Monday Night Raw
Date: January 19, 2026
Location: SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett

It’s another afternoon show as we wrap up the European tour. That’s a big deal as we are less than two weeks away from the Royal Rumble. As a result, it is time to start getting ready for the show’s namesake matches, as only Cody Rhodes has announced himself for the Rumble. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here is Gunther to get things going. The fans are NOT pleased with him and tell him that he tapped out. Gunther says AJ Styles made a mistake last week because he forgot who he was facing. We hear Gunther’s accomplishments and he is officially in the Royal Rumble. Cue Styles, who gets right to the point: he wants a rematch with Gunther at the Royal Rumble.

Gunther doesn’t want to wrestle twice that night so it’s a no, but Styles calls him a little b****, which actually isn’t enough for a yes. As Gunther goes to leave, he says hang on as there is one way he’ll do it. The fans at Gunther, who eventually says he’ll do it if Styles puts his career on the line. Gunther tells Styles he has until the end of the night to decide.

Maxxine Dupri runs into Natalya, who is here to support her against Becky Lynch.

Women’s Intercontinental Title: Maxxine Dupri vs. Becky Lynch

Dupri is defending and has Natalya with her. Dupri wrestles her down to start but it’s too early for the ankle lock. A dropkick puts Lynch on the floor instead but she’s back with a hard forearm as we take a break. We come back with Dupri hitting a step up legdrop to the back of the head for two but she misses a kick and gets caught in the Disarm-Her. That’s reversed into the ankle lock, which is broken up as well.

Dupri gets crotched on top and superplexed back down, with Lynch rolling into a DDT for two. Lynch pulls the turnbuckle pad off but almost gets sent into it, allowing Dupri to hit a high crossbody. That’s rolled through for two and Dupri gets the ankle lock again. Lynch gets out again so Dupri kicks her in the head…and Natalya puts Lynch’s foot on the rope. Dupri is stunned and walks into the Manhandle Slam to retain the title at 11:33.

Rating: B-. This might as well have had a countdown until Natalya turned on Dupri, as they weren’t even hiding what was going on. That being said, it was a good way to get out of the match while protecting Dupri. This really needs to be it for Dupri vs. Lynch, as Dupri needs to get revenge on Natalya while Lynch just needs a fresh opponent. Dupri has come a very long way in this feud though so well done indeed.

Post match Natalya jumps Dupri and lays her out, including the Sharpshooter. It’s broken up but Natalya does it again.

We recap Adam Pearce suspending Bron Breakker last week but also putting his hands on him, which Paul Heyman didn’t like.

Pearce asks AJ Styles what he’s doing about Gunther and Styles says he’s going to call his wife. With Styles gone, Paul Heyman comes in to ask how Pearce’s week went. Pearce said it was good and Heyman is surprised, but Pearce says they’re in Belfast. Heyman: “Couldn’t find an arena in London?” Pearce: “What do you want?” Heyman: “A lot.” Anyway, the Vision has a six man tag tonight and they’ll both be ringside.

Video on CM Punk vs. Finn Balor.

Raquel Rodriguez says Stephanie Vaquer is still out of action but she’s ready to win the Women’s Title when she gets the chance. Liv Morgan says this is going to be the Judgment Day’s year because they’ll all win titles.

Here is Jey Uso to announce that he’s in the Royal Ru

IMG Credit: WWE

mble as well. And that’s that.

New Day and Grayson Waller want their Tag Team Title shot, with Adam Pearce agreeing. But that’s if they win a four way next week. Ranting ensues.

Vision vs. Rey Mysterio/Penta/Dragon Lee

Paul Heyman and Adam Pearce are both here too. Lee takes over on Theory to start and it’s quickly off to Paul vs. Penta for a strut off. Penta takes him down by is quickly dropped by Paul, meaning it’s off to Mysterio vs. Reed. Mysterio is knocked down with the power but manages a kick to the head. It’s back to Penta to take over and the three good guys hit big stereo dives (that looked great) to the floor as we take a break.

We come back with Lee not being able to lift up Reed but avoiding the sitdown splash. A powerslam gives Reed two but he misses the running backsplash. It’s back to Mysterio to pick up the pace and hammer away at Theory in the corner. Penta comes in for a scary Penta Driver to Theory as everything breaks down. Paul is sent outside and Lee’s big flip dive hits Reed.

Back in and Theory brainbusters Penta onto the knee for two and it’s time for Heyman and Pearce to get on the apron. Paul tries to slide Theory the knuckles but Pearce breaks it up, earning some yelling from Heyman. Pearce yells at him, allowing Mysterio to pick up the knuckles and knock Theory silly. The Destroyer finishes for Penta at 15:03.

Rating: B+. This was a heck of a match with a bunch of stuff going on but it stayed coherent. The stuff with Heyman and Pearce is interesting and I’m curious to see where it goes. At the same time, Mysterio using the knuckles was a bit of a surprise but it still worked. Pretty awesome stuff here.

Post match the winners celebrate as Heyman has his phone out.

CM Punk’s plan to beat Finn Balor: be the best in the world.

Paul Heyman yells at Adam Pearce and suggests he’ll be fired. He suggests that Pearce answer a phone call, which Pearce does, though we don’t hear who it’s from.

Here are Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky for a chat. They’re ready for their title defense at Saturday Night’s Main Event, but then they’re both in the Royal Rumble. Cue Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez to interrupt, with Morgan saying Ripley will turn on Sky, as she always does. Perez says the two of them, and Raquel Rodriguez are going into the Rumble as well, which has Ripley mockingly laughing. Cue Rodriguez and the fight is on, with Perez chop blocking Sky. Oblivion leaves Ripley laying.

Lyra Valkyria talks to Bayley, saying it’s hard to be positive when she has let her best friend down. Bayley can’t believe that idea because Valkyria can’t let her down. Now one of them is going to win the Royal Rumble! A hard hug ensues.

IMG Credit: WWE

Je’Von Evans vs. El Grande Americano

Los Americanos are here too. Evans gets an early rollup for two and flips around a bit before they head outside. A jump onto the steps lets Evans knock him down again and we take an early break. We come back with….the match ending at 6:21 as Evans was injured during the break. He seems to be favoring his shoulder or pectoral muscle. Not enough shown to rate but dang that’s discouraging. Hopefully it’s not too bad.

Finn Balor is ready to win the World Title.

Preview of Unreal season 2.

Video on Oba Femi.

Adam Pearce talks to the Vision, saying that he won’t be lifting Bron Breakker’s suspension but he wants Breakker here next week to talk things over. Heyman says Pearce better be on his best behavior. With the Vision gone, AJ Styles comes in and he’s in for the match with Gunther, so it’s official.

Saturday Night’s Main Event rundown.

The Kabuki Warriors aren’t happy, with Asuka blaming Kairi Sane for their recent losses. Sane says she’ll help Asuka win the Royal Rumble, which seems to soothe things over.

IMG Credit: WWE

Raw World Title: CM Punk vs. Finn Balor

Punk is defending and Balor has the old theme song for a great entrance. Feeling out process to start with a takedown going nowhere so they trade posing. Balor loads up the Sling Blade but instead grabs a jumping chinlock for a bit of a weird spot. That’s broken up and Balor is sent outside for a suicide dive as we take a break.

We come back with Balor fighting out of a chinlock and the two trading shots to the head. Balor strikes him into the corner but he seems to come up favoring his leg. The Coup de Grace takes too long and Punk catches him on top for the superplex. Their legs lock for two so Punk drops him with a running clothesline.

Back up and Balor hits the Sling Blade, followed by a running clothesline out to the floor. The big running flip dive connects but the Coup de Grace misses back inside. Punk hits a quick GTS for two but another attempt is escaped. The shotgun dropkick sends Punk into the corner and Balor does it again, setting up the Coup de Grace for a VERY close two. Punk manages to get back up and another GTS retains the title at 16:12.

Rating: B. Yeah this was good, with Balor feeling like enough of a threat to make the match work. It was interesting to see Balor as the clear good guy in the match, though Punk was basically neutral rather than being a heel. That’s not something you see very often but it made for an interesting dynamic here. Good main event, and now Punk can move on to something a bit bigger for the Rumble.

Post match respect is shown and they’re cool with each other.

Overall Rating: B+. This was the wrestling heavy show, with a pretty awesome main event, an outstanding six man tag and enough stuff being set up for the Royal Rumble to make the show feel more important. I had a great time with this one, as the crowd made it even better. Heck of a show here as the European run comes to a close.

Results
Becky Lynch b. Maxxine Dupri – Manhandle Slam
Rey Mysterio/Dragon Lee/Penta b. The Vision – Canadian Destroyer to Theory
El Grande Americano b. Je’Von Evans via injury stoppage
CM Punk b. Finn Balor – GTS

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: January 12, 2026
Location: PSD Bank Dome, Dusseldorf, Germany
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett

We’re live overseas this week and in this case that means it’s time for a big showdown. This week features Gunther vs. AJ Styles, who is not happy with how Gunther has been acting since defeating John Cena last month. Other than that, the Royal Rumble is rapidly approaching and that could make for some interesting situations. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening recap.

Here are Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky to celebrate their title win last week. They’re thrilled to be champions and are ready for anyone so here are Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez to interrupt. Morgan talks about how she never lost her title and wants it back but here are Bayley and Lyra Valkyria to interrupt. Bayley wants a title shot as well, but we do pause for the fans to sing to her. Sky seems ready to face them both but here are the Kabuki Warriors to start the big brawl. The champs clean house.

AJ Styles is ready for Gunther and is rather serious.

Finn Balor is in the back playing video games but Liv Morgan comes in and yells at him for not being serious enough. Roxanne Perez agrees.

Je’Von Evans vs. Bravo Americano

Bravo slaps him to start but misses a charge and gets slapped right back. A running hurricanrana takes Bravo down but Bravo drops him rather quickly. The chinlock doesn’t last long and Evans is back up with a kick to the face. Bravo is right back with the spinning torture rack, even with no hands, as Cole can’t quite place who Bravo reminds him of from history. Bravo goes up and is super Spanish Flied right back down, setting up the OG Cutter (top rope cutter) for the pin at 6:17.

