This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from the Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio! Jey Uso and Charlotte Flair celebrate their Royal Rumble victories. The Elimination Chamber qualifiers kick off. Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston take on Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee, and more!
We break it all down in this week’s WWE Raw recap!
We Hear Jey Uso
Jey Uso admits that he doesn’t know what to say. He reflects on being in the business 15 years, with him and his brother joining it. Uso says he initially didn’t have the confidence to be a singles star, but he has it now. The crowd chants “you deserve it.” Uso says he worked really hard to get to his current spot. Uso thanks the fans and family for supporting him every week. Now, he’s going to the main event of WrestleMania.
World Heavyweight Champion Gunther walks out to the ring. Gunther says he would offer congratulations, but he’s disappointed. Gunther says a possible Mania match with Uso doesn’t appeal to him, as he claims Uso can’t lace his boots. Gunther asserts that he refuses to fight Uso again. Gunther says facing him at WrestleMania doesn’t add anything to his legacy, beating John Cena or CM Punk would. Gunther says if Uso chooses him, every week will be hell for Uso. Gunther promises to put Uso down like a diseased dog, then advises Uso to consider his options.
Uso says he’s tired of being told what he can and can’t be. Uso says he’ll be at SmackDown this week to scope out Cody Rhodes as well. Whoever he chooses though to face, though, will lose at WrestleMania, as he will walk out as a new world champion.
Penta vs. Ludwig Kaiser
Kaiser stomps away at Penta. Penta fires back with a running knee. Kaiser kicks him back. Penta throws Kaiser over the top rope. Kaiser clocks him with a right hand, then hits a Death Valley Driver on the apron.
Back from break, Kaiser strikes Penta in the back of the head. He then takes him down with a clothesline. Penta encourages Kaiser to hit him, then levels him with a springboard backbreaker. Penta connects with double boots in the corner. He and Kaiser trade chops. Penta sends Kaiser to the outside again, then dives onto him. Penta follows up with a crossbody press for a near fall.
They exchange blows again. Kaiser rocks Penta with a senton, then goes for a roll-up. Penta counters into The Sacrifice. He follows up with the Penta Driver for the win.
Winner: Penta
After the match, Pete Dunne walks out onto the stage. Kaiser ambushes Penta from behind.
Backstage, Finn Balor says everything has seemed to fall to pieces for the Judgment Day while he was gone. Balor then confronts Dominik Mysterio for taking his spot and partner last week. Morgan breaks it up and informs Balor that Mysterio got him an Elimination Chamber qualifying match.
We Hear From Charlotte Flair
Charlotte Flair says last year sucked for her because it broke her mentally and physically. She says she’s going to embrace the response she’s getting because she loves the WWE Universe. Flair says they can boo or woo her because it doesn’t change the fact that she’s the greatest superstar in WWE history. Flair says last year broke her, but she fought to get back to the ring. Flair says this is what she is meant to do. Flair mentions WrestleMania when she’s interrupted by WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley.
Ripley encourages Flair to choose her for WrestleMania. They recall trading wins against each other on the grand stage. Flair says she’s got nothing but time to choose her WrestleMania opponent. She confirms that she will be at NXT and SmackDown to scope out Giulia and Tiffany Stratton. Flair points out that Ripley jumped the gun and calls her a kid. Flair says she will see her again next week. Ripley urges her to select her so she can beat some respect into her.
Backstage, Sami Zayn says he is looking ahead to qualifying for the Elimination Chamber. Zayn tells Jey Uso he is happy for him in winning the Royal Rumble. Karrion Kross approaches Zayn. Zayn says he’s sick of Kross coming up to him. Kross says he could be a problem for him.
Backstage, IYO SKY tells Rhea Ripley maybe she’ll see her at WrestleMania. Liv Morgan attacks SKY. Raquel Rodriguez then strikes Ripley.
New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) vs. LWO (Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee)
Mysterio and Lee double team Kingston. Kington backs Mysterio into the corner, where he and Woods beat him down. Woods taunts Mysterio, then whips him into another corner. Mysterio sends Woods flying. He then rains down right hands in the corner. Lee kicks Woods. Woods responds with a backbreaker and tags in Kingston. Kingston and Lee go up top. Lee slips underneath him and delivers a dropkick. Logan Paul’s music hits. Off the distraction, Kingston throws Lee across the ring. Meanwhile, Woods pushes Mysterio into the barricade.
