WWE Raw Results 1/15 - World Heavyweight Title Match, GUNTHER Returns And More
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE Raw" on January 15, 2024, coming to you live from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas!
Jinder Mahal will be competing in his first match on "Raw" since June 27, 2022 as he collides with Seth "Freakin" Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship. The two men found themselves involved in a heated verbal exchange with one another last week that ultimately turned into a physical altercation.
GUNTHER will be making his return to the red brand with something on his mind to share. The reigning Intercontinental Champion has made his frustrations with his Imperium teammates Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci coming up short in their matches known over the past several weeks, and made it clear to them that he wanted to see that change by the time he came back.
Following his win over Shinsuke Nakamura in a Street Fight last week, Cody Rhodes will be appearing before the WWE Universe as he looks towards competing in the 2024 Men's Royal Rumble and has his sights set on winning the match for the second year in a row.
As questions still remain as to whether or not R-Truth is an official member of Judgment Day, he will be teaming up with his Awesome Truth teammate The Miz to take on Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Finn Balor and Damian Priest. Two other members of Judgment Day will be in action tonight, as Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh join forces to take on Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa of #DIY.
Additionally, per WWE's event page, Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley and Jey Uso are advertised to be in town tonight.
We are live! The show kicks off with a video paying tribute to MLK for MLK Day.
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett then greet audiences at home as we see Seth "Freakin" Rollins, his daughter, and Jinder Mahal pull up to the arena before Cody Rhodes makes his way down to the ring.
We Hear From Cody Rhodes
Rhodes asks North Little Rock what they want to talk about, then says they could talk about him beating Shinsuke Nakamura last week or the reason he came back to WWE for.
Drew McIntyre's music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He says that he and Rhodes go way back, are the same age, and have had similar career paths. He tells Rhodes that he's proud of him, and reminisces over holding the Tag Team Championship together. He says they didn't get far together back then because they didn't embrace their opportunity and gain some perspective. He says that they laid the blueprint outside WWE and became undeniable, then recalls Rhodes telling him that he'll be a future World Champion after his final match on the indies with him. He says he's done that twice now and says Rhodes will finish his story, but not before he finishes his own.
Rhodes points out that they've both entered the Royal Rumble, and he could win, but so could Jey Uso or CM Punk. He says they've both won the Royal Rumble before and you can't count anyone out. McIntyre says that this is between the two of them now and gives Rhodes some advice on how to present himself. Rhodes admits that they have had similar career paths, then says he smiles because he's doing what he loves, and the difference between him and McIntyre is that he's grateful for his second chance while McIntyre is complaining about his. McIntyre questions why Rhodes has endorsed Jey and Punk, and if you step in his way, you'll get taken out. He says that the story belongs to him at WrestleMania.
Rhodes says that McIntyre wants him to be like him, and he looks to his heart and the fans when he looks to finish his story unlike McIntyre. He says he will give McIntyre another thing to complain about in the Rumble, then asks McIntyre who won their final match on the indies.
We then head backstage and see Damian Priest confront R-Truth about selling his own variation of Judgment Day t-shirts. Truth hands Priest a big stack of money as his cut, and Priest allows him to continue doing so as long as he keeps it quiet. He then asks Truth not to tag in during their upcoming match.
Back at ringside. Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh make their way down. #DIY follows.
Judgment Day vs. #DIY
Gargano and McDonagh begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. They take turns locking one another in submission holds before Gargano delivers a hurricanrana and McDonagh ends up on the outside. Gargano looks to run the ropes, but Dominik sends him crashing to the floor on the other side. Ciampa levels him before Gargano does the same to McDonagh with a tope suicida that sends him crashing over the announce desk.
Back from the break, McDonagh and Ciampa exchange forearm strikes. Gargano tags in and double teams on McDonagh with Ciampa, but Dominik clocks him from behind while the referee is distracted. McDonagh then fires off stomps on Gargano before Dominik becomes legal and wears him down with a submission hold. Gargano connects with a boot on Dominik's jaw, then delivers a kick to his head and tags in Ciampa. The referee doesn't see Gargano tag him in and sends him back onto the apron. Dominik and McDonagh take advantage, firing off stomps on Gargano. Gargano sends McDonagh crashing to the outside, then delivers a spear to Dominik through the middle rope. Gargano looks to tag in Ciampa, but McDonagh pulls him off the apron. Dominik then delivers a dropkick to Gargano.
Back from another break, Ciampa delivers clotheslines in the corner to Dominik and McDonagh. He delivers a double clothesline to both of them, then follows it up with a back body drop and a reverse DDT. Dominik tags in and looks to land a double suplex on Ciampa with McDonagh. Gargano provides Ciampa with a hand, then tags in and #DIY double team on Dominik. Gargano goes for a pin, but McDonagh breaks the fall.
