Monday Night Raw – January 27, 2025: It’s Time To Rumble

Monday Night Raw
Date: January 27, 2025
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Commentators: Pat McAfee, Seth Rollins

It’s the last Raw before the Royal Rumble and that means we are likely going to be getting some last minute names added to the namesake matches. Other than that, Logan Paul is making his Raw debut and that should make for something interesting. We’re also getting the fallout from Saturday Night’s Main Event so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Commentary welcomes us to the show.

Here is Seth Rollins to get things going. Rollins talks about how he’s going to win the Royal Rumble but he hasn’t had a good start to 2025. He remembers the debut of Monday Night Raw on Netflix and having the most humiliating loss of his career. Now though he is ready to win the Royal Rumble, but the question is what title he wants to go after. Maybe the Ring General Gunther, or maybe the American Nightmare Gunther.

Cue Gunther, who wants to know where Rollins has been. Gunther asks where Rollins has been because he’s been stuck fighting people like Jey Uso. He wants to know if Rollins still has it in him, even though he isn’t the greatest wrestler in WWE anymore. Gunther wants the old Rollins to come back and face him at Wrestlemania, just so Gunther can show him who the real World Heavyweight Champion really is.

Cue the debuting Logan Paul to interrupt and my goodness the heat on him is incredible. The booing is so loud that it’s hard to understand him as he talks about how these two are just average. Paul talks about how great he is and he’s officially in the Royal Rumble. It’s clear that he’s incredible at wrestling but now he gets to decide just who he faces for the title. Gunther likes the idea of facing Paul because he could slap the smirk off his face. Rollins says he’ll win and we’re done. Paul’s heat here was unreal and he came off like an absolute star in his first eight minutes or so on the show.

CM Punk isn’t worried about Paul because he’s going to win the Royal Rumble. He’d throw Cathy Kelly over the top if he had to but here is Sami Zayn to interrupt (with Kelly leaving). Zayn brings up Punk saying he wasn’t on his level last week but points out that he’s a Wrestlemania main eventer. Zayn walks off and runs into Karrion Kross, with Zayn not interested in anything he has to say. That’s fine with Kross, but what about what Zayn’s friends have been saying? Stop thinking with your heart and start thinking with your head. Cody Rhodes comes in and Zayn kind of blows him off.

Tag Team Titles: Judgment Day vs. War Raiders

The Raiders are defending and get jumped to start. The brawl is on with Erik fighting back, only to get caught with a jawbreaker into a neckbreaker. McDonagh hits a big moonsault out to the floor but bangs his head on the announcers’ table. Cole sounds scared about the landing and the fans applaud McDonagh as he gets up (that’s nice to see). Erik gets double teamed in the corner but gets out without much trouble, allowing the tag off to Ivar to pick up the pace.

A seated senton out of the corner hits Mysterio but Ivar misses a charge over the barricade. Erik powerbombs the villains into each other though, allowing Ivar to hit a flipping dive as we take a break. Back with Erik cleaning house, including a Boss Man Slam and a hard knee to Mysterio.

The springboard clothesline misses though and McDonagh headbutts Erik (McAfee: “Might as well have had a bicycle hit your face.”). Ivar goes up but gets suplexed down by McDonagh and cue Carlito to spit the apple. Mysterio hits a 619 so McDonagh can add the moonsault, setting up the frog splash for two. Erik is back up and the War Machine retains the titles at 11:35.

Rating: B. It took me a bit to get into this one but it wound up being a heck of a match with the power vs. the speed/cheating. The Raiders are doing fine as champions, but it’s hard to imagine that New Day isn’t going to be getting the titles at some pint in the future. McDonagh banging into the table was certainly a sight but thankfully he seemed to be fine.

Ludwig Kaiser comes up to Pete Dunne and they don’t trust Penta. New Day comes in and even Kaiser and Dunne don’t like them. Xavier Woods is ready to face Rey Mysterio tonight. Kingston: “Atlanta’s favorite son has come home!” Cathy Kelly: “Bron Breakker? Austin Theory? Cody Rhodes?” Woods: “NO!” Woods’ family is supposed to be here and they have front row seats…though he hasn’t heard from them.

Rey Mysterio vs. Xavier Woods

The LWO (including Zelina Vega, who is going to Smackdown this weekend) is here too, along with Kofi Kingston. They trade takedowns to start before Woods chops away in the corner. A running hurricanrana gives Mysterio a breather but Woods is right back with a middle rope stomp to the back of the neck.

