Arena: Smoothie King Center
City: New Orleans, LA
Out to open the show is the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins. Seth is visibly limping with a brace on his left knee. After they finished singing his song a “Thank You Seth” chant as his eyes started to fill with tears. He welcomed us to Monday Night Rollins, he thanked the fans and said it’s been a long week and began to explain what happened.
He has a few tears in his knee and with surgery he is looking at 3 – 4 months recovery. As he said he is taking it day by day and week by week. Gunther’s music interrupts him. Seth says he doesn’t have time for them if you came out to make an example out of me, just get in here and do what you need to do.
Gunther said don’t worry about them they have a match later and Gunther said he is there to tell him what he thinks of him. He begins by saying from day one he was labeled as a workhorse champion, and he is sad that he may miss WrestleMania and Seth said he should have left him finish because he doesn’t care what the doctors say he will take the title into WrestleMania. Seth says he will do everything in his power to walk out of WrestleMania, the champion. Gunther says he respects that and reminds him of himself, and he is going to win the Royal Rumble and choose him and attack his leg and back and win the title and Seth says he appreciates his honesty but remember who you are coming after. Gunther said you should remember who is coming after you.
Gunther made a mistake in his promo and said he was going to win the rumble on Sunday and the Royal Rumble is Saturday.
The New Day attack Kaiser and Vinci after Seth and Gunther were finished.
Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci VS. The New Day
As the four continued to fight on the outside and ignore the referee, the referee made it a double count out.
Winners: Double Count out
After the bell the fight continued. The fighting spilled in the crowd Kaiser and Vinci picked up Woods for a suplex off the equipment boxes but Kofi made the save and Woods and Kofi speared Vinci and Kaiser off the equipment box onto a table.
A video package of the issues between Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre is shown as they are set to face each other tonight.
The Judgment Day are shown, and Rhea says next week Finn and Damian defend the tag titles against DIY. Priest then tells Rhea he is not trying to fight everyone like she says, and he isn’t walking around backstage with a big head because she is on the cover of WWE 24K, and he isn’t the one going into Pearce’s office making matches for the Judgment Day every other week. Priest then leaves and Rhea tells Dominik and JD that DIY should have been handled last week and Finn laughed, and Rhea told him to stop laughing because it has been a long time since she has seen his vicious side and Finn said you want to see my vicious side, I will show you vicious.
Ivy Nile is interviewed by Jackie Redmond talks about her match with Valhalla and Maxxine Dupri interrupts and then the Creed Brothers come in and tells her she is ready.
Ivy Nile VS. Valhalla
Valhalla hit a headbutt and tried to pin Nile with her feet on the ropes, but Maxxine yelled, and the referee saw the feet on the ropes. Valhalla yelled at Maxxine and went running into the corner at Nile, but Nile moved, and Valhalla hit her knee on the middle turnbuckle. Nile flipped over the top rope and then climbed the ropes as Valhalla followed her. Nile slammed Valhalla’s head into the corner post and stood on the top rope with her hair in her hand and then delivered a bulldog off the top and pinned Valhalla.
Winner: Ivy Nile
The New Day are shown backstage as Jey Uso walked up to them and handed them ice packs. Jackie Redmond came in to interview them about Imperium. Kofi then says Jey isn’t the only one looking for titles this year and he is challenging Gunther for the Intercontinental title next week.
Nia Jax out for an in-ring promo. Nia says she is going to kill both Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley’s dreams and she is going to win the Royal Rumble and go on to face Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. Becky Lynch comes out and says no one in the Royal Rumble has a bigger target on their back then you because no one likes you. Becky says she doesn’t know what she will enjoy more, winning her second Royal Rumble or watching Nia lose.
Bayley comes out and tells them both they are wrong. She came here looking for Rhea but wanted to come out now instead and said she was going to win the Royal Rumble. A fight started with Becky giving the manhandle slam to Bayley and Nia then throws Becky out of the ring over the top rope and then drops a leg drop on Bayley.
R-Truth warning The Miz earlier to watch his back tonight with the Mysterio boys, Tom and Nick and The Miz said it’s Dominik its one guy.
Dominik Mysterio VS. The Miz
JD McDonagh and Finn Balor are out with Dominik and Finn gets involved by punching the Miz while the Miz was outside. JD later distracted the Miz allowing Dominik to take control again. The Miz ducks 619 but JD jumps on the apron to distract the referee and Finn kicks Miz in the head allowing Dominik to hit 619 then the frog splash to get the win.
Winner: Dominik Mysterio
After the match the three members of Judgment Day continued to beat down the Miz until DIY comes out to save the Miz.
Jackie Redmond interviews Damian Priest. R-Truth comes in and Priest tells him he has something serious going on tonight so another time. Truth leaves and Priest tells Drew he is going to receive his punishment.
