Monday Night Raw – January 5, 2026: Stranger Things Have Happened

Monday Night Raw
Date: January 5, 2026
Location: Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

It’s a new year and we have a special show here, as this is a crossover with Stranger Things. That’s going to be a huge night, as we have three title matches, including CM Punk defending against Bron Breakker. There’s also that whole Royal Rumble thing in less than a month so let’s get to it.

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

The Stranger Things vibe is strong here, as the screen turns Upside Down and commentary gets out of a radio van from the Stranger Things radio station. And no, I’m not going to list off every Stranger Things reference, as it could make for a very long night.

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Rhea Ripley/Iyo Sky vs. Kabuki Warriors

The Warriors are defending and we start fast with the champions being sent outside for the running flip dive from Ripley. We take a break and come back with Ripley missing a second flip dive off the apron, allowing the Warriors to kick her down inside. Ripley throws her way out of trouble though and it’s off to Sky to Sling Blade Asuka. Sky gets draped over the top though and a top rope knee to the back gives Sane two.

We take another break and come back again with Sky getting bent around in a Liontamer. Sky gets twisted too far though and kicks Sane in the ribs, allowing the tag back to Ripley. House is quickly cleaned with Ripley hitting a Razor’s Edge into a missile dropkick. Ripley gets kicked by Asuka and the ankle lock goes on. She gets up but Asuka traps the leg for a German suplex (Ripley: “OH S***!”) and the Warriors fire off the kicks. The assisted Insane Elbow gets two, with Sky making the save. Sky kicks Asuka into the Riptide from Ripley, setting up Over The Moonsault for the pin and the titles at 16:29.

Rating: B. This is the right call as they set the match up as a big deal and then paid it off with the title change. Ripley and Sky have been needing to get another big win sooner or later and this is about as big as you can get. Sky continues to establish herself as one of the top stars in the division and Ripley gets back to some success, which she’s been needing for a good while.

Video on CM Punk.

Adam Pearce congratulates the new champions on their win. With the two of them gone, Gunther comes in but Pearce tells him that a lot of people are watching. He asks that Gunther show some respect out there, with Gunther not sounding impressed.

Here is Gunther for a chat. Gunther has been asked to show respect, but what about respect for him? He brings up making John Cena tap out but here is AJ Styles to interrupt. Gunther immediately cuts him off though, saying Styles is punching above his weight. He’s the man who made Cena tap out like a little B****, so what is little AJ going to do about it? Gunther gives him a You Can’t See Me so Styles slaps him in the face. They get in each others’ faces and Styles says that’s what he thought.

Video on Maxxine Dupri vs. Becky Lynch.

Ivy Nile tells Adam Pearce she is not going to the back of the line. Gunther and AJ Styles storm in, saying they want to fight. The match is set for next week.

Women’s Intercontinental Title: Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri

Dupri is defending and we get a Stranger Things intro, saying this is Chapter Three: It’s Not Just Her Saying It. They take turns backing each other into the corner and Lynch knocks her into the corner to take over. A Thesz press lets Dupri hammer away and we take an early break. We come back with Dupri fighting out of trouble and hitting a running knee to the head. Dupri loads up a backslide but then drops down, leaving commentary unsure what that was supposed to be.

A high crossbody misses for Dupri and the threat of an ankle lock sends Lynch over to the ropes. Lynch misses a middle rope legdrop in the ropes though and gets caught in the ankle lock. The Disarm-Her is reversed into the ankle lock, which Lynch reverses into a DDT for two. Lynch’s ankle lock is broken up and Dupri suplexes her into a high crossbody for two. Lynch catches her on top but Dupri rolls into another ankle lock. This time though Lynch stacks her up and grabs the rope to get the title back at 10:35.

Rating: B-. It had to happen sooner or later and that’s ok. What matters the most here is that Dupri has gone from pretty much a joke to someone who looks like she can hang in there with bigger names. There is zero shame in losing to Lynch, who is simply on a higher level than Dupri. I’m not sure what is next for either of them, but this would be a fine enough way to close the story.

Video on Oba Femi.

Long preview of Unreal Season 2.

Here are the Usos for a chat in the crowd. They’re glad to be back as tag team royalty and they’re ready to face any team anytime. Jey calls this a warning shot.

