Elimination Chamber Hype Builds as New Tag Champs Crowned on Raw

CINCINNATI, Ohio — WWE’s go-home edition of Raw took place Monday night, just days before the Elimination Chamber premium live event in Toronto. The evening spotlighted key rivalries and matchups as participants prepared for the high-stakes event on February 24.

During the episode, Rhea Ripley addressed her upcoming Women’s World Championship defense against Iyo Sky, while CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Logan Paul met in a electrifying segment that set the tone for the men’s Elimination Chamber match scheduled for Saturday night.

Logan Paul opened the show, introducing a new entrance theme as he faced boisterous “you suck” chants from the Cincinnati crowd. In his promo, he dismissed his competition before CM Punk interrupted. Punk warned Paul that in wrestling, he was “nothing,” leading to a slap from Paul that added tension to their impending confrontation inside the steel cage.

This encounter not only served to elevate the rivalry between Punk and Paul but also laid the groundwork for a possible clash at WrestleMania 41, underscoring WWE’s storytelling capabilities leading to their biggest event.

The night featured several matches, including a highly anticipated triple threat involving Penta, Pete Dunne, and Ludwig Kaiser. The bout was intense, with Kaiser ultimately emerging victorious after pinning Dunne, which marks a significant development in his ongoing rivalry with Penta.

In a post-match segment, Kai and Valkyria competed for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship with Valkyria emerging victorious after a hard-fought battle. The match culminated in a surprise attack from Ivy Nile, hinting at upcoming tensions and storylines within the women’s division.

The New Day added to their impressive streak with a victory over LWO, further solidifying their standing within WWE’s tag team hierarchy. The match reflected their resilience and garnered high crowd response, reinforcing their popularity.

Gunther, ahead of his WrestleMania match against Jey Uso, dispatched Akira Tozawa in another display of dominance. Following the match, Gunther’s display of power continued as he exhibited his strength against Otis, illustrating his formidable presence in the ring.

To cap off the night, Bron Breakker faced Dominik Mysterio but the match ended in disqualification when Mysterio’s allies interfered. This outcome raises questions regarding their potential invetion of future title paths amidst rising tensions within the Judgment Day faction.

In the night’s climactic main event, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez defeated Bianca Belair and Naomi, capturing the Women’s Tag Team Championships under dubious circumstances with significant outside interference. This victory marked them as the first-ever three-time tag champions, a significant achievement in WWE’s history.

As the show closed, it left fans buzzing with anticipation heading into the Elimination Chamber, demonstrating WWE’s successful buildup of storylines and rivalries in this compelling edition of Raw.