[intro music playing]
[John Cena] Then.
[Ric Flair] Woooo!
-[glass shattering] -[The Rock] If you smell…
-[bell tolling] -[Cena] Now.
[Roman Reigns] Acknowledge me.
-[Triple H] The king of kings… -[Cena] You can't see me…
[Cena] Forever.
Together.
[Cole] We are officially on the Road to WrestleMania.
Welcome to the beautiful city on the bay, Tampa, Florida,
host of Monday Night Raw.
And all the fallout from Saturday's Royal Rumble.
That is where "Main Event" Jey Uso entered number one
and lasted over 50 minutes.
Tonight, another tough test versus "Big" Bronson Reed.
You know, for 598 days, that man Gunther has ruled
as Intercontinental Champion.
Tonight, he faces the toughest of all tests.
Four-time Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston.
Live.
And Damage CTRL is here.
Led by Bayley, the winner of the Women's Royal Rumble match.
Bayley is here live.
We'll hear from her later tonight as we take a look back
at an unbelievable Royal Rumble.
[Cole] We welcome you to the Royal Rumble!
Over 40,000 WWE fans here tonight.
[announcer] The Women's Royal Rumble match!
[Corey] Welcome back, Naomi.
[upbeat music playing]
[yelling]
[Cole] TNA Knockouts Champion, Jordynne Grace!
Good luck stopping Nia Jax.
What the hell?
[Corey] R-Truth just asked "Where are the guys?"
All of them are women in there!
[Cole] Jade Cargill.
[Corey] The Storm has arrived!
[music continues playing]
[Corey] We are down to three.
[Cole] Down goes Cargill!
And Bayley eliminates Morgan!
-[bell ringing] -Bayley's going to WrestleMania!
[Cole] Kevin Owens, Logan Paul for the United States Championship.
Logan Paul has brass knuckles.
Kevin Owens trying to rip the knuckles off the hand,
and he does.
[announcer] As a result of a disqualification…
[Cole] Logan Paul still holds the title but Kevin Owens made him pay.
The Head of the Table defends the WWE Title
in a Fatal 4-Way match-up.
[bell rings]
Uh-oh.
Roman trying to escape Styles and Knight.
Orton going to make him pay.
RKO to Reigns!
Solo Sikoa!
[Pat] We knew The Bloodline was going to do something.
[Cole] Nobody home!
Can it be Knight's moment?
-The spear to Styles. -[bell rings]
[Pat] Roman Reigns just did it again.
[announcer] The following is the Men's Royal Rumble match!
[upbeat music playing]
[Cole] Andrade's back.
[music]
Get him, Pat! Come on, Pat!
[Cole] We are now down to the final four men.
[Corey] Punk, Rhodes final two.
[Cole] Cody able to catch him.
-[bell rings] -Eliminated!
[Pat] Cody Rhodes is going to WrestleMania!
[Cole] For over 43 minutes, "The American Nightmare"
Cody Rhodes battled, survived and won the Men's Royal Rumble.
Pretty obvious which World Title Cody is going after at WrestleMania.
Cody's here live tonight.
Well, we are on our first stop on the Road to WrestleMania,
live, sold out, the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida tonight,
Monday Night Raw. The first hour is commercial free.
["The Anomaly" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
Pat McAfee!
[crowd cheering]
[Pat speaking indistinctly]
Ladies and gentlemen, Pat McAfee here with us
at ringside to kick off Monday Night Raw.
And as Pat gets set here with some headsets on,
we've got some breaking news tonight, ladies and gentlemen,
as we kick off Monday Night Raw.
Pat, I promised you we'd have one more run together.
It's going to happen.
Pat and I will be the new commentary team here on Monday Night Raw
-every week going forward. -I can't wait.
I'm lucky to be sitting next to the GOAT one last time at least.
And let's enjoy this ride, baby.
Monday Night Raw live on USA.
It's an honor to be in this regime and era of Monday Night Raw as well.
Hell yeah, I'm gonna win.
["Cult Of Personality" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
CM Punk!
[Cole] Well, ladies and gentlemen,
you see CM Punk making his way out to the ring tonight,
the right arm in a sling.
Pat, there has been rumors all over social media over the past 48 hours
of an injury sustained by CM Punk
this past Saturday night in the Royal Rumble match.
[Pat] And we saw an incredible performance from CM Punk.
Final two, only losing to Cody.
So when I heard the rumors and read the rumor that he was injured,
I thought to myself, how could that be with how he performed?
Now we see the sling, Cole.
I'm no doctor, but…
[Cole] CM Punk entered number 27
in the Men's Royal Rumble match this past Saturday.
He lasted over 21 minutes
before coming down to the final two with "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes.
As Pat mentioned, Rhodes would eliminate Punk
to win the Rumble.
["Cult Of Personality" continues playing]
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
[crowd cheering]
I came real close Saturday night,
and I felt like I had it in the palm of my hand.
And I'm not mad at anybody, really.
I'm not mad at Cody Rhodes.
I actually would like to take this time off the top
to say congratulations to Cody.
[cheering and applause]
A lot of the times in this business, it's not about what you deserve.
It's about what you've earned. And he's earned it.
He's busted his ass.
I hope he goes to WrestleMania in Philadelphia,
and he finishes his story.
[cheering and applause]
Going back-to-back in the Rumble is a hell of an accomplishment.
It's kind of like your Tampa Bay Lightning going back to back, winning the cup.
-[crowd cheering] -[Pat] The GOATs.
And while I came close,
close don't count in this business.
Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
And I've never believed in luck.
But I feel a little bit unlucky.
In the course of the Rumble,
I tore my right tricep.
And as much as I tried and I asked,
maybe I can just tape it, you know,
maybe I can make it to Elimination Chamber,
and I can try to win that, and I can get my main event at WrestleMania.
But it's just not in the cards.
And I don't want anybody to feel sorry for me.
Because when I think of this situation
and how much it bums me out and how much I have talked
from the highest mountains about how my goal and my dream
ever since I was a little kid was to main event WrestleMania.
You know, maybe it's just not ever going to happen.
[crowd shouting indistinctly]
And I don't want anybody to feel sorry for me
because realistically, is this a problem?
You know, I have a friend named Chad Gilbert
who I think about a lot.
Every day, I think about this kid because I love him to death,
and he's got cancer and he's had it real bad for a long time.
He's got a beautiful wife, a beautiful daughter named Lily.
And I'll go visit him and I'll sit with him
while he gets his chemotherapy.
And he's always in a good mood
and he's never down about it, and it's soul-crushing.
[cheering and applause]
That's a fight. To me…
this is just a flesh wound.
When I say best in the world,
it doesn't mean because I always win.
I lose more often than I win.
You guys see me fight in the UFC?
Yeah. Not great, but damn it, I had a dream and I had an opportunity,
and I was asked, "Do you want to do this?" And I said, "Yes."
Because it scared the crap out of me.
[cheering and applause]
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
It scared me as much as coming back after ten years,
after ten years of not being in a place
that I never wanted to leave in the first place.
But I had to.
It scared me.
WrestleMania scares me.
It's a goal that might haunt me for the rest of my life,
but this is just a bump in the road.
Best in the world is those people who fight things like cancer.
[crowd cheering]
People who put their lives on the line,
like Matt Flanagan in Chicago, who's a firefighter,
people who help other people.
Now me, I just happened to entertain you.
And for some reason, you people love me.
[crowd cheering]
And I promise I'm going to keep doing it until the wheels fall off.
This is a bump in the road.
It is adversity and I have overcome adversity countless times in the past.
I do not focus on those who are negative.
I do not focus on those who tell me I can't.
I'm not tall enough. I'm not big enough.
"You got stupid hair. You got the wrong tattoos."
None of that matters because each and every single one of you,
every single day, wake up,
and you're teachers, and you're garbagemen…
And it doesn't matter what you do, because you wake up and you keep going.
You put food on your family's table.
And by God, that's exactly what I'm going to do.
Wrestlemania 40 I guess it's not in the cards, ladies and gentlemen.
But I'm a Chicago Cubs fan, and this isn't the first time,
and it won't be the last time I say this.
There's always next year.
[crowd cheering]
I'm going to bust my--
["Gallantry" playing]
Not what I was expecting.
[Pat] He was expecting to say the word "ass".
He's going to bust his ass to get back.
What a phenomenal message.
[Cole] Incredible emotional message by CM Punk.
The announcement that he has torn his right tricep,
will not be ready for WrestleMania this year.
[Pat] That obviously not good, but…
[Cole] And now Drew McIntyre, The Scottish Warrior,
on his way to the ring.
He's been very vocal about what he thinks about CM Punk.
At the Royal Rumble this past Saturday night,
McIntyre was actually eliminated by the man standing in the ring.
McIntyre was never pleased that CM Punk came back to WWE.
He made everybody aware of that.
[Pat] First night. First time he saw him…
left the building in frustration.
[crowd booing]
[Pat] You hear what they're saying? Boo.
[Cole] Boo.
You know, I've said some terrible things about you since you returned to WWE.
And I meant them.
You were a terrible person to me in the past.
I think you're a poison to the locker room.
But I'm listening to you now, and I can relate to everything you're saying.
I've had my dreams taken away from me as well.
I was fired from this place.
And when I was listening to you talk with your buddy Chad,
I can relate to that as well.
I don't know.
And what I believe in…
I've went through some changes recently myself.
I've never been much of a spiritual person.
But I want you to know this.
I prayed for this and it happened.
[crowd booing]
When I got into that Rumble, I targeted you.
I violently assaulted you.
I could not let you win that thing.
Our Champion, he's went down.
He's taking the title as far as he could till his body broke.
He's done a great job.
Who's going to take it to the next level?
I couldn't let it be you.
And you eliminated me.
And I couldn't sleep that night. And I was so angry with myself.
Then I heard the news the next day.
And I slept like a baby last night.
You won the battle, but you didn't win the war.
Mission accomplished.
I exorcized the demon CM Punk.
Now I'm going to find a way
into the World Title match at WrestleMania,
and I'm going to go to the main event,
and I'm going to live CM Punk's dream again.
[Pat] Jeez.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
Come on, Punk, don't lower those eyes.
Look me in the eyes when you speak to me, please.
My heart hurts more than my tricep does.
I'm going to go rehab it.
And when I come back…
I will main event WrestleMania, but the first checklist is you.
I'm coming right for you.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Oh, and McIntyre trying to take a cheap shot,
at a one-armed CM Punk!
And a Glasgow Kiss drops Punk.
-No! -[screaming]
-[crowd booing] -[Pat] What type of…
[McIntyre speaking indistinctly]
-["Worlds Apart" playing] -[Pat] You've got to be a real scumbag.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Punk is helpless.
Sami Zayn, who's got his own issues with McIntyre heading to the ring.
And Sami Zayn trying to take out McIntyre as he retreats.
Drew McIntyre, vile, disgusting, pathetic excuse for a man.
[Pat] And Sami Zayn, hero in Tampa right now
for saving CM Punk from an all-out onslaught on his torn tricep.
What's Drew McIntyre thinking?
You gotta be a real, real scumbag.
[Cole] The only thing he's thinking about is himself.
[Pat] He's a thinker.
[imperceptible]
[crowd cheering]
That was rough.
It really doesn't matter what Drew does.
He doesn't concern us.
We got bigger things to worry about.
Like Bayley's actually dumb enough to show her face tonight.
Mami, you got nothing to sweat.
You know, if Bayley decides to face me at WrestleMania,
then it's her funeral.
I'll remind her who I am.
But tonight is about sending a message.
A message that wasn't sent at the Royal Rumble.
So, are you boys going to remind everyone who the hell we are?
Or are we going to keep letting distractions get in our way?
I think we could all agree we're done with distractions.
And, Rhea, you don't have to worry about where my head is at. After tonight…
Nadie se va a enfrentar con nosotros.