All four men begin brawling with one another in the center of the ring before Ciampa and McDonagh tag back in. McDonagh delivers a standing Spanish Fly to Ciampa, then ascends to the top and delivers a moonsault. He goes for a pin, but Gargano breaks the fall. Dominik dropkicks him into the middle rope and dials it up for a 619, but Gargano catches it and sends him crashing out of the ring. McDonagh tries taking advantage and rolling up Ciampa, but Ciampa kicks out and delivers a DDT. Gargano tags back in, and #DIY deliver Meet In The Middle for the win.
Winners: #DIY
Back at ringside, Piper Niven and Chelsea Green make their way down to the ring. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae follow.
Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae vs. Piper Niven and Chelsea Green
The bell rings and Green blindsides LeRae on the apron. Niven delivers a piledriver to Hartwell in the center of the ring, then knocks LeRae off the apron and tags in Green. Green delivers a right hand to Hartwell's spine, but Hartwell responds with a boot to the side of her head. Green sends Hartwell crashing onto the floor, but Hartwell gets her onto the apron and delivers a second boot to the side of her head.
Niven tags in and stomps on Hartwell's midsection. She looks for a Vader Bomb, but Hartwell rolls out of the way and tags in LeRae as we see Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. LeRae delivers a pair of step-up sentons to Niven, then tags Hartwell back in. Hartwell and LeRae double team on Niven, but Niven delivers a bodyslam to Hartwell. Green and LeRae tag in, and LeRae delivers a moonsault to Green as Hartwell holds her in place for the win.
Winners: Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae
Back from the break, GUNTHER and Ludwig Kaiser make their way down to the ring.
We Hear From GUNTHER
GUNTHER says the Royal Rumble is two weeks away, and he can literally feel and smell the desperation around the locker room. He says while he was on his break, all he observed is everyone arguing about who's going to win the Rumble and go on to WrestleMania. He says he's here to remind everyone that he entered the Rumble last year as the first entrant and made it to the end. He says he was only one elimination away from winning the match, and he lasted longer than anyone in history. He announces that he will be entering the 2024 Men's Rumble to go on to WrestleMania.
GUNTHER then looks over at Kaiser and says he wants to focus on him now. He throws it to a video of Kaiser's match with Kofi Kingston last week and his attack after the match, then tells Kaiser he loved what he saw. He says he showed a side of himself he's always wanted to see, then tells him well done and embraces him.
New Day's music hits and Xavier Woods makes his way down to the ring with a mic in hand. He tells Kaiser that they have a problem after what he did to Kingston last week, and says that he's the reason Kingston is nowhere to be found tonight. He says that while Kingston may not be in the arena, he is and he's looking for some retribution. He challenges Kaiser to a match, and Kaiser accepts.
Ludwig Kaiser vs. Xavier Woods
Before the bell, Woods beats down Kaiser on the outside.
Back from the break, the bell has rung and Kaiser rains down right hands on Woods. He fires off stomps on him in the corner, then rains down more right hands and headbutts. Woods levels Kaiser with a crossbody, then delivers a kick to his spine. Woods rains down right hands on Kaiser in the corner, but Kaiser continues wearing him down. Woods lands a series of chops and an enzuigiri, but Kaiser sends him crashing into the ring post shoulder first and follows it up with a dropkick to his midsection as he hangs from the top rope.
Back from another break, Woods delivers another enzuigiri to Kaiser from the apron. He follows it up with a DDT before the pair exchange chops with one another. Woods gains the upper hand and fires off several, then fires off stomps in the corner and clotheslines Kaiser out of the ring. He sends him crashing over the announce desk as the referee begins a ten count. Woods delivers a kick to Kaiser's midsection, then strikes him with one of the announce chairs causing the disqualification.
Winner: Ludwig Kaiser (as the result of disqualification)
After the match, Woods grabs a chair from the timekeeper's area. Kaiser catches him with an enzuigiri. He drapes him on top of the ring steps and charges at him, but Woods catches him with a stomp. He looks to toss the ring steps on Kaiser, but Kaiser ducks out of the way and escapes through the crowd as the referee holds back Woods.
Back from the break, we see Kaiser blindside Woods backstage. Jey Uso pulls Kaiser off Woods before he checks on him.
We then head over to a video recapping the confrontation between Seth "Freakin" Rollins and Jinder Mahal last week.
Back at ringside, Akira Tozawa and Maxxine Dupri make their way down to the ring. Ivar and Valhalla follow.
Ivar (w/ Valhalla) vs. Akira Tozawa (w/ Maxxine Dupri)
The bell rings and Ivar delivers a boot to Tozawa. Tozawa slaps him and lands a few kicks on Ivar, then sends him crashing into the mat and rips off his shirt. Ivar turns him inside out with a powerslam and a crossbody, then ascends to the top. Dupri captures his attention, allowing Tozawa to deliver an enzuigiri and pull him down with a Sunset Flip for the win.
