WWE RAW Live Coverage - March 25th, 2024
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CM Punk returns to Raw in his hometown of Chicago
CM Punk is set to make a must-see return to the red brand when Monday Night Raw descends on the Allstate Arena in his hometown of Chicago. The Best in the World will appear on Raw for the first time since revealing that he sustained an injury during the Royal Rumble Match and would be forced to miss WrestleMania XL. What will happen when the outspoken Second City Saint makes his return?
:raw:
– Michael Cole welcomes us to the second-to-last episode of WWE Monday Night Raw leading up to this year's WrestleMania XL on April 6 and April 7. He talks us through footage we are shown of CM Punk arriving to the building for his hometown return tonight.
Cole then mentions how Cody Rhodes is also here and will be out shortly to kick off this week's show. We then head into a video package looking back at the "face-to-face" main event segment from this past Friday's episode of WWE SmackDown with Cody Rhodes and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
– After the video package wraps up, we return live inside AllState Arena where we hear the familiar sounds of Cody Rhodes' entrance music. Out comes "The American Nightmare" to fireworks and a jam-packed Chicago crowd singing along with the lyrics.
Rhodes settles into the ring and asks Chicago what they want to talk about. He goes on to talk about how we're in that awkward two weeks before WrestleMania spot right now. He brings up the energy in the building and mentions how Pat McAfee is here tonight. The crowd roars. "Settle down, it's just Pat."
"The American Nightmare" then brings up the name Roman Reigns and the fans boo. He mentions how Reigns appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and claimed Cody is a politician. He says he's not. He brings up being the best man at a fan's wedding and other scenarios as him being the champion for the people "because the champion isn't here."
He says he has filled the air with positive platitudes about "The Tribal Chief." He says despite the respect, he was screwed by Reigns in the most important match of his career last year at WrestleMania. He tells Reigns outright that he hates his guts.
Cody says he is the reason "Reigns and his cousin can't have their little wank-fest at WrestleMania like they wanted to do." He says it's not his fault, he just does what he does. He won the Royal Rumble and pointed to the WrestleMania XL sign. He says the fans took over from there. He asks the fans if they will be there to fight with him at WrestleMania XL.
Rhodes asks the fans to join him in pointing to the giant WrestleMania XL sign hanging above the ring inside AllState Arena. They all do it together. He says pointing at that sign means exactly what he said. Two main events at WrestleMania XL. He says he's going to defeat "The Final Boss," and as he goes to continue, The Rock's theme cuts him off.
Out comes "The Final Boss" to an explosively loud reaction from the jam-packed Chicago crowd, who clearly didn't expect to see The Rock this evening. The Rock comes out as the roar grows. His music again transitions to his old heel Hollywood Rock theme as he soaks in the atmosphere from the top of the entrance stage.
As The Rock settles inside the ring, he does his usual climb of the ropes to pose. He hops down and does the same on the other side of the ring as Cody Rhodes stands back and plays it cool. Pat McAfee is jacked up on commentary about The Rock being here tonight. His music dies down and loud "Rocky! Rocky!" chants pick up.
He stands there without moving staring down Cody from a few feet away while wearing dark sunglasses. Cody and Rock, from a distance, do a similar reaction to the crowd energy that The Rock and Hulk Hogan did for their classic rivalry heading into their memorable WrestleMania showdown. The fans break out in a thunderous "Holy sh*t! Holy sh*t!" chant.
Rock spends quite a while letting this moment simmer. The fans start up a loud "This is Awesome!" chant now, again, before Rock or Cody says a word or even moves a muscle. It looks like they waited a bit too long, as the Chicago crowd breaks out in a loud chant for their own favorite son, "CM Punk! CM Punk!" The Rock finally starts to slowly walk closer to Cody.
Cody takes a step forward to meet The Rock half-way. The Rock backs up and smiles real big. He takes a moment and then slowly turns and exits the ring as fans loudly start booing. The Rock heads down the ring steps and slowly walks up the entrance aisle. He stops and turns as fans loudly start chanting "Rocky sucks! Rocky sucks!"
Talk about a 180-degree crowd reaction. The Rock continues walking to the back and passes through the curtain without ever saying a word or doing anything. Cody looks around at the crowd and Rock's music dies down and Cody's begins playing. Michael Cole and Pat McAfee then talk us into our first commercial break of the evening.
– When we return from the break, we see some quick highlights of The Rock's surprise appearance confronting Cody Rhodes in tonight's opening segment. Backstage, we return live where Jackie Redmond catches up with "The Final Boss." She asks what he said to Cody out there. "Go ask Cody," Rock says, before walking off.
