This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts! Damian Priest battles Dominik Mysterio. Drew McIntyre faces Sami Zayn in a Saturday Night’s Main Event rematch. The Women’s Intercontinental Championship tournament continues. The New Day continue to get booed, and more.
We break it all down in this week’s WWE Raw recap!
We Hear From Drew McIntyre
McIntyre reveals that he went home after Bad Blood because a sick family member of his passed away. McIntyre says you would think that the people in WWE would be like family, but people like Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, and Sami Zayn stabbed him in the back. McIntyre says the fans turned on him as well, so he will do no more for anyone. Instead, he will take and tell the truth. McIntyre says the real villains of WWE are Roman Reigns and CM Punk. McIntyre warns everyone whose every wronged him to sleep with one eye open.
Sami Zayn’s music hits. Zayn says he thought McIntyre was recovering from Hell in a Cell, and he didn’t know about his personal matters in Scotland. Zayn says he went through everything McIntyre has, including the sacrifices and stress. Zayn says he chose this life though, and they are lucky to be WWE Superstars. Zayn says every person in the stands has a story too. Zayn further states that the fans didn’t forget about McIntyre, they made him.
Zayn recalls McIntyre once being dubbed “The Chosen One.” Just because he’s mad , doesn’t make him special though. Zayn declares that what anyone else does, has nothing to do with McIntyre. Zayn entices McIntyre to face him in the ring. McIntyre says his anger comes from a place of pain. And he doesn’t doubt everything Zayn said as his truth, but McIntyre points out that he has to fly across the ocean to see his family.
McIntyre asks why Zayn wants to challenge him again considering McIntyre has beaten him several times already. McIntyre then suggests that Zayn leave the arena. Zayn says McIntyre does have his number, and he isn’t 100%, but Zayn would rather do something else. Zayn punches McIntyre, but McIntyre fires back with a headbutt. McIntyre sets up with a Claymore until Jey Uso runs down and makes the save. Uso levels him with a superkick. He and Zayn then dump McIntyre over the top rope to the outside.
Backstage, Sonya Deville suggests that Raw General Manager Adam Pearce add her to the Women’s Intercontinental Championship tournament since Kairi Sane can no longer compete. Pearce points out that Deville and PFC are the reason Sane can’t compete. He then confirms that IYO SKY will fill the spot instead.
Women’s IC Title Tourney: IYO SKY vs. Natalya vs. Alba Fyre
Natalya tosses Fyre out of the ring. SKY rolls up Natalya, but she kicks out. Fyre pulls Natalya to the outside then throws her into the steel steps. SKY bursts through the ropes with a suicide dive onto Fyre.
Back from break, SKY dropkicks Fyre, then follows up with a missile. Fyre responds with a Tornado DDT before slamming SKY onto Natalya. Fyre goes up top and lands a senton. She covers both Natalya and SKY, but they both kick out. Fyre locks in a submission on Natalya. Natalya reverses it into a double Sharpshooter. Fyre grabs the bottom for her and SKY to escape.
Natalya looks for a baseball slide, but SKY evades it. She descends with a moonsault onto her competitors to the outside. SKY drags Natalya into the ring and ascends the turnbuckle. Fyre pushes her into the ring post. Natalya rips Fyre off of SKY, allowing SKY to hit the moonsault on Natalya for the win.
Winner: IYO SKY
Backstage, Finn Balor says his Christmas is ruined because he doesn’t have two titles. Liv Morgan and Finn Balor begin arguing. Dominik Mysterio intervenes and says he has a plan that involves getting a match with Damian Priest tonight.
Backstage, Sami Zayn tells Jey Uso he has Drew McIntyre tonight. Uso says he wants McIntyre next.
Akira Tozawa vs. Chad Gable
Tozawa and Gable lock up. Gable levels him, then is briefly distracted by Otis. Tozawa connects with a roundhouse kick. Gable applies an armbar against the ropes. He argues with Otis on the outside, then slaps him. Tozawa levels Gable and goes up top. Tozawa looks for a senton, but Gable gets his knees up in time. Gable follows up with a series of German Suplexes. Gable slams Tozawa before transitioning to the ankle lock. Tozawa taps out.
Winner: Chad Gable
Gable does not immediately release his hold, prompting Otis to enter the ring. He tosses Gable across the ring. The Creed Brothers join Gable in the ring. They stare down Otis, with Gable declaring that their business isn’t over yet.
