By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,704)
Belfast, Northern Ireland, at The SSE Arena
Streamed live January 19, 2026, on Netflix
[Hour One] Michael Cole opened the show while shots aired of the fans, followed by backstage/arrival shots of World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, Finn Balor, Maxxine Dupri with Otis and Akira Tozawa, Los Americanos, and Rey Mysterio, Penta, and Dragon Lee… Pyro shot off on the stage, and then a drone shot aired of what Cole said was a sold-out venue… Corey Graves was on commentary with Cole…
Powell’s POV: WrestleTix reported that the venue is set up for 8,597, and 8,578 tickets had been distributed roughly two hours before the show. The venue’s listed capacity is 11,000.
Gunther made his entrance to boos. Gunther said AJ Styles made a mistake last week. He boasted that he put Goldberg to sleep and made John Cena tap out. Gunther officially declared for the men’s Royal Rumble match. He started to talk about lasting 71:40 in a previous Rumble, but he was interrupted.
AJ Styles made his entrance and joined Gunther inside the ring. The fans chanted Styles’ name. Styles said he knew Gunther wanted to move on, but he doesn’t. Styles challenged Gunther to a rematch at the Royal Rumble. Gunther said he’s going to win the Royal Rumble, and he doesn’t plan to pull double duty, so the answer was no.
Gunther started to make his exit, but Styles stopped him in his tracks by saying it sounded like Gunther was scared. Styles said Gunther didn’t beat him last week. He said he showed Gunther mercy and added that Gunther tapped out like a little bitch. Styles told Gunther to say if he was scared, and they could move.
Gunther said he proved that he’s the smarter and better wrestler than Styles last week. He said there was no point in wrestling Styles again, so the answer was still no. Gunther started to leave and then stopped. Gunther said there might be something that Styles could do. Styles told him to name it.
Gunther said that if Styles wants a rematch with him at the Rumble, then he wants Styles to put his career on the line. Gunther told Styles to think about whether that’s a hill that Styles is willing to die on. He told Styles that he expects his answer by the end of the night, unless he’s a little scared. Gunther exited the ring…
Powell’s POV: Is there any reason why they couldn’t have this match any day other than Royal Rumble Saturday? Anyway, they set the table for a big showdown match. I suspect that Gunther will be seen as the favorite, given his recent history of retiring Goldberg and John Cena. But I think there’s a chance that Styles will win the match, and then Gunther will get his mojo right back by winning the Rumble.
Maxxine Dupri was stretching out backstage when she spotted Natalya, who said she wanted to be in her corner so that what happened last time with Becky Lynch wouldn’t happen again…
Powell’s POV: Two people were watching in the background. It may have been The Creeds, but I couldn’t tell for sure.
Becky Lynch made her entrance heading into the first commercial break… [C] Maxxine Dupri and Natalya made their entrance…
1. Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri (w/Natalya) for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Ring announcer Mark Nash delivered the in-ring introductions for the title match. Lynch was booed. Cole said she didn’t endear herself to the fans with some of the things she said during the commercial break. Lynch performed a move that dumped Dupri to the floor before an early break. [C]
The wrestlers fought on the ropes before Lynch executed a superplex. Lynch followed up with a DDT for a two count. Lynch showed anger and frustration over not getting the pin. She threw punches at Dupri. Lynch untied a top turnbuckle pad and then pulled it off when Dupri rolled her up for another two count. Dupri performed a crossbody block, but Lynch rolled through and got a near fall.
Dupri countered out of a Manhandle Slam attempt into an ankle lock. Lynch rolled out of it, and it nearly flung Dupri into the exposed turnbuckle, but she stopped short of it. Lynch charged and collided with the exposed turnbuckle. Dupri dropped her with a kick and made the cover, but Natalya draped Lynch’s leg over the bottom rope. Lynch put Dupri down with a Manhandle Slam and scored the pin.
Becky Lynch defeated Maxxine Dupri in 11:35 to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship.
After Lynch left the ring, Natalya attacked Dupri. Natalya slapped her across the face twice. Dupri returned the favor, but Natalya put her down with a clothesline and then stood over her while the fans booed. Natalya applied the Sharpshooter. Dupri tapped out before the referee got her to release the hold. Natalya threw more punches at Dupri.
The broadcast team was shown at their desk as they expressed how surprised they were by Natalya’s actions. She went after Dupri again, and eventually left the ring…
Powell’s POV: You could see Natalya’s turn coming a mile away, but I’m all for it. The persona that Natalya has used outside WWE has been really good. One can only hope that she’s bringing it to WWE.
Footage aired of last week’s drama involving Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, Bron Breakker, and Paul Heyman…
Pearce spoke with AJ Styles in a backstage area. Pearce said Styles didn’t have to accept Gunther’s challenge. Styles said he was going to call his wife. Pearce said that was a great idea.
Paul Heyman showed up after Styles left. Pearce acted happy to see him. Heyman was surprised when Pearce said he had a good week. Pearce said Bron Breakker is still suspended, just like he said last week. Heyman spoke about The Vision’s six-man tag match. Once Heyman confirmed that he would be at ringside, Pearce said he would be as well… [C]
A video package recapped last week’s angle that set up today’s CM Punk vs. Finn Balor for the World Heavyweight Championship… Graves hyped the match as this show’s main event…
Inside Judgment Day’s clubhouse, Raquel Rodriguez told Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez that they don’t know how Stephanie Vaquer will be out. Rodriguez referred to herself as Big Sexy and said she’d take the Women’s World Championship from her once she returns.
Morgan said 2026 is the year of the Judgment Day. She said Rodriguez and Finn Balor would be world champions. Morgan said she thought Perez was a liar and a schemer, but she figured out that they needed her and that they would be WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Morgan asked Balor how he was feeling. Balor said they were on his island with the World Heavyweight Championship on the line. Balor said he wasn’t leaving without it…
Jey Uso made his entrance through the crowd. He stood with the fans while officially declaring for the men’s Royal Rumble match. Cole said he thought Jey was supposed to run things by Jimmy Uso first…
Backstage, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Grayson Waller barked at Adam Pearce. They wanted to face the Usos. Pearce teased letting them have the match before informing them that they would be one of the teams in a four-way match on next week’s show to earn a shot at the tag titles…
Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and Paul Heyman headed to the ring… [C] Cole hyped the WWE podcast schedule, including Undertaker appearing on Cody Rhodes’ show…
2. Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, and Austin Theory (w/Paul Heyman) vs. Rey Mysterio, Penta, and Dragon Lee. The babyface trio’s entrance was not televised. Adam Pearce sat in a chair at ringside. The fans popped when Rey tagged into the match for the first time, and then a 619 chant broke out. The babyface trio cleared all three heels to the floor, and then hit stereo dives from the ring onto them on the floor. [C]
Natalya’s turning on Dupri!
So damn predictable WWE’s been lately.