Tag: wwe raw live results

WWE Raw live results: Money in the Bank go-home show

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: June 2, 2025
Location: BOK Center in Tulsa, OK 

The Big Takeaway —

Stephanie Vaquer and Chad Gable will work double duty on Saturday. Both wrestlers will compete at Worlds Collide, and both qualified for Money in the Bank with wins tonight. Vaquer beat Ivy Nile and Liv Morgan, while El Grande Americano/Gable beat AJ Styles and CM Punk. Vaquer’s first official night as a member of Raw was a successful one, as she came across like an emerging star. 

There were chants for R-Truth throughout the night. I wouldn’t say the fans hijacked the show, because they were very much into the product being presented—they were just also upset about Truth. 

**********

Show Recap — 

After a replay of last week’s main event, Sami Zayn (still being called the ‘underdog from the underground’), Jey Uso, Seth Rollins and his crew were shown arriving. 

They showed a replay of Michael Cole and Pat McAfee making a bet over the New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers series. The Pacers won, so Cole lost the bet, which meant he had to wear a tank top while calling Raw. The top he wore was a Pacers jersey. The Oklahoma crowd booed because, by pure happenstance, the Pacers will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. 

CM Punk and Sami Zayn segment

Punk entered and made a few references to the NBA Finals. He appreciated everyone’s basketball fandom, but asked the fans to watch Raw or SmackDown if it fell on the same day as the game. 

Punk moved on to his Money in the Bank qualifier. He looked forward to winning MITB for the third time. It was the Summer of Punk, and it was time for him to be wearing gold again. 

Two people were on top of the mountain, and one was his friend, Jey Uso. Punk wanted Jey to know that if they did fight for the title, it was not personal, only business. 

Punk spoke next about John Cena. The tables have turned since Punk first got to WWE—Cena is now public enemy number one because he sold his soul to a “bald fraud goof.” (For a moment, I thought that meant Triple H, but he obviously meant The Rock.) Punk has always had Cena’s number. He called Cena a bitch and said it was time for him to become champion again. 

Punk was done, but Sami Zayn entered. The crowd chanted for Zayn, and he appreciated it. Zayn was glad to hear Punk speak clearly about his goal of becoming world champion. Zayn had his own ambitions to become champion, but MITB was no longer his path thanks to Rollins’ crew. 

Zayn wanted to emphasize the importance of this match and told Punk that tonight was a must-win. Zayn knew that Punk was probably thinking about Rollins’ crew, but he couldn’t be distracted by them. Zayn and Jey would take care of Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker tonight. 

Zayn warned that if Rollins won the title, it would be all over because this place would turn into something they didn’t like. We needed Punk to win tonight. (The crowd chanted for Punk.) 

Zayn wanted Punk to win, but also wanted him to know that if he did win the world title, they would be face-to-face in this ring again, and their conversation would be much different. Punk said he looked forward to it. They shook hands. 

********

Roxanne Perez offered to help Liv Morgan tonight, but Morgan told her to stay out of her business. Morgan bumped into Iyo Sky and, just like last week, warned Sky that she was coming for her title. Sky said that was not going to happen. 

There was a Stephanie Vaquer video package where she spoke Spanish (with English subtitles) about her dream to be in WWE since she was ten years old. The package included pictures of her wrestling in Mexico. It made her look like a big star outside of anything she’s done in WWE. 

They plugged Vaquer’s match at Worlds Collide this weekend as she entered. 

Money in the Bank triple threat qualifier: Stephanie Vaquer vs. Ivy Nile vs. Women’s Tag Team Champion Liv Morgan

Vaquer didn’t waste any time doing her devil’s kiss move, first doing it to Morgan. Vaquer did it next to Nile, but Morgan broke it up with a dropkick. Morgan hit Vaquer with three amigos—hitting the final suplex on top of Nile. Some counters led to Nile hitting both women with a double German suplex. 

There were multiple “We want Truth” chants during a break. (The crowd was into the match, but there were a few signs for R-Truth, which may have prompted the chants.)

After the break, Nile hit a tower of doom powerbomb for a two count. Morgan followed with a Codebreaker on both women off the ropes for a double two count. Morgan hit Vaquer with Oblivion, and Nile tried to steal the pin, but Morgan got back in and broke it up. 

Nile shoved Morgan into the steel steps, and Vaquer hit Nile with SVB for the pinfall win. 

This was good for the time they had, and the crowd was into it despite the chants for Truth (which happened to occur during the commercial break). 

Match result: Stephanie Vaquer defeated Ivy Nile and Liv Morgan to qualify for Money in the Bank (10:18) 

********

Paul Heyman approached AJ Styles backstage and wished him a happy birthday. (Today is Styles’ 48th birthday.) Heyman spoke for a while, trying to convince Styles to focus on Dominik Mysterio and the Intercontinental Championship and leave MITB to Rollins. 

Styles asked Heyman if he wasn’t exhausted, constantly chasing his next meal ticket. Styles did plan on going after Dom and the IC title (as well as MITB), but he didn’t respond well to threats, and knew that Heyman was threatening him. If they tried to push him out, he would push back. Styles knew Rollins’ plan, but everyone had a plan until they got punched in the mouth. 

********

Chad Gable cut a promo during the break. He said the Pacers would beat the Thunder, El Grande Americano would win tonight, and he (Gable) would beat Vikingo on Saturday. 

******** 

There was a Rusev video package. He didn’t appreciate that Sheamus was disappointed with him last week. Sheamus ran out to help a stranger, but they were friends, and Sheamus didn’t help him from falling into the abyss. Sheamus had a body of granite but a neck of sand, and Rusev had the one move (the Accolade) that could end him. Rusev warned Sheamus to stay out of his way or he would snap his neck. 

Sheamus met with Akira Tozawa, Maxxine Dupri, and Natayla. He wanted them to keep their heads up because they heart, which not many people had in WWE. He thought Natalya and Dupri could win the tag titles. Natalya appreciated the words and put over Dupri. 

Cathy Kelley interviewed Sheamus. He said he went way back with Rusev, who was a groomsman at his wedding. Rusev’s WWE career imploded because of his own bad decisions, and his career outside the company lasted about as long as Rusev Day. Sheamus called Rusev a bully, and Sheamus bullied bullies. 

********

They went to break again after the previous segment, so there was only one match in the first 54 minutes of the show. And this match went to break after a couple of minutes. 

The War Raiders vs. Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh (without Carlito) 

There were more chants for R-Truth as the match began.

The New Day joined commentary for this match, but they were quickly tossed to the back by the referee because she caught them about to interfere. 

They had a normal match, and Judgment Day won thanks to Roxanne Perez. Ivar set up for a moonsault, but Perez distracted the referee. McDonagh yanked Ivar by his beard into the ring post, knocking him down. Bálor followed with a Coup de Grâce for the pinfall win. 

Match result: Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh defeated The War Raiders (11:08) 

********

Becky Lynch promo 

There was a Becky Lynch video promo. She said she’s only been back for six months, and Lyra Valkyria has cost her the tag titles and her chance at MITB. And yet, Valkyria accused her of taking away opportunities. Valkyria was an echo chamber for the ignorant who did not understand what greatness was and would never achieve it. 

Valkyria has forgotten everything Lynch did for her. Valkyria was in a lose-lose situation at MITB. Even if Valkyria won, Lynch couldn’t face her again, but Lynch was the best thing to ever happen to her. Lynch would win, and Valkyria would raise her hand—the same hand that would hold her down. 

********

During a break, New Day advised Grayson Waller to drop Austin Theory, just like they dropped Big E, because he was deadweight holding him down. 

American Made confronted New Day. They were pissed about New Day turning on them in their match last week. The Creeds thought New Day said that brothers stick together. Kofi Kingston said they misheard them, because he said ‘brothas’ stick together. Xavier Woods suggested American Made help them, but Julius said they were coming after the titles. 

********

Kelley interviewed Vaquer backstage. Vaquer said she felt great and continued to respond in Spanish, but was quickly interrupted by Rhea Ripley. They were cordial and shook hands. Ripley said she would see her on Saturday. (Both women got big crowd reactions when they appeared.) 

********

Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch segment 

Valkyria called Lynch a coward for talking big backstage. Valkyria called her out to the ring, so Lynch entered. Lynch was about to speak, but Valkyria told her to shut up. 

Valkyria called Lynch delusional and said her downfall needed to be studied. Lynch worked hard to get to the top, but only stayed there because she gave up being a good person. Valkyria realized she needed to get angry, and now she was. No one has hurt her the way Lynch has, and now Lynch has given her what she needed to beat her. 

Valkyria planned on beating the crap out of Lynch to make sure she could never poison what it meant to be IC champion. (Valkyria got loud ‘What’ chants as she spoke.) 

Lynch said Valkyria’s perspective was poisoned. Lynch knew Valkyria just wanted a reason to hate her. Valkyria wanted to replace Lynch, but nobody could do that. Lynch did not want to hurt Valkyria—she wanted to make her better. But that’s changed now, and Valkyria would have to raise her hand on Saturday. 

Lynch stormed out of the ring, so Valkyria called her into the ring to have their match now. Lynch said she didn’t fight in Tulsa, so she would see her at MITB. Valkyria ran after Lynch and attacked her until officials stepped in. 

Whatever they’re trying with Valkyria isn’t working. 

******** 

They announced a Tyrese Haliburton-WWE shirt available on Fanatics. The shirt features an animated Haliburton doing the choking gesture at MSG. 

There was a Penta video package. Winning MITB was his destiny. 

********

Sami Zayn entered with Jey Uso, and the entrance got a typically big reaction. Zayn danced to Jey’s music when they hit the ring, which the crowd got a kick out of. (This was during a break, but it was nice seeing Zayn having fun because he’s been way too serious lately.) 

Sami Zayn & World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed (w/Paul Heyman)

They went to break 75 seconds in the match. The heels worked over Zayn until he hit Reed with a tornado DDT. Jey made the hot tag and ran wild on Bron until Bron hit him with a gutbuster. Bron went for a super spear, but Jey caught him with a superkick for a close nearfall. 

Jey put Bron in a sleeper, but Reed broke it up with a senton. Zayn went after Reed and tried hitting both men with a dive, but they caught him. Jey then wiped everyone out with a suicide dive. 

Seth Rollins then ran down and gave Jey a curb-stomp for the DQ. 

— Bron placed Zayn on the announce table as Reed set up for a Tsunami off the top, but Punk attacked Bron from behind with a chair and chucked it in Reed’s face. Punk went after Rollins, but Rollins bailed. Bron was fuming over Punk, but Rollins settled him down and said they knew exactly where Punk would be later tonight. 

Punk, Zayn and Jey stood tall in the ring as Punk’s music played. 

The crowd was hot for all of this, despite the non-finish. 

Match result: World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso & Sami Zayn defeated Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed via disqualification (9:01) 

********

Morgan joined Judgment Day in the back. She told Bálor she knew what he was trying to do by bringing in Perez. Bálor played innocent and reminded her that she helped him and JD win tonight. Bálor knew Perez was coming on strong by giving Dom chicken nuggets, but said Morgan could trust Dom. Morgan said it wasn’t Dom she was worried about trusting. 

Bálor said trust in Perez would come with time. He suggested Perez join them at ringside for Raquel Rodriguez’s match. Morgan said Bálor could babysit Perez and wanted her to stay out of it. Morgan left with Rodriguez. 

Dom (wearing a Carlito t-shirt) apologized to Bálor for costing him the match last week, but Bálor smiled and said it was water under the bridge. 

********

Kairi Sane vs. Women’s Tag Team Champion Raquel Rodriguez (w/Liv Morgan) 

The crowd chanted for Truth again during this match. 

About five minutes in, Sane went to the top, but Morgan jumped on the apron to distract her. Iyo Sky ran out to her music to take out Morgan. Sane drove Rodriguez into the ring post and followed with an Insane Elbow for the pinfall win. 

Match result: Kairi Sane defeated Raquel Rodriguez (6:01) 

********

Karrion Kross approached Zayn as a trainer was checking on him. Zayn wanted to know what his problem was. 

Kross said Zayn was a liar. That was the problem. He lied to the fans and lied to himself. He could have been a world champion ten times over by now. Kross knew Zayn was capable of doing bad things because he was a bad guy, just like the rest of us. Zayn said he was wrong. Kross said he might be wrong, but he might be right, too. 

(You may have read that Kross gets a big reaction every week when he appears. He does get a decent reaction, but it was only the night after WrestleMania that he got a significant one.) 

********

There was a Giulia video package during a break. 

Kelley interviewed Perez during the break. Perez said Bálor knew she was already one of the most dangerous competitors on the roster at just 23 years old. She wasn’t just there to assist Judgment Day—she was there to take over the division, and she would start by winning MITB. 

********

They ran down the cards for Worlds Collide and Money in the Bank. 

There was a video package for Jey Uso vs. Gunther for the world title on Raw next week. 

Gunther sat down next to Jey in the locker room. Gunther said the world title was personal to him, so he appreciated the effort Jey put in to being a great champion. But because he refused to think with his head instead of his heart, Gunther would take it back. Jey was too selfless. He helped his friend Zayn tonight, but now he was less than 100%. He might help Punk tonight, too, if he needed it, and he was helping out Cody Rhodes on Saturday. None of that was the business of the world champion. 

Gunther thanked him because he knew the moment he lost at Mania, he would avenge it. In one week, the party was over. Jey responded: “Three letters, one word: tap. See you next week, G.” 

********

Money in the Bank triple threat qualifier: CM Punk vs. AJ Styles vs. El Grande Americano 

Punk wore pink and black gear. (He wore Bret Hart’s merchandise earlier.) 

Punk and Styles told the referee to check El Grande Americano’s mask for a metal plate. As McAfee noted, he should be checking all three men. 

Punk and Styles teamed up on Americano and tossed him from the ring. Styles dropped Punk with a dropkick, but Americano got right back in and dropped Styles with a running headbutt. Americano posed for the crowd, so Punk hit him with a running knee. The crowd cheered as Punk tried removing Americano’s mask, but Americano fought him off and hit a dive. 

They went to break a couple of minutes into the match, and Americano held control throughout, mostly working over Punk’s leg. 

Back from break, Styles gave Americano a back drop off the middle rope, and Punk followed with a diving elbow drop on Styles. Americano gave Punk a running headbutt before turning Styles around with a release German suplex. The crowd chanted, “He’s Chad Gable,” and “No, he’s not.” 

Americano tried a flying crossbody, but Punk tried rolling through like John Cena, but Punk isn’t as strong as Cena and was also selling his leg, so it wasn’t exactly smooth. Punk did get him up on his shoulders, but Styles dropped both guys with a combo DDT/inverted DDT. 

Americano put Punk in an ankle lock, but Punk rolled through, and Americano’s momentum sent him with a Styles’ Clash by AJ, but Punk broke up the cover. Chants for R-Truth were replaced by chants of “This is awesome.” Punk got Styles in a jackknife cover, but as Styles bridged out of it, Americano hit them both with a moonsault. 

Punk hit Americano with a GTS, but Breakker pulled him out of the ring. (You could see it coming because of where Punk was positioned, and because the crowd was barking.) 

Reed and Breakker beat up Punk until Jey and Zayn ran out to make the save. As everyone brawled, Styles wiped out everyone with a springboard dive. The crowd chanted “Holy sh*t,” which they tried desperately to censor. 

Styles went for a Phenomenal forearm, but Americano caught him with a mid-air headbutt for the pinfall win. (Americano presumably loaded his mask during the earlier commotion, but the announcers called it like it was a normal headbutt. There was also no evidence that he loaded it.) 

With the win, Gable will wrestle at Worlds Collide, and his alter ego will wrestle at MITB. Stephanie Vaquer will do the same. 

— Rollins ran down to attack Punk. They brawled until Breakker speared Punk. Zayn attacked Breakker, but the heels swarmed him, and Rollins put him down with a stomp. Rollins stomped Punk, too. Jey superkicked Reed, but Breakker speared him and Rollins stomped him, too. Reed flattened Jey with consecutive Tsunamis. 

Rollins’ heel group stood tall as the show ended. 

The crowd was into all of this and was really into Punk all night. 

Match result: El Grande Americano defeated AJ Styles and CM Punk to qualify for Money in the Bank (11:50)

WWE Raw live results: Money in the Bank qualifying continues

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: May 26, 2025
Location: Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL 

The Big Takeaway —

Seth Rollins and Penta qualified for the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.

**********

Show Recap — 

There was a recap of the Raw matches and angles from Saturday Night’s Main Event. 

Jey Uso, Lyra Valkyria, Sami Zayn (signing autographs), and Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh were shown arriving. 

They’ve killed the stage to allow for more fans, so there’s just a small entryway, a small video board, and a narrow aisle. 

Opening segment

Seth Rollins, Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed entered to start the show. Breakker and Reed were dressed the same—in all-black suits with black shirts and shoes. 

Heyman called Breakker an attack dog and the badass in a bloodline of badasses. If Skynet could predict who would main event WrestleMania 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50, it would tell you Bron Breakker. He called that a spoiler, not a prediction. 

The crowd chanted for CM Punk, so Heyman told them he wasn’t there tonight. The timing was perfect because it allowed Heyman to move on to Reed. He said it was because of Reed that Punk wasn’t there. He claimed WWE wouldn’t allow Reed around the top guys because they were too afraid. Reed was reckless and violent and would put everyone down. 

Heyman noted that Reed went after Rollins months ago because he was the top guy. Reed gave Rollins a bigger beating than Roman Reigns or CM Punk ever did. 

Heyman told the fans to acknowledge Rollins, so they chanted, “OTC” and “We want Roman” instead. Rollins said this was the way forward for the industry’s future—through total control, domination, and power. 

There was a “You sold out” and light “F*ck you, Rollins” chant, and they had to censor it (and Pat McAfee tried talking over it). Rollins reminded them they had just sung his song a few minutes ago, but now they questioned his integrity and chanted profanities. 

Rollins held the power and would be the champion right now if not for Zayn and Punk. However, even more powerful than being the champion was holding MITB and controlling the fate of the championships. He would win MITB and cash in whenever and wherever he wanted. Nobody could stop him, and that was true power.

(Rollins’ promo felt like retread, so his part wasn’t terribly exciting. I like Reed’s addition to this group, but I don’t like that he and Bron are dressed identically and generically like Rollins’ personal security. ) 

******** 

El Hijo del Vikingo was shown ringside. 

Money in the Bank triple threat qualifier: Chad Gable vs. Penta vs. Dragon Lee

There was an ugly and almost lethal spot early in the match. Penta tried some move that would simultaneously drop Dragon Lee backwards with a Gory Bomb, perhaps, and drop Gable forward with a facebuster, but Gable wound up landing right on his head. I mean, he really landed on his head. The referee immediately checked on Gable, who grabbed his face, but he seemed ok, and continued the match as if nothing happened. 

After a break, Dragon Lee flew out of nowhere while going for a suicide dive on Gable, but Gable dodged it, and Lee knocked Penta over the announce table. As the ref checked on them, Gable gave Vikingo a cheap shot. 

All three men traded moves, which included Dragon Lee hitting a poisonrana. Gable hit both men with a double German suplex and Penta with a moonsault for two. Gable gave Dragon Lee an overhead suplex into the turnbuckle and set up another moonsault, but Vikingo kicked him in the face. 

Dragon Lee gave Gable a double foot stomp, and Penta gave Dragon Lee a Canadian Destroyer. Penta followed with a Penta Driver on Gable for the pinfall win. (Gable was busted open by the end, perhaps because of Vikingo’s kick to the face.) 

This was a hell of a ten-minute TV match. The crowd loved it. 

Match result: Penta defeated Chad Gable and Dragon Lee to qualify for Money in the Bank (10:03) 

********

Roxanne Perez joined Judgment Day backstage and handed Dom a big platter of chicken nuggets. Perez was about to massage Dom’s sore shoulder, but they were joined by the returning Liv Morgan, who got a huge pop.

Dom tried to explain why she hadn’t really heard from him, but she cut him off. She said Raquel Rodriguez has been keeping her updated, and she was off to talk to Adam Pearce about getting a MITB qualifier. Bálor was very amused by all of this.

******** 

There was a Memorial Day video, narrated by Cody Rhodes. 

Rusev vs. Akira Tozawa (w/Maxxine Dupri) 

Rusev won in a minute via submission with the Accolade. 

— He wouldn’t let go of the hold after the bell, so Sheamus ran out. Sheamus’ new music is a big downgrade, and you couldn’t tell who was coming out when his music hit until he was shown on screen. (Rusev’s music isn’t any better.) 

Sheamus and Rusev faced off until Rusev left the ring. McAfee referenced Jim Ross by saying a potential match between these two would be a slobber knocker. McAfee shouted out JR without mentioning his name. (Michael Cole didn’t say anything.)  

The crowd was quiet for Rusev. 

Match result: Rusev defeated Akira Tozawa (0:55) 

******** 

Cathy Kelley interviewed comedians Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura about their Netflix special. Kelley referenced some negative comments Segura made about WWE in the past and admitted he was wrong. (Funny, they basically had him publicly apologize.) Kreischer got distracted because he was excited to see the War Raiders nearby. He removed his shirt and posed with them. 

******** 

Sami Zayn met with Jey Uso backstage. Zayn was tired of hearing all the talk from Rollins and co. Zayn regretted not going out to the ring to confront them. Jey told him that wouldn’t have been a good idea. Jey advised him to win the MITB briefcase, and if there was any trouble tonight, he had his back. 

******** 

Triple threat tag team match for the World Tag Team Championships: The New Day vs. The War Raiders vs. The Creed Brothers

If you aren’t already tired of multi-person matches, they gave you plenty of three-way spots. The New Day won, so the other two teams had a lot of high spots. 

New Day formed an alliance with the Creeds, which led to the finish. Ivar squished Kofi Kingston into the video ring board. Ivar went to the top, but Julius Creed flew in and knocked him off with a leaping kick, and Xavier Woods suddenly rolled up the unsuspecting Julius for the pinfall win. (Julius kicked out at three.) Julius and Brutus were upset with themselves post-match. 

Match result: The New Day defeated The Creed Brothers and The War Raiders to retain the World Tag Team Championships (9:13) 

********

Morgan and Rodriguez bumped into Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane backstage. Morgan was surprised to see them because she thought Damage CTRL was dead. Sky told them to keep walking. Morgan said she would win MITB and cash in on her. Sane cut a promo on her in Japanese and challenged her to a match tonight. Morgan accepted. 

Jey Uso and Gunther segment

Jey entered, but his promo was quickly interrupted by Gunther. Gunther congratulated him on his 15-year anniversary in WWE and winning his first title defence over Logan Paul. Gunther said Jey has already held the belt longer than he expected. 

Gunther could see that Jey wanted to be captain of the ship. There was a lot going on, and when Jey’s friends needed him, he was there, no questions asked. Those were great qualities for a human being, but terrible qualities for a champion. Gunther said he was the champion for almost a year because the only person he cared about was himself. 

Gunther didn’t think Jey had the intellect to understand how to carry himself as a great champion. When they wrestled in two weeks, Gunther would make things right. He would relieve Jey of his position, choke him out, and put the title back around his waist where it belonged. 

Jey said he was done with people saying his days as champion were numbered. Jey had friends and family. He fought for them, and they fought for him. Jey was fighting for more than what Gunther was fighting for. Jey fought for the fans’ support, and he would make Gunther tap out again in Phoenix. 

(Jey seemed flustered, so this wasn’t a good promo, but he got the crowd behind him with the last line.) 

********

There was a video clip of Cody Rhodes’ podcast with guest Brandi Rhodes. There were (sponsored) vodka products all over Rhodes’ tour bus. 

Patrick Maroon (hockey player), Waka Flocka Flame (rapper), and Titus O’Neil were shown in the crowd. 

Women’s Tag Team Champion Liv Morgan (w/Tag Champion Raquel Rodriguez) vs. Kairi Sane

A battle on the apron led to Morgan hitting a sunset flip powerbomb outside the ring. Sane fought back after a break and hit a spear. Sane continued on offence and hit a flying forearm off the top for two. 

Morgan followed with a flying Codebreaker for a nearfall. This was one of those spots that looked like a three count, so the crowd told the referee that she sucked. They traded a few moves until they clumsily fell into a cradle for a two count. 

As Rodriguez distracted the referee, Perez appeared and knocked Sane off the top. Rodriguez was upset even though Perez was just trying to help. (Also, it was impeccable timing by Perez to show up at the exact moment Raquel distracted the referee, even though it wasn’t their plan.) The referee looked around dumbly as Sane was suddenly down, and Perez was suddenly at ringside. 

Morgan looked over as Rodriguez argued with Perez. Morgan went for Oblivion, but Sane countered into a schoolboy for the pinfall win.  

This was not good, and the finish didn’t work, either. 

Match result: Kairi Sane defeated Liv Morgan (10:51)

******** 

There was a Rhea Ripley video promo about MITB. 

During a break, Vic Joseph told us that Trick Williams was the new TNA Champion and he would be on tomorrow’s NXT.  

During the break, an upset Gable told Ivy Nile to start training the Creeds again in case they get another title shot. Gable bumped into Vikingo and told him he would beat him at Worlds Collide. Vikingo was not worried. After Vikingo left, Gable turned around into a right hand by AJ Styles. Styles stood over Gable and told him that if he, or that “coffee bean,” interfered in his match again, he would put Gable through the ground.

******** 

Judgment Day met backstage. Rodriguez said Morgan would have won if not for Perez. However, Morgan was actually upset with Rodriguez. Morgan said Rodriguez was the veteran and should have known better. Morgan stormed off. (Bálor was so happy.) 

Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch segment  

Valkyria entered. She said she looked forward to facing someone new, but Becky Lynch grovelled and begged until she convinced those in the back to get a title rematch at MITB. Valkyria wouldn’t say no, because she’s already beaten her twice. Valkyria has never cared in the past what her opponents said about her, because once she beat them in the ring, she was the ultimate winner. 

However, she felt no satisfaction beating Lynch (at Backlash). Lynch’s ego was still through the roof, despite being outwrestled and beaten. Lynch talked like she had won the match. Now she was trying to steal an opportunity from the next person. Lynch made it personal by getting in her fiancé’s face and trying to break her arm. Valkyria would bash Lynch’s head in if she had to. 

Lynch interrupted. She said Valkyria was the one who made this personal by costing her the opportunity to qualify for MITB. Valkyria might’ve won their match, but Lynch won the night. Lynch went home with her hot husband, while Valkyria went to the hospital with her weird fiancé. Valkyria said Lynch’s husband was the only talented thing about her. (This was meant to get a pop, but it didn’t. It’s a cheap line they could do without.) 

Lynch said Valkyria was making it personal again. Lynch was the best thing to happen to Valkyria and the IC title. Valkyria said people were talking about her because she beat her. 

Lynch had an offer: if Valkyria beat her at MITB, she would never challenge her for the title again. Valkyria was fine with that because she’s beaten her twice already—and did it with her eyes closed. 

Lynch said she graciously raised Valkyria’s hand in NXT following their match after Valkyria won. Lynch wanted Valkyria to return the favour at MITB when Lynch beat her. Valkyria accepted because she had no trouble raising the hand of the winner—it’s just never been Lynch. 

******* 

Karrion Kross (and Scarlett) approached Sami Zayn. He didn’t like that Zayn was trying to earn a title match “the right way.” Zayn brushed him off. Before Zayn could leave, Kross bluntly told him, “You know you’re never going to win the title, right?” Zayn said he would deal with Kross later. Kross smirked. 

******** 

The announcers plugged two matches for Worlds Collide, and they included clips of the AAA wrestlers involved. They also ran down the MITB card.

Money in the Bank triple threat qualifier: Seth Rollins (w/Paul Heyman) vs. Sami Zayn vs. Finn Bálor 

Bálor shined first ahead of a break, and it was Zayn’s turn after the break. Zayn wiped out both guys with a Sabu-inspired springboard moonsault. He pointed to the sky, and McAfee mentioned Sabu. Zayn hit Bálor with a superplex, and Rollins followed with a frog splash on Zayn. (This led to a break for the second time in 10 minutes.) 

Rollins and Bálor formed an alliance, but Zayn fought them off. Zayn chucked Rollins out of the ring and went for an exploder on Bálor, but Bálor countered into a rollup for two. Rollins hit Bálor with a Pedigree, but Zayn caught Rollins in a crucifix cover for two. Rollins gave Zayn a Pedigree for two. Zayn and Rollins traded reversals until Zayn hit Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. 

Rollins was frustrated and began slapping Zayn in the corner. Zayn gave him an exploder in the corner, but Bálor cut off Zayn with a slingblade. Bálor dropkicked both men into the corner and went for the Coup de Grâce, but they both dodged it. Rollins stomped Bálor, and Zayn hit Rollins with a Helluva Kick. 

It seemed like Zayn had it won, but Bron Breakker pulled him out of the ring to break up the cover. Bron and Reed attacked Zayn until Jey Uso wiped out Reed with a dive off the barricade. Jey handed out superkicks, but after Rollins grabbed Jey, Bron speared him. Reed also crushed Zayn into the ring post. 

