All matches announced for WWE Raw (January 5, 2026); CM Punk & Rhea Ripley in action & more

The first Raw of 2026 will feature a stacked card.

The Stamford-based promotion is all set to step into 2026 with the first show of SmackDown as the Blue brand once again transitions to the three-hour format. However, currently, all eyes are on the first Monday Night Raw of 2026.

The January 5, 2026, episode of Raw is set to emanate live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The show will also mark the one-year anniversary of the Red Brand on Netflix, as its first episode premiered on January 6, 2025, ushering in a new era for WWE.

The promotion is building up a stacked card with multiple names set to compete on the show. Fans can also expect surprising returns on the show.

After pinning the World Heavyweight Champion during the men’s WarGames match, Bron Breakker rallied for a World title shot, and he was granted one for the first episode of 2026. CM Punk will now have to defend the title against Breakker, and with the Vision by his side, the odds are stacked firmly against the Champion.

On the other hand, the Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane), since turning on Iyo Sky, have targeted her and Rhea Ripley on every occasion, and with the Women’s Tag titles on their shoulder they themselves have become a target for the other contenders.

Multiple tag teams have laid claim to a title shot, but it was Ripley and Iyo who were awarded the shot, largely due to the history between the two teams. Asuka and Sane will put the tag titles on the line against Rhiyo in Brooklyn.

Furthermore, following her return during the pre-taping of the December 22 episode of Monday Night Raw, Becky Lynch is hungry to get back the loss and reclaim the Women’s Intercontinental title.

Maxxine Dupri will now defend the Intercontinental title in another showdown with the veteran Lynch on the first Raw of 2026.

Matches announced for WWE Raw (January 5, 2026)

• CM Punk (c) vs Bron Breakker – World Heavyweight title match
• The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) (c) vs Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky – Women’s Tag Team titles match
• Maxxine Dupri (c) vs Becky Lynch – Women’s Intercontinental title match

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