WWE Raw Results 1/8 - CM Punk Appears, Shinsuke Nakamura Vs. Cody Rhodes And More

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE Raw" on January 8, 2024, coming to you live from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon!

CM Punk will be making his return to "Raw" with something on his mind to share. "The Second City Saint" hasn't been seen on television since December 11, during which he made the decision to become a full-time member of the red brand before he came face-to-face with World Heavyweight Champion Seth "Freakin" Rollins.

Over the course of the past several weeks, Shinsuke Nakamura has been playing mind games with Cody Rhodes. Rhodes has had enough, challenging Nakamura to a match last week. While Nakamura declined to answer the call, he did agree to face him tonight and such will be coming to fruition.

#DIY's Tommaso Ciampa will be making his return to singles action as he collides with Finn Balor. Ciampa's last one-on-one match came on the November 13 episode of "Raw" in a losing effort to Ludwig Kaiser.

Balor won't be the only member of Judgment Day competing in the ring tonight as JD McDonagh is set to take on The Miz. McDonagh will surely be extra motivated to pick up a win tonight after he and Dominik Mysterio came up short to Miz and R-Truth. Speaking of Truth, he will be appearing amidst the confusion as to whether or not he is a member of Judgment Day.

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance dethroned Chelsea Green and Piper Niven as Women's Tag Team Champions on the December 18 episode of "Raw". Tonight, Green and Niven have the chance to become titleholders once again as Carter and Chance put the title on the line in their first televised defense.

Additionally, Kofi Kingston will be going one-on-one with the aforementioned Kaiser after the former and Jey Uso defeated the latter and his Imperium teammate Giovanni Vinci in a tag team match last week.

We are live! Michael Cole and Wade Barrett greet audiences at home as Drew McIntyre waits in the ring.

McIntyre addresses his World Heavyweight Championship match against Seth "Freakin" Rollins last week and says he needed the win. He says he's been replaying the match over and over in his head, then says maybe everyone has been right in saying that he's been holding himself back. He says he thought about stepping away from WWE for a while to figure things out until he realized that Damian Priest cost him the match when he looked to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase. He questions why Priest didn't wait until after the match to cash in, then says maybe he should leave for nine years like CM Punk so he can receive a hero's reception of his own.

Punk's music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He says he's disappointed McIntyre didn't wear his kilt in honor of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, then asks McIntyre if he's known for talking like the two of them are. He says he thought he'd come out since he heard his name, and McIntyre can say what he wants to his face. McIntyre congratulates Punk on being in WWE for over a month, then says he has a bet going with some other roster members that he'll crash and burn. He says his words must've offended Punk, and says all he cares about is what Punk does to him personally. He says they've traveled the world with each other for years and recalls Punk calling himself the locker room leader when he was WWE Champion. He says he needed a leader back then and says he was in a dark place. He says Punk was never that leader that he needed, and he had no reason not to help him. He says he figured things out once he got fired from WWE, then says he's now Punk's leader.

Punk says he's never called himself a leader because he's always led by example. He says McIntyre watched him walk out of WWE, and he in turn watched McIntyre return to the company stronger than ever. He says he's a real nice guy until it's time not to be, and says it's getting to be that time. He says he's not here to make friends, but to win the Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania.

McIntyre says he's done something Punk never has: win the Rumble and main event WrestleMania at a time when WWE needed someone to step up in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. He officially declares himself as an entrant in the 2024 Men's Royal Rumble and will eliminate Punk. Punk says he's going to walk away before things become physical, and says McIntyre can't stop him from winning the Royal Rumble because no one can. He then says he'll make sure to eliminate McIntyre from the Royal Rumble last.

Finn Balor and Damian Priest then make their way down to the ring. #DIY follows. 

The bell rings and the two lock up. Balor fires off shoulders on Ciampa's midsection, but Ciampa responds with a back elbow and a chop. Balor connects with a dropkick and a pair of elbows to Ciampa's head, then fires off several right hands. He then sends Balor crashing into the top turnbuckle face first, but Priest captures his attention, opening the door for Balor to send him crashing into the announce desk face first.

Back from the break, Ciampa delivers a splash to Balor in the corner. He follows it up with a reverse DDT and looks to powerbomb Balor, but Balor escapes and delivers a stomp. Ciampa then manages to powerbomb him and get his knees up in time to connect with Balor's spine. Balor responds with a dropkick to Ciampa in the corner, then ascends to the top and looks to hit the Coup De Grace. Ciampa avoids the maneuver and rolls Balor up, but Balor kicks out.

Priest hops up onto the apron and distracts Ciampa, but Gargano pulls him off. Priest looks to send Gargano crashing through the announce desk with a Razor's Edge, but Ciampa delivers a knee off the apron. Balor looks to take advantage and deliver a Brainbuster to him into the ring, but Gargano grabs his ankle from the outside, opening the door for Ciampa to pin him for the win.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa

We then head backstage and see Becky Lynch chatting with Jackie Redmond as she reflects on her loss to Nia Jax last week.

Back at ringside, Kofi Kingston makes his way down to the ring. Ludwig Kaiser follows. 

