WWE held its first pay-per-view event of 2024 last night with Raw Day 1, headlined by Seth Rollins defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre. The show saw the return of several former champions and a chaotic end to the main event.
Rollins Retains Title After Confusing Finish
The main event clash between Rollins and McIntyre ended in controversial fashion, with Rollins somehow leaving with the title despite not definitively winning the match. As reported by multiple outlets, the match spilled out of the ring early on, where both men traded blows.
McIntyre seemed to seize control midway through the bout, hitting a Claymore kick that nearly earned him the title. However, as he went for the pin, the lights mysteriously cut out in the arena. When they returned, both men were down and a group of people in masks and black suits surrounded the ring.
As noted by WrestlingInc, the masked figures proceeded to attack both competitors as the referee struggled to restore order. After a brief delay, Rollins suddenly crawled into a cover on McIntyre and scored a fast three count, apparently retaining his title by nefarious means.
Confusion Reigns Over Bizarre Finish
The bizarre ending left fans and pundits alike scratching their heads over what exactly transpired. As Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer tweeted:
“That was one of the most convoluted & confusing finishes I’ve seen. Are they going to explain any of this on #RAW tonight or just ignore it?”
Many outlets praised WWE for trying something unique with the main event finish but felt it was too convoluted. TJRWrestling said:
“I appreciate WWE wanting to do something different with the finish because seeing Rollins win clean might have been boring. I just think it was too chaotic with too much going on.”
It remains to be seen if WWE will provide an explanation on tonight’s Raw about who the masked attackers were and why they cost McIntyre the title.
Becky Lynch Injured in Loss to Nia Jax
While the main event grabbed headlines, the show featured several other newsworthy moments. In one of the night’s biggest shocks, Nia Jax defeated Becky Lynch in a hard-hitting matchup. However, the match ended in scary fashion as Jax appeared to legitimately injure Lynch’s knee.
As seen in a video released by WWE after Raw went off the air, Jax showed no remorse for her actions, saying:
“I didn’t just beat The Man, I broke her knee! Let’s see her try to take back her title now.”
Lynch was seen being helped backstage and there is fear she could miss significant time. This could force WWE to make changes to the Raw Women’s title picture leading up to WrestleMania.
The Rock & Roman Reigns Verbally Spar
In a surprise appearance, legendary star The Rock interrupted his cousin Roman Reigns during a promo. As documented by multiple sites, The Rock challenged Reigns to a match at WrestleMania 40, wanting to dethrone the self-proclaimed “Head of the Table.”
While Reigns didn’t outright accept, he didn’t decline either, hinting that the two mega-stars could be on a collision course for Los Angeles in April. Most fans and analysts, like Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet, expect the match to be made official soon:
“No way they don’t pull the trigger on Rock vs. Roman after that electric segment. It felt like the passing of the torch to the next generation.”
Tables, Ladders, and Chaos
While the world title match closed the show, the midcard saw its share of wild action as well. United States Champion Austin Theory defended his title against Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Rey Mysterio, AJ Styles, and Riddle in a frantic ladder match.
The bout featured several jaw-dropping spots, including Styles delivering a Styles Clash to Theory off a ladder bridged between the ring and announce table. In the end, Theory managed to climb the ladder and retrieve the belt after low-blowing Riddle.
Judgment Day’s Failed MITB Cash-In
Earlier in the night, Judgment Day attempted to capitalize on the chaotic end to the World Title match by cashing in their Money in the Bank contract on new champion Seth Rollins. However, the cash-in was thwarted by McIntyre.
As Rollins stumbled up the ramp, exhausted and battered from his war with McIntyre, Finn Balor rushed the ring to try to cash in. But before the ref could ring the bell, McIntyre slid back in and took out both Balor and Damian Priest with Claymore kicks.
This allows Rollins to escape still as champion, but next time he may not be so lucky with the dangerous Judgment Day lurking.
Full WWE Raw Day 1 Results
| Match | Winner |
|---|---|
| Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – WWE World Heavyweight Title | Seth Rollins |
| Austin Theory (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Rey Mysterio vs. AJ Styles vs. Riddle – WWE United States Title (Ladder Match | Austin Theory |
| Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax | Nia Jax |
| Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Candice LeRae – WWE Raw Women’s Title | Rhea Ripley |
| The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy | The Street Profits |
| Dexter Lumis vs. Chad Gable | Dexter Lumis |
What’s Next for WWE?
With WWE Raw Day 1 now in the books, attention turns to the fallout on tonight’s edition of Monday Night Raw. Several questions remain in the wake of last night’s show:
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How will Seth Rollins’ controversial world title defense be addressed?
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What is the status of Becky Lynch after her injury?
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Will The Rock vs. Roman Reigns be made official for WrestleMania?
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What is next for Judgment Day and their Money in the Bank contract after failing to cash-in?
Fans will want answers to these questions and more. Tonight’s Raw promises to be newsworthy as WWE builds towards WrestleMania season.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
