The intense rivalry between Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez wrote its latest chapter Monday night in the main event of WWE Raw when they clashed in an Anything Goes match.

That contest headlined a show that also featured the latest from Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, The New Day, plus an eight-man tag match pitting The Wyatt Sicks against The Final Testament and The Miz.

Just five days before WWE's return to prime time on NBC with Saturday Night's Main Event, find out what went down on the flagship show with this recap, including grades and analysis from every match and segment.

Match Card

Announced in advance for the December 9 show at the Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas:

• Anything Goes match: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
• Eight-Man Tag Team match: The Wyatt Sicks vs. The Final Testament and The Miz
• Women's Intercontinental Championship Tournament: Lyra Valkyria vs. Zelina Vega vs. Ivy Nile
• The New Day promo
• Seth Rollins promo
• Drew McIntyre promo

Finn Bálor Interrupts Gunther

Finn Bálor and The Judgment Day sent a message loudly and clearly to Damian Priest and world heavyweight champion Gunther to kick off the show, leaving both men lying before standing tall to close out the segment.

The beatdown capped off a segment that saw Gunther exchange barbs with the Irishman before Priest cut off a four-on-one beatdown.

The Ring General showed his appreciation by wiping out The Archer of Infamy and threatening to put him through a table until Bálor delivered a Sling Blade that left the champion down and out on the floor.

Three consecutive Coup de Graces from Bálor to Priest wrapped things up before the heel leader of Judgment Day held the tag team and world championships high overhead.

This highlighted the key figures in the world title picture and hinted at the idea Priest and Gunther will have to work together to thwart The Judgment Day's pursuit of power.

Whether that happens or WWE trends toward the predictable Triple Threat match remains to be seen, but this was a solid opening segment to highlight Gunther's world title defense against Bálor on Saturday.

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

• During their arrival to the arena, The New Day was shunned by Alpha Academy and Natalya, to the chagrin of Kofi Kingston, who looked genuinely hurt by their reaction. 
• Gunther in blue jeans, pandering to the crowd? The Ring General is in his babyface bag right now. 
• Expert side-eye from Dominik Mysterio when Bálor matter-of-factly said he had not earned a world heavyweight title opportunity. The cracks in The Judgment Day are worsening.

8-Man Tag Team Match: The Wyatt Sicks vs. The Final Testament and The Miz

Before the next match, Raw general manager Adam Pearce informed The Judgment Day that the scheduled match for Saturday Night's Main Event has been changed...to a Triple Threat also featuring Priest (note: there it is).

Back in the arena, The Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy) clashed with The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam and Rezar) and The Miz in a chaotic eight-man tag match that saw Scarlett interfere and then get taken out by Nikki Cross.

Moments later, Howdy appeared to have things in hand until Paul Ellering returned and blinded him with power, allowing Kross to flatten him with the Final Prayer for the win.

This was never going to be a classic contest. It was what it needed to be, though: A wild, out-of-control war that tore the referee in several directions, allowing the heels to capitalize and score a cheap win that the babyfaces will now be forced to avenge.

Logical booking ahead of (hopefully) an even more significant blowoff.

Result

The Final Testament and The Miz defeated The Wyatt Sicks

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• The pop for The Wyatt Sicks proves their effectiveness in small doses. They are still incredibly popular without being on television and overexposed each week.
• The return of Ellering and the finish puts The Wyatt Sicks on the defensive and begs the question: How will they respond? 

• In a sit-down interview with Jackie Redmond, CM Punk suggested Seth Rollins sits back on the bench, calling him the "second string" and saying the starter is back. Ouch. 

Dakota Kai vs. Liv Morgan

Liv Morgan will defend her Women's World Championship Saturday night, but first she battled Damage CTRL's Dakota Kai in a singles match Monday.

Kai rolled late in the match, seemingly having an answer for everything the champion threw at her.

However, interference from Pure Fusion Collective provided a distraction that drew her attention and allowed Morgan to capitalize as she delivered Oblivion for the win.

After the match, Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane came to their teammate's defense, helping to fend off the heels until Morgan laid the former out with her finisher and stood tall to close the segment.

The Morgan-Sky match feels criminally underpromoted, thanks in large part to the fact that the focus continues to be on the champion and her unending (and unsettled) feud with Rhea Ripley.

Result

Morgan defeated Kai

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Sonya Deville, Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler appeared at ringside, continuing their rivalry with Kai and Damage CTRL. They interfered on two different occasions, pulling Kai's attention away from her opponent.
• Morgan pulled out a Punk-esque running knee lift in the corner, a new addition to her arsenal.
• The Oblivion from Morgan to Sky to close the segment looked wicked, and the selling from the babyface was extraordinary.

