WWE Raw Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights Before Royal Rumble 2026

Just five days before the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, WWE Raw hit the Netflix airwaves, live from Toronto, with a jam-packed go-home show.

AJ Styles spoke before his potentially career-ending showdown with Gunther on Saturday night, new No. 1 contenders to the tag team titles were determined, Natalya addressed her shocking betrayal of Maxxine Dupri from last week's show, and Adam Pearce invited Bron Breakker to talk about The Badass' recent actions.

What went down, how did it affect this Saturday's annual extravaganza, and how did it grade out?

Find out with this recap of the January 26 episode.

Lineup

Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images

Announced in advance of Monday's show were:

Bron Breakker and Adam Pearce talk it out

Natalya promo

AJ Styles promo

No. 1 Contender's tag team match: Alpha Academy vs. The Creed Brothers vs. The New Day vs. Los Americanos

AJ Styles Promo

Rich Wade/WWE

Last Time in Action: AJ Styles defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (Saturday Night's Main Event, January 24)

AJ Styles kicked off the night's show by addressing his high-stakes match with Gunther Saturday at the Royal Rumble, in which if he loses, he must retire. After asserting that there is no reason that 2026 cannot be the year of AJ Styles, "Cult of Personality" played and world heavyweight champion CM Punk made his way to the ring.

A back and forth ensued on the mic, with The Phenomenal One taking exception to the idea that The Best in the World didn't think he could beat Gunther, leading to a challenge for a match on tonight's show.

Punk insisted on putting the World Heavyweight Championship on the line and the match was agreed to by both competitors to close out the segment.

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

Punk asked the crowd if they knew why he was out there. Apparently, they do not watch enough pro wrestling because they did not respond accordingly.

This is about as big an unadvertised main event as it gets. Had you said back in 2006 that CM Punk vs. AJ Styles would headline Raw for the world title in 2026, most would have said you were crazy. Here we are, though, with the former independent megastars squaring off in a WWE-owned ring.

Stephanie Vaquer, Rhea Ripley, and Iyo Sky vs. Liv Morgan, Roxanne Perez, and Raquel Rodriguez

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Last Time in Action: Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley defeated Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez (Saturday Night's Main Event, January 24); Stephanie Vaquer defeated Raquel Rodriguez and Nikki Bella (Raw, December 29)

A six-woman tag team match pitting women's tag team champions Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky and women's world champion Stephanie Vaquer against The Judgment Day's Liv Morgan, Roxanne Perez, and Raquel Rodriguez was the night's first in-ring action.

The heels isolated Vaquer throughout the commercial break, cutting her off from her teammates. Despite attempts by the heels to prevent a tag, La Primera eventually made the hot tag to Sky, who exploded into the ring with her frenetic pace and high-energy offense.

Ripley tagged in next and muscled up Morgan, tossing her into Rodriguez with a Razor's Edge. Ripley downed Rodriguez but ate a tornado DDT from Morgan, only for Sky to break up the pin.

The action intensified, culminating with Ripley delivering a stunning headbutt to Perez and delivering the Riptide for the pinfall victory.

Result

Ripley, Sky, and Vaquer defeated Morgan, Perez, and Rodriguez

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

Entering the commercial break, Rodriguez drew tremendous heat for breaking up Vaquer's Devil's Kiss on Morgan.

Morgan loses again. Exactly what you would expect if the goal is to throw fans off the scent of her winning Saturday's Women's Royal Rumble.

The women's division continues to be one of the highlights of the current WWE product. The multi-woman tag matches are a ton of fun, highlight all of the talent, and feature hot sequences down the stretch. Vaquer looked to be visibly favoring the ankle that was previously hobbling her, bearing the question: should she be working this close to WrestleMania, where she is almost certainly penciled in for a high-profile match?

The Vision Promo and Rey Mysterio vs. Austin Theory

Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: The Vision's Logan Paul, Bronson Reed, and Austin Theory lost to Rey Mysterio, Penta, and Dragon Lee (Raw, January 19)

Paul Heyman gave his typical grandiose introduction of each member of The Vision before calling out Adam Pearce, ready for a face-to-face with the Raw general manager after accusing him of putting his hands on Bron Breakker and planting brass knuckles for Rey Mysterio to use in last week's victory.

Pearce apologized for taking things too far, then revealed that Breakker's suspension is lifted and he is in the Royal Rumble this Saturday. So are Logan Paul, Bronson Reed, and Austin Theory. He ended by informing Theory that he will square off with Rey Mysterio beginning...now.

Back from the commercial break, the showdown between Theory and the 2023 Hall of Famer had begun, with neither man enjoying a sustained advantage. With The Vision, as well as Penta and Dragon Lee at ringside, Theory cut Mysterio off on several occasions, but failed to keep him down for the pinfall.

Late in the match, the heels created chaos, allowing Theory to take advantage, deliver a stomp, and score the win. After the match, The Vision beat down and left the babyfaces lying.

Result

Theory defeated Mysterio

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

The promo part of this segment of the show was longer than it needed to be while the match was hampered exponentially by the two commercial breaks right in the heart of it. Unfortunately, it kept what may have been an otherwise fun match from realizing its potential.

A pre-taped promo from Natalya aired, in which she said that Maxxine Dupri disappointed and failed her. She claimed she would take Dupri out, then she will come for it all, with Becky Lynch highlighted. "Natalya elevates, but Nattie decimates," she said to wrap things up.

