This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from Hersey, Pennsylvania! We break it all down in this week’s Raw recap!
We Hear From Gunther
Gunther takes in a sea of boos from the crowd. He brags that John Cena tapped out to him like a “little b*tch,” then poses on the turnbuckle. He says that he made Cena gave up. Gunther says his time is now and he will forever be the man that made John Cena give up. He heads backstage and encounters R-Truth. Truth calls Gunther a piece of trash. Gunther shrugs it off. Raw GM Adam Pearce asks Gunther if he’s proud. Pearce says Gunther parading around and trying to tarnish Cena’s legacy makes him an a**hole. Pearce instructs Gunther to leave. Gunther leaves the building and finds AJ Styles in the parking lot. Styles points to his car. Gunther drives off and motions that Styles can’t see him.
The Usos (Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) (w/ Grayson Waller)
Jimmy shoulder tackles Kingston. Kingston tries to answer with an enziguiri, but misses. Jimmy chops Kingston. Jey tags in and hits Kingston with a kick in the corner. Woods runs over Jey with a clothesline. Kingston knocks Jey to the outside.
Back from break, Jimm rocks Kingston with an uppercut. He follows with an enziguiri and a running hip attack. Waller distracts Jimmy, allowing Kingston to push Jimmy off the top. Waller rams Jimmy into the steel ring post. Woods leaps onto Jey from off the apron. Kingston fires off stomps on Jimmy. Woods does the same, plus a dropkick. Woods hangs Jimmy upside down in the corner, Kingston charges in with a baseball slide, but Jimmy sits up just in time. Jey tags in and superkicks Woods for a near fall. Jey wipes out Woods with a dive to the outside. He follows with a crossbody off the top.
Back from another break, Waller trips up Jey, prompting the referee to eject him. Woods and Kingston meet double superkicks from Jimmy and Jey. Jimmy and Jey hit double Frog Splashes on Woods for a near fall. Woods rolls up Jimmy for a near fall, then plants him with a DDT on the floor. Woods wipes out Jey on the floor. Kingston levels Jimmy with a splash. Woods follows with a diving stomp. Jey breaks up the subsequent pinfall attempt. Kingston rocks Jey with a Trouble in Paradise. Jimmy hits Kingston and Woods with superkicks. Jey spears Woods with a spear on the outside. Jimmy hits a spear on Kingston in the ring as well. They land a 1D on Kingston for the win.
Winners: The Usos
Backstage, Paul Heyman advises Bron Breakker to keep his hands off of Punk until January 5, when he challenges for the world title.
We Hear From IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley
SKY and Ripley walk down the entrance ramp. Asuka spits mist in Ripley’s face from out of nowhere. Kairi Sane then blasts Ripley with a jumping elbow. Asuka and Sane ram SKY into the steel steps. Asuka lands a sliding kick on Ripley against the side of the ring. Ripley is rolled into the ring. WWE officials run down to try and stop Asuka and Kairi. Asuka holds Ripley down as Sane goes up top. SKY crawls on top of Ripley and takes an Insane Elbow to her back from Sane.
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Title: Maxxine Dupri (c) vs. Ivy Nile
Nile slaps Maxxine out of the gate. Maxxine answers with a series of punches. Maxxine goes for an ankle lock, but Nile escapes. Nile and Maxxine meet up top. Maxxine locks in an arm bar against the ropes. Nile German suplexes Maxxine on the floor.
Back from break, Maxxine and Nile trade strikes. Maxxine boots Nile in the face, then runs over her with a pair of clotheslines. She follows with bicycle kicks. Maxxine splashes Nile in the corner. She bridges into a cover, but Nile kicks out. Nile powerbombs Maxxine for a near fall. Maxxine drives Nile into the mat with a powerbomb of her own. Nile cinches in a dragon sleeper, then delivers a dropkick. Maxxine launches Nile across the ring. Nile rolls her up for a two count. Maxxine cinches in the ankle lock. Nile kicks Maxxine away, only for Maxxine to return with it. Nile escapes again, but gets hit with a roundhouse kick this time. Maxxine applies the Ankle Lock again. Nile taps.
