"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring. As Cody states that the Royal Rumble is right around the corner, Drew McIntyre heads to the ring. McIntyre says he and Cody have yet to catch up with him, and tells Cody that he is proud of him and how far he has come, and also mentions their brief history as The Dashing Ones and their time away from WWE before they came back. McIntyre mentions his last match before he returned to WWE - which was with Cody - and how Cody told him he would be a future world champion, which he would do twice. He says that Cody will become the first in his family to become a world champion in WWE. He says that Cody will finish his story, but not before he finishes his. Cody says they have both declared for the men's Royal Rumble and that there are others who could win, and that nobody can be counted out. McIntyre tells Cody to be himself, and that he does not need the three-pieces suits, big words, or the fake smile, and says that if anyone has a problem with the real Cody, he can knock them on their arses. Cody says that what he does is not an act, and while he and McIntyre have taken similar paths, he is grateful for his opportunities and his circumstance while McIntyre complains about his. McIntyre asks that if this is "the real Cody," then he wants to know why Cody brought "Main Event" Jey Uso back to Raw. He tells Cody that he is in his way and that he will eat him alive, and at WrestleMania, the story belongs to him. Cody says it is all about "ifs" with McIntyre and that McIntyre wants that for him, but when he focuses on his story, he looks at his opponent and the fans. He then asks who won between them in their last match together before he leaves the ring.
Backstage, Damian Priest meets with R-Truth regarding selling their merchandise in the parking lot. R-Truth hands Priest his cut, which is a lot of money. Priest then tells R-Truth not to tag in during his match.
#DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) beat The Judgment Day ("Dirty" Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh).
In backstage footage, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell talk with General Manager Adam Pearce when Chelsea Green and Piper Niven show up and Chelsea complains about the officiating in her most recent match, stating that she pinned Kayden Carter. Pearce refuses to have it with Chelsea, then puts Chelsea and Piper in a match with Indi and Candice.
We see a vignette for Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, who state that they will become WWE Women's Tag Team Champions in 2024.
Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell beat Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.
We see a vignette for Nia Jax.
Backstage, Rhea Ripley heads to the ring to address the women's division. Damian Priest shows up and says he has addresses Drew McIntyre to General Manager Adam Pearce, then mentions that R-Truth is "earning for the crew," much to JD McDonagh's chagrin.
Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser head to the ring. Gunther says that the Royal Rumble is two weeks away and that he can feel and smell the desperation, and since they are in Arkansas, he can smell excrement, too. With everyone wanting to main event WrestleMania, Gunther reminds everyone that he nearly won the Royal Rumble last year and lasted longer than anyone in the past, and proclaims that this year, he will win it and main event WrestleMania. Gunther then addresses Ludwig, saying that Ludwig showed grit, confidence, courage and a nasty side that he has always wanted to show him. Gunther then congratulates Ludwig and hugs him. Suddenly, Xavier Woods shows up. Woods says he and Ludwig have a problem after Ludwig dropped Kofi Kingston's head into the ring steps and says that Ludwig is the reason Kofi is not here tonight. Woods says he will extract his pound of flesh from Ludwig tonight, and asks if Ludwig needs Gunther's permission. Ludwig says that what he did to Kofi last week is nothing compared to what he will do to Woods tonight, and that he will take his head as well as he accepts the challenge. Ludwig and Woods brawl, and Woods quickly gets the upper hand on Ludwig before a referee shows up and makes the match official.
Ludwig Kaiser beats Xavier Woods by disqualification after Xavier Woods hits Ludwig Kaiser with one of the chairs from the announce table. After the match, Woods grabs a metal folding chair, but Kaiser kicks it into Woods' head with an enzuigiri. Afterwards, Kaiser tries to kick Woods' head into the ring steps, but Woods gets up and hits Kaiser with a knee bfore grabbing the ring steps and throwing it at Kaiser's head. Kaiser avoids the steps and runs away through the crowd.
Backstage, we hear from "Big" Bronson Reed, who says that there is a man right now holding a championship who does not realize that sooner or later, it will belong to him.
Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Xavier Woods when Ludwig Kaiser attacks Woods. "Main Event" Jey Uso shows up and shoves Kaiser off Woods, and referees restore order before things get worse.
Akira Tozawa beats Ivar with a top rope Sunset Flip Powerbomb following the distraction by Maxxine Dupri. After the match, Valhalla attacks Maxxine Dupri, and Ivar boots Tozawa in the face. After Valhalla headbutts Maxxine, Ivar hits Tozawa with a top rope moonsault.
Backstage, Ivy Nile tells The Creed Brothers (Julius and Brutus Creed) and Alpha Academy (Chad Gable, Otis, Maxxine Dupri, Akira Tozawa) that she will talk to General Manager Adam Pearce regarding Valhalla. Afterwards, Chad Gable congratulates Akira Tozawa on the win before calling Ivar's post-match actions those of a coward. He says that Gable will be the one to teach Ivar the difference between a coward and an Alpha.
Rhea Ripley heads to the ring. Rhea says she is tired of people like Nia Jax running their mouth and saying the women's division is theirs, then says the division and the Women's World title is hers. She tells any potential Royal Rumble winners to choose her if they want to waste their WrestleMania and to go pick someone else, for she is always on top. Suddenly, Becky Lynch shows up. Becky notes the similarities between her and Rhea's careers, then says that she won the main event of WrestleMania while Rhea did not. She says that one of them has the strength of a bear, but the other has the heart of a lion. Becky admits a voice keeps her awake at night and tells her that Rhea might be better than her, but she has to prove that she is that, and to do that, she must win the Royal Rumble and take the Women's World Championship from her. Rhea says that there is one person who wants Becky to win the Royal Rumble more than Becky, and that is her. She then tells Becky she will see her at WrestleMania.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Seth "Freakin'" Rollins. Rollins says he has been World Heavyweight Champion now for over 200 days, and with every successful defense, he gets stronger, and he must continue to be a fighting champion in order to take the title to WrestleMania. He says that he and Jinder Mahal have history and that this is not the same Jinder that he beat to become the very first NXT Champion, and he would not have it any other way.
The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) beat The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) after R-Truth is reluctant to fight Damian Priest.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Jinder Mahal. Jinder says he needs absolute clarity. He says that twelve years in the making have been narrowed down to one night and that he must beat Seth "Freakin'" Rollins to become World Heavyweight Champion.
We hear from Shinsuke Nakamura. He says that last week, he could not cause the damage he desired, which made him angry and left him hungry. He tells "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes to keep an eye open, because their story has not ended and that he now turns his hunger towards the Royal Rumble. He says a hungry Shinsuke is a dangerous Shinsuke and that he will feast on the dreams of twenty-nine other men.
"The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark beat Tegan Nox and Natalya with a submission hold from Shayna to Natalya.
Seth "Freakin'" Rollins retains the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal despite inteference attempts by Indus Sher (Veer and Sanga) that involve putting Jinder's foot near the bottom rope on a pinfall attempt and Veer hitting Rollins with the Money In The Bank Briefcase from the outside. During the match, Damian Priest shows up with the Money In The Bank Brifcase to watch from ringside, and later in the match, Drew McIntyre shows up from out in the crowd to brawl with Priest, and the two of them brawl their way to the back.
This week on Raw Talk: Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell (and "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark)! Diamond Mine (Julius Creed, Brutus Creed, Ivy Nile)! Ludwig Kaiser!
Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!
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