Here is Stephanie Vaquer, in a walking boot, for an in-ring chat. She’s happy with everything that happened in 2025, but her biggest dream come true was winning the title on her shoulder. She wants to face everyone because she is the best in the world…and here is Raquel Rodriguez to jump her from behind. Rodriguez works on the leg and hits a Tejana Bomb but Adam Pearce prevents the Pillmanization.

Post break we see what happened pre-break….and Rodriguez jumps Vaquer again.

We look back at Penta saving Rey Mysterio from the Vision.

Dragon Lee and Mysterio reaffirm their friendship. Penta comes in and says he isn’t going to let the Vision do that to Mysterio. They respect lucha libre and have cero miedo.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Liv Morgan

Bayley and Roxanne Perez are here too. Morgan knocks her down to start and smiles a lot but Valkyria is back up with a takedown. A bridging northern lights suplex gives Valkyria two and she kicks Morgan out to the floor. Valkyria gets kicked into the floor just as fast though and we take a break.

We come back with stereo clotheslines connecting for a double down. Back up and they trade forearms until Valkyria gets in a tornado DDT. A crucifix gives Morgan two but Valkyria rolls her up for the same. Nightwing is loaded up but Morgan reverses into a Codebreaker. Perez gets in a cheap shot and then goes after Bayley, who chases her to the back. The distraction lets Morgan grab Oblivion for the pin at 8:55.

Rating: B-. It’s good to have Morgan back in the ring and it seems like she hasn’t missed a step. There were some nice shenanigans in this match to kill some time and let Morgan keep her breath and such. The ending isn’t likely going to go well for Bayley and Valkyria but this was more about Morgan than anything else.

CM Punk isn’t worried about the spear because if he’s the underdog, Bron Breakker will underestimate him.

Raw World Title: CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker

Breakker, with Paul Heyman, is defending. Punk grabs a headlock to start and cranks on the arm, including a takedown. Breakker catches him with a powerslam though and we take an early break. We come back with Breakker slamming him down again and hammering away with right hands. Another throw drops Punk again and he is looking rather rocked.

Some trash talk wakes Punk up though and he strikes away but the GTS is escaped. Breakker’s fireman’s carry gutbuster gets two but the running spear around the ring is cut off with a clothesline. We take a break and come back with Breakker not being able to hit the super Frankensteiner and crashing backwards. Punk’s top rope elbow gets two so he goes back up, where a super Frankensteiner brings him back down for two.

The gorilla press is countered into a DDT for two and they slug it out. Punk knocks him down but goes after a distraction Heyman. Cue the Vision for a distraction, allowing Theory to hit a Stomp. Cue Dragon Lee, Penta and Rey Mysterio to brawl with the Vision, leaving Breakker’s spear to hit the post. The GTS gets two and dang they had me on that one. Punk hits a piledriver for two so he tries the GTS, which is reversed into a Fujiwara armbar.

That’s reversed into the Anaconda Vice but Breakker powers up and hits a hard clothesline for two. Breakker tries a GTS but Punk reverses into the STF. Heyman gets on the apron for a distraction though and gets punched in the face, only for Breakker’s spear to miss. Punk tries a suicide dive, which is punched out of the air for a nasty landing. Breakker knocks him onto the announcers’ table for the big elbow from the top, through said table in a nasty crash. Back in and the spear is kneed away and the GTS gives Punk the pin at 26:45.

Rating: A-. There were multiple times in there when I wasn’t sure who was going to win and there is no better feeling to have in a match. They did a great job of having Breakker look like a monster with Punk just barely surviving, including NOT having Breakker hit the spear, which can be saved for later. Awesome match here as Punk still has it and Breakker’s time will come one day.

Punk celebrates to end the show, including dropping the title in a funny bit, to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. The main event is more than enough to carry the show, but the opener worked well too and the other matches were more than fine. They also set some things up for the future, with Styles vs. Gunther being quite the main event for next week. This felt like a huge show and they paid it off with a pair of title changes and an outstanding main event. The build to the Royal Rumble can really start next week, as they had to get this big one out of the way. As luck would have it, they did that very well.

Results
Rhea Ripley/Iyo Sky b. Kabuki Warriors – Over The Moonsault to Asuka
Becky Lynch b. Maxxine Dupri – Rollup while holding rope
Liv Morgan b. Lyra Valkyria – Oblivion
CM Punk b. Bron Breakker – GTS

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

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

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