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WWE Raw this week opened with CM Punk, fresh off his win at War Games. He would say he has a new vision, and that vision is WrestleMania. He would be quickly interrupted by Seth Rollins. Seth said he should have knocked him out the day he got there. The two are known to have a real beef, and that always makes for the best storylines, where fiction and reality are blurred. Seth plans on making up for the mistake of not putting him down. Punk would say he’s over Seth, and has better things to do. Seth would initiate, and the brawl was on. Jey Uso and Sami Zayn would be the ones to separate the two. Seth would then explain how Sami is not family, as he paired up with Roman Reigns and CM Punk. Zayn would remind Seth that he asked him twice, before having no choice. This was a great, emotional promo. It would result in the two scheduling a match for later in the evening.
The first match of the night would be a tag-team match between Damage CTRL and Liv Morgan + Raquel Rodriquez. Not the best match, rather soft and sloppy. Racquel and Liv Morgan would win the match, and start to lay further damage after the bell. Rhea Ripley would run to the ring. Liv Morgan would run off as Rhea and Racquel had an exchange. Liv would join the fun and they would end up driving the face or eye of Rhea into the corner of the announce desk.
The next match was a first round triple threat match in the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament. This would see Dakaota Kai, Shayna Baszler, and Katana Chance. Shayna and Dakota would steal the show, with great wrestling and back-and-forth. Dakota Kai would pick up the pin over Katana Chance to advance.
The next segment was to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of The New Day. The cracks in the pavement have been made clear leading up to this segment. Kofi and Xavier would start to talk about what’s next for New Day, when Big E’s music would hit. Big E had an unsettled look on his face, and did not bring his normal energy. He would say how disappointed he is in the two as of late, and he will be coming back as their manager (as he is not cleared to wrestle). Woods would reply, saying it’s too late and that he left them. Big E broke his neck and had a very serious injury. Kofi would list off numerous wrestlers who came back from broken necks. It appeared at this moment New Day may be making a heel-turn. Kofi and Woods would tell Big E to get back to his desk, where he belongs. Kofi and Xavier would then go face to face, only to shake hands, almost in solidarity of the heel-turn.
The next match was Dominik Mystero versus Gunther, after a backstage incident earlier in the night. Guther was largely dominant in this match until Dominik hit Gunther with a low-blow that the referee did not see. He would get a good false finish out of it, but not a pin. Finn Balor would ruin the match, jumping Gunther, who declined Balor’s championship match request earlier in the evening. “That’s how it’s done” he would say to Dom.
Pete Dunne would take on R-Truth next. It would seem like it was going to be a squash match for Dunne until R-Truth did a last minute reversal/roll-up for the sneaky pinfall.
The main-event would see Seth Rollins take on Sami Zayn in an emotion filled matchup. It was a pretty physical matchup too, the boys laid it in there. Zayn would grab a chair, and after hesitation, Seth would pull an R-Truth if you will, and roll him up for the win. After the bell, Drew McIntyre would make his return, and hit Sami Zayn with a Claymore.
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