This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from Kansas City, Missouri! We break it all down in this week’s Raw recap!
We Hear From Gunther
Gunther points out that he will be the last opponent in the last match for the career of John Cena. Gunther says he agrees that Cena is the greatest sports entertainer of all time, but Gunther himself is the greatest professional wrestler of all time. Gunther points to a clock counting down to their match at WWE SNME. Gunther says beating Cena is not enough for him, so he’s going to break Cena’s spirit and bully him. Gunther vows to choke Cena out and force him to do something he’s never done, which is give up.
IYO SKY (w/ Rhea Ripley) vs. Kairi Sane (w/ Asuka)
SKY and Sane lock up. Sane kicks SKY out of the corner, then launches her across the ring with a hurricanrana. SKY lands on her feet. Sane and SKY trade pinfall attempts. SKY sends Sane up and over the apron. Sane leaps off the top, but SKY evades it. Sane delivers a successful hurricanrana this time. SKY sweeps Sane off her feet, then dropkicks her. Asuka distracts SKY. Ripley then confronts Asuka on the outside. Sane connects with a diving elbow on SKY off the apron.
Back from break, SKY nails Sane with a missile dropkick. SKY lands a meteora in the corner for a two count. Sane heads to the top. Sane pushes her off balance, then stomps away at SKY. SKY descends with a double stomp on SKY. SKY answers with a kick. Sane returns fire with a sliding forearm. They both move to the apron. SKY German suplexes Sane on it. SKY kicks Sane in the face, which sends her stumbling. SKY goes up top. Sane distracts the referee, allowing Asuka to trip SKY up. Ripley levels Asuka at ringside. SKY sends Sane to the mat with a hurricanrana then follows with a moonsault for the win.
Winner: IYO SKY
Backstage, Logan Paul wants revenge against Rey Mysterio for slapping him last week. Paul Heyman hands him a pair of brass knuckles.
Logan Paul Attacks Rey Mysterio
Logan attacks Rey from behind as he makes his entrance. Logan throws Rey into the barricade, then stomps away at him in the ring. Logan puts on his brass knuckles. Rey kicks away his punch and lays in right hands. Logan elbows him away. Rey sets up for a 619. A masked figure superkicks Rey, then curb stomps him. Logan follows up with a brass knuckle punch to Rey.
LA Knight runs down, which sends Logan retreating. Knight calls out Logan for disrespecting the legend that is Rey Mysterio. Logan says he wants to make Logan pay for it tonight.
The New Day and Grayson Waller head to ringside to watch the next title match.
WWE World Tag Titles: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee (c) vs War Raiders
Styles and Lee sweep Erik’s feet in the corner. Lee then connects with a dropkick. Styles elbows both Erik and Ivar off the apron. Erik and Ivar catch Lee mid-air, then launch him into Styles. Ivar crushes Styles against the ring’s side with a running crossbody.
Back from break, Styles rocks Ivar with a Pele Kick. Lee tags in and takes down Erik with a hurricanrana. He sends Erik to the outside, then kicks Ivar in the back. Erik returns, only to meet a double stomp from Lee in the corner. Lee lands a rising knee on Ivar. Lee tries to slam Ivar, but fails. Lee delivers a running elbow to Ivar instead. Lee fends off Ivar and Erik. Erik catches him mid-hurricanrana, only to take a superkick on the apron. Ivar slams Lee on the outside. Ivar lands a moonsault on Lee. Styles breaks up the pinfall attempt that comes after.
Styles and Erik officially tag in. They trade strikes. Erik dodges a Pele Kick and blasts Styles with a knee for a near fall. Styles launches Ivar into Erik with a hurricanrana off the top. Lee wipes out Erik with a dive to the outside. Styles follows with a Phenomenal Forearm to Ivar for the win.
Winners (And Still): AJ Styles & Dragon Lee
After the match, The New Day and Waller approach Styles and Lee in the ring. Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso walk through the crowd and meet them in the ring as well. Jimmy confirms that he and Jey are back in the tag division together. Jey says he and Jimmy are gonna block the noise and body the entire division. Jey says they need gold. Jey recalls their history with The New Day and promises to run through them. Jey and Jimmy clock Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. Waller retreats before they can clock him. Jey and Jimmy stare off with Styles and Lee.