Backstage, Stephanie Vaquer and Raquel Rodriguez brawled until they were pulled apart.

Michael Cole Sat Down with Gunther

Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Gunther defeated AJ Styles (Raw, January 12)

The Voice of WWE, Michael Cole, sat down with Gunther ahead of his showdown with AJ Styles at Royal Rumble.

Gunther claimed that he backed Styles into a corner because he wanted something to gain from beating him again. He also claimed that he was tired of the "old timers" around there and he took moments away from Goldberg and John Cena, now he will do the same to AJ Styles in Riyadh.

He turned his attention to Cole and said he could easily end his career, but he wants the play-by-play announcer to make the call, "the career of AJ Styles is over."

Grade

A+

Top Moments and Takeaways

Gunther is at his best when he is taunting fans, announcers, commentators, and his fellow Superstars. He was outstanding here, even in a relatively brief segment, giving fans a reason for his actions and equating his recent string of wins against retiring stars to stealing their moments. He is on an all-time great run right now, to the point that you almost want to see him beat Styles and retire him, if only because his momentum is undeniable.

No. 1 Contender's Match: Alpha Academy vs. The Creed Brothers vs. New Day vs. Los Americanos

Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Alpha Academy defeated Creed Brothers (Main Event, January 15); Los Americanos defeated War Raiders (Main Event, January 8); The New Day lost to The Usos (Raw, December 15)

Four teams hungry for a shot at the World Tag Team Championships, held currently by The Usos, battled in a No. 1 Contender's Match Monday as The New Day, Creed Brothers, Los Americanos, and Alpha Academy squared off.

As action broke down late in the match, Otis and Akira Tozawa rolled, wiping out the competition and keeping the fans invested in the action. They overcame late-match surges from Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, overcame seamless teamwork from Julius and Brutus Creed, and sent Los Americanos' Rayo and Bravo to the floor before Tozawa delivered a senton to Julius for the win.

A staredown with Jey Uso ended the segment.

Result

Alpha Academy defeated the Creed Brothers, New Day, and Los Americanos

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

There was a considerable amount of underutilized talent in this match, none more so than the Creeds, who are way too good to be as irrelevant as they have been since Chad Gable went out with injury.

Otis and Tozawa winning was a welcome surprise. A fun, undercard tag team match, they are perpetually over and brought great energy to this one. They may stand no shot at dethroning Jimmy and Jey Uso but do not be surprised to see them have the fans on their side, to an extent, even against the most popular tandem in the business.

Backstage, Becky Lynch announced her entry in the Royal Rumble and was interrupted by Asuka, who told her she will see the reigning women's intercontinental champion Saturday

World Heavyweight Championship Match: CM Punk vs. AJ Styles

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Last Time in Action: CM Punk defeated Finn Balor (Raw, January 19); AJ Styles defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (Saturday Night's Main Event, January 24)

Punk and Styles traded counters and reversals early before The Phenomenal One rocked the world champion with a knee on the floor that allowed him to seize control entering the commercial break.

The war over the top prize on the Raw brand continued after the break, each emptying their arsenal, leading to a top-rope elbow drop from Punk for a near-fall. The Best in the World transitioned right into the Anaconda Vise, but Styles escaped, bridged out and tried for the Styles Clash.

Punk escaped and sent the challenger into the corner, only to find himself once again entrapped in his opponent's grasp. Instead, the champion dropped Styles with Go To Sleep on the arena floor. The Phenomenal One narrowly beat the count, returning to the ring before official Jessika Carr reached 10.

Styles played possum, catching Punk with a Styles Clash for a great, dramatic, heart-stopping near-fall. The challenger tried for a Phenomenal Forearm, but Punk knocked him off the ropes.

Late in the match, as Punk and Styles battled for one last upper hand, Finn Balor entered the ring and attacked the champion. He delivered the shotgun dropkick, driving Punk into the guardrail. He added a Coup de Grace, then another, and stood tall as the show went off the air.

Result

No contest

Grade

A

Top Moments and Takeaways

That is how you heat someone up. Balor was infuriated over not being able to enter the Royal Rumble as it is at capacity and took his frustration out on the man who insinuated that it would behoove him to leave Judgment Day behind, Punk. After a stellar first encounter, that is a match that could easily headline a PLE, or even serve as a WrestleMania 42 contest if need be.

Punk and Styles were great here and were in the midst of a hell of a match before the abrupt finish. Unfortunately, it does not appear as though there will be enough time for either to run it back.

Overall Grade

Craig Melvin/WWE

As a standalone show, this was fantastic. The main event was great, the segments all had teeth and all pointed to the next development or two for the Superstars involved.

The Vision clearly has help at a higher level and looks like a world-beating faction, the women's division remains red-hot, Punk is fighting every week and looks like one of the best wrestlers on the planet, and Styles benefited from the spotlight a star of his stature long ago earned.

As a go-home episode before the Royal Rumble, though, it did not work. For whatever reason, this year's event seems to be banking on its popularity to sell it rather than red-hot programs, stories or matchups.

Other than the promo videos hyping Roman Reigns and Oba Femi's appearances, one would be hard pressed to remember any significant hype of any kind for Saturday's PLE.

Split the difference.

Grade: B+