WWE Day 1 Review – January 1, 2024
Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax
Nia Jax shoves Becky Lynch before Lynch responds with a forearm and a back elbow then looks to fly but Jax catches her and gets her up on her shoulders but Lynch escapes and connects with an enzuigiri.
Jax then delivers a bodyslam to Lynch and a splash in the corner then delivers a standing elbow drop.
Lynch hits a jawbreaker and fires off right hands then delivers a kick to Jax’s midsection and follows it up with a modified blockbuster and a splash in the corner.
She ascends to the top rope and hits a missile dropkick before pinning Jax but Jax kicks out as we go to a break.
After the break Lynch delivers a powerbomb off the top rope before the action spills to the outside and Jax looks to land a right hand on Lynch but Lynch ducks out of the way and Jax’s hand is sent crashing into the ring post.
Jax then connects with a headbutt and looks for a cannonball but Lynch ducks out of the way and Jax collides with the barricade then they get back in the ring and Lynch hits a leg drop off the middle rope.
She locks in the Dis Arm Her but Jax counters into a pin. Lynch manages to lock in an arm bar but Jax makes her way to her feet and lands a sit out powerbomb then goes for a pin but Lynch kicks out.
Jax climbs up to the middle rope but Lynch meets her up there and sets up for a Manhandle Slam. Jax gets her up on her shoulders and lands a Samoan Drop then goes for a pin but Lynch manages to kick out.
Jax ascends back up to the top rope but Lynch pushes her off onto the apron and fires off left and right hands on her spine.
She then looks to fly but Jax catches her with a right hand mid air then follows it up with the A Nia Lator for the win.
Winner: Nia Jax (11:53)
Rate: 7
Footage aired of Cody Rhodes attacking Shinsuke Nakamura after Nakamura read his warped version of Twas The Night Before Christmas.
Cody Rhodes asks San Diego what they want to talk about then says he has the privilege of coming to the ring to welcome audiences to Day 1. He says now that it’s 2024, people begin to think about their goals for the year but he’s stuck on Shinsuke Nakamura. He says he was expecting something more sophisticated than his American Nightmare Before Christmas story from him then says their issues should be over with already. He says he’ll give Nakamura the opportunity to end things tonight and calls him out to the ring, telling him to bring his mist.
Nakamura appears on the Titan Tron and tells Rhodes he never thought it would be so easy to get inside his head to write his final chapter. He says he’s blinded him so that he can’t see the ending of the story but it doesn’t end tonight because he wants to give The American Nightmare 1 more week to dream. He says he’ll become what Rhodes never could and finish his story for him before he closes his book then spits red mist into the camera.
Tag Team Match
Imperium (Giovanni Vinci & Ludwig Kaiser) vs. Kofi Kingston & Jey Uso
Giovanni Vinci & Kofi Kingston lock up to get this match started before Kingston hits a standing splash but Vinci responds with a running low crossbody.
Ludwig Kaiser tags in and delivers a knee to Kingston’s midsection then whips him into the corner and delivers an open palm strike.
He fires off stomps on Kingston in the corner then delivers a dropkick out of the corner.
Kaiser winds up on the outside and Kingston runs the ropes looking to fly but Vinci trips him then becomes legal before Kaiser sends him crashing into the ring post shoulder first as we go to a break.
After the break Vinci lands a right hand on Kingston’s jaw before Kingston responds with a pair of chops then tags in Jey Uso.
However the referee stops the match due to Vinci being checked on by medical staff.
Winners By Referee Stoppage: Kofi Kingston & Jey Uso (7:13)
Rate: 6
A video package aired on the WWE Holiday Tour and included footage of CM Punk returning to the ring, Shotzi appearing after getting married in Las Vegas, Sami Zayn appearing in Montreal and DJ Steve Aoki appearing at the Boston event.
A video package aired on Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley & Ivy Nile training and included brief comments from both wrestlers about their Women’s World Title match.
The Miz welcomes fans to Miz TV then introduces Judgment Day.
Judgment Day’s music hits but R Truth’s music cuts it off and he makes his way down to the ring. Miz welcomes him then asks where the rest of Judgment Day is. Truth says they were just behind him and tells fans to rise for Judgment Day. Miz asks Truth what his role in Judgment Day is and Truth says he has many roles. He says he’s doing PR today while he was doing administrative work last week. He says he’s on a mission to make Judgment Day likable to everybody.