Back from break, Kingston dives onto Lee. He follows up with a knee to his jaw. Woods tags in and hits a missile dropkick on Lee. Lee fires back with a chop and a sit-out powerbomb. Mysterio and Kingston tag in. Kingston kicks Mysterio. Mysterio sets up for a 619, but Woods pulls Kingston to safety. Mysterio jumps onto Kingston, then clocks Logan Paul at ringside. Mysterio rams Kingston into the ring post. Lee sends Woods flying off the apron with a hurricanrana. With the referee distracted, Paul lays in cheap shots on Mysterio. Kingston capitalizes with a Trouble in Paradise for the win.
Winners: Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
Backstage, CM Punk prepares for his Elimination Chamber qualifier against Sami Zayn.
Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Liv Morgan (w/ Raquel Rodriguez) vs IYO SKY
SKY charges after Morgan and throws her against the barricades. Back in the ring, SKY fires off elbow strikes and a dropkick. Morgan responds with a cover, which SKY kicks out of. Morgan whips SKY into the corner and hits a running knee. Morgan follows up with a basement dropkick. SKY delivers a dropkick of her own. Morgan sends her to the outside. SKY returns with a big right hand and a dive.
Back from break, Morgan hits the Three Amigos. SKY knocks Morgan to the mat with a dropkick. Morgan rocks SKY with a backstabber. SKY delivers a big kick then ascends the top. Raquel Rodriguez distracts her. Morgan knocks her to the apron and looks for a sunset flip powerbomb. SKY evades it and tosses Morgan across the floor with a German suplex. She follows up with a springboard moonsault.
Morgan catches SKY with a codebreaker. She then covers SKY, but SKY kicks out. SKY executes a hurricanrana. SKY goes up top for a moonsault, but Morgan blocks it with her knees. Morgan goes for Oblivion, but SKY counters it. Rhea Ripley charges down and attacks Raquel from behind. She then strikes Morgan, causing the referee to call for the bell.
Winner (via DQ): Liv Morgan
After the match, SKY yells at Ripley and frustratingly walks to the back.
Backstage, Ivar and Erik say JD McDonagh gained their respect last week. Chad Gable and American Made approach them. Gable says American Made is championship material. Erik and Ivar tell the Creed Brothers to prepare to go to war if they want their tag titles. Gable says he is going on a quest conquer the art of lucha libre.
Backstage, Adam Pearce confirms AJ Styles as an official member of the WWE Raw roster.
We Hear From Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins says he is happy for Jey Uso and his Royal Rumble win. He is also happy to see people get what they deserve. Rollins is also happy to see CM Punk lose the Royal Rumble as it means his WrestleMania future is still uncertain. Rollins points out that Roman Reigns lost the Rumble as well and is now out indefinitely thanks to him. Rollins asserts that Reigns has hurt those close to him, and he would have attacked him as well if given the chance.
Rollins says he lost the Rumble too, but there are still many different paths to WrestleMania. He confirms he will be facing Finn Balor in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match in a few weeks. Rollins calls out Sami Zayn, another man with a qualifying match.
Rollins says the world knows that he hates CM Punk. Rollins says he knows Zayn hates Punk too. Rollins recalls Punk telling Zayn he wasn’t on his level. Rollins, however, believes Zayn is levels above Punk. Rollins hypes up Zayn heading into his qualifier against Punk. He says tonight is Zayn’s night.
Punk walks out onto the stage and briefly trade strikes with Rollins. WWE officials separate them. Punk heads to the ring for his match.
Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: CM Punk vs. Sami Zayn
Zayn and Punk lock up, with the latter applying a headlock. Zayn drops Punk with a shoulder tackle. Punk takes him down right back with a side headlock. Punk and Zayn trade chops. Punk targets the arm of Zayn, then knocks him down with another chop. Zayn fires back with more chops as well. Zayn follows up with a clothesline and right hands in the corner. Punk rocks Zayn with a swinging neckbreaker. Punk goes up top. Zayn reaches his feet and delivers a superplex.
Back from break, Zayn stuns Punk with a tornado DDT. Punk looks for GTS, but Zayn counters. Punk lands a kick and a running knee. Zayn reverses a bulldog into a Blue Thunder Bomb. Punk charges, but Zayn sidesteps, causing Punk to collide with the ring post. Zayn looks for a Helluva Kick, but Punk counters into a roll-up. Punk locks in the Anaconda Vice. Zayn reaches the bottom rope with his foot to break the hold.
Punk connects with a pair of rising knees. Zayn misses a Helluva Kick. Punk calls for a GTS, but Zayn counters into a roll-up for a near fall. Punk fires off elbow strikes. Zayn responds with some of his own. Zayn lands an exploder into the corner. He calls for the Helluva Kick, which Punk counters into a GTS for the win.
Winner: CM Punk
After the match, Punk and Zayn shake hands. Kevin Owens attacks Zayn from behind, causing him to knock Punk to the outside. Owens then lays out Zayn with a package piledriver.