‘WWE Raw’ Review (Jan 8th 2024)
Welcome to this review of this past Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, right here on Nerdly. Let’s see what went down on this week’s show!
Match #1: Tommaso Ciampa def. Finn Bálor
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano took out an interfering Damian Priest, Johnny Wrestling grabbed Bálor’s feet as he was suplexing his opponent back into the ring. This helped Ciampa fall onto the Judgment Day Superstar and pick up the three-count. As a result, #DIY moved one step closer to an Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title opportunity.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Kofi Kingston vs. Ludwig Kaiser (Double Count-Out)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
One week after Giovanni Vinci’s injury, a match between Ludwig Kaiser and Kofi Kingston ended in a double count-out. Although Kingston initiated a post-match brawl, Kaiser struck with a thumb to the eye. The incensed Superstar then unleashed a brutal assault on his adversary that included launching a chair at the former WWE Champion and kicking Kofi’s head into the steel ring steps.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match – Carter & Chance def. Green & Niven
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Following a crucial miscommunication between Piper Niven and Chelsea Green that got the latter flattened by her own partner, the titleholders hit Green with the Keg Stand to earn the successful title defense.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: The Miz def. JD McDonagh
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
In the final moments of JD McDonagh’s match against The Miz, McDonagh was distracted by R-Truth at ringside. This allowed The A-Lister to take out JD and “Dirty Dom” before hitting the Skull-Crushing Finale on his opponent for the win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Ivar def. Otis
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
In a battle between Superstars with a combined weight of more than 630 pounds, Ivar hit a spinning heel kick into a devastating Doom-sault to get the win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #6: Street Fight – Cody Rhodes def. Shinsuke Nakamura
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
A brutal Street Fight pitting Cody Rhodes against bitter adversary Shinsuke Nakamura incorporated the barricade, steel ring steps, Kendo sticks, nunchucks, steel chairs and even Nakamura’s misdirected mist into the face of the ring announcer. Nakamura lined up to finish Rhodes with a Kinshasa into a waiting table. At the last second, however, The American Nightmare used his adversary’s momentum against him by sending Nakamura crashing into the table. He then hit the Cross Rhodes to emerge triumphant and place himself on the path to the Royal Rumble Match in his attempt to finally finish his story at WrestleMania.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
This might sound like a cop-out but this week’s Raw was decent. There was nothing exhilarating or overly exciting about proceedings but this was a solid few hours of TV. There were some issues – I wasn’t enamoured with that opening promo between Drew McIntyre and CM Punk and the double count-out during the Kofi / Ludwig match was a letdown. But, overall, this week’s episode had some good wrestling and that’s all that counts really doesn’t it. Doesn’t it?