Claro que nadie, exacto.
[in English] Everyone around here seems to be getting too comfortable
to challenge The Judgment Day.
So tonight we show the world just how vicious we are.
[in English] Oh, yeah.
That's more like it, boys.
-Let's roll. -Let's do it.
-Get 'em, boys. -Go get it, guys.
[mockingly] DIY, DIY.
[Pat] What did he say?
Tampa, Florida.
Two hours from where DIY was born.
We've waited seven years for this moment.
This ain't just seven years.
This is a lifetime in the making.
This is those two five-year-old boys
that sat down watching Saturday morning wrestling,
dreaming about this moment right here.
This is about the tag team titles.
This is the time we show the world who we are.
We! We! We are DIY.
["It's Our Moment" playing]
[Cole] Ciampa and Gargano fired up for the Tag Team Championship Match.
The team has been on quite the roll as of late, Pat.
They knocked off Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh
of The Judgment Day.
They've beaten Imperium.
Ciampa, well, he took out Finn Bálor in a one-on-one matchup.
This could be the night for DIY.
[Pat] These two have been champions before.
Why not again?
Blue collar, two kids with a dream.
They're better when they're together. They're great when they're apart.
But tonight they could be legendary.
[Cole] Gargano and Ciampa making their name here in WWE at NXT.
Friends, Tag Team Champions together.
At one point, bitter rivals in their career,
but they said that those moments made them stronger,
made them ready for nights like tonight.
[Pat] They talked about stealing pay per views on the black box
back in the day when they were five years old.
That's how passion can lead you a long way.
Electric to watch these two by the way.
["The Other Side" playing]
[Cole] Pat, moments ago, was almost like The Judgment Day hit the reset button.
[fireworks exploding]
No more distractions.
Let's remind everyone who we are.
And for Bálor and Priest,
they're the Undisputed Tag Team Champions.
[Pat] And Damian Priest said something in Spanish
that I still have no idea what it was,
but the gist of it was, we'll remind everybody.
[Cole] I saw you using the language translator on your phone.
[Pat] I tried AI, I just… I don't know.
AI and I haven't been able to see eye to eye either.
I don't know how to use it,
but whatever it was, Damian Priest says,
Señor Money in the Bank and Finn Bálor about to put on a show for Judgment Day.
[Cole] Inside the briefcase, a contract that Priest can cash in any time he wants
on a World Championship opportunity.
[Pat] I mean, those are intimidating lookin' dudes.
The one on the left? 1% body fat.
[Cole] And a former Universal Champion.
[Pat] He's been like this his whole life. He's just built different.
And then Damian Priest is much taller than you think.
Much more powerful than you think, faster than you think.
Everything.
[imperceptible]
-What a weapon these two are together. -[bell rings]
The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship!
[crowd cheering]
Introducing the challengers.
Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano,
DIY!
[Pat] Threw his vest at Damian Priest.
Oh, he stomped on it!
He kicked it out of the ring.
[announcer] And their opponents, representing The Judgment Day,
they are the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions,
Finn Bálor and Señor Money in the Bank,
Damian Priest!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Well, ladies and gentlemen,
we are so glad you could join us here tonight for Monday Night Raw.
The first stop on the Road to WrestleMania.
This first hour is completely commercial free,
and our first match of the night for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles.
Judgment Day versus DIY.
Now, if you're Gargano and Ciampa, Pat,
what do you need to do to try to take the tag titles away
-from a refocused Judgment Day? -[bell rings]
[Pat] What they need to do is what they've done
against everybody that they've beaten in the past,
which is they're going to be a little bit outsized.
They're just going to have to grit, take them down a little bit,
take them into the deep water and see how they do.
[Cole] You talk about grit.
Tomasso Ciampa who starts this matchup against Damian Priest.
[Pat] Damian with the monstrous rights there.
[Cole] Tag made to Finn Bálor.
Bálor entered the men's Royal Rumble match this past Saturday night at number 14.
He ran into a buzzsaw known as Bron Breakker from NXT,
who would eliminate Bálor in that match.
[Pat] Yeah, Bron Breakker had a great performance.
He and another 7'3" person scared the guy out of the ring on Saturday night.
[Cole] Yeah, Pat McAfee, entering the Rumble,
going face to face with Omos, and Breakker didn't last too long.
Tag made, Gargano legal.
Oh, and a chop by Ciampa.
And here's the classic double team by DIY.
[Pat] They know everything about each other.
Were in each other's weddings.
Know the family, on the road together, and when they get buzzing,
DIY can take over.
[Cole] And now sending both Bálor and Priest outside the ring,
going to launch themselves over the top rope.
And now going to pat themselves on the back.
[both cheering]
[Pat] They deserve it.
Beating the hell out of Finn Bálor and Damian Priest here
on Monday Night Raw.
-[crowd chanting] DIY! DIY! DIY! -[Cole] And the "DIY!" chants here
tonight in Tampa, Florida.
DIY, "Do It Yourself."
And that, uh, appropriately describes this tag team.
[Pat] I was going to ask what it meant, but…
[Cole] Just like you. You're a DIY individual.
[Pat] Big DIY. Big DIY!
[Cole] And Tomasso Ciampa… Now Finn Bálor looking to regroup.
[Pat] Finn Bálor, freak athlete, runs fast from Ireland.
[Cole] Tag made, Priest now legal.
[Pat] Oh, Tommaso didn't see it out of here.
-[Cole] Oh, he did. -Awesome.
[Cole] Oh, and Bálor now, clubbing blow to the side of the head of Tommaso Ciampa.
And now Damian Priest, the powerhouse of Judgment Day.
[Pat] Good to see you, Damian.
As I made eye-to-eye with a demon.
[Cole] And Ciampa bounced face-first off the apron.
[Pat] Oh, he just he just did the whole baseball home run swing.
[Cole] Big Yankees fan is Damian Priest.
[Pat] In the home of Tampa Bay Lightning,
-but also the Tampa Bay… -[Cole] Rays.
[Pat] Who play…
In the Tropicana Field, where we were
for the Royal Rumble Saturday night. Nice segue, Pat.
-You do this often, don't you? -[Pat] Yeah.
[Cole] Oh, and Balor!
[Pat] I don't do that often though, kick people in the face.
[Cole] What a leg drop.
Scissors kick to the back of the neck by Bálor.
And Ciampa's got a kick at two.
[Pat] How about just how explosive this Judgment Day is?
They take advantage of little games. Little schemery, obviously.
They're not scared to do that. And then boom! It can be over.
[Cole] And you heard the Women's World Champion, Rhea Ripley,
say a little bit ago that we know Bayley is here tonight,
the winner of the Women's Royal Rumble.
"If Bayley decides she wants to choose me, well, that's her funeral."
[Pat] Yeah, that Judgment Day is a, uh, a scary crew.
Except for that one that went to jail. What's his name?
-Tom? -[Cole chuckles] Tom…
Dominik Mysterio.
R-Truth's my favorite member of Judgment Day.
[Cole] And Truth will be here later on tonight.
[Pat] Is Tommaso going to have to tap here? It feels like it.
[Cole] Bálor with a front facelock and Ciampa trying to make it somehow
to the corner to his partner Gargano to make a tag.
Tag made, Gargano in but the official never saw it.
[Pat] Oh, it's Judgment Day!
[Cole] And now Priest with a kick to the face.
-Cover now by Bálor. -One, two…
Ciampa kicks at two.
[Pat] What type of doofus refs you got around here, huh?
[Cole] That's the one that I'd say looks a lot like Eddie Munster.
[Pat] Name?
[Cole] Um, I'm not sure.
And here comes Priest.
[Pat] Love that.
-Good game. -[Cole] Bang! What a right hand.
[Pat] Judgment Day is working.
How are you feeling now?
You're feeling like a champion, huh? Is that what you want?
You want to be a champ, right? Well, you got to step to me.
[Cole] Damian Priest is trying to trash-talk Ciampa,
and again, Tomasso Ciampa fighting out of the corner.
The nasty, hard-striking Ciampa trying to finally make a tag.
He made one moments ago, but the official never saw it.
Shoulders down, for the tag titles.
Kick at two by Priest.
Oh, and what a right hand.
And here comes Finn Bálor.
Tremendous conditioned athlete is Bálor, as is Ciampa.
Ciampa has got a motor that doesn't stop.
[Pat] It's had to withstand a plethora…
He's still-- Oh, yes!
[Cole] Ciampa, great reversal, that reverse DDT.
And now an opportunity maybe to make a tag to Gargano.
[crowd claps rhythmically]
Capacity crowd tonight.
14,482 here at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Sold out for Raw. Tag made.
Johnny Gargano, Johnny Wrestling now the legal man.
[Pat] Mr. Wrestling, hot tag.
[Cole] From the blue collar town of Cleveland, Ohio.
Oh, and Gargano now.
Takes out Bálor.
[Pat] Classic Ohio guy, will fight you wherever, whenever.
[Cole] Doesn't matter how big you are.
Gargano, shoulder to the midsection,
has to hop over Damian Priest and catch him with a kick,
and now slingshot spear by Gargano!
For the tag team titles,
and a kick at two by Bálor.
[Pat] Bálor might have moved the last second there
and maybe didn't catch it clean, but Gargano still…
dominant.
[Cole] Johnny Gargano.
Bálor, great reversal by Bálor, off the elbow, hook of the leg to retain,
and a kick out.
[Pat] That's why Finn Bálor has been a Heavyweight Champ before.
[Cole] Tag made. Here's Priest.
What impresses you, Pat, about Damian Priest?
I think Damian Priest, his size
and his mentality and his ability obviously.
But I think it's most of all he's just--
[Cole] Cover now, by Gargano.
And a kick out by Priest at two.
[Pat] It's the fact that he aligns himself with a lot of people just like him.
Scary, bully…
[Cole] Oh! That might be it!
DIY gonna do it!
No! Priest at two.
[Pat] The teamwork, phenomenal from Tomasso and Gargano.
[Cole] Looked like he was looking for the Fairytale Ending,
but Ciampa not quite able to power up and Priest able to power out.
And now a kick to Gargano.
[Pat] That size of Damian Priest.
[Cole] Tag made again and the Undisputed Tag Team Champions,
working well as a team in this one.
Frequent tags now by Bálor and Priest, allowing the double teams on Ciampa.
Big leg drop.
Ciampa may be out.
Cover by Priest to retain.
Kick out at two by Ciampa.
[Pat] How did Ciampa kick out of that?
Tomasso Ciampa and Gargano,
former NXT Tag Team Champions.
Of course, both men also former NXT Champions.
As you look on at this capacity crowd from Monday Night Raw
Sixty-eight nights away from WrestleMania.
You came back right at the right time.
[Pat] The Road to WrestleMania is one everybody wants to be dropping by.
Lucky to be here.
[Cole] Ciampa, off the knee, then the elbow
and Priest now with Ciampa up on his shoulders
looking to put Ciampa away.
Down goes Ciampa for the win, and the retention.
And Gargano breaking things up for DIY.
[Pat] We got an instant classic here on Monday Night Raw,
DIY and Judgment Day.
One upping each other constantly.
[Bálor] Hey, you know what time it is?
You know what time it is.
You know what time it is, I'm going up.
[Pat] It's 8:34, Eastern.
[Cole] Okay?
[Pat] He said, "You know what time it is?"
[Cole] Oh.
Priest now looking to put Ciampa away.
He makes the tag and now Priest,
looked like he was going to go for South of Heaven.
And Bálor was going to follow up with a…
Coup de Grâce, but Tommaso Ciampa not allowing it to happen.
Gargano with the DDT.
[Pat] I've seen this before.
[Cole] Down goes Bálor, version of the White Noise,
cover by Ciampa for the title.
And a kick out at two.
[crowd cheering]
Listen to this place.