Winner: Akira Tozawa
After the match, Valhalla attacks Dupri and dumps her inside the ring. Tozawa looks to provide her with a hand, but Ivar levels him with a spinning back heel kick. Valhalla levels Dupri with a pop-up headbutt and dropkicks her out of the ring before Ivar ascends to the top and delivers a moonsault to Tozawa.
Ripley then makes her way down to the ring.
We Hear From Rhea Ripley
Ripley says she's sick and tired of people like Nia Jax claiming that the women's division is theirs. She says she runs the division, then puts the winner of the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble winner on notice. She tells them to choose her if they want to waste their opportunity and says Mami is always on top.
Becky Lynch's music hits and she makes her way down to the ring. She says her and Ripley are two different people with similar journeys as two people who dreamed of coming to America to follow their dreams. She says they both went from afterthoughts of the industry to becoming big names the next year, but only one of them was successful at WrestleMania and the heart of a lion. She admits that she thinks Ripley might be better than her, but she needs to prove she isn't. She says in order to do that, she needs to dethrone Ripley as Women's World Champion by winning the Rumble and going on to face her at WrestleMania 40. Ripley says that she wants Lynch to win the Rumble more than she does and says she'll see her at WrestleMania.
The Miz then makes his way down to the ring. R-Truth, Finn Balor, and Damian Priest follow.
Judgment Day (w/ JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio) vs. Awesome Truth
Truth drops a bunch of cash in the ring, but collects it and hands it over to Balor as his cut of Truth's self-made Judgment Day merch as a confused Miz watches on. JD McDonagh demands his cut, but Truth tells him he has to be a member. Truth and Miz then begin arguing.
Truth and Balor begin the action. The bell rings and Balor whips Truth into the corner. Truth levels Balor, but apologizes profusely to him. Balor takes advantage and fires off stomps on him, but Truth rolls out of the ring.
Back from the break, Priest tags in and Truth delivers a jawbreaker to him. Balor tags back in and prevents Truth from making the tag, but Truth delivers an enzuigiri and tags in Miz. Miz clotheslines Priest out of the ring, then sends him crashing into the announce desk face first and dumps him over it. He delivers a codebreaker to Balor back in the ring as he hangs from the middle rope before Truth tags himself in and delivers a kick to Balor. He lands a scissor kick, then levels Miz once more after hesitating to take down Priest. Priest hits him with South of Heaven while the referee is distracted, and Balor pins him for the win.
Winners: Judgment Day
Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark make their way down to the ring. Tegan Nox and Natalya follow.
Tegan Nox and Natalya vs. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark
Nox and Stark begin the action. The bell rings and Stark lands a superkick on Nox. She delivers an enzuigiri to her spine, then tags in Baszler. Baszler stomps on Nox's chest and jams her knee into her throat before tagging Stark back in. Stark continues wearing Nox down, then tags Baszler back in. Baszler sits Nox on the top rope and joins her up there, but Nox pushes her off and delivers a crossbody. She follows it up with an uppercut and tags in Natalya. Stark tags in and Natalya fires off right hands on her. She follows it up with a suplex and a dropkick, then delivers a German suplex. Stark looks to land the Z360, but Natalya avoids it. Baszler makes the blind tag in and looks to deliver a German suplex to Baszler. Natalya prevents Baslzer from doing so, then tags in and looks to double team with Nox. Stark trips Nox as she runs the ropes, opening the door for Baszler to lock in a submission for the win.
Winners: Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark
Back at ringside, Jinder Mahal and Indus Sher make their way down to the ring. Seth "Freakin" Rollins follows.
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Jinder Mahal (w/ Indus Sher) for the World Heavyweight Championship
The bell rings and Mahal delivers a bodyslam to Rollins. He dumps him out of the ring, but Rollins manages to send him crashing into the ring post and lands a running knee off the apron. He dumps Mahal back in the ring and begins arguing with Indus Sher. Damian Priest then appears at ringside with his Money In The Bank briefcase in hand.
Back from the break, Rollins delivers a crossbody off the top and follows it up with a superkick. He then delivers a springboard moonsault and a Falcon Arrow, but Mahal catches him with a kick. Rollins responds with one of his own, then connects with a Pedigree and goes for a pin. Sanga gets Mahal's foot on the bottom rope to break the fall before Rollins ascends to the top and goes flying out of the ring to level him. He climbs back up to the top and looks to land a crossbody on Mahal, but Mahal rolls out of the way.
Drew McIntyre appears at ringside and begins brawling with Priest. Priest sends him crashing into the ring post and the two brawl up the ramp. Back in the ring, Mahal gets Rollins up on his shoulders and lands a gutbuster. He goes for a pin, but Rollins kicks out. He fires off right hands, and Sanga hands him a chair as Veer Mahaan distracts the referee. The referee sees the chair and slides it out of the ring, allowing Mahaan to hit Rollins with the Money In The Bank briefcase. The referee then ejects Indus Sher from ringside, and Rollins lands The Stomp on Mahal for the win.
Winner (and still): Seth "Freakin" Rollinss