws the chair at him. The referee stops the game.
Winner: Ludwig Kaiser by disqualification
– After the fight, Woods grabs a chair, but Kaiser gives him a running kick on the chair to stop him. Kaiser puts Woods on the steel step and goes to attack him, but Woods gets up and stomps on him. Woods tries to hit Kaiser with the steel step, but Kaiser avoids the blow and runs into the crowd.
– Behind the scenes we find Bronson Reed. Reed says that there is a man with a championship in WWE who doesn't know that sooner or later that title will go to Bronson Reed.
– Backstage, Byron Saxton asks Xavier Woods why he did that. Woods says it was obvious after last week. Ludwig Kaiser is coming to beat Woods! Jey Uso comes in to block Kaiser.
– We present a video about the rivalry between Rollins and Mahal.
Single game
Akira Tozawa accompanied by Maxxine Dupri vs. Ivar accompanied by Valhalla
At the end of the fight, Ivar gets into the ring to prepare for his finisher, but Dupri gets on the apron to distract him with her beauty. Tozawa takes the opportunity and performs a sunset flip bomb on Ivar for the count of three.
Winner: Akira Tozawa
– After the fight, Valhalla pounces on Dupri to attack him. Tozawa wants to come and save her, but Ivar hits him. Valhalla finishes the attack by headbutting Dupri to knock her out of the ring. Ivar climbs to the corner and hits a moonsault on Tozawa.
– It was announced that CM Punk will be appearing on RAW next Monday for a one-on-one with Cody Rhodes.
– Behind the scenes, Alpha Academy and the Creed Brothers are together. Ivy Nile says she will go to Adam Pearce, Valhalla will have to pay with her clan. Chad Gable says he is so proud of Tozawa. But Ivar was like a coward tonight. Next week Ivar will learn the difference between an alpha and a coward and he will be the one to teach her.
– Rhea Ripley enters the ring and takes the microphone. Rhea Ripley says she can no longer stand it when people like Nia Jax say this is her department. Ripley says it's his division and therefore it's his championship. So this is a warning to whoever will win the Royal Rumble match. If she wants to ruin her chance, she can come and compete against her. Otherwise, she'd better choose someone else if she doesn't want to lose her chance because mom is always on top. Becky Lynch's music starts and she comes to the ring. Becky says they'll meet here. Two different people with similar backgrounds who want to be the best. The two spent years finding their footing, from a thought at WrestleMania to victory the following year. However, the difference is that only one wins the main event of WrestleMania and the other doesn't. And one has skills in the ring that are second to none, and the other has the heart of a lion. They are here because they are the two best doing it.
Becky says there's one thought that stays in her mind. A thought that makes her believe Ripley is better than her, but she has to prove that Ripley isn't. And to do that she has to take the title away from Ripley and to do that she has to win the Royal Rumble and point to the sign. She has to explain that WrestleMania is Mommy vs. The Man. Ripley says there's only one person more than Becky that she wants to see win the Rumble Match, and that's her. Ripley says she will see her at WrestleMania.
– Backstage, Jackie is with Seth Rollins to get his comments before his match. Rollins says it’s pretty cold, but welcome to Monday Night Rollins. He has been the heavyweight world champion for over 200 days. With every title defense he gets stronger and better. So the only way to win that title at WrestleMania is to continue to be a champion defending your title. For Jinder Mahal, this is not her first dance. This is not the same Mahal he beat to become NXT Champion. This is the Mahal who is a former WWE Champion, the best version of Mahal, a Mahal who deserves it.
– Back, Judgment Day comes into the ring and R-Truth is with them. Truth gives the money to Balor and Dominik, who haven't received it yet. McDonagh asks for his share, but Truth says he's not in the group.
Tag Team Match – No Title
Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest), accompanied by JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio
At the end of the fight, Truth performs a scissor kick on Balor and is not happy about hitting his partner. Priest knocks Miz out of the ring. Truth prepares to hit Priest but Priest asks him what he is doing, they are a team. Balor tries to surprise Truth with a roll up, but Truth kicks him. Truth gets distracted by McDonagh on the apron, Priest chokeslams him and Balor gets the three count.
Winner: Judgment Day
– Behind the scenes, Jinder Mahal prepares for his match. Jackie stops him for comments before his match. Mahal says he is the most talked about star of 2024. Everyone is divided. But his concentration is precise, 12 years for a single evening. And tonight everyone will be united when he defeats Seth Rollins to become heavyweight champion of the world.
– Back, backstage, we find Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura says last week he didn't do the damage he wanted. Which made him very angry and he became even hungrier. Cody should keep his eyes open because their story won't end until he decides to. He will turn his hunger into the Royal Rumble. 29 men who hope to win the game, but it will destroy their dream.
Tag team match
Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark vs. Natalya and Tegan Nox
At the end of the fight, Natalya pushes Stark off the apron. Baszler takes the opportunity to use his Kirifuda Clutch on Natalya and make her tap.
Winners: Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark via submission
– The commentators announce the final RAW before next week's Royal Rumble: A personal duel between Cody and CM Punk, Ivy Nile vs. Valhalla, Chad Gable vs. Ivar and Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest
– Mahal enters the ring with Indus Sher (Sanga and Veer). Back comes Rollins.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship – Singles Match
Jinder Mahal accompanied by Indus Sher against Seth Rollins (c)
During the match, Damian Priest comes to the ring with his Money in the Bank briefcase.
At the end of the fight,
In progress
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Photo credit: WWE