JD McDonagh & Dominik Mysterio make their way down to the ring and McDonagh says Truth is not part of the group. He says Judgment Day would never appear on Miz TV and Mysterio says himself & his teammates are the most dominant faction in WWE. Truth points out that McDonagh is technically no longer in Judgment Day following their Miracle On 34th Street 2 weeks ago and McDonagh argues with him. Miz points out that Truth has a point and Mysterio says they should talk about the 2023 that Miz has. He says he spent it on his back getting pinned and destroyed by Gunther & Miz says he couldn’t hear Mysterio over all the boos raining down from the crowd. He says through it all he’s kept going to create memories and moments. He says all he can remember from Mysterio’s 2023 was Rey Mysterio defeating him and losing to CM Punk at house shows. Mysterio says he’s done talking and Miz will continue his losing streak in 2024. He challenges Miz & Truth to a Tag Team match against him & McDonagh & Awesome Truth accepts despite Truth having some confusion as to who his tag team partner is.
McDonagh looks to clock Truth but Miz clotheslines him out of the ring as we go to a break.
Tag Team Match
Judgement Day (Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh) vs. Awesome Truth (The Miz & R Truth)
After the break The Miz looks to tag in R Truth but Truth is standing in the wrong spot so JD McDonagh tags in and delivers a double back elbow with Dominik Mysterio before Miz catches him with a boot and a hurricanrana. Truth tags in and Miz delivers a boot to McDonagh’s head.
Truth follows it up with a leg drop and an open palm strike then hits a corkscrew crossbody and a splash then Truth looks to tag in Mysterio but Mysterio pulls his hand away as Miz looks on confused.
McDonagh takes advantage of Truth’s confusion and jams his knee into the back of his neck as Mysterio tags in and dials it up for a 619 & hits it as we go to a 2nd break.
After the 2nd break Miz hits a splash to McDonagh in the corner as Truth finds himself on Judgment Day’s side of the ring as Miz delivers a bulldog to McDonagh then goes for a pin but Mysterio breaks the fall.
McDonagh delivers a headbutt before Truth tags himself in on Judgment Day’s side of things. Truth becomes confused once again and McDonagh holds Miz in place.
Truth looks to land a right hand on him but ends up hitting McDonagh opening the door for Miz to hit Skull Crushing Finale for the win.
Winners: Awesome Truth (7:28)
Rate: 5
We then head over to a video of Chelsea Green & Piper Niven crashing Women’s Tag Team Champions Kayden Carter & Katana Chance’s Women’s Tag Team Titles celebration at a club in order to demand a rematch. Chance & Carter accept before throwing their drinks in Green & Niven’s face.
A brief video package aired on Rhea Ripley & she said it’s her division and Ivy Nile is nothing in her world.
Women’s World Title Match
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Ivy Nile
Match starts off with a lock up then Rhea Ripley sends Ivy Nile crashing into the mat face first but Nile quickly recovers and gets Ripley up on her shoulders.
Ripley escapes and hits a dropkick before Nile ascends to the top and hits a crossbody as we go to a break.
After the break Ripley delivers a dropkick to Nile then the action spills out of the ring, and Nile hits a German suplex then they get back inside the ring and Nile connects with an enzuigiri and a hurricanrana.
She follows it up with a single leg dropkick but Ripley delivers a knee to her midsection.
Nile hits a tornado DDT but Ripley responds with a splash in the corner and ascends to the top rope & connects with a dropkick and goes for a pin but Nile kicks out.
Ripley sets up for Riptide but Nile escapes and delivers a kick to her head then hits a slam but Ripley sends her crashing into the mat face first.
They find themselves on the top rope before Nile escapes and delivers a German suplex.
She fires off a series of kicks and forearms then ascends to the top and looks to fly.
Ripley catches her with a headbutt and a ripcord knee then follows it up with Riptide for the win.
Winner & Still Women’s World Champion: Rhea Ripley (13:01) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 6
After the break the former WWE Champion makes their way to the ring to reveal themselves to be Jinder Mahal.
