This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from Memphis, Tennessee! We break it all down in this week’s Raw recap!
We Hear From The Vision
Jimmy and Jey Uso make their way down through the crowd. Paul Heyman gets a mic and calls for their music to stop. Logan Paul brags about selling his Pokemon card for $16 million, which is more than the crowd will ever see in their lives. Paul reiterates that they have a vision together. Footage of last week’s events play, showing Austin Theory getting stomped by a masked man. Theory says the people know last week was his match to win. Adam Pearce comes out and suggests they go back to his office to talk like adults. Theory claims that Pearce screwed him last week. Pearce points out that Logan and Bronson Reed interfered. Heyman demands that Reed get a spot in the Men’s Elimination Chamber. Pearce says Reed can earn a spot by qualifying next week. LA Knight’s music hits.
Knight says Theory’s hopes of going to WrestleMania were dashed. Knight adds that Reed’s will be next. Knight encourages The Usos to join forces with him for a fight tonight. Pearce makes it official for right now.
LA Knight & The Usos vs. The Vision (w/ Paul Heyman)
Knight runs over Theory with a clothesline. Jimmy follows with an axe handle. Jimmy and Jey deliver double elbow drops to Theory. Knight lands a neckbreaker on Theory as well. Reed tags in. He knocks down Knight with a clothesline. Theory boots Knight in the corner. Logan fires off elbow strikes, then connects with a slam. Reed crushes Knight in the corner with a splash. He follows with an elbow drop.
Back from break, Knight dodges a senton from Reed. Logan and Jey tag in. Jey runs over Logan with clotheslines. He fires off right hands, then a hip attack for a two count. Jey spears Logan. Theory breaks up the pinfall attempt that follows. Knight sends Theory to the outside, then drives him into the floor with BFT. Reed drives Knight through the barricade. Logan drives Jey into the mat with a reverse bulldog. Jimmy and Jey lay out Logan with a 1D. Reed dives onto Jimmy, then headbutts Jey. He wipes out both Jimmy and Jey with a dive to the outside. Logan clocks Jimmy with a right hand. Reed follows with a Tsunami for the win.
Winners: The Vision
After the match, Logan celebrates near the commentary desk. The masked figure returns to stomp Logan on it.
Backstage, Pearce points out a mysterious crate that says not to open until February 28.
Women’s Chamber Qualifier: Asuka vs. Bayley vs. Nattie
Nattie fires off right hands on Bayley. Bayley tosses Nattie out of the ring, then knocks down Asuka with a running clothesline. Nattie clocks Bayley from behind. Nattie follows with a surfboard submission. Asuka breaks it up with a dropkick. Nattie German suplexes Asuka across the ring. Bayley drives Asuka into the corner with a sunset flip. She follows with a dropkick. Nattie catches Bayley mid-air, then drives her into the ring post.
Back from break, Bayley drops Nattie with a springboard elbow. She then takes down Asuka with a superplex. Nattie dumps Bayley to the outside. Asuka and Nattie trade strikes. Bayley returns to the ring and delivers a back suplex to Nattie. Bayley goes up top an descends with an elbow drop on Asuka. Nattie breaks up her pinfall attempt. Nattie suplexes Bayley on the apron. Asuka cinches in the Asuka Lock on Nattie. Nattie escapes and stacks up Asuka with a sitout powerbomb. Nattie locks in the Sharpshooter on Asuka. Bayley breaks it up with a running knee to Nattie. Asuka blasts Nattie with a hip attack. Bayley delivers a Bayley-to-Belly for a near fall on Asuka. Bayley knocks Nattie off the apron again. Asuka cinches in the Asuka Lock. Bayley taps.
Winner: Asuka
After the match, Maxxine Dupri drives Nattie into the big screen. The two then trade strikes until officials pull them apart.
In an interview with Michael Cole, Liv Morgan announces that she is waiting to make her WrestleMania 42 decision.
We Hear From CM Punk
Punk says he doesn’t think he’s jeopardizing his WrestleMania 42 match. Punk adds that the people deserve a fighting champion. Punk says Finn Balor has earned the ass beating he’s about to give him at Elimination Chamber. Punk says he wouldn’t be who he is if he didn’t do or say things that piss people off. Punk adds that he wouldn’t be what he is if he didn’t defend the title whenever he can.
Balor’s music hits. Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh join Balor in surrounding Punk. Balor tells Punk to relax. He claims that they didn’t come out there to fight, but they did come out there to remind him of something. Balor claims that to be the best in the world one needs to train with the best, travel to the best places, and beat Roman Reigns on his first night on WWE’s main roster. Balor points out that he’s done all those things. Balor says the real best in the world makes things better. Punk asks what Mysterio and McDonagh are doing there.
