Here are the results from Raw at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio
Jey Uso promo
The winner of the Men’s Royal Rumble comes out to a huge reception. I’m glad the Jey Uso hate seems to purely be from the cringe IWC. Jey talks about the long journey he has had to get to this moment and he is overwhelmed by the support he has received from the fans. He has worked his ass off to get here. He has proved himself to be main event Jey Uso. Now that he has won the Rumble, he will go on to main event Wrestlemania once again. Jey is interrupted by the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther.
He wants to congratulate Jey, but he is also disappointed. He doesn’t want to wrestle Jey again because Jey cannot lace his boots. Beating Jey again will not add to his legacy. Gunther advises Jey to consider other options or risk being put down like a diseased dog. Jey says he will do what he chooses, but whoever he chooses, will be losing their title to him at Wrestlemania. Yeet.
Analysis
B Grade – A solid hype promo by Jey. I think Jey vs Gunther is the clear match their going for and I don’t mind that. This was another step on the road to Wrestlemania.
Penta vs Ludwig Kaiser
This follows on from Penta eliminating Ludwig from the Rumble. They exchange strikes. Penta does a headstand in the corner, Ludwig kicks him down. Kaiser hits Penta with a Death Valley Driver on the apron. That was sick. Ludwig beats up Penta on the mat. Clothesline for a 2 count. Penta gets back into the match with a backbreaker. Penta does the headstand again and lands a dropkick. Ludwig rolls out and Penta lands a big dive on him. They exchange strikes again in the ring. Kaiser gets a roll up for a near fall. Penta hits the Sacrifice and then the Penta Driver to win. After the match, Pete Dunne makes an entrance. This distraction allows Ludwig Kaiser to attack Penta from behind.
Analysis
C Grade – This is the weakest match of Penta’s WWE stint so far, but it wasn’t bad. It was just average. I don’t think Kaiser is the best opponent for him. A shame we’re probably going to see more of this, but hopefully they can improve. Penta still looks great, adjusting to the WWE style well.
Charlotte Flair promo
Time to hear from the other winner of the Rumble. Charlotte says she has missed the fans whether they cheer or boo. She talks about the difficult year she had in 2024, before being interrupted by Mami, Rhea Ripley. Rhea says Raw is her show. She respects Charlotte and would be happy for her to choose to have a Wrestlemania match for a third time. Flair says she has plenty of time. She will meet Giulia in NXT as well as Tiffany Stratton on Smackdown before she makes any decisions. Flair says Rhea is still a kid and she will see her next week.
C+ Grade – This was fine and did what it needed to do. Flair seems to be leaning more heelish which is best, it is where she works best. I would be more than happy to see Flair vs Ripley III at Wrestlemania, but I doubt that is the plans.
-Sami Zayn is focused on his Elimination Chamber qualifier with Punk tonight. He wanders into Jey Uso. Sami pays Jey respect and holds no bad feelings after being eliminated by him in the Rumble. Karrion Kross appears to try and get under Sami’s skin again. Sami is getting sick of him. Kross says he isn’t a problem, but he could be.
-Iyo Sky promises to meet Rhea for the title at Wrestlemania, before being attacked by Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez.
The New Day vs LWO (Dragon Lee & Rey Mysterio)
It is nice to see Dragon Lee wrestling again, I feel like I haven’t seen that in a while. Rey will be wrestling Logan Paul next week to qualify for the Elimination Chamber. New Day double team Rey. LWO fire back and use kick combos to take down Kofi for a 2. Rey ranas Kofi, then Dragon Lee superkicks him. Dragon Lee dropkicks an upside Kofi as Logan Paul makes an entrance in front of his hometown “fans”.
New Day wear down Dragon Lee. Lee hits a sit-out powerbomb on Woods. Kofi and Rey get the tag, Rey hits his comeback and goes for the 619, but Xavier saves Kofi from it. Huge dive by Rey Mysterio. Logan Paul tries to get involved, Rey knocks him down. Dragon Lee with a dive to the outside. Logan punches Rey with his metal plated hand, Kofi hits the Trouble in Paradise and gets the win.
Analysis
C Grade – This was fine which is expected from the 4 men in the match. This was a standard tag match and nothing much else except for Logan Paul’s involvement. Logan’s involvement overshadowed everything else. I fear that the shine of Logan being an impressive wrestler may have worn off thanks to his negative image he has created for himself outside of wrestling.
-CM Punk is disappointed he didn’t win the Rumble, but he is glad neither Roman Reigns or Seth Rollins did either. He apologises to Sami Zayn fans because he is going to beat him tonight.
Iyo Sky vs Liv Morgan, Elimination Chamber Qualifier
The match starts as a fight on the outside, Iyo is fired up. Iyo takes her down with a dropkick. Liv gains advantage hitting strikes in the corner for a near fall. Basement dropkick by Liv for a 2. They exchange a lot of counters and reversals, eventually Iyo Sky hits a tope suicida to Liv on the outside. Liv takes back control and beats down Iyo. Liv hits the Three Amigos. Iyo hits a huge knee strike. Sky with palm strikes and a dropkick, then a missile dropkick!
