This Week's WWE Raw Ending Explained (Jan 20, 2025): Results & What It Means [SPOILERS]

Warning: The following copy has SPOILERS for WWE Monday Night Raw (Jan 20, 2025)

WWE's Monday Night Raw came from Dallas, TX as Jey Uso opened the show with World Heavyweight Champion Gunther ahead of their title match at Saturday Night's Main Event. Kofi Kingston and Rey Mysterio went one-on-one after weeks of tension, and Penta followed up on his impressive Raw debut last week with another match with Pete Dunne. Raw's newest recruit, Bayley, took on Nia Jax in a rematch of their SummerSlam 2024 encounter.

Sami Zayn had another very eventful evening, with CM Punk also having choice words for everyone ahead of this year's Royal Rumble. Damage CTRL and Pure Fusion Collective went head-to-head in a tag team match, and the night closed with a WrestleMania 40 rematch between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre.

WWE Monday Night Raw Results - Jan 20, 2025

Nia Jax attacked Rhea Ripley as she entered the building for Monday Night Raw.
Jey Uso opened Raw to a thunderous reception. Gunther interrupts to call him a "dork" and a "flash in the pan, company mascot".
Jey points out that only one of them has headlined WrestleMania. The two then brawl, and Jey gets the upper hand with a superkick.
Bayley confirms that she has transferred to Raw and declares for the Royal Rumble.
Rey Mysterio defeated Kofi Kingston via roll up. Xavier Woods had been banned from ringside after tripping Rey as he was about to hit his 619.
Xavier Woods then returned to blast Rey Mysterio after the bell. They then brawl with Rey and the LWO.
Chad Gable says he has a problem with luchadors, and seeks the help of Dominik Mysterio. American Made then say they are all coming for gold.
Sami Zayn says he is as good as anyone, but doesn't have a world championship to prove it. He then declares for the Royal Rumble, but is interrupted by Kevin Owens.
Kevin Owens says he believes Sami Zayn will win the Royal Rumble, and he forgives Sami for teaming with Roman, because he knows he'll have his back against Cody Rhodes.
Nia Jax defeated Bayley via pinfall with the Annihilator. Rhea Ripley stormed the ring after the match and, after being pulled apart, she challenges Nia to a match at Saturday Night's Main Event.
Dominik Mysterio hands Chad Gable the contact details of a luchador specialist. The Judgment Day has a rematch with War Raiders next week.
Sami Zayn thanked Seth for their talk last week. Karrion Kross is shown lurking in the background.
Penta defeats Pete Dunne with the Pentadriver in a stiff and hard-hitting match.
Logan Paul will make his Netflix Raw debut next week. Cody Rhodes will also be on Raw next week, alongside The War Raiders defending the WWE Tag Team Championship against The Judgment Day.
CM Punk discusses that he's never won the Royal Rumble and says that he will "call in a favor if he has to".
Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai defeated Shayna Bayzler and Zoey Stark. Iyo pinned Shayna with a top rope moonsault.
Seth Rollins defeated Drew McIntyre via pinfall. McIntyre savagely attacks Rollins after the bell, but Sami Zayn hits the ring.
Sami accidentally hits Seth with a Helluva Kick, after Drew McIntyre moved out of the way of his oncoming attack.

Jey Uso Steps Up To The Champ

Gunther is perhaps the most imposing WWE champion of the 21st century. Since surrendering his Intercontinental Championship after a record-breaking 666 days, he has won King Of The Ring, and held the World Heavyweight Championship with relative ease since SummerSlam last August. Despite the ever-increasing popularity of his upcoming challenger, the big Austrian has belittled Jey Uso's Championship credibility, calling him a tag team wrestler, and tonight, Gunther suggests Uso is nothing more than a WWE company mascot.

