Date: September 29, 2025
Location: Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC
The Big Takeaway —
Not much happened on Raw until the very end, when Roman Reigns returned to help The Usos beat Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. It was good timing by Reigns because the Usos were getting obliterated. Jimmy Uso has been worried about Jey turning into Reigns, and the closing shot saw Reigns imparting more words of encouragement on Jey, as Jimmy looked on disapprovingly.
Plus, Iyo Sky will team with Rhea Ripley to face Asuka and Kairi Sane at Crown Jewel.
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Show Recap —
The Usos, Judgment Day, Los Americanos (all three of them), and Rusev arrived at the arena in Raleigh.
Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are tonight’s announcers.
Tessitore welcomed us to Raleigh, NC, and said the city was “That unique mix of cutting-edge business savvy and rah-rah spirit that mirrors modern-day WWE.”
There was a recap of Asuka and Kairi Sane attacking Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley.
Rhea Ripley kicks off Raw
A pissed off Rhea Ripley entered to a big reaction. She said Asuka and Kairi Sane crossed the line with what they did to Iyo Sky, whom they claimed was family. Ripley wanted to settle things in the ring and called them out, but Sky entered instead.
Sky admitted Ripley was right about Asuka and Sane, and it broke her heart to say that. But they were her family, and she still loved them.
Asuka and Sane appeared on the screen. Asuka addressed Ripley and Sky. (It was a pre-taped promo, so there were subtitles.) Asuka said she taught Sky everything she knew and paved the way for her, but now Sky acted as if none of that mattered. Sky became champion because of her, but now Sky calls Ripley family and tries to forget about her (Asuka).
Asuka was willing to forgive Sky, but wanted an apology. “Be like Kairi. You can both be my students.” Sane (still a hesitant participant in this) told Sky they can still be a family. Asuka said it was too late for Ripley.
Ripley tried talking sense into Sky. Ripley said she knew what it was like for family to turn on you (Judgment Day), and there was no way Sky could go back to Asuka and Sane. Sky was upset. She needed time. She apologized to Ripley and left.
Asuka and Sane attacked Ripley from behind. Sky wasn’t sure what to do, but she ran into the ring and pulled Asuka away from Ripley. Sane pleaded with Sky until Asuka spat mist in Sky’s face.
Ripley attacked, but Asuka and Sane fought her off. Asuka held Ripley down in the Asuka Lock while Sane hit an Insane elbow. Officials entered to check on the babyfaces as the segment ended.
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Dom entered with his Intercontinental and AAA Mega Championship belts. Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh initially entered with Dom, but they returned to the back for the match.
Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Rusev
Rusev was all over Dom early on, sending him over the announce table with a fallaway slam, which sent us to break less than two minutes into the match. Not much happened until Dom made his comeback following a break, leading to a springboard senton for just a one count. Dom went for a 619, but Rusev clotheslined him.
Rusev set up for the Machka Kick, but Dom spilled out of the ring. Dom shoved Rusev into the steel steps and hit a 619 to the gut back in the ring. Dom hit a normal 619 and went for a frog splash, but Rusev moved and hit a Machka Kick for a nearfall.
Rusev applied the Accolade, but Dom quickly wriggled out of it and escaped the ring. Dom grabbed his two belts and started to leave, but Rusev pulled him back in the ring.
Dom tried to pull an Eddie Guerrero trick by feigning that Rusev hit him with a belt, but the referee caught him. As the ref put the belt away, Dom low-blowed Rusev and applied a schoolboy for the pinfall win.
Match result: Dominik Mysterio defeated Rusev to retain the Intercontinental Championship (8:56)
This was ok. It followed the same pattern as most WWE TV matches, so the crowd only got into it toward the end with Dom’s antics, and they popped big for his win.
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Earlier today, LA Knight told Adam Pearce he wanted a world title shot because he was the last person to beat Seth Rollins.
New Day interrupted them because they wanted a tag title shot. Pearce told them to earn it. Knight tried to dismiss them, so Kofi Kingston told him that only one of them had actually been a world champion. Knight said he would be world champ very soon, and told Pearce to make a match between him and Kingston. Pearce agreed.
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There was a shot of Cody Rhodes’ tour bus, followed by part one of a video package exploring the history of Rhodes and Seth Rollins since Rhodes’ return.
Happy Bayley approached Lyra Valkyria, who wasn’t buying what Bayley was saying. Bayley wanted Valkyria’s help tonight (in her match with Raquel Rodriguez). Valkyria didn’t want to give her any more chances and told her she was on her own.
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They announced the launch of Zuffa Boxing with a picture of Turki Al-Sheikh and Dana White.
Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez (w/Roxanne Perez)
Bayley went for a hurricanrana off the apron (like Kelani Jordan tried in her recent TNA match with Lei Ying Lee), but Rodriguez successfully caught her and drove her into the barricade.
Bayley fought back after a break and hit a senton bomb for two. They were in North Carolina, so Bayley did the Hardy Boyz pose before the spot. Rodriguez and Bayley messed up a spot, so they moved on, and Rodriguez clotheslined her.
Bayley responded with a figure four (to pay tribute to Ric Flair in NC), but Rodriguez called the ref for help to distract her. This allowed Perez to rake Bayley’s eyes and break up the hold, and the ref didn’t see it because she has no peripheral vision. Rodriguez followed with a big boot and Tejana Bomb for the pinfall win.
— The heels attacked Bayley after the match, so Valkyria ran out to make the save. The heels got the better of her, but Bayley suddenly snapped. She popped out of the corner and cleared the ring by herself. Bayley cackled like heel Bayley and helped Valkyria to her feet.
Match result: Raquel Rodriguez defeated Bayley (10:24)
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The Usos met backstage. Jimmy wanted to know why Jey walked away from him and LA Knight last week. Jey said helping Knight got them nowhere, and he was the reason they lost at Wrestlepalooza. Jey wanted to know why Jimmy helped Knight.
Jey basically reiterated what Roman Reigns told him (without mentioning him), that they shouldn’t be helping anyone.
Jey did what he had to do. He beat Knight. Mission accomplished. If he did more of that, maybe he’d be world champion. That was something Jimmy didn’t understand. Jey told him to forget about Knight so they could take care of the Brons. They shook hands.
*******
The useless medical staff was still tending to Sky, who was still covered in blue mist and having trouble seeing almost an hour after the opening segment. Sane approached Sky and tried reasoning with her.
Sane wanted Sky to apologize to Asuka so they could be a family again. Sky told Sane to leave her alone. A very sad Kairi left, but not before leaving a photo of the three of them together. (The camera zoomed in on the picture in case you were having trouble understanding.)
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LA Knight vs. Kofi Kingston (w/Xavier Woods)
Knight had control until a Woods distraction allowed Kingston to take over ahead of a break. Woods also took a cheap shot during a break. Knight made his post-commercial break comeback, hitting a slingshot shoulder tackle and neckbreaker.
Woods distracted Knight again, this time by jumping on the apron in front of the referee. Knight knocked him off, but Kingston applied a rollup with his feet on the ropes for two. Knight ducked a Trouble in Paradise and hit a BFT for the pinfall win.
Match result: LA Knight defeated Kofi Kingston (10:22)
Another ordinary, patterned match.
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Becky Lynch approached Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa. She mocked Dupri for being a loser. Lynch called herself the greatest of all time and reminded us that everyone was saying it. Durpi said not everyone, certainly not AJ Lee.
Tozawa, playing a total caricature, giggled at the comment. Lynch punched Tozawa, and he dropped to the floor. Dupri stood up for Tozawa, so Lynch backed off. Durpi checked on Tozawa, but Lynch attacked her from behind and hammered away until officials broke it up. Lynch found Rollins nearby. Rollins left to head to the ring.
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Byron Saxton interviewed Dom during a break. Dom bragged about his win before being confronted by Penta. Saxton asked Dom for comment, but Dom dismissed Penta as a challenger because he’s already beaten him so many times.
Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes segment
(Long story short, Rhodes isn’t buying that their Crown Jewel match will determine the future. Rollins wanted to make it clear that any perceived allegiance between them in the past meant nothing. The match was meaningful because Rollins would win and write a new story.)
Rollins entered. The crowd sang his song, chanted for CM Punk and “OTC.” The fans remembered he isn’t currently feuding with those guys, so they eventually started singing for Cody Rhodes.
Rollins finally spoke when they did. Rollins acknowledged that he had lost all three matches against Rhodes. It didn’t bother Rollins because it didn’t matter. Those were in the past. Those versions of Rhodes and Rollins were in the past. They were both men trying to reach the top, but now, headed into Crown Jewel, they were on top.
The winner of the match wouldn’t just be the Crown Jewel champion—the winner may just decide the next 10-20 years of the entire industry. Rollins didn’t understand why anyone would want Rhodes to win that match and lead this company into the future.
Rollins said he has done everything right. He stayed with this company when times were tough, brought the company into its golden age, and took two young men—Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed—and took them under his wing so they could reach the top. Rollins has tried to rid this place of cancers like Reigns and Punk, yet people still chanted for Rhodes (instead of him).