– Now we head over to The Judgment Day Clubhouse backstage, where the group talks about their business at hand tonight, and mention how JD McDonagh needs to finally gain revenge over Ricochet tonight after their recent losses to "The Highlight of the Night." Off McDonagh goes to get ready to head to the ring for our first match of the evening.
JD McDonagh vs. Ricochet
Back inside AllState Arena, we hear the familiar sounds of Ricochet's theme music. Out comes the longtime WWE Superstar to the ring for our opening contest. He settles inside the squared circle and his entrance tune dies down. The Judgment Day music hits next and out comes JD McDonagh, accompanied by Dominik Mysterio.
As the two head to the ring, Michael Cole talks us through split-screen footage from last week's SmackDown, which saw "Dirty" Dom wearing Rey Mysterio's mask to sneak attack him during his comeback match against Santos Escobar. Back live, the bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one.
The fans break out in a loud "Dom, you suck! Dom, you suck!" chant as he watches on from ringside as Ricochet takes it to McDonagh in the early goings. Ricochet hits a handstand kick and then follows up with a front kick that knocks The Judgment Day member out to the floor. Ricochet goes for a dive, but Dom-Dom moves JD.
Ricochet ends up diving onto both McDonagh and Dominik at ringside for a big pop. On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the match continues. When we return from the break, we see McDonagh has taken over control of the offense. He works over Ricochet as Cole and McAfee talk about The Judgment Day demanding a win from him.
"The Highlight of the Night" connects with a flying clothesline off the top-rope and then a standing shooting star press for a close two count. McDonagh cuts off Ricochet's momentum and hits a big Spanish Fly for a close near fall attempt of his own. He hits a big brainbuster after that and then sits Ricochet on the top-rope and chops the hell out of him.
McDonagh ends up eating some punches from Ricochet, who takes control once the two are both on the top-rope. He hits a poisonrana off the top-rope for a super-close near fall attempt, which Dominik Mysterio breaks up by putting McDonagh's foot on the ropes. McDonagh hits another big spot for another close two count moments later and then we head into a second mid-match commercial break.
When we return from the break and we see Ricochet fight his way back into the offensive lead again after he hits an insane destroyer on McDonagh. He heads to the top-rope to finish him off, but Dominik Mysterio hops on the ring apron for the distraction. The ref ejects Dom-Dom from ringside for that and seconds later, Ricochet hits his top-tope finisher for the pin fall victory. Excellent opener.
Winner: Ricochet
– After the match wraps up, we shoot backstage and we see CM Punk walking the hallways inside AllState Arena. He will be coming out to the ring next when we return. On that note, we shift gears and head into another commercial break.
– When we return from the break, we see some promotion for the new "Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal" documentary premiering next Monday on Peacock. Michael Cole then points out that this is the 11th straight sellout for a WWE TV on the road to WrestleMania XL.
– From there, we then hear "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour as the crowd roars at a fever pitch as their favorite hometown son, CM Punk, makes his way out for his first live WWE television appearance in several weeks. He soaks in the atmosphere and leans down to proclaim it "Clobbering Time!"
Punk heads to the ring as the energy and noise from the crowd goes even louder. "CM Punk! CM Punk!" chants start to quickly spread throughout AllState Arena, right smack dab in the middle of CM Punk Country. He starts off by talking about how his arm isn't 100% and he's not cleared, but he'll be at WrestleMania.
He says he's unsure in what capacity he'll be at the show, and mentions some of the ways he could, such as being the host of WrestleMania, the special referee for the Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes main event, or other ways. He then delivers a shot at The Rock, "Your arms aren't long enough to box with God."
Punk takes some shots at Seth "Freakin'" Rollins for wearing heels and now he's somehow taller than him. He then gets around to Drew McIntyre. Before he can say anything, McIntyre's theme hits and out comes "The Scottish Warrior." Punk talks over his music and demands "this stupid song" get cut off.
We then hear Punk and McIntyre proceed to go back-and-forth in very shoot-style fashion, or at least that's how it came off. Big time, too. Punk says he's not cleared, but he's not looking to wrestle. He tells Drew to get his "bitch ass in the ring." Punk asks if McIntyre is a psychopath in a kilt or a keyboard warrior in a skirt.
McIntyre tells Punk he better be careful, he'll get canceled in today's age for talking like that. McIntyre gets in some comments before Punk again cuts him off when McIntyre says early in his WWE career he was dubbed "The Chosen One." Punk cuts him off and says, "By who?!" and then asks if Drew has the balls to say his name on TV right now.