This assessment couldn't be further from the truth. Jey Uso has the belief of the people, there is a strong case his time as World Champion is coming, but it would be a surprise to see Jey Uso take Gunther's world title. Despite superkicking Gunther and rocking the Austrian to his core, it's hard to imagine Jey Yeeting the big gold belt around on Netflix next Monday night. Don't get it twisted. Jey Uso is coming for the biggest championships in wrestling, it's just that Saturday Night's Main Event could be a few months too early.

The New Day Continue To Disgust Everyone

There is no doubt about it, The New Day are currently the most hated act in WWE. Xavier Woods antagonized Dallas and the visiting JBL before Kofi's match and while he was on commentary, the duo seemed to dump their peppy entrance music for good on the way to the ring, and the flagrant disrespect Kofi showed Rey Mysterio throughout their first match in 16 years was breathtaking in its contempt.

It’s a special achievement that The New Day are showing that you can still reinvent yourself successfully after ten years. The moment itself was one of the best of 2024, but everything Kofi and Woods have done since turning on Big E has been incredible. Each week, audiences are getting more of the new direction of their characters and how low they are prepared to sink. New Day sucks and we love it.

Kevin Owens Expects Sami Zayn To Have His Back

One of the most fascinating developing plot lines in WWE is Sami Zayn’s burgeoning obsession with winning a world championship. He has an impenetrable bond with audiences of all ages, and this layer of desperation in Sami’s character only makes fans want to root harder for him. That said, Zayn's face went white and everybody feared the worst when Kevin Owens finally stood face-to-face with his best friend. It’s natural to expect fireworks and fisticuffs , especially given KO’s recent penchant for piledrivers, but Owens operates on a higher level of thinking.

KO’s words were calm but filled with loaded threats and menacing subtext. Zayn told KO to dish out the punishment we've all been waiting for, but Kevin refused. With icy delivery, Owens told Sami he expects him to have his back against Cody Rhodes at the Royal Rumble, just like he had Roman Reigns’s back at Survivor Series. The plot thickens, and the prospect of finally getting an Owens and Zayn WrestleMania match becomes more realistic. The Curse of Karrion Kross came for Sami once again later in the evening, as The Final Testament leader hung in the background of Zayn’s talk with Seth Rollins later in the evening.

Things would go from bad to worse for Sami Zayn later on that evening. Seth Rollins defeated Drew McIntyre in the night's Main Event, The Architect having to dig deep to claim victory. Filled with rage at another high profile loss, Drew McIntyre set upon Rollins with Sami Zayn coming to Rollins's aid. Sami accidentally catching Rollins with the Helluva Kick in the crossfire must have felt as good as a victory for Drew. With Sami and Seth now having reason to mistrust each other in the Royal Rumble, The Scottish Warrior just gained another advantage in the 30-man showpiece.

Raw's Women's Division Gets A Shake Up

The night opened in savage fashion, with Nia Jax assaulting Rhea Ripley as she entered the building. It was a clear message that Jax dropping her WWE title will not see her stepping down in status. That is a good thing. Ripley has desperately needed a new rivalry after spending much of 2024 with Liv Morgan, and Nia Jax poses a huge physical threat. Their newly announced match at Saturday Night's Main Event will be a hoot.

There was less reason to be positive for Raw's newest acquisition. Rekindling her rivalry with Michael Cole, Bayley is a legend in the present and future, but she had a torrid 2024. Her status as one of the women's division's veterans should not detract that she is a credible contender for anyone, and Bayley's arrival is great news for the women's Intercontinental Championship scene. Her emerging feud with the soon-to-be-promoted Roxanne Perez is just another reason that Raw's women's division is heating up again.

This was a big week for Monday Night Raw, as Jey Uso tried to gain belief that he can be World Heavyweight Champion at Saturday Night's Main Event. The evening's biggest moment came when Kevin Owens finally acknowledged Sami Zayn's friendship with Roman Reigns, and who on earth did Dominik Mysterio recommend to Chad Gable to help with his luchador problem? With only one more episode of Monday Night Raw to come before the Royal Rumble, where in the blue hell is John Cena?