Dom ran in through the crowd and slid a chair into the ring. It was supposed to go to Bálor, but it just went into the middle of the ring. As Bálor reached for the chair, Rollins stomped Bálor’s head into it for the pinfall win. (Not sure why Dom was trying to be sneaky, given there are no DQs in a triple threat.) 

— After the match, Rollins called for Reed and Bron to continue their attack. However, CM Punk’s music hit, so they went up the aisle instead. Punk slipped into the ring from behind and laid out Rollins with a GTS. Punk bailed and posed in the crowd as the show ended. 

(Just like Dom could have just interfered in front of the referee, Punk didn’t have to wait until after the match to attack Rollins.) 

Match result: Seth Rollins defeated Finn Bálor and Sami Zayn to qualify for Money in the Bank (19:37)

WWE Raw live results: Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker

Posted on by Colin McGuire

One week after Bron Breakker left WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso lying, Breakker will receive a non-title match against the champion tonight on Raw.

Uso is five days away from defending his title against Logan Paul on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Paul, for his part, is also slated to make an appearance tonight.

Two women’s Money In The Bank qualifying matches will take place tonight as well. In one bout, it will be Rhea Ripley vs. Kairi Sane vs. Zoey Stark for a spot in the MITB Ladder match next month. In the other, it will be Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Roxanne Perez.

Also on tap, Grayson Waller will take on Sheamus, who returned last week to defeat Waller’s running mate, Austin Theory.

Plus, in tag action, AJ Styles will team with Penta to face The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & JD McDonagh).

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

– Michael Cole welcomed everyone into the show as an exterior shot of Greenville, South Carolina, was shown.

– A video recap of last week’s Sami Zayn/Jey Uso/CM Punk/Paul Heyman Group developments aired.

– Rollins, Breakker, Heyman, Uso, Styles, Penta and The Judgment Day members were all shown walking in various parts of the venue and outside of it.

The Logan Paul/Gunther segment

Paul entered the ring, was given a microphone and said, “Welcome to Monday Night Raw.” Paul said it is a fact that he will beat Jey Uso on Saturday. Paul said he will be the new World Heavyweight Champion by the time next week’s Raw rolls around. Paul listed a bunch of facts – Jey Uso tapped out Gunther was one. Jey Uso is the World Heavyweight Champion was another. The crowd erupted with Yeets. Paul said Jey Uso has eyes on everyone in the company except Paul. Paul noted how he has knocked out Jey Uso three times and he will do it again on Saturday. Paul reminded everyone he will become the new Heavyweight Champion and in the middle of that, Gunther’s music hit and Gunther walked to the ring.

The crowd chanted “You tapped out!” at Gunther. Paul smiled and kind of joined in the chanting. Gunther said he assumes Paul believes he’s better than Gunther because Paul was saying he was going to beat a guy who beat Gunther. The dialogue turned to confidence and Gunther said the fans should show Paul more respect than they do. Gunther said Paul is a self-made social media megastar. The crowd booed. Gunther said if he’s honest, there are things he could learn from Paul. Gunther said he needs help with social media and marketing and the more he thinks about it, the more he believes Logan Paul as world champion would be best for business.

Paul smiled and kept repeating, “This guy knows business.” Gunther responded by saying to Paul, it’s business, but to Gunther, it’s personal. Beating Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship is personal for Gunther, Gunther said, and if Paul takes that away from Gunther then Gunther will feel disrespected. Gunther said he doesn’t see heart in Paul. Gunther told Paul if Paul squares off with Gunther, all of Paul’s accolades mean nothing and Gunther will eat Paul alive. Gunther slammed down the microphone and left the ring.

As Gunther walked away, Jey Uso appeared out of nowhere and super-kicked Paul inside the ring. Uso picked up the microphone and said he’d see Paul on Saturday. Uso then said he’d see Gunther in Phoenix. Uso’s music hit to end the segment.

Paul is such a caricature these days that his promos have become less and less interesting the more he leans into being that caricature. That said, thank God for Gunther, who carried the segment, even if he gave Paul a few too many flowers for my taste – but that’s just me. The former world champ had to stick the landing because his message was running of steam, but he got there and showed really good fire to wrap things up. The notion that winning the title back from Uso because it’s personal to Gunther is a nice touch and one that makes me mildly more interested in a potential Uso/Gunther rematch and I can’t say I was all that interested in it to begin with. But Gunther kind of/sort of sold me on it here. The surprise Uso appearance leaves me thinking Paul will be involved in Uso business later in the show. Time will tell.

**********

– A recap of last week’s women’s tag team main event aired. Footage of Roxanne Perez signing her Raw contract earlier in the day followed that.

– Jey Uso was walking backstage and he ran into Paul Heyman, who told Uso that to betray someone, you have to stab them in the back, and as such, Heyman wanted to make sure he can’t be portrayed as betraying Uso. That in mind, Heyman told Jey Bron Breakker wasn’t looking for Jey’s title, and instead, he was looking to slow down Uso’s momentum. Heyman said if it’s Uso, Gunther or Paul, it doesn’t matter because they are all short-term. Instead, the long-term plan for a champion, Heyman said, is Seth Rollins.

The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & JD McDonagh) vs. Penta & AJ Styles

Styles and McDonagh started the match. Styles got the best of McDonagh early until McDonagh worked his way back and thwarted an attempted dropkick. Styles connected with a dropkick after that and tagged Penta into the match. Penta gave McDonagh a backbreaker. Ditto for Balor. Styles and Penta through Balor and McDonagh to the outside and connected with stereo splashes. The show then went to a commercial break for those of us who have Netflix commercials.

The show returned and McDonagh was working over Penta, complete with a snapmare and the obligatory attempt to rip the mask off Penta. Balor tagged in and went for the mask as well. McDonagh tagged back in, but Penta suplexed him. Balor cut Penta off when it initially came to a hot tag. Balor followed that up with a suplex on Penta. Ultimately, Penta got a knee to Balor’s face and hit a Slingblade before tagging in Styles as the crowd erupted.

Styles lifted Balor, but Balor raked Styles’s eyes and McDonagh tagged in. McDonagh went for a splash on Styles, but Styles moved and McDonagh hit Balor instead. Styles took advantage and slammed McDonagh for a nice near-fall. “This is awesome!” chants broke out. With McDonagh on the outside, Styles hit a reverse DDT on McDonagh and rolled McDonagh back into the ring, but Carlito interfered and ran Styles into the ring post as the referee checked on McDonagh. From there, the show went to a commercial break again.

Back to the action, Balor worked over Styles in the ring. The two clotheslined each other at the same time and the match reset. McDonagh and Penta tagged in and Penta landed a cross-body from the top on McDonagh. With McDonagh in a headstand position, Penta kicked McDonagh in the head. Penta ran at McDonagh and McDonagh hit a standing Spanish Fly. Balor tagged in and went to the top, but missed the Coup De Gras. Penta capitalized on that and hit the Sacrifice on Balor. Balor rolled up Penta for a two-count and followed that up with a Slingblade. Balor ran into a kick from Penta and Penta went to the top. McDonagh distracted the referee and Carlito cut Penta off, so things broke down between everyone at ringside.

Penta hit a Destroyer on McDonagh on the outside of the ring. Penta was leaning on the crowd barricade and El Grande Americano appeared in the crowd to headbutt Penta in the back of the head. Balor too advantage of that, rolled Penta back into the ring and hit the Coup De Gras on Penta for the win.

Match result: The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & JD McDonagh) defeated Penta & AJ Styles (17:05)

This was really pretty good. Plus, it was a pleasant surprise to see it go through two commercial breaks. For a makeshift tag match that only really existed to further the story between Penta and Americano, these four brought a lot of heart to what could have been a throwaway bout (covering SmackDown really acclimates you to “a throwaway bout” after so long these days). I can’t say I’m a huge fan of Penta taking these losses these days because he really came in on fire and still kind of/sort of remains on fire, but that fire can flame out easier and quicker than it should in WWE Land (with the exception of LA Knight), so it’d be nice to give him a win or two, even if this is all just building to him eventually unmasking Americano. Either way, this was a quality television tag team match.

**********

– Cathy Kelley interviewed IYO SKY in the backstage area. Kelley asked SKY about how she might be targeted for her title. SKY said she’d be ready for anyone and Becky Lynch walked into the frame. Lynch said SKY hadn’t been in there with Lynch yet and Lynch said she was going to put SKY down. Lynch’s music hit and Lynch made her way to the ring for the next match.

– Logan Paul was shown talking on his phone backstage and Seth Rollins walked up. Rollins told Paul that Jey Uso will get hurt tonight because Uso stuck his nose in Seth’s business. Seth said come Saturday, Uso won’t be 100% so the odds will be in Paul’s favor. Seth said if Paul can get past Jey Uso and Gunther, Seth will be waiting on the other side for Paul. Seth said Paul will know who to thank if he wins this weekend. Seth said they could run it back from WrestleMania a couple years ago, but this time, with the world title on the line.

Natalya vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Becky Lynch in a Money In The Bank qualifier match

Lynch convinced Perez to attack Natalya, but Lynch quickly turned on Perez, who threw Lynch to the outside. Lynch pulled Natalya out of the ring and a Lynch vs. Perez singles match broke out. Lynch attempted a Dis-Arm-Her, but Perez worked out of it and the two traded pin attempts. Perez had the upper hand and Natalya dropkicked Perez out of the ring before going to work on Lynch with a series of suplexes.

Natayla worked a Surfboard on Lynch. Natalya half-went for a Sharpshooter, but Lynch turned that into a Dis-Arm-Her. Perez reappeared and all three women exchanged offense. Natalya kicked Perez to the outside and before long all three wound up on the outside. This happened after some apparent miscommunication between Lynch and Perez and Lynch waited for Perez to get into place. Regardless. Perez stood tall as the show went to a commercial break.

Back from break, Perez had control back inside the ring, hitting a series of running elbows on both opponents. Natalya landed a discuss clothesline on both women and stacked them up for a double Sharpshooter, but Perez and Lynch kicked out of it. Perez came back with a moonsault on both Lynch and Natalya for a two-count on Natalya. Perez set up for PopRox, but Lynch countered into a Manhandle Slam. Natalya reappeared and took out Lynch and al three women were down.

Perez rolled to the outside and Lynch and Natalya traded blows inside the ring. Lynch and Natalya were struggling in a corner and Perez went to the top to German Suplex (PopRox?) both women at once. Perez covered Natalya but Lynch broke it up with a knee to Perez’s head. On their feet, Perez and Lynch traded slaps and elbows. Perez threw Lynch and went to the top, but Lynch cut off Perez. The two battled on the second rope until Natalya ran in and hit Perez with Lynch. Natalya powerbombed Lynch for a two-count. Natalya super-plexed Perez for a two-count.

Natalya locked in a Sharpshooter until Lynch bulldogged Natalya. Natalya clotheslined Lynch and went back to Perez. Natalya then worked a double Sharpshooter on Lynch and Perez at the same time. Lynch got out of it and rolled to the outside. Lynch came back and hit a Manhandle Slam on Natalya and it looked like Lynch would win, but Lyra Valkyria appeared and attacked Lynch. Perez took advantage and gave Natalya a PopRox to win the match as Becky and Lyra continued to brawl in the entranceway.

Match result: Roxanne Perez defeated Becky Lynch & Natalya to qualify for the women’s Money In The Bank ladder match (14:35)

A very good MITB qualifier match. All women worked really hard and while we don’t see Natalya on TV that much these days, she made the best of her time here. Lynch and Perez were very giving to her, too, which was a nice touch and one that reiterates how liked Natalya seems to be by all her colleagues. I like Perez going over here, even if Becky is leaning into all of the Internet Chatter about her sharing some traits with the Hulkster, among other things. Roxanne was the right choice. A new face to some viewers. She’s finally out of NXT/Main Roster purgatory. Let’s see what she can do with some proper booking attention on Monday nights. I also like the continuation of Becky and Lyra and they had a pretty nice brawl that led to the end of the match. Good stuff all around.

**********

– Jey Uso was shown in the locker room and Sami Zayn showed up. Zayn told Uso that he didn’t need to deal with Heyman and his group because Zayn would take care of it this weekend. Zayn and Uso shared in their secret handshake.

– Adam Pearce was talking to Alpha Academy backstage and asked Tazawa if he really wanted what he asked for. Tozawa said yes and Pearce made the match for next week – Tozawa vs. Rusev. Chad Gable walked into the frame and argued for MITB qualifying matches for himself and Ivy Nile. The New Day showed up and talked about how next week, American Made will be involved in a tag title shot. It will be a triple threat, including the War Raiders.

Sheamus vs. Grayson Waller

Waller had control early. The crowd chanted “Let’s go Sheamus!” The two grappled a bit until Waller kicked Sheamus in the leg. Sheamus blocked a hip-toss and slapped Waller to the ground. Sheamus followed up with a back-breaker and threw Waller across the ring repeatedly. Sheamus clotheslined Waller over the top rope and played to the crowd. Sheamus stepped outside and Austin Theory distracted Sheamus. Waller made the best of it and threw Sheamus into the commentary table before clotheslining Sheamus to the ground. The show then went to a commercial break.

The show returned and the crowd offered loud “Austin Theory!” chants. Inside the ring, Waller slapped, punched and chopped Sheamus, who fired up and returned all of the favors. Waller took back control with a stomp on Shaemus’s back and a rolling Flatliner for a two-count. Waller went to the second rope and jumped into a tough knee from Sheamus. That was followed up weird tilt-a-whirl half-slam? Something happened. Sheamus ran into a spinning elbow from Waller and with Sheamus on the arpon, Waller went for 10 Beats, but Sheamus wasn’t having that. Instead, Sheamus lifted Waller and dropped him from the apron on down. That, of course, led to Sheamus setting up for 10 Beats, but Waller snuck away.

Waller went to walk to the back, but Theory stopped him. As a result, Sheamus actually did execute the 10 Beats. Theory laughed and Sheamus played to the crowd. Sheamus, from there, hit the Brogue Kick and got the win. Theory, meanwhile, kept laughing outside the ring.

Match result: Sheamus defeated Grayson Waller (11:48)

The long, slow, unreasonably stretched out breakup of Grayson Waller and Austin Theory continues. Who knows if the development during this match will actually lead to anything regarding the saga between the two, but time will tell. Meanwhile, Sheamus looked great here, even if there were a couple odd, not-Sheamus-match-like moments. Sheamus has settled into this really good gatekeeper roll – a roll in which he seems both happy and comfortable, which is nice to see. Give him the Grand Slam, WWE Writers. He’s earned it. Company man. Quality matches. Happy to work, no matter the job. Give Sheamus his flowers before he decides to call it a day.

**********

– Michael Cole and Pat McAfee interviewed Tyrese Haliburton and it turns out, Hali is going to be a character in the WWE 2K video game. Cole and McAfee have a bet riding on the upcoming Knicks/Pacers series. Haliburton also has his own WWE merch. So, there’s that. Cole asked Hali for a prediction for Paul vs. Uso on Saturday. He said he’d love to say Paul, but his heart lies with Jey Uso.

– Kelley interviewed Gunther backstage. She asked Gunther if his gameplan was different heading into June 9. Before Gunther could answer, Seth Rollins walked in and said he was there to let Gunther know that the work Gunther did with Seth’s World Heavyweight Championship was “pretty good stuff, man.” Gunther said he heard about the “long-term plan” and said Seth was short-sighted for a visionary, which was funny. Gunther said he was the future. Rollins was annoyed and said he was there as a courtesy. Rollins said if Gunther finds that title around his waist again, he will be treated no different than anyone else and Gunther will be a target. Gunther said he couldn’t wait and in fact, he was eagerly awaiting for all of this to happen.

Rhea Ripley vs. Kairi Sane vs. Zoey Stark in a Money In The Bank Qualifier Match

Sane’s entrance now features her throwing coins into the crowd, which was kind of fun. Sane’ presentation felt far less Damage CTRL and far more NXT Kairi Sane. Either way, things got off to a hot start as the women traded a handful of moves. The opening sequence had Stark stand tall over Ripley briefly. Ripley came back and took Stark out. Sane returned to the action and went for a dropkick, but Stark cut off Sane and hurt herself. Stark was yelling in agony, holding her knee as WWE doctors checked on Stark. The show cut to a commercial while it looked as though the match might be stopped due to Stark’s injury.

The show returned and Stark was gone. Cole announced it as a one-on-one match between Ripley and Sane. Ripley slammed Sane and covered her for a two-count. Ripley stretched Sane until Sane worked out and went to the top rope. Sane leapt at Ripley, but Ripley dropkicked Sane out of midair. That was good enough to earn Ripley a two-count. Ripley set up for RipTide, but Sane worked out of it and gave Ripley a back elbow. Sane went to the top and went for the InSane Elbow, but Ripley got a boot up to counter everything.

The two reset the match and battled while on their knees. Ripley and Sane traded elbows and forearms. Sane went for a spinning elbow, but Ripley avoided it and got Sane up for the RipTide. Ripley connected with it and got the win.

Match result: Rhea Ripley defeated Kairi Sane and Zoey Stark to qualify for the women’s Money In The Bank ladder match (9:53)

How sad can it get for Zoey Stark? Her faction dissolves in front of her because her stablemates were let go. She gets a chance to at least perform in a high stakes match like this and no less than two minutes into the thing, she suffers another knee injury that looks like it’ll take her out for a significant amount of time. Here’s hoping it’s not as serious as it looked and here’s hoping for a quick recovery. As for the match itself, it was fine, though I’ll say what I said about the other MITB qualifier: I would have preferred Sane winning, if only for the freshness of it. This does make me wonder if Ripley will win the ladder match (because why put her in there if she’s not?), but there is always something to be said for star power and Ripley certainly brings star power to whatever she does. Outside of that … what’s next for Sane?

**********

– On next week’s Raw, Tozawa will face Rusev. Cole made the official announcement and then a Rusev vignette aired.

– The Judgment Day were shown celebrating backstage. Balor walked into the picture and introduced Roxanne Perez to the group. Balor noted how Dom said they needed more numbers a few weeks ago. Dom said they needed to talk to Liv before any decisions were made. Balor said Perez wasn’t a member, but she could provide help if they need it. Perez said she got them presents and gave Dom a box of chicken nuggets (I thought he was into tendies? Come on, Rok-C. Be better). Carlito received an apple. Raquel told Perez to leave and sternly told Balor that Liv will hear about what happened. Balor said, “I can’t wait,” while flashing that Finn Balor smile of his.

– Next week, men’s MITB qualifying matches will go down. There’s the aforementioned Tozawa vs. Rusev match. And then War Raiders vs. New Day vs. American Made for the World Tag Team Championship will also happen.

– Jey Uso’s entrance through the crowd began for the main event and when you have a match presumably cut short due to injury, boy, you better be thankful for the Jey Uso gimmick these days, WWE, because you can fill at least 10 minutes with his entrance alone if need be.

Bron Breakker vs. Jey Uso in a non-title match

Breakker had the upper hand to begin things. It was brief because Uso battled back and clotheslined Breakker over the top and to the floor. Uso followed that up with a suicide dive through the ropes. The show then went to a commercial break. The show returned and Breakker had the advantage inside the ring. Breakker ran a million miles an hour and clotheslined Uso. In a brief hope spot, Uso went to the middle rope for a splash, but Breakker caught him and slammed him for a two-count. Breakker went for a belly-to-belly suplex and Uso landed awkwardly.

Breakker pulled Uso up by his goatee. Breakker yelled at the crowd and tried to hit Uso, but Uso blocked it and landed a series of strikes on Breakker. Uso followed that up with a hip attack for a two-count. Uso knocked Breakker to the outside and went for a suicide dive, but Breakker caught Uso and ragdolled Uso into everything. Breaker then jumped from the apron and hit somewhat of a flying bulldog onto Uso onto the commentary table. The show then went to its final commercial break.

The show returned and the two were back inside the ring. Uso slapped Breakker and they traded blows. The sequence ended with a wildly high pop-up Samoan Drop from Uso onto Breaker for a nice near-fall. “This is awesome!” chants broke out. Uso went to the top but Breakker cut him off. The two battled on the second rope and ultimately, Breakker hit is jump-up Breakker-Steiner from the top. That was good enough to earn Breakker a two-count.

Breakker ran the ropes and, well, ran into a super-kick from Uso. The crowd collectively turned to somewhere as Uso struggled to get to his feet. Paul Heyman hopped onto the apron as Breakker obtained a chair from outside the ring. Uso kicked the chair out of Breakker’s hand and ran the ropes, but Heyman grabbed Uso’s foot. Uso left the ring and confronted Heyman, but wouldn’t you know it, Seth Rollins appeared and attacked Uso to end the match.

Match result: Jey Uso defeated Bron Breakker via DQ (15:56)

After the match was officially over, Rollins and Breakker put the boots to Uso inside the ring until Sami Zayn’s music hit. Zayn confronted Rollins and Breakker from the apron as the crowd chanted “CM Punk!” Punk’s music then hit and out walked Punk to join Zayn on the apron. All four wrestlers brawled inside the ring. Punk and Zayn got the better of it at first, but the heels didn’t give up. Breakker and Rollins battled Zayn in the crowd until Punk leapt off the crowd barrier and the four wrestlers brawled into the crowd. As all this was happening, Uso had his hand raised in the ring and Logan Paul appeared out of nowhere to punch Uso out. Paul, for some reason, was bleeding from the mouth. Paul smiled as the show went off the air.

This was a nice way to end what ostensibly could be considered “The SNME Go-Home Show,” with the way they went off the air. And good on WWE for that. The difference between Mondays and Fridays is so pronounced, it’s borderline shocking at this point. Raw has such an energy to it and it’s a pro wrestling show. Yeah, you’ll get a 10-15 minute promo segment, but the spotlight is so clearly on the wrestling while SmackDown feels far too much like Vince McMahon is booking it seven years ago and AEW needs to happen to course correct the state of pro wrestling. I digress. The main event was good. Breakker is settling into his top-of-the-card role nicely and Heyman is doing him all the favors he can do for a young up-and-comer. The show-closing brawl was well done and we all knew Paul would have to get his revenge on Jey to send this thing to Saturday. Overall, this was a solid episode of Raw and a good use of the two-and-a-half-hour time slot. If you didn’t like this, you don’t like the best of current WWE. When it’s good, it’s very good. When it’s not, it’s very not. On to Friday.

WWE Raw live results: IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley vs. Roxanne Perez & Giulia

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: May 12, 2025
Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY 

The Big Takeaway —

CM Punk and Sami Zayn will team to face Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Bron laid out Jey Uso, and the two men will wrestle next week in a non-title match. 

Gunther is coming after the World Championship again and will face the winner of Jey Uso vs. Logan Paul. Gunther’s title match will happen on Raw next month. 

Rhea Ripley pinned Giulia in the tag main event, and is likely getting a title match against Iyo Sky soon. 

Money in the Bank qualifiers begin next week. 

**********

Show Recap — 

The show opened with a memorial graphic for “Sabu” Terrance Brunk. RIP.

Judgment Day, AJ Styles, Iyo Sky, and Roxanne Perez and Giulia (referred to by Michael Cole as “NXT upstarts”) were shown arriving at the arena in Louisville. 

There was a dramatic recap of last week’s main event angle. 

Opening segment 

CM Punk entered and pointed to the sky in tribute of Sabu. 

Punk was pissed off. He nursed a few injuries and hurt feelings since WrestleMania, but he couldn’t shake being pissed off. He had a lot of enemies, and number one with a bullet was himself. 

He was mad at himself because they’d been here before. It wasn’t the first time Paul Heyman stabbed him in the back. Punk liked to trust his friends, so this was on him. Heyman dropped a ladder on his head 12 years ago and left him with 13 staples in his head. 

Punk thought they had moved past that because he matured as a human being, but Heyman didn’t. Jey Uso warned him about Heyman. Heyman was who he always was. He was a fat little snake. Punk was also mad at “Temu CM Punk” Seth Rollins. Punk couldn’t wait to get his hands on Heyman’s fat neck and squeeze until his eyeballs popped. 

Heyman marched out as Punk mocked him by referring to him as The Penguin. Heyman remained near the stage as Punk warned him that his next words would be his last. 

Rollins and Bron Breakker joined Heyman on the stage. Rollins said Punk found a way to be even more egotistical. Heyman was his best friend, but Punk made his life hell on the road to Mania. Heyman believed in Punk when no one else did. Rollins believed that Punk was human excrement. Rollins said he would be champion if not for Punk. 

Punk said Rollins would never be champ as long as he was on two feet. Rollins figured out that Punk loved to play the victim and be a martyr, so he sent Bron after Punk. 

Punk tried fighting them off, but the numbers caught up to him. Sami Zayn ran out to even the odds, but Bron suplexed him easily. 

Jey Uso came out and the crowd cheered, but he got beaten up too. The heels finally backed off when both Punk and Zayn hit the ring with chairs.

(Punk was good here, but this was a fairly standard segment. The babyfaces didn’t look great getting beaten up one at a time. I also don’t know how much more I need to see Punk and Rollins trade insults.) 

******** 

Cole called the opening segment alone. After Penta and Chad Gable entered for the opening match (Gable’s entrance was during a break), Pat McAfee entered to his music to join Cole on commentary. They tried to explain that McAfee was only coming out now because he just finished getting cleared by medical, but they obviously wanted to give him a TV entrance. 

Penta vs. Chad Gable (w/Ivy Nile)

Penta tried a dive early on, but Gable knocked him out of mid-air with a headbutt—the same headbutt used by El Grande Americano, but without the loaded mask. Gable repeatedly tugged at Penta’s mask during a break for heat. 

Penta made his comeback immediately following the break, but Gable cut him off with a bridging German suplex for two. Gable flew off the top, but Penta caught him with a Codebreaker. Gable hit a moonsault for two and applied an ankle lock, but Penta immediately rolled out of it and hit a superkick for two. 

Gable taunted Penta as they stood on the ropes, but Penta shoved him off. Gable landed on his feet, but Penta followed with a great-looking Canadian Destroyer for the pinfall win. This was pretty good. 

Match result: Penta defeated Chad Gable (11:04)

******** 

There was a pre-taped promo by Roxanne Perez and Giulia. They didn’t plan on waiting around for their turn, so they were going after the two women on top. The future started tonight. 

During a break, there was a video package of John Cena’s win over Randy Orton. 

Kofi Kingston was shown taking in the Louisville Slugger Museum. 

Judgment Day met in the back. There was some silly comedy with Dom not understanding that Liv Morgan was in a different time zone. (Hopefully, this bit wasn’t a result of a real conversation that somebody had backstage.) Finn Bálor assured Dom that he would take care of AJ Styles tonight. 

There was a recap of Gunther beating McAfee. They cut back to the announcers, and the fans gave McAfee a loud ovation. McAfee tried to play it humble, but Cole told him to stand up and take it in. McAfee thanked the fans before showing that he was still bruised and had popped a blood vessel in his eye. McAfee had respect for Gunther and felt Gunther now had respect for them.

******** 

Announced for Saturday Night’s Main Event: CM Punk & Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins & Bron Breakker. 

Zayn met with Punk backstage. Punk admitted to Zayn he was having a hard time trusting anybody. Zayn had difficulty trusting Punk at WarGames, but it worked out pretty well. They both liked to do things their own way and had similar ambitions, but they would get nowhere with Rollins and Bron standing in their way. Zayn said they could take them out together. They bumped fists. 

********

The opening match was followed by a long string of videos, backstage segments, and commercial breaks, so the show’s second match began with less than ten minutes remaining in the first hour, and they went to break again about two minutes into it. 

The New Day joined commentary to watch the next match. Cole said the winner of this match could earn a future tag title shot. 

The War Raiders vs. The Creed Brothers

Ivar made a comeback as they returned from break, but Julius hit him with a superplex, and Brutus followed with a moonsault for two. The War Raiders fought back, and Erik rammed Ivar into Julius in the corner, but Brutus broke up the cover. Brutus gave Ivar an impressive Angle Slam, but the crowd didn’t really react. Ivar tried a double handspring elbow, but the Creeds caught him out of the air and slammed him. 

Erik broke up the cover and tried to psych up Ivar, but became distracted by Xavier Woods. Kingston attacked Ivar as he went to the top, allowing the Creeds to hit Brutus Ball for the pinfall win. 

New Day ran off quite proud of themselves. 

Match result: The Creed Brothers defeated The War Raiders (10:27) 

********

Rollins assured Bron that Punk and Zayn had no idea what he was capable of. Rollins left for the evening, but whispered one final message to Bron. Bron smirked, and Rollins told him to have fun. 

Adam Pearce quickly met with Jey Uso backstage. (Bálor could be seen talking to Perez in the background.) 

Cathy Kelley interviewed A-Town Down Under during a break. She asked about the elephant in the room, but Grayson Waller said they weren’t there to talk about her mom. Waller tried to get Austin Theory a rematch against Sheamus, but Theory said he already got Waller a match against Sheamus. 

They let us know that the clip of Logan Paul attacking Jey Uso got over 16 million social media views in 12 hours. 

********

Jey Uso segment

Jey entered to a big reaction. The crowd chanted “One more time,” the music was played again, and they all Yeeted again. 