Obviously to those unaware, the correct answer is Vincent K. McMahon. McIntyre then suggests Punk be the special referee for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship bout between himself and Rollins, so he'll be forced to watch him win the title at WrestleMania like Punk has never done. Before Punk can say anything, the theme for Seth Rollins hits.
Out comes "The Revolutionary" and "The Visionary" of WWE to the fans singing along with his music as usual, despite being in CM Punk Country. Rollins gets in Punk's face and the two have an intense stare down. Fans chant "CM Punk! CM Punk!" Rollins then breaks the tension. "Chicago, welcome to Monday Night Rollins."
The fans say it with him, too. As Rollins continues to talk, the fans cut him off with loud "CM Punk! CM Punk!" chants. Punk jumps in. "Let it happen, bro. This can be your show, but this is my city." Rollins says the time for Punk and McIntyre trying to one-up each other is over. He says he'll take a poll here in Chicago tonight right now.
Rollins asks if CM Punk should be on commentary for the Rollins-McIntyre title match at WrestleMania XL. The fans aren't interested in that. They don't even wait for Rollins to offer other options, the crowd cuts him off with a loud "Referee! Referee!" chant. Rollins points out Punk's counting arm is injured. Punk immediately drops down and counts to three like a referee.
Punk soaks up the roar from the crowd as they react to that. He then jumps in and says something on the mic that gets bleeped out. The fans roar for that. McIntyre cuts in from the commentary desk with his feet up on the table, reminding Punk it's a PG program. Rollins looks at Punk. "You wanna know what I think, Punk?" Punk, without skipping a fraction of a milisecond, fires back, "Nope."
Seth goes on and eventually gets to his point, which is that Punk needs him to have a moment at WrestleMania. He tells Punk he can do what he wants at WrestleMania, so long as he stays out of his way. Punk says it's decided then. He's gonna put some cans on and sit next to McAfee and Cole and do a little commentary at WrestleMania.
He promises to do and say something that will make McIntyre and Rollins interesting for a change. He drops the pipe bomb and exits the ring to another roar from his hometown crowd. As he leaves the ring and begins heading to the back, McIntyre jumps on the mic and pops up from the commentary desk and says Punk isn't getting the last word.
He rambles about Punk being his "Stan" writing letters as he re-enters the ring, but as he continues talking, he is taken out by a super kick from Rollins. Rollins follows up with a Stomp and leaves McIntyre laying. After that, we see a quick message from Shinsuke Nakamura ahead of his match later tonight and then we shoot into another commercial break.
Candice LeRae vs. Ivy Nile
When we return from the break, we see The New Day playing Scrabble. We then return inside AllState Arena where Candice LeRae and Ivy Nile are already in the ring and ready to rock and roll in our next match of the evening. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one.
Within seconds of the match getting going, we see LeRae go down and clutch her leg in pain. The referee checks on her and in the confusion, LeRae once again shows her new darker attitude, revealing that she was playing possom. She steals the win and exits the ring to the clear disgust of her friend Indi Hartwell.
Winner: Candice LeRae
– Backstage, we see Re-Generation X meeting up and talking. R-Truth thinks that it's going to be D-Generation X in action coming up next, which is obviously wrong. He makes some other goofy errors in judgement and then we head into another commercial break.
The New Day vs. DIY
We return from the break to comments from "Main Event" Jey Uso in a vignette and then we head back inside AllState Arena, where we see DIY and The New Day already in the ring and ready for our next match of the evening. The bell sounds and off we go.
On special guest commentary for this one is The Miz and R-Truth. The two banter back-and-forth with Cole and McAfee while largely ignoring the action in the ring early on. We see The New Day hit a big double-team spot that pops the crowd and then R-Truth talks us into a mid-match commercial break as the match continues.
As we settle back in from the break, we see DIY and New Day battling back-and-forth when all of a sudden all of The Judgment Day group except Rhea Ripley hit the ring and they all beat down both teams. Miz eventually gets sick of watching and leaves the commentary desk to try and help.
The Miz gets beat down for his efforts. R-Truth keeps insisting he's on commentary tonight and isn't fighting. The Judgment Day end up coming out and surrounding him at the desk. They grab him and throw him in the ring. As each member comes in, R-Truth takes them out one-by-one until Damian Priest takes him out.
Winners: No Contest
– We then shoot backstage where Jackie Redmond catches up with Cody Rhodes. She asks him what The Rock whispered to him off-mic in the ring earlier tonight. Cody says it's something that he doesn't want to repeat at this time and assures us that it's a promise that The Rock can't keep. We head to another commercial break.