Gargano and Ciampa.
[Pat] Can feel it, Cole.
[crowd chanting] DIY! DIY! DIY!
[Cole] Looking to Meet in the Middle.
They connect.
Gargano into the cover to win the tag team titles.
And Damian Priest…
saving the match-up and the Championship gold.
[Pat] The football… The wrestling gods
were supposed to bless us with that right there.
[Cole] Oh, and Priest.
And Gargano, driving Priest right across the announce table.
Back into the ring now. Bálor, going to roll up Gargano.
Shoulders are down. And a kick out again.
Sling Blade.
Gargano is still in this.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] And now Bálor heading up top, went for the Coup de Grâce.
Nobody home, DIY is still in this thing.
[Pat] They certainly are.
[Cole] The Gargano Stretch.
Johnny Gargano trying to get Bálor to tap.
Gargano Escape,
and now Ciampa with the Sicilian Stretch
and the Gargano Escape,
DIY trying to get both members of Judgment Day to tap out.
[Pat] Damian Priest powering through.
[Cole] Oh, and Priest…
[Pat] Holy hell.
[Cole] Using Ciampa as a weapon.
Breaking up the Gargano Escape on Bálor.
What a match to kick off this commercial-free hour
of Monday Night Raw.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome! This is awesome! This is awesome!
[Cole] Again, watch the power here, Pat, of Damian Priest.
[Pat] Phenomenal.
At this stage, this late, almost tapping to picking up Ciampa
and dumping him on Gargano to save the titles.
[crowd chanting] DIY! DIY! DIY!
[Cole] Tag made to Priest.
[Pat] Big right to Ciampa.
[Cole] They're talking about Monday Night Raw
all over social media.
Trending number one on X already tonight.
Looking for the Razor's Edge.
Gargano, though, makes the tag and Ciampa is now legal.
This match is for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles.
Michael Cole at ringside with the returning Pat McAfee.
And what a match you decided to come back for.
[Pat] Yeah, I'm being absolutely blessed here…
with an instant classic in Tampa.
[Cole] Gargano… Oh, and Finn Bálor.
That overhead kick and a running knee.
Priest with a Superkick.
And Damian Priest says it's over.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
[Pat] What's Priest looking at the table for?
[Cole] Damian Priest trying to power Ciampa up.
[Pat] What is he thinking?
[Cole] And Johnny Gargano, caught by Priest, face-first!
That Flatliner off the announce table.
And now Ciampa rolling up Priest to try to win the tag team titles.
[Pat] Right to the mouth.
[Cole] And now Priest with a tag to Bálor.
[Pat] Gargano down.
[Cole] Bálor, top rope.
Ciampa, up high.
Razor's Edge finally by Priest.
Coup de Grâce by Finn Bálor.
Cover for Judgment Day
-to retain the tag team titles. -[bell rings]
["The Other Side" playing]
-[Pat] Wow. -[announcer] Here are your winners,
and still
the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions
Señor Money in the Bank, Damian Priest and Finn Bálor!
[Cole] You forgot you got to protect your phone out here.
[Pat] Yeah. I mean, all hell broke loose immediately upon Raw starting.
[Cole] This is for the tag team titles.
And this is how The Judgment Day
said they would remind people who they are.
No distractions.
-Retaining the tag team gold. -[bell rings]
[Pat] Six-star match…
to start this evening.
[Cole] And there's your buddy "Dirty" Dom,
JD McDonagh out here to celebrate with Bálor and Priest.
[Pat] They should take a victory lap.
That was phenomenal.
[Bálor] Woo-hoo!
Who's the Undisputed Tag Team Champions?
The Judgment Day.
[crowd cheering]
All right, all right.
You know, for weeks,
you've all seen a different side of The Judgment Day,
and we all know who's the reason for that.
It's the same person that I feel like everybody in this ring
owes an apology to.
In fact, after the Rumble, I feel like
I should apologize to him.
Yeah. You guys know who it is. It ain't a secret.
You all love him.
Truth, I know you can hear us.
-Come join us in the ring. -[Pat] Yes.
[crowd cheering]
[Pat chuckling] Yes.
["What's Up?" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] So, Pat, this man had one of the strangest Royal Rumbles ever.
He came out during the Women's Rumble because--
[R-Truth] What's up?
-What's up? -[Cole] It was the best Rumble.
He was then eliminated from the Women's Rumble.
Then he entered the Men's Rumble and was immediately eliminated by Priest.
[Priest] Trust. Don't look concerned, man. Come here.
Guys, cut the music. Cut the music.
[Pat] We didn't get to another round of "What's up's."
Truth, you have my word, I will not attack you.
Come in the ring, dawg.
[Bálor] He's a man of his word, Truth.
I'll let you say my deal.
You know you want to say it. Go ahead.
I'm glad you're going to let me say it,
because it never works when you say it.
What? You don't… You're not nice enough.
Can we please
all rise
for The Judgment Day?
[crowd cheering]
[Pat] Well, come on, Cole. R-Truth asked.
That's good.
Look, man.
Honestly, what happened at the Rumble…
I was thinking about what happened on Monday, which--
I know… My thing is, we can talk about that later.
-[Priest] Uh-huh. -Look,
I hadn't even been able to sleep because about what happened.
It's been bothering me.
So you know what I did?
I relocated your cash for crypto.
[crowd laughs]
I did.
I filed your taxes, and I liquidated all your assets.
You good to go.
There's no way you know what any of that means.
Look, look, look, look, look.
The Judgment Day is a family.
That's what I'm trying to tell you.
We've been family the whole time.
You're like my older brother, DP.
You're older than me.
Finn.
Finn is like that weird uncle we got.
[crowd laughs]
Unpredictable, but we still love him.
What more is there to say about Dominik?
[crowd booing]
Okay, okay, okay.
My bad.
And JD.
JD is like that stepbrother we got
that we don't want to admit that he in the family.
[laughter]
Truth, at some point you got to let somebody finish talking.
Look, I was going to say
The Judgment Day is a family.
Unfortunately, you're not part of The Judgment Day.
[crowd booing]
[Priest] That's not a surprise.
You're not part of the crew.
You never were, man.
But I like you.
I've always liked you. I think you're very funny.
That's why I'm not going to be the one to do this.
Dominik.
[Cole] Oh!
JD McDonagh…
assaulting and beating the heck out of Truth.
[Pat] What the hell is going on?
["I Came To Play" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Pat] Why were they fighting?
[Cole] And Miz now trying to come to the aid of his of his buddy, R-Truth,
who's been suckered in by The Judgment Day for weeks and weeks now.
But the numbers game, just mauling The Miz.
[Pat] I appreciate Miz sacrificing himself for R-Truth
who is being absolutely betrayed by The Judgment Day.
This is disgusting.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] R-Truth left helpless and defenseless,
and now Dominik Mysterio
just rubbing it into the wounds of Miz.
The Awesome Truth
has been destroyed by The Judgment Day.
[Pat] Man…
all Truth wanted to do was make Judgment Day better,
and he certainly was.
[Cole] Well, The Judgment Day said that they were
going to remind the world who they are tonight.
-Michael Cole, Pat McAfee-- -Scumbags!
That's who they are.
…returning to Monday Night Raw.
It has been quite the… Well, news-making night already.
We kicked off the show with CM Punk,
who told the world that he had suffered a torn triceps muscle
inside the the Royal Rumble match this past Sunday.
He was then confronted by Drew McIntyre, who would attack Punk,
bad arm and all
before Sami Zayn would come out to the ring to help out CM Punk.
And now CM Punk in the locker room area,
being attended to by its general manager, Adam Pearce and security as well.
He's going to be attended to by medical personnel.
But, Pat, we do know this is going to happen.
It's coming up later on tonight.
Just announced, Sami Zayn, who lost about a month of his career
due to Drew McIntyre,
has an opportunity at revenge later on tonight.
[Pat] Yeah, and I think the entire world
is hoping that Sami Zayn beats the hell out of Drew McIntyre tonight.
You don't attack somebody that just announced to the world
they have a torn tricep.
["Loyalty Is Everything" playing]
[Pat] What type of humans do that?
[bell rings]
[announcer] The following is a tag team match scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, the team of Zoey Stark
and Shayna Baszler!
[Cole] So many tag teams jockeying for position and an opportunity
in WWE at the current Tag Team Champions,
Sane and Asuka, The Kabuki Warriors.
Shayna Baszler made it pretty clear last week that no matter who's the champs,
we're coming after them and going to tear them limb from limb.
[Pat] Shayna Baszler really enjoys, like, inflicting torturous pain on people.
["Hot Mess" playing]
[Pat] I don't know Zoey as yet.
[Cole] And here comes the former Tag Team Champions.
[announcer] And their opponents,
the team of Piper Niven
and Chelsea Green.
[Cole] So, Pat, Chelsea Green--
[Pat] I don't think you said her name right.
If Samantha Irvin just said her name right,
I would like to hear it that way.
[Cole imitating] Chelsea Green.
[Pat] Okay. Nice. That's good.
[Cole] Nonetheless, last year at the Rumble,
she set a record by being eliminated in just five seconds.
She did a little bit better this past Saturday.
Chelsea Green was in the match-up for over 17 minutes
before being eliminated by Becky Lynch.
That's because her partner, Piper Niven, came in right after her
and really allowed her and saved her
in many different occasions in that match-up.
[Pat] Yeah, she didn't save her on every occasion, though.
Chelsea Green took a beating in that Royal Rumble.
-[bell rings] -[Cole] And Piper Niven,
going right after Zoey Stark as this match-up gets underway.
Again, both these teams trying to establish themselves once again
in the tag team division.
Piper Niven is a powerhouse.
[Pat] Piper Niven is awesome.
Piper Niven and Chelsea Green are a perfect tag team.
Now, you look across the ring at Zoey and Shayna
and you think, wow, they got the proper mentality,
the strength, the power.
[Cole] Zoey Stark was impressive in the Rumble this past Saturday,
before she was eliminated by a returning Liv Morgan
and now Shayna Baszler,
former two-time NXT Women's Champion.
[Piper exclaims]
[Cole] She is a master of joint manipulation,
a master of submission.
[Pat] Yeah, she really takes off. Oh!
[groaning]
[Cole] And now Baszler would love to get Piper Niven to tap out.
[Pat] That was a future endeavor stomp, if I do recall.
[Cole] Tag team action here tonight in the women's division.
Tomorrow night on NXT right here on USA,
it's the semifinals of the Dusty Cup Classic.
Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams take on the LWO.
[Pat] Whoop that, Trick. Right?
They say for… He's phenomenal.
[Cole] And the winner of that will take on both Bron Breakker
and Baron Corbin in the finals this coming Sunday at NXT Vengeance Day.
[Pat] I'm pulling against Corbin, but I know Tampa's pulling for Chelsea Green.
[Cole] And now Zoey Stark, Chelsea Green into the ring.
I think just trying to avoid Zoey and that sidestep worked.
-[Chelsea yelps] -[Cole] And now Shayna Baszler
looking for the Kirifuda Clutch,
and Green will send Baszler outside the ring and tumbling to the floor.
Zoey Stark again.
Chelsea sidestepping, and Chelsea sort of surprising herself a bit here.
Cover by Green.
Hooks the leg and a kick out.
[Pat] Chelsea Green. Just figuring it out.
Crushing it.
Missing everything. Reversing everything.
Oh!
Hard to reverse the knee to the mouth--
[Cole] Cover now by Zoey Stark off the Z360.
-[bell rings] -And this one's over.
-["Cut Above The Rest" playing] -[announcer] Here are your winners,
the team of Shayna Baszler
and Zoey Stark!
[Cole] Well, Pat, this team said they were going to go through everyone
in order to get a Tag Team Championship opportunity.
They started with the former tag champs tonight.
