Show Recap —

There was a Survivor Series video recap.

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods arrived separately at the
arena.

CM Punk entered the arena and bumped into Jey Uso and Sami
Zayn. Jey was pumped to see Punk, and Punk hugged him. Zayn
was less enthused, but Punk offered a handshake and Zayn
shook his hand.

Punk entered. The last time he was on Raw, he said he wasn’t
sure what the future held, coming out of a career-
threatening Hell in a Cell match. He was coming out of a
career-threatening match again, but this time, he knew
exactly where he was going next. He felt much better this
time around. He handled his business with Drew McIntyre and
handled some personal business for his friend Paul Heyman.
He knew what his future held.


He stood on the middle rope and pointed where the
WrestleMania sign normally would be. The sign might not be
there, but he could see it. There were different ways you
could take, different ways to finish your story. It could be
the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. But no matter what,
he had a favour or two in his pocket.

Seth Rollins interrupted. Punk mouthed the words, “F**cking
gotta be kidding me.” Rollins has been thinking a lot. He
said he should have knocked Punk out the second he stepped
back in WWE. Over the last year, a lot has gotten the way.
Punk got hurt, Rollins had titles to defend, and he had a
Bloodline to take down.


The last time Rollins saw him, he came this close to taking
his shot, but he had pity for Punk, who just came out of
HIAC. He saw Punk standing next to Roman Reigns and decided
it was time to rectify his mistakes. Rollins removed his
jacket and said there was nothing standing between them.
Tonight felt like the night he would knock Punk on his ass.

Punk said Rollins talked too much and didn’t listen enough.
Punk was done with his personal stuff. He was tired of
running races with people he didn’t even know he was running
with. Rollins was champ six months ago and had something he
wanted, but now he had nothing. Punk knew what was in his
future, “and, kid, you ain’t it.”


Punk said Rollins might have been thinking about him for the
past six months but Punk doesn’t think about him at all.
Punk had business to take care of and told Rollins to stay
out of it. Rollins told Punk he didn’t listen enough either
because this was his business.

Rollins shoved Punk to the ground and invited him to fight.
They had an awkward exchange where Punk took a swing at
Rollins but missed. Punk tackled him to the ground, and they
brawled very briefly until Zayn and Jey ran down to break it
up.

Officials ran down to assist, and Jey left with Punk while
Zayn held back Rollins. Rollins told Punk and Jey to leave
and told Jey to run back to Reigns. Zayn told Rollins not to
speak to Jey that way. Rollins understood why Jey would go
back to Reigns, given they were family, but Zayn wasn’t. The
crowd loudly chanted, “Sami Uso.”


Rollins said he was closer to Zayn than Zayn ever was with
the Bloodline. They came up together and have known each
other for 20 years.

Zayn cut him off. Zayn never wanted Punk to be their partner
—he wanted Rollins, but Rollins turned him down twice
because he was too damn stubborn. Rollins said he was never
going to team with that monster Roman Reigns. Zayn said
Rollins created that monster when he put a chair in Reigns’
back ten years ago.

Rollins said he had already apologized for what he did and
knew it helped create the Tribal Chief, but Zayn was guilty
of the same thing. Reigns treated everyone like crap, which
led to Zayn turning on him. They worked together to take
down the Bloodline at WrestleMania and urged Zayn to
remember that. Rollins wondered if Reigns had even
apologized to them yet.


Rollins said his stubbornness wasn’t the issue, Zayn’s
naivety was. Zayn could see Rollins was frustrated and
suggested they have a match tonight to blow off some steam.
Rollins agreed.

(The show was 25 minutes old by the time this was done.)

********

They aired footage from after Survivor Series of Damian
Priest attacking Finn Bálor, only for Judgment Day to lay
him out.

Judgment Day met backstage. Liv Morgan wasn’t sure about
Bálor attacking Priest. Bálor told her that because of him,
Priest was not walking around as the champion. Bálor said if
she listened to him, she would have won WarGames. Bálor was
full of confidence, and Morgan said she hoped he knew what
he was doing. Bálor said, “When everyone listens to Finn,
the Judgment Day win.”