Rating: C+. This was all about Evans getting his feet wet and that worked out fine. He’s quite the athlete and it should be interesting to see what he can do on the main roster. Being able to do that kind of stuff in the ring will get him far enough, though I could go with a halt on all the top and middle rope cutters from everyone for a long time.

Post match the Americanos go after Evans, who jumps over the announcers’ table and escapes.

Adam Pearce tells Paul Heyman to inform Bron Breakker to go home if he’s going to have bad intentions. Heyman doesn’t care to be a messenger boy but seems to agree.

IMG Credit: WWE

Here is CM Punk for a chat. Punk talks about how he’s going to be champion for a long time and the people here make him believe he can do anything. After surviving against Bron Breakker, he’s looking forward to finding out his next challenger. Cue Finn Balor to interrupt, saying he’s not waiting for the Royal Rumble or the Elimination Chamber. He heard Punk say he wanted to face Balor so now he wants a title shot.

Punk likes that idea because he’s a Balor fan. He’s a fighting champion today so he’ll get his boots on for a match tonight. Balor says no because they’ll do it next week in Belfast. Punk is fine with that, but apologizes to the fans in Belfast for what is going to happen to Balor next week.

Video on Gunther vs. AJ Styles.

Lyra Valkyria/Bayley vs. Kabuki Warriors vs. Liv Morgan/Roxanne Perez

The winners get a title shot at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Bayley rolls Morgan up to start but misses the charge into the corner. Asuka takes both of them down and it’s off to the other three. Perez gets two off a rollup but Valkyria knocks her away, with Sane taking both of them down. Everything breaks down and Sane hits the big elbow off the top to the floor.

We take a break and come back with Valkyria cleaning house but Asuka cuts her off on top. That sets up the Tower Of Doom to bring everyone down before it’s Sane getting caught in a backbreaker. A middle rope elbow gives Bayley two and Perez’s Pop Rox gets the same. Back up and Morgan hits a quick Oblivion to pin Sane at 13:20.

Rating: C+. They had a bunch of stuff going on here but it’s hard to argue with the result. Morgan and Perez are the most logical choices for the title shot and it should be a good title match. At the same time, Valkyria and Bayley are kind of floating around and that might not bode well for their futures.

Becky Lynch recaps her issues with Maxxine Dupri before they face off again next week in Belfast.

Preview of Unreal season two.

Maxxine Dupri is ready to beat Becky Lynch again. After telling Otis and Akira Tozawa that they can be as successful as she is, Dupri promises to make Lynch tap out next week.

Here is Raquel Rodriguez for a chat with Michael Cole. Rodriguez isn’t sorry for attacking Stephanie Vaquer last week and hurting her ankle. Cue Vaquer to chase Rodriguez off, but as Vaquer yells at the camera, here is Rodriguez to jump her again and go after the ankle.

Otis and Akira Tozawa want a Tag Team Title shot at the Usos. Jey says he’ll talk to Jimmy, but be careful what you ask for.

Penta/Dragon Lee vs. Vision

Penta kicks away at Theory to start but it’s quickly off to Reed to crush him in the corner. That’s broken up and it’s off to Lee for the kicks to the chest, only for Reed to run him over. Reed sends him hard to the floor and we take a break with the villains in control. We come back with Theory going after Lee, including a snap suplex for two. Lee manages to reverse a powerbomb into a quick DDT, which is enough for the tag to Penta. House is cleaned but cue Bron Breakker to spear Lee for the DQ at 9:26.

Rating: C. I wasn’t exactly feeling this one, but the ending spear was almost worth the extra time as Breakker got some serious impact. The Vision continues to be up and down, but a ticked off Breakker gunning for the World Title should be great. As for the other side…just give us the Lucha Bros already.

Post match Adam Pearce comes out to yell at Breakker, leaving Reed to wreck people. Pearce goes to yell at Reed, allowing Breakker to hit another spear. Breakker even grabs Pearce, with the Vision having to make the save. Even Paul Heyman seems to realize that was too far.

Post break Je’Von Evans checks on Rey Fenix and Dragon Lee, saying he’s there if they need him.

Adam Pearce yells at Bron Breakker, even suspending him indefinitely. Paul Heyman comes up to say that was a mistake. From Heyman’s vantage point, Pearce put his hands on Breakker first. Uh oh.

We get a video of various celebrities wanting to be involved with Wrestlemania. HHH, watching the video, says it’s going to be a long Road To Wrestlemania. And yes, he does sit at his desk in the leather jacket.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Video on Oba Femi, who has vacated the NXT Title.

Gunther laughs at the idea of AJ Styles beating him.

AJ Styles vs. Gunther

Gunther grabs a waistlock to start so Styles kicks him in the head, sending Gunther outside. A headlock takeover doesn’t work for Gunther either as Styles is up with a dropkick to the floor. There’s the slingshot forearm over the top but Gunther is back in with the big chop. We take a break and come back with Gunther chopping him down again.

Styles gets smart by grabbing a dragon screw legwhip and putting on the Calf Crusher, with the leg being in big trouble. Gunther makes the rope so Styles goes to the ropes, where a big of a slip allows Gunther to chop him down. Another twist of the leg around the rope puts Gunther down, with a springboard flipping legdrop (cool) hitting the leg for two. The Phenomenal forearm is countered into a sleeper, but Styles backflips into a rollup for two more.

The big clothesline into the powerbomb gets two and they both need a breather. Back up and they strike it out until the Calf Crusher goes on again, sending Gunther back to the rope. Styles puts it on again and rolls into the middle, with Gunther possibly tapping on Styles’ leg. That’s enough for Styles to let go, but the referee says the match continues. Gunther hits him low and the powerbomb finishes Styles at 17:47.

Rating: B. I’m not sure on that finish, but it seems like we’re setting up a rematch, possibly at the Royal Rumble. Gunther cheating to win is acceptable enough, and it should be interesting to see what is next for Styles. He only has so much time left in the ring and this very well could be one of his bigger remaining stories.

Styles is upset and Gunther smiles to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This really wasn’t the most wrestling heavy show, with the second match starting just a few minutes before the second hour. It also didn’t help that the main focus seemed to be setting up next week’s Raw, though after last week’s stacked card, that kind of hard to be the case. The Rumble has still barely been mentioned and while there is still time before the show, there isn’t that much time. Maybe get on that sooner than later?

Results
Je’Von Evans b. Bravo Americano – OG Cutter
Liv Morgan/Roxanne Perez b. Kabuki Warriors and Bayley/Lyra Valkyria – Oblivion to Sane
Penta/Dragon Lee b. Vision via DQ when Bron Breakker interfered
Gunther b. AJ Styles – Powerbomb

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: December 29, 2025
Location: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

We’re wrapping up the year right here with the show before we get to the big show next week. That could mean a few different things but hopefully this one can end the year on a high note. If nothing else we’re live again and now we get to see where things go on the still long road to the Royal Rumble. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The opening recap looks at Austin Theory seemingly having a successful audition with the Vision last week.

IMG Credit: WWE

Here is the Vision to get things going. After some CM PUNK chants, Paul Heyman talks about how you’re looking at the future Wrestlemania main eventers right in front of you. We get some OTC chants, with Heyman thanking the fans for their irrelevant opinions. That brings Heyman to Austin Theory, who says he has a lot to talk about, starting with Bron Breakker.

Heyman explains that the goal of the team is bigger than that of any member, but here is Punk to interrupt. Punk says Theory is already drinking gallons of the Kool-Aid but he’s here to talk to Breakker. The title match is already set for next week and yeah he could come down there and get beaten up, but then there’s no title match next week. Punk comes to the ring and actually gets inside, where he asks Bron (“Kid”) what he has.

Breakker is ready to take Punk out because he’s tired of being called the future because he is the now. Everyone is waiting for Breakker to fall apart but go find someone like him. Go find someone with so little experience who has taken wrestling over and is as much of a dog. Yeah he came from a wrestling family but it just put more pressure on him. While Punk was on the indies, Breakker was on the field with the Baltimore Ravens. Next week, Breakker is going to put Punk in the ground and take the title.

Punk says Breakker is more ready than anyone back there, but Punk isn’t ready. If Breakker wants the title, which Punk lays on the mat, pick it up, because it’s heavier than Breakker believes. He’s not ready to let it go and stop coming into these sold out arenas and say how great it is to be alive on a Monday night in Orlando, Florida. They aren’t the same and that’s because one of them is CM Punk. One day someone is going to beat him for this but it won’t be Breakker on January 5. Punk was bringing the fire here and as usual, it’s where he shines.

Raquel Rodriguez promises no tricks in tonight’s title match. Liv Morgan comes in and says Judgment Day needs the win tonight, especially with Dominik Mysterio out for a bit. Roxanne Perez comes in and agrees they want Rodriguez to win the title, though Rodriguez doesn’t need luck.

IMG Credit: WWE

Women’s Title: Nikki Bella vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Stephanie Vaquer

Vaquer is defending and rolls Rodriguez up for an early two. Bella breaks up an early Devil’s Kiss attempt and Vaquer is knocked outside. A running dropkick on the floor has Vaquer in more trouble and we take a break. We come back with Rodriguez pulling Bella’s high crossbody out of the air, setting up a fall away slam. A Gory Stretch goes on and Rodriguez leans her forward for two. Bella is back in and Rodriguez has to break up the Devil’s Kiss so Bella snaps Rodriguez’s leg on the rope.

A high crossbody hits Rodriguez but Bella sends Vaquer into the post. Bella puts Rodriguez in an STF (Fans: “THANK YOU CENA!”) but Rodriguez twists it into a leglock, with Vaquer adding a double Devil’s Kiss. Vaquer twists Rodriguez’s knee out of the corner but Rodriguez is able to knock both of them down again.

