Raw 22.01.2024

Whoo-hoo! The RadiantGame Team is now in our city - New Orleans, Louisiana! Sounds like an action-packed and intriguing lineup for tonight's show! We've got a battle between Imperium and The New Day, Chad Gable aiming to teach Ivar a lesson, Drew McIntyre accepting Damian's challenge, and the highly anticipated face-off between Nightmare and CM Punk. With such exciting matchups, it's bound to be a thrilling night. Let's dive in and see what unfolds!

Champions made an agreement

Monday Night Raw commenced with Monday Night Rollins taking center stage. The champion bore somber tidings for the audience. His recent bout had resulted in a leg injury, casting a shadow of doubt over his WrestleMania aspirations. The prospect of missing the grandest stage of all, where he had hoped to grace as a champion, weighed heavily on Seth Rollins, eliciting a palpable sense of melancholy from the fans. Amongst the murmurings of concern, a sudden interruption pierced the airwaves – the resonating entrance theme of Gunther echoed throughout the arena. While many, including Rollins himself, braced for a confrontation with Imperium, it soon became evident that a different narrative was unfolding.

Raw 22.01.2024: Seth with knee brace after match with Jinder.

"Come now, Gunther. We both know the purpose of your presence here. Let's dispense with formalities," Seth urged, anticipation hanging thick in the air. Having long harbored the conviction that Gunther embodies the future of WWE, Rollins remained unwavering in his belief. His instincts proved astute once again. The Ring General's arrival was not a prelude to conflict but rather an unexpected display of respect and admiration.

In a gesture that caught both Rollins and the audience off guard, The Ring General lavished praise upon the champion, extolling his virtues as a true sportsman who has brought honor and dignity to the illustrious title. The mutual regard between the two competitors was palpable, underscored by Gunther's solemn vow – to emerge victorious in the Royal Rumble and anoint Rollins as the most deserving adversary to headline WrestleMania.

Raw 22.01.2024: Appearance of imperium.

In response, Rollins, despite the specter of uncertainty looming over his WrestleMania aspirations, met Gunther's declaration with unwavering resolve. He pledged, unequivocally, to overcome any obstacle standing in his path, ensuring his presence on the grandest stage of them all. With steely determination, Rollins affirmed his readiness to face Gunther in a clash befitting champions.

As the encounter drew to a close, a handshake sealed the mutual respect between Rollins and Gunther. It was a moment of rare camaraderie amidst the often tumultuous landscape of sports entertainment. In the aftermath, as the echoes of their exchange faded, a sense of anticipation lingered – a testament to the enduring spirit of competition that defines WWE.

Raw 22.01.2024: Pissibly one ofthe greatest matches on Wrestlemania 40.

Brawl between New Day and Imperium

Following their intense confrontation, we witnessed a deeply personal match between two teams seething with animosity. Despite the palpable tension, the bout adhered to standard tag team rules, a decision that seemed oblivious to the history of bitter encounters between the competitors. Predictably, chaos ensued, resulting in a double count-out and a wild brawl spilling beyond the ring.

Raw 22.01.2024: No love between these two teams. 

As the frenzied skirmish reached its peak, a pivotal moment emerged when both teams crashed through a ringside table, abruptly halting their relentless assault. It became clear that the conflict between these teams could not be contained within the confines of a traditional match.

Raw 22.01.2024: Massive ending of this brawl.

With tensions soaring, a street fight or tornado tag team match appears to be the only way to definitively settle their score. Only then can we determine which team truly reigns supreme in this heated rivalry.

Huge announcement from Mommi

In the backstage area, Rhea Ripley shared some updates for the near future. She revealed that Damian Priest and Finn Balor will defend their titles against DIY next week

Ivy revenge on Valhalla

Ivy Nile continues to carve out a name for herself on the Raw roster. Tonight, she faced Valhalla to avenge her friend Maxxine. Interestingly, during the match, I noticed Nikki Cross on the ramp. She seemed to be wandering around, lost in thought as usual. Valhalla attempted some dirty tricks, but Maxxine was vigilant and thwarted their every move. In a fair fight, Ivy proved to be too strong to handle and executed a beautiful Bulldog from the third rope to finish off Valhalla. It was a clear victory with no questions asked. I believe Ivy might soon test her strength against Rhea Ripley once again.