The bell rings and the two lock up. Kaiser fires off right hands on Kingston, then delivers a clothesline and fires off strikes. He delivers a chop in the corner, but Kingston responds with a series of strikes. Kaiser then drapes Kingston off the top turnbuckle by his knee and delivers a dropkick to him. Kingston responds with an enzuigiri from the apron and a crossbody into the ring, then looks for Trouble In Paradise. Kaiser avoids the maneuver and Kingston sends him crashing to the outside. He looks to fly, but Kaiser catches him with a right hand and tosses him into the barricade before rocking him with a kick.

Back from the break, Kaiser delivers a series of stomps to Kingston's chest. He looks to hit one off the middle rope, but Kingston gets his boot up to prevent him from doing so. Kaiser is sent crashing out of the ring, and Kingston goes flying off the top to level him. Kingston then goes flying off the ring steps, but Kaiser sends him crashing into the ring post and looks to land a running uppercut. Kingston moves out of the way and Kaiser is sent crashing into the barricade as the referee begins a ten count. Kingston looks to slide back into the ring, but Kaiser prevents him from doing so. The referee reaches ten, and both men are counted out.

Winner: N/A (double count out)

After the match, the two men continue brawling. Officials run down to ringside as Kingston sends Kaiser crashing into the announce desk. Kaiser throws a chair on Kingston and continues beating Kingston down until officials finally manage to pull him off Kingston. Kaiser escapes and delivers a dropkick to Kingston, sending him crashing into the ring steps.

Back from the break, Jackie Redmond catches up with Kaiser, who explains that Kingston had a beatdown coming given that he's currently carrying Imperium as the result of his action.

Back at ringside, Michael Cole introduces Nia Jax and she makes her way down to the ring.

Cole points out that Jax shocked the world when she defeated Becky Lynch, and Jax questions why that was so shocking. She says she's told everyone that she's a different version of herself and tells Cole that it would be shocking if she broke his face. She says she's focused on the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble and earning her WrestleMania match, whether that be with IYO SKY or Rhea Ripley.

Ripley's music hits and she makes her way down to the ring. She says Jax likes to talk a big game and she's acting like she's already won the Rumble. She reminds Jax that she eliminated her from the match last year and while she may have defeated Lynch, Lynch isn't her. She says Jax doesn't own the women's division, and if she wins the Rumble, it's in Jax's best interest to keep her name out of her mouth.

Jax says while Ripley is the most dominant Women's Champion, she laid her out when she returned. She says Ripley is too scared to face her one-on-one and she will choose to face Ripley at WrestleMania when she wins the Rumble. 

We then head over to a video of The Rock's return to WWE last week. 

Back at ringside, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven make their way out. 

Back from the break, we see Shinsuke Nakamura blindside Cody Rhodes backstage. 

Back at ringside, Kayden Carter and Katana Chance head down.

Carter and Green begin the action. The bell rings and Green delivers a dropkick to Carter that sends her crashing to the outside. She chases her back in the ring, but Carter catches her with a kick. Chance tags in and pins Green, but Green kicks out. Carter tags back in and delivers a kick to Green's jaw. Chance becomes legal and looks to double team on Green with Carter, but Niven helps her partner out. Green sends Chance crashing into the middle turnbuckle before Niven tags in and delivers a cannonball as the rest of the women's tag team division watches the action from backstage.

Back from the break, Carter tags in and delivers a forearm to Green. She delivers a kick to her, then follows it up with a leg drop and sits her on the top turnbuckle. She joins her up there before Chance tags in and joins them up there. Chance delivers an avalanche hurricanrana with some assistance from Carter, then tags Carter back in and double teams on Green with her. Green sets up for the Unprettier on Carter, but Carter fights her off. She pins Carter, but the referee begins the three count late after being distracted by Chance.

Niven tags in and delivers an elbow to Carter's spine. She goes for a pin, but Chance breaks the fall. Green sends her crashing out of the ring with a kick before Carter does the same to her. She then delivers a kick to Niven's jaw, but Niven sends her crashing into the mat. Green tags in and helps Niven climb the ropes. Chance pulls Carter out of the ring, and Niven accidentally delivers a Vader Bomb to Green. Chance then tags in and delivers the Keg Stand with Carter to Green for the win.

Winners (and still): Kayden Carter and Katana Chance

We then head over to a video from R-Truth, who reflects on everything he's been through with Judgment Day.

We head backstage to Judgment Day's lounge and see the group's reaction to R-Truth's video before discussing how to proceed with Truth wanting to become a member of the group. Priest says he'll handle things when the time is right.

Back at ringside, The Miz makes his way out. JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio follow.

The bell rings and the two look to lock up. R-Truth appears at ringside to join Dominik in cheering McDonagh on, and the Judgment Day members question what he's doing. Miz delivers an arm drag to McDonagh, then follows it up with a knee to his midsection. McDonagh then rolls out of the ring for a breather. He slides back in and delivers the Miz Kicks. Miz looks to lock in a Figure Four Leg Lock, but McDonagh prevents him from doing so. Miz then hits a neckbreaker and a chop, but McDonagh delivers a kick to his jaw. Miz responds with a back body drop and sets up for Skull Crushing Finale, but Dominik clocks him from the apron while the referee is distracted. This opens the door for McDonagh to deliver an elbow.