We Hear From Stephanie Vaquer
Jackie Redmond introduces Vaquer. Redmond asks who’s next for Vaquer. Vaquer says she speaks through actions. Vaquer says she is the best luchadora on the planet. Vaquer points out the talent in the women’s division. Nikki Bella’s music hits. Nikki demands a rematch against Vaquer. Raquel Rodriguez launches Nikki into the ring post. Raquel tells Vaquer to name the time and place so she can kick her ass and take the women’s title.
Backstage, Liv Morgan says she’s surprised Raquel didn’t say anything to her. Morgan says she can’t wait to see Raquel become women’s world champion though. Morgan turns to Roxanne Perez and says they will be the next tag team champions.
Lyra Valkyria (w/ Bayley) vs. Roxanne Perez (w/ Liv Morgan)
Valkyria and Perez lock up, with the former backing the latter up into the corner. Valkyria bridges into a suplex. Perez ducks a spinning heel kick, then slaps Valkyria. Valkyria sweeps Perez off her feet and dropkicks her. Perez rolls to the outside, and catches Valkyria mid-dropkick. Perez rams Valkyria into the steel steps. Perez yanks Valkyria’s arm into the steps repeatedly.
Back from break, Valkyria clotheslines Perez. Perez dodges an enziguiri. Valkyria dodges double knees from Perez in return. Valkyria dropkicks Perez through the ropes. Valkyria lands a crossbody off the top for a near fall. Perez catapults Valkyria’s arm off the top rope. Perez connects with a double knees, then locks in an arm bar. Valkyria escapes. Perez gouges Valkyria’s eye as Morgan distracts the referee. Bayley levels Morgan on the apron. Valkyria rolls up Perez. Perez kicks out, launching Valkyria into Morgan. Morgan kicks Valkyria in the face. Perez hits Pop Rox for the win.
Winner: Roxanne Perez
LA Knight vs. Logan Paul (w/ Paul Heyman)
Logan goes right after Knight with a flurry of strikes. Knight drops Logan with a suplex. Knight delivers an Atomic Drop, then kicks Logan out of the ring. He follows with a running lariat off the apron. Knight clears the announce table. Logan rams him into the side of the ring. Knight pulls Logan back to the outside then bounces his head off the announce table. Knight nails Logan with an elbow, then flying shoulder next. Logan answers with a lariat out of the corner. Logan follows with a reverse bulldog.
Back from break, Knight connects with a jumping neckbreaker. He fires off stomps in the corner, then a hip attack. Knight and Logan meet up top. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed walk down the ramp. Logan leaps off with a crossbody as Knight is distracted. Knight drives Logan into the mat. He then leaps off the top with an elbow drop. Breakker hops up onto the apron, as does Reed. Reed shoves Knight to the mat as the referee is distracted. The referee ejects both Breakker and Reed. Knight lays in right hands on Logan on the outside. The masked man returns and stomps Knight as Breakker distracts the referee. Logan hits a Frog Splash for the win.
Winner: Logan Paul
After the match, Breakker spears Knight. Reed follows with a pair of Tsunamis. WWE officials help Knight out of the ring. Heyman grabs a microphone. Heyman says Breakker will be world champion on January 5. Breakker asks where CM Punk is. Breakker says he doesn’t buy the nice act Punk has been presenting since he returned to WWE. Breakker says Punk looks like a crackhead, which goes against his claims of being straight-edge. Breakker says he can beat the nice guy Punk easily, but he wants to face the old version of him that went on a historic reign and was truly the best. Breakker gets on his knees and begs Punk to bring back his old self. Breakker vows to send Punk to the hospital and take his wife.
The camera pans to Knight backstage. Reed and Logan run to the back. Breakker says it will be a spear and a quick pinfall on January 5. Reed and Logan further attack Knight backstage. Knight tries to fight back, but gets overpowered. Reed slams Knight through a table. Reed then slams him on top of a car. Logan places Knight on top of the car next. Reed leaps off a create and delivers a Tsunami.