WWE Raw is scheduled to take place on Jan 5, 2026, live on Netflix, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, and Chris Jericho will surprise CM Punk in the main event, as he has been rumored to have already signed with WWE after leaving AEW in December. WWE is on the road to Royal Rumble 2026, where Rumble matches will take place for both the men’s and women’s division to determine who will main event WrestleMania 42 for the respective world title matches.
This week on Raw, four matches have been officially scheduled: CM Punk (c) vs. Bron Breakker for the World Heavyweight Title, Maxxine Dupri (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the IC Title, Kabuki Warriors vs. Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky for the Women’s Tag Titles, and Liv Morgan vs. Lyra Valkyria in a Return Match. This show is not only the first Raw of 2026 but will also be the 1-year anniversary for Raw’s Netflix Debut. Without further ado, here are the official Raw Predictions for Jan 5 2026.
CM Punk (c) vs. Bron Breakker [World Championship]
The chances of CM Punk losing the World Title in his first title defense on a Monday Night Raw seems slim on paper. However, Bron Breakker has really impressed both the fans and the administration with his promos on Punk, as he has gradually shown his capabilities of being a future world champion this early in his career.
The fact that Punk was a Plan B emergency champ due to the Seth Rollins injury makes it likely that Breakker wins the title to solidify his betrayal of Rollins and creation of the new Vision. However, Punk will have backup in LA Knight and Usos to take down those outside interferences and stretch out this program to Mania.
Prediction: CM Punk
Maxxine Dupri (c) vs. Becky Lynch [IC Championship]
Becky Lynch has lost to Maxxine Dupri via disqualification, countout, and pinfall. Now, WWE is teasing a submission finish, as Dupri already made Lynch tap out with the Ankle Lock in a segment two weeks ago on Raw. If Lynch taps out to Dupri in this title match, the end of civilization within the confines of WWE would be near.
The tomfoolery has to stop, as Dupri has no business defeating Lynch in any capacity. Lynch will make Dupri tap out with the Dis-Arm-Her and win back the IC Title so that she can defend it against her main rival, AJ Lee, in a marquee match at Mania. An AJ Lee return here is expected, but it should be after Lynch wins the title.
Prediction: Becky Lynch
Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Rhiyo [Tag Championships]
Kabuki Warriors have had a great story throughout the calendar year with Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky. They truly developed their characters very well, and WWE utilized subtitles quite efficiently in order for Asuka and Kairi Sane to sufficiently tell their story. However, the recent booking of their momentum has been eminently subpar.
As tag champions, Kabuki Warriors should not be losing non-title matches to Nia Jax and Lash Legend and Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. That makes the champions seem inferior when they are supposed to be seen as the best tag team in the division. So, at this point, they might as well drop the titles to Rhiyo because they’re cooked.
Prediction: Rhiyo
Liv Morgan vs. Lyra Valkyria [Return Match]
For most pro wrestling fans, the inner machinations of their minds are enigmas. There were rumors of Liv Morgan getting a push on the road to WrestleMania, and most fans chose to complain when Morgan has been one of the best things that happened to this division. Whether it’s in-ring or storyline, her body of work is immaculate.
Whether the fans like it or not, they should all agree that Morgan is winning this match because this is her return match. This will be the first step in her momentum towards getting back to the World Title around Stephanie Vaquer’s waist. When she gets to the top of that mountain, the legitimacy of the division will skyrocket.
Prediction: Liv Morgan
Confirmed Match Card & Segments for 01/05 WWE Raw Episode:
- Chris Jericho Return
- CM Punk (c) vs. Bron Breakker for the World Championship
- Maxxine Dupri (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the IC Title
- Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Rhiyo for the Tag Titles
- Liv Morgan vs. Lyra Valkyria in Return Match
If you’re not down with just that and would like even more WWE Raw Predictions from Mark Justice, check out more of his articles right here on Let Them Wrestle and subscribe to his popular YouTube channel by clicking HERE.
Mark Justice is a Cornell University Graduate with a bachelor’s degree (B.S), double majoring in biological and environmental sciences, and a law degree (J.D.), specializing in environmental law and international law. His passion for pro wrestling stems from his very first time watching the WWE in 2009. As a decade-old pro wrestling fan, he continues to fulfill this passion by writing for Let Them Wrestle, where he will cover both WWE and AEW content. You can email Mark Justice at markjustice728@gmail.com, especially if you are a pro wrestling ‘mark’ like him. You can also subscribe to his brand new Youtube Channel at the link below: https://www.youtube.com/@markjustice1327