Back from the break, Miz connects with a back elbow on McDonagh. He follows it up with a jawbreaker, but McDonagh executes a corkscrew over the top from the apron as Truth rallies the crowd from the outside. McDonagh rocks Miz with an enzuigiri and a suplex, but Miz responds with a series of right and left hands. He follows it up with a clothesline in the corner and the Miz Kicks, but McDonagh rolls him up. Miz kicks out and delivers a knee to the back of McDonagh's knee, then locks in a Figure Four Leg Lock. McDonagh makes his way over to the bottom rope to break the hold, then delivers a jawbreaker to Miz using the top rope as extra leverage. Miz levels McDonagh and Dominik on the outside with a dropkick through the middle rope and gets him back in the ring before landing the Skull Crushing Finale for the win.

Winner: The Miz

After the match, Truth celebrates with Miz in the ring.

Back from the break, Seth "Freakin" Rollins makes his way down to the ring. 

Rollins welcomes fans to Monday Night Rollins and introduces himself, then says the Royal Rumble is only a few weeks away and the Road to WrestleMania comes after that. He says his WrestleMania track record is pretty good, but he's never defended a World Championship at the Premium Live Event. He says that changes this year because it's his year and he's worked too hard and too long for that not to be the case. He says he took a title that didn't exist and elevated it into the most important title in the wrestling business, then ponders who he'll beat to retain the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania given how stacked the "Raw" roster is.

Jinder Mahal's music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He asks Rollins how he was more of a revolutionary last week than he has been in five years, then rags on Portland. He says Rollins prides himself on being a workhorse that provides opportunities to everyone except for him, then reminds Rollins that he beat Randy Orton to become WWE Champion.

Rollins says that Mahal is right in saying that he's been overlooked, but that was intentional. He says he appreciates that Mahal had the courage to show up again after what happened between him and The Rock last week, but he doesn't appreciate that he interrupted him and dares him to take a shot at him. Mahal doesn't do so, and Rollins tells him that he hasn't changed. Rollins looks to leave, but Mahal clocks him from behind. Rollins takes Mahal down with a kick and looks to connect with the Curb Stomp, but Mahal slides out of the ring before he can. 

Alpha Academy then make their way down to the ring. Ivar and Valhalla follow. 

The bell rings and the two lock up. Ivar delivers a kick to Otis' midsection, but Otis responds with a back elbow. Ivar levels him with a sit-out senton before executing a powerbomb and going for a pin. Otis kicks out and delivers the Caterpillar, then goes for a pin of his own. Ivar kicks out and the pair exchange strikes before Ivar delivers a spinning back heel kick and a moonsault off the top for the win.

Winner: Ivar

After the match, Tozawa slides inside the ring but Ivar shoves him.

Back from the break, Shinsuke Nakamura makes his way down to the ring. Cody Rhodes follows. 

The bell rings and Rhodes fires off right hands on Nakamura's spine. The action spills to the outside, and the pair brawl up the ramp. They exchange right hands at the top before Rhodes sends Nakamura crashing into the barricade twice. Nakamura delivers a right hand, but Rhodes connects with one of his own. He follows it up with an elbow to the back of his neck, then sends him crashing into the announce desk midsection first and hits Nakamura with a water bottle. He sends him crashing into the ring steps, then dumps him into the ring and ascends to the top. Nakamura rolls back to the outside and grabs a broom. He hits Rhodes with it, then crawls under the ring to grab a kendo stick. He cracks it across Rhodes' spine.

Back from the break, Rhodes hits Nakamura with the kendo stick repeatedly. Nakamura drapes him across the top rope and delivers a knee to his midsection, then fires off kicks and locks in an inverted Texas Cloverleaf before he fires off more kicks. Rhodes responds with a powerslam and a Disaster Kick, then grabs a table from under the ring and slides it inside. Nakamura blindsides Rhodes and hits him with a pair of nunchucks, then climbs up the barricade near the timekeepers area and looks to fly with them in hand. Rhodes catches Nakamura with a right hand and grabs a chair. He looks to spit his red mist into Rhodes' face, but Rhodes ducks out of the way and Nakamura sprays the timekeeper. He then attacks Rhodes with a chair.

Back from another break, Nakamura cracks the chair across Rhodes' spine and sets it up in the corner. Rhodes sends him colliding into it, and the two exchange strikes. Rhodes connects with a pair of elbows on Nakamura's head. Nakamura gets Rhodes on top of a table and delivers a pair of double knees to him off the top rope. He then pins Rhodes, but Rhodes kicks out.

Nakamura grabs a second table from under the ring and sets it up in the corner. He sends Rhodes crashing into the corner with the chair set up in it spine first, then delivers a release German suplex and a knee off the middle rope. Rhodes catches him with a kick under his jaw, then delivers a Pedigree and a Cody Cutter. Nakamura charges at him, but Rhodes sends him crashing into the table in the corner. He then executes Cross-Rhodes for the win and celebrates with Portland as the show goes off the air.

Winner: Cody Rhodes