[Pat] Yeah, and they did everything they needed to do to get the win.
Some joint manipulation, some cheap shots, power on display.
This team could be a real problem.
They proved it tonight.
["Wild Child" playing]
[Cole] We are sold out in the Sunshine City.
[announcer] Forty-eight thousand and forty-four.
♪ We better make it worthwhile ♪
♪ You're going to get my love today… ♪
[announcer] And still…
[Corey] Roman Reigns just did it again.
[Cole] Cody Rhodes is going to WrestleMania!
The chance to finish the story is alive and well.
♪ Wild child ♪
♪ You got me runnin' through the… ♪
[Cole] Well, ladies and gentlemen,
there's the winner of the Men's Royal Rumble match,
"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes.
Cody is here, live, on Monday Night Raw, next, from Tampa.
♪ Wild child ♪
♪ You got me coming outta exile ♪
["Gasoline" playing]
♪ I'm pushing myself further I'm just tryna feel my heartbeat beat ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ I love it when you watch me sleep ♪
♪ You spin me 'round so I can breathe ♪
♪ It's only safe for you and me ♪
♪ And if I finally die in peace ♪
♪ Just wrap my body in these sheets ♪
♪ And pour out the gasoline ♪
♪ It don't mean much to me ♪
[Cole] Well, this really is the first official stop
on the Road to WrestleMania.
Monday Night Raw, live tonight.
Beautiful Tampa, Florida at the Amalie Arena.
Pat McAfee is back.
I like how you come around during WrestleMania season.
[Pat] Yeah, it's an honor to be here. Everything's fantastic.
The biggest event of the year is just how many days away?
[Cole] Sixty-eight.
[Pat] Woo, woo!
What a great time to be alive.
[Cole] Sold out tonight. Over 14,000.
[Pat] Lucky to be here.
["Kingdom" playing]
♪ Wrestling has more than one Royal family ♪
[crowd cheering]
-♪ Adrenaline in my soul ♪ -[fireworks exploding]
♪ Every fight out of control ♪
♪ Do it all to get them off their feet ♪
♪ Crowd is here, about to blow ♪
♪ Waitin' for me to start the show ♪
♪ Out the curtain, lights go up I'm home ♪
-[crowd singing along] -[fireworks exploding]
♪ My father said, when I was younger… ♪
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome the winner
of the 2023 and 2024
Men's Royal Rumble match,
"The American Nightmare"
Cody Rhodes!
[Cole] It was a great performance by Cody Rhodes this past Saturday night.
He entered midway through the field at number 15.
He lasted over 43 minutes,
eliminating four men in that time, en route…
to his second straight Royal Rumble win.
♪ Ready for me to start the show ♪
♪ Out the curtain Lights go up, I'm home ♪
-[crowd singing along] -♪ Whoa! ♪
[fireworks exploding]
♪ When I was younger ♪
♪ Hard times breed better men ♪
♪ Better men ♪
♪ You took it all… ♪
[Cole] It's been such an emotional road for Cody Rhodes
to get back to this moment tonight as a Royal Rumble winner
and heading to WrestleMania.
[Pat] To have it happen down here in St. Pete in Tampa
makes it even more special.
I wonder what his dad used to do down here.
[Cole] The stomping grounds of his father,
the late great "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.
♪ Stepped over and right through ♪
♪ And you can never stop me now… ♪
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Cody! Cody! Cody!
[crowd cheering]
[crowd continues cheering]
[crowd chanting] You deserve it! You deserve it! You deserve it!
[rhythmic clapping]
[chanting and clapping continues]
So…
Tampa Bay…
[crowd cheering]
What do we want to talk about?
[crowd cheering]
You know, I had something in mind to say,
first, in response to my own question.
But on the way out here,
I heard something for the very first time
that just was music to my ears.
Samantha…
[crowd cheering]
Can you do me the honor of saying it one more time?
[crowd cheering]
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
the winner of the 2023 and 2024
Men's Royal Rumble match,
"The American Nightmare"
Cody Rhodes!
[Pat] Hell yeah!
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Cody! Cody! Cody!
[Cody] Thank you.
Wow. We got a lot of folks in here tonight.
I know that you come to Monday Night Raw.
You come to WWE live,
to SmackDown, to the PLE's,
and the expectation is on us
to give you the very best action,
the best three hours of your life,
to escape from any worries that you might have.
But often I don't think people realize
how sometimes we need to escape, too.
The last 48 hours of my life outside of here
has been rather challenging.
Everything is good, all is well.
But on Saturday,
you will never know how much I needed you.
[crowd cheering]
I am endlessly grateful for that.
But let's get to it.
Let's make WrestleMania 40 official.
["Visionary" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Pat] Wait a minute.
[crowd singing along]
[Pat] What a stud this World Heavyweight Champion is, Cole.
[crowd continues singing along]
You know, Cody…
Tampa Bay is right. You do deserve it, man.
[crowd cheering]
And I say that because you and I,
we haven't always seen eye to eye.
But over the past year,
I think we've developed, uh,
a mutual respect for each other.
So from man-to-man,
back-to-back Royal Rumbles.
Congratulations.
[crowd cheering]
That's special. That's special.
Really is.
But I'm going to be real with you right now, my friend.
I'm going to be real with you. Glasses are coming off.
[Pat] Whoa, whoa.
If you choose to fight Roman Reigns at WrestleMania,
you're making a mistake.
[Pat] What's that?
I think you should fight me instead.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] What? No.
[crowd chanting] No! No! No!
Tampa, I understand your concern.
I get it.
All I'm asking is for you to hear me out.
I watched you at the Royal Rumble press conference.
You said unequivocally
that you were the guy.
And I'm not trying to be a jerk right now.
But you're not the guy.
[crowd booing]
Roman Reigns is not even the guy anymore.
I'm the guy.
[crowd cheering]
I'm the guy.
And this, the World Heavyweight Championship
is the title in WWE.
[crowd singing Seth Rollins' theme song]
All right, all right. We're getting there.
Now last year, you win the Rumble.
Makes perfect sense to go after Roman Reigns.
But that was when there was only one champion.
The landscape has changed, and I get it,
every single day, all you've thought about
for the last year is Roman, Roman, Roman, Roman.
I get it, I understand it.
But, man, you've been with me on this ride
since I won this title.
You've been on the road with me,
making town after town after town,
city after city.
And on all of those shows,
who was there in the main event?
Because it sure as hell wasn't Roman Reigns.
And what title was I defending in those main events?
Because it sure as hell wasn't the WWE Championship.
It was the World Heavyweight Title!
[crowd cheering]
And do you know why?
Do you remember why this title came to be?
It was because every single one of these people
was sick and tired of Roman Reigns.
[crowd cheering]
They were sick and tired of him showing up
every other week, then every other month,
then every six months,
never defending the title,
cheating to win every single time
he had an opportunity to be an honorable man.
This title is our title.
This title is for us.
It is by us, and we have built this title up
through broken bones,
through a broken back,
through a blown out knee.
We. We, all of us, you included.
We have leveled the playing field with the World Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd cheering]
So we don't need to pretend like Roman Reigns is a god anymore,
'cause he's not.
We don't need to pretend that Roman Reigns is on some untouchable pedestal.
Hell, we don't need Roman Reigns at all.
[crowd cheering]
And so I got to ask you, man.
What title do you want?
[crowd cheering]
Do you want…
Do you want the…
The Hollywood title?
The Hulk Hogan title?
The one for posers and frauds.
The title for people who politic their way to the top?
Or…
Do you want the Dusty Rhodes title?
[crowd cheering]
Do you want the workhorse championship?
The blue collar championship?
Because that's what the World Heavyweight Championship means.
It is about who is the very best between these ropes.
Now, I could ask Dusty…
You know, I could say, which title would Dusty rather have
but we both know the answer to that and the truth is, it doesn't really matter
'cause it's not about him. It hasn't been about him for a long time.
This is about you.
This is about you and your decision.
[crowd chanting] Cody! Cody! Cody!
And I don't need an answer right now.
What I want is for you to think about this
because it is the biggest decision you will ever make in your entire life.
And what I want to know
is what's in here.
[crowd cheering]
What kind of man do you want to be?
Seth…
I have an insane amount of respect for you.
[crowd cheering]
And this is the last thing I woke up thinking
that we would be talking about,
that I would be thinking about.
But let me tell you this.
I'll think about it.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
[microphone thuds]
[Pat] Got a maybe, sounds like.
-["Kingdom" playing] -[Cole] Seth Rollins…
has possibly turned
the entire WWE upside down.
[Pat] Made a compelling case…
about pride.
Hey, I'm still on cloud nine because of what we did
last week to Imperium when we took 'em on and we took 'em down.
Now, I've said it before and I'll say it again.
Everybody, when they think about The New Day,
they talk about the pancakes and the Booty-O's
and the ice cream and the bright colors.
But the thing they forget to talk about and it's most important thing!
It's the fact that we win championships.
Yeah, talk about that.
Because that's exactly what I'm about to do here tonight
when I beat Gunther
for the Intercontinental Championship.
Yeah, five times bro.
-About to tear it up. -That's how I do it.
[Cole] Kofi Kingston looks for his fifth Intercontinental Championship
but the man who stands in his way
has held the title for 598 days.
Gunther defends the Intercontinental title against Kofi Kingston tonight.
[Pat in German accent] "The Ring General."
[in normal voice] German for "The Ring General," has been dominant.
-And yes, I love this man. -["Main Event Ish" playing]
[Cole] Get on your feet!
[bell rings]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first from San Francisco, California,
weighing in at 242 pounds,
"Main Event" Jey Uso!
[Cole] Jey Uso's in your city,
Tampa, Florida,
here tonight.
But coming up next,
does he ever have his work cut out for him?
Jey Uso,
getting the WWE fans pumped up.
Jey Uso and 300-pound plus "Big" Bronson Reed
go one on one live. Next.
-Sit down, Pat. -[Pat] Hell, yeah.
Come on, folks.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] We're two thirds of the way through the Rumble match.
[buzzer blares]
[siren blares]
[Cole] Number 20, former NXT Champion.
Bron Breakker is here.
This dude is special.
[Pat] Talk about freaks of nature.
Freak athletes.
Yeah, the explosion, the intensity.
[Cole] Bron Breakker unleashing the fury on the Royal Rumble match.
[yelling]
[Cole] A lot to talk about Bron Breakker,
but first, Elimination Chamber
is presented by Credit One Bank.
Get cashback rewards and live large.
Jey Uso set for action in a large task against Bronson Reed.
But Pat, what about Bron Breakker?
[Pat] Yeah, Bron Breakker just oozes intensity.
Special. Special in the ring.
Twenty-three miles an hour he comes off the ropes.
[Cole] He made you eliminate yourself?
[Pat] Him and a 7'3" man.
Reminded me that I wasn't supposed to be in there for sure.
["Battle Tested" playing]
[announcer] As his opponent from Black Forest, South Australia,
weighing in at 330 pounds,
"Big" Bronson Reed!
[Cole] He is a gargantuan man.
"Big" Bronson Reed
and a true test tonight for "Main Event" Jey Uso.
An interesting Royal Rumble match this past Saturday for Jey Uso, Pat.
He started the Royal Rumble number one
and he went face to face with his brother, Jimmy Uso,
really for the first time since Jimmy cost him
the Undisputed Championship back at SummerSlam.
[Pat] Yeah, Jey and Jimmy, obviously
historic start to the Royal Rumble in there.
But Jey, "Main Event" Jey Uso,
has earned every step of the way.
-Has been at the highest of highs. -[bell rings]
[Cole] Jey would last over 50 minutes
in the Royal Rumble matchup with Bronson Reed.
He entered at 16.
-Was eventually eliminated by Omos. -[crowd chanting] Yeet! Yeet!
[Cole] Who also eliminated Pat.