Punk says he knew who Balor was. Punk points out that Balor did all those great things by himself, and without Judgment Day. Punk claims that the stable has been an anchor around Balor, with Mysterio and McDonagh dragging him down. Punk purposely turns his back and invites Judgment Day to jump him. Punk suggests that Balor needs help to prove he is the best in the world. Balor holds back McDonagh from attacking Punk as he leaves the ring.
Backstage, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY address how they’re holding things together. Ripley says it’s time for them to put Nia Jax and Lash Legend out. SKY says they’ll be ready. Kairi Sane and Asuka interrupt. Sane says they will make sure Asuka is champion.
IC Title Contender’s Match: New El Grande Americano (w/ Rayo & Bravo) vs. Penta
Grande and Penta trade chops. Penta blasts Grande with a superkick and a backstabber. Grande answers with a headbutt. He follows with a clothesline.
Back from break, Penta delivers a Penta Driver. Penta blasts Rayo with a kick. Grande charges in with a headbutt for a near fall. Rayo distracts the referee as Bravo tries to hand Grande a steel plate. OG Grande drags Bravo under the ring. He then drops Rayo with a suplex on the floor. OG Grande hip tosses Bravo across the announce desk. Penta lays out New Grande with a springboard Mexican Destroyer for the win.
Winner: Penta
After the match, OG Grande delivers a back body drop to New Grande. He follows with German suplex. When OG Grande tries to unmask new Grande, Rayo and Bravo drag him to safety.
We Hear From AJ Lee
Lee recalls walking out of Raw as the number one contender to the Women’s IC Title last week. Lee says this is serious business because she hasn’t had a singles match or a title match in over a decade. Lee says all the women had to fight for was a sparkly pink butterfly, which she made as her own. Lee asserts that she knows who she is. Lee says she still wants to get her hands on the women in the locker room, such as Bayley, Lyra Valkyria, and Rhea Ripley, but for now, all roads lead back to Becky Lynch.
Lee doesn’t know why Lynch is mad at her. Lee says she gave Lynch a 10 year head start, so it’s not her fault. Lee says without Lynch, she wouldn’t get to show that she can still be a champion. Lee calls Lynch out to the ring. Lynch laughs at Lee saying that this is an opportunity for Lee to get a title. Lynch says it’ll actually be a sendoff for her. Lynch agrees that there was a division before and after Lee, but her gift was leaving. Lynch calls herself the greatest of all time. Lee invites Lynch to step into the ring and throw hands. Lynch takes off her coat as if she’s about to get into the ring. Lee says she’ll give Lynch the first swing. Lynch gets into the ring, but refuses to hit Lee.
Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Gunther vs Dominik Mysterio vs Je’Von Evans
Gunther chops Evans in the corner. Dominik does the same. Evans responds with a pair of dropkicks. Gunther puts Evans in a Boston Crab. Dominik chops Gunther. Gunther knocks Dominik down with a chop of his own. Evans dropkicks Gunther, then takes down Dominik with a hurricanrana. Gunther chops Evans, then launches Dominik into the barricade. Evans wipes out Gunther with a dive to the outside.
Back from break, Evans blasts Dominik with a spinning kick. Gunther applies a sleeper hold on Evans. Evans escapes, only to meet a chop from Gunther. Gunther slams Dominik onto Evans. Evans rolls up Gunther for a two count. Gunther answers with a clothesline and powerbomb for a near fall. Gunther delivers more chops to Evans. Evans lands a roundhouse kick. He follows with another kick to Dominik. Gunther chops Evans across his back. Evans connects with a running knee to Gunther. Dominik descends off the top with a splash, but Gunther blocks it with his knees.
Evans lands a springboard crossbody. Evans connects with a jawbreaker on Gunther. Gunther locks in a sleeper on Evans. Dominik breaks it up with a splash. Gunther thwarts Dominik’s attempt at a 619. Dominik grabs the ring bell hammer. Evans puts Gunther in a sleeper hold. Gunther breaks it by suplexing Evans. Gunther boots Dominik off the apron and to the floor. Dragon Lee strikes Gunther with the ring bell out of nowhere. Dominik dropkicks Evans in the ring, then lands a 619. Dominik goes up top. Evans dodges the Frog Splash attempt. Evans hits the OG Cutter on Dominik for the win.
Winner: Je’Von Evans