WWE Raw on January 13 brought high-energy action, dramatic twists, and intense rivalries. CM Punk kicked things off with a fiery promo, announcing his entry into the Royal Rumble, which sparked tensions with Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre. The night was filled with electrifying matches like Chad Gable vs. Penta el Zero M, Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser, and the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Final. From fiery confrontations to jaw-dropping in-ring action, the WWE Raw January 13 results proved that the road to the Royal Rumble is heating up.
CM Punk Opened WWE Raw
The show opens with a commentary welcoming viewers to WWE Raw. A recap of last week’s show airs before the action picks up. An SUV rolls into the parking lot, and CM Punk steps out, energized and ready for the night ahead. The camera follows him all the way through his entrance, and he soaks in the crowd’s reaction as he gets into the ring.
Punk takes a moment to thank the firefighters in California who are fighting the ongoing wildfires in the state. He then moves on to the entertainment portion of his promo, recalling the injury he suffered last year at the Royal Rumble when he tore his tricep. Punk reflects on how that moment led him to stay in the background and plot his return.
Punk does a playful “you can’t see me” wave and segues into talking about John Cena. He declares that Cena might have declared for the Royal Rumble, but he’s here to announce that he’s also officially in the match.
This announcement brings Seth Rollins to the ring, much to Punk’s frustration. Rollins, with a black eye, tells Punk that while he might not be happy to see him, he’s a man of his word. Seth reminds Punk that last week, he said he’d be here no matter what, and now he’s standing in the ring. He goes on to say that, despite his many career losses—including at WrestleMania—last week’s loss was the worst of his career. Seth vows to stop Punk’s WrestleMania dreams by defeating him in the Royal Rumble.
Punk counters by throwing a few verbal jabs, but before the situation escalates, Drew McIntyre interrupts from the stage. Punk sarcastically mocks Drew, referencing their last encounter where Drew was left bloodied in the ring. Drew responds, clarifying that his comments were aimed at Seth, not Punk. The two exchange barbs, with Punk noting that Drew and Seth are alike, except Punk is at least honest about being an asshole.
The tension continues to build, but Drew eventually shifts the focus, claiming the real issue is Roman Reigns. He argues that while everyone else is playing checkers, Reigns is playing chess, and it’s time for someone to step up and lead the locker room. Drew proposes that the Royal Rumble is the perfect opportunity for them all to settle their differences, as it’s every man for himself. With that, Drew declares he’ll be part of the Rumble and will see Punk and Seth there.
Grade A
Analysis
All three superstars are among the best mic workers in WWE and they prove it. CM Punk makes it clear that he set his eyes on bigger things rather than Seth Rollins but Rollins and McIntyre are still not finished with them. All these superstars can win the Rumble as we claimed in our Early Royal Rumble Predictions. Cena vs Punk will be a match every fan wants to see because of their rivalry in early 2010s.
Backstage
The scene transitions to the usual talent montage, showcasing superstars arriving at the arena. Later, American Made makes their entrance as Chad Gable prepares for his match against Penta el Zero M. Michael Cole warns that Gable might have a tough challenge ahead, hinting that Penta el Zero M is no ordinary opponent.
Chad Gable vs Penta
Chad Gable and Penta el Zero M start with fast-paced action, exchanging holds right from the get-go. Gable grabs Penta’s hand, locking in a wristlock, but Penta quickly reverses it. They transition to a side headlock, with both men testing each other’s strength. Gable drops down, Penta rolls him over with his foot, and they go back to the headlock. The sequence continues with arm wringers and quick reversals, showcasing their agility and wrestling skills.
They trade deep arm drags and heel trips, looking for quick pins. Gable shoves Penta into the corner and delivers chops, but Penta counters with a superkick. Gable rolls out of the way, but Penta connects with a back roll into a Tijeras, followed by an Arabian press leg drop off the bottom rope. Chad rolls to the floor as Penta hits the ropes, but Gable pops back in, only for Penta to avoid a suplex attempt.
Gable responds with mounted punches in the corner as the crowd chants, “You suck!” Penta boxes Gable’s ears, slips under him, and hits Cheeky Nando’s. He then sets up a slingshot stomp in the corner. Gable rolls to the apron, but Penta cuts him off with a rolling solebutt. They continue to go back and forth until Gable lands a German suplex on the apron.
Gable takes the fight outside, targeting Penta’s knee. He posts Penta’s leg into the ring post and drops repeated knees to it before spiking his leg into the mat. Back inside, Gable goes for a back suplex, but Penta kicks out. He tries a diving headbutt, but Penta avoids it with a superkick, hobbling into the corner. Gable counters with a belly-to-belly suplex, sending Penta hard into the turnbuckles.