We take another break and come back with Bella sunset bombing the other two down for two each. Vaquer’s double underhook faceplant into a Codebreaker gets two on Bella with Rodriguez making the save. Rodriguez counters a tornado DDT but gets small packaged for two instead. Back up and Rodriguez tries a double Tejana Bomb but Vaquer slips out and sends Rodriguez outside. That’s enough for Vaquer to steal the pin on Bella and retain at 17:05.

Rating: B. I liked the match well enough, but this needs to be it for Bella getting title shots. She did well enough with two others out there, but it’s just over by this point. Vaquer has beaten her multiple times now and while I could go for more of Vaquer facing Rodriguez, it needs to be without Bella. There is a place for Bella in modern WWE, but it shouldn’t be such a prominent one.

Gunther reminds us that he made John Cena tap out but R-Truth comes in to say the disrespect has to stop. Saying it over and over again makes him a piece of…and R-Truth whispers something in Gunther’s ear, which Gunther doesn’t like. Gunther takes this as a challenge and the match is set.

Here are the Kabuki Warriors to brag about beating Rhea Ripley last week. Iyo Sky never should have attacked Kairi Sane, but Asuka cuts Sane off. Cue Ripley and Sky for the brawl, with Sky being sent into the announcers’ table. She’s back up to save Ripley from the assisted Insane Elbow though and Sane has to escape Riptide. Instead the Warriors both get kicked outside to send them running.

Rey Mysterio runs into CM Punk and says he has some backup for tonight. Punk approves.

Gunther vs. R-Truth

R-Truth jumps him to start but gets dropped with a quick chop. The pace slows way down and Gunther chops him again, only to take too long doing You Can’t See Me. Some shoulders stagger Gunther but he kicks R-Truth in the face. The powerbomb gets two as he picks R-Truth up so the sleeper can get the tap at 3:29.

Rating: C. That’s exactly what it should have been as Gunther barely broke a sweat here. They’re setting up the idea that someone is going to have to step up to Gunther sooner than later and that’s going to be the next bit feud. R-Truth is the kind of person who can get beaten up and get some heat on Gunther in the process and it worked well here.

Jey Uso isn’t sure about this but Jimmy Uso gives him a pep talk.

Video on Oba Femi.

Je’Von Evans runs into AJ Styles and Dragon Lee, who praise him for the match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Wherever Evans winds up, let them know so they can run it back. Evans appreciates this but runs into Los Americanos. El Grande Americano speaks a lot of Spanish, though Evans doesn’t understand.

Paul Heyman officially welcomes Austin Theory to the Vision, and they officially have each others’ backs. Heyman even sends Logan Paul to the ring with Theory for some quality time together.

IMG Credit: WWE

Rey Mysterio vs. Austin Theory

Logan Paul is here with Theory, who powers Mysterio into the corner to start. A backbreaker just wakes Mysterio up a bit and the middle rope hurricanrana drops Theory. That’s fine with Theory, who elbows Mysterio in the face to cut him off. Theory sends him hard into the post and we take a break. We come back with Mysterio hitting a top rope seated senton into the running headscissors. Theory tries something like a torture rack but gets spun into a DDT for two. The 619 is loaded up but Paul jumps Mysterio for the DQ at 7:30.

Rating: C+. Well, at least he didn’t get pinned, though this was hardly the best sign for Theory’s future. It plays off the idea of the Vision having Theory’s back and he dominated a good chunk of the match, though that’s only so encouraging. Hopefully there is something more for Theory than being the team’s whipping boy, as he has more potential than that.

Post match the beatdown is on but Penta returns for the ring clearing save.

Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are ready to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles next week.

Here is Maxxine Dupri for a chat. She thanks the fans for helping her get this far and brags about making Becky Lynch tap out last week. Now she’s ready to defend her title next week but here is Lynch to interrupt. The ONLY thing she tapped out on was living in Orlando, but the fans should cheer for having her.

Dupri threatens to make her tap out again but Lynch says she isn’t here to start a fight. She’s here to give Dupri cr…cred…..CREDIT, for working so hard. Dupri has gotten a tiny bit better but that’s not going to be enough. Dupri laughs it off and says next week, everyone, maybe even Sports Illustrated, is going to be saying Lynch tapped out. That’s WAY too far for Lynch, who talks about how people and publications say she’s so great. Next week, it’s time to find out what Dupri is, because Lynch already knows. Dupri’s upward mobility over the last few months deserves some kind of an award.

Trick Williams meets with Adam Pearce, who seems interested in having Williams around. Williams leaves him his card when Bayley and Lyra Valkyria come in to say they want the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Pearce mentions Judgment Day getting the title shot and Bayley snaps, calling Pearce a bald idiot. Valkyria seems to think they have a deal but Pearce wants a drink. Pearce continues to be outstanding in this role.

Tag Team Titles: AJ Styles/Dragon Lee vs. Usos

The Usos are challenging. Styles knocks Jey into the corner to start and hits him in the face a few times. The champs send Jey outside and Jimmy is tossed out to join him as we take a break. We come back with Jey getting a cheap shot to Styles but not looking happy about it. Lee comes in and grabs a hurricanrana on Jimmy, followed by a sitout powerbomb for two on Jey.

Back up and Lee is knocked outside, with Jimmy loading up the announcers’ table. Styles is knocked onto said table and we take another break. We come back with Lee in trouble but managing to knock Jimmy into the Tree Of Woe. The top rope double stomp drops Jimmy and it’s back to Styles to clean house. A backbreaker drops Jey but he powers out of the Styles Clash.

The superkick hits Lee and a spear drops Styles, setting up Jimmy’s Superfly Splash for two. Everything breaks down and Jey misses a charge and hits the post. Lee hits the big running flip dive to knock Jimmy onto the announcers’ table (that looked good), leaving Styles to Pele Jey. The Styles Clash gets two so Styles loads up another, only for Jimmy to make the save. Styles loads up the Phenomenal Forearm but gets superkicked out of the air. 1D hits Lee for the pin and the titles at 18:43.

Rating: B+. Good stuff here, as the Usos get back to the top while Styles and Lee, who were never going to be a long term team, get to end their reign with a nice match. I’m not sure how long the Usos are going to be champions, but at least they got a win to boost them back up. It helps that the Usos can still more than go in the ring and Styles/Lee had chemistry together. I liked this and they did the right thing.

Overall Rating: B. One of the good things about modern WWE is they have made the non-World Titles feel a lot more important. No the Raw Tag Team Titles aren’t on the top of the list, but the main event did at least come off as something that mattered. It made for a better show and things were set up for the future as well. I wasn’t expecting much coming into this show and it wound up working, which is always a nice surprise.

Results
Stephanie Vaquer b. Nikki Bella and Raquel Rodriguez – Tejana Bomb to Bella
Gunther b. R-Truth – Sleeper
Rey Mysterio b. Austin Theory via DQ when Logan Paul interfered
Usos b. AJ Styles/Dragon Lee – 1D to Lee

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: December 1, 2025
Location: Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Arizona
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Joe Tessitore

We’re done with Survivor Series, which was a good night for the villains. While the good group of women won WarGames, the Vision took the main event and Dominik Mysterio regained the Intercontinental Title from John Cena. This week’s show is going to be focused on the Last Time Is Now Tournament semifinals so let’s get to it.

Here is Survivor Series if you need a recap.

Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are in the crowd to open the show and throw us to a long recap of Survivor Series.

Various people arrive, including Solo Sikoa, who isn’t pleased with Jacob Fatu’s picture being on a truck.

Here are Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky to get things going. They won at WarGames, but now they want revenge. Sky calls out Asuka but gets Charlotte and Alexa Bliss instead. Bliss says she heard them wanting the Women’s Tag Team Titles and they’re going to need Ripley and Sky to take a step back. They’re cool with Ripley and Sky but yeah not yet. Ripley says they need to go to the back of the line, but a match is set up for later tonight.

Adam Pearce is in the back and makes the women’s tag official, only to be interrupted by Ivy Nile. She wants to face Maxxine Dupri, with Pearce suggesting that it will happen eventually. Paul Heyman and Bron Breakker show up and Pearce isn’t happy. Heyman doesn’t like being accused of sending in the masked man at WarGames (he’s guilty of everything else, but not that). Now though, he wants to talk about Breakker pinning CM Punk, which Pearce is willing to talk about in his office.

We look at John Cena vs. CM Punk, with Punk saying he knows he was Cena’s greatest rival. He’s certainly in the running.

Last Time Is Now Tournament Semifinals: Jey Uso vs. LA Knight

Uso misses a charge to start and they stare at each other. Knight gets knocked into the corner, where he avoids the running Umaga Attack as commentary says the women’s tag is official. Were they just not paying attention when that was confirmed five minutes ago? Anyway, Knight misses a Razor Ramon’s discus punch and gets sent outside for the big suicide dive.

We take a break and come back with the two of them on the top and crashing out to the floor. Uso is back up with a kick to the head but Knight grabs a Burning Hammer for two. The spear gives Uso two and they’re both down again. Uso goes up and gets superplexed down, only to hit a quick superkick. The Superfly Splash connects but Knight reverses into a rollup for the pin at 9:42.

Rating: B. This got going near the end and I was surprised by the result, as I was all but sure this was going to be Uso winning to face Gunther. At the same time, it’s great to see Knight getting a clean pin, which is the kind of thing that can boost him up a long way. Solid match here and I could have gone with more of it.

Post match Knight leaves and a distraught Uso breaks stuff. Uh oh.

Bayley and Lyra Valkyria want a Tag team Title shot but Adam Pearce says we’ll figure that out after the main event. The Kabuki Warriors come up, with Asuka mocking Bayley for not getting what she wants while Charlotte does. Sane wraps the green chain around Bayley, who isn’t happy.

Here is Judgment Day for a chat, with Dominik Mysterio showing off the John Cena side plates on the Intercontinental Title. Mysterio brags about beating the greatest of all time, so he’s the Greatest Mysterio of all time. It makes him the greatest luchador of all time and the King of the luchadores. He thanks Judgment Day for their help, including Liv Morgan, who gets her own entrance (you can see the fans stand up, as it’s a big deal to have her back).