Raw 22.01.2024: Victorious Bulldog from the third rope.

Kofi wants a title opportunity

After the match with Imperium, Kofi probably hit his head hard because he said he will ask Adam for a title opportunity against Gunther. Come on, what chances does he have against the Ring General? I think this could spell the end for the New Day and Woods should find a new partner.

Catfight before Royal Rumble

The three main contenders to win the Royal Rumble are Nia Jax, Becky Lynch, and Bayley. Of course, we may see some interesting debuts or comebacks, but right now, these three are the main players on the chessboard. Nia started the conversation with the typical words, asserting herself as the most dangerous and dominant force in the division. The Man couldn't stay silent and entered the ring, acknowledging that Jax not only holds the title of the biggest and strongest woman in the division but also has the biggest target on her back in the Royal Rumble. Bayley, who also harbors dreams of winning the match, joined the fray, injecting humor into the situation and attempting a strategic move by tossing Becky towards Nia. However, this maneuver backfired on the Role Model. Becky capitalized with the Manhandle Slam, and Nia sealed the deal with the Annihilator. It was a rough start for Bayley, and while she's a formidable competitor, it's doubtful she'll emerge victorious in the Royal Rumble. Tonight, Nia stood tall.

Raw 22.01.2024: Perfect demonstration why you should not mess with Nia Jax. 

Miz suffers a unfair loss

Miz continues his rivalry with Judgment Day. Tonight, he will face Dirty Dominic Mysterio. Dom appeared very confident, flanked by JD and Finn, and it was obvious that we would see a lot of interference and cheating. I have one question: why didn't Mike, who at different stages of his career was a dirty player himself, prevent this from Dominic? Perhaps by finding some backup or using unfair moves himself? In this match, he suffered a lot of cheap shots, and an interference from Balor paved the way for Mysterio to execute the 619 and Splash on Miz, securing the victory. After the match, Judgment Day decided to end Mike once and for all, but DIY intervened and gladly saved Mike from a beatdown. Perhaps next week, after the Royal Rumble, we will see some kind of 3-on-3 tag team match?

Raw 22.01.2024: Mystrio ending MIz with huge Splash. 

Master Gable failed to teach Ivar a lesson

Viking Ivar continues his raid into Alpha Academy, now aiming for the bay of Master Gable, the founder of Alpha Academy. I highly recommend watching this match on your own. Chad is one of the most talented superstars on the roster, and what he managed to do could be called supernatural. He survived a massive splash outside the ring by Ivar and then delivered a suplex from the third rope. I can't imagine the raw strength Gable has to handle Ivar and throw him. To ensure his victory, Chad focused on Viking's leg and nearly made him tap out several times with the Ankle Lock, but Ivar wasn't ready to lose tonight.

Raw 22.01.2024: Look at this power by Chad Gable. Chaos Theory.

Even Chaos Theory and a German Suplex from the third rope didn't stop Viking, considering how impressive Chad's power moves were. Perhaps Master would have won tonight, but Valhalla found strength and spirit to cause massive destruction, allowing Ivar to stun Gable and deliver the Doomsault. Now, Ivar can claim that the raid was successful with three victories and one loss against Alpha Academy.

Raw 22.01.2024: Diving legdrop from the third rope.

Best in the World meets Nightmare

The first event I waited for tonight. You know Cody isn't exactly my favorite wrestler, but I'm interested in how CM Punk and Cody are connected. They spoke about a lot of things, so I'll try to explain it in simple words. Right from the start, both wrestlers gave us the impression that they are friends, but could they still be friends after Royal Rumble? Punk mentioned that many years ago, Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream, asked Phillip to watch over his young son and help him avoid dark places on his journey. But he also reminded us that he never had a great father, and he shared details about his humble beginnings and how he achieved the status he has now. The conclusion was simple - CM Punk embodies the American Dream more than Cody does.

