WWE aired a special Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw on January 1st 2024, live from Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. The show was hyped like a mini-premium Live Event. The card included Seth Rollins vs Drew McIntyre and Becky Lynch vs Nia Jax. A surprise return was teased majorly, and it finally unfolded on Raw. Let’s look at what happened on the first-ever WWE Raw in 2024.
Singles Match
Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax
The show opened with a grudge match between Becky Lynch and Nia Jax. The crowd was heavily chanting Becky’s name. Both superstars tried to counter their opponent’s moves early on. Jax escaped the Manhandle Slam while Lynch escaped a Samoan Drop. Jax dominated the action and trash-talked for a bit. Becky moved away from a leg drop attempt and hit a rolling neck snapper. Becky covered it, but Nia kicked out at one.
Lynch delivered the Diamond Dust from the second rope and then a missile dropkick to take down Jax. After some back-and-forth action, Nia delivered a Samoan Drop for a near fall. We saw a sunset flip bomb from Becky for a two-count. At ringside, Nia tried to punch Lynch’s face again, but Becky moved away. Lynch escaped a cannonball at ringside, and Jax hit the barricade. Becky entered the ring for a count-out attempt, but Nia saved herself at nine.
Becky quickly delivered a diving leg drop, followed by Dis-Arm-Her. Jax barely escaped. Nia powered out and delivered a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. Lynch somehow survived a Super Samoan Drop. As Becky was going for a diving leg drop, Nia caught her with a right hand in mid-air. An Annihilator by Jax was all for the win. Lynch was bleeding from her mouth afterwards.
Winner: Nia Jax
Grades: B
Analysis: Nia Jax winning was quite a surprise, and it seems like WWE will continue this story. This was a decent match, perhaps the best for Jax since her return.
Cody Rhodes’ Promo
Cody Rhodes appeared and welcomed fans for the first time in 2024. He said he was stuck on Shinsuke Nakamura and wanted to end the whole thing. Nakamura appeared on the titantron and gave Cody another week before this thing ended. Shin said that he would write the last chapter of Cody’s story and will finish the story. He spitted mist into the camera in the end. Cody was seemingly frustrated.
Grades: B+
Analysis: It was a nice promo segment between Cody and Nakamura. They will battle next week.
Tag Team Match
Jey Uso and Kofi vs Imperium
Kingston got the early advantage and took out Vinci with a splash. A brilliant cross-body by Vinci. Kaiser was tagged in. Kingston delivered a twisting missile dropkick on Ludwig. Imperium members exchanged turns in attacking Kofi. In the end, Jey Uso got the hot tag. As Jey entered the ring, the referee stopped the match. A Doctor was checking on Vinci.
Winners: Jey Uso and Kofi Kingston via referee stoppage.
Grades: C
Analysis: The match ended with a potential injury angle for Giovanni Vinci. Hopefully, it is not too serious if it is real.
Tag Team Match
Miz TV and The Awesome Truth vs The Judgment Day
The Miz started a Miz TV talk show and invited The Judgment Day. R-Truth came out instead with a Judgment Day t-shirt. There was a funny banter between The Miz and Truth. Miz asked Truth about his role on Judgment Day. Truth replied that he wanted to make the Judgment Day likeable to everyone and said, “All rise for the Judgment Day”.
JD McDonagh and Dominik came out. JD told Truth that he is not a part of the Judgment Day. Mysterio tried to speak but was heavily booed. Truth asked McDonagh if he was a part of Judgment Day because he lost the loser leaves match. A match was made with McDonagh and Dominik against The Awesome Truth.
The match began with The Miz dominating the opponents. R-Truth was tagged in, and he hit a corkscrew cross-body and avalanche JD into the corner. Truth hilariously tried to tag Dominik. JD tagged in Mysterio, and he delivered a 619 on Truth. We saw a slingshot senton bomb from Dom and a snap suplex from McDonagh for a near fall. Miz got the hot tag and hit his patented corner clotheslines. There was some funny drama with Truth still thinking of himself as a part of the Judgment Day. In the end, The Miz pinned McDonagh after a Skull Crushing Finale.
Winners: The Miz and The Awesome Truth
Grades: B
Analysis: It was a fun match. The Miz is getting over as a babyface. R-Truth is a legend of his game and made the crowd laugh several times in this segment.