She says the people didn’t see her coming back but neither did John Cena. Mysterio talks about how they played the one ace up their sleeve and got his title and Morgan back. Morgan says Judgment Day runs Monday Night Raw, slaps Mysterio again, and jumps into his arms.

We get a rather intense video of Maxxine Dupri training in Natalya’s dungeon. Natalya makes her tap a few times and tells her to get out of the ring but Dupri wants to keep going. Natalya approves.

Adam Pearce talks to a referee about the masked man at Survivor Series. Pearce knows it can’t be Seth Rollins so he wants the referee to see if he can find anything out and report back.

Tag Team Titles: AJ Styles/Dragon Lee vs. New Day

New Day, with Grayson Waller, is challenging. Styles gets jumped to start fast, with Woods sending him into the corner for a beating from Kingston. A monkey flip sends Styles flying but he knocks Kingston into the corner. The slingshot dropkick connects for Lee, who follows it up with a big dive to the floor. We take a break and come back with Woods and Styles both getting tags.

Styles strikes away, including the basement forearm, but Kingston is back in for a wheelbarrow faceplant Fameasser combination for two (that was cool). A quick Calf Crusher is broken up by Woods and a sitout powerbomb gives Lee two. Operation Dragon is blocked though and Woods comes back in to strike away. A hiptoss puts Lee in the Tree Of Woe, leaving Woods to dive on Styles. Back in and Lee kicks Kingston into the Styles Clash and dives onto everyone else, leaving Styles to get the retaining pin at 9:04.

Rating: B. What has happened to New Day? They were one of the most successful teams of all time but now they are coming off as the most “well they’re here too” things I’ve seen in a long time. The heel turn has absolutely not worked but I’m not sure how well a simple turn back would work. They absolutely need something though, because this is somehow getting worse every week.

We look at Stephanie Vaquer retaining the Women’s Title against Nikki Bella.

Vaquer says she’s ready for her next challenger so here is Liv Morgan to says he’s back. Yeah they have to go there sooner than later.

Here is the Vision for a chat. Paul Heyman gives a shoutout to Brock Lesnar and Drew McIntyre before moving on to the three people still in the ring. Bronson Reed Tsunamied everyone on the other side. Logan Paul is the biggest mainstream star on the face of the earth (Paul’s eyes going side to side during this is great). And shoutout to WWE executives, who have made CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker for the January 5 Raw in Brooklyn.

The fans chant for Punk but Breakker says he’s upset tonight. It’s not because of where he is or because of the masked man, but rather how easy it was to pin Punk at Survivor Series. He thought he was going to have to dig deeper than ever and go to a level he’s never reached before. Then he found out that Punk is just a soft a** b****. Punk is no different than any veteran who has lived off of past greatness, just like Seth Rollins.

The reality is Punk isn’t even the biggest star in his own house, and we pause for a Punk chant. Breakker is ready for a fight in Brooklyn because Punk tried to break his neck at Survivor Series. He’s coming for everything in January and wants to take every great memory he’s ever had.

Last year at Wrestlemania, Punk came up to him and said let’s see if you can cut a promo with the big dogs. Well consider the promo cut because he’s going to leave Punk looking up at the lights and realizing that he’s not as good as Bron Breakker, the real best in the world. Well. That worked. I’m not sure what else there is to say there. Breakker just cut the promo of his life and it feels like Punk is about to get crushed in every possible way.

Jey Uso doesn’t have anything to say and says people in his head need to get out. The only person he has to blame is the one looking back in the mirror. Roman Reigns said it best: those titles look the best on Reigns’ shoulders, not Jey’s.

Last Time Is Now Tournament Semifinals: Gunther vs. Solo Sikoa

Talla Tonga is here with Sikoa. Gunther grabs a lockup to start but gets backed up against the ropes. The threat of a chop has Sikoa ducking so Gunther slaps on a headlock instead. An exchange of shoulders goes to Sikoa but Gunther knocks him hard out to the floor, leaving Sikoa looking rocked as we take a break.

We come back with Sikoa hammering on the back but not being able to slam him. Gunther tries a slam of his own, with Sikoa falling on him for two. Sikoa goes up and gets caught with a chop, meaning it’s a superplex to leave both of them down. They collide again and then chop it out, followed by an exchange of kicks to the face. Sikoa gets in a Samoan Spike and they’re both down again as we take a second break.

We come back with Sikoa hitting the running Umaga Attack in the corner but Gunther drops him with a clothesline. Another big clothesline gets two but Gunther has to block the Samoan Spike. Instead Sikoa grabs the Samoan Spike for two so Gunther stuns him with some chops. Spinning Solo cuts the comeback off and a Superfly Splash gets two, with the fans being impressed by the kickout. Gunther reverses the Samoan Spike into a sleeper and then a German suplex, with Sikoa pulling the turnbuckle pad off.

Tonga gets knocked off the apron but Gunther goes after him and gets kicked in the face. The referee sees Tonga holding Gunther, who kicks Tonga low and slams Sikoa’s thumb into the apron. Back in and a low blow stops Sikoa, setting up a powerbomb to give Gunther the pin at 17:52.

Rating: B+. These guys beat the fire out of each other and it was great to see. Sikoa can wrestle a physical style when he’s given the chance and they had a heck of a fight. Gunther is at his best when he activates his version of Beast Mode and gets to a point where he isn’t going to be stopped. That’s what we got here and Sikoa was hanging in there with him for a very long time. Awesome match here and a heck of a lot better than I was expecting.

Post match LA Knight gets in the ring to talk some trash. The finals are set for Smackdown.

We get the women’s version of the Wrestlemania promo, with the women at a bar in a casino.

The referee doesn’t have any information on the masked man. Adam Pearce says keep him posted but AJ Styles and Dragon Lee come up to say they want another title defense next week. Maybe against the War Raiders. Pearce makes the match.

Here’s what’s coming next week, including Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Balor.

Mysterio is sick of Dominik and he’s ready to go through Judgment Day one at a time. There’s a chance he might even come after the Intercontinental Title. Logan Paul comes in to say that sounds crazy, with Mysterio saying that Paul might be the only person worse than Dominik. Paul mocks Mysterio’s height and says the Intercontinental Title belongs to the Vision, so step down. Mysterio asks who is going to stop him, with Paul issuing some threats. That earns him a slap to the face so here is security to break it up. I’ve heard worse ideas.

Charlotte/Alexa Bliss vs. Rhea Ripley/Iyo Sky

Sky rolls Charlotte up to start fast and gives her a double stomp as we take an early break. We come back with Bliss forearming away at Ripley, who snatches her up into the Prism Trap. That’s reversed with a ramp into Charlotte, with Ripley holding up her arms in an “oh well”. Sky comes back in with a 619 to the back and Ripley’s running knee gets two.

The Bullet Train missed in the corner and Bliss gets in a knockdown, allowing the big tags off to Charlotte and Ripley. They fight over some waistlocks before trading the shots to the face. Charlotte gets in the Downward Spiral into the corner but Ripley pops up with an enziguri (that looked awesome) and we take a break. We come back with Sky hitting some running knees to Charlotte, allowing Ripley to come back in.

What looks like a powerbomb doesn’t work as Ripley falls down, with the second attempt resulting in a Razor’s Edge to Charlotte. Sky adds a missile dropkick but Riptide is countered into a DDT. Charlotte superkicks her into a DDT from Bliss but Twisted Bliss hits raised knees. Sky comes back in but charges into a boot to the face.

Natural Selection and the Sister Abigail DDT plant Sky, with Ripley making a save. Bliss slips out of another Razor’s Edge so Ripley headbutts her into Riptide. Over The Moonsault connects but Charlotte drives Ripley into the cover for the save. Everyone is down and cue the Kabuki Warriors to jump both of them for the double DQ at 14:32.

Rating: B. Sweet goodness I cannot stand that finish. How can villains be so stupid to never get that this won’t work? It’s something that plagues all kinds of villains around the wrestling world and here we are again. That’s a shame too as it came at the end of a pretty strong match, with the Ripley vs. Charlotte showdowns feeling huge. Both teams worked well together and I liked what we were getting until the lame ending.

Post match the beatdown is on but Lyra Valkyria and Bayley run in for the save. The big brawl is on and here is Liv Morgan, along with Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez to wreck everyone. Perez and Rodriguez pose with the titles and Morgan says she’s back to end the show. That was a bit better than I was expecting, though hopefully this doesn’t result in some messy group match.

Overall Rating: A-. Give the main event a better main event and the show would have been one of the best Raw’s in a long time. They moved stories forward, the wrestling was rather good throughout, and the Breakker promo was outstanding to cap it off. Awesome show here, and hopefully they can keep up the momentum as they’re wrapping up the year.

Results
LA Knight b. Jey Uso – Crucifix
AJ Styles/Dragon Lee b. New Day – Styles Clash to Kingston
Gunther b. Solo Sikoa – Powerbomb
Rhea Ripley/Iyo Sky vs. Charlotte/Alexa Bliss went to a double DQ when the Kabuki Warriors interfered

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: November 24, 2025
Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

It’s the last Raw before Survivor Series and that means we’re going to be seeing the final push towards WarGames. The main matches are pretty much entirely set but there is always room for one last build. We might even focus on some of the non-WarGames matches this week, which isn’t a bad idea. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of the setup of the men’s WarGames match, with Drew McIntyre, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar being added in the last week and a half.

Here is Roman Reigns to get things going. He says his catchphrase but here is Cody Rhodes for a staredown, complete with his own catchphrase. Rhodes says Reigns is a man of his word and the last time it was for a match. This time though, it’s for war. Rhodes wants to know what’s in this for Reigns, who says it’s Rhodes who is brand new to this fight. They don’t like each other or know each other very well, but Reigns knows they both care about family.

A lot of this team is his family and before they were on his team, they were in his Bloodline. He’s been invested in them for a long time and he’s here to see that investment through. Rhodes: “Understood.” He welcomes Reigns to his team, which doesn’t sit well with Reigns. Cue CM Punk, who hits his own catchphrase and tells the crowd to acknowledge them. Punk remembers teaming with Reigns before and Reigns remembers Punk ruining his life. That’s kind of true, but Punk says if Reigns stabs Punk in his back this Saturday, he’d stab his family in the back.

