By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,544)
Aired December 26, 2022 on USA Network
[Hour One] “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins set the table for the show from a studio… Corey Graves and Jackie Redmond hosted the show from studio…
Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match from SummerSlam aired…
Powell’s POV: A great choice to open the show with. Lesnar using a tractor to tip the ring over made this one of WWE’s most memorable spectacle matches.
Graves and Redmond hyped John Cena and Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn for Friday’s Smackdown. A video package on Cena aired and included comments from Shawn Michaels, Booker T, Triple H, Randy Orton, Trish Stratus, JBL, Stephanie McMahon, and Steve Austin. Footage aired from his appearance at the 20 Years of Cena celebration. They didn’t include the introduction provided by Vince McMahon…
Highlights aired of Steve Austin vs. Kevin Owens from WrestleMania… Footage aired from the Johnny Knoxville vs. Sami Zayn match from WrestleMania…
A bewildered Sami Zayn sat in a chair and questioned why that footage was chosen despite everything else he’s done in 2022. Zayn said it was fine because it was the holidays and they’d be looking at the best of 2022, and you can’t talk about the best of 2022 without talking about The Bloodline…
NXT Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were interviewed by Cathy Kelley in a studio. Woods spoke highly of the Pretty Deadly tag team they beat to win the titles. Kingston spoke about how “super cool” it is to be Triple Crown Tag Team Champions. The duo also spoke about the evolution of New Day. Woods said he was nervous about speaking to Kingston about his idea for the trio, but Kingston was immediately down with it. They also spoke about their rivalry with Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso. Kingston spoke about how both teams found their way to where they are now and said they will continue to push one another…
Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso vs. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles from the November 11 edition of Smackdown aired…
Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair was featured in a video package that included comments from her. She spoke about her childhood and battling bulimia. She said she was in a dark place when WWE came into her life. She said Bianca Belair is who she wanted to be as a little girl and was too scared to be her.
[Hour Two] Graves and Redmond interviewed Belair remotely. Belair said she and husband Montez Ford are very festive and wrap every Christmas gift. Belair said Ford’s inner-child always comes out at Christmas time. Belair also spoke about facing Becky Lynch at WrestleMania. Redmond noted that Belair has a reality show coming, makes her own gear, and competed in a bodybuilding competition. Belair said her husband tells her that she needs to go to sleep because she’s doing too much…
Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania was shown…
Belair vs. Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship was hyped for next week’s Raw…
Highlights aired of Gunther vs. Sheamus for the Intercontinental Championship at Clash at the Castle…
Sheamus was interviewed via FaceTime from his home. He gave a tour of a room (I was too impressed by his Derrick Henry jersey to catch everything). Sheamus took a seat and spoke about being paired with Ridge Holland and Butch. He said you’re in for the Fight Night of your life when you step in the ring with the Brawling Brutes. He also spoke about the Donnybrook match…
“Imperium” Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, and Giovanni Vinci vs. “The Brawling Brutes” Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and Butch from WWE Extreme Rules was replayed…
Sami Zayn was shown seated in an empty locker room and had a Bloodline photo next to him. He acted like he was reading a Bloodline book and then said, “Hi, I didn’t hear you come in.” Zayn spoke about The Bloodline “in a way that we have never seen before.” He sang the praises of Roman Reigns and The Usos while various highlights were shown. Zayn showed off the framed photo next to him and noted that it was from after the WarGames match. Zayn said the level of dominance the Bloodline showed in 2022 was just a small sample of things to come…
Drew McIntyre was featured in a video package and was then interviewed by the hosts. Graves noted that McIntyre was dealing with some injuries and asked how he was doing. McIntyre said he was doing pretty good. He said he had a specific thing that was minor and he will be back very soon. McIntyre said he’s ahead of schedule. Graves brought up Clash at the Castle. McIntyre said that he dreamt of being part of a UK stadium show since he was a kid. Redmond asked how important it is to him to have another premium live event in the UK. McIntyre said he thinks there should be one every year. He mentioned a stadium in Paris. He encouraged fans to make their voices heard via social media. Graves asked what’s next for McIntyre once he returns. McIntyre spoke about facing Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship…
Powell’s POV: Gunther vs. McIntyre? I’m down for that slug fest.
