Seth Rollins injury news as Cody Rhodes and CM Punk face off – WWE Raw preview

It’s officially Royal Rumble week and WWE will kick things off with what is set to be a dramatic and news-worthy edition of Monday Night Raw.

Emanating live from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana on Monday, January 22, WWE will present the final episode of Raw before this Saturday’s hotly anticipated PPV. It’s one of the most unpredictable and exciting men’s Royal Rumble matches in years and the rest of the card is shaping up nicely as well.

Raw will be a last chance for the brand’s superstars to make their presence felt, either in action or on the microphone, ahead of the showpiece event. While an eventful night is in the offing, there could be some bad news from Seth Rollins to kick things off.

Confirmed segments

Rollins injury update

It has already been confirmed that Seth Rollins will open the show and things could get emotional as he addresses speculation around his immediate future. The reigning World Heavyweight Champion retained his title in the main event against Jinder Mahal last week but did not escape unscathed.

Fightful Select reported last week Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a partially torn meniscus, a potentially serious injury which could rule him out for months depending on the severity and if surgery is required.

Any significant time on the sidelines could put Rollins’ reign as champion and opportunity to perform at Wrestlemania in jeopardy. An especially heartbreaking prospect given there is a strong chance he could finally get his Mania main event on night one against CM Punk.

Rollins will likely make his injury status clear on Monday which will give a clear picture of how much, if any, action he is set to miss. Additionally, the future of his championship could also be in question, with Damien Priest primed to cash in his Money in the Bank contract if it isn’t vacated.

Cody Rhodes and CM Punk face-off

In a highly anticipated face-off that will set many tongues wagging, Cody Rhodes and CM Punk will stand face-to-face in the ring with live microphones in hand. ‘What do you guys want to talk about?’ has never been such an emotionally charged question.

Both men are among the favourites to win the Royal Rumble and will inevitably come to blows in the match but what on earth will they say to each other before hand?

It will almost certainly remain within the confines of kayfabe and how much they want to win on Saturday but the prospect of them touching on their real histories is fascinating. Punk set out the goal to change the world of wrestling with his infamous pipe bomb promo, but Rhodes was the man who actually did it when he left WWE and was instrumental in founding the challenger brand.

It’s the dream match AEW allowed to slip through its fingers and now WWE has the chance to tell an electric story. The first chapter could set the tone for what’s to come.

Confirmed matches

Damien Priest vs Drew McIntyre

Tensions will finally come to a head as the Judgement Day’s Priest and McIntyre finally come to blows in a match which could well main event the show. The two giants are more than capable of a great, hard-hitting affair but there could be concerns of the all-heel alignment leaving the crowd with no one to cheer for. A Money in the Bank cash in could well change matters, though.

Chad Gable vs Ivar

This bout has all the potential to be an absolute show stealer. The Viking Rules match between Alpha Academy and the Viking Raiders was one of the surprise hits of 2023 and running it back with the two best members of each team is a no-brainer. Hopefully, the match will be given ample time to reach or even surpass those heights.

Ivy Nile vs Valhalla

The war between Alpha Academy and Viking Raiders continues in the women’s division as Ivy Nile takes on Valhalla. Nile enjoyed a coming out performance in her defeat to Rhea Ripley recently and has another chance to impress.

The Miz vs Domink Mysterio

It’s hard to get too excited about this match from a technical perspective but it could wind up being a funny one. R-Truth has been hilarious in recent weeks in his unsuccessful attempts to join the Judgement Day and he is likely to figure into the match.