Rhodes tries to cool it down but Punk doesn’t like Rhodes saying it’s his show, because this is Monday Night Raw on Netflix. Cody can be the quarter back on Friday but on Monday, he’s the champ. Reigns finds this ridiculous and says that he hates Paul Heyman and the Vision more than he hates the two of them. If we’re being honest, that title (he doesn’t specify which) would look better on his shoulder. Reigns goes to leave and Punk asks who Reigns was talking to. Reigns says that’s for them to figure out and leaves. That last exchange was rather good, though this felt like some forced drama.

Paul Heyman is in the back with the Vision and tries to get Drew McIntyre to take tonight’s tag match for the WarGames advantage seriously. Logan Paul mocks the idea that the partner is going to be Brock Lesnar but Heyman warns Paul about what happens if Lesnar’s name comes out of the wrong mouth. Instead, Paul will be McIntyre’s partner, which Paul calls a wise choice.

Last Time Is Now Tournament Quarterfinals: Gunther vs. Carmelo Hayes

Hayes pounds him into the corner to start, which is broken up with raw power. A running shoulder drops Hayes and Gunther actually gets on the buckle to mock the crowd. That earns him a powerbomb out of the corner and a springboard DDT gives Hayes two. One heck of a chop cuts Hayes off though and we take a break.

We come back with Hayes managing a quick sleeper, which Gunther reverses into one of his own. That’s escaped with a backflip and Hayes is right back with the sleeper. Gunther powers out again and they trade chops until Hayes knocks him down. A butterfly suplex sends Hayes flying but he’s right back with a DDT to counter the powerbomb (that was nice) as we take another break.

We come back again with Hayes grabbing a quick First 48 but Nothing But Net is cut off. Gunther chops the post by mistake so Hayes tries a springboard DDT, which pretty much completely misses (which commentary acknowledges). Instead, Hayes hits a running flip dive onto Gunther’s back for a big crash.

Gunther tries the powerbomb but gets reversed into a heck of a tornado DDT off the barricade. Back in and Hayes grabs La Mistica but misses Nothing But Net. The big clothesline into the powerbomb gives Gunther two and the fans are losing it on these near falls. Gunther elbows him in the head over and over, setting up the powerbomb for the pin at 17:25.

Rating: B+. There was no reason to believe that Hayes was going to win here but they had me believing that it was possible. That’s a sign that something is going right and I was pulled into everything they were doing here. Hayes has found something as a good guy and a definitive win over Miz in their feud should help. On the other hand though, this seems to be Gunther’s tournament to lose at the moment, which shouldn’t be surprising.

Cody Rhodes/CM Punk/Roman Reigns are still arguing when the Usos come up to say tonight’s advantage match is a tag match. They happen to be the best tag team ever so……we seem to have a solution! They leave and Reigns tells Punk and Rhodes to fix this.

Here is Dominik Mysterio for a chat. He promises to end John Cena’s retirement tour in his hometown this weekend, continuing to prove that he is the greatest Mysterio of all time. Mysterio brings up that Cena isn’t here tonight but cue Cena’s music….and it’s a mini Santa, complete with a mini Stu the Cameraman.

Mini Cena (or John Weena according to Barrett) can’t do the slide underneath the bottom rope so he has to go for the ropes. Mysterio insults Cena, who calls him the worst Mysterio of all time. Mysterio seems to say that’s not what Cena is supposed to say but Cena challenges him for a fight…and then gets kicked in the chest. That means it’s time for a Shuffle, a 619 and a frog splash, only for Rey Mysterio to interrupt and chase him off.

Rey Mysterio vs. JD McDonagh

Finn Balor is here with McDonagh. We’re joined in progress with Mysterio backdropping him down and hammering away in the corner. That’s broken up and McDonagh drops him face first onto the buckle to take over. McDonagh stomps him down and grabs a chinlock, with the fans being rather behind Mysterio. McDonagh lets go and poses on the ropes, allowing Mysterio to send him outside.

That’s fine with McDonagh, who drops him onto the announcers’ table as we take a break. We come back with Mysterio in trouble but managing to send McDonagh into the post for a big crash. The top rope seated senton connects for Mysterio and he kicks McDonagh in the head for two. The 619 is countered into a Spanish Fly for two and they both need a breather. Balor tries to get up for a distraction so Mysterio sends McDonagh into him. The 619 and springboard splash give Mysterio the pin at 10:24.

Rating: B-. Mysterio continues to be able to look good against just about anyone in the ring and that was the case again here. It helps that McDonagh has been rapidly improving in recent weeks and it made for a pretty nice match here. The ending was a bit flat, but at least Mysterio gets a win before what should be a major showdown with Dominik in the near future.

Post match Balor goes after Mysterio, who manages to slip away.

Adam Pearce tells Raquel Rodriguez that she’s in the title mix. New Day comes in to complain about what’s going on with the Tag Team Titles but Pearce snaps. Apparently Dragon Lee and AJ Styles want to give them a title shot next week. Grayson Waller is so happy that he gives Pearce a wig.

Brock Lesnar arrives.

Here is a ticked off Becky Lynch for a chat. After a break, her WarGames team joins her before she goes on a rant about how the decision of last week’s title match will be overturned and she will be champion again. While that was a mistake, AJ Lee made a bigger mistake last week and now she’s making an even bigger mistake by locking herself in a cage.

Lynch has assembled the greatest team in the history of WarGames. She brags about how she’s put together all of these people, including Asuka, who she has beaten nine out of ten times, and Jax, who has great bones. Lynch doesn’t have to wear a mask like Rotten Rhea Ripley, which brings out the other team. AJ Lee talks about how the old her would jump Lynch and break her apart, but unlike Lynch, she bites instead of barking.

Ripley gets the mic and starts swinging rather than talking and the brawl is on. Ripley and company clear the ring, with Sky hitting a hue moonsault to the ring, sending Lynch running off. Pretty standard brawling segment, but Lynch was basically doing a straight up Trump impression without the voice and it was hilarious.

Last Time Is Now Tournament Quarterfinals: Penta vs. Solo Sikoa

Penta kicks away to start but they’re quickly on the floor. Sikoa manages to send him over the barricade, with Penta popping back up for a hurricanrana from said barricade. We take an early break and come back with….the match having been stopped as Penta was injured on the hurricanrana. Sikoa wins at around 4:50, with nowhere near enough shown to rate.

We see a woman’s finger circling a glass and a graphic says FOUR DAYS. It looks to be in the same font as Wrestlemania’s logo.

Maxxine Dupri can’t believe she won the title and calls Natalya. Before that happens, various women come up for some threatening glares. Adam Pearce has to come get her out of trouble.

Stephanie Vaquer is mad at Nikki Bella for betraying her and swears vengeance. See you at Survivor Series.

Survivor Series rundown.

Usos vs. Logan Paul/Drew McIntyre

For the WarGames advantage. Jimmy knocks Paul into the corner to start and sends him to the floor as we take an early break. We come back with Paul still in trouble, with Jey stomping away and sending him into the corner. A running splash connects but Paul fights out of trouble. McIntyre comes in for a slugout with Jey, who manages a needed suplex.

Paul cuts Jimmy of before the tag though, as he continues to be wise beyond his years. McIntyre takes Jey outside for a toss over the announcers’ table and we take another break. We come back again with Jey getting double suplexed, with both McIntyre and Paul doing nip ups. McIntyre charges into some boots in the corner though and the needed tag brings in Jimmy for the parade of superkicks.

Paul manages a Blockbuster for two, only for Jimmy to drop him with a spear. Everything breaks down and here’s the Vision, but cue Cody Rhodes and CM Punk to even it up. The brawl ensues on the floor but Jey hits a big dive to take them down. That’s enough for Paul to roll Jimmy up for the pin at 17:02.

Rating: C+. This felt long (might have been stretched to help after the injury finished the previous match early) and it didn’t have much of a doubt about the eventual result. At the end of the day, WarGames is almost always going to have the villains in control and given the lineups, it would be insanity to go in a different direction here. Not a bad match, but dropping five minutes would have been nice.

Post match the brawl is on with Roman Reigns coming in to clean house. The staredown is on and the credits roll, but cue Brock Lesnar, who actually falls down during his entrance and flips backwards (live TV people). The villains get on the apron and the big brawl ensues to end the show.

Overall Rating: B- This show started off strong and then hit a wall around halfway through. The big problem with a show like this is a hard one to get around: the main event, and big story, was about getting the advantage in a match on Saturday. It makes for little more than a big preview, with little actually being changed for Survivor Series. It’s good enough, but outside of the really good Gunther vs. Hayes match and maybe the opener, it’s not worth a look.

Results
Gunther b. Carmelo Hayes – Powerbomb
Rey Mysterio b. JD McDonagh – Springboard splash
Solo Sikoa b. Penta via doctor stoppage
Drew McIntyre/Logan Paul b. Usos – Rollup to Jimmy

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Smackdown
Date: November 21, 2025
Location: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re just over a week away from the Survivor Series and in this case that means it is time to both firm up more of the WarGames matches and set up some other things for the card. That can take a bit of time, but otherwise we also have to move forward in the Last Time Is Now tournament. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of the men’s WarGames match, with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns returning on Raw.

Here is the Vision for a chat. Paul Heyman has a vision for WarGames, which will see five heroes crushed by each member of his team. This includes Logan Paul, who says he has a lot to say but cue the Usos to interrupt. Jey brings up taking out the Vision, with Heyman says just ticked off Paul.

Heyman takes credit for the Bloodline, with the first lesson he taught the Usos being that the numbers game always wins. The Usos say they aren’t here alone so here is…Cody Rhodes’ music. We cut to the back, where Drew McIntyre gets off Rhodes’ bus and Rhodes is seen out cold. The Usos run to the back to check on Rhodes as I try to figure out how the cameraman knew to be there as McIntyre was getting off the bus.