Jey said there was a big target on his big back, so he wanted to get something off his big chest. Logan Paul was talking out of the side of his mouth by claiming he wasn’t championship material. Paul was ducking him and sneaking him, but at SNME, it was the two of them face-to-face. Jey called himself the “arena shaker” and said he would still be our world champion after SNME. 

Gunther interrupted. The crowd chanted, “You tapped out.” Gunther said the unimaginable came true: Jey Uso was World Heavyweight Champion. Gunther noted this was their first time together since that moment. Jey clarified that the moment was when Gunther tapped out. The crowd chanted it again. 

Gunther said he knew what it meant to be champion. Just because he understood doesn’t mean his opinion of Jey has changed. This position was not natural to Jey because he was not a natural champion. 

Gunther had news to share (that Jey already knew): the winner of the SNME title match would face Gunther next. Gunther announced that the match would be Raw on June 9th in Phoenix, Arizona. (Interesting, because they often don’t give the exact date. Could be a way to push ticket sales for that particular show.) 

Gunther really hoped that his opponent would be Jey so he could put him in his place. 

Jey fired up and said he was already in the place he should be. He ran this place and would walk out of their match just like he did at WrestleMania—as World Heavyweight Champion. Yeet. 

(Jey is very good at being Jey Uso, and I mean that as a compliment. It felt like he struggled at times leading up to his big moment, but he was great here.) 

********

Cole and McAfee paid tribute to Sabu as pictures were shown. Cole called him a legendary ECW superstar. A two-time champion who had a legendary rivalry with his friend, Taz. McAfee said they were forever grateful for Sabu’s influence. Cole sent condolences to Sabu’s family and friends. The crowd chanted, “Thank you, Sabu.” 

******** 

During a break, Erik and Ivar screamed at Pearce backstage until Kingston and Woods entered to mock them. Predictably, Pearce announced that New Day would defend their titles in a triple threat.

Jackie Redmond tried interviewing Ludwig Kaiser, but there was a nearby commotion. Jey Uso was laid out with Bron Breakker standing over him. Bron left as officials checked on Jey. Zayn and Punk joined to check on him. 

******** 

AJ Styles vs. Finn Bálor (w/JD McDonagh & Carlito)

Cole referred to Styles and Bálor as former leaders of the Bullet Club. He repeatedly noted that Dom was not there with Judgment Day.

As with the other matches tonight, they went to break quickly, less than two minutes into it. 

Styles was on offence until he became distracted by McDonagh on the apron. Cole referred to this as the “first” distraction of the match. I guess he knows what’s coming. They dropped each other with a double clothesline spot, leading to a second commercial break, nine minutes into the match. 

Styles hit a superplex as they returned from break. They traded strikes until Styles caught Bálor’s Pelé Kick attempt and applied a calf crusher, but Bálor got a rope break. Bálor hit a slingblade and dropkick, but Styles avoided a Coup de Grace. Styles tried the calf crusher, but before Bálor could break it, AJ hit a Styles Clash for two. 

Cole was right because Carlito hopped on the apron for our second ref distraction. Styles knocked down McDonagh, but the distraction allowed Bálor to hit an elevated reverse DDT. 

Penta appeared on the barricade to take out the outside Judgment Day members. He leaped off McDonagh to hit Carlito with a Canadian Destroyer. 

Styles hit Bálor with a Phenomenal forearm for the pinfall win. 

(This was good enough, but nothing you needed to see. The crowd was quiet for most of the match, but got into it as it picked up towards the end.) 

Match result: AJ Styles defeated Finn Bálor (17:00) 

********

Becky Lynch made her way through the back. (Karrion Kross gave t-shirts to New Day in the background.) 

Becky Lynch promo

Lynch said she was not beaten at Backlash. Valkyria was beaten at Backlash. The fans didn’t believe her, but one of them was taken to the hospital (Lyra), while the other went to their big bus, had a shower and a glass of tequila while basking in her brilliance (Becky). 

After everything Valkyria did to her—attacking her character for weeks—Lynch brought out the best in her and gave her the best match of her career. Valkyria has never mattered more than she has now. 

She realized how much she was manipulated not only by Valkyria but also by the fans. She walked away for almost a year because the fans basically asked her to. She saw their reaction after the last time she won the world title, and if she wasn’t there to win the title, then there was no point. 

Lynch had always been for the people because she had them to thank for her career. They saw themselves in her, and they were in this together. And then something happened—she won. They couldn’t see themselves in her anymore because they were failures and hated what they could not understand. 

One of Lynch’s friends asked if she missed it while she was gone. She missed being in the ring, but she liked herself more now because she didn’t have to listen to the fans tell her what she was about. She heard the same lies from the one person she had hope for in this business. 

It all changed from here on out. “From now on, whatever you say I am, I am. So I’m selfish? Yes, I am. I’m greedy? Yes, I am. I’m cutthroat? Yes, I am.” 

All the girls in the back who were happy she was gone because they thought they were safe were finally going to find out what it feels like to be held down by The Man. 

********

There was a Rusev video package. He would rather his brothers fall by his hand than fall into the abyss. 

Akira Tozawa asked Pearce for a match against Rusev. Maxxine Dupri and Natalya had his back, but Pearce said he wasn’t cleared. Sheamus showed up and gave him respect for not backing down. 

After Alpha Academy left, Sheamus spoke to Pearce. Sheamus proposed a match against Grayson Waller. Pearce acted like this was the first he had heard of this and granted the match. Sheamus was happy. I guess some wires got crossed because they already announced this match earlier. 

******** 

Next week on Raw: 

  • Money in the Bank qualifiers 
  • AJ Styles & Penta vs. Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh 
  • Sheamus vs. Grayson Waller 
  • Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker (non-title) 

********

Women’s World Champion IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley vs. Roxanne Perez & Giulia 

(Perez and Ripley wore similar gear to the point where they looked like partners.) 

The heels were in control through a break over Sky, but Ripley made a hot tag when they returned from break. She gave Perez a Razor’s Edge and a running kick for two. Perez brought Ripley off the top with a hurricanrana for two. Giulia gave Ripley a vertical suplex before Perez hit a middle rope moonsault for two. 

Sky made the next hot tag and hit Giulia with a missile dropkick. They all traded moves until Sky hit a moonsault, but Perez broke up the cover. Ripley elevated Sky into a dropkick to take out Giulia. Sky wiped out Perez with a springboard dropkick. 

Giulia tripped Ripley off the apron before hitting Sky with an impressive avalanche butterfly suplex and brainbuster, but Ripley broke up the cover. Some more stuff happened until Ripley pushed Sky out of the way of a Perez flying crossbody, and Perez wiped out Giulia by accident. 

Ripley hit Giulia with a Rip-tide (as Sky held down Perez) for the pinfall win. 

— As Sky and Ripley posed together, Ripley took a long look at the women’s title belt. They gave each other a knowing look as the show ended. 

(This was pretty good, but somewhat messy at times. It felt like there were long periods with all four women in the ring at the same time. The crowd was oddly quiet for it despite being really into Ripley at the beginning.) 

Match result: Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY defeated Giulia & Roxanne Perez (14:00)

WWE Raw live results: Backlash go-home show

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: May 5th, 2025
Location: CHI Health Center in Omaha, NE

The Big Takeaway —

Jey Uso had an impromptu world title defence against Seth Rollins. Both men got close nearfalls, and Rollins finally seemed to have it won thanks to Bron Breakker, but they were foiled by CM Punk.

**********

Show Recap — 

Following a recap of last week’s show-long storyline, Iyo Sky, Roxanne Perez, Alpha Academy, Rusev, and Gunther were shown arriving at the arena in Omaha. 

Jey Uso and Paul Heyman segment 

Jey Uso entered through the crowd to kick off Raw. Pat McAfee got on the table to Yeet, and Cole told him that’s what got them in trouble with Gunther in the first place. 

Cole spoke about Jey, who told him that he’s busier than he’s ever been but is loving every moment. After Jey hit the ring, the crowd wanted an encore, so as is the new pattern, Jey started his music again and Yeeted some more. 

Jey immediately called out Logan Paul, but he got Paul Heyman instead. Heyman said he wasn’t there to disrespect Jey Uso, but he dragged himself to Omaha because he had something to say to the world champion. 

Jey told him he had a lot of balls to come out here after doing what he just did to his family. Jey said he warned Roman Reigns and CM Punk about Heyman. Heyman said somebody should’ve warned him about Punk. Nobody lived through what Heyman has lived through. (The crowd loudly chanted for Punk.) 

Heyman said Punk put him in a position guaranteed to sabotage his relationship with Reigns. (The crowd chanted, “OTC” next.) Heyman knew Punk way back when Reigns was still playing football, but Reigns should have known he wouldn’t tell Punk any of his secrets. Heyman stood by Reigns’ side for years, even after he got beat by Cody Rhodes after getting distracted by Seth Rollins. 

Reigns disappeared to lick his wounds and left him alone with the new Bloodline, who put him through a table. Reigns only returned to get his Ula Fala, not to avenge him. All Heyman wanted to do was help his friend main event WrestleMania. Heyman went on a crazy rant, saying people always blamed him, but he was right. The crowd called Heyman an asshole. 

Jey quipped, “Are you ok?” and the crowd laughed. Jey wanted to know what any of this had to do with him. 

Heyman said Jey won the title, and the title was all about power and control. Jey didn’t know how to yield that power and control. The title wasn’t about putting on his best performance every night. While Jey might want to be champion, Rollins had to be champion. Rollins had to have the power and control. Bron Breakker was stage one of their plan, and stage two was the title. 

Heyman wanted to allow Jey to sign his own death warrant and pick the night he lost the title because Rollins was officially challenging him to a title match. Rollins deserved to be the number one contender after beating Punk and Reigns. Rollins could beat Jey any time, any place. 

Jey fired up and made the match for tonight as the crowd popped.

******** 

Heyman approached Rollins and Breakker in the back. Heyman said Jey fell for it. (Heyman acted frightened in the ring when Jey made the match, but he was delighted here.) Rollins was happy and said, “I told you so.” 

After Rollins left, Heyman asked Breakker if he understood the significance of tonight’s match, to which he responded, “I think so.” Heyman explained it to the meathead. 

Heyman put over how dangerous Jey was when he was prepared. He made Gunther tap out, but was now focused on Logan Paul. Rollins was a sniper who had Jey in his sights. The keys would be in their kingdom when the referee handed the world title belt to Rollins. 

The match was made official for tonight: Jey defends the world title against Rollins. (The first men’s world title match on Raw in seven months.) 

******** 

Penta vs. JD McDonagh (w/Finn Bálor & Carlito)

Penta won despite tons of interference. 

They went to break after McDonagh gave Penta a DVD onto the ring apron. Penta fought back after the break and hit a slingblade for two, and a backbreaker for two. 

Bálor distracted the referee while Carlito tried to interfere, but Penta shoved him off and sent McDonagh to the outside before wiping out both men with a diving crossbody. Bálor attacked Penta himself, but the ref saw it and tossed him and Carlito from ringside. Bálor tried to apologize, to no avail. 

Chad Gable interfered next while the referee was still distracted, but Penta wiped him out with a flip dive. McDonagh used the distraction to hit a jawbreaker, but Penta avoided a moonsault and hit a Canadian Destroyer for the pinfall win. (I’m glad he won with the Destroyer.) The crowd popped for the win. 

Match result: Penta defeated JD McDonagh (10:55) 

********

Last week, Grayson Waller was excited to announce he was requesting a singles match this week. However, he complained to Adam Pearce backstage after learning who his opponent was. 

Austin Theory showed up, and Waller acted like he never wanted a singles match in the first place. Waller told Pearce that Theory should do the match instead. Theory was happy to do it, so Pearce accepted. Theory asked Waller who his opponent was, but Waller said it was a surprise. 

******** 

Cathy Kelley interviewed Karrion Kross (with Scarlett) during a break. There wasn’t much to it. Kross got a decent reaction and made a reference to his “killer” nickname. 

Anthony Smith was shown ringside. 

Sheamus vs. Austin Theory (w/Grayson Waller)

Theory was not happy with Waller after learning his opponent was the returning Sheamus. The crowd was happy to see him. 

Sheamus was in control until Theory took over during the break after hitting a draping neckbreaker off the apron. Theory avoided ten beats of the Bodhrán and slingshotted back into the ring, but right into a Sheamus knee strike. 

Theory hit a rolling blockbuster, but Sheamus responded with an avalanche White Noise. Sheamus hit ten fourteen beats of the Bodhrán as the crowd loudly chanted along, followed by a Brogue Kick for the pinfall win. 

Match result: Sheamus defeated Austin Theory (9:39) 

********

A new match was announced for Backlash: Dominik Mysterio defends the Intercontinental Championship against Penta. 

McDonagh approached Judgment Day backstage. He was pissed and wondered why Gable got involved earlier. 

AJ Styles, who just lost to Logan Paul, entered and said he was coming for the Intercontinental title after Backlash. (Styles misspoke when trying to say, “Intercontinental,” so he had to redo the line.) Styles left. 

Dom wasn’t happy with this and asked Bálor to talk to Styles since they had a history. Bálor acted annoyed that he had to clean up Dom’s mess again, but he was just screwing with Dom. Bálor smiled and said he would take care of it. 

********

The New Day approached Gable backstage. Kofi Kingston said it was awful what just happened to Gable. Xavier Woods said American Made should start seeing more opportunities (instead of the War Raiders). They were all on the same page. 

Becky Lynch barged through them and made her way to the stage. 

Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria segment 

Lynch entered. She was confused over why the fans treated her like the bad guy, because she was the victim. When she returned at WrestleMania, everyone lost their minds. A woman in the crowd cried tears of joy. Nobody cared where Bayley was because she was garbage. 

Lynch took out the garbage, and now everyone was mad that she did. That’s not how you react when someone takes out the garbage; you thank them for it. She also took out the recycling (referring to Lyra Valkyria). Valkyria was less offensive than regular garbage, but she was still garbage. What was garbage about Valkyria was her attitude. She didn’t have a dream or a title if not for Lynch. She wouldn’t even have her fiancé if not for her. 

Valkyria interrupted. She called Lynch the queen of recycling because she’s been recycling the same moves and tired old act for years. Valkyria didn’t care about that. She had a problem with Lynch claiming any credit for her success. 

Valkyria said Lynch went on holiday, and everyone else got better. Valkyria made history. Not only that, she’s already defended the belt more times than Lynch has shown up for work this year. Valkyria said Lynch had no intention of taking anyone else to the top with her. 

Lynch said Valkyria was right that everyone had the best year of their career while she was gone, but that was because she wasn’t around to compare themselves to. It wasn’t Lynch’s job to help anybody. It was her job to beat everybody, and she was the greatest to ever do it. That wasn’t just her talking—Sports Illustrated called her the best to ever do it. 

Valkyria said Lynch must hate it that she was the first-ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion. Valkyria said Lynch better enjoy second place. 

Lynch tried a cheap shot, but Valkyria saw it coming and tackled her. They brawled until officials pulled Valkyria away, but she broke through and laid out Lynch with Nightwing. 

(Lynch was good here, and this was a decent enough exchange. However, Valkyria’s promo sounded like something that could have been written for anybody to say.) 

********

Perez cut a very generic heel promo during a break. 

Non-title match: Women’s World Champion IYO SKY vs. Roxanne Perez

Sky went for a dive, but Perez slipped back into the ring and kicked her leg out of her leg. Perez followed with a dive of her own. Perez took too much time looking around, so Sky wiped her out with a suicide dive. Sky set up for a springboard move, but Perez knocked her down and targeted her leg again. 

Perez targeted Sky’s leg through a break, but Sky hit an arm drag off the second rope as they returned from break. Sky fired up the crowd after hitting a missile dropkick, but she couldn’t follow up because of her knee. Perez tried to take advantage, but Sky hit a double foot stomp. Sky hit a German suplex and rolled through for another, but Perez countered with a back suplex. Sky responded with a backbreaker. 

Perez avoided a moonsault, and Sky sold her injured leg upon landing. Perez followed with a double knee drop for two. They traded cradles for a series of two counts until Sky captured her in one final cradle for the pinfall win. 

— Perez shook Sky’s hand after the match, but it was a swerve. Giulia decked Sky from behind, and Perez joined the assault. They double-teamed her as the crowd chanted for Rhea Ripley, but as the announcers noted, Ripley is in Australia. Giulia and Perez stood tall. 

Match result: IYO SKY defeated Roxanne Perez (10:08) 

********

Pearce met with the War Raiders backstage during a break, which led to an argument involving the Raiders, Gable and The New Day. Pearce put the War Raiders in a match with the Creed Brothers, with the winner getting the next shot at New Day. 

Everyone left, and as Gable was about to leave, Pearce said, “Hey, Americano.” Gable turned around to acknowledge him, but immediately realized his mistake. They both chuckled. Pearce wished Gable a happy Cinco de Mayo, and Gable said, “Gracious.”

The crowd got a kick out of this. It’s too bad this was during a break. 

******** 

Rusev vs. Otis (w/Maxxine Dupri & Akira Tozawa) 

Rusev hit a spinning heel kick ahead of an early break. Otis had some offence during the break, but Rusev sent him out of the ring with a dropkick as they returned. Rusev went after Otis, but Otis easily suplexed him over the announce desk. 

Rusev ducked a strike by Otis, causing Otis to slam his arm against the ring post. Otis ducked a kick, causing Rusev to kick the ring post. They found their way back in the ring, and Otis went for a corner charge, but Rusev hit a superkick. Rusev responded with an Accolade, and Otis tapped out. 

— Rusev wouldn’t let go of the hold after the match, but did once Tozawa hit the ring. Tozawa challenged him to a fight right now, but Rusev couldn’t be bothered, so he left. Of course, as Tozawa checked on Otis, Rusev ran back down to attack them. 

Rusev powerbombed Tozawa onto Otis before putting Otis in the Accolade again until officials broke it up. (Natalya ran down to check on Dupri.) 

Rusev looked good in the post-match.

Match result: Rusev defeated Otis (6:27) 

********

Pat McAfee and Gunther segment 

Pearce called McAfee and Gunther to the ring and told them to keep it professional until Saturday. 

Gunther informed McAfee he wouldn’t do anything to him tonight because he didn’t want to spoil Saturday. And, unlike McAfee and Cole, he was a professional. The crowd chanted, “You tapped out,” so Gunther told them to shut up. 

McAfee called Cole a GOAT. People cheered and chanted for Cole. (This is still so weird to me.) McAfee said Cole has dedicated his time to this company for 28 years straight, minus just three days. Cole earned the right to have an opinion, yet it bothered Gunher so much that it caused him to attack a 60-year-old man. 

McAfee said it was appropriate that they were in Omaha, Nebraska. Being in Nebraska made him think of the Cornhuskers. It made him think of steak, because nobody beats this town’s meat. It made him think of the annual College Baseball World Series held in this town. This city was a symbol of dreams coming true. 

McAfee thought he and Gunther had things in common, despite being from different places. They grew up with the same dream, wanting to be in this industry. They spent hours watching wrestling in front of the television, knowing this was what they were meant to do. 

Gunther has been in the business for 20 years. He was a champion for 80% of his time here. But he’s become jaded. It was just a job to him now. But McAfee was jacked up every time he stepped into an arena. McAfee thought about 11-year-old him, dreaming about getting in the ring to let assholes like Gunther know that he doesn’t like what they’re about. 

McAfee thought about Gunther at this current stage, as opposed to his Waltering around stage, and he’s become too comfortable. He didn’t want it anymore. It happened with Sami Zayn and with Jey Uso. McAfee would show everyone that Gunther has gone soft. 

Gunther asked if McAfee enjoyed his daughter’s 2nd birthday last week. It must have been special. Saturday was a special day for Gunther, and McAfee just got him in the mood for it. 

It was Gunther’s first match since Mania, and he would show up sharper and more focused than ever. Gunther would beat him up and maul him. He would drive McAfee’s head into the mat and choke him out. Only the grace of God would be able to lift his arms off McAfee’s throat. 

Gunther threw down the mic and marched to the back. 

******** 

There was a video for John Cena vs. Randy Orton. They let us know that their last singles match was back in 2017. 

Next week on Raw: 

  • Finn Bálor vs. AJ Styles 
  • The War Raiders vs. The Creed Brothers 
  • IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley vs. Roxanne Perez & Giulia

********

World Heavyweight Championship: Jey Uso vs. Seth Rollins (w/Paul Heyman & Bron Breakker)

Jey wrestled in black pants and white sneakers. He switched to black after Gunther attacked Jimmy, but I think he’s safe to go back to more colourful attire. Black is more serious, but also looks too generic. 

Jey hit with a suicide dive early on. Rollins fell over the announce table and came up bleeding from the back of his head. Jey was in control during a break until Rollins dropped him face-first into the middle turnbuckle. 

They knocked each other down with a duel crossbody attempts, before Jey fired back with strikes, a Samoan Drop, and a running hip attack for two. Rollins followed with a suicide dive, but Jey caught him with a mid-air superkick moments later for a nearfall. Both guys were down, so the crowd chanted, “This is awesome.” 

Rollins hit a buckle bomb but missed a frog splash. Jey went for a spear, but Rollins countered that into a Pedigree for two. (A clever spot, since we know Rollins has done this to Reigns before.) Jey avoided a stomp and applied a sleeper. (The crowd was into the sleeper since that’s how he beat Gunther.) Rollins slipped out of it, but Jey hit a spear for a very close nearfall. 

Jey knocked Rollins off the top, and Rollins accidentally-on-purpose bumped into the referee. Breakker tried to interfere with the ref distracted, but Jey kicked him off. With Jey recuperating, Rollins hit a superplex into a falcon arrow, followed by a curb stomp for a nearfall. 

As Rollins spoke with Breakker, Sami Zayn entered to his music to take out Breakker. 

Jey superkicked Rollins, hit a spear and an Uso splash. Everyone thought that was it, but Rollins kicked out. 

Zayn rallied the crowd and fired up Jey, but Breakker speared Zayn. As Jey checked on Zayn, Breakker speared him too (Heyman distracted the ref). 

Rollins hit a curb stomp and seemed to have the title won, but CM Punk entered to his music, and the crowd exploded. Punk attacked Breakker and Rollins with a chair. (The referee didn’t officially call an end to the match. He just waved his arms in frustration and left the ring, like in WWF Raw the video game.) 

— Punk attacked Rollins repeatedly with the chair until he escaped. The show ended with Punk standing tall as Zayn checked on Jey. 

(This was a fun match and the final moments were really well laid out, with some convincing nearfalls on both sides. Jey’s two best singles matches have now been against Seth Rollins. The other was back at the end of 2023 when Rollins was world champion.) 

Match result: Jey Uso vs. Seth Rollins ended in a no contest or disqualification (approx. 19:20)

WWE Raw live results: Seth Rollins, Paul Heyman & Bron Breakker appear

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: April 28, 2025
Location: T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO 

The Big Takeaway —

Another talk-heavy Raw was built around Seth Rollins making an offer to Sami Zayn. You can guess how that turned out. 

Plus, Becky Lynch explained herself, and will get a shot at Lyra Valkyria’s IC title at Backlash. Pat McAfee has himself a match at Backlash against Gunther, and Logan Paul is next in line for Jey Uso. 

**********

Show Recap — 

Nick Aldis, Rhea Ripley, Roxanne Perez, American Made, Stephanie Vaquer, and Logan Paul arrived at the arena. Aldis is filling in tonight for his rival GM, Adam Pearce, which is allowed for some reason. Ripley got a big reaction as you’d expect, but Vaquer also got a pretty good reaction. 

Michael Cole informed us that Pearce suspended Gunther indefinitely. Pat McAfee couldn’t wait to address Gunther later tonight. 

There was a recap of last week’s closing angle. 

Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Paul Heyman segment

Rollins’ music hit, and the crowd popped. They cheered as all three men hit the ring. They sang Rollins’ song and sang along with his catchphrase. 

He said he knew there were people who still wanted to cheer for CM Punk. That actually brought a lot of booing until a small number of people chanted for Punk. That seemed to catch them a bit off guard. Rollins mentioned Roman Reigns next, and he was cheered. 

Rollins said the fans were looking at the future of the industry. The future wasn’t Punk, Reigns, John Cena, Jey Uso, or Cody Rhodes. The future, alongside Heyman and Breakker, ran through Seth Rollins. (There was also a lot of barking for Breakker.) 

Sami Zayn interrupted. Zayn said they’ve been friends a long time and wanted to tell him to his face that this was a lot of crap. Rollins had talked all that trash about Punk and Reigns for years, while noting that the only thing they had in common was Heyman. Zayn wondered how Rollins was any different. 

Zayn used to think Rollins really did hate those two men, but maybe he was just jealous. Maybe he just wanted to be in the position they were in. Zayn called it hypocritical for Rollins to think he had to be at the centre of the industry and compared it to the Bloodline. 

Rollins said this was nothing like the Bloodline, but Zayn said it was just like the Bloodline, because Rollins had his wise man on one side and his little dog on the other. Zayn warned Breakker to stop looking at him, or else he’d get his head kicked in. They got face-to-face until Rollins calmed things down. 

Rollins said this was the future, and Zayn could be with them or against them. That wasn’t meant to be a threat, but if he stood in their way, he was a target. Rollins didn’t want that for Zayn. He offered to have Heyman pull some strings and get Zayn moved off of Raw so he didn’t get caught in the crossfire. Rollins earnestly told him to think about it because they would need an answer by the end of the night.

(They’re a heel group, but the crowd certainly didn’t treat them like that. The only heelish thing about Rollins so far is that he doesn’t like two babyfaces, Punk and Reigns, but we already knew that.) 

******** 

Ripley entered ahead of break, Perez entered during the break. 

Rhea Ripley vs. Roxanne Perez

This was their second match ever, with the first happening in NXT in 2022. 

They played cat and mouse early until Perez chucked her ring jacket at Ripley’s face and chop-blocked her. Perez maintained control by working the leg, but Ripley caught her flying crossbody attempt and hit a fallaway slam. Some children chanted, “This is awesome,” a couple of minutes into the match after not much happened. 

Perez regained control during a break and kept targeting the leg. Ripley fought back while selling her leg and hit a Razor’s Edge and a sliding knee for two. 

Giulia walked out to distract Ripley while Perez cradled her for two. Perez followed with a double knee drop for two. Ripley went after Giulia, who was just standing there, and Perez tried to use the distraction, but Ripley fought her off. 

Ripley went for Rip-tide, but Guilia chop-blocked her from behind for the DQ. Cole wondered what they were trying to accomplish. 

Iyo Sky ran out to a big reaction to make the save, repaying the favour from last week. The heels outnumbered Sky, but Ripley came back in to chase them off. 

Match result: Rhea Ripley defeated Roxanne Perez via disqualification (11:49) 

*******

Judgment Day segment 

Finn Bálor excitedly welcomed JD McDonagh back (and acted like they hadn’t seen each other since the moment their segment ended last week). As they caught up, Liv Morgan interrupted to ask if everything was cool and wondered why they weren’t getting ready for their match. 

Bálor was surprised to learn he had a match tonight. McDonagh thought Morgan had already told him that they had a match against the War Raiders. Morgan wasn’t sure Bálor would like hearing that since it wasn’t a title match. Bálor was happy to have the match, but wanted them to keep him in the loop next time. 

********

Jackie Redmond interviewed A-Town Down Under during the break. Austin Theory put over the Kansas City Chiefs, while Grayson Waller congratulated the Philadelphia Eagles on beating the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Waller informed them that he had a singles match next week. Theory was surprised and upset to learn this. 

Logan Paul / Jey Uso segment 

Paul wondered why he was getting booed after beating AJ Styles at WrestleMania. He called the fans victims of circumstance because they were from Kansas City. They didn’t know what greatness looked like. They were so stupid to think a true legend would look like their current world champion, Jey Uso. Paul said he’s done everything there is to do in the industry except win a world title. 

Jey Uso interrupted. Jey said he wasn’t about to hand over the world title he worked 15 years to get to some punk-ass YouTuber. Watching Gunther beat his brother to a bloody pulp lit a fire under him that was never going out. “This title is not given, it’s earned—and it’s mine.” If Paul wanted it, Jey invited him to take it. 

Paul mocked his Yeeting and said he sounded stupid. Paul planned on taking the title, while Jey would crash out, screw up and lose it faster than he lost the Intercontinental Championship. 

Jey laid him out with a superkick, and the crowd popped. 

Jey was good here, and he got a superstar reaction. 

********

New Day joined commentary for the next match. Cole liked Xavier Woods’ haircut because it was the same as Alicia Taylor’s. Woods said he had the hairstyle way before she did. 

The War Raiders vs. Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh (w/Carlito) 

Woods said we were only impressed by Ivar’s offence because he was “fat.” Kingston tried to say he was big-boned, but Woods made sure to call him fat repeatedly. Woods said Bálor had a lot of abs, while Ivar was ab-sent. Cole said he should’ve been in the roast. (The last bit happened during a break.) 

Ivar made a comeback after a break, as Woods continued to make cracks about his weight. Woods was impressed by his moonsault, though. Ivar went for the moonsault but took too long while looking over at New Day, so Bálor moved out of the way. 

