WWE Raw live results: CM Punk returns in Chicago
Date: March 24, 2024
Location: Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL
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Show Recap —
CM Punk was shown arriving at the arena at 12:51 pm earlier today.
There was a recap of the dull Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns segment from Smackdown.
Cody Rhodes and The Rock segment
Rhodes entered to a big reaction and asked what we’d like to talk about. Rhodes said he could come out here and say nothing because they were in that awkward two-week period before WrestleMania where the time for talking was over. (Rhodes had the crowd acknowledge Pat McAfee and Michael Cole and they both got strong reactions.)
Rhodes spoke about Roman Reigns who referred to him as a politician. (The crowd chanted “Roman sucks.”) Rhodes said people should know that when he made a promise, he kept it.
A fan asked if he would be the best man at his wedding. Rhodes had to explain to his wife that not only did he agree to it but he was also paying for the bachelor party. He also agreed to be at a five-year-old’s birthday party and the kids in the wrestling club would attend both nights of Mania thanks to him. He did these things and asked for nothing in return.
The reason he did these things were lost on Reigns. Rhodes dressed and spoke the way he did for a reason. He acted like the champion because the champion wasn’t there.
Rhodes respected Reigns but he was also the man who screwed him out of his biggest dream last year. Rhodes said to Reigns: “I hate your guts.” Rhodes said it was his fault that Reigns and his cousin couldn’t have their wank-fest at WrestleMania. It was his “fault” because he won the Royal Rumble.
Rhodes admitted he couldn’t do it alone. He asked for nothing back except this time. He asked the fans if they would ride with him — and Seth Rollins — at WrestleMania. They cheered. Rhodes asked the fans to point at the Mania sign so they did.
The Rock interrupted and the crowd exploded. Rock received a mixed reaction once the music stopped. Booing turned into “holy sh*t” and “this is awesome” chants as Rock and Rhodes stared each other down for a long time. (There were also random “CM Punk” chants which meant it was time for the staredown to end.)
Rock leaned in and whispered something to Rhodes, who was taken aback by whatever he said.
Rock left. The crowd booed and chanted “Rocky sucks.”
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Jackie Redmond caught up to The Rock backstage and asked what he said to Rhodes in the ring. Rock told her to go ask Rhodes.
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Judgment Day were in the back. Rhea Ripley told Dominik that he should’ve asked for her help when he went to Smackdown. He acknowledged that and said it wouldn’t happen again.
Damian Priest and Finn Bálor told JD McDonagh to take care of Ricochet. Priest had a plan to get the odds in their favour before WrestleMania. McDonagh said he would handle Ricochet. Ripley was less than impressed and told him to just win the match.
(They aired a replay of Dom costing Rey Mysterio his match against Santos Escobar on Smackdown.)
Ricochet defeated JD McDonagh (w/Dominik Mysterio) (14:23)
Ricochet hit a dive which led to break 70 seconds into the match. McDonagh was in control when they returned. Ricochet came back with a handspring elbow, springboard clothesline, and standing shooting star for two. McDonagh responded with a Spanish Fly for two and a brainbuster for two.
Ricochet nailed an avalanche poisonrana (McDonagh landed safely) and hit a Recoil but Dom placed McDonagh’s leg on the rope to break up the cover. Ricochet tried a springboard 450 but McDonagh got his knees up and applied a cradle for a nearfall.
McDonagh was back in control after another break and he hit a sit-out powerbomb for two. Ricochet hit a Canadian Destroyer (which popped the crowd) and went to the top but Dom hopped on the apron as a distraction as the ref just watched. Dom hopped off but incidentally caused Ricochet to trip and get crotched on the top turnbuckle.
The ref finally tossed Dom and Ricochet hit McDonagh with a shooting star press for the pinfall win.
This was really good and the crowd was into Ricochet.
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CM Punk was shown in the back holding a Chicago Cubs championship belt. He’s up next.
Jey Uso was shown arriving earlier today.
Cole announced a sell-out crowd of 15,810 and said this was their 11th straight televised sell-out.
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CM Punk segment
(This was a long but very entertaining segment. It went about 20 minutes and crossed into the second hour.)
Punk wore a heavy-duty brace on his right arm. He shook hands with Samantha Irvin before grabbing a microphone.
Punk said it felt great to be alive in Chicago on a Monday night. Everyone was asking him if he would be at WrestleMania and the short answer was, “Yes.” Punk felt great but was not medically cleared. His mouth still worked.
People asked if he would host WrestleMania. If you asked him that ten years ago he would’ve thought hosting was beneath him but right now he’d love to just be there. He mentioned commentary as another option, or maybe even a special referee for a particular title match.
There were a lot of people who felt the need to talk about him. Punk said that Reigns called him out on McAfee’s show. Punk said he would see Reigns pretty soon as she climbed his way back to the top of the mountain while Reigns fell down that mountain.
Another guy who talked about him was Seth Rollins. Rollins laughed at him for paying the price of being a professional wrestler. He thought that was funny coming from a guy with bad knees.
