Monday Night Raw – September 29, 2025: The Dark Season
Monday Night Raw
Date: September 29, 2025
Location: Lenovo Center, Raleigh, North Carolina
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett
We’re getting closer to Crown Jewel and that means it’s time to continue focusing on the non-title matches between the World Champions. Other than that, we do have at least one title match tonight as Dominik Mysterio defends the Intercontinental Title against Rusev. We also have a Tornado Tag match so let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a recap of Asuka attacking Iyo Sky last week and having Kairi Sane help destroy her to end the show.
Here is a ticked off Rhea Ripley to get things going. She knew this would happen with Asuka so the Kabuki Warriors can come get her. Instead, here is Iyo Sky, who looks near tears. Sky admits that Ripley was right about the Kabuki Warriors, but they are Sky’s family and she still loves them.
Cue the Warriors on the screen, with Asuka’s comments (in English and Japanese) being about how she’s mad at Sky for turning to Ripley instead of her family. Asuka is willing to forgive her though, if Sky will just apologize, but it’s too late for Ripley. Back in the ring, Ripley says she’s been betrayed by family before and wants Sky on her side. Sky isn’t sure and says she needs time before leaving.
Cue the Warriors to jump Ripley from behind. Sky isn’t sure what to do but eventually runs in for the save, throwing Asuka off of Ripley. Sane gets between them and Asuka blows the mist in Sky’s face. Ripley is back up but the numbers get the better of her (including what appeared to be Asuka’s kick missing), as the Warriors send her into some posts. Sane drops the Insane Elbow and the Warriors stand tall. This is still one of the better stories in WWE today.
Intercontinental Title: Rusev vs. Dominik Mysterio
Rusev is challenging and Mysterio is on his own. Judgment Day leaves Mysterio alone and Rusev starts throwing him around, followed by a right hand to make it worse. A low bridge sends Rusev outside and we take a break. We come back with Rusev missing a charge in the corner, allowing Mysterio to hit a slingshot hilo for one. The fans are behind Mysterio but a 619 attempt is cut off with a heck of a clothesline.
Mysterio hits a dropkick to the back though and now the 619 can connect. The frog splash misses though and Rusev’s Machka Kick gets two. The referee gets distracted so Mysterio grabs the title, which he throws to Rusev and falls down ala Eddie Guerrero. That’s not going to work for the referee (who saw Mysterio fall on his own), but the distraction lets Mysterio get in a low blow for a rollup with tights to retain at 8:53.
Rating: B-. The match itself was whatever, but this was all about Mysterio being the biggest hero in the world. The fans were absolutely going nuts here and it was very interesting to see the crowd embracing Mysterio like this. He’s not a good guy yet, but when the turn does happen, he’s going to be an even bigger star.
Earlier tonight, LA Knight and Adam Pearce argued about Knight’s refereeing abilities. Knight wants a title shot at Seth Rollins but New Day comes in to say they should get a Tag Team Title shot. Knight and Pearce aren’t interested and the former is ready to face Kofi Kingston tonight. Pearce is in.
Video on Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes, as they started as enemies a very long time ago. Rhodes had to leave to become a bigger star, while Rollins took over in his absence. Then Rhodes returned and won their feud, which Rollins hates. More on this later.
We recap Bayley being nice to Lyra Valkyria last week and then going insane after the match.
Bayley, in a Valkyria shirt, comes up to Valkyria in the back and talks about how great things went last week. She wants Bayley out there with her tonight but that can’t happen.
Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Roxanne Perez is with Rodriguez. Bayley is a bit tentative to start but knocks Rodriguez into the corner for some right hands. A headlock takeover is thrown away but Bayley manages a Stunner over the middle rope. Bayley’s suicide dive connects and her diving dropkick under the ropes connects as well.