[Pat] Well…
[Cole] Oh, and Bronson Reed,
just bulldozing through Jey Uso.
[Pat] They've termed this match "Yeet vs. Meat."
[Cole] I know you were first introduced to Bronson Reed back when
you were in your NXT days.
[Pat] Right, he was jumping off ladders.
And he was still just as powerful as he is now. Even more so now.
[Cole] Playing professional football, Pat, you've been around
some freak athletes in your day,
but it is amazing to see a man like Bronson Reed,
the size that he is to be able to move around like he does.
[Pat] Yeah, reckless abandon as well.
He'll put his life on the line, flying from the highest of highs.
[Cole] So now you're Jey Uso
and you're giving away so much size, so much power to Bronson Reed,
what do you need to do to try to somehow pick up a win tonight?
[Pat] Jey Uso is the consummate professional in there, veteran.
Been there, done that with every trick and tactic.
He knows he has to withstand the storm. The big meat storm from Bronson Reed.
[Cole] The thing about Jey Uso,
for much of his career, most of his career,
he was part of one of the greatest tag teams ever in The Usos.
He's really branching out as a singles competitor
for the first time in his career and still learning the ropes!
But taking out the big man, driving Reed into the barricade.
[grunts]
[Cole] And Reed just like that sends Uso into the ring post.
And now Uso steps out of harm's way.
Reed collides with the ring post.
"Main Event" Jey Uso, taking over this match.
We are back live on Monday Night Raw
"Main Event" Jey Uso against "Big" Bronson Reed
and Jey's hanging in this thing.
[crowd chanting] Yeet! Yeet!
[Cole] Michael Cole, Pat McAfee at ringside.
Pat rejoining the Monday Night Raw booth here tonight.
-It's been a fun show so far, Pat. -[crowd cheering]
-Yeet! -[Pat] It certainly has.
And this place has been backing the "Yeet" express
throughout the entire break.
[Cole] Sold out tonight at Tampa.
Fourteen thousand four hundred eighty-two WWE fans
as we're on the Road to WrestleMania.
Jey Uso, top rope, crossbody.
Reed down, cover on the lateral press,
hooks the leg and Bronson Reed kicks out.
Yeah, and look at the height of Uso here, Pat.
[Pat] Full commitment from Jey Uso.
No stranger to the sky.
Bronson seems dazed and confused.
[Cole] Yeah, a bit startled as Jey Uso now starts to pick up the pace.
[Jey] Yeet!
[Pat] It can turn though.
[Cole] Oh, and Bronson just swatting Jey out of the air
in a standing senton. Cover.
Is it enough?
Jey kicks at two.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
[Pat] Just one bat away of a kick and Bronson Reed almost ended this thing
-with a full body drop. -[crowd groaning]
[Cole] 330 pounds, Pat.
-Geez. -[Pat] It's dense too, you know?
Packs a punch.
[Cole] Jey with a kick, just seemed to anger Reed
and Reed still on his feet off another kick by Jey Uso.
-[yelling] -[crowd] Yeet!
[Cole] That one will take the big man down.
Cover now. Hook on the leg again by Jey.
[crowd] One, two…
[Cole] Bronson Reed at two.
Jey Uso trying to figure out what he needs to do
to put Bronson Reed away.
[Pat] Three perfectly placed Superkicks wasn't enough.
[Cole] And again, still to come tonight.
Had this match up earlier on.
Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn.
McIntyre cost Sami Zayn a good month of his career due to injury.
Sami coming back for revenge here tonight.
It was McIntyre who kicked off the show taking out CM Punk,
who was defenseless.
Telling the world about his torn right triceps.
[crowd chanting] Yeet! Yeet! Yeet!
[Pat] But right now--
[Cole] Oh! Bronson Reed collapsing off the ropes
to the ring.
And now, Jey Uso's has got him where he wants him.
He's gonna roll through.
-[both grunting] -And Reed…
Down goes Uso!
-Cover for the win for Reed… -[referee] One, two…
And a kick-out.
That driver by Bronson Reed
almost put Uso through the middle of the ring.
[Pat] Everything Bronson Reed does is devastating.
Three hundred and thirty pounds of power.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
[Cole] And Bronson Reed said this one is over.
Just dragging the carcass of Jey Uso back to his feet.
-[Pat] Jey Uso… -[grunts]
…willing to fight.
[Cole] Bronson in the corner, big splash, down goes Jey.
-[Pat] This is what I was talking about. -Oh, no. No, no, no!
Oh, no!
If Wade Barrett were here, he'd say "Tsunami," but nobody home.
Jey Uso moves out of harm's way and now he's got a chance.
[Pat] The Tampa Richter scale is going bananas.
[Cole] He's got to capitalize here, Pat.
Jey has to capitalize. Spear!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Quickly up top.
Uso Splash!
[crowd] One, two, three!
-[Cole] Massive win for Jey. -[bell rings]
["Main Event Ish" playing]
[announcer] Here is your winner,
"Main Event" Jey Uso!
[Cole] What a win by Jey Uso here tonight
on Monday Night Raw.
Taking out the 330-pound Bronson Reed.
[Pat] There was a couple of times we thought Bronson was gonna win this.
When the Tsunami came down and no one was home,
Jey Uso took advantage.
-[Cole] The Uso Splash and Jey Uso… -[crowd] One, two, three!
-…with an impressive victory here tonight. -[bell rings]
on Monday Night Raw.
And now he gets to celebrate.
[crowd cheering]
[Pat] With Tampa.
[Cole] Well… [laughs]
How could you not, Cole? The whole place is doing it.
Enjoying, uh, Jey Uso and the WWE fans here tonight.
Many people think Jey Uso, this will be his year
-to win his first singles title in WWE. -[crowd cheering]
You got to get back in shape for this show.
I'm a bit winded.
Normally I just stand, not move,
but how could you not when the WWE Universe
is entirely behind the guy?
"Main Event" Jey Uso is the best he's ever been,
he's ready for the moment.
A lot of surprises at the Royal Rumble this past weekend.
Pat McAfee showed up, as did this man.
Returning to WWE, 5' 9", 210, Andrade.
The third generation Lucha Libre superstar.
NXT Champion.
A United States Champion.
And not only a high flier, Pat,
but he can play the power game as well.
[Pat] He's the full weapon and he's in a phenomenal shape.
[Cole] And Andrade is back.
…on that dotted line, everything will become official.
-Perfect. I appreciate it very much. -As always.
-Thank you. Come in. -[knocking at door]
-[chuckles] Just the man I wanted to see. -Adam.
-Hi. How are you, Nick? -Very well.
I wanted to introduce you to one of the biggest free agents in recent memory.
You might recognize him as a former NXT and United States Champion.
I'm talking about the man that, as of a few seconds ago,
was the newest member of the Raw roster.
-Okay. -Andrade.
[crowd cheering]
-Congratulations. -Thank you.
Well, that's a shame.
SmackDown had a very handsome contract offer for you also.
SmackDown should've been quicker on the trigger.
Yes, evidently.
-Okay, Adam, thank you. -Thank you, again.
Nick, nice to meet you.
Uh, oh, Nick, say hello, or "Hola" to Zelina Vega for me, please?
[Pearce laughs]
-Okay. -I'll do that.
-He's great. Yeah. -Yes.
-I lend you Bayley for the night… -Thank you.
…so you have both winners of the Royal Rumble for a special Raw.
And… [inhales sharply] It's like that, is it?
Just business, right?
-Yeah. Just business. -Mmm-hmm.
Speaking of business,
we do have to discuss the Elimination Chamber.
-[cell phone ringing] -Oh.
Got to take this. Bron Breakker.
-You know how it is. -Yeah, I would take that call.
-[Nick] Bron. Thanks for calling back. -Hmm.
[chuckles]
Kofi, I want to speak firm to you.
Good on you for challenging me.
Because tonight you're about to have the biggest fight of your career.
You're fighting for your name. You're fighting for your legacy.
You're fighting for every accomplishment you've ever made.
You will remember this night for the rest of your life.
But I… [chuckles]
After tonight, I will forget about you.
So here's one advice.
Leave it all out there in the ring tonight.
Because when I'm done with you,
nobody will be speaking about you anymore.
And I'll carry on being the longest reigning and greatest
Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion of all time.
[crowd cheering]
Good luck, Kofi.
[Cole] Well, if I'm Gunther,
I don't think I would take Kofi Kingston lightly.
Coming up next,
the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion
of all time, Gunther,
puts his title on the line against Kofi Kingston.
Live on Monday Night Raw.
[upbeat music playing]
[Cole] Our first surprise of the night. She's back!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Liv Morgan. Let's go!
How did Kairi not touch the floor?
TNA Knockouts Champion, Jordynne Grace.
[Pat] It's Tiffy time!
[woman yelling]
[Cole] The storm has arrived.
[upbeat music continues]
When you're talking Jade Cargill,
I don't know if anything is impossible.
I'm here with "The Man" Becky Lynch
and Becky, obviously plan A was to win the Royal Rumble
but that's not how things panned out for you over the weekend.
So the question is what's plan B?
Um, well…
I let a lot of people down on Saturday and I let myself down.
But I suppose the only way I stay down is if I give up
and well, that just ain't in my nature.
So I guess plan B is I train a little harder
I think a little smarter.
I fight a little dirtier.
But above all, I do not stop until I am back at the top
and until I take that title back into the main event
like it deserves.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
Well, listen, if there is one thing we know about Becky Lynch,
it is that she is a fighter.
Back to you, Cole.
[Cole] Thanks, Jackie. Uh…
Becky Lynch disappointed,
but she will not allow that to get her down.
Meanwhile, it is time for the Intercontinental Championship.
And Pat, here is a man who's been a fighter his entire career.
[Pat] A champion his entire career as well.
Getting an opportunity to get the Intercontinental title yet again.
[Cole] Yeah. Kofi Kingston,
a former four-time Intercontinental Champion.
Kofi with so many accolades in his career.
Three-time US Champ.
Fourteen-time Tag Team Champion.
And of course, a WWE Champion
when it was Kofi mania a few years ago at WrestleMania.
[Pat] One of the most historic things of all time in this business,
but, so is this man.
["Symphony No. 9 In E Minor" playing]
[Cole] You know, dozens of WWE Hall of Famers
have held the Intercontinental Championship.
Some of the all-time greats, when you talk about Triple H
-and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. -[Pat] Right.
[Cole] The Rock, The Ultimate Warrior.
Of course, the first ever Intercontinental Champion, Pat Patterson.
Out of all the illustrious names over the years,
no one has held the title longer than this man.
Gunther has been Intercontinental Champion for a record 598 days.
[Pat] Consistency is the word
whenever you think of Gunther.
Dominant.
[bell rings]
The following contest is scheduled for one fall and it is for
the Intercontinental Championship!
[crowd cheering]
Introducing the challenger,
representing The New Day,
from Ghana, West Africa, weighing in at 212 pounds,
Kofi Kingston!
[crowd cheering]
And his opponent,
representing Imperium,
from Vienna, Austria,
weighing in at 250 pounds,
he is the Intercontinental Champion,
"The Ring General"
Gunther!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] That man is a machine.
If you're Kofi Kingston, Pat,
what on Earth can you do to stop this machine tonight?
[Pat] You gotta survive. That's the big thing.
Five hundred-plus days as a Champ for a reason.
-He beats people down. -Ring the bell.
[bell rings]
[Cole] And Kofi Kingston comes out of the blocks quickly,
going in hot right after the Intercontinental Champion, Gunther,
trying to turn the tide early on in this matchup
and maybe strike quickly.
[Pat] That's smart. Maybe the Champ will be on his heels early.
Kofi's been doing this a long time.
[Cole] And Gunther powering out of the corner.
Went for the big chop.
And Kofi needs to avoid those.
Oh! And a backbreaker, knee to the spine.