Someone who hasn’t talked about him was The Rock. Perhaps that was because ten years ago Rock came face-to-face with Punk and realized his arms were too short to box with god.
There was also Drew McIntyre. Punk hasn’t responded to McIntyre because he isn’t terminally online and wants to handle things live.
McIntyre entered to his music. Punk told them to cut his stupid song. He told McIntyre to get his bitch-ass in the ring. The crowd chanted for Punk.
McIntyre reminded Punk what happened the last time they were in the ring. Punk asked if he was a Scottish Warrior or an internet troll and demanded he get in the ring. McIntyre showed off his t-shirt bragging about injuring Punk. Punk said he never had to put another man’s name on his shirts to sell them.
McIntyre thought it was funny that Punk spent so much time in rehab for a guy who was Straight Edge. McIntyre said Punk completed him. When he felt like he couldn’t push it anymore in the gym he thought about Punk. Punk again told him to get in the ring but McIntyre said Punk was from Chicago and probably had a weapon.
McIntyre said everyone was realizing what he’s known all along, that he was the chosen one.
Punk responded: “Chosen one? Who chose you? Who? What was his name? What paragon of good virtue chose you?”
McIntyre told him to enjoy this moment because he’d be out for months. He suggested Punk watch his Mania match from commentary so he could witness him becoming champion.
Seth Rollins entered. Rollins faced off with Punk and the crowd chanted for Punk. Rollins said Punk and McIntyre were morons. He told Punk he couldn’t make decisions about a WrestleMania match if he wasn’t in it.
Rollins polled the fans instead. He asked if Punk should be on commentary. They cheered but it wasn’t loud. They chanted “referee” and Punk laughed. Rollins pointed at the large brace on Punk’s counting arm. Punk got on the mat and counted to three with his left hand. Punk admitted he couldn’t be impartial with these two “dipsh*ts.”
Rollins told Punk he didn’t think about him at all. He didn’t give a damn about Punk because he was a non-factor. He could be a commentator or a referee, Rollins didn’t care. Rollins said Punk needed him to get a moment at WrestleMania. Rollins did like the idea of Punk calling his finest hour at Mania. Rollins told Punk he only wanted one thing: stay out of his way.
Punk decided he would indeed do commentary for their match at Mania. Punk said he would do something that McIntyre, Rollins, or Rollins’ wife couldn’t do: make Seth Rollins interesting.
Punk started to leave to his music but McIntyre interrupted because he wanted the last word. McIntyre mocked Punk until Rollins dropped him with a superkick and curb stomp.
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Shinsuke Nakamura cut a promo on Jey Uso.
Meek Mill will be at Mania in Philadelphia.
There was a Snickers commercial with Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.
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Candice LeRae (w/Indi Hartwell) defeated Ivy Nile (w/Maxxine Dupri) (1:53)
They did that stupid thing again where LeRae feigned a leg injury so the referee stopped Nile from continuing the match. The referee literally pulled her out of the way and his direct action led to LeRae stacking up Nile in a cover with her feet on the ropes for the pinfall win. (The ref also didn’t see LeRae’s feet on the ropes.)
LeRae gleefully pranced to the back in celebration. Hartwell was not pleased.
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New Day and DIY had a not-so-friendly exchange backstage about the ladder match. R-Truth and Miz entered for some Truth comedy.
(McIntyre could be seen in the background speaking to Paul Heyman.)
Truth and Miz joined commentary for the next match.
Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa ended in a disqualification (6:32)
This went through a break and Judgment Day interfered for the DQ. (There wasn’t an announcement but Gargano was technically attacked first.)
Judgment Day laid out everyone, including Miz who tried to help. Truth remained on commentary and tried to cut to a commercial break to avoid getting beat up. Judgment Day chucked Truth into the ring and he fought them off until Priest cut him off and hit a Razor’s Edge. Bálor finished him off with a Coup de Grace. Judgment Day posed.
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Redmond asked Rhodes what the Rock told him in the ring. Rhodes apologized to Redmond and the fans because what Rock told him was something he did not want to repeat. Rhodes did say it was a promise that Rock could not keep.
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Cathy Kelley interviewed Gunther about Sami Zayn. Gunther didn’t have much to say about Zayn whose words were empty. He said Chicago was filled with schlubby nerds just like Zayn and even they did not think Zayn could win. Gunther didn’t even think Zayn could beat Bronson Reed tonight.
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Andrade defeated Giovanni Vinci (7:11)
Andrade hit a couple of moonsaults and a running boot but Vinci cut him off with a clothesline and this actually went to a break. Shortly after the break, Andrade hit a back elbow and a twisting double underhook DDT (which they’re calling “The Message”) for the pinfall win.
(Cole acknowledged that Andrade was supposed to face Ivar but he was not medically cleared.)
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[THIRD HOUR]
Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch segment
Ripley entered with Dom. Ripley didn’t think she was getting Becky Lynch’s full attention as Lynch continued to wrestle week after week. Ripley could’ve attacked Lynch after one of her matches but she wanted to be respectful. Ripley wanted Lynch’s attention and was getting impatient. Dom tried to speak but was booed. That brought out Lynch.