*******

Raquel Rodriguez & Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan
defeated Kairi Sane & Iyo Sky (4:00)

Sane hit Rodriguez with the Insane Elbow, but Morgan broke
up the cover. Sky wiped out Morgan with a dive, and Sane hit
Rodriguez with a spinning back fist. However, Rodriguez came
back with a big boot and Tejana Bomb for the pinfall win.

— The heels attacked Damage CTRL post-match until Rhea
Ripley ran out to make the save. Ripley fought them off for
a moment until Rodriguez shoved her eye-first into the
corner of the announce table. Officials ran down to separate
everyone (for the second straight segment).

********

Cathy Kelley attempted to interview Gunther but was
interrupted by Bálor and Dominik Mysterio. Bálor said
Gunther owed him a title match because Gunther was still the
champion thanks to him.


Gunther said he owed Bálor nothing. Gunther wanted to prove
himself at Survivor Series, but Bálor took that opportunity
away from him. Bálor thought Gunther should want to fight
him then.

Dom was being a prick beside Bálor, so Gunther smacked his
hand out of the air. Gunther figured Dom was feeling
confident because he actually scored a win over Priest,
unlike Bálor. Gunther thought Dom deserved something for
that. He was feeling good so he decided to go talk to Adam
Pearce.

********

Women’s IC title tournament first-round triple threat match:
Dakota Kai defeated Katana Chance and Shayna Baszler (7:38)

Baszler had Kai locked in Kirifuda Clutch, so Katana went to
the top to break it up. Kai moved out of the way, and Katana
hit Baszler with a 450 splash. Kai grabbed Katana and hit a
GTK variation for the pinfall win. The crowd popped for Kai
getting the win.


********

There was a New Day video package. Kingston and Woods were
shown walking separately through the back. Their celebration
is up next.

Rollins vs. Zayn was made official for tonight.

[SECOND HOUR]

The New Day 10-year anniversary celebration

The stage and ring were decorated with New Day memorabilia
and pictures. Kingston and Woods entered together. They
smiled upon seeing all the decorations. Pearce led the crowd
in a “New Day rocks,” chant before leaving the ring. The
crowd also gave them an ovation.

Woods said this was more than they could have ever dreamed
of when they first started. Woods thanked the fans. Kingston
said it’s been a wild ride. They accomplished a lot and
couldn’t have done it without each other. They couldn’t have
done it without the fans, either. The crowd chanted for Big
E.

Woods had something they wanted to tell the fans. He wanted
them to know it was not their fault. They loved every single
one of the fans. Kingston was about to announce they were
breaking up, but Big E entered to his music. Woods and
Kingston were both surprised and happy to see him.

Big E thanked the fans for their response. He wished he was
there under different circumstances. It troubled him deeply
to hear them argue and bicker and say some of the most
hurtful things you can imagine to each other.

They only had each other ten years ago when they started
this. Kingston was mulling over retirement because the
passion was beaten out of him. E and Woods were on the verge
of getting fired. On one of the worst days of E’s life and
the scariest moment of his career, they were at his bedside
at the hospital, making sure he was good. E held Kingston’s
baby while wearing a neck brace. Woods spilled tears on his
shoulders when he won KOTR.

What they built meant a lot to a lot of people. It meant a
hell of a lot to E, too. E said, “Until I am medically
cleared to return to this ring, I am going to remind the two
of you exactly who you are. I’m gonna be here to cheer for
you, to root for you, to uplift you. I am going to be here
every single week. To serve as your manager.” The crowd
cheered louder as he spoke. They chanted his name and “New
Day rocks.”

Woods responded, “Now? Now you want to come back? After you
watched us fight for months and argue to the edge of the
cliff, and the last thing left to do was jump? Now you want
to come back? E, you left us.”

E said he broke his neck. Kingston said, “You left us, E.”
Kingston said E broke his neck, but so what? Steve Austin,
Kurt Angle and Edge all broke their necks, and they all came
back. And those guys didn’t even have a family like New Day
to come back to.

Woods said he and Kingston didn’t change or evolve while E
was out. It was to their detriment, but they did that so he
had something to come back to. Kingston said E didn’t even
need surgery, and he still hasn’t come back. E said he’s
been meeting with doctors.