The match intensifies as they trade chops, both men hitting each other hard as they rise to their feet. Penta hits a corkscrew bulldog, and then a backbody drop sends Gable crashing to the floor. Penta, tending to his injured knee, revives it with a slap before hitting a TOPE CON GIRO, taking both men out on the floor. Back inside, Penta attempts a lung blower, but Gable kicks out.
The back-and-forth continues, with Gable climbing the top rope and drawing Penta to his feet on the apron. Penta responds with a slap, then connects with a tijeras. Gable charges in, but Penta hits a flip piledriver for a near fall. Penta’s fired up, delivering a buzzsaw roundhouse kick and shouting “Cero Miedo.” Gable counters, catching the kick and landing a dragon screw leg whip.
Gable locks in an ankle lock, grinding Penta down and pulling him to the center of the ring. Penta counters, rolling into a stepover arm lock. In a shocking moment, Penta uses his sacrifice to break Gable’s arm. The match reaches its peak as Penta hits the Penta Driver and secures the pinfall victory.
After the match, Penta is interviewed in the ring. He thanks the San Jose crowd, declaring it his new home. Penta acknowledges that everyone had been waiting for this moment, but reveals that he’s been waiting for it even longer.
Shifting to Spanish, he speaks passionately about Mexico, Latin America, and WWE, drawing a strong connection with his heritage. He pulls the camera in closer, emphasizing his gratitude toward his family.
Returning to English, Penta declares that this marks the beginning of a new era—not just the Netflix era, but the “Penta new era.” He finishes with a “Cero Miedo” taunt and tells the crowd that he loves them.
Winner: Penta
Grade A
Analysis
Finally, Penta showed his glimpses of the WWE Universe. Chad Gable is a trustworthy opponent for someone like Penta to debut against. The match was outstanding. Penta looked like a star in this match and he is on top of his game. WWE must not forget that he does not need to start from zero because he already achieved so much in his career with other promotions. So, WWE shoud give him what he truly deserves and that is a spot in almost main event if not the actual main event.
Backstage
In Judgment Day’s clubhouse, tension is thick, as Finn Balor and Liv Morgan argue. Finn tells Liv he’s stepping out, allowing her and Dominik Mysterio to sort through their issues.
Dominik, holding a bouquet of roses, nervously asks Liv if she’s upset. She insists she’s not mad, but he’s clearly unconvinced. Liv tells him to go get her bags, Raquel Rodriguez’s bags, and make sure the valet is ready. She then tosses the roses to Carlito, asking him to find somewhere to put them. Mysterio, relieved, believes she’s not mad, but Finn reminds him that he still has a lot to learn.
Finn and JD McDonagh discuss their plans to reclaim the tag titles. JD takes Carlito aside to talk to Adam Pearce about it, and as they leave, Carlito hands the bouquet back to Dominik. Finn, still focused on his match, tells Dominik to handle his errands and continues his preparations.
Sheamus vs Ludwig Kaiser
Sheamus starts feeling out Ludwig Kaiser but quickly drops him with a lariat. He pulls Kaiser onto the apron, but Kaiser counters, sending Sheamus crashing to the floor. They trade right hands outside, with Sheamus knocking Kaiser down. Back on the apron, Sheamus lands a few right hands, but Kaiser denies the Beats of the Bodhran, knocking him into the announce desk. Kaiser follows Sheamus out, landing a hesitant dropkick on the floor just as we head to the commercial.
When we return, Sheamus delivers big chops and a lariat, sending Kaiser to the apron. The Beats of the Bodhran follow, and back inside, Sheamus sets up Kaiser for an Avalanche White Noise, but it only gets a two-count. Kaiser grabs Sheamus’ shillelagh, but Sheamus counters with a knee for another near fall. They trade more near falls, with Kaiser nearly securing a win with the California Roll. However, Sheamus takes control and finishes the match with a Brogue Kick, pinning Kaiser for the win. Post-match, Sheamus confronts Bron Breakker at ringside. Breaker shoves Sheamus, setting up future tension between the two.
Winner: Sheamus
Grade B
Analysis
Sheamus vs Kaiser is a solid match, but WWE must go past this rivalry now. They worked well together, but now they should move away to other opponents. Bron Breakker vs Sheamus will be a good match for the young star so that he can go to WrestleMania with a big win to his back. Sheamus is a p[powerhouse who can give a good match with anyone in the industry.
Backstage
Seth Rollins is interviewed. He vents about Drew McIntyre’s constant needling and promises they’ll fight next week. Rollins says he owes McIntyre one for WrestleMania and teases that next week will be fun.
Rollins runs into Sami Zayn, who offers to talk. Seth admits it’s been a rough week but remarks that it’s been a great week for Sami. Zayn is confused, and Rollins taunts him, mentioning Roman Reigns’ return as Tribal Chief. He asks Sami if he’ll keep helping Roman or start helping himself, pressing Zayn about his loyalty. We then see GUNTHER walking backstage as we head to break.
