This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts! Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and JD McDonagh defend the WWE World Tag Team Championships against the War Raiders. CM Punk & Seth Rollins brawl. The Women’s IC Title tournament continues. Bron Breakker defends the Intercontinental Championship and more!
We break it all down in this week’s WWE Raw recap!
We Hear From CM Punk & Seth Rollins
CM Punk says he’s feeling a little low tonight as he’s been dwelling on his recent interactions with Seth Rollins. Punk says he hoped to sidestep Rollins, but upon further reflection, he feels the need to address it. Punk calls out Rollins’ fashion choices, saying that just because he wears Elton John sunglasses, doesn’t make him Elton John. Punk also says just because he wears wrestling boots, doesn’t make him CM Punk. Punk claims ownership over being the bad guy in this situation, as he failed Rollins years ago. This time, though, Punk says he’s ready to give Rollins a lesson for free. Punk tells Rollins to ask himself if he’s tougher than Drew McIntyre. He declares that there aren’t enough staples to put Rollins back together.
The crowd begins to chant for CM Punk, prompting Rollins to emerge with a mic in the crowd. Rollins says life is about perspective. As such, he thought he’d come out there to try and see Punk how the people see him. Rollins doesn’t feel any different though and calls Punk and a**hole.
Punk says Rollins belongs in the audience with the rest of the CM Punk fans. Rollins says he’s not embarrassed to be with the people, as he’s a long-time fan himself. Rollins says when Punk left WWE, he built it back and made it stronger. Rollins says Punk should be embarrassed, as he has more WrestleMania main events that Punk does.
Punk and Rollins charge toward one another and start brawling. Security and WWE officials briefly separate them, until they break free and take the action to the ring. Officials seperate them again, but Rollins flees and jumps the barricade. He and Punk run through the crowd and start trading blows once again until officials seperate them for a third time.
Backstage, Finn Balor asks Judgment Day where they were on Saturday when he was left in a two on one situation. Liv Morgan says they didn’t think Balor would need any help. Morgan further states that Balor should be focusing on the War Raiders tonight. Morgan wishes Balor and JD McDonagh good luck in their tag title defense tonight.
Elsewhere, Seth Rollins urges Adam Pearce to make a match between him and CM Punk. Pearce tells Rollins to let him do his job. Drew McIntyre approaches Rollins and says everyone is fooled by Roman Reigns except them. Rollins says Jey Uso and Sami Zayn are his friends. A common interest doesn’t make him friends with Drew McIntyre though. Rollins tells McIntyre he’ll end CM Punk, unlike him.
Intercontinental Title: Bron Breakker (c) vs. Ludwig Kaiser
Breakker shoulder checks Kaiser in the corner, then drops him back first onto the mat. Kaiser fights back with a pair of right hands. Breakker punches him in the midsection. Kaiser whips him in the corner and slaps him. Breakker responds with a tackle to the ground. Breakker flips Kaiser inside out with a running shoulder tackle.
Back from break, Breakker rains down with a flurry of strikes in the corner. Breakker then slams Kaiser to the mat and covers him. Kaiser kicks out, then kicks Breakker’s arm. Breakker slams Kaiser to the mat again. Kaiser gets back up and target’s Breakker’s arm. Kaiser goes for suplex, but Breakker reverses it into one of his own. As Kaiser rolls to the outside, Breakker takes him out with a leap onto the announce table.
Breakker rolls Kaiser back into the ring and positions him on the top turnbuckle. Kaiser pushes him off and again targets his arm with a series of stomps. Kaiser puts Breakker in an arm lock, then stomps away at him again. Kaiser wrap’s Breakker’s arm around the top rope and follows up with a dropkick.
Back from another break, Kaiser goes right after Breakker’s arm. Breakker knocks him down with a jumping knee and elbow. Breakker and Kaiser go up top, with the former landing a Frankensteiner for a near fall. Kaiser rolls Breakker up for a near fall of his own before locking his arm in a submission. Breakker charges toward the corner. Kaiser sidesteps, causing Breakker to crash into the post shoulder-first. Kaiser charges toward Breakker on the outside, but there’s no one there. Breakker emerges out of nowhere with a running elbow. Back in the ring, Breakker hits a gutbuster and a spear for the win.
Winner (And Still): Bron Breakker
Backstage, Rey Mysterio tells Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods that it’s best if they find somewhere else to change tonight. Woods says they didn’t want to share a locker room with him anyway.