Woods said he tore his Achilles but came back in nine months
for E. Kingston said E could have come back any time for
them, but instead, he chose his new life, his girlfriend,
his projects and his desk job over them. Woods said E has
become a burden for them. Everyone kept telling them they
missed E. They missed him too, but he didn’t miss them.

Kingston said their philosophy was always “we before me” but
E chose himself—broken neck or not. Woods said they can stop
teasing the people—E would never be cleared. Woods told him
to get the hell out of the ring and get back to his desk
where he belonged.

E wouldn’t leave the ring. He didn’t want to throw it all
away. He offered a hug, but Kingston held him back. Woods
looked away from E. E couldn’t believe what was happening
and kept pleading with them as the crowd chanted, “Big E
rocks.” E finally left the ring.

Kingston and Woods looked at each other and were in
agreement that it was just the two of them now. They shook
hands as the crowd booed.

This was a pretty incredible heel turn.

********

World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defeated Dominik Mysterio
in a non-title match (6:37)

Gunther patted Dom on the head, and the crowd laughed, so
Dom smacked him. Gunther booted him and was about to
powerbomb him into the ring post, but Dom countered and sent
him into the ring post instead. Dom followed with a suicide
dive ahead of a break.

Gunther applied a sleeper after the break, but Dom blocked
the referee’s view and gave him a low blow. Dom followed
with a 619, dropkick, another 619 and frog splash for a
nearfall. Dom went for a suplex, but Gunther booted him and
killed him with a powerbomb for the pinfall win.

— Bálor attacked Gunther after the match and laid him out
with a Coup de Grace. Bálor told Dom, “Watch and learn,
kid.” Bálor hit his finisher two more times and laid the
title belt over him. Bálor left without Dom.

********

Pete Dunne was being interviewed but it was interrupted by a
nearby commotion. Officials checked on Jey Uso, who was
attacked backstage.

********

R-Truth defeated Pete Dunne (1:53)

Dunne was in control but became distracted by the crowd
chanting “Butch.” Truth applied a schoolboy for the pinfall
win.

********

Ludwig Kaiser approached Bron Breakker as he was being
interviewed by Kelley. Kaiser said he was moments away from
becoming champion, but that was ok because he accomplished
what he set out to do, and that was take out Sheamus. A rib
for a rib. Now there was nothing stopping him from taking
the IC title back to Imperium.

Bron had no problem facing Kaiser and beating him. Kaiser
would have that stupid look on his face knowing he would
never hold the IC title. He advised Kaiser to get out of
Gunther's shadow quickly because his stock was dropping
rapidly.

********

Next week on Raw:

Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Lyra Valkyria vs. Zelina Vega vs. Ivy Nile – Women’s IC
title tournament
Eight-man tag: Wyatt Sicks vs. Final Testament & The Miz

********

Zayn confronted Pearce, who told him that Jey was being
tended to. Zayn demanded to know who attacked Jey. Pearce
didn’t know. Zayn said he knew exactly who it was and was
about to kick his ass in the ring.

Bálor approached Pearce after a break. Bálor wanted a match
against Gunther. Pearce already spoke to Gunther, and he
wanted the same thing. Bálor is getting a title match at
Saturday Night’s Main Event. Bálor was happy until Pearce
told him he’d have news about defending his tag title.

********

Seth Rollins defeated Sami Zayn (9:19)

Zayn took most of the match but Rollins got the win. This
was more of a storyline segment than a match.

They went to break after 50 seconds with Zayn in control and
Rollins being caught off guard. Zayn was still in control
after the break and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Zayn
followed with an exploder into the corner, but Rollins
finally came back with a superkick.

Rollins told Zayn that his fight was with Punk. Zayn slapped
him and said, “I know it was you.” Rollins drove him into
the ring post, but moments later, Zayn booted Rollins and
drove him into the post.

Zayn grabbed a chair and threatened to hit Rollins for
attacking Jey, but Rollins said it wasn’t him. Rollins
talked him down, and Zayn dumped the chair, but Rollins
caught him in a rollup for the pinfall win. After the match,
Rollins told Zayn he loved his heart, but he needed to start
using his head.

— After Rollins left, Drew McIntyre (in a hoodie) laid out
Zayn with a Claymore Kick.

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