This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from Glendale, Arizona! We break it all down in this week’s Raw recap!
We Hear From Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY
Ripley welcomes the crowd to Raw, then says her team is a little banged up coming out of WarGames. Still, they won the war. Ripley says the fight isn’t over though because the Kabuki Warriors wanted to betray SKY. Ripley exclaims that she and SKY want revenge and that starts by taking the women’s tag titles off of the Kabuki Warriors. SKY says no one is ready for her and Ripley. Ripley calls for Asuka and Kairi Sane to come down to the ring. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss appear instead.
Bliss says she was happy they could put everything behind them for WarGames, but when it comes to the women’s tag titles, Ripley and SKY should pump the breaks. Flair points out that she and Bliss never got a rematch for the titles. Bliss adds that Ripley and SKY can get a shot after them. Ripley says Flair and Bliss should get to the back of the line since they couldn’t beat Asuka and Sane. Flair says she doesn’t step aside for anyone. She then dares Ripley and SKY to prove that they’re better than them. Bliss officially challenges them to face them later tonight in a match. SKY accepts.
Backstage, Ivy Nile tells Adam Pearce that she wants a Women’s IC Title match. Pearce says Nile will get the first shot at Maxxine Dupri once details are finalized. Pearce then turns to Paul Heyman. Pearce says that have nothing to talk about unless they want to reveal who was under the mask at WarGames. Heyman claims he doesn’t know who it was. He does know that Bron Breakker pinned world champ CM Punk, though. All three head into Pearce’s office for a meeting.
The Last Time Is Now Tournament Semi Finals: LA Knight vs. Jey Uso
Knight fires off stomps on Jey in the corner. Jey dodges a hip attack from Knight. Knight then dodges one from Jey. Knight unloads a series of right hands. Jey returns fire with his own. Jey sends Knight through the ropes, then wipes him out with a dive.
Back from break, Knight drops Jey with a burning hammer. Jey answers with a spear. They go up top, where Knight descends with a superplex for a near fall. Jey counters a BFT into a roll-up. He then connects with superkick and a spear. Jey leaps off the top with an Uso Splash for another near fall. Knight reverses into a roll-up for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
After the match, Jey destroys the hydration station, then yanks out the steel steps out of frustration.
Elsewhere, Adam Pearce tells Lyra Valkyria and Bayley they are under consideration for a women’s tag title match in the future. Asuka calls Bayley an idiot for not joining them at WarGames. Bayley says they’re idiots for losing. Asuka points out that she’s a champion, then rubs it in that Bayley is not in the main event tonight.
We Hear From Judgment Day
Dominik Mysterio points out that he just beat John Cena, aka the greatest of all time. Dominik says that makes him the greatest now in multiple aspects. Dominik says he couldn’t have done it alone, then thanks his Judgment Day comrades. He introduces Liv Morgan next. Morgan says the fans nor John Cena saw her return coming. Dominik says once they placed the ace up their sleeve, aka Morgan, he got the IC Title back. Morgan says she missed Dominik and Judgment Day.
Morgan adds that she’s been hearing some things about Judgment Day, such as them being weak and losing their championship gold. Morgan says that changes now that she’s back. Morgan warns everyone that they are coming for what is theirs. Morgan proclaims that their faction run Raw again. Morgan kisses Dominik in celebration.
WWE World Tag Team Titles: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee (c) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) (w/ Grayson Waller)
Kingston and Woods charge after Styles. Woods fires off right hands in the corner. Kingston lays in forearms as well. Kingston leaps off the top with a stomp to Styles’ arm. Kingston follows with a monkey flip. Styles tags in Lee, who connects with a kick to Kingston. Lee take down Kingston with a hurricanrana. He does the same to Woods, which sends Woods crashing into Kingston and Waller on the outside.
Back from break, Styles locks Kingston in the calf crusher. Woods breaks it up, then launches Lee to the outside. Styles does the same to Woods. Kingston rolls up Styles for a two count. Lee tags in and drops Kingston on the mat. Kingston dodges an Operation Dragon, then tags in Woods. Woods kicks Styles off the apron. Woods dives onto Styles. Kingston dropkicks Lee in the corner and covers him. Lee kicks out.
Lee turns Kingston inside out, then lands a double stomp. Lee wipes out Woods with a dive. Styles plants Kingston with a Styles Clash for the win.
Winners (And Still): AJ Styles & Dragon Lee
Backstage, Liv Morgan reminds Stephanie Vaquer that she’s back, then congratulates her on her win at Survivor Series.