Post break Rhodes is still down on the ground outside, with McIntyre driving away and shouting SEE YOU AT WARGAMES.

US Title: Ilja Dragunov vs. ???

It’s open challenge time and it’s….JD McDonagh challenging. We even get an explanation for why he’s here, with commentary saying that McDonagh is here to support Finn Balor in the Last Time Is Now tournament. They fight into the corner to start until Dragunov hits him in the face to break that up. Back up and McDonagh sends him face first into the middle rope and we take an early break.

We come back with the two of them slapping it out until Dragunov hits a running clothesline. Some rolling German suplexes have McDonagh in more trouble but the Constantine Special is countered into a Spanish Fly. McDonagh suplexes him out to the floor for a double crash and we take another break.

We come back again with McDonagh getting two off a brainbuster but missing a moonsault. That lets McDonagh kick him in the face but Torpedo Moscow is cut off. Now the moonsault can connect to give McDonagh two, only for Dragunov to come back with Torpedo Moscow. The H Bomb retains the title at 15:20.

Rating: B+. This has become a standard on the show in recent months and that’s a good thing. It’s a case of having wrestlers come out there and do a bunch of stuff in the ring. As entertaining as the matches have been, it would be a bit nicer to have an actual story to set these matches up. While they’re kind of getting there with Tommaso Ciampa, they need to have an actual match for it to work. Either way, another pretty awesome match here.

We look at the recent drama of Charlotte and Alexa Bliss/Rhea Ripley, with Charlotte not wanting to team with Ripley but then agreeing to do it anyway.

Charlotte and Bliss are in the back, with Bliss making her talk to Ripley, with Iyo Sky leaving.

Nick Aldis has no update on Cody Rhodes but goes over to yell at the Vision. Drew McIntyre is still suspended, but he didn’t come into the arena so there is no violation of the suspension. Oh and Bronson Reed will win tonight.

Ilja Dragunov runs into Tama Tonga, who says he’s coming for the title. Dragunov also finds Tommaso Ciampa, who says a bit wordier version of the same thing.

Last Time Is Now Tournament First Round: Carmelo Hayes vs. Bronson Reed

Paul Heyman is here with Reed. Hayes slugs away to start fast but Reed is back up with a hard chop in the corner. A running knee in the corner has Hayes in trouble and a running elbow puts him down again. Hayes’ DDT has Reed in trouble though and a springboard DDT drops him for a second time.

That’s enough for Reed to bail out to the floor for a meeting with the Vision (with Logan Paul and Bron Breakker showing up) and we take a break. We come back with Hayes being whipped hard into the corner and we hit the chinlock. Reed tries to fight up but Paul interferes to cut him back down. Reed’s backsplash misses so Hayes can roll him up for two, followed by a middle rope clothesline. The Fadeaway sets up the frog splash for two more but the First 48 is countered.

The Tsunami misses and it’s the First 48 to send Reed outside. That means a big dive to take Reed down, followed by a top rope DDT to give Hayes two. Reed hits a heck of a running clothesline to send Hayes outside. Breakker loads up a spear, but cue Jey Uso to cut him off. Reed heads outside after Hayes…and it’s Cody Rhodes to post Reed and give him Cross Rhodes. That’s enough for Hayes to beat the count at 13:31.

Rating: B-. This might not have been the big giant slayer win for Hayes, but it was about the best option that they had available. Hayes needed a win and Reed shouldn’t be getting pinned, so this was the solution. I’ve seen far worse, and Hayes is at least winning to become more of a star than he’s been in recent months.

Post match Rhodes says he doesn’t want to be done with Drew McIntyre and historically, a Steiner is never better than a Rhodes. Logan Paul can go do a flip and Rhodes is the last person to beat Brock Lesnar and he did it TWICE. This was a fired up promo and that’s where Rhodes can shine.

Chelsea Green hides from Giulia and Kiana James, who yell at Alba Fyre instead. With the two of them gone, Green comes out and says she’s the greatest women’s champion of all times. Jade Cargill pops up, with Green realizing she screwed up and running off.

Sami Zayn gives his friends a pep talk about the MFT’s, who are ready to fight next week. The promos from the Motor City Machine Guns, Rey Fenix and Shinsuke Nakamura aren’t much, but we do get an old school Survivor Series graphic to hype up the match.

Fraxiom vs. DIY

Candice LeRae is here with DIY. Ciampa is wearing a shirt that says “DON’T CALL ME A JACKASS”, Gargano’s says “DON’T CALL MY BEST FRIEND A JACKASS” and LeRae’s is “DON’T CALL MY HUSBAND’S BEST FRIEND A JACKASS!” Ok that’s kind of amazing. Anyway, Ciampa and Frazer start things off but it’s off to Axiom off a quick blind tag. Everything breaks down and Fraxiom hits a pair of dives to the floor.

Back in and a pair of frog splashes hit Ciampa for two but Gargano is back up with a superkick. Frazer is sent into the steps for a crash and we take a break. We come back with Frazer coming back in to clean house. That’s quickly cut off with a Shatter Machine for two, followed by a superkick/Fairy Tale Ending combination for two on Axiom. That’s broken up and Axiom is right back on his feet as the Fireflies are out. LeRae steals Axiom’s mask though and Gargano gets a fast pin at 7:44.

Rating: C+. The match didn’t get a ton of time but it was four guys working their usual entertaining style. I could go for Axiom losing less frequently and I could definitely go for less of the stealing the mask deal, but at least the team had an out for the loss. They had a story coming into this with the US Title stuff, so this did have a few bonus points.

We get the sitdown face to face with Rhea Ripley and Charlotte. They have a history and they’re willing to fight again, but first up it’s WarGames. Ripley is willing to go to war with Charlotte at her side and Charlotte says yes. They shake hands and it seems to be ok.

Last Time Is Now Tournament First Round: Finn Balor vs. Penta

Penta jumps him to start and the brawl is on with Balor taking over. That’s quickly cut off and Penta sends him outside for the big running flip dive. We take a break and come back with Penta hitting a superkick to send him into the corner. Balor is right back with some kicks of his own, which is countered into something like a MuscleBuster for two. The Sling Blade drops Penta again but the Coup de Grace misses, allowing Penta to get two more off a rollup. The Penta Driver gets two and the running Canadian Destroyer gives Penta the clean pin at 10:03.

Rating: B-. These guys had a fight for about ten minutes and it was pretty much all action throughout. That made for an entertaining match and it’s encouraging to see Penta get another clean win. I’m not sure if he’s going to make it past the quarterfinals, but at least he’s getting there in the first place.

Sheamus is injured and out of the tournament so we’ll have to see who is replacing him.

Solo Sikoa and the MFT’s are ready to crush Sami Zayn and company.

Here is Team Ripley to name its final member. Ripley praises her current team members and brings out the fifth member: AJ Lee. Cue the other team to jump Ripley and company from behind, with Becky Lynch running in to jump Lee from behind as both teams seem to be complete to end the show. Lee was hardly a surprise and that made Lynch the obvious counterpart, which isn’t a bad thing.

Overall Rating: B. This show was feeling focused again and they covered quite a few things. You had the US Title stuff, the tournament, and the WarGames build. Throw in the hype for next week’s Survivor Series match and I liked the mix we had this week. It’s nice to see them building towards some stuff when things are getting more important. Now just keep it going when we get to the actual important stuff.

Results
Ilja Dragunov b. JD McDonagh – H Bomb
Carmelo Hayes b. Bronson Reed via countout
DIY b. Fraxiom – Rollup to Axiom
Penta b. Finn Balor – Running Canadian Destroyer

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 3, 2025
Location: Rio Rancho Events Center, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

In something we don’t get to say very often, we’re in New Mexico and in this case we have a new World Champion in the form of CM Punk. After defeating Jey Uso to win the vacant title at Saturday Night’s Main Event, it’s time for Punk to get some fresh challengers. Those very well may be coming this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Saturday Night’s Main Event if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of CM Punk winning the title at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Here is Punk to get things going. After his usual intro, Punk is stopped by a YOU DESERVE IT chant, with Punk saying that we’ll get to the difference between “deserved” and “earned”. Punk thanks AJ Lee (with a lot of positive adjectives) before saying the fans deserve it for being by his side. He also thanks Jey Uso for the match and the fight, and he appreciates Uso for being a real main eventer. Yeet. Punk hopes they can still be friends but he gets if they can’t.

Instead, Punk doesn’t know how long he’ll have around here so he’s got to hold onto the title for as long as he can. There is no Seth Rollins with a briefcase coming to steal the title so he does the Rollins spin the title over his head bit. Punk knows there is a target on him and knows that the locker room is waiting on him. He brings up names like Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker before saying he wants to test himself.

That means facing people like AJ Styles, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh, Finn Balor, Sheamus and of course John Cena. Punk knows Cena doesn’t have a long time left but he’s here for a good time, so come try to be an eighteen time World Champion. Cue the returning Logan Paul to interrupt and Punk nearly loses it, with a great “NOT HIM!”.

Punk suggests that Paul go after the US Title on Smackdown (“I hear it’s lovely this time of year.”) before Paul talks about how he’s like a great car. Punk is like an old, beaten up Honda Civic but here is the Vision to interrupt. Heyman isn’t impressed by what he sees in front of him and says Bron Breakker is at the front of the line. Punk has been champion for two days, which is four hundred and thirty two days shy of then they were World Champion together. As for Paul, he needs to get to steppin, but Paul says he was here first so the Vision should have gotten out here faster.

Breakker takes the mic, saying they’ve been waiting for weeks after taking out Seth Rollins and waiting for a new champion to be crowned. Breakker is coming for what belongs to him because Punk is keeping it warm for him. The two of them should get out of the ring before he whips them like a dog. Punk says it’s time to fight so Paul can either fight with him or get out. Naturally Paul goes to leave but is cut off by the Vision, with Breakker shoving him down. The Vision beats Punk down and Paul actually gets in, with Reed crushing him with a Tsunami. Punk comes in with a chair to make the save.

