This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California! Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa battle in Tribal Combat. Liv Morgan defends the WWE Women’s World Championship against Rhea Ripley. The Rock returns. Seth Rollins and CM Punk main event and much more!
We break it all down in this week’s WWE Raw recap!
We Hear From Triple H & The Rock
WWE CCO Triple H emerges to fireworks in the ring and welcomes to the crowd to the Netflix era of WWE. The lights flicker off and on, revealing The Rock with the People’s Championship.
The Rock looks back on his old days of traveling on the road, noting that the only way to watch WWE was buying a ticket or watching it Saturday morning. The Rock points out that we are now watching it on Netflix. The Rock also announces that tonight is the largest arena gate in WWE history.
The Rock says he has finally come back to Los Angeles. The Rock acknowledges Netflix executives then commends Cody Rhodes for carrying WWE on his back for the last year. The Rock says hello to Mama Rhodes as well. The People’s Champ then acknowledges Roman Reigns, the original Tribal Chief. He hits his signature catchphrase and embraces Cody Rhodes at ringside.
Tribal Combat: Roman Reigns (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Solo Sikoa
Reigns and Sikoa lock up, with the former throwing the latter to the outside. Sikoa bounces Reigns off the announce table, then clotheslines him in the ring. Sikoa headbutts him. Reigns responds with a pair of clotheslines. Reigns rains down in the corner. Sikoa hits an elbow strike right back. Reigns sends him to the outside. Sikoa slams him onto the announce table with a spinning uranage. Sikoa smacks him with a monitor, then the steel steps.
Back from break, Sikoa repeatedly whacks Reigns with a chair. He positions the chair around Reigns’ neck in the corner with the intention of a running hip check. Reigns dodges it, causing Sikoa to collide with the turnbuckle. Reigns repeatedly slams the chair into Sikoa. He goes for a con-chair-to, but Sikoa rolls out of the way. Sikoa lands a low blow and another uranage.
Sikoa retrieves a table. Reigns delivers a drive-by dropkick. Reigns slides the table into the ring and sets it up. Sikoa cracks Reigns in the head with a kendo stick. He cracks him with it three times. Reigns fights off Sikoa in the corner, then sends him crashing through the table.
Reigns goes for a cover, but Tama Tonga pulls the referee out of the ring. Jacob Fatu rushes into the ring and superkicks Reigns. He levels him before following up with a moonsault. Sikoa delivers a Samoan Spike. Reigns kicks out of his subsequent pinfall. Sikoa nails the referee with a Samoan Spike.
Sami Zayn and Jimmy Uso run down and lay out Tonga and Fatu. They nail Sikoa with a pair of kicks, opening the door for Reigns to hit a spear on Sikoa. Another referee runs down to count Reigns’ cover, but Sikoa kicks out. Zayn and Jimmy dive onto Fatu and Tonga before brawling to the back. Kevin Owens emerges and hits a stunner on Reigns. Sikoa covers Reigns, but he kicks out again.
Cody Rhodes runs down and lands a Cody Cutter on Owens. They brawl into the crowd. Reigns spears Sikoa for the win.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Post-match, Paul Heyman holds the Ula Fala before Reigns. The Rock walks down to the ring. Heyman hands The Rock the Ula Fala, who puts it around the neck of Reigns. The Rock and Reigns shake hands and embrace. Reigns and Heyman hold their 1s in the air.
Backstage, a number of WWE Superstars, including Carmelo Hayes, Unholy Union, and Zoey Stark are celebrating. Rey Mysterio, The War Raiders, and LA Knight appear in the crowd, as does Wale.
We Hear From John Cena
Cena hypes up that WWE is airing all around the world at the same time. He thanks Netflix for allowing the world to see the experience of WWE Raw. He looks back on his career, which began in California. He thanks the city of LA. The crowd thanks him back. Cena says there’s a lot of noise going around right now, including who his opponents might be this year. Cena names possibilities such as Gunther, Cody Rhodes, Logan Paul, and CM Punk.
Cena also says people have been asking when he’ll become a history making champion. Cena, however, doesn’t foresee himself winning another world title as his time is up, and their time is now. Cena says the best way to thank the crowd is by winning the Royal Rumble. He officially vows to the win the Rumble.
A video package of Logan Paul plays. Paul then appears in the crowd, proclaiming that it is now his time.
WWE Women’s World Title: Liv Morgan (c) (Dominik Mysterio & Raquel Rodriguez) vs. Rhea Ripley
Ripley and Morgan trade strikes. Ripley knocks out Raquel with a cannonball. Mysterio distracts Ripley, paving the way for Morgan to attempt a hurricanrana. Ripley blocks it, then slams Morgan on the announce table.
