WWE Raw Day 1 live results: Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre
Date: January 1, 2024
Location: Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA
********
Show Recap —
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett were in the ring and welcomed everyone to 2024. They confirmed that a former WWE Champion would return tonight.
There was a video package for Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax using “Playing with Fire” by Jake Warren and Dana Kelson. The video package and the in-ring announcements by Cole and Barrett made this feel like a PPV.
Nia Jax defeated Becky Lynch (11:48)
They wrestled for 3-4 minutes and went to break after Lynch got a two count after a missile dropkick (so not the usual pattern before a break). Lynch hit a sunset flip powerbomb and Molly-go-round after a break for two. Jax went for a punch to the face outside the ring but Lynch ducked and Jax punched the ring post. Jax also missed a cannonball and crashed into the barricade.
Lynch followed with a diving leg drop for two. Lynch applied a Disarmer but Jax rolled into a cover for two. Lynch held onto the arm and applied an armbar but Jax hoisted her up and hit a sit-out powerbomb for two. They battled on the ropes until Jax hit a Samoan Drop off the middle rope for a nearfall.
Lynch tried something off the middle rope but Jax caught with a punch to the face in mid-air. Jax followed with Annihilator for the pinfall win.
This wound up being pretty good. Lynch got a lot in the match so it wasn’t too surprising to see her lose. She also came up bloody even before the punch by Jax. There was a spot moments before where Jax slammed Lynch’s face into the mat and she seemed to slip something in her mouth — but I could be wrong.
********
Cody Rhodes/Shinsuke Nakamura segment
Rhodes entered to a good reaction and welcomed us to Day 1 Raw. He said it was a new year and people liked to talk about their 2024 goals but he admitted he was stuck — stuck on Shinsuke Nakamura.
Rhodes said Nakamura was a force in the ring but he was expecting something more sophisticated from him than the ‘American Nightmare Before Christmas’ story. Rhodes was stuck on Nakamura because this should be over. He wanted to give Nakamura the opportunity to finish this tonight and invited him to the ring.
Unsurprisingly, Nakamura appeared on the screen. Nakamura said he didn’t think it would be this easy to get into Rhodes’ head and looked forward to being the end of his story. Rhodes’ story does not end tonight because he wants to give the American Nightmare one more week to dream. Nakamura would finish his story next week and put an end to his book.
(This felt a bit like retread.)
********
CM Punk returns next week.
Cole said that if Kofi Kingston enters this year’s Royal Rumble match, it will be his 16th time which is 2nd all-time trailing only Kane.
Kofi Kingston & Jey Uso defeated Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci via referee stoppage (6:25)
They came back from break and Jey Uso made a hot tag but suddenly the bell rang and the match stopped.
The ringside doctor checked on Giovanni Vinci and the camera focused on Jey and Kofi (away from Vinci). The crowd quickly realized what was going on and gave the babyfaces a polite round of applause when they were announced the winners by ref stoppage.
They showed a replay and Vinci got kicked right in the head as he came off the ropes by a Kingston dropkick.
(This was a good example of them doing exactly the right thing and everyone being on the same page with it.)
********
There was a video package hyping the success of their recent house shows and they included a clip of Shotzi getting married ahead of their Las Vegas show.
There was a video package for Rhea Ripley vs. Ivy Nile. Nile was shown warming up with support from the Creed Brothers and Alpha Academy.
[SECOND HOUR]
Miz TV with “Judgment Day”
Miz introduced Judgment Day but after a delay, only R-Truth entered. Truth swore that his teammates were behind him and Miz wondered if he was seeing invisible people again. The crowd started calling for Little Jimmy and Truth wondered if he was around. Truth did Damian Priest’s “all rise” line and said he was doing PR for Judgment Day, trying to make them more likable.
JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio interrupted. McDonagh said Truth was not doing PR For Judgment Day and they would not be caught dead on Miz TV. Dom spoke and the crowd booed over him. Truth noted that Dom was even getting booed in his hometown. Truth also reminded McDonagh that he lost their loser-leave-Judgment Day match so he wasn’t even in the group. Dom tried to speak again but he was repeatedly booed.
Miz put himself over saying he’s better than ever and has created memories but the only thing he remembers from Dom’s 2023 was getting spanked by Rey. The crowd chanted ‘619.’ Miz also noted Dom getting beat around the country (at house shows) by CM Punk. Dom was pissed and challenged Miz and Truth to a tag match.
Miz accepted the match and mentioned that it was a reunion for him and Truth. Truth didn’t understand and thought he was teaming with his Judgment Day partner Dom. McDonagh tried a cheap shot but Truth ducked and Miz clotheslined him out of the ring.
The Miz & R-Truth defeated Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh (7:28+)
The match was underway after a break and Truth was standing in the “neutral corner” (because he wasn’t sure what team he was on) as Cole put it, which I’m not sure I’ve heard them say before. Cole also mentioned that ‘Awesome Truth’ was a team in 2011 which was 12+ damn years ago. Not much happened and Dom hit Truth with a 619 and they went to break 2-3 minutes into the match.
After a break, Truth tried to tag himself in by tagging McDonagh. McDonagh and Dom were pissed but they saw an opportunity. McDonagh held Miz back so Truth could hit him. Truth was conflicted and went to punch Miz after saying the Shawn Michaels line “Sorry, I love you,” but Miz ducked and Truth punched McDonagh. Miz followed with a Skull Crushing Finale on McDonagh for the pinfall win. (Barrett complained about Truth falling backwards into success.)