We Hear From The Vision
Bronson Reed, Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, and Paul Heyman head to the ring. Heyman shouts out Brock Lesnar and Drew McIntyre for their contributions at WarGames. He then praises Reed, Logan, and Breakker. Heyman confirms that Breakker will challenge CM Punk for the world title on January 5. Breakker says he’s upset how easy it was to pin Punk at WarGames. Breakker calls Punk a “soft ass b*tch.” Breakker claims that Punk is no different than any other veteran holding everyone else down and being narcissistic. Breakker also claims that AJ Lee is a bigger star than Punk. Breakker says January 5 will be a different kind of fight.
Breakker says Punk tries to take away his dream and ruin his career at WarGames, so now he’s coming to ruin Punk’s career. Breakker says when he is standing over Punk on January 5 he wants Punk to realize that he is nowhere close to Breakker’s level. Breakker slams the mic down while The Vision applaud his promo.
Backstage, Jey Uso says he doesn’t give a damn about Breakker or The Vision. Jey says there’s a lot of people in his head that need to get out. Jey says Roman Reigns said it best, the world titles look good on his shoulders, not Jey’s.
The Last Time Is Now Tournament Semi-Finals: Gunther vs. Solo Sikoa (w/ Talla Tonga)
Gunther and Sikoa lock up. They trade elbow strikes. Sikoa eventually runs over Gunther with a shoulder tackle. Gunther rocks Sikoa with a big boot. Sikoa rolls to the outside.
Back from break, Gunther chops Sikoa. Sikoa drops Gunther with a press, then goes up top. Gunther meets him there, but Sikoa headbutts him back down. Gunther returns to the top and descends with a superplex on Sikoa. Gunther and Sikoa exchange blows once again. Gunther and Sikoa trade kicks as well. Sikoa lands a shot to Gunther’s throat.
Back from another break, Sikoa runs in with a hip attack in the corner. Gunther answers with a pair of clotheslines. Sikoa delivers a Samoan Drop for a two count. He then lines up for a Samoan Spike. Gunther counters it with a series of chops. Sikoa responds with a uranage and a splash. Gunther ducks a Samoan Spike and cinches in a sleeper hold. Sikoa reaches the corner to break it, though Gunther launches him across the ring with a German suplex. Gunther knocks Talla off the apron, then runs into a boot from him on the outside. Gunther slams Sikoa onto the apron, the low blows him as the referee is distracted by Talla. Gunther powerbombs Sikoa for the win.
Winner: Gunther
After the match, Knight confronts Gunther. Knight says he wishes Gunther the best when they face off in the finals.
Backstage, Rey Mysterio and Logan Paul get into a verbal spat, resulting in Rey slapping Logan.
Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY
Bliss dropkicks SKY with leverage from Flair. Flair knocks Ripley off the apron with a big boot. SKY lands a double stomp on Flair.
Back from break, Flair and Ripley dodge each other’s moves. They lock up, with Flair nailing Ripley with a back elbow. They trade strikes next. Flair lays in a series of chops. Ripley answers with a headbutt. Flair delivers a backbreaker. Ripley rocks Flair with an enziguiri.
Back from another break, Ripley delivers a Razor’s Edge to Flair. SKY follows with a missile dropkick. Ripley covers Flair for a two count. Flair counters the Riptide with a DDT. Bliss tags in and spikes Ripley with another DDT. Bliss goes up top. Ripley gets her knees up to counter Twisted Bliss. Flair boots SKY in the face. Flair then hits Natural Selection. Bliss plants SKY with a Sister Abigail. Bliss covers SKY, but Ripley breaks it up. Ripley dodges a boot from Flair, then clotheslines her on the apron. Ripley tags in and blocks a DDT from Bliss. Ripley headbutts Bliss, then slams her with a Riptide. SKY follows with a moonsault. Flair launches Ripley into SKY’s pinfall attempt in order to break it up.
Asuka and Kairi Sane run down and attack the four women, causing the referee to call for the bell.
No Contest
Asuka and Sane ram Flair and Ripley into the ring posts, then knock down SKY with kicks. Asuka blasts Bliss with a kick next. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria run down to make the save. Valkyria dropkicks Sane through the ropes, while Bayley stomps away at Asuka in the ring.
Liv Morgan sweeps Valkyria off the announce desk, then rams Sane into the steel steps. Raquel Rodrguez runs over Bayley with a big boot. She then delivers a Tejana Bomb to Asuka. Roxanne Perez follows with a Pop Rox to Bayley. Raquel and Roxanne stand tall with the women’s tag titles. Morgan raises their hands.