A hurricanrana off the apron is pulled out of the air though and Rodriguez sends her crashing into the barricade. We take a break and come back with Bayley’s top rope Swanton connecting for two. Rodriguez runs her over again but gets caught in a Figure Four. The referee checks with Rodriguez but Perez rakes Bayley’s eyes for the save. The big boot and Tejana Bomb finish for Rodriguez at 10:24.
Rating: C+. As interested as I am in the Kabuki Warriors vs. Rhea Ripley/Iyo Sky story, I’m rather torn on this one. At the end of the day, the idea is that Bayley is all over the place, but there is only so much to get out of the thing if Bayley is losing like this. Rodriguez has felt like a big deal in recent weeks, but she barely feels important. That needs to change, as she’s too good to just be in stuff like this, but at least she won.
Post match the beatdown is on again but Lyra Valkyria runs in for the save. Bayley laughs a lot and then screams that Valkyria GOT THEM. Bayley grabs her by the head, says COME ON YOU IDIOT, LET’S GET THEM, and has Valkyria very confused.
Jimmy Uso asks Jey Uso where he was last week when he needed help. Jey says he didn’t help because it was LA Knight out there, who cost them at Wrestlepalooza. Why did Jimmy help Knight? Jey talks about how you need to worry about yourself and brings up that Jimmy has never been World Champion. Jey seems to walk that back a bit and they’re ready for tonight.
Kairi Sane comes in to check on the still misted Iyo Sky, saying they can still be a family. Sky says leave her alone but has a photo of herself with Sane and Asuka.
LA Knight vs. Kofi Kingston
They jaw at each other to start and Kingston goes after him, earning a neckbreaker from Knight. Kingston goes to the throat and grabs an armbar, which is broken up rather quickly. Knight sends him into the ropes and they head outside, with Woods offering a distraction. Kingston gets in a dropkick through the ropes and posts Knight as we take a break.
We come back with Kingston tripping him down and heading up top for a shot to the head. Woods gets in a cheap shot but Knight fights up and slugs away. They head outside with Knight sending him into the barricade, followed by a slingshot shoulder back inside. Woods gets involved again though, with Kingston getting two off a rollup. Knight pops back up and spins into the BFT for the pin at 10:21.
Rating: C+. What has happened to New Day? They are one of the most successful teams of all time and they could not feel much less important. Kingston is one of the most successful and decorated stars in WWE history but this is the best thing he can do. I’m not sure how everything has gone this badly but it’s getting sad to see.
Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa are interrupted by Becky Lynch, who doesn’t think much of Dupri. Lynch does her usual “Sports Illustrated is saying it” but Dupri brings up AJ Lee. That earns Tozawa and Dupri a beating, with Seth Rollins saying he has to deal with something.
Here is Rollins, but he’s cut off by chants for CM Punk, Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Rollins says that he is 0-3 to Rhodes but it doesn’t bother him because it doesn’t matter. Those matches were in the past and now it’s time to find the future of the industry at Crown Jewel. The match is to determine the future of the industry and some people actually want Rhodes. Some people actually want Rhodes to be the quarter back of WWE and….are they crazy?
Rollins talks about everything he’s done around here and you still cheer for Rhodes. Cue Rhodes to interrupt, saying that the people are really the ones who control everything. He brings up the Vision showing up on Smackdown and how that was probably Paul Heyman’s doing. So who is in charge of the Vision? Rollins says every decision, including the team being on Smackdown, goes through him. Rhodes asks if Rollins allowed Heyman to handle Brock Lesnar’s introduction. Rollins: “Every decision runs through me.”
The fans disagree and Rollins is annoyed so Rhodes brings it back to Crown Jewel. Where are they going to be in twenty years? Will they be in the chairs back there reminiscing? Either way, Rollins offered his hand to Rhodes at Wrestlemania XL despite all of their issues. Rollins tells him to shut up because they were never friends and Rhodes was just a means to an end.
