WWE Raw 8th of January 2024

In-Ring Segment: Drew McIntyre
McIntyre is already in the ring when the show starts. McIntyre notes that he didn’t just want the World Championship, he needed it. He cost himself the championship last week when he put Seth Rollins’ foot on the bottom rope. Maybe Sami Zayn and Rollins are right. Maybe he needs to step away from WWE and get his head right. He replayed the match in his head over and over again. Then it dawned on McIntyre. It’s Damian Priest’s fault. Priest tried to cash in and cost McIntyre the title. Why didn’t Priest wait until McIntyre had won and was weakened? Priest didn’t just screw himself, he screwed McIntyre too. Maybe McIntyre should leave for nine years and come back. Maybe he’ll get a hero’s welcome then? CM Punk’s music hits.
Punk joins McIntyre in the ring. Punk says if McIntyre has anything to say to him, McIntyre can say it to his face. McIntyre smiles as Punk lays across the top rope to await whatever’s coming. McIntyre congratulates Punk for being here for being here for a whole two months. There are bets going in the back, and Punk managing to keep it together is costing people money. McIntyre knows Punk. He was here ten years ago when Punk used to walk around calling himself “the locker room leader.” McIntyre complains about Punk not being there for him when he was a rookie. McIntyre tells Punk he’s the leader now, kid.
McIntyre lays across the top rope, mocking Punk. Punk says he’s never called himself a leader, he’s the voice of the voiceless. If McIntyre wants his handheld, he can pledge to the Straight Edge Society right now. Punk says if anything is following McIntyre’s lead. McIntyre left and came back and won the Royal Rumble and main eventing WrestleMania. That’s exactly what Punk wants to do. Punk says he isn’t here to make friends. He’s here to win the Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania. Punk says neither Rollins, McIntyre, nor Cody Rhodes can stop him from winning the Rumble. The only person that can stop Punk is Punk. Punk leans in and tells McIntyre that since he’s such a nice guy, he will throw McIntyre out of the Rumble last.

Tommaso Ciampa w/Johnny Gargano vs. Finn Bálor w/Damian Priest
Ciampa and Bálor trade strikes. Bálor knocks Ciampa off the apron and into the announcer’s desk after a distraction from Priest. After the break, Ciampa reverses a final cut attempt into an inverted DDT. Bálor kicks out. After another series of reversals, Ciampa lands Project Ciampa. Bálor kicks out. Bálor counters Ciampa’s running knee into a sling blade. Ciampa avoids the double stomp from Bálor. Priest tries to get involved. Gargano pulls Priest off the apron. Priest tries to put Gargano through the announce desk. Ciampa makes the save. Bálor attacks Ciampa from behind. Bálor tries to suplex Ciampa, but Gargano trips Bálor. Ciampa lands on Bálor and gets a three count.
Winner- Tommaso Ciampa

Backstage, Becky Lynch says Nia Jax knocked her down last week, but she didn’t stay down. Lynch officially declares for the 2024 Royal Rumble.

Ludwig Kaiser vs. Kofi Kingston
Kaiser is all over Kingston from the moment the bell rings. Landing a flurry of strikes. Kingston fires up and sends Kaiser over the top. Kaiser blocks Kingston’s dive attempt with a nasty elbow strike. Kaiser launches Kingston into the barricade and says that’s for Giovanni Vinci. After the break, both men are counted out.
No contest
After the match, Kingston lands a dive that sends Kaiser into the announce desk. Kaiser tries to poke Kingston’s eye out. Kingston back body drops Kaiser onto the announce desk. Officials pull Kingston away. Kingston charges in, and Kaiser tosses one of the announcer’s chairs at Kingston, hitting him in the face. Kingston is out cold. The officials and referees try to pull Kaiser away. Kaiser lays Kingston on the ring steps but is pulled away by Jamie Noble and Jason Jordan. As Kaiser is walking to the back, he breaks away and runs back to ringside and dropkicks Kingston’s head into the ring steps.

