On January 27th, 2025 WWE aired the 1,653rd episode of Raw live in Atlanta Georgia inside State Farm Arena & can watch it on Netflix.
Note: This review will be shorter then normal as it be the last few mins of the match.
-Kicking off this week’s Raw with Seth Rollins welcomes fans to Monday Night Rollins and introduces himself, then says it’s his favorite time of year because it’s almost WrestleMania season. He says that will kick off on Saturday when he wins the 2025 Royal Rumble Match despite the year getting off to a bad start for him. He says after losing to CM Punk on the January 6 episode of Raw, he wondered who he is and who he wants to be. He says he started his path to redemption by beating Drew McIntyre last week and promises to eliminate everyone from the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble. He imagines tossing Punk out of the ring when they’re down to the final 2 left in the match in order to crush Punk’s WrestleMania dreams then ponders over which champion he’d choose to face when he wins the Royal Rumble.
-World Heavyweight Champion Gunther’s music hits and he makes his way out. He asks where Rollins has been the last few months as he defended his World Heavyweight Title against Jey Uso at Saturday Night’s Main Event and Rollins says that the World Heavyweight Title wouldn’t exist without him. Gunther says Rollins has achieved a lot in WWE and created many moments for fans but Rollins is no longer the best wrestler in this company because he is. He says that when Rollins is staring at the ceiling, he will realize that he’s no longer the face of the company because Gunther is.
-Logan Paul’s music hits and he marks his way out. He says that Rollins & Gunther both command attention and says WWE needs a face oozing with charisma and confidence. He says neither Rollins or Gunther fits that and continues to gloat over being the best in WWE then ponders over which champion he’d choose if he won the Royal Rumble. Gunther tells Paul that he wants him to emerge as the winner so he can embarrass him at WrestleMania 41 and Rollins puts Gunther on notice before he leaves the ring.
-Backstage CM Punk was interviewed by Cathy Kelley. She asked how Punk thinks Logan Paul will fare. Punk said he’d fare the same as everyone else. Punk said he would toss Kelley over the top rope if she was in the Rumble match.
-Sami Zayn showed up and took issue with Punk stating last week that Zayn isn’t on his level. Zayn pointed out that only one of them has main evented WrestleMania then told Punk he would see him in the Rumble. Zayn walked away.
-Karrion Kross stops Zayn and said everyone knows the kick he hit Seth Rollins with was an accident. Kross said Zayn should listen to Rollins and start doing things for himself. Kross aid this is the best chance Zayn has had to win the Rumble and he should starting thinking with his head. Kross said there’s a world of opportunity then walks away.
-Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes approached Zayn which startled him. Cody told Zayn that it was good to see him then Zayn said the same before making his exit
World Tag Team Titles Match
War Raiders (Erik & Ivar) (c) vs. Judgement Day (JD McDonagh & Dominik Mysterio)
JD McDonagh tags in and hits a moonsault off the top rope and Dominik Mysterio follows it up with a Frog Splash.
He goes for a pin but Erik sends himself & McDonagh crashing into Mysterio & Ivar to break the fall.
War Raiders hits Viking Experience on Mysterio for the win .
Winners & Still World Tag Team Champions: War Raiders (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!!)
-Backstage Ludwig Kaiser told Pete Dunne that he saw things didn’t go his way last week. Kaiser said someone should show this guy how we do things around here. New Day shows up tried to bond with Kaiser & Dunne but they both walked away.
-Cathy Kelley showed up and recalled Kingston losing to Rey Mysterio last week. Kofi Kingston blamed the officiating. Kingston said Atlanta’s favorite son was home. Kelley guessed that Kingston was talking about Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker, Austin Theory or Cody Rhodes.
-New Day took offense and noted that it was a homecoming for Xavier Woods. Woods said he would beat the brakes off of Mysterio and bought front row tickets for his mother, father & sister. Woods said his family had yet to arrive but he assumed they would be there.
Rey Mysterio vs. Xavier Woods
Xavier Woods notices that his family have finally arrived in their reserved seats and confronts them about being late but they take off their sweaters to reveal New Day Sucks shirts.
Rey Mysterio takes advantage of the distraction dialing it up for a 619 when he returns to the ring and a splash from the apron for the win.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
-Backstage Sami Zayn told Seth Rollins that the Helluva Kick he hit him with was a mistake. Rollins accepted that it was a mistake, then said others say it may not have been. Rollins said Zayn’s relationship with Roman Reigns makes him uneasy and if something like that happens again, he can’t assume that it would be a mistake. Zayn asked if they were good and then they shook hands and hugged.
-Jey Uso was shown walking through the concourse and shaking hands with fans before he made his entrance through the crowd. Jey was accompanied by rapper Quavo & Jey & Quavo greeted the broadcast team and Jey danced on the broadcast table.