[Pat] Should avoid those as well, Cole.
[Cole] Gunther, the Intercontinental Champion
trying to turn into a Boston Crab with Kofi and he does.
-[Kofi groans] -And he's got Kofi now
-in trouble. -[Kofi grunting]
-Can Kofi hang on? -[Kofi groaning]
Ask him.
[Kofi groaning]
[Cole] Yup, we are back live on Monday Night Raw.
-Gunther, the Intercontinental Champion… -[grunting]
…pointed the elbow to the nose of Kofi Kingston
and this has been complete dominance.
[Pat] This is exactly what Gunther wanted.
[indistinct arguing]
-[Pat] Just beat down Kofi Kingston. -[grunting]
[Cole] Kofi fights back, the veteran,
a former four-time Intercontinental Champion.
Kofi with a headbutt trying to fight out of the corner.
-[Kofi groans] -Oh, my goodness.
[Pat] Yeah, getting into a street fight with Gunther is not necessarily
my idea of a good idea.
[Cole] No, not at all. Bang!
[Pat] Are there are any good ideas against Gunther?
[Cole] And Gunther with a big smile crossing his face.
[imperceptible]
[Pat] He controls the entire thing.
[Cole] Gunther, who set a record in last year's Royal Rumble
-for longest time in the event. -Out of there. Come on.
[Cole] This year, he lasted over 30 minutes.
[Gunther grunting]
[Cole] He eliminated three people, including the man in the ring tonight,
Kofi Kingston.
[Kofi gasping]
[Pat] His conditioning is flawless.
He calls himself The Ring General.
[Cole] And Kofi making sure that Gunther was not able
to apply the Boston Crab there.
And again fighting back and the veteran, Kofi Kingston trying to dig down deep.
[Pat] Everything Gunther does is trying to wear you out.
Make you want to quit.
-[grunting] -[Cole] Just like that, Pat.
[Pat] Whole body hurts after a match with Gunther.
Where to?
[Cole] Everything Gunther does is delivered with malice.
[speaking German] What haven't you achieved?
[Pat] And intention.
It's all planned.
Get him out of that corner. Come on.
[Pat] A genius in between the ring.
[Cole] He is a terminator, to say the least.
Enough. Cut it out. Come on.
[Cole] Every rally that Kofi has tried to generate
has been snuffed out by The Ring General.
[Pat] Chops and kicks.
Uppercuts.
[Cole] He never allows you to catch your breath. I mean…
And again, Kofi trying to fight back into this.
-A chop of his own. -Oh!
And Gunther chopping him back into the corner.
-[Pat] Oof! -And again.
[Kofi yelling]
[Cole] Oh, and Kofi fighting back.
Kofi just trying to survive now.
[Pat] Kofi's been in this situation before.
[Cole] Kofi on instincts driving him.
[crowd chanting] Kofi! Kofi! Kofi!
[Cole] "Kofi" chants here in Tampa.
Kingston, boot to the face of Gunther.
Kofi caught him on the other side.
[Pat] Quickness is his edge.
[Cole] Kofi looking to strike.
Top rope.
-Gunther caught him. -[Gunther grunting]
[Cole] Oh, and again.
-A backbreaker to Kingston. -[groaning]
[Cole] Gunther dominating.
-[man] Get up, Kofi! -[Kofi groaning]
[Kofi screaming]
[Cole] This has been dominance by Gunther.
Kofi Kingston has shown some, uh, flashes of getting back into this matchup,
but that may be his turning point.
Knee to the face has stunned the champion.
Kofi Kingston trying to fight back in it
with the Intercontinental title on the line.
[both grunting]
[Cole] It has been quite the dominance so far for Gunther.
But here comes Kofi, Pat.
[Pat] Gunther's chest is bleeding from a Kofi slap.
-[grunts] -[Cole] Uh-oh!
Kingston picked out of the air into a sleeper hold now by the champion.
[Pat] Which is where Gunther wants it to be.
[Cole] Yeah, center of the ring. Kofi Kingston turned around by Gunther.
Kofi is up, still trying to fight out of it,
trying to prevent the powerbomb
and he's able to dump Gunther over the top rope.
[crowd cheering, clapping]
Again, Champion's advantage.
Kingston must pin or submit the Champion to win the title.
Kofi now gonna send himself through the second rope.
Gunther caught him.
Oh, and driven him back of his neck into the apron.
Kingston may be out.
Gunther just drove the back of Kingston's neck into the apron.
[Pat] After catching him at full speed.
This Gunther show is…
[Cole] And Kingston, though, able to turn things around
sending Gunther into the post.
And now Kofi with an opportunity
and the never say die attitude of the challenger of the championship.
[Pat] Things are getting out of Gunther's control,
a little bit more chaotic.
The speed's picked up. This is where Kofi wants to live.
[Cole] Exactly.
Gunther now driven into the announce table.
Pat, you touched on that earlier.
Kofi Kingston's got to pick up the pace
in order to take the champ and that's what he's doing now.
And Kofi Kingston has Gunther reeling.
[Pat] Oh, no.
[Cole] Missed with a chop.
Kingston now. Caught him! Caught him!
[crowd cheering]
From out of nowhere.
-Kofi Kingston dragging himself. -[crowd cheering]
-And Gunther wisely… -[Pat groans]
The Ring General.
[Cole] The wherewithal to roll out of harm's way,
so Kofi couldn't get the cover.
[Pat] That's the intelligence of our Intercontinental Champion.
Two!
-That was Kofi's moment right there. -Three!
Kofi, hey!
[Cole] So close for Kingston.
But still back on the fight. Bouncing Gunther off the steel steps.
[grunting]
[Cole] The official had a count of…
-Count of four now. -Ahhh!
Kingston's got to get the champ back in the ring.
[Pat] He's matching Gunther's physicality right now, though.
[Cole] Gunther trying to--
Oh, my God. Gunther is…
Kofi Kingston's going up to the barricade now.
Gunther prone across the steps.
Kingston to the back of the neck of the champion.
[referee] Get in here.
[Cole] Kofi's got to get the champ back in the ring.
-[Kofi grunting] -He does.
Beats the count.
[Pat] That's like a ten-foot jump from Kofi Kingston, who can taste it.
[Cole] Kofi looking to head up to the top rope.
Can Kofi Kingston put the champion away?
[Pat] In the Travis Scott's--
-[Cole] Oh, my Goodness! -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] For the title
-and a massive upset here tonight. -[crowd] One, two…
-And Gunther kicks at two. -[crowd groaning]
[Pat] From here to Vienna, Austria,
we all thought the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion was done.
[crowd groaning]
Because of that and this from Kofi Kingston.
[Cole] You normally wouldn't think Kofi Kingston picking up a victory
would be an upset.
But when you're in the ring with a man
that's held the championship for almost 600 days,
it sure as hell would be.
Kofi, Trouble in Paradise. Caught.
[Kofi grunting]
And Gunther trying to spin Kofi into a Boston Crab.
-Cover now by Kingston. Kick. -One, two…
Gunther with a clothesline that echoed through this arena.
[crowd cheering]
[Pat] Gunther knows he just withstood Kofi's best.
[Cole] And Kofi Kingston, though!
Hooks him up with the SOS.
-Cover now for the win and the title! -[crowd] One, two…
And a kick-out by Gunther.
What a match for the Intercontinental Championship.
[man] Come on, Kofi!
[crowd chanting] This is awesome!
This is awesome! This is awesome!
[Cole] Indeed it is! And another vicious clothesline.
Oh, and there is that dropkick by Gunther.
-[Gunther grunts] -And now, Gunther,
with a powerbomb,
-stacking up Kofi. -One, two, three!
-Gunther retains. -[bell rings]
[Cole] And the history-making reign continues.
[announcer] Here is your winner,
-["Symphony No. 9 In E Minor" playing] -and still
the Intercontinental Champion,
"The Ring General"
Gunther!
[Cole] Pat, first time really up close and personal with Gunther.
How impressed were you?
[Pat] You can feel the shots that he delivers.
-And this powerbomb into the stack… -[crowd] One, two, three!
-…was all he needed to end this. -[bell rings]
[Cole] And now Xavier Woods coming out
to check on his tag team partner, Kofi Kingston.
Remember, Kofi had missed a couple of weeks of action
because of injury due to Gunther's Imperium mates.
And now Woods out here…
-[Pat] Oh! -Wait a minute.
Vinci and Kaiser.
[crowd booing]
And Gunther with a smile on his face.
And Imperium now, mauling an injured Kingston
and also Xavier Woods.
[Pat] You already got the win. Is that not enough, boys?
Imperium and The New Day for weeks
have been at each other.
And Xavier Woods now trying to fight back.
[grunting]
But Kaiser and Vinci…
[Pat] It was only a matter of time.
[Cole] Mauling Woods.
[grunting]
-[indistinct yelling] -[grunting]
[Cole] And Imperium once again with just a vicious and vile attack.
[crowd booing]
[Pat] The New Day left, side of the ring,
as Imperium walks out
with the Intercontinental Champion.
[Cole] Pat, the thing about Imperium is they've become so vicious as of late.
It's all business for Vinci, Kaiser,
and the Intercontinental Champion, Gunther, who's been unstoppable.
That's been his vision this entire time for Imperium and, obviously,
they're operating on all cylinders, and just beat the hell out of The New Day.
Well, speaking about beating the hell out of people,
our main event tonight is McIntyre and Zayn, and this is how it came about.
Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn last month.
Now, Sami Zayn would injure his leg when he came off the rope badly.
Now, there had been a lot of talk about McIntyre not having the killer instinct.
Well, he had the killer instinct on this night.
Drew McIntyre with a chop block to Sami Zayn, taking Sami Zayn out.
And, then, the vicious attack in the back.
-Sami Zayn, hell bent on revenge. -[officials shouting]
He's standing by with our own Jackie Redmond.
Thank you so much, Cole. I'm here with Sami Zayn,
who returned from injury over the weekend at the Royal Rumble.
And Sami, just 48 hours, you'll face the very man
who put you on the sidelines, in Drew McIntyre.
How do you manage your emotions going into tonight's main event?
That's actually a pretty good question because it has been emotional, actually.
It's very hard to sit on the sidelines,
especially when it's due to an injury from a man like Drew McIntyre,
who always has an excuse for why he does anything.
And, then, on top of that, to get the chance of a lifetime
to get the number 30 spot in the Royal Rumble and, again,
somehow have it taken away by Drew McIntyre.
And, look, if it was just me he was targeting, I can deal with it.
I really could. But the fact is, when it comes to Drew McIntyre,
it's not just about me. 'Cause, now, he's targeting CM Punk.
He's targeted Cody Rhodes in the past. Jey Uso. Seth Rollins.
He points the finger at everybody else
and what everybody else is doing wrong, except himself.
So, as far as I'm concerned,
Drew McIntyre needs a little reality check
and, tonight, I am going to be the one to give it to him.
Sami, thank you for the time.
Clearly, Cole, an impassioned Sami Zayn,
who happens to have his focus exactly where it needs to be.
-Back to you. -[Cole] Well, thanks, Jackie.
Sami Zayn better keep focus tonight, because he is going into the ring
against a very angry Scottish Warrior.
Sami Zayn versus Drew McIntyre, later on tonight,
here on Monday Night Raw.
["Reigning Warriors" playing]
[bell rings]
[announcer] The following is a tag team match
scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, representing Damage CTRL,
they are the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions,
Asuka and Kairi Sane,
The Kabuki Warriors!
[Cole] They were once the longest-reigning Women's Tag Team Champions of all time.
They've got the tag team gold back.
[Pat] Huge for Damage CTRL and for The Kabuki Warriors.
[Cole] Coming up next,
The Kabuki Warriors take on Tegan Nox and Natalya,
live on Raw.
[both laughing]
[crowd] Three, two, one!