Lynch said she couldn’t come out after one of Ripley’s matches because Ripley didn’t seem to wrestle on Raw anymore. Ripley said there was no reason for her to fight ahead of WrestleMania. She didn’t need the attention of the fans. If she wanted their attention, she could just post a video on social media (a reference to a recent house show clip from this weekend).
Lynch also brought up the video of Ripley showing her ass. While Ripley was posting videos, Lynch was busy busting her ass every week to prove herself.
Lynch said there would always be someone newer and younger and hotter but the long game in this business was about skill, merit and survival. It was about how you responded when the chips were down and you weren’t the chosen one anymore. Ripley hasn’t experienced that yet but Lynch would make her experience that at WrestleMania.
Ripley called Lynch a survivor. She was also a cockroach. She was hard to kill but it was not impossible. Ripley wanted Lynch alive after WrestleMania to watch Ripley do what she does. Ripley wanted Lynch to sit on her couch with her daughter and listen to her call her “Mami.”
Lynch gave her a pass but told her not to mention her daughter again or it would be the last word she ever spoke. That wasn’t just a funny line she could just throw out.
Lynch said her father never got to meet her daughter. He was proud of everything she had done in the ring but the thing he’d be most proud of was the mother she had become. It may be a joke to Ripley but it was not a joke to her.
Lynch said there was nothing respectful about Ripley. The reason Ripley never attacked her after her matches was because she knew there would be no going back once she threw the first punch. Lynch told Ripley that neither of them would be the same again after Mania.
Dom got in between them and eventually stepped up to Lynch so Lynch dropped him with a right hand (and Dom took a great bump).
Lynch and Ripley brawled but Ripley got the better of it and shoved Lynch shoulder-first into the post.
Ripley checked on Dom and Lynch attacked Ripley from behind. Officials tried to break it up but Lynch broke free and decked Dom again before going after Ripley. Officials finally did break things up.
Lynch was very good here.
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Chad Gable spoke to Dupri in the back but met with Zayn upon seeing him walk by. Zayn wasn’t particularly interested in hearing from Gable. Zayn knew Gable didn’t think he could beat Gunther and noted that Gunther didn’t think he could beat Reed. Zayn wanted Gunther to eat his words tonight.
Gable told Zayn that this was exactly what Gunther wanted. Gunther was ruining his focus. Gable told him to get his head out of his ass and focus on Reed. Zayn appreciated the words and shook his hand.
Bronson Reed defeated Sami Zayn (9:31)
Reed hit a shoulder tackle off the apron and remained in control after a break. Zayn came back with a clothesline but became distracted upon seeing Gunther enter on the stage. Zayn fought back with a tornado DDT.
Zayn set up for the Helluva Kick but hesitated again to look over at Gunther. Reed dropped him with a clothesline, senton and Tsunami for the pinfall win. Huh.
(Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat West Virginia in the NCAA Women’s Basketball game during the second half of this match.)
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Jey Uso cut a promo on Shinsuke Nakamura. Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso suddenly appeared next to him. Jimmy said, “No Yeet” and left with Sikoa.
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Zayn was pissed for letting Gunther get in his head. He wondered how he could let this happen. Gable told him that this is exactly what Gunther did. He planted seeds of doubt. Gunther’s game was mental and he would beat you down until you gave into those doubts. If Zayn wanted to win at Mania, he needed a different approach. Gable offered to help.
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Rollins told Jey that he and Rhodes had his back tonight.
(Earlier there was a graphic showing that Jey Uso is the third-most-played wrestler in WWE 2K24. Rhodes and Reigns were ahead of him. Ripley is fourth and Randy Orton is fifth.)
Jey Uso defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (7:36)
They went to break 90 seconds into the match. Jimmy and Sikoa entered through the crowd after the break but they were quickly cut off by Rhodes and Rollins. McIntyre took the opportunity to drop Rollins with a Future Shock DDT outside the ring.
When the dust settled, Jey hit Nakamura with a superkick and a spear for the pinfall win.
Closing angle
They cut to the back where Rhodes fought off Jimmy and Sikoa but he was attacked from behind by The Rock.
Rock tossed him around and shoved him out of the arena through the exit doors. It was raining outside as Rock continued to put the boots to Rhodes. Rock yelled into the camera and said “sh*t” two more times. (Censored every time tonight.)
Rock tossed Rhodes into the side of his travel bus and Rhodes came up bleeding. Rock wiped his blood onto a white weight-lifting belt that read “Mama Rhodes.” Rock held Rhodes’ bloody face into the camera and told Mama Rhodes to look at her boy. Rock said Dusty spoke about hard times and Cody was about to know all about hard times.
“This is what happens when you f*ck with the final boss.”
Rock shoved Rhodes into the bus one more time and kneeled over his lifeless body.
“Look at your son, Mama Rhodes. It didn’t have to be this way but now, this is the only way.”