Raw 22.01.2024: Respectful and peaceful start of this face off.

Then, Cody brought up the PipeBomb, that famous promo Punk delivered years ago. He talked about how Punk took the torch of revolution and then just dropped it when he left WWE, never passing it on to another superstar. Cody claimed himself to be that superstar who took up the torch and did everything Punk ever talked about. So, his conclusion was also simple and sharp - Cody is more CM Punk than Phillip. This frustrated Punk a lot, and I thought for a moment they would start fighting, but they managed to let their minds overcome their emotions, and both friends took a step back. I don't think there will be any friendship after Royal Rumble, but overall, the episode was full of emotions and revealed several interesting facts about both superstars.

Raw 22.01.2024: Is this the end for long leasted friendship?

First contenders for women's tag team champions is set

Last week, Indi and Candice achieved a small victory over Green and Piper. But in the modern era, I can't say that's a significant achievement. Tonight, they face a real challenge in Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler. For several minutes, Hartwell tries to fight back, but Zoey leaves no chances after a quick Z360. The tag team champions were at ringside and had a face-off with the first contenders, but the Kabuki Warriors attacked from behind, setting the stage for a SmackDown match for the titles. I have a feeling that Zoey and Shayna will face the Kabuki Warriors instead of the current champions.

Raw 22.01.2024: Possible future tag team champions?

Drew shares his thoughts

In a backstage interview, Drew expressed his indifference towards Punk, Cody, or any superstar participating in the Royal Rumble. He believes both Punk and Nightmare are following in his footsteps, and eventually, they'll understand his approach. As for tonight's match, Drew feels that Damian isn't ready for the championship and should wait his turn. Fortunately for Priest, he has a great tool to bypass the line by using the Money in the Bank briefcase.

Atlast we see Adam in action

We haven't seen Adam for a long time. Nick Aldis has been involved in every SmackDown episode since becoming its GM. Pierce intervened backstage to prevent conflict between Tegan Nox, Natalya, and Damage CTRL. We'll likely see them in tag team action on the next Raw. Next in line was Jinder Mahal, who inquired about Adam's proposal. After everyone left, Adam simply said, "I need a drink." With such stressful work, the Raw General Manager soon became an alcoholic.

Drew proves his words about Damien

It's time for the main event of the evening, where the Scottish Warrior will face Punisher from Judgment Day. Damien had a good start to the match, sending Drew crashing against the commentary table and seizing the initiative. McIntyre seemed to absorb the damage, fueling his comeback with a massive flurry of attacks. The match didn't have a rapid pace but rather showcased pure power and destructive move combinations. Despite each wrestler delivering potentially match-ending moves, they both managed to power out of pinfall attempts. In a critical moment as both competitors prepared their finishing moves, our favorite R-Truth intervened in the match, offering money to Damien like last week, causing a distraction.

Raw 22.01.2024: Just look at that massive collision!

However, R-Truth's interference also distracted Drew, allowing Priest to execute South of Heaven. It was almost a clean victory until the referee was occupied with Ron. This gave Drew time to recover and capitalize with the Claymore, securing the victory. Damien has shown remarkable growth over the year, standing toe to toe with McIntyre. Without R-Truth's distraction, Priest might have claimed one of the biggest victories of his career. Nonetheless, his future looks promising, especially with the Money in the Bank briefcase in his possession.

Raw 22.01.2024: South of Heaven on Drew Mcintyre.

Ranking and Opinion

Tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw was fantastic. We witnessed a lot of spectacular matches and had an intriguing meeting between Nightmare and CM Punk. It's also good to see Adam Pierce back on our TV screens, and I believe he'll have a great feud with Nick Aldis in the future. I can't rate this show lower than 8/10. Next week promises to be even more exciting, so stay safe and don't miss it!