-Jey got a mic and said he needed that. He remained on the broadcast table and told the Atlanta crowd that he appreciates them and gave them a yeet. Jey acknowledged that he lost and said The Ring General was that good. Nevertheless, Jey said he can beat Gunther. Jey said he needs to win the Rumble then main event WrestleMania and win the World Heavyweight Title. Jey tossed the mic down then pulls Quavo onto the table with him.
-After the break Jackie Redmond interviewed Women’s Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria. Valkyria said there was a lot of talk about who her 1st challenger would be. She declared for the women’s Royal Rumble match.
-American Made showed up & Chad Gable told Valkyria not to get used to holding the title because Ivy Nile would take the title for him then corrected himself and said it would be for the team.
-Valkyria said this was as close as Gable or Nile would ever get to an Intercontinental Title. Nile said she would eliminate Valkyria from the Rumble match and clip her bird wings.
-American Made found Alpha Academy doing a dance while Maxxine Dupri cheered them on. Gable mocked them for doing a TikTok dance and said they are an embarrassment. Nile also got in Dupri’s face.
Non Title Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca BelAir & Naomi vs. Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan
Naomi tags in and Bianca BelAir flies over the top rope as Naomi lands a split legged moonsault on Liv Morgan.
She goes for a pin but Raquel Rodriguez pulls Naomi out of the ring to break the fall.
She chokeslams her onto the apron as the referee checks on Morgan.
Morgan then pins Naomi for the win.
Winners: Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan
-Backstage Cathy Kelley interviewed Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley and asked how she felt after facing Nia Jax on Saturday Night’s Main Event. She conceded that she was banged up coming out of the match.
-Kelley asked Ripley if she had any predictions. Ripley said it didn’t matter because the winner would be brutalized if they chose to challenge her.
-Bayley showed up said maybe she will win the Rumble and then challenge Ripley at WrestleMania. Ripley wished her luck and then made her exit. Bayley turned and spotted Iyo Sky & she told Bayley that she would see her on Saturday.
-After the break a Penta video aired. He spoke of facing the best in the world and would do it 1 on 1, 2 on 1 or 29 on 1. Penta said he will be in the Royal Rumble and he will have his WrestleMania moment.
-Paul Heyman then makes his way down to the ring and introduces himself then reveals that himself and Roman Reigns will be the cover stars of WWE 2K25. He says now that Reigns has taken the Ula Fala and title of Tribal Chief back from Solo Sikoa, he’s coming for the Undisputed WWE Title and declares that he will be entering the 2025 Royal Rumble.
-Drew McIntyre’s music hits and he makes his way out. He says Heyman looks nervous but he should relax because Sami Zayn is the only person who should be nervous given their upcoming match. He calls himself the daddy of The Bloodline and says Heyman is a smart man for being able to harness Reigns’ talent for evil. He demands that Heyman thank him and while Heyman thanks McIntyre, he says that he’s crowding him. McIntyre takes a few steps back and says he has a favor for Heyman to do since he just did him one. He tells Heyman to warn his client that he will be coming for him in the Royal Rumble and Heyman assures McIntyre he will pass along his message. He looks to leave but McIntyre stops him and says he wasn’t talking about Reigns but rather CM Punk.
Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn
Drew McIntyre sits up and pulls Sami Zayn off then sets up for a Claymore Kick.
Zayn side steps it and pins McIntyre but McIntyre kicks out.
Zayn then sends McIntyre crashing into the ring post shoulder first and follows it up with an Exploder then sets up for Helluva Kick.
McIntyre counters into a roll up with his feet on the ropes for the win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
-After the match McIntyre continues beating down Zayn until Cody Rhodes’ music hits and he runs down to the ring. He begins brawling with McIntyre then connects with a Cody Cutter. Kevin Owens then blindsides Rhodes in the ring and brawls with him but McIntyre pulls Rhodes off Zayn. Zayn looks to land a Helluva Kick on McIntyre, but McIntyre side steps it and Zayn accidentally hits Rhodes with it. Owens stands next to Zayn and pats him on the chest then leaves the ring as Zayn contemplates what he’s just done. Zayn follows Owens up the ramp and tells him it’s not like that.
-After the break Rhodes addresses his upcoming Undisputed WWE Title Ladder Match between him and Kevin Owens at Royal Rumble and says he can’t wait for their issues to be through.
-CM Punk’s music hits and he makes his way out. He asks Rhodes if he’s alright and says he remembers what it’s like not to have friends as a World Champion. He gives some encouraging words to a deflated Rhodes and says if he makes it past Owens then it’s onto the next show and Rhodes asked for it as the poster boy for WWE. He says Rhodes gets to spend less time with his wife and daughter because the Undisputed WWE Title means something to guys like them then reminds him about the impact that he has on fans.
-Rhodes asks Punk what the bad news is and Punk says that the bad news is that he intends to win the 2025 Royal Rumble to challenge Rhodes for his Undisputed WWE Title at WrestleMania 41. Rhodes recalls their early days in the wresting business then tells Punk that’s he’s not chasing him as it’s actually the other way around. They continue going back & forth tensely staring one another down
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