‘WWE Raw’ Review (Jan 19th 2026)
Welcome to our 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: Women’s Intercontinental Championship – Becky Lynch def. Maxxine Dupri
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
With Natayla returning to be in her corner, Maxxine Dupri put forth an incredible effort against Becky Lynch in their title rematch. When the challenger went for the pin in the final moments, however, The Queen of Harts suddenly put The Man’s leg on the rope to prevent her protege from winning. Moments later, Lynch hit the Man-handle Slam on a shocked Dupri to successfully defend the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. After the match, Natalya unleashed a vicious attack on Maxxine that left the WWE Universe stunned.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Rey Mysterio, Penta & Dragon Lee def. Logan Paul, Bronson Reed & Austin Theory
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
With the official distracted in the final moments, Logan Paul attempted to incorporate the brass knuckles, but Raw General Manager Adam Pearce put a stop to it. When Paul Heyman confronted him, however, Pearce put the brass knuckles down on the ring apron to engage him in a war of words. Seizing the opportunity, Rey Mysterio clocked Austin Theory with the brass knuckles, allowing Penta to take out Paul and hit a Mexican Destroyer on Theory for the victory.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: El Grande Americano def. Je’Von Evans
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
El Grande Americano walked out of Belfast with the victory after Je’Von Evans suffered an leg injury.
My Score: N/R out of 5
Match #4: World Heavyweight Championship – CM Punk def. Finn Bálor
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
In a thrilling World Heavyweight Championship Match, CM Punk ended a tremendous effort by both competitors by hitting a Go to Sleep on Finn Bálor for the successful title defense. After the match, Punk shook hands with The Prince and raised his arm in front of the Belfast crowd.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: /5
This week’s episode of Raw was a solid, if unspectacular, stop on the road through Belfast – a show that leaned heavily on reliable names and storyline progression rather than must-see chaos. Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri delivered more drama than expected, with Natalya’s betrayal giving the Women’s Intercontinental scene a much-needed jolt, while the lucha-heavy six-man tag was pure crowd-pleasing fun without ever quite kicking into a higher gear. The abrupt end to Je’Von Evans vs. El Grande Americano was unfortunate and took some momentum out of the middle of the card, but the main event more than made up for it. CM Punk and Finn Bálor put on a respectful, hard-hitting World Heavyweight Championship match that felt big, meaningful, and emotionally satisfying, capped off by a classy post-match moment. Overall, a dependable episode that advanced stories and sent the live crowd home happy.