Women’s World Title Match
Rhea Ripley vs Ivy Nile
The match started at a quick pace. Ripley and Nile both displayed their power. After some action, Nile delivered a hurricane and slammed Ripley down. Rhea rolled to the ringside to recover. Rhea was furious and took time to enter the ring again. Nile overpowered her for a bit before suffering an electric chair facebuster on the apron. Later, We saw a German Suplex by Nile at ringside. Ivy came up with a spin kick and a leg lariat. She followed up with a Satellite DDT for a two-count. Ripley bounced back with a head-butt and a missile dropkick from the top rope for a near fall.
Nile, with a snap, Fireman’s carries slam for a near fall. We saw a German Suplex from Ivy Nile from the middle rope. Ripley was somehow kicked out. In the end, Rhea retained the title with a Riptide.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
Grades: B-
Analysis: It was a great match and showed how Ivy Nile can hang out with big stars. Ripley was brilliant in the ring, and she retained her title as expected.
The Return of a Former WWE Champion
The fans eagerly wait, and Jinder Mahal came out. The crowd heavily booed The Maharaja. Mahal gave his anti-American speech and talked in his native language, Punjabi, too.
To everyone’s surprise, the Rock returned, and the crowd roared for The Great One. The Brahma Bull used his traditional insults on Mahal, which were completely uncensored. Rock called him the “Day 1 Douchebag!”. Then, he sang an anthem to insult the Maharaja.
Mahal had enough and attacked the People’s Champion. Rock delivered a spinebuster and the People’s Elbow. Rock grabbed the microphone and said Happy New Year. Interestingly, Rock dropped the moniker Head of the Table.
Grades: A
Analysis: WoW! It was a major surprise. Several other names were expected to appear, but The Rock came out of nowhere. A major tease yet again as the Rock mentioned the moniker Head of the Table.
Tag Team Match
Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark vs Natalya and Tegan Nox
There were quick tags to start the match. Tegan dominated against Baszler. She delivered running clotheslines and a front suplex. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae were watching this match from backstage. Nox returned the favor with a cannonball and a Molly-Go-Round on Shayna for a near fall. Baszler bounced back and delivered a kick to the back of Nox. Natalya was sent outside, and The Queen of Spades delivered a German suplex on Tegan. Zoey Stark hit with a Z-360 and a pinfall on Nox for the win.
Winners: Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark
Grades: C-
Analysis: Baszler and Stark can make up a good tag team. Let’s see where this alliance goes. WWE must book them in one way or other because they are good to be in the ring.
World Heavyweight Title Match
Seth Rollins vs Drew McIntyre
The main event was the battle between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship. The action started at a quick pace with an angry Drew McIntyre charging on the Champion. Rollins sent him to the ringside and delivered a flying forearm. McIntyre slammed him onto the Commentary table. Drew went for an Inverted Alabama Slam, but Rollins escaped. Seth went for the suicide dive, but McIntyre caught him and delivered a belly-to-belly suplex on the floor.
We saw a chop fest in the ring. McIntyre delivered the 10 Beats of Bodhran. Drew connected with a backbreaker. Rollins escaped a White Noise and went for the Buckle Bomb, but his back gave out. Instead, Seth delivered a hurricane. Outside the ring, Seth delivered a somersault senton. Back inside, Rollins delivered a Satellite DDT followed by a Frog Splash. Drew barely kicked out, and Rollins was in disbelief. Rollins delivered a massive superplex from the top rope. McIntyre countered into a Falcon Arrow of his own for a near fall.
An Alabama Slam connected in the ring for a two-count. McIntyre delivered a Super White Noise off the second rope for a near fall. Some continuous Chops were being hit from both competitors again. McIntyre delivered a Future Shock DFT and went for a Claymore. Seth countered it into a sit-out powerbomb for a two-count. Rollins successfully landed a pedigree for a near fall. So Close!
Damian Priest walked down to the ring alongside a referee and Dominik Mysterio. McIntyre prevented the cash-in by taking out Priest with a Claymore Kick. He went on to take down Dom with an overhead Belly-to-Belly suplex. Inside the ring is The Scottish Warrior with a Claymore Kick to Seth Rollins. It seemed over, but Rollins’ foot touched the bottom rope to break the pin. An angry McIntyre grabs Rollins to the commentary table. Seth fought back and delivered a pedigree. Seth hit a Stomp in the ring and pinned Drew for the win.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Grades: A-
Analysis: It was a great match to end the first-ever episode of WWE Raw in 2024. Seth is still the Champion. It was a nice way to remind fans that Priest has the briefcase. McIntyre lost another major match, and it will be interesting to see his future.
Overall, it was a brilliant show and delivered to the hype. The Rock returned and teased the dream match between him and Roman Reigns. Becky and Nia delivered a nice match and an excellent main event to close the show.