[buzzer blares]
[Corey] The Storm has arrived!
She's here! Jade Cargill!
One of the most sought-after free agents in sports entertainment history!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Oh, and Becky eliminated!
And Naomi, as well!
[Corey] Nia Jax looks all too eager to put Jade to the test!
[Cole] Look at this!
Are you kidding me?
Cargill taking out Jax!
Jade Cargill with her WWE debut!
[Pat] Earth-shattering!
[Cole] Indeed, it was for Jade Cargill.
Meanwhile, Sami Zayn, moments ago,
said that Drew McIntyre is in for a reality check tonight.
Sami Zayn, ready to be part of our main event.
For Drew McIntyre,
he said he prayed for CM Punk
to suffer the injury he did in the Royal Rumble match.
Sami Zayn says he's gonna make McIntyre pay!
They're our main event, coming up tonight.
Meanwhile, set for tag team action.
The Champions, The Kabuki Warriors.
Again, there you see Asuka and Kairi Sane.
And they are taking on Natalya and Tegan Nox tonight.
A win for this team could put them in the Tag Team Title hunt.
[Pat] Yeah, it will.
Literally, the Champions
not scared to take on all comers.
[Cole] Well, it was an interesting Royal Rumble match
for both Natalya and Tegan Nox.
At one point, Natalya tried to eliminate her friend and partner, Nox.
Nox would end up eliminating Natalya.
And then, later on, Natalya said she was proud.
Here we go. Cover now by Tegan on Kairi Sane. And a kick-out.
Natalya would go on to say, hey, she was proud of Tegan Nox.
"Tegan's learning," were Natalya's words.
[Pat] Yeah, it was a sensei-type moment there.
Somebody's gonna try to get you at any given time,
and Natalya happened to be that person trying to get her partner.
[Cole] Great double team by Natalya and Tegan here.
Cover now on Sane.
And a kick-out at two.
Asuka, a former Royal Rumble match winner, looking on.
[Pat] Natalya's intentions have been questioned
for a very long time in this business,
but she is incredible in the ring.
So is this legend.
Feeding boots to Natalya's face.
[Cole] And Asuka, now, legal.
Comes in off the tag. The winner of the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble.
She was eliminated by two women this past Saturday night,
former Tag Team Champions Katana Chance and Kayden Carter.
As Tegan Nox comes in off the tag. And here Tegan goes.
And Tegan and Natalya understand how important this match is.
[Pat] Huge! Taking on the champs. Everybody's watching this.
[Cole] Tegan lands on her feet. Oh, and an uppercut!
The former Women's Champion. Money in the Bank contract winner as well.
"The Empress of Tomorrow" Asuka, knocked down by Nox.
[Pat] Tegan Nox doing fantastic
just two days removed from eliminating Natalya
at the Royal Rumble.
[Cole] Into the corner, trying to take out Asuka here.
[Pat] I thought maybe her waiting would,
you know, flip things around for Asuka. But she hit that right on the money.
[Cole] Kairi Sane misses wildly. Natalya with a Snapmare.
And, now, Natalya and Tegan…
trying to take out the Tag Team Champions!
[Pat] One band, one sound!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Hey, everybody, we're back live, here on Monday Night Raw.
Sold out tonight. 14,482 in Tampa, Florida.
Tag Champs, The Kabuki Warriors in action against Tegan Nox and Natalya.
And Asuka and Kairi Sane have been dominating during the break.
[Pat] On the same page,
just finishing each other's sentences and moves.
Just like this!
[Cole] Great double team.
[Pat] Phenomenal combos, one after another, The Kabuki Warriors.
[Cole] Damage CTRL sitting pretty.
You got the Tag Champs. IYO SKY.
Of course, the WWE Women's Champion, Bayley,
the winner of the Women's Royal Rumble match this past Saturday.
She'll be here in a little bit.
[Pat] Natalya trying to get the WWE Universe
to send some love and some motivation to Tegan Nox,
who has just been taking a beating!
[Cole] Yeah, Tegan in all kinds of trouble.
Natalya, trying to rally the troops.
Again, important match-up for Tegan and Natalya.
A win here could put them in position for a future Tag Team Title chance.
[Pat] Tegan from Wales.
-She has The Shiniest Wizard. -[Cole] Yup, indeed.
[Pat] Right now, shiners all over the place.
[Cole] Yeah, by The Empress of Tomorrow.
Tegan tried to fight back, but what a blow by Asuka.
[Pat] One-two there to the face of Tegan Nox.
[Cole] Into the corner.
Tegan over to Kairi Sane, and caught Kairi with the right hand.
Now, Tegan Nox trying to fight out!
[Pat] Tegan! Get a tag, Tegan!
Think she lost her way a little bit, got confused.
She found it, though, tossing Kairi Sane.
[Cole] And here comes Asuka. Missed wildly. Tegan caught her!
-Step-up enzuigiri-- -[Pat] No, she didn't!
[Cole] Oh, no! Asuka picked her out of the air!
Looking for the ankle lock. Trying to roll through, is Tegan.
Asuka still hanging on!
[Pat] Great defense by Tegan.
[Cole] Tegan trying to make it to the corner somehow, make a tag
to her partner, Natalya.
Fingertips away.
Kairi Sane, though,
dragging Natalya off the apron!
And, now, Asuka went for a German suplex. Roll-through by Tegan Nox
for the win, trying to steal one.
[Pat] Headbutt to the sternum from Tegan Nox.
[Cole] And a running uppercut.
Tegan trying to drag herself to the corner. Makes a tag.
-Here comes Natalya. -[Pat] Finally, some relief.
[Cole] And Natalya, now, unloading.
[Pat] Big rights from Natalya.
[Cole] Former Women's Champion with a snap suplex!
And another one by Natalya! Picture perfect, the technical wizard.
[Natalya grunting]
And look at Natalya, bringing the fight to Asuka.
[Pat] Natalya has been the champ before.
[Cole] Oh, nice release. German.
And a spinning discus clothesline!
And maybe looking for the Sharpshooter, Pat!
Center of the ring, trying to step through!
[Pat] Asuka fighting it.
Kairi!
-Kairi! -Natalya trying to hook it. Kairi Sane!
Trying to attack Natalya from behind, and got sent out of the ring.
Tegan, tag me.
Tegan!
[Cole] Well, Natalya was asking Tegan for a tag.
Meanwhile, Tegan went after Kairi Sane instead.
[Pat] And it backfired.
Baseball slide by Natalya.
[Cole] And, now, Asuka.
Nobody home!
Natalya rolls her up for the win. Kick-out!
-[Pat] Wait a second! -Again, looking for a Sharpshooter.
And a kick by Asuka.
Tag made. Kairi Sane's legal.
[Pat] Kairi Sane, up to the top rope.
[Cole] And Kairi…
with the Insane Elbow!
-Cover! -[crowd] One, two, three!
[Cole] Tag Champs with the win!
-[bell rings] -["Reigning Warriors" playing]
[announcer] Here are your winners,
the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions,
The Kabuki Warriors!
[Cole] Natalya was rolling. She went to make a tag,
and a bit of a miscommunication with Tegan Nox
may have cost them this match-up.
Tag Champs pick up the win.
Let's head back to Jackie Redmond.
Ladies, The Kabuki Warriors victorious tonight on Raw.
But just a few days ago, it was you two
holding those Women's Tag Team Championships.
How do you plan to get back into the title picture?
Well, The Kabuki Warriors may have won tonight,
but we talked to Adam Pearce,
and we're gonna get our rematch for those Women's Tag Team Titles.
Yeah, and Asuka and Kairi have one week to enjoy those titles,
because after that, they're coming home with us.
Yeah, and that's gonna be next week on Raw.
-Damn right. -Okay! Well, if that's not a scoop,
I don't know what is, Cole.
Kayden and Katana gonna get their rematch next week
on Monday Night Raw.
-Let's take you back to ringside. -[Pat] All right.
[Cole] Yeah, tag team title match next week.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the winner
of the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble Match,
Bayley!
["Role Model" playing]
[Cole] When you look at the resume,
it has been an almost Hall of Fame career thus far for Bayley.
She added the Royal Rumble,
to her list of accolades this past Saturday night.
Pat, Bayley set a record
when she lasted one hour, three minutes, and one second.
She eliminated seven women, after entering at number three,
to go on and win the Women's Royal Rumble.
[Pat] A true Iron Woman performance in the Tropicana.
Bayley, Royal Rumble winner! Sounds right, doesn't it?
It just sounds good!
[Cole] Bayley's here. We'll hear from her live, next.
["Role Model" continues playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Monday Night Raw is in beautiful Tampa tonight
as we look forward to this coming Sunday on Peacock,
NXT Vengeance Day!
We've, of course, got the two big Championship matches.
It all takes place this coming Sunday at Vengeance Day!
♪ Wild child ♪
♪ You got me Running through the turnstile ♪
[Cole] Logan Paul has brass knuckles.
Kevin Owens trying to rip the knuckles off the hand, and he does!
[announcer] As a result of a disqualification…
[Cole] After three and a half years,
Andrade's back!
[Wade] Bron Breakker unleashing the fury on the Royal Rumble match!
["Wild Child" continues playing]
-[Cole] And Bayley eliminates Morgan! -[bell ringing]
-Bayley's going to WrestleMania! -[fireworks exploding]
♪ Wild child ♪
["Role Model" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Bayley! Bayley! Bayley!
All right, now, before I get into the nitty gritty, I'm gonna give you all
a rare opportunity to take a picture of us.
I mean, come on, let's ask yourselves,
when's the last time that you saw the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions,
the WWE Champion,
and your Women's Royal Rumble standing in the same ring together, huh?
[crowd cheering]
Uh, the answer is never, because it's never been done.
This, right here, is history. And it's all thanks to me!
-[Pat laughing] -I've been telling you idiots
for a year and a half that Damage CTRL was going to take over,
and nobody believed me.
Everybody thought my idea was gonna be a flop.
Everyone was saying, "Oh, Bayley's not as good as she used to be
since coming back from injury."
"Bayley's been losing all of her matches."
But, luckily, I don't listen to your opinion
because I see the bigger picture.
I may not have been in the poster for the Royal Rumble,
but I stand here tall and I stand here proud
as your 2024 Women's Royal Rumble winner!
[crowd cheering]
In a time when we have the most stacked and talented women's roster,
I came out on top. [laughs]
I beat 29 other women on Saturday!
And not only that, but I beat Rhea Ripley's precious little record
as I was, in that match, for a total of,
Michael, listen real close,
63 minutes and three seconds!
Ding-dong! Hello!
-[Pat] Remember that, Cole! -[Cole] I said it.
[Pat] Yeah, but remember it, too. Don't just be the puppet--
So, at Wrestlemania--
-["Demon In Your Dreams" playing] -[crowd cheering]
Aw!
Bayley, do you think that you've accomplished something?
That's very cute.
You might have beaten my time in the Rumble,
but that's only 'cause I wasn't in it.
And I see that the rest of Damage CTRL has gold.
And if you decide to challenge me at WrestleMania,
then it's going to stay that way.
You wanna know why?
-Because Mami-- -[Cole] Oh!
Nia Jax just plowed through the Champion!
[Pat] Nia Jax had a dominant performance in the Royal Rumble.
[Cole] And, now, the fight between "The Eradicator" Rhea Ripley
and "The Irresistible Force" Nia Jax…
as Damage CTRL looks on.
[Pat] Jeez!
[Cole] Nia Jax eliminated eight women in the Rumble match.
A leg drop to Rhea!
-[Pat] And… -[Cole] And another one
And a third!
Nia Jax…
with the Annihilator, crushing the Champion!
[Pat] Her sternum had to touch her spine there.
[crowd cheering]
[imperceptible]
Bayley,
you can pick IYO…
you can pick anybody else…
but Rhea isn't making it to WrestleMania.