*******
There was a video of Kayden Carter and Katana Chance partying at a (fake) nightclub. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven crashed the party but Carter and Chance didn’t let them ruin it. They splashed a drink in Green’s face and kept partying. They posed with their title belts in the club.
********
Rhea Ripley defeated Ivy Nile to retain the Women’s World Championship (13:02)
Nile gained control but Ripley was in control after a break and they actually showed how it happened, by slamming Nile into the apron during the break. Nile came back with a German suplex outside the ring and spiked Ripley with a DDT in the ring for two. Ripley fought back with a headbutt and missile dropkick for two. Nile countered a Rip-tide and hit a gutwrench slam for two.
Nile yanked Ripley head-first into the top turnbuckle and brought her down with a German suplex for two. Nile tried something off the ropes but Ripley caught her mid-air with a headbutt. Ripley followed with Rip-tide for the pinfall win.
This was alright. The crowd saw Ripley as a star so they were relatively quiet when Nile was on offence. They did get a “This is awesome” chant after Nile hit the big German suplex.
********
The Rock returns
(This was your usual Rock segment but the key point came at the very end.)
After teasing it all night, Samantha Irvin announced the return of a former WWE Champion. The fans got to their feet and got their phone cameras ready. Jinder Mahal’s music hit and there was an audible groan. Cole didn’t try to pretend that the crowd wasn’t disappointed.
Mahal said they shouldn’t be disappointed and reminded us that there have only been 50 WWE Champions and he was one of them — and he was on top of that list. Mahal said the actual disappointment was what has become of the once-great United States of America.
Mahal referenced Iron Sheik before ranting about social media and misinformation. Mahal spoke in Punjabi and the crowd booed. He let them know they just booed their own national anthem in Punjabi. He went on for a while and then…
The Rock’s music hit. The crowd erupted and Rock made his entrance as the crowd chanted his name. (This segment started at about 9:50pm but Rock happened to enter at the top of the hour.)
[THIRD HOUR]
Rock said Mahal was right about one thing, he was not the Iron Sheik. Rock paid his respects to Sheiky before doing an impression of him. He said if Sheik was there he would wonder who this no-good son-of-a-bitch jabroni was.
Mahal brushed him off and called the fans jingoistic. Rock said he was proud to be their People’s Champion and proud to be an American. Rock said they didn’t boo Mahal because of how he looked or spoke. They booed him because he was an asshole. (He said more than that but it was all censored out.)
Rock said people didn’t like Mahal because he wasn’t funny. If he was one of Rock’s movies, he was Baywatch. Rock said Mahal called America a joke but it wasn’t a joke to him or these people. He said freedom of speech protected Mahal from the government but not from The Rock. Rock called him the Day One Douchebag.
Rock did the thing he did on Smackdown weeks back where he led each side of the crowd to chant “Day One” and “Douchebag.” They loudly went along with it. Rock also sang a song about Mahal not having balls.
Rock threatened to kick his candy-ass so Mahal attacked Rock first. Rock fought back with fists, a spinebuster and People’s Elbow.
Before leaving, Rock said he was hungry. He asked the San Diego crowd if he should eat and sit at a booth, or the bar, or “at the head of the table.” That line got a big pop. Rock signed off with his catchphrase.
********
Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark defeated Natalya & Tegan Nox (5:35)
The previous segment probably went long because they went to break 50 seconds into this match and they didn’t get much time after the break, either. Nox ran wild for a bit but Baszler cut her off with a kick to the head. Baszler hit a German suplex and Stark followed with a Z-360 for the pinfall win.
********
There was a video package for the title main event.
Next week on Raw in Portland:
- Cody Rhodes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
- Kayden Carter & Kanata Chance vs. Piper Niven & Chelsea Green for the tag titles
- CM Punk appears
********
Drew McIntyre entered and they showed a picture of the stitches Sami Zayn received, I believe on the house show tour. McIntyre was unconcerned.
Seth Rollins defeated Drew McIntyre to retain the World Heavyweight Championship (18:07)
McIntyre tried a reverse Alabama Slam onto the steps very early on but Rollins used the ring skirt and ropes as leverage to escape. Rollins tried a suicide dive but McIntyre caught him and suplexed him ahead of an early break.
McIntyre maintained control and hit a backbreaker for two. Cole said Rollins’ bad back will be the story for the rest of his career. Rollins tried a bucklebomb but he collapsed. Rollins did manage to fight back moments later with a flip dive, followed later by a DDT and frog splash for two. Rollins hit a superplex but before he could transition into a falcon arrow, McIntyre hit a falcon arrow of his own for two.
After a break, McIntyre hit a White Noise off the middle rope for two. Rollins got the better of a strike exchange but McIntyre avoided a stomp and hit a Future Shock DDT. Rollins countered a Claymore Kick into a sit-out powerbomb for two. McIntyre missed Claymore again and Rollins hit a Pedigree for two.
Damian Priest entered with his briefcase (plus Dom and a referee). As Dom distracted the refs, Priest hit Rollins with the briefcase.
Priest explained to the ref that he was cashing in but McIntyre Claymore kicked the briefcase into his face and suplexed Dom. McIntyre Claymore kicked Rollins and seemed to have it won but Rollins’ leg happened to be on the ropes for a rope break. (This was well done.)
McIntyre was pissed and he cleared the announce table but Rollins fought him off and hit a Pedigree on the table (which didn’t break). Rollins hit a curb stomp in the ring for the pinfall win.
— Rollins laughed and posed with his belt after the match. A pissed-off Priest looked on.
The match was good, I guess, but this was fairly by-the-numbers WWE main event booking. They threw the MITB briefcase in as a wrinkle but they’ve been doing that for 13 years.