Elsewhere, Adam Pearce announces Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk for the Netflix premiere of WWE Raw.
We Hear From Liv Morgan
Dominik Mysterio tries to introduce Liv Morgan, but is drowned out by boos. Morgan introduces herself through a megaphone. Morgan says 2024 was the year of Morgan, and looking ahead, WWE is set for some historic changes. Morgan says there is no one better and hotter to lead the company into the future than her.
Rhea Ripley’s music hits. Ripley informs Morgan that they will soon battle for the WWE Women’s World Championship. Ripley says she will soon be champ as well, and all Morgan will be left with is a chicken tender slut, aka Dominik.
Backstage, Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn are brawling.
Elsewhere, The Miz tells The Final Testament they don’t need him anymore. Karrion Kross, however, begs to differ, saying it isn’t over until he says it’s over. Kross tells Miz he will be wrestling Dexter Lumis on Raw next week. Paul Ellering points out that he saved Miz twice, so he owes them.
Women’s IC Title Tourney: Kayden Carter vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Zoey Stark
Raquel throws Stark and Carter across the ring. Stark tees off on Raquel before charging at Carter in the corner, stark plants Raquel with a DDT. Carter sends Raquel out of the ring hurricanrana. Stark drives Carter into the mat and covers her. Carer kicks out. Raquel connects with a big boot to Stark. Carter wipes out both of her opponents with a spinning dive.
Back from break, Carter connects with a big boot to Stark. She tries to cover her, but Raquel pulls her to the floor. Carter pushes Raquel into the side of the ring. Stark wipes them both out with a dive. Raquel tosses Stark to the outside. Carter rocks Raquel with a springboard basement dropkick. She goes up top, as does Stark. Raquel slams both of them to the mat, then clotheslines Stark. Raquel hits a fallaway slam on Carter, then looks for a Tejana Bomb. Stark, however, jumps in from off the top rope. Stark follows up with a Z-360 on Carter for the pinfall.
Winner: Zoey Stark
Backstage, R-Truth tells Alpha Academy he changed his whole workout because of him. Truth says maybe if Butch took their advice as well, maybe he wouldn’t have beaten him so easily. Pete Dunne says he’s sick of Truth calling him Butch. Otis breaks things up before the escalate. As Dunne retreats, American Made enter the frame. Chad Gable says Otis and crew turned Alpha Academy into a joke. Otis tells Gable to shut up. Gable says it’s time to take care of his darlings, starting with Akira Tozawa.
Elsewhere, Pure Fusion Collective are seen leaving the scene after trapping Kairi Sane’s hand in a container lid.
WWE World Tag Titles: Judgment Day (c) vs. War Raiders
McDonagh and Ivar lock up. Ivar drags Balor into the ring, then slams him and McDonagh. Erik slams Ivar onto McDonagh.
Back from break, Balor drops Ivar with an elbow. He then chokes him against the ropes. McDonagh connects with a jumping knee, while Balor stomps away at Ivar. Balor tags in McDonagh. Ivar takes them down with a 350 splash. Ivar tags in Erik, who plants McDonagh with a big right hand. Balor runs in, only to meet a uranage from Erik. Erik throws McDonagh to the outside. He looks for a dive, but Balor trips him up against the ropes. McDonagh emerges from behind. He and Balor drive Erik into the steel steps.
Back from another break, McDonagh hits an axe handle. He then looks for a diving elbow, but Erik evades it. Balor and Ivar tag in. Ivar hits a spinning kick on McDonagh, then charges toward Balor in the corner. Ivar powerslams McDonagh off the top. Erik and Ivar deliver a pop-up powerslam combo on McDonagh. Balor breaks up the subsequent pinfall. Erik and Ivar look for War Machine, but Balor drags Ivar out of the ring. Erik tees off on Balor before connecting with a knee to his neck. Balor responds with a slingblade and running dropkick. Balor tags in McDonagh. McDonagh lands a Moonsault while Balor descends with a Coup De Grace on Erik. Ivar runs in to break the cover.
McDonagh retrieves a chair from under the ring, while Balor grabs a chair of his own. Damian Priest, however, is holding the other end of Balor’s. While Ivar clotheslines McDonagh to the mat, Priest pulls the chair and Balor into the barricade, paving the way for Ivar and Erik to nail Balor with a War Machine for the win.
Winners (And New): War Raiders