Yeah. I mean, if you let me finish, I was gonna say,
I'm gonna make my announcement on Friday on SmackDown. Yup.
[Pat] Good idea, Bayley.
[Cole] A very smart idea by Bayley.
Nia Jax is focused on the Champion, Rhea Ripley.
Look at the state that Rhea Ripley was left in
by Nia Jax.
[Pat] Blindside! Three leg drops!
And then, the…
-[Cole] Annihilator. -Cool.
[Cole] Well, ladies and gentlemen, coming up next…
it is Sami Zayn versus Drew McIntyre…
…in our main event on Monday Night Raw.
Sami Zayn has made this extremely personal.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we have one match to go,
presented by Credit One Bank!
And it's our main event!
["World's Apart" playing]
[Pat] Here we go!
[crowd] ♪ Let's go! ♪
[bell rings]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall!
Introducing first from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, weighing in at 212 pounds,
Sami Zayn!
[Cole] Sami Zayn set for action here tonight on Monday Night Raw!
And, Pat, he is focused on the man that tried to take him out,
tried to end his career. That would be Drew McIntyre.
[Pat] The Master Strategist has thought about this evening
throughout an entire rehabilitation process.
And, then, back from Royal Rumble, he gets eliminated by Drew McIntyre!
[Cole] Sami Zayn versus Drew McIntyre,
it's our main event, and it is next,
live on Monday Night Raw!
-["World's Apart" continues playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Can't wait to watch this. It's our main event.
Sami Zayn set for action.
Jackie Redmond standing by with Sami Zayn's opponent tonight.
Thanks, Cole. Drew, earlier tonight, Sami Zayn said you needed a reality check.
What's your response to that?
All I've ever done is tell the truth,
and every action that I've committed was justified.
Sami wants a reality check?
Sami and I have had countless matches. Countless.
And I'm not great with math, but let me quickly do this.
And add one, carry the one. He's beaten me exactly…
zero times!
And that's not gonna change tonight.
Hit my music!
["Gallantry" playing]
[Cole] Well, that is true. A true statement by Drew McIntyre.
Sammi Zain yet to beat Drew in a one-on-one match in his career.
[Pat] Look at this.
[fireworks exploding]
-Not a lot of people-- -[announcer] And his opponent,
from Ayr, Scotland, weighing in at 275 pounds,
Drew McIntyre!
[Pat] First night back. I apologize, Samantha.
[Cole] But we're glad you're back full-time on Monday Night Raw.
So excited to have Pat McAfee back in the saddle. And next week,
quick trip for you, from Indianapolis over to St. Louis, Missouri,
for Monday Night Raw.
[Pat] Cannot wait to get to the Lou, of course.
And to be back is an honor.
But this man…
[Cole] You had to go to the loo during the break earlier on.
[Pat] I did. It was a long run in this Bolts Arena.
I appreciate the security for working at that particular bathroom.
Three-hour show here.
Pumped about it. But, also, it is great to see
that Drew McIntyre is somehow bigger and stronger than he was before.
[Cole] McIntyre, Zain, one-on-one here tonight.
Sami Zayn looking to go right after Drew McIntyre
after all the damage Drew has caused Sami.
Sami's gonna have to try to outquick the powerful McIntyre tonight.
[Pat] Sami said this isn't just about him.
It's about all the people that Drew McIntyre has attacked viciously.
[Cole] Well, Drew McIntyre interrupted CM Punk
as we started Raw tonight.
Punk came out to tell us he had suffered a torn right triceps
in the Royal Rumble match.
-McIntyre had no sympathy for Punk. -[Pat] Whoa!
[Cole] And he has no sympathy for Sami Zayn right now,
just heaving him over the table!
[Pat] Tossed him like a Frisbee, Cole! This Scottish thing is absurd!
-Three! -[Pat] You're all right, Sami.
[Cole] I don't think he's all right actually, Pat.
-Um… -[Pat] You're gonna be all right, Sami.
[Cole] Sami Zayn…
-Six! -[Pat] This ref's on a quick count!
It's already at six, Sami.
Oh, he's coming! He's coming! He's coming!
[Cole] Trying to drag himself. This is not good.
[Pat] He's coming!
I heard you talking trash, Pat.
[Pat] No, no. I was telling him you were coming.
[Cole] Oh, and Sami Zayn, taking advantage of the distraction!
Now, see what you did!
Not everybody's glad you're back!
[Cole] You know, Drew McIntyre has been mad at the world,
and he's taking it out on Sami Zayn tonight,
much like he did on CM Punk when the show started.
McIntyre promised to win the Royal Rumble match,
didn't get the job done.
[Pat] Drew McIntyre has all the tools,
everything you could possibly want in a top guy, anyone…
Continue, continue.
[Pat] …now, with this mindset that he has.
[Cole] Even the official, Rod Zapata…
[Pat] Oh, you know his name.
[Cole] …asking Sami if he's okay to continue the match-up.
Sami is trying to fight out of the corner.
And, now, muscled back in by McIntyre!
Out of the corner, McIntyre!
[Pat] Sami knows he's gonna take a beating from Drew McIntyre.
[Cole] What about the chop fest that he and Gunther were involved in
with Punk and Rhodes at the Rumble on Saturday night?
[Pat] A lot of meat slapping.
[Cole] McIntyre just looks disgusted at everything.
[Pat] Yeah, maybe this is the mindset he needs to have.
I don't like it. Certainly a bit scumbag-y, but…
[Cole] He didn't take too kindly to what you said about him earlier tonight.
[Pat] He did have ears, I found out.
[Cole] Now, McIntyre trying to drag Sami up.
Sami, though, he's showing the fight. Fighting back now.
Elbows to the back of the neck!
[Pat] For everybody, Sami!
He can feel the WWE Universe!
[Cole] Sami. Sunset flip powerbomb! Cover for the win!
Kick-out!
Sami Zayn said that Drew is in for a reality check tonight,
that Drew points his finger at everybody else but himself.
[crowd cheering]
[Pat] Sami Zayn knows tonight could change a lot for himself.
[Cole] 14,482 tonight in Tampa, sold out,
trying to rally Sami Zayn against McIntyre.
And McIntyre, though, went for the Future Shock.
Sami able to duck underneath.
And, now, Sami gonna walk the ropes.
Tornado DDT!
Zayn! Cover! For the win on Drew!
Kick-out by McIntyre!
[Pat] The use of momentum by Sami Zayn was flawless!
Spiking Drew McIntyre on that massive head of his.
Sami's gotta understand that he has to keep going now.
[Cole] It is our main event tonight on Monday Night Raw,
Zayn, McIntyre, live in Tampa.
Sami Zayn looking to put McIntyre away.
McIntyre, so distraught and disappointed
that he didn't win the Royal Rumble match Saturday!
Jackknife cover on Zayn!
Kick-out at two.
And, now, McIntyre's taking it out on anyone who will listen!
Sit-out powerbomb!
Cover again on Zayn.
And the heart of Zayn allows him to kick out at two.
[Pat] Just the strength of Drew McIntyre
and the explosion on display in a matter of moments there,
picking Sami's dead body weight up into a powerbomb.
Ragdolling Sami!
[crowd chanting] Sami! Sami! Sami!
[Pat] I don't know how he kicked out, but the people love that he did.
[Cole] Yeah, the heart of Sami Zayn has the WWE fans behind him tonight.
And, now, the slow, methodical punishment
-being delivered by McIntyre. -[McIntyre] Come on, Sami.
[Pat] He's like a sculpture come to life.
[Cole] Oh! Drew got a bit overzealous,
and he went shoulder first into the post.
And, now, Sami…
trying to power Drew up, maybe for a Blue Thunderbomb.
Couldn't quite do it.
Can't quite get him up.
Glasgow Kiss!
-[Pat] Two hundred and seventy… -…five pounds.
[Pat exclaims] …of brute strength.
Sami tried his best.
There's not a lot of humans on Earth that would've been able to do that.
Look at the agility from that thing!
[Cole] Yeah, but he's still hurting after a shoulder to the post.
Now, McIntyre's gonna try to climb up to the top rope
Sami Zayn trying to make it back to his feet.
And he takes an opportunity to cause McIntyre to lose his balance.
[Pat] And some other things.
No way!
[Cole] And Sami, now, to the top rope!
Sami with a superplex!
-[Pat] Cover him, Sami. -Can Zayn capitalize?
Both men are down!
[Pat] Sami Zayn just superplexed Drew McIntyre!
[Cole] And here's another look, Pat. Look at the impact!
[crowd chanting] Sami! Sami! Sami!
[Pat] It's like when you see Bigfoot walking in the woods.
You thought something you'd never be able to see possible.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] McIntyre back…
Oh, and it looked like Sami was setting Drew up for a Helluva Kick,
and McIntyre exploded out of the corner!
[Pat] He just turned Sami Zayn inside out.
I feel like the shot clock's on.
[crowd] Three! Two! One!
[Cole] Went for the Claymore kick.
Sami Zayn delivered a modified Blue Thunderbomb!
For the cover! And a kick-out.
[Pat] Sami Zayn!
[Cole] Wasn't able to get McIntyre up quite high enough.
Watch this, the impact not quite like it normally would be.
And it allowed McIntyre to kick-out.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome! This is awesome!
[Cole] And WWE fans loving our main event tonight.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome!
[Cole] Can Sami Zayn do it? Can he knock off Drew McIntyre?
Everybody trying to build momentum on the Road to Wrestlemania.
What a belly-to-belly throw by Drew,
into a kip-up.
[crowd booing]
And McIntyre, with Sami on his shoulders, climbing the ropes.
Delivering White Noise!
And a cover now!
[crowd] One, two…
[Cole] And Zayn able to kick out!
[Pat] Sami with a little extra sauce after the kick-out.
[Cole] Yeah, McIntyre cannot believe Sami is still in this fight.
[Pat] This is classic Sami Zayn here, a menace, a pest.
-Incredibly tough, resilient. -I admire your toughness.
You've got some balls, Sami.
But just some people are out of your league!
Some people, you just can't touch!
Some people like Drew McIn--
[Cole] And Sami Zayn, is he gonna listen to him?
Sami Zayn fighting back!
The grit and determination of Sami Zayn!
And a Glasgow Kiss again by McIntyre.
[Pat] Drew McIntyre telling Sami he doesn't deserve to be in the room--
[Cole] Sami went for the Helluva Kick, and McIntyre covering up!
And I believe he went low on Zayn!
McIntyre was covering up!
It delivered a low blow, I guess, inadvertently, to Sami Zayn!
And a Claymore by McIntyre, showing no remorse!
[crowd] One, two, three!
-[Cole] And McIntyre with the win! -[bell rings]
["Gallantry" playing]
[announcer] Here is your winner,
Drew McIntyre!
[Cole] Again, McIntyre showing no remorse.
Sami went for a Helluva Kick out of nowhere,
and McIntyre delivered a low blow. It looked inadvertent.
The official obviously felt the same thing,
and it allowed McIntyre to deliver a Claymore.
But, first, a White Noise.
[Pat] He said "This is how you do it."
Drew thought it was over.
-Sami said… -[crowd] One, two…
[Pat] "Uh-uh."
[Cole] And, now, Sami going for a Helluva Kick here, Pat.
Now, watch McIntyre.
McIntyre covering up, and was…
Did he try to do that or not? We may never know.
But it didn't matter,
because McIntyre would deliver a Claymore
-and pick up the win on Sami Zayn. -[bell rings]
[Pat] Certainly gotta wonder if it was on purpose
from the incredibly clever Drew McIntyre.
[Cole] And, partner, it was nice to have you back this week.
[Pat] An honor to be here.
[Cole] See you in St. Louis next week, live on Monday Night Raw!
["Gallantry" continues playing] week, live on Monday Night Raw!