• Drew McIntyre shared his thoughts following his return last week, including criticizing Sami Zayn and Jey Uso for standing by Roman Reigns' side for no good reason at all. 

Seth Rollins Promo Interrupted by Sami Zayn

Seth Rollins took to the squared circle for a promo in which he countered CM Punk's comments from earlier in the night, taking exception to his former idol ghosting and ignoring everyone who ever cared about him when he left WWE in 2014.

Sami Zayn interrupted and warned The Visionary that he sounded more like Drew McIntyre than the guy he has known for 20 years.

Rollins appreciated Zayn apologizing for accusing him of taking out Jey Uso last week and suggested he finish his issues with the Scot.

Zayn announced a match against The Scottish Warrior for Saturday Night's Main Event before being attacked by the two-time WWE champion at the top of the ramp.

This was the best segment of the night to this point; a promo that continued the Rollins-Punk feud, introduced the idea that the obsessive nature of Rollins' vendetta with Punk would take him down a similar path to McIntyre, and it added more heat to the Zayn-McIntyre match.

Grade

A

Top Moments and Takeaways

• "I looked up to CM Punk. I respected CM Punk. CM Punk and I were friends," Rollins said.
• The Visionary claimed Punk failed at everything else he did outside of WWE and that the money was right, so he returned.
• "If you're out here to defend CM Punk again, we're gonna be fighting again," Rollins warned Zayn.
• Zayn told Rollins that the way he was talking last week, by pointing his finger at everyone but himself, had him sounding like McIntyre.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Zelina Vega vs. Ivy Nile

Lyra Valkyria cashed her ticket to the semifinals of the Women's Intercontinental Championship Tournament with a Triple Threat victory over Ivy Nile of American Made and Zelina Vega of the LWO.

A good, competitive match, this showcased all three athletes and gave the impression any could have scored the victory.

Ultimately, it was Valkyria's Nightwing to Nile that earned her the win and set her up as one of the favorites for a history-making championship win.

Result

Valkyria defeated Nile and Vega

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett talking anime made for a fun bit.
• Valkyria is already one of the best women's wrestlers in WWE and someone who has had a phenomenal 2024, even if the period after King and Queen of the Ring has left a lot to be desired.
• Vega losing here was a major disappointment, but she had the misfortune of sharing the ring with Valkyria, who looked a legitimate favorite to win the title from the moment the tournament was announced.

The New Day Promo

Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston shut down interviewer Cathy Kelley, instead taking the main camera into the arena before addressing the WWE Universe.

Or trying to.

The fans booed them out of the squared circle, cutting them off so they left out of frustration rather than trying to combat the deafening crowd reaction.

Chants of "Big E" and "New Day sucks" filled the arena, proof that last week's angle was effective. The moment Big E returns to the ring—assuming he does—will be pure magic.

For now, Kingston and Woods riding a wave of momentum brought to them courtesy of fans genuinely angry about their treatment of their friend should make for wonderful TV.

Grade

A+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• "New Day sucks" chants? What is this, 2015?
• Huge, unadulterated heel heat for The New Day. Extraordinary. "We want Big E" chants in response.

Anything Goes Match: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Rhea Ripley inched closer to a Women's World Championship opportunity against Liv Morgan Monday night by beating Raquel Rodriguez in an action-packed Anything Goes main event.

The Eradicator appeared to be in the driver's seat when Morgan interfered. Seeking to repay the champion for a sneak attack that left her lying earlier in the show, Iyo Sky made the save, wiping out her opponent on Saturday and ensuring it would come down to Ripley and Rodriguez.

Mami escaped a Tejana Bomb and delivered Riptide through the table for the win.

This was as good as a sub-10-minute match is getting in 2024, with lots of action that may not have flowed as nicely as one would hope but was still a fun use of 10 minutes.

More intriguing than the match was the show-closing staredown between Ripley and Sky that appeared to hint at an eventual program between them and the title.

Result

Ripley defeated Rodriguez

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Wasting little time to fight fits the "anything goes" stipulation in a way that waiting for ring introductions does not. 
• The match was rushed, likely because it started with 10 minutes left in the show.
• This really would have benefited from time to let things breathe, though. However, the energy was refreshing as everything mattered and there were no needless rest spots.

Overall Grade

Storylines that mesh and intertwine? Yes.

A chaotic main event featuring one of the top stars in the company? Absolutely.

This was a quality final Raw build to the return of Saturday Night's Main Event.

The show was great, with the introduction of new feuds, the escalation of ongoing storylines and a New Day segment that has to be seen to be believed.

The storytelling was great, the promos were full of meaning, and the physicality was on point. Not everything hit, but it certainly set the stage for SNME and shine a light on other high-profile feuds and stories dominating Raw of late.

That is enough for a win, even if the in-ring work wasn't first-class throughout the night.

Grade: C+