CM Punk heads to the ring to start tonight's show with his right arm in a sling. Punk looks at the WrestleMania sign and says he came real close in the men's Royal Rumble and felt that he had WrestleMania in the palm of his hand. He says he is not mad at "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, whom he congratulates. He says it is about what one has earned, not what one has deserved, in this business, and that he hopes Cody finishes the story while comparing his win to the Tampa Bay Lightning going back-to-back and winning the Stanley Cup. Punk then admits that while he does not believe in luck, he feels unlucky, as he has torn his right triceps, and as much as he has wanted to get back in the ring, it is not in the cards. He asks nobody to feel sorry for him, and feels that maybe his WrestleMania moment may not happen. He mentions his friend Chad Gilbert and how he is always in a good mood despite being in a "soul crushing" fight with cancer. Punk admits that he loses more often than he wins, but that did not stop him from fighting in the UFC as much as it scared him, and that "Best In The World" go to those who fight cancer, help people and put their lives on the line. He says that he will entertain people until the wheels fall off and that this injury is just a bump in the road, and while WrestleMania is not in the cards, there is always next year. Suddenly, Drew McIntyre shows up. He says he has said terrible things about Punk since his return and that he has meant them, then admits he can relate to what he has been saying regarding his time in WWE. He admits he has never been much of a spiritual person, then says he prayed for CM Punk to get injured and it happened. He says that he targeted and assaulted Punk to keep him from winning the men's Royal Rumble, because he could not let Punk be the one to take it to the next level, and when he heard the news the next day, he slept like a baby. McIntyre says Punk won the battle, but he did not win the war, and that he has exorcised "the demon CM Punk." He then says he will make his way into the WrestleMania main event and live CM Punk's dream again. Punk says his heart hurts more than his triceps does and that he will go rehabbing, and when he does, he will main event WrestleMania. He also says that he will go after McIntyre first before McIntyre goes for a cheap shot. Punk tries to fight back, but McIntyre lays him out and stomps his injured right arm. Sami Zayn shows up and fights McIntyre until McIntyre retreats, then checks on Punk with referees and medical.
Backstage, The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) focus on business. Rhea Ripley says that if Bayley decides to face her at WrestleMania, it will be her funeral when she reminds her of who she is. He then asks if Finn Balor and Damian Priest are done with distractions. Priest says they are done with distractions, and Finn says that people are getting too comfortable challenging them and that they will show who The Judgment Day are.
Backstage, we hear from #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa). Johnny Gargano says they have waited seven years for this moment, and Tommaso Ciampa says they have been dreaming of being tag team champions in WWE since they were kids.
The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) retains the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa). After the match, Damian Priest says everyone saw a different side of The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) for the past few weeks after someone that he personally wants to apologize to: R-Truth, whom he asks to join them in the ring. A wary R-Truth heads to the ring after Damian Priest asks him not to be so concerned and allows him to tell the crowd to rise for The Judgment Day. Priest is about to mention what happened at the Royal Rumble when R-Truth mentions that he took care of him financially before saying that The Judgment Day was family the whole time. He calls Finn Balor unpredictable but still lovable, and calls JD McDonagh the stepbrother that nobody wants to admit is family. Priest has to stop him to tell him he is not part of The Judgment Day, then has "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh attack R-Truth to drive the point home. All of a sudden, The Miz runs into the ring, but he is also ganged up on.
"The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark beat Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.
WrestleMania 40 is 68 days away!