Back from break, Morgan hits a bulldog. Ripley levels her with a slam and a running knee. Ripley looks for a Riptide, but Morgan counters. Ripley counters back with a suplex. Morgan tries to roll up Ripley, but she reverses it with a German suplex. Morgan delivers a backstabber and a Tornado DDT for a near fall. Ripley lands a Riptide. Morgan, however, kicks out.
Ripley nails Raquel with a knee, paving the way for Morgan to execute an Oblivion for a near fall of her own. Morgan follows up with Three Amigos and a Frog Splash for another near fall. Ripley hits a pair of Riptides for the win.
Winner (And New): Rhea Ripley
After the match, Mysterio sneaks up behind Ripley and opens up his arms for a hug. Ripley lands a low blow and a Riptide. She heads up the ramp and poses with the title. A familiar gong hits, revealing American Badass version of The Undertaker. He drives a lap around the ring on his motorcycle, then poses alongside Ripley on the stage.
Backstage, Adam Pearce continues to hype up Netflix. Chad Gable approaches him, requesting to face the best Luchador next week. Pearce says he’ll make a phone call to someone he has in mind.
Rapper Travis Scott appears in the crowd. He accompanies Jey Uso to the ring for his match.
Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre
Uso strikes McIntyre while the latter makes his entrance. Uso goes for a suicide dive, but McIntyre catches him and chops him. The bell rings, with Uso dodging a Claymore. McIntyre kicks him in the midsection. McIntyre mocks Uso’s dance, then chops him again. McIntyre rains down with right hands on Uso in the corner.
Uso responds back with a series of strikes and an ass-to-face check in the corner. He follows up with a crossbody. McIntyre connects with a neckbreaker, then looks for a Claymore. Uso dodges it, then goes for an Uso Splash. McIntyre blocks it with his knees.
McIntyre hits a spinebuster and a powerbomb for a near fall. McIntyre and Uso exchange strikes. McIntyre hits The Future Shock DDT for a two count. McIntyre charges in, only for Uso to rock him with a spear. Uso follows up with a superkick, but McIntyre bounces back with a Claymore. McIntyre chops Uso in the corner. McIntyre goes for another Claymore, but Uso collapses. McIntyre goes for another Claymore, but Uso ducks and rolls him up for the win.
Winner: Jey Uso
Gunther appears in a video package, noting that he has the prize that all of the WWE Raw roster want. He introduces himself as The Ring General and the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Backstage, Gabriel Iglesias speaks with Cathy Kelley. The New Day interrupt, asking where there time is. Kingston says Cathy should be interviewing them and not Iglesias. Cathy notes that they were out of time. Alpha Academy emerge in the frame. They and Iglesias chant “New Day Sucks.”
Elsewhere, Paul Heyman says the world needs a platform for the world to acknowledge him. Reigns says to mark January 27.
We Hear From Hulk Hogan
Hogan appears with Jimmy Hart by his side. He says the best part of his career was being in WWE. He calls the WWE Universe his greatest tag team partner. Now, he has a new tag team partner, with the Real American Beer. In the past, he’s had some other partners such as Randy Savage and Andre The Giant. Hogan says WWE is now teamed up with the best tag partner, Netflix.
Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk
Rollins and Punk trade strikes. Punk sends Rollins over the top rope. Rollins wipes him out with a suicide dive, then clears the announce table. Rollins chops Punk and sends him crashing into the barricade. Punk throws him over the barricade before diving onto him. The two brawl in the crowd. Rollins leaps off the barricade, but Punk strikes him in the midsection.
Punk rolls Rollins back into the ring. Rollins looks for a stomp, but Punk evades it. Punk sets up for a GTS, which Rollins fights out of. Rollins stomps away at Punk in the corner. Rollins argues with the referee, allowing Punk kick him in the face. Punk and Rollins meet atop the turnbuckle. Punk descends with a swinging neckbreaker on him.
Back from break, Punk connects with a high knee and another swinging neckbreaker. Punk launches himself onto Rollins to the outside. He ascends the top rope and jumps again, only for Rollins to catch him. Rollins mocks Punk by nailing him with a GTS. Punk responds with a stomp for a near fall.
Punk calls for a GTS, but Rollins catches his leg. Rollins rocks Punk with another GTS. Rollins looks for a stomp. Punk, however, rolls out of the way. Rollins tells Punk he has nowhere to run or hide. Rollins hits a Pedigree on top of the announce table. Rollins hits another one in the ring. He goes for a cover, but Punk kicks out.
Punk and Rollins exchange strikes. Rollins lands a buckle bomb and another stomp, then goes for another cover. Punk gets his leg on the rope to break it. Rollins hits a superplex. He then looks for a Falcon Arrow, but Punk counters with a pair of GTS for the win.
Winner: CM Punk