Damian Priest vs. Dominik Mysterio
Mysterio tries to lure Priest to the outside, but Priest doesn’t fall for it. Mysterio returns to the ring and is slammed down to the mat. Priest looks for a big elbow, but Mysterio ducks it and rocks Priest with a dropkick. Priest charges toward Mysterio, but Mysterio pulls the top rope down. Mysterio looks for a suicide dive. Priest catches him and slams him onto the announce table.
Priest sees a man dressed up as Santa Claus in the crowd. He rips the beard off to reveal JD McDonagh. Priest tosses him across the outside. Priest then discovers Carlito hiding under the ring. Out of nowhere, Finn Balor jumps onto Priest’s back and fires off right hands. The referee calls for the bell.
The Judgment Day beat down Priest in the ring until the War Raiders run down to even the odds. They and Priest lay waste to the Judgment Day, with Mysterio taking a War Machine. Priest finishes them off with a South of Heaven to Balor.
Winner (Via Disqualification): Damian Priest
Backstage, Seth Rollins joins Jackie Redmond for a sit-down interview. Rollins says he has tried explaining how he feels about CM Punk many times. Rollins calls Punk a hypocrite, and that really grinds his gears. Rollins says their upcoming match on Raw will be a fight, the biggest fight of the industry. Rollins says when he saw Roman Reigns and CM Punk working together at Survivor Series, he wanted to throw the remote at the TV. Now, the world will be watching him showcase a side of himself that no one has ever seen.
Dexter Lumis vs. Miz
Lumis runs into the ring, causing Miz to retreat to the outside. The bell rings, with Miz landing a punch to Lumis’ face. Miz retreats again, but Lumis catches him and throws him against the barricade. Lumis jumps off the apron with a cannonball. They return to the ring, with Miz begging Lumis for mercy. Lumis kicks Miz and rains down with strikes after a Thesz Press.
Lumis drives Miz into the mat. The Authors of Pain emerge a ringside. Lumis flies off the top rope and onto them. Karrion Kross makes his way down to ringside as well. He and AOP strike Lumis, prompting the referee to call for the bell.
Winner (Via DQ): Dexter Lumis
The Final Testament surround Lumis in the ring. The lights flicker off and on, revealing the Wyatt Sicks standing on the apron. They fight back against the Final Testament, with Nikki Cross wiping them out at ringside.
Backstage, The War Raiders say they owed Priest for his help last week. Priests says he respect that and confirms he’ll go to war with them against The Judgment Day.
The New Day Are Booed…Again
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods call out Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett for their biased takes. Woods says Barrett and Big E have something in common, and that’s that they’ll both never wrestle again. Kingston says Big E could have been stretchered out of the building again, but they didn’t. Kingston points out his mother to his hometown Boston crowd, and says they are ruining her experience.
Woods says they gave the fans 10 best years of their lives. Kingston says his mom doesn’t deserve to hear all these boos. Kingston opens his arms for an embrace, but his mother refuses, as she also disapproves of his recent actions.
Backstage, Rey Mysterio says what they did to Big E was out of pocket. Mysterio suggests that they apologize to him. Kingston and Woods, however, insist that they didn’t do anything wrong. Mysterio tells them to get used to hearing “New Day sucks.”
Sami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre
McIntyre and Zayn lock up. McIntyre levels Zayn with a suplex. He then stomps on Zayn’s hand and chops him. Zayn tosses McIntyre over the top rope. He looks to follow up with a dive, but McIntyre sees it coming and moves out of the way.
Back from break, McIntyre delivers a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall. Zayn responds with a spinning DDT. Zayn looks for a crossbody, but McIntyre catches him. Zayn breaks free and bounces McIntyre’s head off the announce table. McIntyre bounces Zayn against the steel steps. McIntyre then drops Zayn back-first onto the apron.
Back from another commercial, Zayn ascends the turnbuckle. McIntyre strikes him before planting him with a White Noise. Zayn surprises McIntyre with a roll up for a near fall. McIntyre fires back with a Glasgow Kiss. He looks for a Claymore, but Zayn sees it coming and clotheslines him. Zayn follows up with an Exploder into the corner. Zayn sets up for a Helluva Kick, but his back gives out. McIntyre connects with a Claymore for the win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Post-match, McIntyre rains down with right hands on Zayn. Jey Uso again runs down to make the save. He takes down McIntyre with a spear. Uso then goes up top for a splash, but Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga prevent him from doing so. While McIntyre retreats, the new Bloodline beat down Zayn and Uso in the ring. Uso tries to fight back, but the numbers game is too much. Zayn tries to take them down as well, only to receive a Samoan Spike from Sikoa. Jacob Fatu places the Ula Fala around the neck of Sikoa as they stand over the beaten down Uso and Zayn.