This was a long segment, but it set the stage for where things are at the moment. Punk is the new top star around here (now officially) and he’s going to be a fighting champion, as a good guy should be a lot of the time. That deserves some time to talk and Paul being set up as a challenger is fine, as Punk is going to need someone to come after him until Bron Breakker is really ready.

Nikki Bella/Stephanie Vaquer vs. Judgment Day

Perez backs Bella into the ropes to start so they trade places, with Bella blocking a big slap. Bella works on the arm before Rodriguez comes in to take Bella into the corner. It’s quickly off to Vaquer for the staredown with Rodriguez, who muscles her up for a suplex. Vaquer slips out of that and kicks her in the face, followed by a snap suplex to Perez. Everything breaks down and, after a hip bump, Vaquer and Bella dive off the apron to drop the villains as we take a break.

We come back with Bella getting knocked down and Perez adding a Lionsault. Bella manages to tornado DDT her way out of the corner to drop Rodriguez, allowing the tag off to Vaquer. Rodriguez’s knee is taken out but the STB is blocked. A high crossbody gives Vaquer two and it’s off to Perez, who gets caught in the Devil’s Kiss. Bella hits the Rack Attack 2.0 but Rodriguez makes the save. Vaquer takes Rodriguez to the apron but can’t hit the Devil’s Kiss. Instead Rodriguez drops her onto the apron and hits Bella in the face, setting up Pop Rox to give Perez the pin at 12:46.

Rating: C. Bella’s comeback continues to feel like little more than a thing that is happening, as she feels like a relic of the past. While she’s far from some kind of terrible disaster, she isn’t quite hanging in there that well with the bigger stars. If nothing else, it seems like one of the two villains will be getting a shot at Vaquer sooner than later, which is fairly long overdue.

We look at the announcement of the John Cena The Last Time Is Now tournament for the right to face Cena in his final match.

Adam Pearce has a tumbler to determine some first round matches.

CM Punk runs into Jey Uso, who was thinking about helping Punk earlier. Punk asks if he’s talking to Jey Uso or Little Roman. Uso says they can take care of the Vision tonight and a tag match seems to be set.

Penta vs. El Grande Americano

Rayo and Bravo are here with Grande. Penta snaps off a headscissors to start but Grande cuts off another one with a faceplant. Grande goes after the mask but gets suplexes for two instead. They fight to the apron and strike it out until Grande reverses a Canadian Destroyer with a backdrop and we take a break.

We come back with Penta fighting out of trouble but the Canadian Destroyer is blocked. Instead Penta kicks him in the head for two and they strike it out, with Penta sending him outside. The big flip dive connects but Bravo trips him down, earning an ejection. The distraction lets Rayo load up Grande’s mask but Penta plants him down. Rayo gets caught catching him on top and gets ejected, allowing Penta to hit a big dive. Grande’s diving headbutt is superkicked away and the middle rope Canadian Destroyer finishes Grande at 10:24.

Rating: C+. I’m a bit surprised to see Americano lose, but to be fair the whole story has lost a lot of steam due to Chad Gable being hurt. It was also a lot more fun when the lackeys were more mysterious and just popping up rather than being there all the time, but that’s another story. Either way, good for Penta to get a win, which he has been needing more of lately.

The Kabuki Warriors are tired of the lack of respect for Asuka, who is the true legend. They’re ready to show their dominance over the tag division.

Here is Dominik Mysterio for a chat to quite the reaction. Mysterio brags about his greatness…and Rey Mysterio is back. Rey doesn’t like Dominik calling himself the greatest luchador of all time. What about El Santo? Blue Demon? Or EDDIE GUERRERO? Is Dominik better than they are?

Dominik certainly thinks so, but he knows he’s better than Rey. That’s too far for Rey, who isn’t going to let Dominik disrespect lucha libre. Rey isn’t having this and wants to stand up for lucha libre, saying as long as he’s around, Dominik will not be the greatest ever. The brawl is on and Dominik bails away. Well the match is all but guaranteed and this month’s pay per view is in Rey’s hometown. Yeah that should work.

Lyra Valkyria makes sure everything is ok with Bayley after the Kabuki Warriors attacked Charlotte and Alexa Bliss after last week’s match.

Here is Becky Lynch on the announcers’ table, saying she has a lot to get off her chest. She has been going through a lot in the last few weeks. Her hot husband is injured at home, the Vision has lost their minds, and now she has a crooked referee obsessed with holding her down.

On top of all that though, there’s Maxxine Dupri, who the fans have believing that she’s actually good. Dupri can go train with anyone she wants and it won’t matter because Lynch is just that much better. Lynch goes to leave but runs into the Kabuki Warriors, with Asuka having quite the staredown. A paranoid and near snapping Lynch carrying the feud is a good idea, as the more Dupri is out there, the quicker the charm will wear off.

Kabuki Warriors vs. Lyra Valkyria/Bayley

Asuka takes Valkyria down to start but misses a running kick, allowing Valkyria to nip up. A basement dropkick gives Valkyria two and it’s off to Bayley vs. Sane. Bayley quickly takes over and plants Sane before Valkyria comes in for the near fall. A dive misses though and Asuka suplexes Valkyria on the floor as we take a break.

We come back with Bayley getting the tag to clean house, including a Thesz press to hammer on Asuka. The twisting Stunner over the middle rope rocks Asuka again and a middle rope elbow to a standing Asuka’s back gets two. Sane comes back in to knee Bayley off the apron, only to get Bayley To Bellied for two back inside.

A sunset bomb sends Sane into the corner for Valkyria’s guillotine legdrop and a near fall. Sane is able to catch Valkyria on top for a double stomp and Bayley has to make a save. Valkyria is back with a backbreaker so Bayley’s riddle rope elbow can get two, as Asuka makes the save. Asuka takes Bayley down and loads up the reverse DDT but Bayley is back up. Valkyria is rammed into Bayley though and the Asuka Lock finishes Valkyria at 14:07.

Rating: B. They were working hard here and the Warriors get a win on their way towards the Tag Team Title shot. Valkyria and Bayley are a team who work well half the time at best and that was the case here, though it wasn’t their fault for once. I’m curious as to where that’s going, mainly because they’ve dropped the ridiculous multiple personalities deal go away.

Post match Charlotte and Alexa Bliss run in to chase the Warriors off.

JD McDonagh and Finn Balor are ready to get their Tag Team Titles back when Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez come in to give them a pep talk. Dominik Mysterio comes in and complains about Rey Mysterio, with Balor not being happy about Dominik’s lack of focus on what matters. The women won’t listen either and blame Dominik for costing them the titles in the first place.

Tag Team Titles: AJ Styles/Dragon Lee vs. Judgment Day

Styles and Lee are challenging and get jumped to start fast in the corner as Dominik Mysterio, at ringside, approves. Lee gets put on top but he comes back with a high crossbody to put Baylor down. A running hurricanrana over the top pulls McDonagh off the apron, only for Balor to come back with a basement dropkick for two.

We’re already in the chinlock but Lee fights up with a sitout powerbomb. Styles comes in to take over in the corner and hits a big dive to the floor as we take a break. We come back with Lee coming in to clean house until a Sling Blade cuts him off. The shotgun dropkick sets up a missed Coup de Grace so Balor hits a quick Nightmare On Helm Street. Styles comes back in to strike away on McDonagh, who accidentally takes out Dominik Mysterio.

The Coup de Grace hits McDonagh by mistake and it’s a Phenomenal Forearm for two with Balor making the save. Balor and Mysterio stop for a chat, with Mysterio loading up a belt shot. Cue Sheamus to cut that off before Styles can get hit but the distraction lets a shillelagh shot knock Styles sill for two, with Lee making the save. Sheamus beats up Mysterio and Lee hits a big running flip dive to take Balor out. The Styles Clash to McDonagh retains the titles at 10:32.

Rating: B+. Dang I got into that one, as they were going nuts with the near falls and false finishes. Sheamus interfering and going after Mysterio gives me hope that he could try for the Intercontinental Title again, as that is quite the story if we ever get to the title change. On the other hand you have Styles and Lee, who pretty clearly aren’t a long term team, but they’re doing fine for a quick thing as Styles heads out.

Nikki Bella apologizes to Stephanie Vaquer for their loss, as well as Vaquer having to defend against Raquel Rodriguez next week. As usual, this leads to praise of Bella, who continues to be one of the most annoying humans anytime she speaks.

Paul Heyman comes up to see Jey Uso, who was always his favorite member of the Bloodline. That’s why Heyman can’t understand why Uso would ever team with CM Punk. Uso says Punk faced him man to man, which Uso respects. He doesn’t care what anyone says about him but Heyman talks about how it is now open warfare with everyone involving the Vision. Heyman thinks Uso has a vision all of his own, so good luck tonight.

Adam Pearce announces some first round matches for next week in the John Cena tournament:

Rusev vs. Damian Priest
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sheamus

CM Punk/Jey Uso vs. The Vision

Paul Heyman is here with the Vision. Uso strikes away at Reed to start and Punk comes in with a top rope ax handle on the arm. Reed isn’t having that and powers Punk into the corner so Breakker can come in for a rather strong backdrop. It’s back to Uso for a double belly to back suplex to Breakker and a superkick to Reed. The villains are sent outside for a big dive to take them down and we take a break.

We come back with Punk in trouble and Breakker coming in to shoulder him in the corner. Breakker misses a running knee though and crashes out to the floor, only to come back in for a Shatter Machine of all things to Punk. Uso has to make the save, leaving Punk to slip out of a gorilla press and grab a neckbreaker. The tag brings in Uso to go after Reed, including the dancing spit punch. Well slap but close enough. The spear hits Reed, with Breakker making the save this time. Punk’s top rope clothesline hits Breakker, as does a slingshot dive to the floor. Everyone goes outside and it’s a double countout at 10:15.

Rating: B-. In a way I like the result, as you don’t want to have the villains lose but Punk shouldn’t be taking a loss, either directly or indirectly, two days after getting the title back. The action was good enough as well, as Uso continues to feel like a main eventer, though Breakker continues to feel like the future.