– As we settle back in from the break, GUNTHER is interviewed backstage. He talks about how Sami Zayn can't beat him at WrestleMania. He says he would have told Sami to his face last week, but Sami ran off like a child.
GUNTHER says he doesn't even think Sami will beat Bronson Reed tonight. He is asked about Zayn at WrestleMania and calmly repeats that he doesn't even think Sami will beat Bronson Reed tonight.
Andrade vs. Giovanni Vinci
Back inside AllState Arena, we see Giovanni Vinci in the ring as he prepares for our next match of the evening. Andrade's theme hits and out he comes to take on the Imperium member, who is a late-replacement for Andrade's original opponent, Ivar, who as noted, was not cleared to compete just hours before tonight's show.
Andrade takes the early offensive lead, blasting Vinci with high impact offense, including a big drop kick to the mouth that sends the Imperium member out to the floor. He hits a big dive from the ring to the floor on Vinci. Back in the ring, Andrade goes for a moonsault off the top, but Vinci rolls away.
Andrade lands on his feet and immediately leaps into an instant follow-up standing moonsault that connects. Vinci hits a big cross body coming off the ropes to slow Andrade's momentum down. The crowd boos as we head into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see Andrade pull off the victory.
Winner: Andrade
– After the match, we shoot backstage where we see WWE Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley and "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio of The Judgment Day walking the hallways. They are heading to the ring when we return. On that note, we head to another commercial break.
– When we return from the break, we hear Rhea Ripley's theme song. Out comes "Mami" to a thunderous reaction from the Chicago crowd. The WWE Women's World Champion makes her way down to the ring accompanied by Dom-Dom.
Ripley settles inside the ring and starts on the mic joking about how she doesn't think she's getting enough attention lately. She then brings up how Becky Lynch isn't showing Ripley the respect she deserves, as she's fighting others every week on Raw and not focusing on their WrestleMania XL title showdown.
"Mami" tells Dom-Dom to reiterate the points she just made, and as he grabs the mic to do so, the fans explode with loud boos. Before "Dirty" Dom can say a word, he is cut off by the familiar sounds of Becky Lynch's theme song. "The Man" makes her way down to the ring and her music dies down.
Lynch lets the "Becky! Becky!" chants settle in and then begins to address Ripley. She talks about how Ripley doesn't give respect, as she attacks people from behind after they have matches. She also talks about how she's had to fight others on Raw the last few weeks because Ripley is never here to fight.
Rhea says she doesn't have to prove herself in the ring on a weekly basis. Lynch cuts her off as she tries to continue. Lynch says they have two different ideas of what a champion is. She says to Rhea it's showing her ass on social media, alluding to the viral photos and videos of her "Stink Face" to Nia Jax.
She says Ripley shows her ass, but to Becky being a champion is about busting your ass. Ripley tells Lynch that she reminds her of something. She says Lynch is a cockroach. She's really hard to kill, but it's not impossible.
She says she isn't going to kill her, she wants her to have to sit on her couch with her daughter and have to listen to her call Ripley, "Mami!" The fans actually chant "Mami! Mami!" Lynch gets super-serious and tells Ripley that's her one pass and that if she ever mentions her daughter again it's over.
She says she thinks she's being funny with a joke like that. She gets super emotional, choked up and essentially talking while crying when saying that her father would be proud of the mother she has grown up to be. Lynch vows neither of them will ever be the same again after WrestleMania XL.
Lynch ends up decking Dom and then she and Ripley start wildly brawling as the crowd explodes. Ripley runs Lynch into the post. She goes to leave with Dom, but Lynch pops back up and rushes to attack her again on the floor. They are pulled apart again, only for Lynch to break free and re-engage again. A ton of officials break them up.
– When the segment wraps up, we shoot backstage and we see Sami Zayn in his ring gear getting ready for his match this evening. Up walks Chad Gable. The two talk about their heated interaction last week and then switch to tonight's business at hand. Gable convinces Zayn that he's focusing on the wrong things. Zayn says he's right.
Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed
After this wraps up, we head into another commercial break. When we return, the theme for Bronson Reed hits and out comes "Big" Bronson for his advertised singles match against Sami Zayn. He settles in the ring and his music dies down. Zayn's theme hits and the crowd goes nuts as he heads down for our next bout on this week's show.
The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. We see Reed jump into the early offesive lead, using his size and strength advantage to slow Zayn down and control things. As Zayn starts to fight back into competitive form, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this one continues.