McDonagh tagged in and wiped out the Raiders with an Asai moonsault. McDonagh followed with a moonsault in the ring, but Erik broke up the cover. Ivar hit a double handspring elbow as Woods continued to mock him. Kingston said he can easily do that move. 

Ivar grabbed Bálor and chucked him into New Day at ringside as they continued to talk trash. Woods actually caught Bálor, so Ivar tackled them all to the ground. 

Carlito tried to distract the referee to help his team, but Penta suddenly appeared and dropped McDonagh off the top rope (as payback for last week). Erik and Ivar followed with War Machine for the pinfall win. 

Match result: The War Raiders defeated JD McDonagh & Finn Bálor (10:34) 

********

Otis met with Zayn backstage, but left after Heyman entered. Heyman said he and Zayn were OG Bloodline. Zayn said that might be true, but Heyman blew that all up after what he did. 

Heyman said Rollins viewed himself as the vanguard of the industry’s future, and Breakker was his dog at the gate. Breakker was demanding a match with Zayn, and they couldn’t say no to that because Bron was the key to their plans. However, Rollins held Zayn in such reverence that if he accepted a trade to SmackDown, he would get a pass. 

Heyman already spoke to Aldis. If Zayn accepted Rollins’ offer, he would face the winner of John Cena vs. Randy Orton for the title. Heyman urged him to think about his future and his family. He said Zayn could live in the future or die with the past. (Zayn seemed to be taking this under consideration.) 

********

Jeff Passan and Ryan Blaney were in the crowd. 

There was a video package of Becky Lynch’s turn last week. They added a ton of fake booing that did not happen.  

Becky Lynch / Lyra Valkyria segment 

Lynch entered to a mixed reaction. She said Bayley was tragically taken out of her WrestleMania match, but there wouldn’t be any murder mystery or weeks-long who did it. She examined the footage and found the culprit — “It was me! I did it!” 

Lynch was amused with herself until people booed. She told them not to act like she was the bad guy. Bayley has attacked her nonstop since 2019. Bayley never apologized to her. 

Lynch said Bayley forgot what this industry was all about. She begged for people to like her while she wore everyone else’s shirts and danced to their songs. Bayley wondered why she wasn’t a bigger star, but she saw a bigger star when Lynch walked out at WrestleMania. 

Lynch moved on to Lyra Valkyria. She said the friend of her enemy was her enemy. Valkyria would not be in this business if not for her. Lynch had high hopes for Valkyria, but Lynch watched at home while she cozied up to the woman she’s been fighting for six years. Lynch called her a loser for tagging with Bayley. 

Valkyria interrupted. She said many women in the back warned her about Lynch. Bayley was the first. Valkyria didn’t want to believe them. She was caught up in the fairytale dream of winning the tag titles with Lynch at Mania. 

It took Valkyria too long to realize it, but after three consecutive Man-handle slams last week, she realized who Lynch was—and now she would pay for it. Valkyria entered the ring, but Lynch bailed. (Some fans were giving Valkyria the What treatment, but she got them on her side by asking if they wanted to see a fight.) 

Valkyria tried to egg on Lynch by reminding her that she beat her the last time they wrestled. Lynch said she would only wrestle when it mattered, and Kansas City didn’t matter. Valkyria wasn’t surprised, so she suggested Backlash. Valkyria also put her title on the line because she knew Lynch wouldn’t accept otherwise. 

Lynch said she would make the title matter, just like she made Valkyria matter. Valkyria told her to shut up. Valkyria made herself matter. She would be a better person than Lynch, and she was already a better wrestler. 

Lynch started ranting, so Valkyria attacked her, but Lynch bailed through the crowd. It seemed like the segment was wrapping up with Valkyria posing on the stage, but Lynch dropped her from behind. 

********

Aldis met with Penta backstage. Aldis didn’t appreciate Penta getting involved in the match earlier. Aldis let him off with a warning because he didn’t want to fine him. Aldis let him know he would be wrestling McDonagh next week. (Why weren’t the heels admonished for interfering last week?) 

Chad Gable (with Ivy Nile) mocked Penta for dropping the ball at Mania. Gable said his favourite part was watching his useless brother Fénix lose to El Grande Americano. Penta dropped him with a kick and told him not to mess with the Lucha Bros. 

********

There was a Rusev video package. He left WWE and fell into the abyss. He fixed himself while he was there. He realized he should no longer fight for a woman for a flag. He was free to crush people, not because he was told to, but because he wanted to. 

Non-title match: NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer vs. Ivy Nile (w/Chad Gable) 

Vaquer hit Devil’s Kiss to the delight of the crowd. Nile blocked it earlier, which the crowd didn’t appreciate. After a break, Vaquer did it again. Vaquer hit a Meteora in the corner, but Gable put Nile’s feet on the rope. 

Vaquer confronted Gable, but Nile dropped her with a German suplex outside the ring. Nile hit another one in the ring for two. Nile went to the top, but Vaquer hit her with headbutts before hitting a superplex for a nearfall. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome.” 

Nile countered Vaquer’s finisher with a uranage for two. Vaquer trapped Nile in the ropes and hit a superkick. Vaquer followed with a dragon screw and SVB for the pinfall win. 

This was a pretty good TV match. The crowd liked Vaquer. 

Match result: Stephanie Vaquer defeated Ivy Nile (9:33)

******** 

Aldis met with AJ Styles until they were interrupted by Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Dominik Mysterio. Morgan apologized in advance for tanking the ratings because she needed time off to film a big Hollywood movie. Aldis granted her the time off and said it was already taken care of. 

Dom wanted time off, too. Aldis wondered why, and Dom said he was the IC champ and he could do what he wanted. Aldis said no. Being the champion meant working more often. 

Dom suggested he find a retirement home for Styles and wondered if he broke his hip, like his deadbeat dad did. Styles said no, but offered to break something else. Judgment Day left, while Dom held up his belt so Styles could see it. Styles had an idea, and Aldis already knew what it was. 

******** 

Karrion Kross met with Zayn. Kross said Zayn had a big decision to make and hoped he made the right one. (Kross wore his hair like Zayn. He did not get the big reaction he got last week.)

********

Pat McAfee promo 

McAfee cut a promo while standing on the announce table. McAfee said a lot of people have forgotten who the hell he was. He’s had such a successful career on the microphone that even he has forgotten who he is. He looked in the mirror and realized he was still that dog that was born in the East Hills of Pittsburgh to a truck driver who lived paycheck to paycheck to paycheck. 

He was not handed a lot in this life, but he was blessed to have a lot of friends. He went from being a bum to being someone known in every city in the country. He wasn’t better-looking than most folks, but he had things he hoped people remembered him by. 

When he was six feet under, he hoped people would speak about how hard he worked. He received a lot and gave back a lot. He gave millions of dollars back to his community. To children’s hospitals across the country, military foundations, homeless shelters, and LGBTQ communities. 

He wanted people to say he left the world better than when he entered it. Most of all, he wanted people to say he was a loyal motherf—ker. (This was censored.) 

There was one man who was with him from the beginning, the greatest of all time, Michael Cole. People chanted for Cole. McAfee had no other option than to protect his boy when that Austrian asshole attacked him. McAfee dropped an f-bomb again when addressing Gunther. He called out “SmackDown’s version of Adam Pearce.” 

Aldis entered. Aldis said Pearce might like chaos to reign supreme, but he wasn’t in charge tonight. Aldis told him to be professional. McAfee wanted Aldis to lift Gunther’s ban so he could fight him ASAP. Aldis said no. The two of them were too valuable as assets to the company. 

Aldis had a proposal: a sanctioned contest inside the ring. (I assume that’s what McAfee was asking for in the first place.) Aldis proposed a singles match at Backlash. McAfee accepted and threw down the mic. 

********

Jey Uso met with Zayn. Jey knew he would make the best decision for himself. Zayn thanked him and they hugged. 

The camera stayed on Jey for a while until Logan Paul punched him out. 

******** 

There was a quick segment with Sky and Ripley. Ripley wanted Sky to know she didn’t need her help, and Sky quipped, “Looked like you did.” (Sky will be on tomorrow’s NXT.)

Next week on Raw: 

  • Rusev vs. Otis 
  • Penta vs. JD McDonagh 

********

Seth Rollins / Sami Zayn segment 

Rollins entered alone and called out Zayn. Rollins tried to reason with him. Zayn may not like Heyman and Breakker, but Rollins and Zayn were friends. Zayn celebrated with Jey last week because they were friends. 

Rollins said nobody was better suited to lead them into the future than him. It hurt that Zayn didn’t believe in him. The business tore friendships apart. They’ve both experienced that. He wondered how many true friends they could still count on. Zayn was one of Rollins’ true friends. Rollins turned to Zayn for advice when his baby girl was born. 

Rollins wanted to return the favour by giving Zayn advice that would save his life: Take the way out. Take whatever Heyman offered him. If Zayn didn’t believe in him, bad things would happen, and Rollins didn’t want that. 

Zayn said he was sorry if he had hurt him as a friend. Everything he said about them was true. They were real friends outside of the business, as were their kids. However, Zayn knew Rollins was playing games with what he said in the ring. 

Zayn admitted that Rollins was better than he was at doing that. Rollins knew what card to play because Zayn confided in him over the years about the one thing that nagged at him. The one thing he wanted was the WWE Championship, and now Rollins was dangling that in front of him. Zayn was never one to run away. 

Zayn said Rollins talked about hurt feelings, but Zayn wouldn’t just stand there while his friend threatened him. He didn’t care if he was a target because he’s been a target many times before. But Zayn wouldn’t dare be blackmailed or threatened. 

Zayn fired up and insisted that he would become a world champion one day, but it would not be due to a favour; it would be because he did it the right way. Zayn said, “So buddy, as a friend, I respect you. I love you. But this is me telling you to go to hell.” 

Rollins hung his head as Bron’s music hit. Bron entered in his gear, and I guess we’re having a match. 

Sami Zayn vs. Bron Breakker (w/Seth Rollins & Paul Heyman)

Zayn wrestled in jeans. They went to break after Bron hit a leaping clothesline off the apron and over the announce table. Zayn fought back just in time as they returned from break and hit a sunset flip powerbomb off the ropes for two. Zayn followed with a tornado DDT for two. 

Bron came back with a Frankensteiner, but Zayn blocked a spear and hit an exploder in the corner. The crowd cheered as Zayn set up for a Helluva kick, but Bron cut him off with a spear. 

Rollins watched stoically from ringside the entire match. Rollins nodded at Bron, who hit Zayn with another spear. Rollins told Zayn to take the deal, but Zayn told him to go to hell. Zayn pulled himself to his feet but ate a third spear. 

Zayn fell out of the ring, and the referee called for EMTs. As they checked on Zayn, Bron ran around the ring and killed him with a fourth spear. Jamie Noble tried to plead with Bron, but Bron told him to back off. 

Bron tossed Zayn back in the ring, but the ref covered Zayn and called off the match. (Fans kept chanting, “One more time.”) 

— Rollins told Bron that tonight was his first lesson. Zayn made his bed, and now he had to sleep in it. Rollins stomped Zayn. Rollins, Heyman, and Breakker stood tall as the show ended.

This was meant to push Rollins more as a heel, but of course, the fans sang his song. The crowd did cheer for Zayn during the match, but it looks like it’ll take a lot more to turn them completely against Rollins and his group. They might want to start by changing his music. 

Match result: Bron Breakker defeated Sami Zayn via referee stoppage (12:33)

WWE Raw live results: The Raw after WrestleMania 41

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: April 21, 2025
Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV 

The Big Takeaway —

Bron Breakker joined Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman, Randy Orton laid out John Cena, Becky Lynch turned heel on Lyra Valkyria, Rusev returned, Stephanie Vaquer wrestled IYO SKY, and Gunther tried to kill the announcers. 

There was plenty to chew on, but the show was also almost three hours long, about 20 minutes longer than usual, and featured just three matches that totalled 34 minutes.

**********

Show Recap — 

There was a 4-minute video package recapping the “wonderful” WrestleMania weekend. It included a questionable headline from ESPN stating that the event added to “Las Vegas’ rise as a premier sports city.” 

Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins arrived at T-Mobile Arena together. As did Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch, who will defend their newly won tag titles against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez tonight. Judgment Day arrived together, minus Finn Bálor, with new Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio leading the way. Jey Uso was shown, too, and he received a big pop. 

John Cena segment 

Serious-face John Cena entered, and a huge fireworks display went off as he posed with his Undisputed WWE Championship. Cena called ring announcer Mark Shunock into the ring. (Alicia Taylor has the night off.) Cena handed Shunock a piece of paper. Shunock was told that his introduction was deemed disrespectful, so he read a new introduction off the paper. 

Cena said winners write history, and the fans were not worthy. They bullied him on Friday, but now that he had gold and they cheered, he was not suddenly going to forgive them. That’s not how a functional relationship works. Cena told the fans to go to hell. They all owed him an apology, but they lacked the courage to give it. 

He called tonight’s show the sacred ticket because this is the night they get to hijack the show, but they’ve gone soft. The crowd chanted, “We aren’t sorry.” Cena called them the sorriest lowlifes he’s ever seen. (Cena said they were chanting, “We aren’t sorry,” but it sure sounded like, “We are sorry.”) 

The crowd called him an assh*le while he told them that they don’t mean anything to him. He wasn’t impressed with their chant because they’ve called him so much worse over 25 years, and he never cracked.

They didn’t mean anything to him. The only thing that mattered was the number on the screen. “36 dates.” 36 dates and he was gone. (That number began in the new year.) That number was now down to 27 dates after this weekend’s shows. That wasn’t the number of matches he had left, only appearances. 

They thought he couldn’t wrestle, but he didn’t even have to. When that number reached zero, the professional wrestling timeline stopped cold. He knew that the show would continue. But the title held by Bruno Sammartino, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Steve Austin came home with him. 

He was the last real champion in WWE. Winning the belt was the hardest part, but the rest would be easy. The best they had to save themselves was Cody Rhodes. A few people booed, and Cena called them heartless bastards. They put him on their shoulders a year ago, but they went back and forth between booing him and cheering him all weekend. That’s what was wrong with them. 

That’s also why Rhodes was outshone, outwrestled, and destroyed. The truth was that no one in WWE with the strength, speed, wisdom, or ruthless aggression of John Cena. Unlike them, Cena had a heart, so he wanted to do something nice. He invited the fans to pull out their cameras for a five-second pose so they could take a picture of the last real champion. 

Randy Orton appeared from behind and laid out Cena with an RKO.

(Cena received a mixed reaction here. It was probably more booing than cheering. Not that it really matters.) 

******** 

Shown in the crowd were Gabriel Iglesias, Rana Daggubati, and guys from Pat McAfee’s show. 

Also in the crowd were Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin. They face the winners of this match on tomorrow’s NXT. 

Lynch and Valkyria entered together to Lynch’s music. 

Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez defeated Becky Lynch & Women’s Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria to win the Women’s Tag Team Championships (11:57) 

The heels beat up Valkyria throughout an early commercial break, and Lynch made the hot tag as soon as they returned. Morgan caught her with a Codebreaker, but Lynch blocked Oblivion and hit the Man-handle Slam. This won the match last night, but Rodriguez broke up the cover this time. 

Lynch and Valkyria tried a double superplex on Rodriguez, but Morgan brought Lynch down with a powerbomb before Rodriguez gave Valkyria a powerbomb off the middle rope for a nearfall. Everyone was down, so the crowd chanted, “This is awesome.” 

Valkyria hit a tornado DDT and a Nightwing, but Morgan put Rodriguez’s foot on the bottom rope. Lynch and Morgan brawled on the outside before Valkyria dropped Morgan with a baseball slide. Rodriguez smashed Valkyria with a big boot for a near fall. 

Rodriguez powerbombed Morgan onto Valkyria, but Valkyria dumped Rodriguez from the ring. Valkyria blocked Morgan’s Oblivion and set up for Nightwing. Rodriguez grabbed Valkyria to block her from doing it, and Lynch tried making the save, but Rodriguez shoved her aside. 

Valkyria knocked Rodriguez off the apron anyway, but Morgan caught her with Oblivion for the pinfall win. 

(The story towards the end of the match was that Valkyria was really fighting both women off on her own, and Lynch was thwarted each time she tried to help.) 

Morgan and Rodriguez are 4-time champs, and they will defend the belts on NXT tomorrow against Dolin and Paxley. 

— Lynch turned on Valkyria after the match. She hugged her before dropping her with a clothesline. Lynch was livid at Valkyria and attacked her a second time. Valkyria was so shocked she didn’t even defend herself. 

Lynch returned to the ring to drop her with consecutive Man-handle slams. The crowd chanted, “One more time,” and Lynch did it again. That was probably a dumb idea because, of course, people cheered.

******** 

New Day walked through the back and stopped for a moment upon seeing Karrion Kross. 

During a break, Chad Gable entered with American Made for a quick promo. He said Rey Mysterio faked an injury and put over El Grande Americano. 

They showed the “fact” of the night: WrestleMania 41 was the most socially viewed WrestleMania of all-time, generating 1.1 billion social views across all social platforms. 

******** 

The New Day segment / Rusev returns 

New Day entered. Xavier Woods told us to get on our knees and thank God for the New Day. Kofi Kingston said there was no team, alive or dead, who were better than them. 

Alpha Academy interrupted. Maxxine Dupri reminded us that Alpha Academy beat New Day in 60 seconds the last time they wrestled. She told New Day to put the titles on the line tonight. Woods said no. Dupri asked if the minute men were scared. That was enough to convince New Day, because Kingston accepted. 

A referee ran out, and the teams got ready, but the lights went out. 

Rusev entered to a new theme song. New Day bailed as Rusev hit the ring. Rusev laid out Otis and Tozawa. Otis tried firing up, but Rusev dropped him with a thrust kick and put him in an Accolade.

(Rusev got a good reaction and some “Rusev Day” chants.) 

******** 

Judgment Day celebrated in the back with their titles. Finn Bálor entered and got in Dominik’s face. Morgan immediately tried to settle him down. Bálor smiled and said, What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Bálor said he would be with Dom tonight. After some Carlito comedy, Bálor took a good look at Dom’s IC title belt. 

During a break, they aired the closing moments of Iyo Sky’s successful title defence. 

Survivor Series 2025 was announced for Petco Park in San Diego. 

******** 

IYO SKY segment

Sky entered to a good reaction. She called last night the best night of her career. She was over the moon because she beat the best there is—and that meant she was the best there is. (The crowd chanted, “You deserve it.”) Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair tried to forget her, but now nobody would forget her. She was the genius of the sky, and she was the Women’s World Champion. 

Stephanie Vaquer entered. Vaquer congratulated Sky. Vaquer introduced herself as the NXT Women’s Champion, and the crowd chanted, “La Primera.” Vaquer called Sky amazing and wanted to show her respect. Vaquer wanted to fight the best of the best. Sky said if she wanted to fight, then she accepts. 

Sky suggested they do the match right now. People cheered, but they loudly booed when Adam Pearce entered. He asked if the fans wanted the match. They cheered louder this time, so he made it official for right now.

Women’s World Champion IYO SKY defeated NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer via disqualification in a non-title match (13:59) 

I believe this was a first-time-ever match. 

Sky got the better of an early exchange after hitting a suicide dive, but Vaquer followed with a dive off the barricade before they went to break. Vaquer had control through the break, but Sky came back after the break and hit a missile dropkick. 

Vaquer avoided a moonsault and hit a deep dragon screw and a running meteroa for two. Sky avoided Vaquer’s finisher and hit a double foot stomp for two. The crowd popped as Vaquer hit Devil’s Kiss (leg scissors head stomps) for two. The crowd chanted, “One more time,” which seemed to amuse Vaquer. 

They traded counters until Vaquer applied a cradle for two, and Sky followed with a backbreaker for two. Sky hit a German suplex, but before she could follow up, Vaquer hit her with a German. They went to the top, and Sky hit a Spanish fly. 

Sky set up for a running dropkick, but Roxanne Perez decked her for the DQ. (She was a little late getting in, so Sky had to run in place and wait for her.) 

— The crowd booed and booed some more when Giulia entered to attack Vaquer. The heels did their thing until Rhea Ripley ran out to make the save. 

Ripley (who has a black eye) got rid of Perez before having a face-off with Giulia. They circled each other until Giulia left the ring. Giulia left with Perez. 

Ripley handed Sky her world title belt and backed out of the ring. 

(This match was quite good until the finish. It built as it went, but of course, it was cut off by the DQ. The crowd liked both women, and they were into it. It was sorta refreshing to see two good wrestlers just having a good match for the hell of it on Raw.) 

Match result: IYO SKY defeated Stephanie Vaquer via disqualification 

******** 

McAfee announced a crowd of 19,262 during a break. 

Jey Uso celebration

This opened with a terrific Jey Uso video package set to “Chant” by Macklemore and Tones and I. 

Jey entered to a big reaction with his newly won World Heavyweight Championship. He also wore gold accessories to go along with his gold title belt. The crowd wasted no time in chanting, “You deserve it.” They also chanted, “One more time,” so Jey had the music played again, and they all Yeeted. 

Jey opened with: “The World Heavyweight Champion is now in your city.” He continued, “I’m here. I’m here now. I’ve been wanting it since I was a kid. I’m here now.” It was a long, hard road. The road wasn’t easy. He gave it all he had to beat Gunther at Mania, “and I made him tap.” The crowd chanted, “He tapped out.” 

Jey was grateful, so he would show up every day and put the work in like he always had. He told them to say, “Yeet,” if they were happy to see him as champion, so they did. 

Sami Zayn entered. Zayn hugged Jey. The fans chanted, “Sami Uso.” 

Zayn said it was hard being away for the past 8 weeks or so while Jey was going through everything with Gunther. Missing WrestleMania this year was hard. Neither of them did well being on the sidelines, and to be honest, Zayn almost didn’t come to Vegas at all. 

But Zayn had to come because he had to make sure he was the first one to stand in the ring and tell Jey how proud he was of him. Jey was his brother, and he deserved it. Every single person knew that Jey deserved it. (Everyone cheered.) 

Zayn didn’t want to get all sentimental on the Raw after Mania because it was time to celebrate, so he told them to hit Jey’s music. They posed on the corners and Yeeted along with the fans. 

Zayn got off the ropes early and stood behind Jey. The fans assumed Zayn was about to turn on Jey because we’ve seen so many turns lately, but Zayn just hugged him instead. 

Jimmy Uso entered next, and they all did their special handshake. Jimmy and Sami raised Jey’s hand, and they played Jey’s music again. They Yeeted for a while longer and left the ring together.

(This was a nice segment for Jey, even if it did go a little long.) 

******** 

Metro Boomin, Chelsea Gray & Kiah Stokes, and Chase Briscoe were in the crowd. 

AJ Styles and Karrion Kross backstage segment 

Jackie Redmond interviewed AJ Styles. He called his loss to Logan Paul a tough pill to swallow, but he was moving on and planned on bouncing back. 

Karrion Kross and Scarlett were interrupted. (Kross got a pretty good reaction.) Kross wasn’t happy about this. Kross called Styles the best of them, so his loss just legitimized Paul. 

Styles said he didn’t want to go back to being the guy he was a year ago because he hated that guy. Beating Paul with the brass knuckles would’ve been a meaningless victory. He didn’t want Kross to bring him down with him, and told Kross to deal with it himself. 

********

During a break, A-Town Down tried cutting a promo, but they were cut off by the War Raiders. Erik and Ivar were pissed at New Day for stealing the titles, but reminded them that Raw was War. 

Gunther segment 

Gunther marched out next as the break came to an end. The fans chanted, “You tapped out.” Gunther got in Michael Cole’s face and knocked off his headset. McAfee tried to interject, but Gunther shoved him down. 

Gunther put Cole in a sleeper, but unfortunately, McAfee made the save. McAfee hit Gunther with a forearm, and the crowd cheered. Officials ran down to get between them as McAfee backed off. McAfee made the mistake of turning his back, so Gunther put him in a sleeper. 

Officials desperately tried to stop Gunther, who held this sleeper for a long time. The fans chanted, “F*ck you, Gunther,” and he eventually let go. Some referees followed Gunther to the back. 

I assumed McAfee would be out for a while because of this, but he actually got to his feet. He sold it really hard as he was checked by officials. (Some of McAfee’s friends jumped the railing and I think they were actually blocked by security until they were allowed to join Pat.) 

The camera stayed on McAfee through a commercial, and they followed him up the ramp. He kept stumbling over, but eventually made his way to the back. After the break, officials followed as he made his way to the trainer’s room. 

Cole, who feared he suffered a broken nose, told Pearce that he needed to do something about this. Cole said the announcers shouldn’t be afraid to give their opinions or have fun. 

Pearce said he would take care of it, but first told Cole to take the rest of the night off. Cole said no. He wouldn’t allow a bully to stop him from calling the Raw after Mania. 

Cole returned to ringside as the crowd loudly cheered Cole and sang his name. 

(Joe Tessitore was at the desk to fill in for McAfee.) 

This was well done, and it helps that they haven’t gotten the announcers, particularly Cole, involved in something like this in a while (in WWE). 

******** 

Cole called the next match while periodically coughing to sell the sleeper. 

Dominik Mysterio (w/Finn Bálor & Carlito) defeated Penta to retain the Intercontinental Championship (8:01) 

Dom had control through a break, but Penta came back after the break and hit a Canadian destroyer. Bálor tried to encourage Dom, but Penta wiped out Bálor with a hurricanrana off the apron. 

As Carlito distracted the referee, the returning JD McDonagh shoved Penta off the top rope. Dom hit Penta with a 619 and a frog splash for the pinfall win. 

— Morgan and Rodriguez joined the rest of Judgment Day in celebration on the ramp. Bálor seemed surprised to see McDonagh but reluctantly celebrated along with them. 

Penta has one win in his last six matches. 

Match result: Dominik Mysterio defeated Penta 

******** 

CM Punk was shown backstage earlier in the show. 

Seth Rollins & Paul Heyman segment 

Rollins and Heyman entered to Rollins’ usual music, so of course, the fans sang along. 

Rollins stood still in the ring for a while as the fans settled down. They didn’t seem to know what to do with themselves while Rollins just stood there, so there was a smattering of chants for Punk and Roman Reigns, followed by, “F*ck you, Heyman” chants. 

Rollins said he took a wise man from Reigns and stole Punk’s best friend. He was the winner of the WrestleMania main event. 

Punk stormed out (to his music). Punk attacked Rollins and got the better of their brawl. Punk grabbed Heyman, but Rollins grabbed Punk from behind and poked his eyes before hitting a curb stomp.  

Heyman said they would conclude WrestleMania 41 weekend by propelling the news all the way to WrestleMania 42. “There is a new reigning, defending, undisputed, number one top star in this entire industry. Ladies and gentleman: Seth freakin’ Rollins.” 

Rollins posed, and it seemed like the show was over because they already showed the trademark graphic, but Roman Reigns entered (to his music). (Rollins dumped Punk from the ring.) 

Reigns hit the ring and speared Rollins before punching Heyman. 

Reigns was about to spear Heyman, but Bron Breakker suddenly speared Reigns. Rollins acted surprised, but it was a swerve. Punk got back in the ring, and Breakker speared Punk. Rollins laughed and embraced Bron. 

Breakker set up for a spear outside the ring, but Reigns punched him. Bron instead ran around the ring and speared Reigns through the barricade. 

Bron held down Reigns and forced him to watch as Rollins stomped Punk again before stomping Reigns. 

Rollins, Breakker, and Heyman stood tall as the show ended.

(They really needed to elevate someone to the top scene, so it was good to see Bron join this act. Hopefully, it doesn’t take two years for him to usurp Rollins.) 

WWE Raw live results: WrestleMania 41 go-home show

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: April 14, 2025
Location:  Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA 

The Big Takeaway —

Seth Rollins stood tall to end the final Raw before WrestleMania 41.

**********

Show Recap — 

Jey Uso, Penta (facing Finn Bálor tonight), Judgment Day, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Paul Heyman were shown arriving. 

Gunther interview 

There was a Jey/Gunther video package before Gunther entered. The announcers acted surprised because Michael Cole was meant to interview him later tonight. Cole left the table to join Gunther in the ring. 

The crowd booed Gunther as he spoke. He was in a bad mood over Jey and called him full of crap. The crowd Yeeted, which just upset Gunther even more. Gunther called himself the greatest gift this company ever received. He had been a champion for 80% of his time in the company and was the greatest World Heavyweight Champion of all time. He refused to let somebody like Jey ruin that for him. 

Gunther wanted Jey to enter their match with more confidence than ever because it wouldn’t matter. Gunther would put him down for the fourth consecutive time. Gunther said he did not lose control when he beat up Jimmy Uso. He was in full control when he wiped Jimmy’s blood on himself, and he loved it. Jey should pray to the lord that he was in control, because if he wasn’t, he would have drowned them both in Jimmy’s blood. 

Gunther looked forward to calling his mother and telling her how much he enjoyed beating the living hell out of Jey Uso and walking out of WrestleMania as the champion. He dropped the mic and stormed off. 

This was an effective promo.