After the break, Karrion Kross exits Adam Pearce’s office and berates the Miz, blaming him for the Wyatt Six’s move to SmackDown. Kross believes it’s his fault and vents his frustrations. Sami Zayn approaches Pearce’s office, and Kross gets in his head. Miz and Zayn go back and forth, with Sami finally declaring he’ll ask Adam Pearce for a match against Miz tonight. In the crowd, Oba Femi is spotted, signaling his presence at the show.
Gunther Promo Segment
GUNTHER makes his entrance and grabs the mic. He starts by talking about his reaction to last week’s debut of Raw on Netflix. While he praises the visual experience, he says the in-ring action didn’t live up to expectations. He critiques the fighters for focusing on personal drama, claiming the only real prize worth fighting for is his WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Suddenly, “Main Event” Jey Uso interrupts. He says if GUNTHER needs someone to fight for the world title, he’s the guy. Jey states that the drama with Drew and the Bloodline is behind him, and now he’s coming for GUNTHER at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
GUNTHER dismisses him, pointing out that he’s already beaten Jey twice. He acknowledges Jey’s talent but says he’s much more than Jey, noting that Jey is a great tag team wrestler, but that’s where his abilities end. GUNTHER declares that “Main Event” is just a nickname for Jey, while the real main event is the place he, GUNTHER, belongs. He’ll allow Jey the chance to challenge him but warns him to think carefully before stepping into the ring with someone of his caliber.
As GUNTHER begins to leave, Jey calls him back. He admits he respects GUNTHER and acknowledges that everything he says is true. Jey shares that people have doubted him his whole career, calling him “just a tag team guy” and questioning his success. But every day, he bets on himself, and at Saturday Night’s Main Event, he’ll make GUNTHER respect him by beating him for the world title.
Grade B+
Analysis
Gunther was vicious on the mic as he mostly been throughout his career. He gave some reality checks to Uso and told him to stay in his limits. On the other side, Main Event Jey Uso is someone in WWE everyone respects because of his performances in last two years. The match will be solid on Saturday but no one is thinking of a title change.
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Final
The match starts with a collar and elbow tie-up. Both competitors exchange momentum, with Valkyria rolling under a shot and ducking a roundhouse, transitioning into a fireman’s carry. Kai slips out, and they both reset in a stalemate. They lock up again, with Lyra applying a wristlock, but Dakota counters with a flying mare. Valkyria ducks a stomp and pulls Kai to the floor, ramming her into the apron.
Back inside, Valkyria goes for a wrecking ball dropkick, but Kai catches her and drives her face into the apron. Valkyria fights back with a suplex off the apron, sending Kai to the floor just before the commercial break.
When we return, Valkyria has Dakota in a seated surfboard, rolling back to elevate her off the mat, and covers for a two-count. Dakota counters with a superkick, but Lyra responds with a rolling solebutt. After a shove, Kai hits a handstand kick, but Valkyria powers her up for a powerbomb. Kai counters, slinging Valkyria into the corner, and follows up with a kick around the way and a flip lung blower. Still, it’s not enough.
Kai goes for the GTK, but Valkyria escapes and connects with a Liger Bomb—so close to the win. They exchange more near falls, with Dakota hitting a Scorpion Kick, a slingshot stomp to the back of the neck, and finally, a fireman’s carry. The GTK connects, but Valkyria rolls out to the safety of the floor.
Back inside, Lyra stops Kai’s momentum, and after a final exchange, Valkyria hits Nightwing for the pin, winning the match and becoming the inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion.
Post-match, GM Adam Pearce presents Valkyria with the championship belt and raises her hand in victory. Dakota Kai slides back into the ring, and Lyra, now with the title, raises her hand as they share an embrace.
Winner: Lyra Valkyria
Grade B
Analysis
Both superstars make it a valuable final match because they did not get much so far in their main roster career. Kai showed the glimpses of brilliance in the last few weeks. Valkyria was a treat to watch whenever she got a chance to shine on the main roster. It looked like WWE will not have longer plan with Valkryia as IC Champion because Sonya Deville and her crew is already hoping to take her title.
Sami Zayn vs The Miz
The match begins with a collar and elbow tie-up, where Miz quickly backs Sami Zayn into the corner and unloads with a series of right hands. Miz applies a side headlock, cranking it in, but Zayn shoots him off the ropes, then drops down and leapfrogs over him. Zayn lands a huge elbow that takes Miz down.
Sami follows up by smashing Miz’s face into the turnbuckle and hitting a diving handle. Miz retaliates with a big knee and a running boot to Zayn, regaining control. Zayn fires back with mounted strikes in the corner, then hits a corner exploder suplex. As he charges in, Miz counters with a big boot, knocking Zayn down. Miz hits a basement DDT, but it’s only a near fall.