Winner (And Still): Maxxine Dupri
Backstage, Adam Pearce makes Je’Von Evans vs. Rayo Americano official for next week.
We Hear From CM Punk
Punk says he’s missed Raw because he wasn’t medically cleared to compete or fly. Punk says it was painful to hear Bron Breakker talk on Raw. Punk says Breakker signed up for War, not board games. Punk recalls Breakker saying it was easy to pin him at WarGames and he wanted 2011 Punk. Punk says Breakker can’t handle the 2025 version without help from his friends. Punk congratulates Breakker on pinning him, but points out that he didn’t do it alone. Punk says Paul Heyman has gassed up some clients too much and watched them crack under the bright lights. Punk warns Breakker that if he ever mentions AJ Lee’s name again, he’ll rip out his eyes and p*ss on his brain.
Punk says Breakker won’t fight him one on one on January 5 because he doesn’t have the heart to. Punk invites Breakker to bring The Vision and his family if he wants a chance at beating Punk. Punk says Breakker will only have his father and uncle left supporting him after he loses.
Backstage, Raquel Rodriguez says she wants to handle Stephanie Vaquer by herself tonight. Liv Morgan says she and Roxanne Perez will become the women’s tag champions.
WWE Women’s World Title: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Raquel and Vaquer lock up. Raquel slams Vaquer to the mat, then blocks a sunset flip. Raquel runs over Vaquer with a shoulder. She fires off punches in the corner next. Vaquer answers with a series of elbows and a roll-up. Vaquer leaps off the top, but gets catch by Raquel. Raquel drops her to the mat.
Back from break, Raquel rams her shoulder into Vaquer in the corner. Vaquer locks in a triangle submission. Raquel breaks it by slamming Vaquer down. Vaquer answers with a thrust kick and the Devil’s Kiss. She follows with a meteora in the corner. Raquel fires back with a clothesline. The action goes to the outside, where Nikki Bella attacks both Raquel and Vaquer. Bella drops Vaquer with a Rack Attack 2.0.
No Contest
Backstage, Adam Pearce asks Paul Heyman who the masked man is. Heyman claims he doesn’t know, but he does find it convenient. Pearce says he wants to know who the masked man is by the end of the night. Pearce then grants Rhea Ripley a match against Asuka next week.
Elsewhere, CM Punk offers to help Rey Mysterio in his match tonight. Rey declines, though Punk says the offer is still on the table.
AJ Styles and Dragon Lee say they’ll bring the fire to any team that steps up to them. Nikki Bella says she’s not sorry for what she did tonight. Bella also says she’s sick that no women show appreciation for her paving the way.
Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul (w/ Paul Heyman)
Rey and Logan lock up. Rey slaps Logan in the corner, then fires off elbows. Rey dropkicks Logan through the ropes. He sets up for a 619 next, but Logan recovers with a kick. Logan lands a series of right hands. He whips Rey into the turnbuckle, then lashes him with his belt. Rey kicks Logan, then takes him down with a hurricanrana. Rey follows with more punches. Logan yanks him off the ropes, sending him crashing to the mat. Logan lands a rolling senton. Rey blocks his springboard moonsault that follows. Rey hits a seated senton on the outside.
Back from another break, Logan and Rey trade strikes. Logan delivers a running slam. Rey sets up for a 619, but Logan again prevents it with a kick. He follows with two suplexes. When he goes for a third off the top, Rey blocks it and connects with a sunset flip. Rey kicks Logan to the outside, then lands a sliding crossbody. Bron Breakker and Bron Reed appear on the stage. CM Punk hits them both with chair shots. Rey rolls up Logan for a near fall. Logan counters a hurricanrana with a slam. Heyman hands Logan a pair of brass knuckles. Rey hits a 619. While the referee is distracted, the masked man stomps Rey on the apron. Logan follows up with a splash for the win.
Winner: Logan Paul
After the match, Logan stares down the masked man. Punk runs in with a chair, causing the masked man to retreat. The man reveals themselves as Austin Theory in the crowd. When Punk turns around, he meets a spear from Breakker. Breakker tells Punk this is business. Breakker vows that Punk will never stand on his feet if he ever talks about Breakker’s family again. Breakker stands tall with Punk’s’ World Heavyweight Championship.