******** 

There was a Bianca Belair video promo. She admitted that Iyo Sky and Rhea Riply had brought out a different side of her, but that wasn’t a bad thing. She has been through a lot, but she was still the best. She won the Chamber and has never been beaten at WrestleMania. There was nothing they could do to stop her from winning the title at Mania. 

Cole announced a sold-out crowd of 14,158. 

Bayley (w/Women’s Intercontinental Lyra Valkyria) defeated Tag Team Champion Liv Morgan (w/Tag Team Champion Raquel Rodriguez) (12:54)

The opening match kicked off at 8:19 pm. 

Morgan tried three amigos outside the ring, but Bayley blocked the third one. Morgan managed to stomp Bayley’s hand on the steel steps and hit a vertical suplex off the steps. Morgan controlled through a break, thanks in part to a cheap shot by Rodriguez. Things really slowed down as Morgan applied a rest hold before they came back from break. 

Bayley hit a knee strike after a break, but Morgan avoided a sunset flip bomb and drove her into the turnbuckle instead. Morgan countered Bayley a couple of times before Bayley hit a knee strike and sunset flip buckle bomb for two. Morgan hit a Codebreaker on the apron, followed by a dropkick off the apron for a two count in the ring. 

Morgan tried something off the ropes, but Bayley caught her with a stunner, followed by a Bayley-to-belly. Bayley seemingly had it won, but Rodriguez put Morgan’s foot on the rope to break up the cover. At least she tried to. Morgan’s foot fell off. 

Valkyria went after Rodriguez, but Rodriguez booted her, so Bayley gave her a stunner in the ropes. As the ref got rid of Rodriguez, Morgan hit a backstabber. Morgan tried an Oblivion, but Valkyria held Bayley from behind in the ropes, which caused Morgan to fall backward. Bayley followed with a jackknife cover for the pinfall win. 

They messed up the rope break spot, but the actual finish was clever, and it obviously made sense for Bayley to win. The crowd popped big for the finish. 

Match result: Bayley defeated Liv Morgan 

******** 

Paul Heyman was shown awaiting the arrival of Roman Reigns. 

There was a Rhea Ripley video promo. She didn’t appreciate Belair making her look like the bad guy. She told Sky to cherish every moment with the title while she could. Belair would find out what it felt like when Ripley was the bad guy, and she would walk out as champion at WrestleMania. 

Rey Mysterio (w/LWO) defeated Julius Creed (w/American Made) (10:19) 

A ref distraction led to Chad Gable dropping Rey on the top rope. LWO returned the favour by crotching Julius. The ref saw both teams standing on the apron, so he tossed everyone to the back. 

Julius had control during a break, and like in the opening match, he held a rest hold before they came back from break. Right on time, Rey made his comeback following the break. 

Rey sent Julius out of the ring with a hurricanrana. Rey went for a sliding splash, but Julius caught him, held him up high and walked up the steps to the apron. Julius tried a charge, but Rey dodged it, and Julius went shoulder-first into the post. Rey hit a hurricanrana off the ropes, followed by ten punches in the corner and a DDT for two. 

El Grande Americano ran out and leaped onto the apron. Rey tried to rip his mask off, so Julius put Rey in a cradle for two. Rey shoved Julius into Americano, knocking him off the apron. Rey followed with a 619 and springboard splash for the pinfall win. 

The crowd popped big for the finish again. This isn’t a complaint, but it was the second straight match with a babyface outsmarting the heels. 

— After the match, El Grande Americano, now with a loaded mask, hit Rey with a running headbutt. LWO tried to make the save, but Americano laid them all out by himself (with a slight assist from Julius) using the loaded mask. He landed a diving headbutt on Rey and stood tall. 

Match result: Rey Mysterio defeated Julius Creed 

******** 

The War Raiders cut a pre-taped promo on New Day. 

Jackie Redmond interviewed New Day in the back (as Xavier Woods played Clash of Clans). Kofi Kingston said Erik and Ivar might want war, but New Day have been dealing with war from the locker room for months. When New Day won their titles back, the fans would have no choice but to say Thank God for the New Day. 

There was a video package of Undertaker beating Triple H in Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as referee at WrestleMania 28. 

AJ Styles defeated Karrion Kross (w/Scarlett) (9:46) 

This was Kross’ first televised match since he, AOP, and The Miz beat the Wyatt Sicks back in September. Cole said Kross had tights made by the same person who made tights for Styles and deliberately had similar ones made. 

Kross quickly took control of Styles, thanks in part to a cheap shot by Scarlett. For the third match in a row, the two wrestlers sat in a rest hold as the ad break came to an end. Styles did not immediately make a comeback following the break, as Kross hit a DVD for two. 

Styles began fighting back by kicking Kross’ leg. Kross tripped and played it like he was hurt “for real,” but he was faking, and Styles fell for it. Kross was mocking Styles’ injury from months ago. That pissed off Styles who fired back until Kross dropped him with a DDT. 

Kross tried a clothesline from behind, but Styles ducked it and hit a fireman’s carry neckbreaker. Styles followed with a Phenomenal forearm for the pinfall win. 

— Logan Paul entered the stage post-match. He said the people of Sacramento weren’t cool enough to live in Los Angeles and weren’t smart enough to live in San Francisco. He complimented Styles’ win and said they would “cook” at WrestleMania. He wanted to show everyone why they would make money at Mania, so he aired a video package of himself. 

Styles called him a smartass and told him to get in the ring so they could start Mania early. Kross tried a sneak attack, but Styles saw it coming. He fought them both off and gave Kross a reverse DDT. 

However, Paul nailed Styles with his loaded fist and laid him out with Paulverizer. 

Match result: AJ Styles defeated Karrion Kross 

********

Heyman is still waiting for Reigns. 

Gable cut a promo on the stage during a break. He was upset about being screwed out of a Mania spot again, but was happy to see an up-and-comer like El Grande Americano get an opportunity to cement his legacy as the greatest luchador of all time. 

Jey Uso segment

Jey Uso, wearing all black (with white sneakers), entered to a big reaction. The crowd chanted “One more time” when his music cut, so he had them play it again for a moment. 

He cut a promo while standing on the announce table. He shouted out his mom, who was somewhere in the crowd. He said people were wondering where his mind was at, and wondered if he was crashing out. He was crashing out, but he was locked in. Listening to Gunther made him realize that Gunther was afraid. Afraid that Jey would whip his ass in front of 60,000 people for the world title. Jey told Gunther he would get him on Saturday. They played his music, and that was that. 

********

Cathy Kelley tried interviewing Bron Breakker, but he was immediately attacked by Judgment Day. Bálor chucked him into some equipment boxes before officials intervened. 

Finn Bálor defeated Penta via disqualification (11:34)

They wrestled in a tag match a couple of weeks ago, but this was a first-time-ever singles match. 

Penta knocked Bálor off the apron during his entrance and followed with a flip dive. The match began moments later when they entered the ring. Penta was in control early on as a result until Bálor hit a basement dropkick. Bálor did a “too sweet” hand gesture before driving Penta onto the apron ahead of a break. 

They technically broke the rest hold streak from the previous three matches. Bálor did use a rest hold during the break, but Penta broke it during the break instead of as they returned. Bálor hit a superplex as they returned from break for two. Penta fought back and hit a backstabber for two. 

Penta hit a slingblade, but Bálor followed right away with a slingblade of his own. Penta avoided a running dropkick and hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Penta snapped Bálor’s arm, but Bálor countered a Penta driver into a roll-up for two. Penta followed with kicks but became distracted by Carlito and Dominik appearing at ringside. 

Bálor used the distraction to apply a schoolboy for two. Bálor followed with a dropkick, but before he could set up for Coup de Grace, Bron Breakker entered (to his music). 

Carlito was in the same position at the bottom of the ramp as last week, so he ran away before Bron could kill him. Bron instead attacked Bálor for the DQ. 

Carlito and Dom attacked Bron, but he actually hit them both with a double spear. Bron tried to spear Penta, but Penta fought him off and wiped out everyone (minus Bálor) with a dive. 

Match result: Finn Bálor defeated Penta via disqualification 

*******

There was an Iyo Sky video promo (in Japanese). She said Ripley and Belair kept pushing her aside, but they were forgetting that she was the whole reason they were fighting in the first place. Sky was done being ignored and forgotten. She has beaten them before and would do it again. After WrestleMania, they will never forget the name of Iyo Sky, Women’s World Champion. 

The announcers ran down the cards for WrestleMania nights one and two. 

******** 

CM Punk sat down next to Heyman, who still awaited the arrival of Roman Reigns. Punk was amused and said he’s never seen Heyman so stressed. Reigns happened to arrive in a GMC SUV at this moment, as Punk put his arm around Heyman. Reigns stormed off, and Heyman tried to follow. 

Main event segment with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, CM Punk and Paul Heyman

Roman Reigns entered, and Heyman followed. Heyman tried handing a mic to Reigns as usual, but Reigns charged past him to grab a different one. Heyman appeared dismayed as Reigns told Sacramento to acknowledge him. They did. 

Reigns said the world can hear the people love and acknowledge him. The world could see that they would never betray him. But not everyone was like them. Some people would betray him. Heyman stared directly at Reigns as he spoke, while Reigns looked past him. 

Reigns finally turned his attention to Heyman and asked how he could betray him. The crowd chanted, “You f—cked up” (which they tried to censor). The crowd booed Heyman (after cheering him earlier when he was shown arriving). Heyman said it was not a betrayal; he paid back a favour that he owed. 

Reigns was confused. You normally pay back a favour yourself, but the only person getting screwed in his scenario was him. Reigns would never ask for a favour. You take what you want. Reigns never asked anyone to join him at War Games. He never asked for this, so he wondered why he had to pay the tab for Heyman’s dumbass favour. 

Seth Rollins interrupted. (He wore a black leather cargo vest with oversized black tactical pants and boots.) Rollins said Reigns was finally starting to put the pieces together after all these years. Reigns was just missing one piece, but it was too late for him. 

Rollins still wanted to end him at WrestleMania because it was still the right thing to do. Rollins called this the most important triple threat match in the history of this industry because the winner would define the future of the industry. That person could not be Reigns because if the industry was filled with people who only showed up when it was convenient and wanted everyone else to do the dirty work, it would die. If the industry was filled with people like CM Punk, who pick up their ball and go home only to come back and leech off others’ success, it would die. 

Rollins didn’t want the business to die—and it wouldn’t if it were filled with people like him. People who sacrificed and would always do what was best for business. There could only be one, and it had to be Rollins. 

The piece that Reigns hadn’t yet figured out was that favours didn’t happen by chance; they were a choice. Rollins chose not to put Heyman in the hospital last week, and now Heyman could choose to pay that favour back to him. But Heyman was a scumbag and Rollins expected nothing from him. Heyman chose to be in Punk’s corner. It wasn’t just a betrayal. Heyman was choosing, and Reigns had to figure out why he was choosing Punk over him. 

Reigns said Rollins was right. Heyman made his choice. Reigns made his choice, too. Reigns decked Rollins and shoved him into the ring post. Heyman was delighted by this, and he acknowledged Reigns. However, Reigns pie-faced Heyman and shoved him to the mat. 

CM Punk ran out and attacked Reigns, knocking him out of the ring. Punk checked on Heyman, but turned around into a spear by Reigns. 

Rollins hit Reigns in the back with a steel chair (the same way he did when he broke up The Shield). Rollins and his large boots handed out curb stomps to both Reigns and Punk. Heyman looked on in fear as Rollins stood tall, chair in hand.

WWE Raw live results: IYO SKY vs. Rhea Ripley Women’s title match

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: March 31, 2025
Location: The O2 in London, UK 

The Big Takeaway —

Cody Rhodes and John Cena had an entertaining verbal exchange where Cena finally explained why he specifically turned on Rhodes. Cena has still not explained aligning with The Rock (who was mentioned by Rhodes). For the first time in weeks, they did not advertise a Cena/Rhodes segment for next week. 

The need to set up multiple multi-person WrestleMania matches led to two bad finishes on tonight’s show, particularly the main event. 

Gunther bloodied Jimmy Uso, Finn Bálor pinned Penta, Tyler Bate returned, and Lyra Valkyria defends her IC title against Bayley next week. 

*********

Show Recap — 

Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai, Bianca Belair, Logan Paul and cronies, Jey and Jimmy Uso, and Gunther were shown arriving at The O2 in London. 

There was a long shot of the sold-out crowd. There were dueling John Cena chants before his music even hit. 

John Cena and Cody Rhodes segment

Cena entered first, and he soaked in the chants for 30 seconds until Cody Rhodes’ music hit. They stood around for a minute while the fans sang for Cody. 

Rhodes knew Cena would try to “cook” him and wanted to know where he would start. Maybe it would be his lisp, maybe it would be Stardust. The fans chanted for Stardust, and Rhodes said it must bother Cena that Stardust was his final WrestleMania opponent. 

Maybe Cena would insult him for having an arm tattoo on his neck. (Rhodes paused again for the fans singing his name.) Maybe Cena would insult him for being booed in the company he created. 

Rhodes knew Cena wouldn’t bite on any of that. Rhodes might even be struggling with the idea that Superman was dead. (Rhodes paused again for dueling Cena chants.) Rhodes said Cena has lied to the fans the past two weeks. His words did not match his actions. 

Rhodes recalled riding with Cena years ago, and the two of them sang in the car together. Rhodes knew Cena cared about the fans. He wanted Cena to really explain why. 

Cena said he would not reduce himself and punch down to Rhodes’ level. Cena wouldn’t protect Rhodes because he’s been protected long enough. Cena wouldn’t cook Rhodes—he would bury him. Just like he buried everyone else. 

Cena said the fans accused him of burying other talent. Cena was the talent. He buried mediocrity. Cena didn’t care about Rhodes’ lisp or failures. Rhodes manipulated his way to the top, and his ego outmatched his ability. Rhodes rode the coattails of Cena’s success. 

Cena was so great that WWE was able to hand the heartbeat of the organization over to his chauffeur. Rhodes was nothing more than a slimy pickpocket who thought he could run the kingdom because he stole the blueprint. 

It disgusted Cena to see Rhodes with the belt. Rhodes rode with him for years and stole every secret. Rhodes wanted to be undeniable, but he was still underwhelming. Cena tried to tell him that he needed to be authentic because the fans could see through phony. Rhodes didn’t listen, and it showed. He was too perfect and too rehearsed. 

Cena said Rhodes relied on the fans signing his name and his song. He was like the Pied Piper because all he ever did was make a catchy tune trick these people into liking mediocrity. Rhodes didn’t look like Cena, he didn’t act like Cena, and he didn’t work like Cena. But Rhodes didn’t look like, act like, or work like himself, either. He was a generic mix of every superstar and TV show he ever loved. He was still a kid who was afraid of public speaking. Nowadays, that was enough to trick these people. 

Cena worked too hard to make the belt a symbol of mastery to have it paraded around by a paint-by-numbers nepo baby that was so into himself that he had his wrestling gimmick tattooed for the world to see. The problem with Rhodes’ tattoo wasn’t its location; it was that it made him look like a fan, like everyone else. 

Cena advised him to go to Fanatics and buy a toy belt after WrestleMania, because the last real champion was taking the title home forever. He would expose Rhodes as an errand boy who got lucky. 

Rhodes said Cena might be right. Maybe he was chosen. But it was the fans who chose him. Rhodes wondered if Cena could say the same. Was it the fans or one guy in an office who isn’t here anymore, and we can’t talk about it. 

Rhodes was indeed a wrestler like his father, and if anyone was a company creation, it was Cena. People were afraid of Cena on the mic but Rhodes wasn’t because Cena had more dick on the mic than in his jorts. Cena insulted him for acting like a 16-year-old taking public speaking lessons, but Cena was the one hanging out with Zac Efron, wishing he were 16. 

Cena created so many disenfranchised fans that he made it easy for Rhodes to pack up and go elsewhere. He told Cena not to act like he left the business better than when he found it. And between the two of them, Cena was the one who sold out to The Rock. 

Rhodes said Cena was still his hero—but he was also a piece of shit. 

Cena said Rhodes’ brain was full of feces and not facts. He worked 100 times harder than Rhodes, and he was never protected from the fans or a superstar taking their best shot at him. Everyone took their strongest swing when he was in the ring, and no one has ever been worthy, so he just did it all himself. 

Cena always made things great, no matter what garbage they gave him. Rhodes had to leave because his best couldn’t wipe Cena’s ass. Cena made empires for billionaires, while Rhodes only stole money from their kids. Cena dropped the mic. 

Before Cena could leave the ring, Rhodes wanted him to know one thing: never once have the fans chanted at him, “You can’t wrestle.” 

Cena acted offended by this and re-entered the ring. He backed down before attempting a cheap shot, but Rhodes put him down with a Cross Rhodes. The fans chanted for Rhodes. 

********

Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, and Wade Barrett are tonight’s announcers. 

As New Day awaited their opponents, Adam Pearce informed them that they would be wrestling the New Catch Republic—Pete Dunne and the returning Tyler Bate. 

Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods defeated Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate (8:43) 

Dunne and Bate got a fair amount of offence in, but New Day won after hitting UpUpDownDown on Dunne. 

Obviously, Dunne and Bate wrestled as babyfaces here in London, but this wasn’t much of a return for Bate. We’ll see if they drop the whole Butch stuff with Dunne if he’s reuniting with Bate full time. 

— After the match, Cathy Kelley asked New Day if they thought they deserved a title match. Woods asked her if she was slow. They said they deserved a title shot, and they wanted it now. The War Raiders (the champions) entered and faced off with New Day. 

********

Jey and Jimmy Uso met backstage. Jimmy told Jey he wanted to take on Gunther alone tonight. Jey said he would feel better if he were out there. Jimmy said Gunther was a big deal—but so were they. There was no Ring General tonight. Gunther was beatable. Jimmy would beat him tonight, and Jey would beat him at WrestleMania to become champion. They shook hands, but Jey pulled him in close and earnestly told him to be careful. 

********

Jackie Redmond interviewed Ludwig Kaiser during a break. He wants a match at Mania, and if Pearce doesn’t give him one, he may have to take matters into his own hands. 

There was a video package of Triple H beating Mick Foley in a street fight at the 2000 Royal Rumble. They plugged the Hall of Fame. 

Kate Nash (from Netflix’s GLOW), Charlie Brooker (Black Mirror), and UFC’s Michael Page were shown in the crowd. 

******** 

World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defeated Jimmy Uso in a non-title match (8:37) 

Jimmy hit suicide dives and went for an Uso splash, but Gunther got his knees up. Jimmy was able to follow with a superplex and an Uso splash for a nearfall. Gunther chopped him out of mid-air outside the ring and clotheslined him. 

Gunther worked him over during a break, but Jimmy fought back after the break with strikes, superkicks and a German suplex. Gunther cut him off with a dropkick and powerbomb. Gunther seemed to have it won, but he lifted Jimmy’s shoulders off the mat at the two count. Gunther hit a clothesline but lifted him up again at two. 

The crowd chanted, “Yeet,” but Gunther applied a sleeper hold, and Jimmy passed out. 

— Gunther placed Jimmy in the sleeper again after the match, so Jey ran out (to his music). Jey tackled Gunther and wildly attacked him, but Gunther quickly escaped through the crowd. 

During a break, Jimmy heavily sold damage from the sleeper as Jey and medical staff checked on him. As the timer for the commercial break counted down from ten, the crowd began to buzz, so you could tell something was about to happen. 

They came back from break as Jey helped Jimmy walk toward the aisle, but Gunther attacked them both from behind. Security tried to stop Gunther, but he powerbombed one of them onto the steel steps. 

Gunther ziptied Jey to the ring ropes and chucked Jimmy into the barricade. Gunther held up his title belt and taunted Jey with it. The fans called Gunther a wanker. Jimmy got to the apron, but Gunther hit him with the title belt. 

As Gunther continued to taunt Jey, Jimmy reemerged with a bloody face. Gunther powerbombed him as Jey desperately tried to rip the zip tie. Gunther wiped Jimmy’s blood over his body and tasted some of it (before quickly spitting it out). 

Gunther placed bloody Jimmy in a sleeper again as the announcers wondered where the hell help was. Officials finally stepped in and stopped Gunther.

(The match itself was ok, but this was a strong post-match angle that will hopefully—and finally—give Jey the motivation he needs.) 

********

There was a video package of the SmackDown angle with CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins. Cole said, “So, what is the favour? Hopefully, we find out soon.” 

Judgment Day met backstage. Finn Bálor and Dominik Mysterio were back on the same page. Bálor sarcastically offered his condolences to Raquel Rodriguez for losing her IC title match last week. Bálor said he would bring home the IC title to Judgment Day. 

********

Bron Breakker entered during a break. Everyone else entered live. 

Finn Bálor & Dominik Mysterio (w/Carlito) defeated Penta & Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker (9:10) 

Penta suffered his first pinfall loss in WWE. 

Penta hit a dive and, believe it or not, that led to a break. Judgment Day used a referee distraction to take control. Penta gave Dom a backstabber after the break and made the hot tag to Bron, who handed out suplexes to both opponents. 

Bálor and Dom set up for a double vertical suplex on Bron, but Bron hoisted them up and gave them a very impressive-looking double suplex instead. Bron hoisted Bálor on his shoulders (for a Steinerizer), and Penta brought him down with an elevated slingblade, but Dom broke up the cover. As cool as all this was, it led to a somewhat convoluted finish. 

Penta went for a Canadian Destroyer on Bálor, but Dom grabbed him from the apron. The referee just stood by and watched because he knew this was leading to the planned finish. Bron set up for a spear, and Dom warned Bálor it was coming. Dom then shoved Penta into Bálor, and that knocked Bálor aside, so Bron speared Penta by accident instead. 

Dom dropkicked Bron out of the ring, and Bálor hit Penta with Coup de Grace for the pinfall win. 

********

Chad Gable told Pearce he was impressed with El Grande Americano and would love to wrestle him one day. Gable was still sick, though, and couldn’t compete. He produced a doctor’s note. Pearce said that was too bad because they were in Gable’s hometown of Minneapolis next week. 

Gable wanted to wrestle next week and said he would be fine, but Pearce said he should recover. El Grande Americano would be in a match instead. Gable was disappointed because he still wanted to wrestle in his hometown (instead of his alter ego), but was caught in a lie and couldn’t do anything about it. 

As Gable was about to leave, he bumped into Alpha Academy. He referred to them as clowns and idiots before leaving. 

Maxxine Dupri told Pearce that she spoke to Natalya, and she had ideas about the tag division. 

********

Redmond interviewed Karrion Kross (with Scarlett) during the break. He was interested to see which version of AJ Styles we would see tonight. 

Penta confronted Bron backstage and called him stupid. Officials quickly stepped in and pulled Penta away. Bron told him to watch his mouth. 

********

AJ Styles and Logan Paul segment 

Logan Paul was supposed to call out Styles, but Styles entered first. Styles was tired of waiting in the back, and he called out Paul, who entered to a ton of heat. Paul said if he wanted to make them wait, they would, because they were sheep. The fans told him to shut the f*ck up. 

Paul said he’s had a change of heart. He was a dad now. A girl-dad. He wanted to teach his daughter the art of forgiveness, so he forgave Styles for what he did to him at Madison Square Garden. He warned Styles not to try it again. 

Styles said he had a daughter, too, and he forgave Paul as well. Paul didn’t understand. Styles forgave him for being the biggest douchebag to ever step foot in WWE. Styles said Paul bragged about his success and money, but the fans didn’t care about that. They wanted to see what he would sacrifice in the ring for them. Styles said Paul might be talented, but that could only take him so far. Styles wondered what he would do with all that talent. 

Paul said he would ask for Styles’ advice, but you should never take advice from someone you wouldn’t trade places with. Styles warned him not to write a cheque he couldn’t cash. Paul asked if that was a threat. Styles said he was in his gear, but Paul said he didn’t fight for free. Paul insulted the fans for being broke and accused one fan of spending their life savings on a front row seat. The crowd told him to be quiet again. 

Paul tried a cheap shot, but Styles saw it coming. However, Paul used the middle rope to crotch Styles and laid him out with the Paulverizer. 

********

Redmond interviewed Lyra Valkyria. Valkyria appreciated Bayley’s help last week, but she wanted to prove that she could stand on her own. Bayley is the only person who has beaten her since she won the title, and it was driving her crazy. They would have a rematch next week with the IC title on the line. 

******** 

Next week on Raw in Minneapolis (regular start time of 8 pm ET): 

  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Bayley for the Women’s Intercontinental title 
  • El Grande Americano in action 
  • Seth Rollins appears 

********

Bálor was pumped up over his win and celebrated with Judgment Day. Bálor was excited after pinning Penta and getting the better of Breakker again. Bálor left to talk to Pearce about getting a title shot. 

They were all on the same page until Liv Morgan noticed Bálor was taking all the credit. After Bálor left, Morgan told Dom that Bálor had already lost to Breakker, while Dom had not. Morgan said she would talk to Pearce when Bálor was done. Dom was unsure about all of this (because he doesn’t want to piss off Bálor). 

*******

Women’s World Championship: IYO SKY vs. Rhea Ripley [with Special Guest Referee Bianca Belair] ended in a double disqualification (14:41) 

This was bad. 

There were spots early on where Belair had to pull each woman off the other while in the ropes because they wouldn’t listen. During a break, Ripley slammed Sky and got a two count on a cover (but we didn’t see it because the screen went back as they returned from break). 

Sky hit a suicide dive following the break. Ripley had Sky on her shoulders outside the ring, and Sky went for a poisonrana, but Ripley slipped and just fell over. They both avoided a count-out by entering the ring at the same time. 

Sky took over and hit a double foot stomp. Ripley went to the middle rope, and Sky tried the poisonrana again, but Ripley blocked it and hit an avalanche Samoan drop. At least that’s what it looked like. It was meant to be a crucifix bomb by Sky, but it didn’t look like it at all. Sky covered Ripley for two. The crowd played along and applauded. 

Sky tried a flying crossbody, but Ripley headbutted her out of midair for a two. They traded counters until Ripley hit a Razor’s Edge and a shining wizard for a nearfall. 

They traded counters again until Sky got backed into Belair. You could see what was coming. Sky ducked, and Ripley booted Belair out of the ring. 

Sky tried a cradle on the distracted Ripley. The crowd was too eager to react, and they loudly counted the fall with Belair down, but it was never meant to be a false finish because Ripley got right up. Ripley hit Sky with a Rip-tide moments later, and the crowd loudly counted to twelve with Belair still down. 

Belair got to her feet, and Ripley told her it should be over. Belair entered the ring to count the fall, but Sky kicked out. Ripley argued with Belair and put her hands on her, so Belair shoved her hand aside. Ripley attacked Sky in the ropes, so Belair pulled her away. Ripley smacked Belair. 

Ripley turned around and ducked upon seeing Sky flying off the ropes, and Sky hit Belair with a missile dropkick by mistake, knocking her out of the ring again. Ripley decked Sky from behind, which didn’t look good either. 

Belair got to her feet and called the match off because she had enough. They announced a double DQ. 

— Ripley attacked Belair, and they brawled until Sky wiped them out with a dive. Sky attacked Ripley before Belair attacked Sky. 

This led to Ripley giving both women Rip-tides. The crowd chanted, “One more time,” so Ripley gave Belair another one off the middle rope. Ripley posed with the belt, and the crowd cheered.

Barrett put over Ripley as a deserving title contender, and the crowd did their part to play along, but this was an awful setup. 

WWE Raw live results: Cody Rhodes and John Cena in Scotland

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: March 24, 2025
Location: The OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland 

The Big Takeaway —

John Cena plans to ruin wrestling for everyone by taking the WWE Championship belt home with him and retiring with it. Cody Rhodes did not take Cena seriously last week, but he did this week, calling him more dangerous than ever. However, Rhodes planned on retiring Cena at WrestleMania. The two men will have another face-to-face next week in London. 

Rhea Ripley will face IYO SKY for the Women’s World title next week, with Bianca Belair as special referee. 

The Intercontinental title main event ended in a DQ when Judgment Day interfered. 

**********

Show Recap — 

CM Punk, Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez, Lyra Valkyria, Dragon Lee & Rey Mysterio, Penta, and Bron Breakker were shown arriving at the arena in Glasgow. Punk and Penta got big reactions. 

Pat McAfee is back on commentary with Michael Cole. 

John Cena and Cody Rhodes segment 

John Cena entered and was loudly booed. He knew the crowd was ready to do their worst because he turned the spotlight on them. They knew that he could pick them out individually and rip them to shreds. No one was safe, not even that clueless kid from last week. His poor, pathetic face was everywhere. WWE even posted it—and the fans all loved it. The crowd loudly chanted, “F*ck you, Cena,” and it was censored. 

Cena would tell the truth, while the best idea the fans had was to use profanity. They meme’d a defenceless kid getting destroyed, so he didn’t need to single out anyone tonight because they were all horrible people. Instead, they would all pay for the abuse they put him through. 

He listened to their lies and their noise for 25 years. He didn’t waste time being mean like them; he paid attention. The crowd chanted, “Shut the f*ck up.” He said he has been learning from the fans and testing them all this time. They told him everything about themselves, but they didn’t know anything about him. 

Their lives were sad. This (being fans) was the best it would get for them. But they have been nothing but an experiment for him. Rats in a cage. Pick out any moment in his career, and he could tell them what he learned about them. 