Rhodes entered to a big reception. Rhodes wanted to know what Rollins was even talking about, as if either of them had any control over the future of the industry. Rhodes looked at the fans and said they were the ones who controlled the future.
Rhodes mentioned that Breakker and Reed appeared on SmackDown, but it wasn’t Rollins who sent them, it was Paul Heyman. Rhodes wondered who was really in charge. Rollins claimed it was him who sent them because every decision ran through him.
Rhodes wondered if it was also Rollins’ idea for Heyman to introduce Brock Lesnar. Rollins reiterated that every decision ran through him.
Rhodes said Crown Jewel should be about best versus best. Rhodes wondered where they would be in twenty years. Would they be sitting in the back, reminiscing about the past? Rhodes recalled Rollins being his shield at WrestleMania 40. He thought Rollins was his friend.
Rollins told him to shut up. Rollins said he was never Rhodes’ friend. That act at WrestleMania was a means to an end. Rhodes was the lesser of two evils. They would never be friends reminiscing about the past. They would never shake hands. That would never happen.
Rollins planned on cleansing the timeline at Crown Jewel. Everything that happened between them before was dead. Rollins would write a new future at Crown Jewel.
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Ripley approached Sky, still covered in blue mist. Sky told Ripley she was right about Asuka. She spoke to Pearce and got them a tag match against Asuka and Sane at Crown Jewel. Ripley earnestly asked Sky if she could trust her. Sky said she could. Sane was lost, and she could not go back to them.
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Dragon Lee cut a pre-match promo. The crowd was quiet for it. He was honoured to team with Styles and said he was coming for Dom’s Mega Championship.
Styles spoke about his upcoming match against John Cena. Styles said it was thanks to the fans that this match was happening, and now he got to do something that he loved: “I get to beat up John Cena.”
AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Los Americanos
The two Americanos who aren’t Ludwig Kaiser have new fake names, Rio and Bravo.
They went to break 40 seconds into the match, and the Americanos had the heat on Dragon Lee as the fans watched quietly. The crowd woke up when Styles made the hot tag. He ran wild and wiped out Kaiser with a springboard forearm to the outside.
Lee hoisted an Americano into the air and into the arms of Styles. Lee wiped out the other Americano with a dive while AJ hit a Styles Clash for the pinfall win.
Match result: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defeated Los Americanos (7:02)
Another match where you only need to see the last minute or so.
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Next week on Raw in Dallas, TX (start time 8 pm ET/5 pm PT):
- CM Punk appears
- Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri (non-title)
- Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez
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Jackie Redmond interviewed Stephanie Vaquer about her upcoming match against Tiffany Stratton. Vaquer respected Stratton, but Stratton would learn why nobody could stop her.
Stratton suddenly showed up. Stratton said she’s proven herself as champion against some of the best over the past 268 days. Vaquer has only been on top for a few weeks, and she would learn that it was still Tiffy Time. Vaquer said Tiffany’s time was over.
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In the back, a very serious Rollins told Heyman that he needs to beat Rhodes. Heyman was upbeat and confident that he would, but Rollins cut him off and said, “I have to beat him. I have to.”
Tornado Tag Team Match: Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed (w/Paul Heyman)
The Usos attacked the Brons with dives during their entrance, so the referee chose that moment to start the match, which hardly seems fair. The Brons fought them off and eventually took control anyway. The highlight was Breakker putting Jimmy through the announce table with a leaping clothesline off the barricade.
This left Jey on his own for a while. Jey tried fighting back, but Reed cut him off with a world’s strongest slam. The Brons followed with a Steinerizer.
Reed went up for a Tsunami, but Jimmy woke up and shoved him off the top. Jimmy hit Breakker with a superkick and a pop-up Samoan drop. However, Reed gave Jimmy a Jagged Edge (DVD), and Breakker speared Jey.
Breakker stacked up the Usos, who were getting decimated in a fair fight, and Reed set up for a Tsunami, but Roman Reigns’ music hit.
Reigns entered with a chair in hand to a gigantic pop. Reigns dumped Breakker from the ring and hit Reed repeatedly with a chair, eventually sending him over the barricade. Breakker tried to attack from behind, but Reigns hit him with the chair and sent him into the ring.
Jimmy superkicked Breakker, and Jey followed with a spear. Jimmy and Jey hit Breakker with simultaneous Uso splashes for the pinfall win.
— Reigns attacked Breakker again with a chair after the match.
Reigns shook hands with Jey. They stood face-to-face as Reigns gave Jey words of encouragement (telling Jey that this was his show and to take everything). Jimmy had a skeptical look on his face and didn’t like what he was seeing.
Match result: The Usos defeated Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed in a tornado tag team match (12:38)