Big Bronson Reed says Jey Uso plans on becoming a singles champion this year but so does he. And he wants to face Jey sooner than later and challenges Jey to a match for next week.
Chad Gable VS. Ivar
Gable had Ivar in the ankle lock twice once Ivar kicked out of it another time Ivar got to the rope. Ivar misses a moonsault. Gable hit a backsuplex bridge, but Ivar kicked out. Gable goes up to the top rope but Valhalla screams in Gable’s face and Ivar hits Gable from behind. Ivar then hits this moonsault and gets the win.
Winner: Ivar
The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes and CM Punk go face-to-face in the ring. Punk says before we start let’s take a moment to enjoy this, we took different paths to get here and Sunday morning I hope we are still friends but let’s take a minute to enjoy this.
Cody asked Punk what he wanted to talk about. Punk says I want to talk about your dad. Dusty called him in 2007 and wanted him to keep an eye on him. Punk watched him go from a preliminary wrestler to this superstar main event wrestler we see today, and he is proud of him. But this Saturday he feels like he is breaking a promise because he is going to look for him to throw him out of the rumble.
Cody says he showed up in OVW and Punk could have treated him poorly, but he didn’t, and they became friends. Punk says he never saw Cody as Dusty. He felt bad for him because he knew how hard he was going to have to work to get out of Dusty’s shadow, but he has done it. Punk says his dad was a common man he was an electrician which makes him closer to the American Dream then he was.
Cody turned his attention to the “pipe bomb” which inspired a lot of wrestlers including him. But he left and Cody picked up where he left off and that makes him more CM Punk than him. Punk tells Cody that he carried this company on his back for the past 2 years and he lands on the cover of the new WWE 24K video game, (Congratulations by the way). But just as he is about to turn the corner and finish his story there is something in his way, a much bigger superstar that hasn’t been here in a while and he is talking about himself.
Cody tells Punk there is only one direction he can go and that is forward and that means he needs to go through him. Cody drops the microphone and goes to leave and shoulder bumps Punk who grabs Cody by the shoulder and spins him around and they are face-to-face, nose-to-nose. After a brief stare down the both back up and exit the ring on opposite sides.
A video package of the 40-year anniversary of the birth of Hulkamania.
Candace LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS. Zoey Stark & Shayna Baszler
LeRae reverses the Kirifuda Clutch into a pin, but a tag had been made to Stark who hit a 360 go to sleep.
Winners: Zoey Stark & Shayna Baszler
After the match Chance and Carter who were at ringside stepped in the ring and held the titles up and the Kabuki Warriors came in to attack the champions.
Jackie Redmond now interviews Drew McIntyre and asked if he had any words about the face-to-face with Punk and Rhodes and Drew said no. Drew said he is tired of people making light of what he accomplished during his time as champion. Priest isn’t ready for the world championship and everyone saying the same thing not everyone can finish their story.
Damage Control is shown walking backstage and run into Natalya and Tegan Nox and Natalya asked if they think they can just come to Raw and get away with what they just did. An argument ensues and Adam Pearce comes in and yells save it for the Royal Rumble. Pearce then yelled at Bayley and said he invited her there to promote the Royal Rumble, not go into business for herself and cause chaos. They said take it up with Nick Aldis and Pearce said if I can pry him away from looking at himself in a mirror, I will do just that. Bayley says well you better get used to seeing a lot of us when the Kabuki Warriors win the tag titles Friday night. Pearce said I can hardly wait.
Jinder Mahal, Sanga and Veer come into the picture and talk to Pearce. Mahal wants to know what he has plans for him. Pearce said why don’t I meet you in my office.
Damian Priest VS. Drew McIntyre
As the action spilled outside the ring Priest delivered a Falcon Arrow to Drew on the announce table. More action on the inside and then spills outside again as Priest throws Drew back inside, R-Truth comes up to Priest and tries to give him money again. Priest pushed Truth down and then acted like he was sorry for pushing Truth but returned his focus to Drew who was in the ring. Priest gets on the apron and calls for Drew to come at him. Truth gets up and says he wants his briefcase and goes to get the Money in the Bank briefcase.
Drew hits a future shock DDT and sets up for a Claymore. Meanwhile Truth can’t get in the briefcase to put the money in, so he is up on the apron yelling “what’s the password” to Priest who is trying to get to his feet. Drew turns his attention to Truth. Drew then punches Truth who falls in the ring and money flies everywhere. Drew sets up again for the Claymore but Priest catches him and hits the South of Heaven Chokeslam. As Priest covers Drew, the referee is tied up trying to get Truth out of the ring.
Priest then yells at Truth what are you doing and throws Truth out of the ring and turns around right into a Claymore from Drew. Drew makes the cover and picks up the win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