When he bled, they thought he was tough. When he spoke, they were inspired. When he was edgy, they were excited. When he was vanilla, they were bored. When he spoke in rhythmic tones, they said, “What.” (They were indeed chanting “What” at this moment.) 

They would always tell him everything about themselves because they wanted so desperately to matter. The most important thing they told him was in April 2005, when he gave them the WWE spinner championship. 

They ate him alive for it. He turned their belt into a toy, and they didn’t like that because the championship wasn’t a toy. He disrespected tradition. That was the biggest mistake they made. They told him what meant most to them. And now that he knew that, he was going to ruin wrestling. 

He was going to ruin wrestling for every fan, wrestler—for everyone. At WrestleMania, he would make history by winning a 17th championship. He would force them to forget about the fun-machine Ric Flair, and they would forever say the name John Cena. Even worse, he would win the title—the centre of every superstar and fan in his business—and he would retire with it. “I am taking it home with me.” 

He was leaving them to make a brand new toy belt because the real one was coming home with him. “I will be the last real champion in WWE. Revenge is best served cold, and I pay you back by ripping your heart out and forcing you to watch as I just walk away with your memories, with your traditions, and your dreams. And there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” 

Cody Rhodes entered. The fans sang his name. Rhodes told Cena he couldn’t take the belt away from the fans without taking it from him first. Rhodes could see that Cena was being sincere. Cena was angry and dangerous, but he made a massive mistake. The mistake was not that Cena hit him with the belt in Toronto; it was saying what he just said to these fans. 

Rhodes said Cena should know how hard he had to fight just to hold this belt one time. Cena thought the timeline of professional wrestling hung in the balance because of his vanity. Rhodes laid the belt down and told Cena he could try taking it right now. 

Cena acted for a moment like he might fight Rhodes, but he left the ring instead. 

Rhodes told Cena that his psychotic need to take the belt did not outweigh their (Rhodes and the fans) need to keep it. The champ was standing in the middle of the ring while Cena walked away empty-handed. That is how Cena would walk away at WrestleMania, and that is how he would walk away from WWE. 

******** 

There was a video package for Bron Breakker vs. Penta tonight. 

Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso defeated Austin Theory & Grayson Waller (9:15) 

Jey Uso initially entered alone but was quickly joined by Jimmy in the aisle. Cole exclaimed, “Wait, wait, wait! Look who’s here! Jey’s brother!” He didn’t actually say Jimmy’s name. (Jimmy entering separately would’ve felt like a bigger moment, but they might’ve wanted to keep the focus on Jey since he’s the main eventer.) 

Cole said this was the first time The Usos teamed up (just the two of them) in a year and a half when they beat Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa. 

A-Town Down Under got the heat on Jimmy when Theory made a blind tag and clocked him with a running forearm. After a break, Waller rolled into the ring and into a Samoan drop by Jimmy. Cole somehow thought this was a slingblade by Waller. (It’s sometimes difficult to judge a person’s offence or move, but this was not one of those times.) 

Jey tagged in, but A-Town Down Under teamed up on him. Jimmy tagged back in, and they hit Waller with an alley-oop. Jimmy hoisted up Waller into a spear by Jey before The Usos hit Theory with a 1-D for the pinfall win. 

— Gunther knocked Jimmy off the top rope as he celebrated. Jey superkicked Gunther and set up for a spear, but he literally tripped and fell. He went for the spear anyway but Gunther tackled him down. Gunther hammered away with elbows, but Jimmy ran him off with a steel chair. 

I don’t know if they did this trip spot on purpose or not, but this was not a good look for Jey, regardless. (Update: It looks like the spot was done deliberately, and they’ll be using it to build Jey back up in the coming weeks.) 

*******

There was a big video package for “El Grande Americo” (Chad Gable), who hailed from the “Gulf of America.” I suppose this video was a nice idea, except for all the AI they used to make it. 

Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio told Adam Pearce that the person in the video was clearly Chad Gable. (Because they used AI, the wrestler didn’t actually look like Gable.) 

Gable showed up and said they were wrong. He was also sick and had a doctor’s note, so he wouldn’t be able to compete today. Pearce said the note was legit. (Even though he was obviously faking it.) Gable suggested that Dragon Lee face El Grande Americo instead. Dragon Lee accepted. Rey looked at Gable and said, “You’re a real jackass.” (That was funny.) 

********

Richard Gadd of Baby Reindeer (on Netflix) was in the audience.  

Lyra Valkyria defeated Raquel Rodriguez (w/Liv Morgan) to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship (8:23) 

Rodriguez booted Valkyria out of mid-air to take control ahead of a break. She hit a jackhammer following the break for two. Valkyria countered a suplex into a DDT, but Morgan placed Rodriguez’s foot on the rope to break up the cover. 

Valkyria dropkicked Morgan moments later and countered Rodriguez’ Tejana Bomb attempt into a victory roll for the pinfall win. 

— Morgan and Rodriguez attacked Valkyria after the match. I guess Bayley was waiting behind the stage because her music hit immediately, and she ran out to clear the ring with Valkyria. Bayley gave Valkyria her IC title belt, and they posed together. 

This match was just fine. The crowd liked Valkyria. 

********

The New Day (who last appeared on Raw three weeks ago when they beat Rey and Dragon Lee) cut a promo during commercials. They ran down the locals before proclaiming they would win the tag team titles at WrestleMania. 

There was a video package of Triple H beating The Rock at SummerSlam 1998 in a ladder match for the IC title. This was meant to hype HHH going into the Hall of Fame, but it also put over the importance of the IC title, which is on the line tonight. 

********

Jey sat alone in the back when he was joined by Jimmy. Jimmy wondered what was going on with Jey the last few weeks. He could see Jey was in his own head. Jey hit dives perfectly for 15 years before last week. Last week’s dive became a meme and a joke. Then he went out there tonight and slipped. If he kept going like this, he wouldn’t win at Mania. 

Jey bluntly said he knew that. He said he couldn’t beat Gunther and was 3-0 against him (he meant to say 0-3). Jimmy said that this Jey could not beat Gunther. Jimmy hyped him up and said he needed to see the Right Hand Man Jey Uso, the one who became the Main Event Jey Uso. The one who won the Royal Rumble. That’s the Uce he needs. 

Jimmy found Gunther around the corner and challenged him to a match on Raw next week. Gunther said sure and suggested he didn’t slip and fall like his brother. Jimmy slapped him hard in the face. 

********

Women’s World Title segment 

Adam Pearce was in the ring with the contract for Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair at WrestleMania for the title. He said Rhea Ripely signed her name on it, too, but that did not mean she was getting a title shot at Mania. The crowd booed. 

Pearce said he’s been trying to assign Ripley’s title rematch for weeks, but in the meantime, Belair won the Elimination Chamber and earned the title match at Mania. Ripley, meanwhile, only wanted the title rematch on her terms. 

He was about to make an announcement but was interrupted by Sky. Sky didn’t care about contracts and was happy to take on both Belair and Ripley because she was the Women’s World Champion. 

Belair interrupted next. Belair was not about to let Ripley headbutt her way into this match because she didn’t earn it. 

Ripley interrupted and said, “Honestly, I don’t give a damn about WrestleMania.” She didn’t care who she had to face to get her title back. She wanted her rematch. Pearce was annoyed because now she suddenly wanted the match. Belair said Ripley has already waited three weeks, she can wait another three weeks. 

Once again, Ripley and Belair argued while Sky tried to interject, but Ripley shoved her aside. Sky was about to go after them again, but Pearce stepped in. Pearce was pissed and announced that Ripley would get her title rematch against Sky next week. The winner would face Belair at WrestleMania. 

As Ripley and Belair argued again, Sky wiped out Ripley with a DDT. The crowd booed as Belair set up Sky for a KOD. Sky avoided it and gave Ripley a hurricanrana outside the ring. However, Belair gave Sky a KOD to send her out of the ring and onto Ripley. Belair stood tall with the belts. 

This was another weak segment to set up whatever match they’re doing at Mania. 

********

Dom approached Penta backstage. Before Penta could say anything, Dom told him to think about his offer and maybe he would walk away as IC champion tonight. 

******* 

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods told Pearce they were demanding a world tag title shot at Mania. He said no. He wanted them to prove they earned a shot first. They left. 

Belair, perhaps suffering from amnesia, entered next and asked Pearce who she was facing at Mania. Pearce said she would find out next week after the title match. He also announced that she would be the special referee. She said she didn’t know how to be a referee, and he told her to figure it out.  (Now everyone is coming off poorly in this feud.)

*******

El Grande Americo (Chad Gable) defeated Dragon Lee (8:55)  

Gable (wrestling in a mask) hit Dragon Lee with an exploder off the apron ahead of a break. They exchanged chops after the break until Dragon Lee hit a snap German suplex and superkick. Dragon Lee sprinted at Gable, but Gable launched him with an overhead suplex into the corner. The crowd chanted, “Olé.” Dragon Lee avoided a moonsault and hit a Liger Bomb for two. 

With Gable dangling upside down in the corner, Dragon Lee set up for a double foot stomp, but Gable sat up and ripped Lee’s mask off. Dragon Lee frantically covered his face while Gable applied an ankle lock. Dragon Lee struggled for a moment but he couldn’t get the ropes while also covering his face, so he tapped out. 

This was pretty fun for the time they had, and the finish got a ton of heat. 

********

There was a video package for CM Punk/Roman Reigns/Seth Rollins. 

CM Punk segment

Punk entered to a big reaction. He said he was not in a good mood, but it was hard to be pissed off when you enter to a reaction like that. He was tired and jetlagged. He hasn’t slept well the last few days, thanks mostly to the uncertainty around his road to WrestleMania. 

He had a match at Mania, “but what I want, I’m not getting—or am I?” 

He wanted to win the Rumble, but he didn’t. He needed to win the Chamber, but the more things changed, the more things stayed the same. “I work with children.” He said Seth Rollins was the world champion of being a piss-baby, and Rollins screwed him at the Chamber. 

For Rollins and Reigns, it was clearly personal, but for him, it was just business. The two men who stood in his way from getting what he wanted had to go. 

Rollins has been crying since Punk returned because the shadow he cast over him belittled everything Rollins was about. Reigns seemed to be taking it personally because he realized his wise man wasn’t just his wise man. 

It would be business for Punk on Smackdown, too, because they were having a contract signing. Some fans booed, and Punk acknowledged it. He knew they wanted it tonight, and so did he. He wanted his hands on the contract to see if this match would get him closer to what he wanted or if it would just be another rug-pull from the powers that be. 

Punk reminded Rollins and Reigns that they had never beaten him without the other’s help. Punk also said, “I brought you into this business. I cannot wait to be the man who takes you both out of it.” Punk called himself the best in the world and dropped the mic. 

(Cole reminded us that Punk brought The Shield to WWE.) 

******* 

Next week on Raw in London, England (airing at 3 pm ET/12 pm PT): 

  • Logan Paul calls out AJ Styles 
  • Gunther vs. Jimmy Uso (non-title) 
  • Cody Rhodes and John Cena face-to-face 
  • Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship 

*******

Cathy Kelley asked Bron Breakker if he was worried that Penta might have help from Judgment Day tonight. Bron didn’t seem worried about it. He would retain the title because the dogs were barking in Glasgow. 

Intercontinental Championship: Bron Breakker defeated Penta via disqualification (11:25)

They were having a strong match until the finish. 

Penta used a hurricanrana to send Bron into the ropes. To set up the next spot, Bron was actually supposed to be on the other side of the ring, so he “stumbled” to the other side as Penta posed, which looked pretty awkward. This led to Bron hitting a leaping clothesline off the apron and over the announce table. 

Dom and Carlito wandered out during a break. 

Bron and Penta traded strikes until Penta hit a superkick, bulldog, and backstabber for two. Bron blocked a Canadian Destroyer and hit a military press gutbuster for two. Penta hit a superkick and enziguri and used a hurricanrana to yank Bron off the middle rope. Penta followed with a flip dive and Canadian Destroyer for two. Bron followed later with a Frankensteiner for a nearfall. 

Bron set up for a spear, but Dom distracted the referee. Carlito tried to interfere, so Bron pulled him into the ring and speared him. Dom chop-blocked Bron in front of the referee for the DQ. 

Bron went after Dom, but Finn Bálor attacked him with a chair. Bálor seemed like he was pissed with Dom, but he handed Dom the chair. 

Dom hit Bron with the chair before handing it to Penta. Bálor didn’t like that idea. 

Penta teased that he might hit Bron, but instead, he chucked the chair at Dom and superkicked it in his face. Bálor decked Penta and hit Bron with the chair. Bálor laid out Penta with a Coup de Grace. 

Raw ended with Bálor, Dom and Carlito standing tall.

WWE Raw live results: Heel John Cena returns

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: March 17, 2024
Location: Forest National in Brussels, Belgium 

The Big Takeaway —

John Cena cut a long promo addressing his turn and his relationship with the fans, but he did not discuss The Rock, Cody Rhodes, the WWE Championship, or WrestleMania. Rhodes confronted him, and both men will be on Raw again next week in Scotland. 

That segment opened the show, and the rest of the show was not particularly interesting. 

**********

Show Recap — 

There were exterior shots of Brussels, Belgium, which was certainly a contrast to the usual shots of North American cities. Finn Bálor, Bron Breakker, Bianca Belair, Iyo Sky, and Dakota Kai arrived at the arena in Brussels. It’s another boisterous crowd, like Smackdown in Spain. 

Corey Graves is on commentary with Michael Cole.

There was a video package for Cody Rhodes/John Cena. 

********

John Cena and Cody Rhodes segment 

Cena entered to his usual music and loud “John Cena sucks” chants. He had a stern demeanour and wore a shirt with Belgian graphics and colours. He stood still in the ring as the crowd went back and forth with loud chants of “Let’s go, Cena” and “Cena sucks.” 

He dropped the mic and acted like he would leave, so the crowd booed. He picked up the mic, and they chanted, “You sold out.” He pretended to leave again but returned. 

He said, “When someone is properly grounded in life, they shouldn’t have to look outside themselves for approval.” (He posted this earlier on X.) He continued, “You are making this so easy for me. For 25 years, I’ve been the victim. I have been the victim of an abusive relationship.” The fans booed, so he shut them down. 

He called them hurtful and abusive, and all they ever did was bully him into being their puppet while expecting him to do it with a smile on his face. No more. They chanted, “F*ck you, Cena,” and he held up the mic because they were proving his point. 

He said he was not a babyface or a heel—he was a human being, and all of the fans have been awful to him. It’s been the same noise for 25 years. When he first arrived, they let him know they hated him. He changed himself, hoping they would like him, but it wasn’t enough. 

So, he worked hard like he always did, and then he won and won and won and won. He won a lot, and they hated it. He spent the next 10 years of his life trying to give everything he possibly could, but it wasn’t enough. (The fans yelled obscenities again.) 

In his final moments, he could have just walked away. He announced his retirement in advance and tried one last time to get along with the fans, but they ruined it, just like they ruined everything. Like always, it was great for two seconds, but it wasn’t enough. (The crowd sang the goodbye song.) 

He said these fans were proving his point. No matter what he did, it was never enough. All they ever did was take and take and take. They only cared about themselves. Cena put his values on the line, but all they could think about was what they were getting. None of them asked how he was feeling. Now, they were getting what they earned, and that was nothing. 

They weren’t getting a new look. They dressed like him, he didn’t dress like them. They weren’t getting new music. That was his voice in his song. Their time was up, his time was now. All they were getting was a chance to look in the mirror and realize how awful they have been for 25 years. 

The fans chanted for Cody Rhodes. Cena knew they would because he was their shiny new toy. They kept proving his point. They were all awful people, and none of them were safe, especially those he could pick out in the crowd. He pointed out people who were still wearing his shirt, the “Let’s go, Cena” people. 

The “Cena Sucks” jackoffs have already proven themselves awful people, but the “Let’s go, Cena” people were too. He asked what they had ever done to support him. All they ever did was steal from him. They stole from him and took his time. They made the same invisible joke for 15 years, and they still thought it was funny. It was pathetic. They were pathetic. 

He said they wore his shirts to feel good. They wore words like hustle, loyalty and respect, but he lived them every day. They didn’t support him. They used him as an excuse for their pathetic failure of a life. All they ever did for 25 years was sit on their asses watching him be great. 

He was in a toxic relationship, and he was breaking up with all of them. Whether they liked it or not, they were dumped. (They showed a sad, young Cena fan in the crowd.) 

He said, “I don’t need you anymore. I don’t care about you, and you don’t matter to me. There’s no noise you can make. There’s nothing you can do because you know I’m right, and you know you’re wrong.” 

Cody Rhodes entered to a huge reaction. Rhodes said Cena thought the fans had given him their worst, but they had also given him their best. They did that for 25 years because he was special and because he could carry it. Cena said, “Listen, kid,” but Rhodes cut him off and said, “Enough!” Rhodes told him it wasn’t “Kid,” it was “WWE Champion.” 

Rhodes was excited to go face-to-face with the real John Cena, but he got this instead. This version of Cena better not show up at WrestleMania because Rhodes would run it over. Rhodes already took Cena’s best shot, and it wasn’t enough. Rhodes would retire him early. 

Rhodes told him to go find the real John Cena because he wanted to fight that Cena, not this whiny bitch. Rhodes dropped the mic and left as the crowd cheered him on. 

Cena grabbed his little branded towel and left as the fans booed and sang the goodbye song. 

(Cole acted livid over Cena’s comments. The show was 32 minutes in when this was over.) 

This was a great performance by Cena, but it felt like the promo was missing something. It makes sense that he would feel this way about the fans, but he never mentioned The Rock or even his actual pursuit of the WWE Championship. There’s still time, of course. 

******** 

No Holds Barred: Penta defeated Ludwig Kaiser (10:51) 

Since his debut, Penta has now had six matches on Raw… against three different opponents. His last five matches have been against two different opponents. 

Penta was all over Kaiser and cleared the announce table, but Kaiser raked his eyes and gave him a rolling DVD on the table. Penta tried fighting back after a break, but Kaiser hit another rolling DVD in the ring for two. Kaiser ran around the ring and charged at Penta, but Penta gave him a back body drop onto the table. The table didn’t break, so the crowd chanted, “We want tables.” 

Kaiser took control again and used a chair, but Penta snapped his arm. Penta superkicked the chair twice into his face and hit a Canadian Destroyer off the middle rope. Penta followed with the Penta Driver for the pinfall win. 

The crowd was super into this. This was pretty much exactly as good as every other Penta match so far, in part because it was against the same guy again. 

— Cathy Kelley asked Penta what was next. Penta cut a fiery promo, and he was eyeing the Intercontinental Championship. 

********

There was a backstage segment earlier today to set up a match with the Creed Brothers against Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee. American Made played dumb about Chad Gable in the mask last week, but LWO wasn’t buying it. Turns out, Brutus Creed is actually dumb because he really doesn’t know who was in the mask. 

********

Judgment Day met in the back. They were all on the same page until Dominik Mysterio suggested to Finn Bálor that Penta join Judgment Day. 

Bálor was pissed and got in Dom’s face. Bálor mentioned that Penta just declared his intention of going after the IC title, the same one he was going for tonight. Bálor called him a snake. (Dom didn’t know Penta made that declaration.) 

******** 

Dakota Kai defeated Ivy Nile (w/American Made) (2:48) 

Chad Gable, wearing a suit, ran out as the match began to join the Creeds at ringside. Nile used a distraction by her buddies to hit a uranage variation for two. Mysterio and Dragon Lee ran out to clear American Made from ringside while Kai gave Nile a GTK for the pinfall win. 

********

IYO SKY and Bianca Belair contract signing 

Iyo Sky said that no one, not Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley or anyone else, would disrespect her again because, after WrestleMania, she would still be Women’s World Champion. The crowd loudly cheered and chanted, “You deserve it.” 

Belair said she had all the respect in the world for her. However, she had the same message for Sky that she had for Ripley last week. If you thought you could put her hands on her and get away with it, you didn’t know her at all. Belair planned on leaving Mania as the champion. They both signed. 

Adam Pearce thanked them for being professional, but he flipped his wig when Ripley’s music hit. Ripley entered, and the crowd erupted. 

Belair teased Ripley about having a Mania title match, and Ripley claimed she was just there to watch. They bickered, so Sky tried to get involved again, but Belair brushed her aside again. Ripley headbutted Belair onto the table. 

Sky went after Ripley, but Ripely powerbombed her onto Belair (the table didn’t break). 

Ripley signed her name on the contract and took it with her. Pearce followed her to the back.

(Hopefully, they have a good follow-up to this because even the announcers didn’t think this made sense.) 

********

Jey Uso cut a promo backstage. He hasn’t been himself lately. His mind was playing tricks on him, so he flew halfway across the world to whip someone’s ass. Tonight, it was Austin Theory, but at Mania, it would be Gunther. 

Gunther confronted him, but officials got between them. Gunther told Jey that he had spoken to Jimmy, and he was just as dumb as he was. Jey shoved Gunther, but officials separated them, and Jey entered for his match. 

Jey Uso defeated Austin Theory (w/Grayon Waller) (0:29) 

Jey almost immediately hit Theory with a spear for the pinfall win. 

— Jey superkicked Waller and wiped them both out with a flip dive. 

Gunther tried to put him out with a sleeper again, but Jey drove him into the turnbuckle. Jey chucked Gunther out of the ring and posed with the world title belt before tossing back at Gunther. Jey posed for the fans. 

(This was exactly what it should have been.) 

********

There was a video package for tonight’s IC title match. 

Theory and Waller cut a promo during a break. The crowd didn’t care about them. They challenged Jey to a tag match if he could find a partner. 

******** 

Backstage, Pearce demanded Ripley give him back the contract. She refused and tried to claim it was legally binding with her name on it. He said this was like speaking to a child, and, in fact, she was acting like a child. Pearce took the contract and left. 

Belair rushed in and attacked Ripley. Sky ran in next to join the party. They all shoved each other into stuff, and Ripley wound up standing tall after security stepped in. 

********

Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee defeated The Creed Brothers (5:44) 

The Creeds dominated through a break, but Rey made a hot tag after the break. Rey fended off Brutus’ interference and gave Julius a DDT before Dragon Lee yanked Brutus off the apron with a hurricanrana. Rey hit Julius with a 619 and springboard splash for the pinfall win. The crowd loved Rey Mysterio. 

— Chad Gable/the masked man ran in after the match and beat up both Rey and Dragon Lee. He suplexed Rey onto Dragon Lee and hit Lee with a diving headbutt. The crowd yelled, “Shoosh!” at him. He ran away as security chased him to the back. 

********

There was a CM Punk/Seth Rollins/Roman Reigns video package. 

Seth Rollins segment 

This was a ten-minute-long segment to let us know that Rollins will be on Friday’s Smackdown to confront Roman Reigns and CM Punk. 

Rollins entered, and the fans sang his song pretty much all the way through a commercial break and for a long while after the break. He welcomed them to Monday Night Rollins, and they kept singing. 

He finally got to his promo. He was ready to be mad, but it was hard to be mad hearing the fans sing his song. Perhaps they wanted him to be mad because they chanted for CM Punk. 

Rollins said he would get to Punk but wanted to talk about Reigns first. Rollins wasn’t mad at Reigns for coming for revenge because he would have done the same thing. The problem was that Reigns couldn’t come up with a plan of his own, even with a wise man in his ear. 

Rollins called Punk the luckiest loser on the face of the planet. If he had just a few more seconds, Rollins would have done what he promised. He would have ended Punk’s Mania dream and put his career on ice. He would have taken care of the Punk problem for everyone—including Reigns. Just like in the good old days, he was left to clean up Reigns’ mess. 

It just so happened that Reigns and Punk would both be on Friday’s Smackdown, so Rollins was planning on heading to Italy to join them. The crowd kinda went quiet because this had nothing to do with them, so he invited them to sing his song one more time before they got to tonight’s main event. That was that. 

********

Next week on Raw in Glasgow, Scotland, airing one hour later (4 pm ET/1 pm PT).

  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Raquel Rodriguez for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship 
  • CM Punk appears 
  • Jey Uso & partner vs. Grayson Waller & Austin Theory 
  • Cody Rhodes and John Cena under one roof again 

********

Backstage, Kelley tried interviewing AJ Styles, who was momentarily distracted by the fans singing for him. Karrion Kross and Scarlett interrupted. (Kross wore his hair like Styles again.) 

Kross tried to egg him on by noting how fast Logan Paul got to WWE and accomplished as much as he had, while it took Styles 17 years. Styles cut him off. Styles knew what Kross was trying to do, but it wouldn’t work. He left. Kross told Scarlett, “I think it’s working.” 

******** 

Bron Breakker crossed paths with Penta backstage. 

Bron Breakker defeated Finn Bálor to retain the Intercontinental Championship (12:31) 

Early in the match, Bron went for a running spear outside the ring, but Bálor cut him off with a slingblade. Bálor had control during a break and cut off Bron again after a break with a side Russian leg sweep. 

Bálor dismissively smacked and kicked Bron. Bron fired up and no-sold Bálor’s strikes. Bron fought back with a leaping back elbow, overhead suplex, and powerslam. 

Dom and Carlito ran out, and Bálor used the distraction to apply a schoolboy for two. Bálor followed with a headlock elbow drop for two. Bron knocked Bálor out of the ring with a running clothesline and followed with a leaping clothesline off the apron and over the announce table. 

Bálor cut him off again with a slingblade in the ring, followed by a shotgun dropkick. Bron avoided the Coup de Grace, but Bálor avoided a spear and used a schoolboy again for two. Bron hit a powerslam for two. 

Bron set up for a superplex, but Carlito distracted the referee, and Dom knocked Bron off the turnbuckle. However, Dom accidentally caused Bálor to get crotched on the top rope. 

Bron knocked Dom and Carlito off the apron before hitting Bálor with a Frankensteiner and spear for the pinfall win. 

— Dom and Carlito attacked Bron after the match, but Penta ran out to make the save. Penta handed out superkicks, and Bron speared Carlito. 

Penta grabbed the IC title belt and held it up for a moment before handing it back to Bron. Bron held the belt high while Penta did his zero miedo taunt as the show ended.

WWE Raw live results: CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins cage match at MSG

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: March 10, 2025
Location: Madison Square Garden in New York City 

The Big Takeaway —

Roman Reigns returned to attack Seth Rollins in the main event. Reigns also laid out CM Punk after seeing him being consoled by Paul Heyman. 

Cody Rhodes and John Cena will both be on Raw in Brussels, Belgium, next week. 

**********

Show Recap — 

Michael Cole announced a sell-out crowd of over 19,000 at Madison Square Garden, which is hosting Raw for a 15th time. There’s a small video screen in lieu of a stage. 

Cody Rhodes, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai, Bianca Belair, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk were shown arriving. 

Jey Uso entered to kick off Raw. As he did, Cole let us know that “many, many celebrities” were here and they showed someone named Andrew Schulz in the crowd. 

Grayson Waller ripped up a kid’s “Yeet” sign on the way down. 

Jey Uso defeated Grayson Waller (w/Austin Theory) (9:10) 

This was a rare instance of a match kicking off Raw, but they still went to break just three minutes into it. 

This was not a squash match for Jey Uso, which you could argue it should have been. Instead, it was your usual patterned WWE TV match. 

Waller used a Theory distraction to take advantage ahead of the break and held control until Jey fought back with strikes and a Samoan drop. Jey fended off another distraction and hit a superkick but Waller blocked his dive attempt and hit a rolling flatliner for two. 

Jey fought back with another superkick before superkicking Theory off the apron. Jey speared Waller for the pinfall win. 

— Theory and Waller attacked Jey after the match, but he dumped Waller from the ring and speared Theory. Jey splashed Theory but Gunther grabbed Jey in a sleeper and put him down.

(This was an ordinary match to say the least. I have no issue with Jey Uso’s position on the card, but this match didn’t help his case with anyone who has doubts. The crowd was into him, though, and the Gunther attack got a decent amount of heat.) 

********

There was a video package for CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins. 

During a break, there was a video package for Penta/Ludwig Kaiser. 

After the break, Alpha Academy approached Jey in the trainer’s room. Otis said they’d have his back, and he said he’d be alright. (It’s a little weird they’re associating some of the biggest losers on the show with Main Event Jey Uso.) 

********

Logan Paul and AJ Styles segment 

Logan Paul entered. He ripped off the t-shirt of some fan plant which read “I hate Logan Paul.” 

Paul got an absolute ton of heat. He said his name was associated with people like The Rock and John Cena, who transcended the business and would do anything to reach the top. That’s why he was shocked when Cody Rhodes turned down The Rock. It took Cena 20 years to realize that nice guys finish last. Paul wanted Rock to know that his soul was for sale. 

Paul called out Andrew Schulz (the comedian shown earlier). Paul wanted to know who he was there to see. Schulz was there to see the cage match between Punk and Rollins. He said no one in New York was there to see Paul. They were a real city, unlike Cleveland, who wanted to see real wrestlers. Schulz also wanted to see AJ Styles. 

Paul didn’t like that, so he yanked Schulz over the barricade. Paul was about to suplex Schulz, but Styles ran out. 