"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring. Cody addresses winning back-to-back Royal Rumble matches and his purpose as a wrestler to help the fans escape from their daily lives, but says that wrestler need an escape, too. He says that the fans will never know how much he needed them on Saturday and that while he is endlessly grateful for them, he wants to make WrestleMania 40 official. Suddenly, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins heads to the ring, and admits that while he and Cody have not seen eye-to-eye, they have grown a mutual respect for each other, and congratulates him on winning back-to-back Royal Rumble matches. Rollins then tells Cody that if he is going to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, he is making a big mistake, and says he should fight him instead. He knows that Cody considered himself "the guy" at the Royal Rumble press conference and says that he, not Roman Reigns, is now the guy and that the World Heavyweight Championship is "the title in WWE." Rollins tells Cody that the landscape has changed in the last year, and while he gets why Cody wants to face Roman again, he has been on the ride with him defending the World Heavyweight title all the while. He also says the World Heavyweight Championship came to be because the fans were sick and tired of Roman Reigns rarely showing up and cheating to win, and says that "this title is our title" and is "for us, by us." Rollins says that nobody needs to pretend Roman Reigns is a god or on an untouchable pedestal, and that Roman Reigns is not needed at all. He then asks Cody which title he wants: "the Hollywood title" or "the Dusty Rhodes title." He then leaves the decision up to Cody, and tells him that he wants him to think about this, for it is the biggest decision he will ever make in his entire life, as it is all about what is in Cody's heart and which kind of man Cody wants to be. Cody tells Seth he has an insane amount of respect for him, and admits that this is the last thing that he would think about it or that they would talk about. He then says he will think about it.
We hear from The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods). Kofi says that when people talk about them, they talk about unicorns and pancakes and Booty-O's, but not about championships. He says that he will win one tonight when he beats Gunther tonight.
"Main Event" Jey Uso beats "Big" Bronson Reed.
Backstage, Andrade signs a Raw contract, then General Manager Adam Pearce meets with SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis, who congratulates Andrade on the return. Andrade shakes hands with both men, then asks Aldis to say hello to Zelina Vega for him. Aldis is about to talk business with Pearce when he gets a call from Bron Breakker.
Backstage, Gunther tells Kofi Kingston that he will be in the biggest match of his career and will remember this night for the rest of his life while he will forget about Kofi. He tells Kofi to leave it all in the ring, for nobody will talk about him anymore and he will continue to be the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Becky Lynch. Becky says she let herself and a lot of people down, but the only way she stays down is to give up, which is not in her nature. She says he will train harder, think harder, fight dirtier and not stop until he takes a title back in a WrestleMania main event.
Gunther retains the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Kofi Kingston. After the match, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci gang up on Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods when Woods checks on Kofi. Xavier fights back, but the numbers game catches up to him and he gets rammed into a ring post.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Sami Zayn. Sami Zayn says it has been hard to sit on the sidelines, especially when Drew McIntyre has been targeting him and injuring him. He then says McIntyre is now targeting others and blames everyone but himself for his shortcomings. He says that McIntyre needs a reality check and that he will be the one to give it to him.
The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) beat Natalya and Tegan Nox.
Backstage, Jackie Redmon interviews Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. Katana says they have talked with General Manager Adam Pearce and have gotten their title rematch. Kayden says The Kabuki Warriors have one week to enjoy the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships before they take them back.
Bayley heads to the ring. After the commercial break, she is joined by the rest of Damage CTRL (Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai, Asuka, Kairi Sane). She says that the winner of the women's Royal Rumble, the Women's Tag Team Champions and the WWE Women's Champion being in the ring at the same time is history and is happening because of her. She addresses her naysayers by saying she does not listen to their opinions and that she looks at the bigger picture, and she now stands as the 2024 women's Royal Rumble winner. Bayley states that she came out on top against twenty-ninte other women in a stacked women's roster and that she lasted 63 minutes and 3 seconds doing it, then Rhea Ripley shows up. Rhea says Bayley only won the Royal Rumble only because she wasn't in it, then says that Bayley will not win the Women's World Championship before she is suddenly attacked by Nia Jax. Bayley is in the corner when the rest of Damage CTRL get out of the ring, and Nia Jax tells her that Rhea is not making it to WrestleMania. Bayley tells Nia she will make her announcement on SmackDown.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Drew McIntyre. McIntyre says he has told the truth and justified his actions, and that Sami Zayn has yet to beat him and will not beat him tonight.
Drew McIntyre beats Sami Zayn after ducking the Helluva Kick and hitting Sami Zayn with an inadvertent low blow as he ducks and gets his hands up.
This week on Raw Talk: The Viking Raiders (Ivar and Valhalla)! JD McDonagh! Nia Jax!
Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!
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