WWE Monday Night Rawâs December 22 episode will feature World Champion CM Punk in action. With Christmas falling on Thursday, December 25, WWE taped its weekly television shows in advance to give its performers and staff some time off during the holiday period.
Behind the scenes of WWEâs December holiday tapings
The SmackDown episode that aired on December 19 was filmed on the same day as the December 15 episode of Raw in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, the December 22 episode of Raw was taped in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on December 19. Below is a look at the events that took place during the December 22 episode of Monday Night Raw.
Chaos in the womenâs division and a championship triple threat revealed
Match 1: Asuka defeated Rhea Ripley with a roll-up after IYO SKY appeared at ringside and accidentally distracted Ripley. Becky Lynch then complained to the crowd about losing the Womenâs Intercontinental Championship, calling the situation unfair. Maxxine Dupri interrupted, leading to a brief brawl that ended with Lynch submitting again. This segment was not an official match.
Match 2: NXTâs JeâVon Evans defeated Rayo Americano. Nikki Bella later joined the commentary team and delivered a promo announcing a triple threat match for the Womenâs World Championship. At the December 29 episode of Raw, Stephanie Vaquer will defend her title against Raquel Rodriguez and Nikki Bella.
Tensions escalate and alliances take shape in Rawâs closing matches
Match 3: Bayley defeated Roxanne Perez. At ringside, tensions flared among Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Perez, as the trio appeared disorganised and at odds. Gunther then cut a promo, once again targeting John Cena. The segment was largely drowned out by loud crowd reactions. CM Punk entered soon after, leading to a tense face-off with Gunther that hinted at a future showdown.
Match 4: Bronson Reed and Austin Theory defeated CM Punk and Rey Mysterio, with Theory pinning Mysterio. The show ended with Bron Breakker standing over Punk, placing his foot on the championâs head. Some backstage segments that were not shown to the live audience are expected to be added to the final broadcast.
World title showdown and rising rivalries set for Raw
WWE has already announced several major matches for the coming weeks. CM Punk will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Bron Breakker on the January 5 episode of Raw in Brooklyn, seeking revenge for his Survivor Series loss. The final live Raw of the year on December 29 will also feature two title matches, as rivalries across the brand continue to intensify.