Backstage, Kaiser says he took out Kingston because Kingston took out Vinci.

In-Ring Segment: Nia Jax
Michael Cole is in the ring to conduct this interview. Cole asks Jax about her shocking win against Becky Lynch last week. Jax asked what was so shocking about it. She said she would break Lynch’s face, and she did. Jax is focused on the Royal Rumble, and she doesn’t care if it’s Rhea Ripley or Iyo Sky at WrestleMania. Rhea Ripley interrupts. Ripley says Jax is acting like she’s already won the Rumble. Jax scoffs. Ripley reminds Jax that Becky Lynch isn’t Rhea “Bloody” Ripley. Ripley tells Jax that unless she wins the Rumble, it’s best to keep Ripley’s name out of her mouth. Jax says Ripley has been ducking her. When Jax wins the Rumble, she promises to pick Ripley so she can’t duck her anymore.

Backstage, Jackie tries to get a word with Cody Rhodes. Rhodes says his issues with Shinsuke Nakamura should be over. Nakamura appears and attacks Rhodes from behind. Adam Pearce and a few officials break up the fight.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Kayden Carter and Kitana Chance vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven
Chance and Carter take turns beating down Green. Niven tries a sneak attack but gets sent out of the ring by Carter. Carter and Chance set up their finish. Niven breaks it up. Green sends Chance into the corner. Niven crushes Chance with a low crossbody. Chance kicks out. After the break, Carter pulls Chance out of the way of a Vader Boom from Niven. Niven accidentally crushes Green. Chance and Carter hit the Kickstand for the win.
Winners and STILL WWE Women’w Tag Team Champions, Kayden Carter and Kitana Chance!

Breaking news: Tonight’s Main event match between Cody Rhodes and Shinsuke Nakamura will now be a street fight.

The Miz vs. JD McDonagh w/Damian Priest
R-Truth comes to ringside during the match. After an accidental distraction from Truth, Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale for the win.
Winner- The Miz

In-Ring Segment: Seth “Freakin” Rollins
Rollins says he has done many things but never carried a world title into WrestleMania. The question is, who is he going to beat at WrestleMania? Jinder Mahal interrupts. Mahal dumps all over Rollins and the WWE Universe. Jinder decks Rollins. Rollins escapes the Kallaus and almost hits the Stomp. Mahal slinks away.

Ivar w/Valhalla vs. Otis w/The Alpha Academy
Ivar manages to get the win after a moonsault.
Winner- Ivar

Street Fight: Cody Rhodes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Nakamura rolls out of the ring. Rhodes follows. Nakamura and Rhodes fight up the ramp. The fight heads back to the ring. Rhodes goes up top. Nakamura rolls out of the ring again. Nakamura hits Rhodes with a broom. Rhodes stumbles around. Nakamura grabs a kendo stick from under the ring and wears Rhodes out with it. After the break, Rhodes tries to fire up with a kendo stick, but Nakamura lands a stiff knee on Rhodes’s gut. Nakamura lands a knee in the corner for a near fall. Rhodes surprises Nakamura with the disaster kick. Nakamura kicks out. Rhodes pulls a table from under the ring.
Nakamura stops Rhodes from setting up the table with a few nunchuck shots. Nakamura leaps off the barricade into a gut shot from Rhodes. Rhodes grabs a chair. Nakamura tries the mist, but Rhodes ducks. Nakamura’s mist blinds the timekeeper. As Rhodes checks on the timekeeper, Nakamura hits Rhodes with a chair. Nakamura puts Rhodes through a table with a double knee strike off the top. Rhodes counters a Kinshasa with a superkick. Cody Cutter by Rhodes. Nakamura kicks out. Nakamura tries a Kinshasa. Rhodes sidesteps and sends Nakamura through a table. Rhodes hits Crossroads for the win.
Winner- Cody Rhodes