Raw: Rhodes' story is not over yet

Happy Monday everyone! Tonight’s edition of Raw is kicking off with Drew McIntyre in the middle of the ring.

He said last week’s match with Seth Rollins was all or nothing, he needed that title and didn’t get it. McIntyre is starting to believe that maybe the only person holding him back is himself, so he might need to step away from WWE and get himself right. However, he said he did not lose himself in the match, Damian Priest ruined his match when he tried to cash in.

Priest not only screwed him, but he also screwed himself. He then turned his attention to the disaster WWE has become, welcoming CM Punk back with open arms. He believes it might be his best choice to leave for nine years, then people will talk about him the way they talk about Punk.

Punk heard enough. Credit: WWE

CM Punk heard enough and made his way out to the ring, he told Drew since he got back all he has done is talk too much about him. Instead of running his mouth behind his back, Punk wants Drew to tell him how he feels right here to his face. Drew said congratulations that he’s still here and he is surprised that he hasn’t self-destructed by now.

Drew doesn’t care about what Punk said when he wasn’t here, what he cares about is what Punk does to him personally. He said he has worked with Punk for a long time and could go on about everything he’s done to him. Drew specifically recalled Punk being WWE Champion back in the day and being the self-proclaimed locker room leader. Back then Drew needed some guidance due to some demons, but Punk as the leader refused to help him.

So, when Drew got fired he figured it all out himself and now they are at a point where he is Punk’s leader. Punk said he never called himself a leader because he led by example, he did call himself a savior, so if he wants to join the Straight Edge Society, they can do that right now. Punk said Drew followed his example by leaving the WWE, but now he’s following Drew’s lead by coming back and winning the Royal Rumble.

Punk and McIntyre are on a collision course. Credit: WWE

Punk said he is not a demon, but he can become Satan himself when he’s pushed to the limit and he said we are getting to that time. Drew responded by saying his title wins were for the whole world when the world shut down and people stepped away. He said he will be in the Royal Rumble, he’s gonna eliminate Punk and this time he will win it all for himself.

Punk decided to be the bigger man and not knock Drew’s teeth out, instead, he said Drew can’t stop him from winning the rumble, Seth Rollins can’t stop him and Cody Rhodes won’t stop him. He then concluded his statement by saying that in the Royal Rumble, he’s going to make sure he eliminates Drew last. Punk’s work on the microphone continues to be top-notch.

Finn Bálor w/Damian Priest vs. Tommaso Ciampa w/Johnny Gargano

This match came to be because self-proclaimed Judgement Day member, R-Truth, said #DIY was talking too much about his stables tag titles. He told Bálor he should face Ciampa to prove J-Day’s dominance and Bálor can’t be too chicken to face him. Bálor upset about that remark from Truth took the match, and he began the match with a dropkick to Ciampa’s face.

Ciampa tried to get back into the match, but thanks to a distraction from Priest, Ciampa was launched from the ring apron into the announce table. As this battle carried on, Ciampa caught Bálor with a reverse DDT and followed that with a running knee. He then dropped Bálor with a brutal Project Ciampa and wanted a Fairytale Ending next, but Priest got up on the apron. Gargano pulled Priest from the apron and that ignited a brawl on the outside, Ciampa knocked Priest down with a diving knee.

Bálor tried to catch Ciampa with a suplex as he was getting back in the ring, but Gargano pulled his legs out and Ciampa fell into the pin to steal a victory. #DIY is coming for the tag titles!

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa

Becky Lynch was now backstage to address her loss to Nia Jax last week, she said last time Jax punched her in the face she went on to the main event of WrestleMania. This time her punch was not as strong and she’s hoping for a repeat instance when it comes to WrestleMania. So, Lynch declared that this is not the end, but maybe the beginning.

Kofi Kingston vs. Ludwig Kaiser

Last week, Kingston injured Kaiser’s teammate, Giovanni Vinci and tonight Kaiser was looking for revenge. Kaiser drilled Kingston with a clothesline, some knees and a big chop. Kingston began to battle back, but Kaiser dropped him face-first into the top turnbuckle and then threw him into the ring post. He proceeded to hang Kingston on the ropes and dropkick him in the mid-section. Kingston got back in the ring with a springboard crossbody and was then hoping for a suicide dive, however, Kaiser caught him in mid-air with a right hand.

He then threw Kingston into the barricade and kicked through his chest with a stiff PK. Kaiser continued the attack and dove from the second rope, but Kingston got his feet up and sent Kaiser to the floor. Kingston then dove from the top rope onto Kaiser, but Kaiser responded by throwing Kingston into the ring post. He then attempted a running uppercut, however, Kingston moved out of the way. While they were battling on the floor, the referee counted to ten and this match was declared a draw.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1744537642136424618

Despite the match being over, the fight was not, Kingston dove onto Kaiser with a suicide dive and slammed him on the announce table. Kingston then took a run at Kaiser, but he was cut off by Kaiser launching one of the commentator’s chairs into his face. This was a brutal shot and he followed that by stomping Kingston’s head into the steel steps. Kaiser has lost it and he got the revenge he was looking for.

Winner: Double countout

Jackie Redmond caught up with Kaiser to ask what’s got into him, he said this was all Kingston’s fault. Kingston is the reason that he is the only member of Imperium here. Last week, Kingston took Vinci’s head, so tonight he took his.

Michael Cole now invited Nia Jax to the ring, he wanted to ask her about her upset victory over Becky Lynch last week. Jax said her win last week was not a shock, she is a new person and she promised that she would break Lynch’s face again. Her focus is now the Royal Rumble, she believes that there is not a single person that can stop her. Jax then made the mistake of mentioning the Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley.

A possible WrestleMania preview. Credit: WWE

Mami made her way to the ring to a loud ovation, she told Jax she is walking around like she already won the rumble. Ripley reminded her that last year she threw Jax out of the rumble herself and she also told her that Lynch is no Rhea Ripley. If Jax can win the rumble, Ripley told her it’s best she keeps her name out of her mouth. Jax gave Ripley credit but told her not to forget that she put her on her ass when she came back. She said Ripley is too scared to give her a one-on-one match and if she wins the rumbles she’s going to choose Ripley because then she will have no choice but to face her.

Cody Rhodes was doing an interview backstage to discuss his main event match against Shinsuke Nakamura later tonight when he was attacked from behind by Nakamura. This match was starting early backstage and it took many WWE officials to keep these two separated. Due to this brawl, the main event match was changed to a street fight!

Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Kayden Carter & Katana Chance (c) vs. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven

Carter and Green traded dropkicks to start this match before Chance dropped double knees on Green’s midsection. Despite that, Green tripped Chance into the turnbuckle and Niven followed that with a cannonball to Chance. Niven attempted a second cannonball, but Chance rolled out of the way and tagged Carter in. Cater super kicked Green, gave her a botched big boot and dropped a leg drop.

Carter then had Green sitting on her shoulders on the top rope and Chance springboarded to give Green an avalanche hurricanrana, very impressive. Green battled back and hit Carter with a Rough Ryder, a shoutout to her husband Matt Cardona. She then placed Carter on her knees and Niven dropped a senton onto her. Niven gave Carter a uranage and went for a Vader Bomb, but she did not realize Chance switched Carter for Green and Niven dove onto her own partner. The champs then worked together to hit Green with the Keg Stand and they retained their titles.