A video package recapped McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross in a strap match from WWE Extreme Rules, and their cage match from WWE Crown Jewel…
WWE returns from 2022 were recapped. They included Ronda Rousey, Braun Strowman, Bayley, Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai, Candice LeRae, Hit Row, Valhalla, Emma, JBL and Baron Corbin, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Mia Yim, Legado Del Fantasma, Johnny Gargano, Dexter Lumis, and Bray Wyatt…
Powell’s POV: I’m not really sure why they felt the need to include Corbin in that mix, but whatever.
[Hour Three] Cody Rhodes was interviewed remotely and spoke about his return to WWE at WrestleMania. Cody said he didn’t know what to expect when he returned at WrestleMania and said he was almost overwhelmed. He said it will be a moment that’s tough to top and one that meant a great deal to him and his family.
Cody also spoke about his feud with Seth Rollins. Cody said they’re not chummy or best friends, but Rollins is one of the top three wrestlers in the world. Rhodes said there’s a “bond by battle” with Rollins. Rhodes said Rollins is probably clamoring for a fourth match between them, but he doesn’t know if that’s on his radar.
Cody was asked about competing with a torn pectoral muscle. Cody said he tells his students at the Nightmare Factory that they will always wrestle hurt and should not wrestle injured. “On that night, I was a massive hypocrite,” Rhodes said. He added that it never crossed his mind to not wrestle once he was told that he couldn’t do further damage. Redmond told Rhodes that he was a legend in the hockey world that night.
Powell’s POV: That’s actually high praise. Redmond does NHL broadcasting work (and does a terrific job), so she’s not just blowing smoke. NHL players are notorious for playing through damn near anything and everything during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so if you’ve earned their respect, then you know you’re a tough SOB.
Graves asked what 2023 holds for Rhodes. Cody said he would like to pick up right where he left off. He said he has paid the price. He said what he was able to do resonated with the fans. He said there is one thing that he came back for specifically. He said a torn pec couldn’t stop him and he can’t think of anything that can. “It has to be done, it needs to be done, and I want to get it done,” Rhodes closed…
Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins in a Hell in a Cell match from WWE Hell in a Cell was shown…
Powell’s POV: I’m happy they showed that match. It’s once thing to see still shots or even some clips, and it’s another thing to see Rhodes actually work through that gruesome injury.
A Liv Morgan video aired and included footage of her mother talking about how she was all about WWE since she was a child. Footage also aired of Morgan successfully cashing in her Money in the Bank contract on Ronda Rousey to win the Smackdown Women’s Championship…
Liv Morgan was interviewed remotely. She said her heart was beating out of her chest when she won the championship. Graves said he didn’t know if he’d seen a WWE wrestler as excited to win a championship as Morgan was. Morgan said she knows the best is yet to come because she will continue to evolve and get better. She spoke about getting extreme and said she may hurt herself or someone else, but it’s a risk she’s willing to take…
Footage aired of Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey in an Extreme Rules match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship from WWE Extreme Rules…
A video package recapped The Judgment Day and the addition of Dominik Mysterio to the faction…
A video package spotlighted U.S. Champion Austin Theory… Bobby Lashley was featured in a video package…
Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship from WWE Crown Jewel was shown…
Graves said it was a sensational performance by Paul, but noted that Reigns is still the champion. Redmond hyped John Cena and Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn for Friday’s Smackdown. Graves hyped Bianca Belair vs. Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship, and Austin Theory vs. Seth Rollins for the U.S. Championship for Monday’s Raw. They also hyped the Royal Rumble event for January 28…
Powell’s POV: Overall, a good mix of matches along with some fresh content in the form of the various interviews. It was a missable episode for those who had holiday plans and yet an entertaining watch for those who opted to watch the “best of” style show. I imagine that it was an especially good show for fans who don’t have Peacock or access to the premium live events. My live reviews of Raw along with my same night audio reviews for Dot Net Members will return on Monday.
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