The action continues as Miz presses the attack, sending Zayn from corner to corner. Zayn counters and lands the Helluva Kick, followed by his signature Blue Thunder Driver for the pin. Sami Zayn wins by pinfall, securing the victory with the Blue Thunder Driver.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Grade C+
Analysis
Zayn vs Miz looked like a filler because there was no story whatsoever behind it. If WWE wanted Zayn and Usos to fight with the Final Testament, then it might work. Zayn won after a long time, which was welcoming.
Rhea Ripley Promo
Rhea Ripley makes her entrance and grabs the mic. She confidently declares that Mami is back on top, emphasizing that she’s Rhea bloody Ripley, one of the most dominant women in WWE and once again the WWE Women’s World Champion.
Nia Jax interrupts, making her entrance in a cheetah print corset over a cheetah print bodysuit. It’s an overwhelming look, and while animal print is her style, it’s a bit much. She says she was talking to Adam Pearce about the transfer window and decided to come down and announce her intentions. Nia declares she’s winning the Royal Rumble and taking whatever title she wants. She mentions that Tiffany Stratton and Rhea might think she’s on top and ask why Bayley is even at ringside.
Bayley responds, saying she “lives here,” and Nia insults her for living in a “crappy town.” Bayley doesn’t back down, jumping the barricade. Nia mocks her with “scary fingers” and insults Bayley’s appearance. Bayley, in a bold response, tells Nia to say it to her face and calls her a “big dumb idiot.”
Things escalate as Nia shoves both Bayley and Ripley down. A heated exchange of headbutts follows, but ultimately, the babyfaces—Ripley and Bayley—fight back, sending Nia packing with a barrage of kicks. As the action settles, commentary hypes next week’s show, teasing an appearance from John “Bradshaw” Layfield.
Grade C
Analysis
Rhea Ripley welcomed like a main event star. However, the inclusion of Jax to this story may not be much welcoming for WWE fans. She must put over Stratton first before moving to Raw. Bayley vs Ripley is teased for WrestleMania. Bayley is only Four Horsewomen star in WWE which Ripley had not beaten at Show of Shows.
Finn Balor vs Damien Priest Street Fight Match
The match kicks off with Balor relentlessly hammering Priest with kendo stick shots. They spill to the floor, and Balor smashes Priest into the table at ringside. But Damian catches him and retaliates with a reverse STO into the announce desk! Priest then grabs a table from under the ring, setting it up as Finn recovers and charges. Balor shoulders him over the barricade and into the crowd.
Priest responds with a kick and throws Balor over another barricade, then hurls a trash can at him. After a quick back-and-forth, Priest Lawn Darts Balor into the barricade. Finn strikes back with a kick, sending Priest into the opposite barricade, and then cracks him with a steel chair.
The fight continues, with Priest reversing a whip and sending Finn through an internal barricade. They climb some stairs, where Priest scoops Balor up and delivers a Broken Arrow off a balcony, crashing Finn through a table. The referee and road agents check on them, and the broadcast cuts to break.
When we return, Finn is being loaded onto a stretcher, but Priest isn’t done. He attacks Judgment Day on the stage, sending them packing, then unstraps Finn from the stretcher and wheels him down the ramp, sending Balor crashing back into the ring.
Priest calls for the finish, hitting Balor with an Axe Bomber. He sets up for South of Heaven, but Judgment Day recovers, and JD McDonagh hits a moonsault. Carlito and McDonagh hoist Balor up like it’s a Weekend at Bernie’s situation, but Damian kicks out of the Coup de Grace!
The War Raiders make the save, taking out JD with War Machine. As they brawl to the back, Balor hits Sling Blade on Priest. He then starts attacking Damian with a steel chair, but Priest springs up, hitting a devastating South of Heaven, with the chair still around Balor’s neck. Finn somehow kicks out.
The chaos continues as Balor sets Priest up on a table outside. He goes for a Coup de Grace through the table, but Damian recovers and drives Finn through the timekeeper’s barricade with a stampede. Priest then hits a Razor’s Edge through another table before bringing the fight back inside.
With the straps down and his focus set, Priest chokes Balor and declares, “I’m not my brother’s keeper.” He finishes the match with a South of Heaven, pinning Finn for the win. Damian Priest wins by pinfall with South of Heaven.
Winner: Damien Priest
Grade B+
Analysis
WWE must end this rivalry with this one, as Balor is not getting anything from it. WWE always tries to give a big feel to Finn Balor and ends up making him lose to Priest. This win will not favor Priest, either. WWE must give some wins to Judgment members or else disband the group because it is not working now. Where will Priest go after this win? WWE must give him something to work till WrestleMania. It was all from WWE Raw January 13 Results, Winners, Grades, and Analysis.