We take a break and come back with Woods hitting a rather delayed vertical suplex for two more. Woods strikes away before dropping him face first onto the turnbuckle. A Code Red out of the corner gives Mysterio two but Woods sends him outside again. We pause for Woods to go see his family though….and they’re wearing NEW DAY SUCKS shirts. Woods and Kingston yell at them, allowing Mysterio to hit a 619 into the slingshot splash for the pin at 11:01.

Rating: B-. This is one of the better stories in WWE at the moment as New Day is going to start realizing that there are consequences for their actions. That opens up a variety of options and I’m really curious to see how it goes. For now though, it’s another nice match between two talented stars and I’m liking New Day losing given the situation.

Sami Zayn tells Seth Rollins that the Helluva Kick last week was a mistake and Rollins believes him. With the Royal Rumble coming up though, he can’t be so sure. They shake hands though and it seems to be ok.

We get a sneak preview of an interview with CM Punk, which will air during the Royal Rumble Kickoff. Punk is still elusive about the favor Paul Heyman owes him.

Here is Jey Uso, with a rapper name Cuevo, to say he needed that kind of a reception. He lost on Saturday because Gunther was that good. The reality is Uso can beat Gunther so now he has to win the Royal Rumble.

Lyra Valkyria enters the Royal Rumble. American Made comes in with Chad Gable suggesting that Ivy Nile will be the next Women’s Intercontinental Title. Valkyria says this is the closest either of them will get to being Intercontinental Champion but Nile seems to be in the Royal Rumble too. Then they see the Alpha Academy dancing for TikTok and Gable yells at them. Maxxine Dupri looks sad. This is a story that could be dropped without losing much of anything.

Liv Morgan/Raquel Rodriguez vs. Naomi/Bianca Belair

Non-title. Morgan has to slip out of an early KOD attempt so she pulls Belair down by the hair. Belair nips up so Rodriguez comes in for a fight over a suplex. Naomi comes in and gets caught with a double Russian legsweep but gets sent into the corner for some running shots in the corner. It’s back to Morgan, who is taken down with a standing moonsault/legdrop combination for two. Everything breaks down and Naomi and Belair hit a high crossbody each.

We take a break and come back with Rodriguez front facelocking Naomi and swinging her around in quite the power display. A rather hard posting drops Naomi but she’s right back with a hanging Pedigree to the apron. Belair comes in for a suplex to Morgan, whose panicked face on the landing is quite the visual. Rodriguez is driven into Morgan in the corner so Belair can hammer away, only for Morgan to come back with a dropkick.

Rodriguez hits a chokebomb on Belair and powerbombs Morgan onto her for two. Naomi is back up with a slingshot X Factor for two of her own but Morgan is back up with the Codebreaker. The Oblivion is cut off though and Belair hits the KOD, only for Dominik Mysterio to offer a distraction. Naomi’s split legged moonsault connects with Rodriguez making the save and powerbombing her onto the apron. Morgan steals the pin at 12:32.

Rating: C+. This match felt long and I wasn’t getting interested in what they were doing. It wasn’t a bad match, but seeing the champions lose wasn’t exactly thrilling. In theory this sets up a title match down the line, though Naomi and Belair don’t exactly feel like a big time team in the first place.

Rhea Ripley is banged up after her match with Nia Jax but she reminded her why Mami is always on top. She doesn’t care who wins the Royal Rumble, so here is Bayley to tease a challenge. Ripley leaves so here is Iyo Sky to say she’ll see Bayley Saturday.

Since we’re in Atlanta, we look at Michael Cole beating Jerry Lawler at Wrestlemania XXVII in a match that should be erased from history. Pat McAfee rips Cole for his look in the match in a funny bit.

Penta says this is just the beginning so he’s in the Royal Rumble.

Royal Rumble rundown.

Here is Paul Heyman for a chat. He is the one behind the GOAT and the one behind the cover star of WWA (yes A) 2K25. We get the big reveal of the game’s cover and Heyman talks about how Reigns has all kinds of responsibilities to be the game’s cover star. Heyman says he is the one behind the one in 29 vs. 1 and now it is time for Reigns to get his WWE Title back.

Reigns is the biggest star in the world and when we colonize Mars, he’ll be the biggest star on that planet too. There are two stars in the Royal Rumble: Roman Reigns and 29 Roman Reigns wannabes. Those people get down on their hands and knees every night, praying to be Roman Reigns. Cue Drew McIntyre to interrupt and Heyman knows this isn’t good.