Rollins is going to cleanse the timeline and forget their history. There is only one person set to lead them into the future and that is Rollins. The promo from Rollins was good and it told a story, but I absolutely cannot get into this Crown Jewel Title stuff. WWE has made it clear that it means absolutely nothing once the show is over and yet we have to hear about it over and over.
Rhea Ripley checks on the still blue Iyo Sky. They’re set for a tag match against the Kabuki Warriors at Crown Jewel, and yes Ripley can trust her.
AJ Styles/Dragon Lee vs. Los Americanos
Before the match, Lee talks about how much he likes teaming with Styles and is the #1 contender for the AAA Mega Title. Styles brings up having a match at Crown Jewel, where thanks to the fans, he gets to BEAT UP JOHN CENA. Anyway, El Grande Americano is here with Los Americanos (Bravo and Rio), as Bravo (who is so obviously Tyler Bate that there’s no point in the mask) starts fast on Lee.
We take a break and come back with Bravo’s super hurricanrana being blocked. The top rope double stomp sets up the diving tag to Styles and the fans approve. Everything breaks down and Styles cleans house, including a dive onto El Grande Americano. The Phenomenal Forearm sends Rio to the floor and Lee tosses Bravo into the Styles Clash for the pin at 7:25.
Rating: C+. There is something interesting about having this many Americanos around. If nothing else, it’s giving some wrestlers something else to do and it’s making things a bit better. At the same time, it keeps the main one out of the ring a bit and that’s going to give him some longevity. Styles and Lee don’t feel like a long term team, but they’re fine for beating up Americano’s minions.
Video on Crown Jewel.
Stephanie Vaquer is ready for Tiffany Stratton at Crown Jewel. Cue Stratton to say she respects Vaquer, but she’s been champion for 268 days. Someone brand new isn’t going to come in and shake things up.
The Vision is in the back, with Seth Rollins not looking confident that he can beat Seth Rollins, even with Paul Heyman offering some reassurances.
Usos vs. Vision
Texas Tornado match so Jey dives onto the Vision to start fast. Breakker shoulders Jey in the corner to start but Jimmy makes the save. The Usos slug away on Reed but Breakker is back up to take over on Jey again. Jey breaks up the dive onto the announcers’ table but Reed is there to send Jey into the steps. The Jagged Edge through the announcers’ table is broken up so Breakker is right there with a heck of a jumping clothesline to send Jimmy through the table.
We take a break and come back with Jimmy still down at ringside while Jey gets beaten up inside. A big running clothesline puts him down again but Jimmy is back up for the save. The Usos are stacked up for a double Tsunami….and Roman Reigns is back with a chair for the save. A bunch of chair shots have Reed down and some more put Breakker in trouble. Superkicks and stereo Superfly Splashes are good for the pin on Breakker at 12:48.
Rating: B. The big thing that stands out to me here is how much Breakker and Reed work together as a team. They have chemistry together and are feeling like a regular team rather than just Seth Rollins’ minions. At the same time, Reigns getting involved is the big deal, as you can see WarGames starting to come together from here.
Post match Reigns and Jey have a chat, with Jey saying he’ll smash them all and everything seems cool as Jimmy looks on to end the show.
Overall Rating: C+. The Crown Jewel season is causing me a lot of issues as usual, as it’s just hard to get interested in what they’re doing on top. The matches don’t feel overly important, but thankfully there is some stuff in there to fill in the gaps. I like the Usos/Vision stuff and Mysterio had a great showing here. Overall it’s not bad, but I’ll be glad when we move on to something else.
Results
Dominik Mysterio b. Rusev – Rollup with tights
Raquel Rodriguez b. Bayley – Tejana Bomb
LA Knight b. Kofi Kingston – BFT
AJ Styles/Dragon Lee b. Los Americanos – Styles Clash to Bravo
Usos b. Vision – Double Superfly Splash to Breakker
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If bravo was Tyler bate who was Rio?
I would assume Pete Dunne.