The crowd was pumped for Styles who laid out Paul with a Phenomenal forearm. (Styles, off mic, yelled, “F*ck yeah!” and he slapped hands with Schulz.) 

Paul walked toward the stage as Styles told him to get back in the ring. Styles kept telling him this was New York City, but Paul kept walking to the back. Styles held up Schulz’ hand and repeated that this was New York City and they played Styles’ music to conclude the segment. 

The crowd was super into this, but the segment just petered out at the end. This was one of those segments that was probably better for the live crowd.

******** 

There was a video recap of Iyo Sky beating Rhea Ripley for the world title last week. 

New Day cut a promo during a break. Kofi Kingston buried the Jets and Giants, and Xavier Woods buried the Knicks. (They were going for cheap heat but the crowd didn’t bite.) New Day’s new thing lately is to tell the audience to thank God for them. Although, I think their promos only happen during commercials, so the audience may not be aware of that. 

They showed Dana White’s TKO Boxing announcement. Boxer Callum Walsh and trainer Freddie Roach were shown in the crowd. 

Oba Femi was also shown in the crowd. 

******** 

Tornado Tag Team Match: Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods defeated Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee (11:08) 

The crowd chanted for tables, so LWO gave them what they wanted. However, New Day attacked them and put the table away. LWO got the advantage again, so the crowd chanted for tables again. LWO pulled out a table again, but New Day attacked them before they could use it, again. 

New Day had control through a break. Rey brought Woods off the top rope with a springboard hurricanrana, and Dragon Lee hit a double foot stomp off the top. Dragon Lee hit a running hurricanrana off the apron to put Woods through the table. It didn’t land perfectly but the crowd popped because the table technically broke. 

Rey ran wild on Kingston and hit a 619. Kingston got his knees up on a frog splash and applied a cradle but Dragon Lee broke up the cover. Dragon Lee wiped out Kingston with a dive. 

An unidentified masked man in a black hoodie suddenly appeared and wiped out Dragon Lee with a hurricanrana attempt. It was Chad Gable in a USA-themed mask. Gable also laid out Rey with a German suplex. He yelled, “Gracias!” before being grabbed by security. Gable escaped security and ran away through the crowd. 

Thanks to the interference, New Day hit Rey with UpUpDownDown for the pinfall win. 

*******

Judgment Day segment 

Finn Bálor told Carlito that he was sick of Bron Breakker. Carlito wasn’t listening. He was thinking about John Cena being a bad guy. He thought Cena would be a good guy forever, like him. 

Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Dominik Mysterio joined them. Morgan said they were off getting Rodriguez a match against Bayley, with the winner getting a shot at the Women’s IC title. Dom also got Bálor an Men’s IC title match against Breakker next week. Bálor hugged Dom and thanked him sincerely. Bálor left to make it official with Adam Pearce. 

After Bálor left, Morgan asked Dom why he didn’t get himself a title match. Dom believed in Bálor. 

********

Peter Rosenberg, Fabolous, and Macaulay Culkin were shown in the crowd. 

******** 

Cody Rhodes promo 

Rhodes entered, still sporting a black eye, and cut a passionate promo on John Cena. 

Rhodes said he was there because the Garden was the cathedral and WWE’s home base. His WrestleMania opponent John Cena was not there tonight. The mere mention of Cena’s name was booed, as well as mentions of Travis Scott and The Rock. 

Rhodes noted that Cena would be in Brussels, Belgium, next week instead. This was the same Cena who first won the US title in MSG and returned to the Royal Rumble from injury in MSG. It was apparently an easy decision for Cena not to appear in MSG. However, Rhodes did not begrudge Cena for having a part-time schedule. 

(Dueling, “Let’s go, Cena” and “Cena sucks” chants broke out. Rhodes paused his promo and told the crowd to let Cena hear it.) 

Rhodes did begrudge Cena for something. He mentioned Cena’s social media post stating that you must have the discipline to do what needs to be done even if you don’t feel like it. Rhodes compared Cena to the overzealous teacher or coach who kept giving advice but it was time for Cena to sit down, “you Goddamn moron.” 

Nobody defined best for business quite like Cena. But there were 17,000 in attendance who knew what was best. (The announcers frantically made sure to mention it was closer to 20,000.) 

The key number to remember was 17 (the record Cena was chasing). It would be Rhodes’ heart-breaking privilege to beat his hero in his last chance, while Cena found out what the fans already knew: “I’m the captain now.” 

(They announced that Cena and Rhoeds will both be on Raw next week.) 

********

Jackie Redmond had a quick interview with Lyra Valkyria during a break. 

Ali Ahn, Rich the Kid, Amanda Serrano, and cast members from ‘Selling The City’, were shown in the crowd. 

They showed a clip of Jimmy Snuka hitting Don Muraco with a splash off the cage at MSG in 1983. 

******* 

Tag Team Champion Raquel Rodriguez (w/Dominik Mysterio & Tag Team Champion Liv Morgan) defeated Bayley (11:06) 

Bayley fought back after a break and hit a flying elbow drop for two. She missed a baseball slide by a mile but managed to shove Rodriguez into the post before Rodriguez could do it to her. 

Dom distracted the referee while Morgan tried to interfere, but Bayley knocked her off the apron. She also knocked Dom off the apron and went for a dive, but Rodriguez caught her and slammed her onto the announce table. 

Bayley barely avoided a count-out but Rodriguez booted her as she entered the ring. Rodriguez followed with the Tejana Bomb for the pinfall win. Rodriguez is next in line for Valkyria’s title with this win. 

The crowd has been hot so far, but they were mostly pretty quiet for this. 

********

Cathy Kelley interviewed Chad Gable. He played dumb and said it wasn’t him who attacked LWO. He called security pathetic for not getting to that fan before he could get involved. As Kelley argued with Gable, a man in a black hoodie and USA-themed mask could be seen being taken out by security. Kelley was confused. 

During a break, there was a Bron Breakker video promo on Bálor. 

There was a clip of Randy Savage defending the WWF Championship in a cage match against Ted DiBiase at MSG in 1988. 

Celebrities William Jackson Harper, Kris Diaz, Josh Segarra, and Nardo Wick were shown in the crowd. 

******** 

IYO SKY, Bianca Belair, and Rhea Ripley segment 

Michael Cole interviewed Iyo Sky in the ring. He congratulated her on heading to WrestleMania and the crowd cheered. She called it a dream to be standing in MSG as the champion and she was over the moon knowing she was headed to WrestleMania. 

Belair entered. She congratulated Sky and said she was excited for them to be headed to Mania. Cole asked Belair if Rhea Ripley would still be champion of Belair was not sitting at ringside last week. Belair said she has had enough drama lately and was only out there to watch the match. If Ripley thought she would put her hands on her and get away with it, she didn’t know her at all. 

Ripley interrupted to a big reaction. She was skeptical of Belair’s explanation. She said Belair should have left her to handle her business with Sky while Belair handled her business with Naomi and Jade Cargill. Belair said Ripley was mad because she knew she couldn’t beat Sky. 

They got in each other’s faces as Sky tried to interject. Ripley and Belair each shoved her aside, so Sky smacked them both in the face (Ripley stumbled back, while Belair fell to the mat). The crowd chanted for Sky. She was livid and left the ring. 

********

Next week on Raw in Brussels, Belgium (start time 3 pm ET/12 pm PT): 

  • Cody Rhodes and John Cena in the same building 
  • Penta vs. Ludwig Kaiser 
  • Jey Uso vs. Austin Theory 
  • Dakota Kai vs. Ivy Nile 
  • Bron Breakker vs. Finn Bálor for the Intercontinental Championship 

******** 

Steel Cage Match: Seth Rollins defeated CM Punk (22:26) 

Rollins chucked his jacket Punk as he entered the ring and attacked him in the ropes as the bell rang to start the match. The crowd booed him for that. Punk fought back before they wildly slapped and punched each other (and missed each other a bunch). 

Rollins powerbombed Punk into the side of the cage, leading to a break three minutes in, and hit another one during the break. Rollins repeatedly drove Punk into the cage during the break. 

After the break, Rollins opened the door and invited Punk to leave. Punk flipped off Rollins (and the screen went black to censor it). Punk used a hurricanrana to drive Rollins into the cage and he followed with a GTS. Punk did not go for a cover. 

Punk drove Rollins’ face into the cage and hit a running knee to the back of his head, causing Rollins’ face to bounce off the cage. Punk invited Rollins to leave, so Rollins flipped him off, too (this was also blacked out). 

Punk hit repeated elbow drops and consecutive flying elbow drops. As Cole noted, neither man had gone for a cover yet. Punk hit a third flying elbow drop and finally did go for a cover for a two count. 

Punk climbed to the top of the cage, so Rollins met him up there. (They used a drone shot to circle them as they exchanged strikes.) Rollins yanked Punk down from the top of the cage and hit a superplex (off the top rope) for two. The crowd reacted like this was a superplex off the cage, but it was basically a normal superplex. 

Rollins went for a Pedigree, but Punk countered into a GTS for a nearfall. Punk went for another GTS, but Rollins countered into an STF (Cena’s move). Punk reversed that into an Anaconda Vice, but Rollins raked his eyes to get out of it. Rollins followed with a curb stomp for a nearfall. 

Rollins set up for a super stomp, but Punk yanked him off the ropes and hit a third GTS for a nearfall. A frustrated Punk hit a curb stomp for another nearfall. 

Punk saw the open door but turned around to see Rollins screaming at him, “If you want my house, take it from me, you asshole. You want this from me? Take it from me. Earn it, you asshole!” 

Punk hit him with a running knee and set up for another GTS, but Rollins popped out and hit a GTS of his own. Rollins followed with a curb stomp for a close nearfall. The crowd went nuts for that. 

Rollins hit a super stomp off the middle rope. Rollins seemingly had it won, finally, but didn’t make a cover or go for the door just yet. 

The door was open and the crowd began screaming. Roman Reigns suddenly grabbed Rollins and yanked him out of the ring. Rollins was announced the winner because he technically escaped the cage. Rollins was shocked to see Reigns. 

— Reigns hit Rollins with a Superman punch, spear and a curb stomp. 

Reigns placed Rollins over the steel steps and set up for another stomp, but officials ran down to stop him. 

Reigns’ attention suddenly turned to the ring upon seeing Paul Heyman comforting Punk. 

Reigns laughed and entered the ring. He drove Punk into the cage and speared him. Heyman backed into the corner as Reigns stood tall. The crowd chanted “OTC,” and he posed as the show ended.

(This was a hot conclusion to a pretty good main event. The rest of the show felt like an average Raw, but all anyone will remember is this finish. Hopefully Punk does not complain about Reigns getting involved, because Rollins had it won regardless. He just hit a super stomp and was sitting right by the open door. ) 

WWE Raw live results: Elimination Chamber fallout

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: March 3, 2025
Location: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY 

********** 

The Big Takeaway —

IYO SKY beat Rhea Ripley to win the Women’s World Championship and is now scheduled to defend the title against Bianca Belair at WrestleMania. Ripley has reason to blame Belair for the loss, so this will play out over the coming weeks. 

CM Punk cut a heated promo on The Rock, John Cena, and Seth Rollins. Punk and Rollins brawled, and the two men will have a steel cage match next week at Madison Square Garden. 

Cena and The Rock were not on Raw. We’ll hear from Cody Rhodes on Friday’s SmackDown. 

**********

Show Recap — 

Raw is sold-out in Buffalo. 

There was an Elimination Chamber video package. These packages are no longer just about the show but about how big the show was. They include headlines, fan reactions from those at home, celebrities in attendance, etc. This package cut to black on John Cena’s face before he turned on Cody Rhodes. It then showed a number of headlines and fan reactions before cutting to a shot of Cena and The Rock standing over Rhodes. 

Various wrestlers were shown arriving, while American Made were shown training earlier today. 

CM Punk segment 

A pissed-off CM Punk drove into the arena (in a Jeep Grand Wagoneer). He stormed down to ringside, tossed some stuff around (including the big Prime bottle), and stood on the announce table. 

He said some people thought he exhausted all opportunities of main-eventing WrestleMania. He wanted to address his enemies, which meant addressing everyone. He asked the crowd who he should address first. 

Punk looked into the camera and called Dwayne a bald fraud. Dwayne thought he was immune from criticism because he was on the board, but he didn’t know who he was dealing with. He was dealing with the best in the world. Dwayne was having a midlife crisis. Dwayne walked in when he felt like it and tried to hide behind what a big star was. 

Punk would love to address Dwayne in person but he wasn’t there to grace us with his presence. Punk mocked Dwayne’s goosebump gesture and said Dwayne wasn’t there to give us his bullshit and pretend he cared about this business. Punk has never been so delusional as to hold a fake title and call himself the People’s Champion because he earned that right. 

He’s never been so desperate to sell his soul. We couldn’t “see” John Cena but we could see right through him. Cena stole something from him at the Chamber. Punk gave him the benefit of the doubt for not qualifying but Cena wouldn’t fool him twice. Hustle, loyalty and respect for 20 years but he showed what Punk knew all along, that Cena was selling bullshit. 

Punk would never give up on his dreams, but Cena gave up on all of the fans and all of those kids. Punk would get his hands on both of those bald frauds and they would both “make a wish” that he never did. 

The man who currently had all of his attention was “little brother” Seth Rollins. Punk told Becky Lynch to come get his man before Punk put him in a wheelchair. 

Rollins’ music hit and Punk stormed to the stage. The two men brawled as security and officials frantically tried to separate the wild brawl. The crowd was going nuts for all of this. They chanted, “Holy shit,” and “This is awesome.” (Pat McAfee also dropped a “holy shit.” It was at least the third time that word was used in this segment and it was never censored.) 

As you’d expect, both men kept getting away from security, but they finally were separated. 

This was an awesome segment and promo from Punk. It was pretty much the best version of Punk. 

********

They showed some fan reactions to Cena’s heel turn, including videos of children crying. 

******** 

Judgment Day segment 

Judgment Day were backstage. Regardless of the result of the Chamber match, Dominik was happy that Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez were tag team champions. Morgan was happy too, and knew she’d be world champion again one day. She thought it was Rodriguez’s time to chase the IC title and Rodriguez was on board with that. 

Finn Bálor was annoyed with Dom and Carlito getting embarrassed by Bron Breakker. Bálor told Dom they didn’t need a new member and maybe he would deal with Bron himself tonight. 

Dom asked Morgan about Jade Cargill. Morgan said she wasn’t getting involved and reiterated that she had nothing to do with it. 

********

Gunther cut a promo on Otis before their match. Gunther wondered what Otis saw when he looked in the mirror this morning. Gunther looked at himself and saw the world championship belt, while Otis looked for a belt that fit. He suggested that Otis could be great if he had a little bit of self-respect. Gunther would teach him something about self-respect tonight. 

Gunther was about to continue by addressing Jey Uso, but he gave Otis a cheap-shot instead. With Otis down after just getting blindsided, the referee decided this was a great moment to start the match. 

World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defeated Otis (w/Maxxine Dupri & Akira Tozawa) in a non-title match (9:45) 

Gunther worked over Otis until Otis yanked him out of the ring and gave him a fallaway slam on the outside. Otis had control until he missed a charge in the corner. Gunther held control through a break, but Otis fired up and no-sold Gunther’s chops. They traded chops before Otis slammed Gunther. Otis hit the caterpillar elbow drop for a nearfall. 

Otis missed a Vader bomb and Gunther followed with a dropkick. Otis countered a powerslam but Gunther clotheslined him repeatedly, including one to the back. Gunther hit a big boot and another clothesline for two. Gunther followed moments later with a powerbomb for the pinfall win. 

This was fun and the best showing for Otis in a while. The crowd was really into him, way more than they should have been, considering how he’s been used. 

— Gunther put Otis in a sleeper after the match so Tozawa tried to make the save but Gunther powerbombed him on top of Otis. 

Gunther was about to continue but Jey Uso ran out to his music. A quick brawl ended with Jey hitting a spear. 

Jey posed as the crowd Yeeted along, but he was suddenly attacked from behind by Grayson Waller and Austin Theory. The crowd loved Jey so this got a lot of heat. Jey made his own comeback and speared Theory. 

It seemed like Jey would stand tall after all that, but Gunther grabbed him from behind and put him down with a sleeper. Gunther stood tall with his belt. 

********

There was a video package for Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky. They emphasized that Ripley has never beaten Sky. 

Jackie Redmond interviewed Bayley during a break. Bayley was happy for Bianca Belair but disappointed she didn’t win. She had her eyes set on Lyra Valkyria—who she beat once already—and the IC title. 

UFC Hall of Famer Clay Guida was in the crowd. 

There were more Cena fan reactions shown. 

********

Cathy Kelley asked AJ Styles about Cena. Styles didn’t see it coming. Karrion Kross suddenly hugged him from behind and Styles shoved him off. Kross said it wasn’t that surprising if you thought about it. Styles cut him off. 

Styles said he wasn’t John Cena, and maybe the “WWE Universe” needed a reminder of who he was. He planned on calling out Logan Paul next week at Madison Square Garden. Styles told Kross that he could try to be the devil on his shoulder, but God already knew his evil ways. Styles left. Kross was amused. 

******** 

Lyra Valkyria defeated Ivy Nile to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship (9:30) 

Valkyria was aggressive early on, pissed over Nile’s recent attack. However, Nile used consecutive dragon screws to take over while targeting the leg during a break. (Netflix usually has a timer that shows how much time is left in the break, but that appears to be gone, at least for tonight.) 

Valkyria hit a sit-out powerbomb after the break but her leg was in too much pain to make a cover. Valkyria went for a tornado DDT but Nile stopped her momentum and deadlifted her into a vertical suplex for two. Valkyria went for her finisher but she twisted her knee and fell down. Nile hit a sit-out powerbomb for two. 

Nile applied an ankle lock to the injured leg, but Valkyria got a rope break. Nile hit a German suplex but missed a running boot in the corner. Valkyria followed with a neckbreaker and Nightwing for the pinfall win. 

This was pretty good but the crowd didn’t seem to care. 

*******

Redmond tried interviewing Rollins as he marched through the back. Rollins saw Punk nearby, and they stormed at each other again. Security quickly separated them as Adam Pearce got between them. (They showed a clip of Punk’s promo earlier and made sure to include his mention of Becky Lynch.) 

After a break, Rollins and Pearce argued outside the arena. Rollins wanted to finish Punk and do to him what he did to Roman Reigns by making sure he didn’t make it to WrestleMania. 

Pearce made a steel cage match between Rollins and Punk at MSG in New York next week. Pearce told him to get on his bus because he didn’t want to see him again until next week. Rollins was happy with that. 

********

Kelley interviewed Dakota Kai (during a break). Kai still had her eyes set on the IC title, and she looked forward to seeing Sky reclaim her spot on top tonight. 

Buffalo Bills OT Dion Dawkins was shown in attendance and the fans cheered. 

********

Ludwig Kaiser cut a promo in the ring. In speaking about his win last week, he said he took back the attention that he deserved, the attention that Penta had taken away. He called himself a future world champion. Kaiser warned Penta to stay away from him because what Cena did to Rhodes was nothing compared to what he was willing to do to Penta. 

Penta ran out (in his street clothes), attacked Kaiser and wiped him out with a dive. 

********

Kelley interviewed Bianca Belair. Kelley wondered how Belair was processing everything that happened with Cargill and Naomi. Belair wanted to talk to them personally before talking about it publicly. She did feel guilty. She was sad about what happened but was proud about winning the Chamber. 

She just wanted to focus on tonight’s title match. She put over both Sky and Ripley. Regardless of who won, they would learn why you couldn’t spell WrestleMania without “EST.” 

********

Redmond interviewed Waller and Theory (during a break). Before she could even ask a question, Waller told The Rock that he was willing to give up his soul. 

Waller said Jey Uso was like Josh Allen, because they were both supremely talented but couldn’t get it done when there was something on the line. The crowd booed this heavily and chanted “MVP” for Allen. They were so hot they missed Theory doing the “Yeet” gesture. Waller pulled him away. 

********

Chad Gable segment 

There was a video of Chad Gable in some town looking for the person who could help him learn the dark arts of lucha libre. He had the card given to him by Dom and he asked locals outside of Los Hermanos Meat Market if they knew who it was but they all brushed him off. 

Gable followed an alleyway and found someone in the dark of night. The mysterious person told him he could not fight what he did not understand. Gable said he didn’t travel this far to go back with nothing. He asked what he needed to do. 

The mysterious figure was about to hand him a box but stopped so Gable could pay him for it. This led to a bit of comedy where Gable had to keep handing bills over until the man finally gave him the box. 

The man said Gable now wielded power beyond his understanding. Gable opened the box and his eyes grew wide. He pulled something out of the box, but we didn’t see what it was. 

********

The War Raiders defeated The Creed Brothers to retain the World Tag Team Championships (11:42) 

The Creeds did lots of stuff but lost in the end. 

After a break, Julius hit Erik with an Angle Slam and Brutus followed with a 450 splash, which didn’t land flush, for two. Julius gave Erik a superplex but Brutus missed a moonsault. Ivar went for a moonsault next but Brutus rolled out of the way. Julius followed with an SSP for two. (McAfee gave Billy Kidman a shoutout.) 

The crowd was dead for the first ten minutes, but they woke up after that with a “This is awesome,” chant. Julius hit a Finlay Roll and they tried Brutus Bomb but Erik slipped out. Ivar smashed Julius into the side of the ring with a crossbody before the Raiders hit Brutus with War Machine for the pinfall win. 

********

There was a recap of Kevin Owens’ win over Sami Zayn and the return of Randy Orton. 

Michael Cole announced that Zayn reaggravated his neck injury, and spinal and nerve issues. 

********

There was a pre-taped LWO promo. They said New Day could try to put them down, but they could not take their hearts. Rey Mysterio told Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods to savour their vacation because he and Dragon Lee would give them the worst Monday of their lives in their tornado tag match next week. 

******** 

Bron Breakker/Finn Bálor segment 

Redmond interviewed Bron in the crowd during a break. He said he didn’t have a problem with Judgment Day until about a week ago. He said it took courage for Judgment Day to do what they did. It took courage for Dom to walk around with a Dirty Sanchez and for Carlito to be the apple man. He was about to move on to Bálor, but Bálor entered (the ring) as they returned from break. 

Bálor said Bron was only champion because Judgment Day let him be. Bron said he was champion because he was a dog and he embarrassed them last week. Bálor said he was untouchable in the ring and ate rookies like Bron for breakfast. Bálor said there would be no dogs barking if they wrestled because Bálor would put him down. 

Bron had enough and he marched down to ringside. Carlito tried to attack, but Bron chucked him over the barricade. Dom tried to attack from behind but Bron caught him off the barricade and suplexed him. 

Bron slipped in the ring but Bálor caught him with a slingblade. Bron grabbed him by the throat and hit a military press slam. Bron was about to kill him with a super spear but Dom pulled him to safety. 

********

There was a video package of John Cena’s heel turn. So far, they had only shown the buildup and aftermath. The video included clips of a heroic John Cena from the past, followed by clips of very upset fans on Saturday. 

Cole said he spoke to Rhodes earlier today. Rhodes had little to say but would address it on Smackdown. 

******** 

Next week on Raw at Madison Square Garden in New York:  

  • Jey Uso vs. Grayson Waller 
  • Tornado tag match: The New Day vs. Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee 
  • AJ Styles calls out Logan Paul 
  • Steel cage match: CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins 

********

Otis (with Alpha Academy) embraced Jey Uso in the back. 

Kelley interviewed Jey and asked if Gunther had thrown him off his game earlier. Jey admitted that he did a little bit. Every week that passed, Gunther had him doubting himself. 

Jey fired up and said, with his back against the wall, feeling suffocated, nobody would pick him up but himself. Gunther threatened ten weeks of hell, but Jey would walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil. Gunther put him to sleep tonight but he just woke up a beast. Four letters, one word: Yeet. 

(Jey was really good here, but he may need a new talking point soon other than people are doubting him.) 

********

Bianca Belair entered to watch the main event ringside. 

Ripley received a superstar reaction on the way out.  

IYO SKY defeated Rhea Ripley to win the Women’s World Championship (18:40) 

Things were even early on until Ripley pulled Sky out of the ring, swung her into the side of the ring, and hit a vertical suplex. During a break, Sky came off the top and stomped Ripley’s arm. Ripley fought back with a slam but she kept favouring her arm. 

Ripley hit a missile dropkick, which we didn’t see because it happened during the split-second when the screen goes back as they came back from break. They immediately showed a replay. Sky came back with a backstabber, low dropkick, forearm, and missile dropkick. Ripley fought back with strikes but Sky hit a double foot stomp for two. 

Sky avoided a Prism Trap and dropped Ripley arm-first on the apron. Sky ran off the ropes but Ripley turned her inside out with a big boot for two. Sky countered Rip-tide into a DDT. She followed with a running corner boot, inspired by Dakota Kai, and a flying elbow drop, inspired by Kairi Sane, for two. Sky applied an Asuka Lock next, but Ripley fought out of it. 

Sky hit running knees in the corner and went to the top but Ripley went after her and hit an avalanche back suplex for two. Ripley applied the Prism Trap but Sky flipped her shoulder-first into the ring post. 

As Ripley stood on the apron, Sky hit a running sunset flip powerbomb off the apron and into the barricade. Sky followed with a moonsault onto Ripley’s back (which didn’t really connect) but Ripley got her foot on the rope at two. Ripley tried to regroup outside the ring but Sky hit a diving crossbody. 

Sky set up for an Asai moonsault but Ripley caught her on her shoulders and dropped her on the announce table. Ripley was ready to take a countout win but Belair encouraged Sky to get up, and she managed to get back in the ring at nine. 

Ripley didn’t appreciate that, so she got in Belair’s face. Ripley shoved Belair, so Belair shoved her back. They kept pushing each other until referee Jessika Carr got between them. She told them to stop instead of calling for a DQ. 

Ripley set up Sky for a Rip-tide off the top while telling Belair, “See you at Mania.” She took too much time, so Sky countered with a hurricanrana off the top and followed with a moonsault for the surprise pinfall win.

Fireworks went off as Sky celebrated with the title belt. (Ripley was livid with herself.) 

Ripley was the crowd favourite, but the crowd popped big for the title change. The fans have been into Sky for the past few weeks, but they were quiet for the match, perhaps because they didn’t want or expect Sky to actually win with Ripley vs. Belair seemingly being a lock for Mania. Obviously, they have a lot of time to set up a possible triple threat at Mania, but for now, they played it up like Sky was defending the title against Belair and that’s that. 

WWE Raw live results: Elimination Chamber go-home show

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: February 24, 2025
Location: Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, OH 

********** 

The Big Takeaway —

Cody Rhodes appeared on Raw to address The Rock’s offer but was interrupted by Seth Rollins, who issued a warning to Rhodes. (See more below.) 

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez won the Women’s Tag Team titles in a fun main event after Morgan pinned Naomi—thanks to plenty of interference by Dom. 

Penta suffered his first loss in WWE in a triple threat match where he was not pinned.

**********

Show Recap — 

Michael Cole announced a crowd of 12,259. The Women’s tag title match will be tonight’s main event. 

Cody Rhodes was among those shown arriving at the arena. 

Opening segment

Logan Paul entered to kick off Raw. He was booed by the crowd despite announcing he was also from Ohio. He said he was just like them, just better. He saw dreary, grey Cincinnati when he was landing on his jet and told his pilot to turn around, but he decided to go to Cincinnati after all to perform for the peasants because he was just that humble. 

The crowd booed, so he told them that they didn’t appreciate good talent. Just look at what they did to Joe Burrow. Paul beat Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio to qualify for the Chamber, and he will beat three doorknobs and John Cena before going on to WrestleMania to become the face of this company. 

CM Punk interrupted to a big reaction. Paul wondered what Punk’s problem was with him. He saw Punk’s subtweets and thought Punk was jealous because Paul was successful at everything he did, while Punk was a series of failures. 

Punk said he didn’t have a problem with Paul. But Paul was a dime a dozen. A loud-mouth kid who did stupid and ignorant things for the shock of it. Paul thought that made him a generational talent but he had no character or substance, and the fans deserved better. 

Paul said Punk’s return was one of the biggest ever, but he immediately crumbled under the pressure and got hurt. Paul said the fans were familiar with Stone Cold, Cena, and Punk, but that name (of the top guy) changed over time. It was just a matter of time before they were chanting Paul’s name. (The fans chanted for Punk.) 

Punk said Paul was wrong about a lot, but he was right that the names do change. All the names he mentioned were legends, including Punk. Punk made history when under pressure, but Paul never made history and was barely a flash in the pan. Paul wouldn’t be here long enough to be remembered. 

Punk planned on eliminating Paul from the Chamber. Punk would face Cody Rhodes and leave Las Vegas with the title. Punk would make history—and Paul would be history. Punk didn’t care if Rhodes thought he had to sell his soul to beat him because he would find out that Punk was Satan himself—and Paul was nobody. 

They got face-to-face until Paul slapped Punk. Paul immediately left the ring before Punk could retaliate. (And Punk couldn’t leave the ring, I guess.) Punk told him to run while he could because he’d be locked in a cage on Saturday. Punk would get his hands on him, and he would understand why the fans chanted his name.

******** 

Triple threat match: Ludwig Kaiser defeated Pete Dunne and Penta (9:20) 

He didn’t get pinned, but Penta suffered his first loss in WWE. Cole kept calling this a first time ever triple threat match. That is true, but Penta also hasn’t wrestled anyone besides these two men in six weeks (aside from the Royal Rumble match). 

Kaiser and Dunne set something up in the corner, but Penta got underneath and brought them both down with a powerbomb. (The timing was unfortunate because the setup happened during a commercial, but the actual move happened during the split-second where the screen goes black before they come back. They did show a replay later.) 

Penta used a hurricanrana (sort of) to launch Dunne into Kaiser before wiping out both men with separate flip dives. (Kaiser had to stand around too long waiting for his.) Just about 6-7 minutes into the match, they got their third “This is awesome” chant.  Dunne managed to hit Penta with Bitter End, but Kaiser broke up the cover. 

Penta stepped off of a haunched over Kaiser and hit Dunne with a Canadian Destroyer. Penta superkicked Kaiser and set up Dunne for his finisher, but Kaiser chucked Penta out of the ring and hit Dunne with his finisher instead for the surprise pinfall win. 

********

Jackie Redmond interviewed Rhea Ripley in the crowd. Ripley said she has never beaten Iyo Sky, but it’s been five years since they’ve wrestled. Since then, Ripley has become the most dominant woman in WWE. She’s beaten everyone from Becky Lynch to Charlotte Flair, and we can add Sky’s name to that list after next week. 

Sky joined to tell Ripley she would beat her again and go into WrestleMania as the Women’s World Champion. They got face-to-face. 

********

New Day cut a promo during the break where they didn’t say anything new. They also waited around for boos and “New Day sucks” chants, but the crowd only barely played along. 

During this match, Cole plugged Matt & Jeff Hardy wrestling on tomorrow’s NXT. 

Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods defeated Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde (5:27) 

LWO set up for a double-team move, but Kingston raked Del Toro’s eyes as Woods distracted the referee. Kingston tossed Wilde from the ring, and New Day gave Del Toro the UpUpDownDown (backbreaker/diving foot stomp combo) for the pinfall win. 

— Dragon Lee ran out to make the save, but New Day beat him up too. 

You can skip this. 

********

Finn Bálor told Dominik Mysterio that last week was the most embarrassing day in the history of Judgment Day, and it was all Dom’s fault. Dom said Bálor only had a qualifying match because of him, but Bálor lost it. Dom said they needed a new member. 

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez interrupted. Morgan couldn’t believe they were still fighting. She said they had a big week coming up, including their tag title match tonight. Morgan said they would bring gold to Judgment Day, and that’s all that mattered. 

Bálor said they should be worried after what they did to Jade Cargill. Morgan said they were not involved, but they would still handle Bianca Belair and Naomi. Morgan told Bálor to get on the same page with Dom and help him against Bron Breakker. Bálor said they would handle their business, and Morgan said they would handle theirs. 

********

Cathy Kelley interviewed AJ Styles during a break. Styles said he always had a target on his back, but that meant he was doing something right. Paul interrupted. Paul thought Styles was going to retire after getting hurt or after getting embarrassed by him in the Rumble. Styles said Paul did eliminate him, but that’s how the Rumble works. Styles invited him to try it again. Paul said he was too busy, but he admired Styles for not giving up, even though he probably should. 

*******

Members of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football team were shown in the crowd. Adam “Pacman” Jones was shown, too, and he got a good reaction. 

Gunther promo 

Gunther entered. He said he would embarrass Jey Uso at WrestleMania and end the Yeet Circus once and for all. In the spirit of WrestleMania, Gunther told Adam Pearce that he would wrestle tonight against his own hand-picked opponent—Akira Tozawa. (When Gunther was shown entering the building earlier, he walked by Alpha Academy dancing for TikTok.) 

Gunther saw Tozawa dancing with the other two clowns, and that bothered him because they had things in common. They both uprooted their lives to make a career in WWE. They both got into the shape of their lives to prove they belonged. But Tozawa was wasted dancing like a goof for the degenerate fans. He made the wrong choice, just like Jey, and Jey’s choice would cost him his career. 

Gunther recalled what McAfee said last week, that anything could happen on any given night. Tozawa had a chance to earn his respect tonight. Gunther told Tozawa to earn his respect and started shoving him. The ref chose this moment to ring the bell. 

World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defeated Akira Tozawa via ref stoppage in a non-title match (2:50) 

Tozawa attacked Gunther as soon as the bell rang in retaliation. He had Gunther off-guard for a moment until Gunther booted him and killed him with a chop. Gunther tried a powerbomb but Tozawa countered into a victory roll for a nearfall. Tozawa came off the top but Gunther caught him and applied a Boston Crab until Tozawa got a rope break. 

Tozawa tried to fight back with chops, but Gunther planted him with a powerbomb. He had it won but lifted Tozawa off the mat at the two count. Gunther put Tozawa in a sleeper—and had Tozawa off his feet. Tozawa passed out, and the referee called for the bell. 

— Gunther went after Tozawa after the match, so Otis jumped in to make the save. Gunther shoved Otis, who began gyrating, so Gunther left the ring. As Otis checked on Tozawa, Gunther slipped back in and put him in a sleeper until Jey Uso ran out (to his music) to chase away Gunther.

******** 

There was a video package for the Women’s Chamber match, highlighting each wrestler. 

Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship (7:40) 

Valkyria hit a delayed superplex (off the middle rope) following a break. The previously quiet crowd chanted, “Holy sh*t,” and they were into the match from here. Kai came back with a scorpion kick, and they traded cradles for a series of two counts until Valkyria bridged out of a jackknife cover and hit a powerbomb for two. 

Valkyria came off the top, but Kai caught her with a superkick. Kai followed with a running boot and a Kai-ropractor for two. They fought for position on the ropes until Valkyria slipped out and gave Kai a Nightwing for the pinfall win. 

(This was short but good for the time they had.) 

— Valkyria embraced a disappointed Kai after the match. 

As Kai was leaving, Ivy Nile attacked her from behind and tossed her into the barricade. Nile laid out Valkyria in the ring and posed with the IC title belt. 

*******

There was a video package for Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens. 

Sami Zayn sit-down interview 

Redmond interviewed Sami Zayn (earlier today). She mentioned Owens’ video that he recorded from outside Zayn’s house. Redmond said something else happened this past week, and she asked if Zayn would share what it was. 

Zayn said he went to Owens’ house. Owens wasn’t home, but his mother was. She invited him in, and they caught up. It was great to see her, and she was in good spirits. 

Zayn got home that night and was ashamed of himself. He couldn’t look himself in the mirror because he didn’t recognize the man who went to Owens’ house. He didn’t know what his intentions were, but they weren’t good. 

Zayn and Owens have gone through a lot over the years, but family has never been involved. Zayn didn’t recognize himself, and he didn’t recognize Owens. That’s why this one was different. They were in a different headspace now. 

He understood why WWE wouldn’t sanction the match. He admitted his neck wasn’t where he wanted to be right now, but they should be worried about what he does to Owens. This match would be worse than anything they’ve done to each other in the past. Owens better be ready because it was going to be a bad time. 

This was great. 

******* 

Bayley was interviewed during a break until she was interrupted by Roxanne Perez. Bayley told Perez she could envision seeing her at WrestleMania—just not this year. 

Belair and Naomi cut a pre-taped promo on Morgan and Rodriguez. 

******** 

Non-title match: Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker defeated Dominik Mysterio (w/Finn Bálor & Carlito) via disqualification (3:16) 

Bron was firmly in control until one distraction too many allowed Dom to hit a springboard senton. Another distraction allowed Dom to hit a 619. Dom set up for a frog splash, but Bron hit a Frankensteiner (and the crowd barked for Bron). 

Bron set up for a spear but was yanked out of the ring by Bálor and Carlito for the DQ. 

— Judgment Day put the boots to Bron after the match. Bálor went looking for a chair, so Bron tossed Dom from the ring and speared Carlito. Bálor tried to attack from behind, but Bron caught him and got in his face. Bálor slunk out of the ring. 

********

There was a video recap of the Cody Rhodes/Rock segment from Smackdown. 

They showed the logo for WrestleMania 42 next year in New Orleans, and the logo actually has the number in it. Hopefully, that stays. 

There was a New Day promo during commercials. They were already in their street clothes because they couldn’t wait to leave Cincinnati. They announced they were going on vacation next week in Costa Rica and told everyone to thank God for The New Day. 

The Creed Brothers hyped up Ivy Nile backstage. Kelley asked if Nile was trying to angle herself back into the IC title picture. That’s obviously what she was doing, and Nile responded, “Of course.” Nile said the Creeds were going after the tag belts next week, and she would beat up Valkyria every week until she got a title match. The War Raiders attacked the Creeds and officials frantically tried separating them. 

******** 

Cody Rhodes/Seth Rollins segment 

Rhodes entered to a strong reaction. He didn’t ask what they wanted to talk about because he knew what he was supposed to talk about. 

He pondered what it meant to ask for another man’s soul. That might seem abstract, but having grown up in this business, he understood the offer The Rock was making. It was Good Guy 101, not to lie to the fans. He had never lied to them before and wasn’t starting now. 

He was an incredibly blessed man. He was not a team of one, and this decision would not affect him alone. He had his lovely wife, Brandi, his daughter, his sister and her family, little Brodie and the Nightmare Factory, two nephews breaking into the industry with the last name Rhodes, his mother, and the memory of his father. The crowd chanted for Dusty. 

Dusty worked into his 60s in the independent wrestling circuit, breaking his body to make ends meet, and he did not want that memory to mirror his future. The Rock was saying he could have everything without having to scratch, fight and claw. 

Seth Rollins interrupted. He said this was the first time they were in the ring together in nearly a year—since WrestleMania 40. He would love for this to be a moment of celebration. Rollins wanted to congratulate him and tell him he couldn’t wait to face him at WrestleMania after he won the Chamber. But that’s not why he’s here. 

Rollins asked Rhodes what the hell he was thinking. They stood side-by-side a year ago, going against The Bloodline. Against The Rock. And now Rock was back asking to be his champion. The fact that Rhodes didn’t slap Rock in the face was a slap in Rollins’ face. Rollins told him not to make him regret what he sacrificed to help Rhodes win the title. Rollins wondered if being champion was becoming too much of a burden for Rhodes. 

Rhodes said he wished this conversation was going differently. He wanted to show gratitude, but Rollins was being awfully judgmental. Rock showed up to ask Rhodes for his soul, but Rock wouldn’t ask Rollins for his because it may already be compromised. Rhodes knew who Rollins was. Rollins hit Rhodes in the back with a sledgehammer. He turned on the Shield and saddled up with the Authority, running people like Rhodes out of WWE. 

Rhodes also knew that Rollins was his shield at WrestleMania 40. Rollins was his partner and his brother. With one leg and a scrambled back, Rollins helped him gain his family’s biggest dream and was the MVP of WrestleMania 40. 

Rollins said he wasn’t there to judge Rhodes. He wanted to protect Rhodes from making the same mistakes he did. Rollins has been filled with hate. That hate was pointed in the direction of Roman Reigns and CM Punk. Rollins didn’t want to hate Rhodes, too, but Rhodes was a grown man and could do whatever he wanted. 

Rollins planned on winning the Chamber and did not want to face a soulless shell of Cody Rhodes. He wanted to face the man who returned to WWE and beat him at WrestleMania. The man who beat him with one arm. 

Rollins wasn’t coming for Rhodes’ soul, but he was coming for the title. 

********

Next week on Raw in Buffalo: 

  • Rhea Ripley vs. IYO SKY for the Women’s World Championship 
  • The War Raiders vs. The Creed Brothers for the World Tag Team Championships

******** 

Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez defeated Bianca Belair & Naomi to win the Women’s Tag Team Championships (12:12) 

Belair and Naomi attacked Morgan and Rodriguez before the match, immediately following the in-ring introductions. They beat up Morgan around ringside, and the ref decided to start the match once they were back in the ring, with Morgan down on her hands and knees and both babyfaces in the ring at once. Belair beat up Morgan until Rodriguez managed to save her. 

Rodriguez held control during a break, but Belair hit a 450 splash after the break for a nearfall (one of her knees seemed to catch Raquel right on the chin). Belair set up for KOD, but Rodriguez raked her eyes. Morgan tagged in, and they hit a double-team elevated Codebreaker for a nearfall. 

Morgan went for Oblivion, but Belair caught her. Belair and Naomi set up for a double KOD, but Dom ran down to ringside to distract the referee. Rodriguez broke up the double-team, and Morgan hit Naomi with an Oblivion for a nearfall. Belair speared Rodriguez. 

Naomi gave Morgan a jawbreaker, and Belair hit Morgan with KOD moments later, but Rodriguez broke up the cover. Belair and Naomi gave Morgan a double KOD, but Dom put Morgan’s leg on the rope to break up the cover. The ref had to pretend he didn’t see this. 

Belair went after Dom, but Rodriguez slammed her on the announce table. Naomi used a slingshot dive to wipe out Rodriguez. Morgan caught Naomi in a rollup for a nearfall back in the ring. (The crowd was really into all of these nearfalls.) 

Naomi hit a Rear View, but Dom got on the apron, so Naomi knocked him down into the ring. As the ref got rid of Dom, Naomi set up for a moonsault, but Rodriguez blocked it and smashed Naomi’s face against the ring post, and she collapsed in the ring. Morgan crawled into a cover for the pinfall win. 

Fireworks went off as the champs celebrated with Dom and their titles. Morgan and Rodriguez are now the first three-time Women’s tag team champions. Cole really put over the year Morgan was having, which could get even bigger with a Chamber win on Saturday. 

(There was probably too much interference from Dom, especially since some of it seemed unnecessary, but this was still a fun and chaotic match, and the fans were super into it.)

WWE Raw live results: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: February 17, 2025
Location: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC 

********** 

The Big Takeaway —

Raw was capped off by an excellent main event, which saw Seth Rollins beat Finn Bálor to qualify for the Men’s Elimination Chamber. Rollins will join John Cena, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, and Logan Paul in Toronto. 

Roxanne Perez beat Raquel Rodriguez to qualify for the Women’s Chamber thanks to a distraction by Bianca Belair and Naomi. Belair and Naomi will defend their tag titles against Liv Morgan and Rodriguez next week. 

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will have an unsanctioned match in Toronto. 

**********

Show Recap — 

Seth Rollins, Finn Bálor, Roxanne Perez, Judgment Day, Ivy Nile with the Creed Brothers, and Dakota Kai were shown arriving. 

AJ Styles arrived in a Chevy NASCAR, driven by Daytona 500 winner William Byron. 

Michael Cole welcomed Pat Acfee back from vacation. Cole said McAfee was out of the country, and McAfee told him that he was not out of the country, he was in Puerto Rico. 

There was a video package for Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. They both agreed that they had to fight, and Owens laid the challenge down for Elimination Chamber in Toronto. 

Sami Zayn segment 

Sami Zayn entered. The fans chanted for him. He said it’s been a tough couple of weeks so that was nice to hear. He’s had time to think about his history with himself and Owens. He couldn’t think of any two other wrestlers in history whose careers have been tied so closely together. (Zayn sold his neck as he spoke.) 

In a story that long, there would be betrayal, forgiving and forgetting. However, there was no forgiving and forgetting Owens this time. Owens tried to end his career. The problem for Owens was that he did not get the job done. Zayn wouldn’t pretend his neck was 100%, but he had enough for a fight. Zayn would see Owens in Toronto. 

Adam Pearce interrupted. He knew everyone wanted the match, but everyone in charge (Nick Aldis, Pearce, the board, and medical) had already told Zayn the answer was no. Pearce told him the answer was still no. The crowd booed. Zayn would not take ‘no’ for an answer and would not leave the ring until he was given the match. 

Pearce said he couldn’t sanction a match between them. If they had an unsanctioned match, Owens could do whatever he wanted. He could wrap a chair around Zayn’s head or piledrive him over and over and there was nothing WWE could do about it. Even if Zayn won, he would still lose. He warned Zayn this could be the last fight of his career. Pearce asked if he understood what that (an unsanctioned match) meant. 

Zayn marched out of the ring to answer Pearce to his face. Zayn said he knew what it meant. He could wrap a chair around Owens’ head or piledrive him on his head. Zayn told him to give him the match. Pearce agreed and made it an unsanctioned match. 

********

Judgment Day met in the back. Dominik was worried about Bianca Belair and Naomi coming after Liv Morgan, but Morgan wasn’t worried about it. Morgan said she was proud of Dom lately. Dom wished Finn Bálor saw it that way. He wanted to add a new member, but Bálor refused. 

Bálor joined them at this moment. He was confident he would beat Seth Rollins tonight and said it would be embarrassing if Raquel Rodriguez lost to Perez tonight. She told him to handle his own business and she would handle hers. Bálor was cool with that. Before leaving, he reiterated to Dom that there would be no new members. 

********

Vic Joseph ran down Bayley’s hectic schedule over the past week, including her participation in the NBA Celebrity game. Bayley then joined him for an interview and said she would win the Chamber. (They couldn’t have given her today off?)

(Joseph was filling in for Jackie Redmond. They didn’t say why she was absent because she’s at the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, which is on right now.) 

********

Cole announced a sold-out crowd of 15,280. He also announced Michelle McCool’s upcoming Hall of Fame induction. 

AJ Styles defeated Dominik Mysterio (w/Carlito) (8:54) 

The announcers mentioned that Styles was a former TNA World Champion and X Division Champion. 

Styles was about to put Dom away with a Phenomenal forearm early in the match, but Clarito tripped him as Dom distracted the ref. Dom hit a suicide dive to lead to break. Dom hit three amigos and a 619 but missed a frog splash. Styles fought back with a clothesline, forearm, corner clothesline, and neckbreaker. 

Carlito tried to get in the ring, but Styles kicked the middle rope into his crotch and knocked him off the apron. The ref just stood idly by. Dom tried to use the distraction to his advantage, but Styles caught him with a Styles Clash for the pinfall win. 

— Bron Breakker tried to spear an unsuspecting Styles, but Styles dodged it and Breakker speared Dom by mistake. Styles hit an enziguri and tossed Bron out of the ring. Bron was pissed that Styles got the better of him, so he ripped off his shirt and chucked it into the ring but Styles caught it effortlessly. (I don’t know if that was planned or not, but it was timed perfectly.) Bron grabbed his title and left. 

********

The Creed Brothers bragged about what they did to the War Raiders last week (attacking them with the belts). Ivy Nile reminded them that they didn’t win the titles, and they promised Chad Gable that they would all be champions when he returned. Nile planned on beating Dakota Kai tonight to earn an IC title shot. 

Kai walked by and Nile told her that her Cinderella story would end tonight. Kai said many women bigger than Nile tried to take her down before. She planned on earning her IC title rematch tonight. 

Rugby player Aaron Woods was shown in the crowd. 

Lyra Valkyria entered to watch the upcoming match at ringside. 

Dakota Kai defeated Ivy Nile to become the number one contender for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship (6:45) 

Nile briefly worked over Kai’s previously injured leg, but Kai came back with running boots and a Kai-ropractor for two. Nile powerbombed her out of the corner. Kai kind of no-sold that and tried a counter, but Nile caught her in an ankle lock. Kai got a rope break, and the two exchanged strikes. 

Nile hit a German suplex, but Kai reversed a second one into a cradle for two. Nile applied an ankle lock again, but Kai used the ropes to escape and hit a curb stomp (with Nile draped over the ropes). Kai followed with GTK for the pinfall win. 

This match was alright, but it didn’t help that the crowd was dead. 

********

McAfee interviewed Austin Theory and Grayson Waller during a break. 

******** 

Gunther/Jey Uso segment 

Gunther was on the concourse surrounded by fans who were Yeeting, mimicking Jey Uso’s entrance. Gunther entered through the crowd and did Jey’s pose, but the crowd did not participate with him. He called it a simple gesture for simple people. 

He understood why Jey felt comfortable in the crowd because he was a simple guy himself. He understood why the fans didn’t appreciate him (Gunther) because his performances in the ring were like performing Shakespeare for a dog. He was the best wrestler in this company and was tired of wrestling people who couldn’t lace his boots. 

He thought he could beat some sense into Jey, but because of the fans Yeeting along, that gave him a false sense of confidence and now Jey was digging his own grave. The crowd started Yeeting, so he told them to shut up and noted how badly it smelled in the stands. 

He reminded them that the match would not happen in the crowd but in the ring, and he would outclass Jey. Jey’s blood would be on the hands of the fans. He wanted them to be honest and asked if they really thought Jey could win. The crowd chanted, “We want Jey,” before he finished his question. 

Gunther decided to ask a professional instead and climbed the announce desk. He asked Cole and McAfee for their supposedly unbiased, professional opinion. McAfee didn’t want to answer, but Gunther chucked the microphone at him. Cole warned McAfee to be careful. McAfree responded, “Yeah, I hope he can beat you at WrestleMania.” 

Gunther didn’t like that answer, so he began stepping closer to McAfee until Jey’s music hit. Jey entered through the stage, but three referees stopped him. Jey ran by them and attacked Gunther in the ring. This led to a pull-apart brawl with officials getting between them. Jey got the better of it and sent Gunther out of the ring. Jey led the fans along with his chant. 

This was a strong segment. Gunther was great here. 

********

Cathy Kelley asked Morgan and Rodriguez about the footage that implicated them in Jade Cargill’s attack. Morgan said the footage doesn’t show them doing anything. Morgan said they didn’t have time for this, and Rodriguez would squish Perez like a bug tonight. Kelley tried pressing them on Cargill, but they blew her off. Kelley was annoyed and said, “Thanks so much for giving us nothing.” 

********

During a break, Jey walked through the back and was approached by the New Day. Kofi Kingston said nobody knew what he was going through more than he did as a former tag team wrestler going for a singles world title at WrestleMania. Xavier Woods said they hoped he lost at Mania. They laughed. Jey said KofiMania never would have happened if The Usos hadn’t forfeited. Jey said New Day sucks, and he left. Pete Dunne walked by, and Woods “mistakenly” called him Butch. Dunne also told them that they suck. 

Various celebrities whose names I didn’t write down were shown in the crowd. 

******** 

Penta defeated Pete Dunne (10:06) 

Penta kicked Dunne right in the face, but Dunne responded with a dropkick. Dunne pretty much immediately took control and began working over Penta’s extremities until Penta came back with a Codebreaker. However, Dunne snapped his fingers to take over. 

Ludwig Kaiser entered to watch as they went to break. Penta came back with a superkick and flying crossbody, but Dunne cut him off with another dropkick. (This was almost a repeat of what happened earlier, perhaps because they knew they were in commercials.) 

Penta fought back after the break with a DVD variation, but Dunne responded with a sit-out powerbomb for two. They traded kicks until Penta hit a Canadian Destroyer. Kaiser distracted Penta, which allowed Dunne to cut off his dive attempt. Dunne applied a cradle while holding the tights for two. 

Penta chucked Dunne into Kaiser to knock him off the apron, and Penta followed with Penta Driver on Dunne for the pinfall win. The crowd popped for the win and they were into Penta all match. 

(This was fine, I guess, but the finishing sequence was too similar to the Styles/Dom match.) 

— Kaiser attacked Penta after the match, but Dunne was pissed at Kaiser, so he yanked him out of the ring. They traded right hands until Penta wiped them both out with a flip dive. 

********

Kelley interviewed Jey Uso. She asked about people’s doubts about him. Jey was fired up. He said people kept doubting him, but he was standing there as the Royal Rumble winner. He would shock the world again by beating Gunther and becoming the champion. 

They showed clips of Bayley playing in the NBA Celebrity game. McAfee joked that this was the only positive thing about NBA All-Star. 

There was a Roxanne Perez video package. 

6’4” Vic Joseph interviewed 5’6” Dakota Kai while standing in the crowd. She wanted to prove that all the work was worth it and planned on walking out as IC champion next week. 

There was a War Raiders video package. They warned the Creed Brothers that they made the worst mistake of their lives last week, and the next time they fought, it would be war. 

*******

Elimination Chamber qualifier: Roxanne Perez defeated Raquel Rodriguez (w/Liv Morgan) (7:30) 

Rodriguez used her size and power advantage over Perez. Perez slapped Rodriguez twice, which just pissed her off, so she launched Perez into the ring post. Rodriguez caught Perez in a guillotine and spun her around and around (a spot that could get over if she keeps doing it). 

Perez chop-blocked her, hit a running uppercut and applied a rollup for two. Rodriguez caught Perez out of the air and hit a fallaway slam, followed by an elbow drop for two. Perez avoided a tackle, and Rodriguez went shoulder-first into the post. Perez followed with consecutive dives, a DDT and a springboard moonsault for two. Rodriguez blocked a Pop Rox attempt and hit a big boot for two. 

Belair and Naomi entered to Belair’s music, and they attacked Morgan. This distracted Rodriguez, so Perez hit Pop Rox for the pinfall win. (Despite Perez being a heel, Cole said she was on a Cinderella run.) 

— Belair and Naomi tried to attack Morgan again after the match, but Rodriguez pulled her to safety. 

(The crowd was quiet because this was a match between two heels, but they popped for Perez getting the win. They worked well together, but Perez was on the wrong end of a beat-down for much of the match.) 

********

Seth Rollins told Kelley he planned on beating Bálor tonight. 

After Rollins left, Karrion Kross (with Scarlett) had a message to share. Kross thought Jey and Rollins were both delusional. (Jey for thinking he could beat Gunther, and Rollins for thinking he could win the Chamber.) Zayn was, too, but Kross still had hope for him. Kross said Zayn knew that there was always time to “turn” things around. 

********

There was an IYO SKY video package. 

The New Day segment 

They aired a replay of New Day attacking Rey Mysterio last week. Woods wished him well. The crowd booed them, so Woods told them to shut up. He couldn’t believe the fans were mad about what they said to their own friend Big E when they told him to keep his lazy ass at home. They were mad about what they did to Rey Mysterio, a guy who sucked the life out of every new, fresh-faced luchador in the company. 

Kingston said the fans put Rey on a pedestal, but he had more title wins than Rey had. Kingston had been in WWE longer than Rey, and Kingston never left the company as Rey did. If anyone should be the locker room leader, it should be Kingston. 

He said it could have been a lot worse for Rey, and the fans should be thankful that they showed mercy. They could have given him the Old Yeller treatment, but instead, they gave him some extra time he could spend with his wife. Woods said the fans should be thanking them. 

LWO interrupted. Dragon Lee called Rey the greatest luchador of all time, and what New Day did was unforgivable. He said New Day sucks, and they ran down to attack them. It was a three-on-two beatdown by the babyfaces over the heels. LWO knocked New Day out of the ring, and Dragon Lee was about to go for a dive, but New Day sprinted away to safety. 

********

Next week on Raw: 

  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Dakota Kai for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship 
  • Bianca Belair & Naomi vs. Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez for the Women’s Tag Team Championships 

Belair and Naomi cut a quick promo about the tag title match. They also spoke about the Chamber and the possibility of facing either Rhea Ripley or Iyo Sky at WrestleMania. 

********

Elimination Chamber qualifier: Seth Rollins defeated Finn Bálor (18:47) 

Bálor attacked Rollins before the match. The ref checked on Rollins, who told him to start the match. Bálor was all over him and hit a Pedigree for nearfall about a minute into the match. (This was one of those Pedigrees where he didn’t let go of his opponent’s arms at all.) Rollins avoided a Coup de Grace, but Bálor remained in control until Rollins fought back and hit a suicide dive. 

Bálor avoided a stomp and hit a slingblade, but Rollins kicked his leg out of his leg to take over. Bálor tried fighting back but Rollins dropped him knee-first onto the announce desk. Rollins tried to stomp Bálor’s head onto the steel steps, but Bálor avoided it. Bálor shoved him into the ring post and dropped him on the steps. Bálor targeted his midsection during a break. 

Rollins fought back, and they exchanged strikes until Bálor hit a Pelé kick. Rollins fought back with chops (as the crowd randomly started waving their phone flashlights). Rollins hit a DDT and Lionsault for two. Rollins followed later with a buckle bomb, but Bálor got his knees up on a frog splash attempt and transitioned into a cradle for a nearfall. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome.” 

Bálor hit consecutive slingblades, but Rollins caught his dropkick attempt and applied a Sharpshooter. Bálor almost got a rope break, so Rollins let go and hit a Pedigree for an extreme nearfall. This was really a three-count, but Bálor kicked out late. The crowd thought it was over, so they chanted, “Ref, you suck.” Rollins gave him a DX crotch chop. 

Rollins went for a superplex, but Bálor dropped him onto the top rope and hit a Coup de Grace for a nearfall. They traded counters until Bálor applied a crossface. Rollins slipped out and hit a curb stomp for the pinfall win. (Rollins shook hands with the ref after the match.) 

This was an excellent match. It was so good that it felt like Rollins accomplished something by beating Bálor. The crowd got more and more into it as it went, and some people were screaming by the end of it.