McIntyre says they never get to talk but the fans want Reigns. The reality is that McIntyre is responsible for all of Heyman and Reigns’ success. McIntyre won the Royal Rumble and WWE Title in 2020 and then Heyman was able to come back to work with Reigns. Heyman thanks McIntyre, but says McIntyre is crowding him. McIntyre backs up but asks for a favor: have Heyman tell his boy that McIntyre is coming for him at the Royal Rumble. Heyman says he’ll tell Reigns that, but McIntyre meant CM Punk. As usual, Heyman’s praise of Reigns was great, though McIntyre felt like a threat and that’s a good thing.

Sami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre

Dang they like running this match. McIntyre points out that he’s 10-0 against Zayn in singles matches so Zayn knocks him outside for an Arabian moonsault. Back in and Zayn wins a chop off before getting dropped with a shot to the face. Zayn fights up with a tornado DDT but McIntyre cuts him off on top. They go outside with McIntyre missing a Claymore and landing on the announcers’ table as we take a break.

Back with McIntyre hitting a spinebuster and sitout powerbomb for two each. Zayn is back up with a sunset bomb out of the corner for two of his own. The Blue Thunder Bomb is countered though and McIntyre sends him flying with a suplex. Now the Blue Thunder Bomb gets two but McIntyre catches him on top with the choke suplex. The Claymore misses and McIntyre is sent into the post, allowing Zayn to suplex him into the corner. The Helluva Kick misses though and McIntyre rolls him up with feet on the ropes for the pin at 14:24.

Rating: B-. It says a lot that they have an interesting story in the idea of Zayn chasing both a World Title and a win over McIntyre. That’s something similar to what he did in NXT and I could go for seeing it again. Good enough match here, even if the ending was a bit weak compared to what they have done before.

Post match McIntyre jumps him again but Cody Rhodes runs in for the save. Kevin Owens comes in to deck Rhodes and the brawl is on but Zayn’s Helluva Kick hits Rhodes by mistake.

We get a look at WWE2K25, featuring Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman.

Post break Cody Rhodes is looking up at the two WWE Titles hanging above the ring. He won the title at Wrestlemania and in the last seven months, he has found out that it’s a mindset that makes you a champion. Rhodes is ready for Owens but here is CM Punk to interrupt. Punk asks Rhodes if he’s ok because he knows what it’s like to be WWE Champion for a long time.

Around the 300 day mark, it started to wear on him and he started being someone else. Punk knows Rhodes wants to be Bruno Sammartino or John Cena and do everything but no one is Superman. Rhodes knows that Punk is his friend….right? Punk says of course he is but he sees the road Rhodes is going down. Being champion turns into a heavy is the head that wears the crown situation. Rhodes says we need to cut through all of this and get to the point.

Punk talks about how Rhodes is going to be in his hometown tonight but he won’t sleep because he has an early media call. Either way, he’ll be thinking about his match at the Royal Rumble and even if he wins, he’ll be criss crossing the country after that. It doesn’t matter what is next for Rhodes because there is always something else to do. He’ll see all of these people cheering his name and every kid wearing his merchandise, but there is always going to be in the best shape of their life and coming for him at Wrestlemania. The good news is that one day, someone is going to take the belt from him.

Rhodes: “Tell me the bad news.” Punk: “The bad news is that someone is going to be me.” Punk says that since he’s Rhodes’ one true friend, he’ll stab Rhodes in the front. Rhodes talks about meeting him at OVW and how everyone wanted to be Punk. There was a ten year period with Punk gone, even though the fans were still chanting for him.

Now though, things have changed again because now Punk is chasing Rhodes. He wants Punk to realize that he isn’t the best in the world anymore. A rather tense staredown ends the show. This was GREAT and you could feel the tension here, which is not something you can see with a lot of people. Rhodes and Punk feel like top stars and seeing them have this serious of a segment is a treat.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a show where the wrestling was good but that wasn’t the point. The majority of this show was about building up the Royal Rumble and, at least on the men’s side, my goodness did they hit that out of the park. There were all kinds of people talking about the match and they made it sound like the most important thing in the world. I want to see who is going to win the Royal Rumble because I’m not sure who is going to win it and what is next for everyone else. The rest of the show was good enough, but this was all about setting up the Royal Rumble and it worked very well.

Results
War Raiders b. Judgment Day – War Machine to Mysterio
Rey Mysterio b. Xavier Woods – Slingshot splash
Liv Morgan/Raquel Rodriguez b. Naomi/Bianca Belair – Powerbomb onto the apron to Naomi
Drew McIntyre b. Sami Zayn – Rollup with feet on the ropes

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.