Mahal reminds fans that he is a past and future WWE Champion and his name is at the top of that list of all the people who have held the WWE Title. He mocks the USA but is cut off by The Rock’s music.
The Rock makes his way down to the ring and says Mahal is in trouble tonight. He says Mahal is right about one thing that being that he isn’t the Iron Sheik. He says if Sheik were there he would question who Mahal even is. Mahal says The Rock always appears when the WWE Universe is being insulted and The Rock says he’s proud to be an American. He says he’s proud to say that he’s come back to San Diego and says the truth is that Mahal gets booed because no one likes him and he isn’t funny. He says if he were one of his movies, it would be Baywatch. Mahal says he’s never seen Baywatch and The Rock tells him that it doesn’t matter if he hasn’t seen it. The Rock stands up for the USA and sings Mahal a verse from his own version of the Star Spangled Banner.
Mahal has heard enough and fires off strikes on The Rock but The Rock fights back and hits a spinebuster then follows it up with The People’s Elbow before he tells San Diego that he loves them and wishes them a Happy New Year. He says he’s hungry and will be going out to get something to eat then asks the crowd if he should sit in a booth, at the bar top or at The Head of the Table.
Highlights aired of The Rock’s segment.
Tag Team Match
Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark vs. Tegan Nox & Natalya
Match starts off with Zoey Stark & Natalya lock up before Tegan Nox tags in and sends Stark crashing into the corner then tags Natalya back in as Shayna Baszler makes the blind tag on her side and delivers a knee as we go to a break.
After the break Nox tags in and knocks Stark off the apron then hits a pair of shoulder tackles to Baszler.
Nox delivers a cannonball to Baszler in the corner and ascends to the top rope then hits a 450 Splash and goes for a pin but Baszler kicks out and tags Stark back in.
Baszler then hits a German suplex to Nox and Stark follows it up with Z360 for the win.
Winners: Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark (5:35)
Rate: 5
World Heavyweight Title Match
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
Seth Rollins wastes no time as he goes straight after Drew McIntyre by firing off strikes on him.
He then sends him crashing out of the ring over the top and delivers a right hand off the ring steps before McIntyre sends him colliding with the announce table and sets up for an Alabama Slam on the floor.
Rollins fights him off and hits a tope suicida but McIntyre catches him and delivers a belly 2 belly throw as we go to a break.
After the break McIntyre fires off right hands on Rollins before Rollins responds with several of his own and delivers a tilt a whirl backbreaker then looks to land a powerbomb.
Rollins counters with a hurricanrana then sends McIntyre colliding with the ring post shoulder first and goes flying over the top rope to level McIntyre on the outside.
He tosses him back in the ring and plants him with a DDT then ascends to the top rope and hits a Frog Splash.
McIntyre ascends to the top rope but Rollins meets him up there and delivers a superplex. McIntyre then catches him with a Falcon Arrow as we go to a 2nd break.
After the 2nd break McIntyre hits White Noise to Rollins from the middle rope then they go back & forth with a few chops before Rollins lands an enzuigiri and a pair of kicks.
He sets up for Curb Stomp but McIntyre moves out of the way and hits Future Shock DDT.
He kips up and looks for Claymore but Rollins counters into a powerbomb then ascends to the top rope and looks to fly but McIntyre rolls out of the way. Rollins then hits a superkick and a Pedigree then goes for a pin but McIntyre kicks out.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest’s music hits and he marches down to the ring with his Money In The Bank briefcase in hand as Dominik Mysterio and the referee flank him.
He hits Rollins with the briefcase and looks to cash in but McIntyre hits him with Claymore Kick and hits Mysterio with a overhead belly 2 belly then slides back in the ring and hits Claymore to Rollins.
He goes for a pin but Rollins gets his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold then sends Rollins crashing into the middle rope and clears the announce table then gets Rollins on top of it.
Rollins hits a kick to the midsection and hits Pedigree to McIntyre on top of the announce table then gets him back inside and hits Curb Stomp for the win.
Winner & Still World Heavyweight Champion: Seth Rollins (18:05) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 8 (Recommend)
Next Week’s Raw
Cody Rhodes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Women’s Tag Team Titles Match
Kayden Carter & Katana Chance (c) vs. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven
