Monday Night Raw – April 21, 2025: Back To What Made It Special

Monday Night Raw
Date: April 21, 2025
Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

So we’re finally done with Wrestlemania and there are a lot of changes to cover. First of all, we have two new World Champions as Jey Uso and John Cena are the top stars in the company, having defeated Gunther and Cody Rhodes. Those are on top of a rather long list that I’m sure we’ll get to this week. Let’s get to it.

Here is Wrestlemania if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of Wrestlemania Week in Las Vegas.

Here is John Cena to get things going, again with the black screen other than just his name. Hold on though as Cena does not like his ring introduction and hands the ring announcer a paper with the proper way to do it. Cena is the Unseen 17 and the greatest of all time, but he says that he doesn’t owe us an apology. On Friday, everyone bullied him but now that he has some gold, the people want to cheer him?

That is an unhealthy relationship and not the way you treat your wife or child. The people should give him an apology but we get a WE’RE NOT SORRY chant. Cena says the people are pathetic and mean nothing to him before soaking in some negative chants. Cena has taken all kinds of shots over the years and this isn’t going to be the crowd that breaks him. What matters is the 36 dates (which appears on the screen).

No matter what happens, Cena is on his way out and runs down the dates he’s already appeared this year. That brings us down to 27 dates (Cena: “Not matches! Appearances.”). The fans say he doesn’t wrestle but he doesn’t have to. All he has to do is show up and do this. When that countdown hits zero, the professional wrestling countdown stops cold. Now of course there will be another Raw and another champion, but the title of Bruno Sammartino, Steve Austin, Roman Reigns and everyone else is coming home with him.

All he has to do is keep playing us like the puppets we are because they lost their best chance to stop him last night with Cody Rhodes. The reality is there is no one in WWE with the strength, speed or RUTHLESS AGGRESSION of John Cena. However, Cena has a heart so he tells us to take out our cameras. Take your pictures because the last real champion is here. Then Randy Orton pops up and Cena turns around (Cena: “S***!”) for an RKO. With Backlash in St. Louis, that makes all the sense in the world. It was also an outstanding promo from Cena, who continues to flow so naturally as a heel that it’s almost unbelievable.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Liv Morgan/Raquel Rodriguez vs. Becky Lynch/Lyra Valkyria

Lynch, who returned last night, and Valkyria, are defending. Lynch’s kicks to various parts of Morgan put her down and it’s already off to Valkyria to kick the villains down. Stereo dropkicks through the ropes have Morgan and Rodriguez down again and we take a break. Back with Lynch fighting back and blocking Oblivion. The Manhandle Slam gets two with Rodriguez coming in for the save.

Everyone goes up top and Morgan grabs a sunset bomb on Lynch. Rodriguez hits a super bomb for two on Valkyria, who gets up for the Nightwing to Rodriguez but Morgan makes the save. Lynch gets posted and Valkyria big boots Valkyria in the face for two more. Rodriguez tries to powerbomb Morgan onto Valkyria but only hits raised knees. Valkyria sends Rodriguez outside but knocks her into Lynch, with the distraction letting Morgan hit Oblivion for the pin and the titles at 11:54.

Rating: B. This turned into a heck of a back and forth match and I kind of like the rapid fire title changes. Lynch and Valkyria got their big moment last night with the surprise return, but they aren’t a regular team and this brings back some stability to the titles, with the long term champions holding them again. If also frees Valkyria from being a double champion, which didn’t need to happen.

Post match Rodriguez and Morgan leave and Lynch erupts on Valkyria, beating her down and screaming at her. Lynch teases leaving a few times but comes back for a few Manhandle Slams. That’s either going to make Lynch the second Intercontinental Champion or give Valkyria by far her biggest wins to date.

We look at Paul Heyman turning on Roman Reigns and CM Punk to join Seth Rollins on Saturday.

New Day is coming to the ring and get a nod of approval from Karrion Kross.

Here is New Day for a chat. They tell us to get down on our knees and thank God for them. They are the greatest team of all time and no one, dead or alive, can touch them. Cue the Alpha Academy, with Maxxine Dupri bringing up the Academy beating them in sixty seconds. The challenge is issued and decline, so Dupri dubs them the Minute Men. That’s enough to get the title match and here’s a referee.

Tag Team Titles: New Day vs. Alpha Academy

New Day is defending but the lights go dim and…..Rusev is back. New Day bails and Rusev wrecks the Academy with no trouble. No match. He had been rumored to come back and while I’m not sure how far he’ll go, it’s better than having him sit on the sidelines for the better part of ever.

Judgment Day celebrates their new titles when Finn Balor comes in to glare at Dominik Mysterio. Balor breaks into a smile and congratulates him but Carlito thinks he and Balor should get some titles of their own.

Here is Iyo Sky for a chat. Last night was the best night of her career because she beat the best in the world to prove that SHE is the best. Now no one will ever forget her because she is the Genius of the Sky and the Women’s World Champion. Cue Stephanie Vaquer (NXT Women’s Champion) to say that she wants to fight the best. The challenge is on for right now so Adam Pearce makes the match.

Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer

Non-title. Feeling out process to start with neither being able to get very far. Sky blocks an O’Connor roll attempt and they stare at each other a bit, followed by Sky sending her outside. The big suicide dive connects but Vaquer gets in a dive off the barricade as we take a break. Back with Sky armdragging her off the top and nailing a missile dropkick. The Bullet Train gets two but Vaquer is right back up with a Meteora.

The SVB (a butterfly backbreaker) is blocked and Sky stomps her down for two. Instead Vaquer is back up with the Devil’s Kiss (figure four necklock with Vaquer sending her face first into the mat) to quite the reception. Back up and Sky snaps off a German suplex, only for Vaquer to hit one of her own. They’re both down and get a FIGHT FOREVER chant so they go up top, where Sky hits a super Spanish Fly. Sky gets up and here is Roxanne Perez to jump Sky for the DQ at 13:58.

Rating: B-. They were having a good match and thankfully went with the most logical ending. What mattered here was getting Vaquer a quick look on the main roster with a top talent and she more than lived up to the task. The ending keeps everything going and boosts up Perez vs. Vaquer for the title this week on NXT.

Post match Giulia (from NXT) runs in to go after Sky, with Perez beating on Vaquer. Cue Rhea Ripley for the save. Ripley stares down Giulia and the villains leave, with Ripley saying she’s coming for Sky’s title.

We look at Jey Uso’s rise up to the main event.

Here is Uso for his World heavyweight Championship celebration. After doing the YEET thing again, he says he is so grateful to finally have the title on his shoulder. He is ready to put in the work every week to keep it and asks for the catchphrase. Cue Sami Zayn to interrupt and give Jey a big hug. It was hard for him to miss Wrestlemania because just like Jey, he is a game day player and it’s hard to not be in the ring.

The thing is, he had to be the first one to stand in this ring and congratulate him on being the new champion. Every single person in this building knows that Jey deserves that and we are here to celebrate, so hit his music. The celebration is on and here is Jimmy Uso to join in with no issues. This was a nice moment and it was refreshing to not have another turn from these guys.

Last night, Logan Paul denied any knowledge of interference in his match. He’ll face anyone, anywhere, anytime.

AJ Styles says he’s ok with the loss last night and he’s ready to bounce back. Karrion Kross and Scarlett come in to yell about Styles being the best around here but now he’s legitimized Logan Paul. Styles does not want to be the old, evil version of himself before and tells Kross to go solve the problem himself. Kross: “Maybe I will.”

We come back from a break with Gunther yelling at commentary, getting on Cole for saying negative things about him. Gunther shoves McAfee and chokes Cole, earning a shot from McAfee. Agents and referees come in and Gunther chokes McAfee out while trying to hold back some other people (possibly people from McAfee’s show). Gunther is FINALLY dragged off and McAfee is revived but has to be helped out.

After a break, Cole and McAfee are going to the trainer’s room and Joe Tessitore has taken over commentary. Cole starts to go back to the ring but Adam Pearce tells him to take the rest of the night off. Cole says Gunther might have broken his nose but he isn’t going to let some bully not let him do his job. That gets a big reaction and Cole comes back to commentary to join Tessitore, with the fans cheering for Cole, which you do not hear very often.

Intercontinental Title: Penta vs. Dominik Mysterio

Mysterio, with Judgment Day, is defending and stomps Penta down in the corner to start. Penta fights up and hits a crossbody before knocking Mysterio down again. We take an early break and come back with Penta in control, including a running Canadian Destroyer. Mysterio rolls outside for a breather though and Finn Balor gives him a pep talk. Penta hurricanranas Balor into Mysterio but cue JD McDonagh to shove Penta off the top. The frog 619 and frog splash retain the title at 8:02.

Rating: C+. McDonagh being back is another boost for the team, but it feels like Balor’s days as part of the lineup are numbered. There is something interesting about the idea of Balor constantly acting like the leader but never being able to win anything or come up with a plan. That very well could be leading to a shift in power and that could be rather interesting.

We get an old school style newsreel on El Grande Americano’s win at Wrestlemania, including shots of the massive celebrations in the streets. He’s earned them.

Here are Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman for a chat. The fans want CM Punk or Roman Reigns but Rollins starts talking about how he is a visionary. He is also the winner of the main event of Wrestlemania…and here is Punk. The brawl is on but Punk turns his attention to Heyman, allowing Rollins to beat him down. Heyman says they are going to say this all the way until Wrestlemania XLII, but there is a new reigning, defending, undisputed top star in WWE and he is Seth Rollins.

Cue Reigns (Rollins throws Punk outside) to charge into the ring and hit the spear on Rollins. That leaves Heyman all alone though and Reigns drops him with a Superman Punch. The spear is loaded up…and BRON BREAKKER cuts Reigns off with a Super Spear. Breakker and Rollins have a staredown and Breakker drops Punk with a Super Spear.

Rollins hugs Breakker and tells him to take out Reigns again. Reigns fights back with a shot to the face but Breakker runs around the ring and hits a Super Spear through the barricade. Rollins Stomps Punk and poses with Heyman and Breakker as we now have two Paul Heyman Guys.

Oh that’s a very intriguing way to go as Breakker fits in perfectly as a Paul Heyman Guy and could easily be moved into a main event slot. I like this a lot and it has all kinds of potential. If nothing else, you can see the huge tag match at Backlash from here. Heck of a way to end the show with a big surprise and a smart one at that.

Overall Rating: B. This was a very wrestling lite show and as usual, that’s not the point of the post Wrestlemania Raw. This week was all about the fallout and the big moves going forward. We had returns, a big reveal in the end and several matches/feuds being teased for the near future. I liked this show a lot and it felt more like a traditional post Wrestlemania Raw, which is nice to see after something of an absence.

Results
Liv Morgan/Raquel Rodriguez b. Becky Lynch/Lyra Valkyria – Oblivion to Valkyria
Iyo Sky b. Stephanie Vaquer via DQ when Roxanne Perez interfered
Dominik Mysterio b. Penta – Frog splash

 

 

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