When we return from the break, we see Zayn firing up on offense and blasting Reed with vicious chops over-and-over again. Reed's nose is busted open. Zayn looks close to having this one finished up when WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER comes out to the top of the entrance area. The distraction leads to Reed taking over and connecting with his Tsunami finisher off the top for the win.
Winner: Bronson Reed
– We head to the backstage area once again, where we see "Main Event" Jey Uso in his ring gear getting ready for his scheduled match tonight. He talks directly into the camera to send a message to his opponent, Shinsuke Nakamura.
Out of nowhere, Solo Sikoa walks up and gets in his face. Behind Solo we see Jimmy Uso standing. Jimmy looks at Jey and simply says, "No YEET!" We head to another commercial break on that note.
– As we return from the break, we see a frustrated Sami Zayn freaking out because GUNTHER got in his head. He's mad that he knew what GUNTHER was trying to do and still let him do it. Chad Gable gives Zayn some advice having dealt with GUNTHER.
– Now we see "Main Event" Jey Uso getting ready to walk through the Gorilla Position to head to the ring for our main event of the evening, when WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth "Freakin'" Rollins approaches him. He says things don't feel right. He tells him he and Cody will have his back tonight.
– Cole and McAfee inform us that Roman Reigns will also be with The Rock for the final episode of WWE Monday Night Raw before WrestleMania XL, as the two will be live at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. for next week's "go-home show." Also announced is New Day & #DIY vs. The Judgment Day in eight-man action.
"Main Event" Jey Uso vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Jey Uso heads through the curtain and begins to head to the ring as the Chicago crowd, and even more so, Pat McAfee, mark out. McAfee hops on his chair and leads the "YEET! Wave" with 15,000+ fans in Chicago doing it with him. Cole mocks McAfee for blowing up and gassing himself doing that.
The theme for Uso's opponent hits and out comes "The King of Strong Style" himself, Shinsuke Nakamura. The Japanese legend makes his way down to the ring to the rock violins and settles inside the squared circle for our last match of this week's show.
Now we hear the bell and this one is officially off-and-running. We see Uso delivering a series of shots early on that elicits "YEET!" chants from the fans as each one lands. Nakamura slows down Uso's momentum and starts to shift into the offensive driver's seat as we head into a mid-match commercial break.
When we return this time, we see Uso nearly finishing this one off when Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso hit the ring. Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes run out to make the save. Drew McIntyre is also out there. Cody and Solo fight off to the back as Drew takes out Rollins at ringside. Back in the ring, Uso hits a spear and gets the pin despite the chaos.
Winner: "Main Event" Jey Uso
– After the match, we catch up with Cody Rhodes, who is brawling with Jimmy Uso backstage. Up comes Solo Sikoa from behind, but Cody starts handling him as well. As Cody is fighting the two off by himself, out of nowhere, The Rock appears and proceeds to lay a hellacious beat down on "The American Nightmare." The Rock keeps yelling, "Look at you now!" as he hits Cody with every weapon in sight.
He kicks his ass all the way out the back door. He turns and looks at the camera. He says The Rock's got your attention now. He says something else that is censored off the broadcast. Rock tears Cody's shirt off and knocks him onto the rain-soaked concrete. Rock threatens to throw Cody off a bridge or some kind of high rise. He yells into the camera to "look at your hero now!" He runs Cody into a production truck and then tells Mama Rhodes to look at her boy now.
He says something else that is once again censored off the broadcast. The Rock runs Cody into the door of the production truck again and then delivers one final message into the camera. For the third time, he says something that is censored off the broadcast. He says it didn't have to be like this but now it is because of Cody. He says now the prophecy has come true. Cody is bleeding like a stuck pig from his head. Rock punches Cody and gets his blood all over his hand and tells Mama Rhodes to look at him.
He slaps Cody again and then pulls out a special custom weight belt that says "Mama Rhodes" on it. He again tells Mama Rhodes that he vows to cover that belt with Cody's blood and deliver it to her. He leans down and wipes some of Cody's blood on the belt. He picks up Cody and holds his incredibly bloody face right into the camera and tells Mama Rhodes to look at her son.
He tells a bloody Cody that his Daddy talked a lot about hard times. He says Cody doesn't know about hard times yet but The Rock is gonna teach him about hard times. He says something for a fourth time that is censored off the air. He slams Cody's bloody mug into the production truck again and then tells Mama Rhodes to look at her son. He says it didn't have to be this way but now it is the only way. "Look at your son," he repeats for the 100th time as the show finally goes off the air on that note.
