This was a sensational night for WWE as Monday night raw accelerated the path to its Netflix debut at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. CM Punk vs Seth Rollins is now confirmed for the first Netflix show on January 6ththe men exchanging lethal blows physically and verbally. Bron Breakker successfully defended his Intercontinental Title against Ludwig Kaiser, and Chad Gable and American Made signaled their intention to dismantle Alpha Academy.
The War Raiders are Raw's new Tag Team Champions after winning The Judgment Day in the Main Event of the night. Zoey Stark is the final semifinalist in the Women's Intercontinental Championship tournament, and Karrion Kross will not let The Miz escape the clutches of Final Testament and his war with The Wyatt Sicks. Sami Zayn attacked Drew McIntyre backstage, and Rhea Ripley is now confirmed as the number one contender for Liv Morgan's WWE Championship.
1
CM Punk and Seth Rollins
These two men continue to make magic
“There won’t be enough basic items to put you back together when I’m done with you” was among CM Punk’s promises to Seth freaking Rollins. “This CM Punk fan has more WrestleMania main events than you will ever have, and that’s a fact, PHIL,” was Seth’s relentless rebuttal. After 12 months of tension and countless interruptions from Seth Rollins, Seth Rollins and CM Punk's rivalry exploded in the most physical way yet. Literally running away from security and fighting all over the arena, this was genuine hostility. It was incredible.
As was widely reported online last week, Seth Rollins vs CM Punk is now set for WWE's Netflix debut. It's a WrestleMania Main Event-level match for one of the biggest nights in WWE history, and arguably the most anticipated match the company can book for the occasion. It's the perfect reintroduction for anyone looking to rejoin the WWE fanbase; two men who can't stand each other in a fight for dominance on the road to WrestleMania.
2
Liv Morgan
The women's champion ends the year in style
Boston has a reputation for rowdy crowds, but Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio's boos broke the decibel meter on Monday Night Raw. The argument that no WWE superstar has risen more dramatically in 2024 than Liv Morgan accelerates when she takes up a megaphone to deliver the message that this was her year and everyone can choke on it. In control of your character, versatile and finding a level of antagonism that seems impossible, this was a Liv Morgan masterclass.
Even Liv and Dom’s “THIS guy” reaction to Rhea Ripley’s song inevitably interrupting the party was fantastic. Ripley's demeanor, aesthetic, and mic skills make her easy to root for in any situation, but Liv's diabolical obnoxiousness makes Rhea an even bigger babyface. Adam Pearce confirmed Rhea as the number one contender for Morgan's championship, and for once, the build-up to this match feels worthy of the star power of those involved. May the best woman win.
3
The new day
Summarizing a Positive Change in WWE Booking
There is an excellent change happening in the world of WWE heels. For a long time, heels were cooler than faces. It was easier to join and support the bad guys in Vince McMahon's WWE. Just look at Kevin Owens, the nasty Liv and Dom, and The New Day these days, and it's evident that the philosophy behind the company's hiring of bad guys has taken a satisfying turn for the better.
Woods and Kofi were banned from the men's locker roomfrom Rey Mysterio of all people. It was designed to make fans think that “even the nicest man in the world thinks these two are idiots”. That is great.
After complaining about Cathy Kelly's biased journalism, The New Day was stopped short of speaking out in favor of showing a behind-the-scenes attack. Kofi and Woods rolled their eyes in condemnation at being disrespected again. They will no doubt use this as fuel for their righteous ignorance about why everyone turned their back on them. Expect New Day's attitude to get worse sooner or later.
4
Zoey Stark and Pure Fusion Collective
A big few weeks for WWE's toughest women
Overcoming Raquel Rodriguez and Katana Chance, Zoey Starks secured her place in the next round of the women's Intercontinental Championship tournament. She won't be happy with how the match ended, but this was a very fun 6-legged ass kicking competition otherwise. It's a huge show of faith for Zoey moving forward and for the Pure Fusion Collective to be represented at the end of the tournament.
With Zoey qualifying and Sonya Deville already declaring her intentions to compete in the IC championship as soon as she can, this could be the best week in PFC history so far. Their work didn't end overnight either, as they orchestrated a group attack on Kairi Sane. This could jeopardize her involvement in the bracket, as she will be involved in next week's triple threat match. Another major candidate defeat is just more good news for Zoey and PFC. A very good week indeed.
5
Bron Breaker
Another win for Raw's Rookie of the Year
The more WWE introduces Bron Breakker, the more he seems like an unstoppable machine destined to dominate this scene for decades to come. Ludwig Kaiser is a very good and impressive member of the squad, but This successful defense of the Intercontinental Championship title was Bron at his devastating best. The spear he won this match with looked like it could break a bear's ribcage. With Bron's first road to WrestleMania set to begin in just a few weeks, this is a perfect way to warm up for the challenges ahead.
6
Judgment Day
The gold is lost and everything is falling apart for Finn And Co.
Make no mistake, The War Raiders were incredible in their championship win, as The Judgment Day lost the Tag Team gold. Erik and Ivar wowed the audience with a dazzling and powerful display, but the real story is that It looks like it could be the beginning of the end for Judgment Day as we know it. Damian Priest appearing out of nowhere to stop Finn from grabbing a ringside chair was insult to injury. How do they, and especially Finn Balor, come back from these devastating last days?
This is the second time that The Prince has appeared in this column in a matter of days, but Judgment Day is slipping through Finn Balor's fingers. Asking where the rest of Judgment Day was when it was being formed by Gunther and Damian Priest, Liv Morgan took a patronizing tone about Finn's recent leadership boasts. No one spoke in his defense. The silence at that moment was deafening.
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Raw officially has a new logo for the Netflix Era.
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Dominik Mysterio's heat is the only thing hotter than the surface of the sun. Wade Barrett’s “cry more” assist was also excellent.
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John Cena has been officially confirmed for Elimination Chamber in Toronto. Start.
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This is the War Raiders' second Raw Tag Team Championship reign. The first lasted 98 days.
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CM Punk vs Seth Rollins has already happened once, on December 30, 2013. It ended with a victory for CM Punk.
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The Miz vs. Dexter Lumis is set for next week's episode of Raw.
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That Bron Breakker shoulder.
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He threatened, but Chad Gable vs. Akira Tozawa has never happened before.
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Katana Chance was excellent in the women's triple threat match.
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Drew McIntyre had a verbal interaction with Seth Rollins, before being eliminated by Sami Zayn in a backstage brawl later in the night.