Liv reverses Iyo and hits a backstabber. Iyo goes for the top rope moonsault but Raquel distracts her. Liv and Iyo brawl on the outside once again. Iyo with a brutal German Suplex on the outside. Asai moonsault by Iyo to Liv on the outside! Liv counters Iyo in the ring with a codebreaker for a near fall. They go back and forth with strikes and counters. Iyo hits a top rope hurricanrana. Iyo goes for the moonsault again but Raquel makes herself known once again. Liv blocks the moonsault, but Iyo counters again with a German suplex. Rhea Ripley comes down to help Iyo by attacking Raquel. Liv tries to intervene and Rhea hits her causing a DQ. Liv advances via shenanigans.
Analysis
B+ Grade – I liked this match A LOT, but I disliked the finish A LOT too. I understand what they’re going for. I hope Iyo gets another opportunity to either enter the match or wrestle Rhea because I want that match. I’m not here for more Rhea vs Liv interacts already.
-WWE World Tag champions War Raiders send their respects to JD McDonagh who got injured in their match. Chad Gable is not impressed by the champs and challenges them on behalf of the Creed Brothers. Gable is off to conquer the art of Lucha Libre, when he returns he wants to see gold in American Made.
-AJ Styles is now a part of Raw, we see him face to face with Bron Breakker. Yes please, thank you very much.
Seth Rollins promo
The visionary is here with a lot to say. He is happy to see Jey Uso win the Rumble. He is even happier that CM Punk was embarrassed by Logan Paul eliminating him from the Rumble. Rollins says Roman Reigns is hurt after being stomped on the steel steps by him. No one else will say this, but Roman might miss Wrestlemania because of him. Rollins says Reigns has done a lot of damage to a lot of people over the last 4 years and he did what he thought was right. He may have lost the Rumble, but Seth has a new path to Wrestlemania and that begins when he faces Finn Balor in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match. Rollins calls out Sami Zayn.
Sami is hesitant as he gets in the ring. Rollins knows Sami is focused on Punk and hates him as much as he does. Punk thinks he is above Sami, he is a delusional narcissist. He says Sami is a good person and levels above Punk. Rollins wants Sami to be at his best because he wants the best men in the Chamber match. He wants to Sami to put the final nail in Punk’s Wrestlemania dreams tonight.
Analysis
A Grade – Another banger promo from Seth, no shocker there. I am still quite surprised to see Seth be playing up as a full face here since his actions at the Rumble felt. A great hype promo by Seth to get Sami in the zone for his match coming up next. The rumours seem to think that Punk vs Rollins vs Reigns is a Wrestlemania main event. I can see that happening. I’m not overly excited about it but I’m sure I will be after some fire promos between them all.
(Hey, still after some WWE Royal Rumble coverage? Check out Nicks’ rant covering the most recent WWE PLE here!
CM Punk vs Sami Zayn
A first time ever match up here. I am very excited for this. Punk and Rollins exchange words and are separated during Punk’s entrance. Both men exchange reversals and pinfalls early on. We get plenty of strikes exchanged and attempts at wrestling holds. Lovely, lovely chain wrestling. Sami hits a clothesline and throws punches in the corner. Punk hits his classic clothesline and neckbreaker combo out of the corner. Zayn drops Punk with a Superplex.
Sami counters Punk with a tornado DDT. Punk counters the Blue Thunder Bomb, they exchange more reversals until Zayn finally hits the BTB for a great near fall. DDT by Punk. Punk charges but hits the ring post. Punk dodges the Helluva kick for a great near fall roll up. Anaconda Vice by Punk but Sami gets to the ropes. Punk hits knes in the corner. They dodge and counter each others finishers. So many great near falls here. Sami hits the corner into the suplex and goes for the Helluva kick. Punk catches him in the GTS! 1,2,3. Punk will be in the Chamber match!
Out comes Kevin Owens! He is heavily selling the injuries from his war with Cody Rhodes. He hits the Package Piledriver on his best friend Zayn! Sami requires medical attention whilst Owens limps out of the arena.
Analysis
A Grade – A bloody brilliant match from two of my favourite wrestlers in WWE, followed by a short but impactful finish to the match. Top notch selling by Owens, as he should, This was a great match, you would think they have wrestled each other a hundred times, it was so smooth. Punk winning was the right call, I assume we might not see Sami for a little while. I foresee repercussions for Owens’ actions.
Final Thoughts
B Grade – A slow start to Raw, but the show got better as the night went on. This was very much a set up show for the most part as we continue to build towards the Elimination Chamber and of course Wrestlemania.
Early Wrestlemania card predictions; Gunther vs Jey Uso, Punk vs Rollins vs Reigns, Owens vs Zayn, Rhea vs Iyo, Flair vs Stratton.