Post match the brawl is on and Reed is put on the announcers’ table, only for Breakker to come back with the Super Spear to Uso. Punk makes the save with a chair but the Vision grabs chairs of their own. Cue Logan Paul…who takes Punk out with the brass knuckles and stands tall with the Vision. He even hands the knuckles to Heyman to end the show. Eh I can go with it, as the team is kind of weird without a singles star to go with the tag team.

Overall Rating: B+. This show had a rather good mixture of wrestling and talking, with Punk’s promo setting the stage for where things were going and the Paul stuff at the end being an intriguing move. At the same time, you had the pretty awesome Tag Team Title match and some other entertaining matches included. I’m liking where a lot of this is going, especially with WarGames being visible if you squint hard enough with three and a half weeks left.

Results
Judgment Day b. Nikki Bella/Stephanie Vaquer – Pop Rox to Bella
Penta b. El Grande Americano – Middle rope Canadian Destroyer
Kabuki Warriors b. Lyra Valkyria/Bayley – Asuka Lock to Valkyria
Dragon Lee/AJ Styles b. Judgment Day – Styles Clash to McDonagh
CM Punk/Jey Uso vs. The Vision went to a double countout

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: October 3, 2025
Location: Heritage Bank Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T.

We’re just over a week away from Crown Jewel, meaning it’s time to keep going with the build to the champion vs. champion matches. In this case though, we have Cody Rhodes teaming up with Randy Orton to face the Vision, which should make for a heck of a big time match. In addition, we have a contract signing and you know those always go well. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here is Cody Rhodes for a chat. Rhodes asks what the fans want to talk about but gets cut off by Paul Heyman, with the Vision. Randy Orton runs in to even things out a bit but Heyman hits the catchphrase instead of sending in the monsters. Heyman says they’re here to talk to Orton, who is a hard man to reach.

They knew that they could get Orton here by cornering Rhodes and, after mocking the RKO chants, Heyman moves to tonight’s tag match. Heyman wonders how it’s going to go, as Orton will either be thinking he could be a better champion than Rhodes or Rhodes will wonder where Orton was when they lose. Rhodes vs. Orton is going to happen someday and Wrestlemania wouldn’t shock me.

Miz yells at Carmelo Hayes for not helping him last week. Hayes tells them that this is done, and Miz should be happy because Hayes usually shoots first.

US Title: Sami Zayn vs. ???

Zayn is defending against…Carmelo Hayes, who says they’ve done this before but this time there is no one holding him back. Cue Miz with a Skull Crushing Finale to Hayes though and it seems we’ll need a new challenger.

US Title: Sami Zayn vs. Aleister Black

Zayn is defending and snaps off some armdrags to start fast. Back up and Black scores with a kick to the face to take over, followed by another to the chest. We take a break and come back with Zayn striking away in the corner and clotheslining him out to the floor. A springboard moonsault drops Black again and a Michinoku Driver gives Zayn two. Black goes with another kick though and gets two off a bridging German suplex.

The Blue Thunder Bomb is blocked and Black sweeps the leg into an Oklahoma roll for two. Zayn catches him on top though and gets in a superplex as we take another break. We come back again with Black kneeing him out of the air for two before striking away in the corner. Zayn misses a quick Helluva Kick attempt and gets Meteoraed down for two more. Cue Damian Priest for a distraction though and it’s the Helluva Kick into the Blue Thunder Bomb to retain Zayn’s title at 15:19.

Rating: B. You can almost pencil in Zayn for a good match every time he does one of these things and that’s the right idea. Black is a nice choice for something like this and the ending should set up at least one more big Priest vs. Black match. At the same time, I’m curious to see where Miz vs. Hayes goes, along with whomever Zayn gets to face next.

Post match Priest sends Black through a table.

Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre interrupt Sol Ruca and Zaria with Nick Aldis. Green wants them in the Secret Hervice but gets a match against them instead.

Chelsea Green/Alba Fyre vs. Sol Ruca/Zaria

Fyre backs Zaria into the corner to start but gets choked for her efforts. Zaria’s middle rope clothesline drops Fyre and it’s off to Green, who has about the same luck. Ruca gets two off an X Factor but Fyre gets in a cheap shot so Green can kick Ruca in the face. A gordbuster into a basement superkick gets two on Ruca, who pops right back up with a Sol Snatcher to pin Green at 3:49.

Rating: C+. Oh they know what they have with Ruca, who is coming off as more and more of a star every time she’s out there. She has the look, the athleticism and the charisma to become a big deal. If that continues to build, we very well could be in for a heck of a star run from her in the coming years. Zaria is a bit harder to figure out, but WWE seems to be ready to give Ruca a chance, as they should.

Charlotte and Alexa Bliss are impressed and sure, Ruca and Zaria might get a title shot one day.

We look back at Roman Reigns’ return on Raw.

Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton are cool with each other.

Here is Nick Aldis to run the contract signing between Tiffany Stratton and Stephanie Vaquer. They stare at each other a bit and Vaquer says may the best woman win. Stratton says she’ll win because it doesn’t matter where they are, as it will ALWAYS be Tiffy Time. They both sign and Aldis hypes up the match before Stratton leaves. Cue Kiana James and Giulia to jump Stratton and say Vaquer isn’t a superstar just yet. James offers to represent Vaquer but Stratton is back up to pull James to the floor. Vaquer goes after Giulia, who escapes an SVB attempt.

Earlier today, Je’Von Evans talked to Nick Aldis, who thinks Evans has a big future on Smackdown. Rey Fenix came in to talk to Evans but Los Garza came in to mock them. A tag match was set for tonight.

Jacob Fatu is tired of hearing people whining, which is why he interrupted Drew McIntyre last week. He’s going to the top and McIntyre isn’t stopping him.

Je’Von Evans/Rey Fenix vs. Los Garza

Evans springboards into a rollup for an early two on Berto, who comes back with a dropkick for two of his own. Angel gets a blind tag and catches Evans with a kick to the head but Fenix comes in for a heck of a running flip dive. Evans hits an even bigger dive and we take a break.

We come back with Fenix slipping away from Angel and hitting him with a running shot to the face. Everything breaks down and Los Garza hit a powerbomb/World’s Strongest Slam combination for two on Evans. Back up and Evans kicks both of them down, including knocking Angel outside. Berto’s rollup with the ropes gets two but Fenix makes a blind tag. Evans’ top rope cutter drops Angel, leaving Fenix to hit the MMB for the pin on Garza at 9:09.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure what is next for Evans, but he’s another case where WWE seems to think quite a bit of him and that means he is likely going to be getting a lot more focus sooner than later. While it might be a bit too early for him, he is living up to the hype thus far and that is impressive. Fenix on the other hand is just kind of “the guy who teams with everyone else” and that’s only going to get him so far.

Damian Priest says he is the consequences for Aleister Black. Kit Wilson, in his wheelchair, comes in to call Priest out for his toxicity. Priest sends the wheelchair crashing into various things. He’ll also face Black next week, Last Man Standing.

Tala Tonga loves Solo Sikoa, who thinks there is still something missing.

The Street Profits, with B-Fab, are ready for the Wyatt Sicks next week and they’re fighting for each other. The Wyatts pop up on a screen behind them to point out the issues the Profits have been having.

Randy Orton/Cody Rhodes vs. Vision

Paul Heyman is here with the Vision. Orton and Breakker start things off with Breakker being knocked outside. We take an early break and come back with Orton fighting out of Reed’s chinlock. Reed gets sent shoulder first into the post, allowing the tag off to Rhodes. The Disaster Kick into a suicide dive connects but Reed is up at one back inside.

Breakker gets in a cheap shot from behind though and Rhodes is in trouble for a change. Reed knocks him down again and mocks Roman Reigns’ pose as we take another break. We come back again with Breakker powering Rhodes into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs. Breakker mocks the fans’ RHODES chants before raining down some right hands, mainly because Breakker is an awesome villain.

Rhodes slips out though and drops Reed, allowing the diving tag off to Orton. Powerslams abound but Reed catches Orton with the Jagged Edge. The Tsunami is broken up though and Orton gets in a superplex to Reed, with Breakker breaking it up. Breakker also breaks the barricade with a spear to Rhodes and take him out. Cue Seth Rollins to Stomp Orton, meaning Reed can hit the Tsunami for the pin at 15:16.

Rating: B. This was a good way to go with the main event and it felt like a main event tag match. Rollins coming in to screw Rhodes over makes sense, even if it came by attacking Orton. That’s a logical way to go and now we could be in for Orton getting some revenge sooner than later. Or maybe after Crown Jewel, which is the big deal that WWE is focusing on at the moment.

Post match Rollins wants to go after Rhodes again but Heyman says no, as Rhodes is in his head. Rollins goes in anyway and is promptly Cross Rhodesed to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This week saw a nice mixture of up and coming stars, plus some matches that helped boost the bigger stories around here. If nothing else, it was nice to see less of a focus on the Crown Jewel Title matches, as those are both pretty much set. The ending was a nice way to go and boosted up Rhodes vs. Rollins without hammering it into the ground again. Rather nice show here, and the future is looking nice around here.

Results
Sami Zayn b. Aleister Black – Blue Thunder Bomb
Sol Ruca/Zaria b. Chelsea Green/Alba Fyre – Sol Snatcher to Green
Je’Von Evans/Rey Fenix b. Los Garza – MMB to Garza
Vision b. Randy Orton/Cody Rhodes – Tsunami to Orton

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

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

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Smackdown
Date: September 26, 2025
Location: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T.

We’re done with Wrestlepalooza and things have kind of reset, with Cody Rhodes retaining the Smackdown World Title over Drew McIntyre. Normally that would mean a new challenger emerging but instead we have Crown Jewel and champion vs. champion coming up for the next few weeks. Other than that, the Women’s Title is on the line in a three way so let’s get to it.

Here is Wrestlepalooza if you need a recap.

Long Wrestlepalooza recap, including a shot from the post show of Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins having a staredown.

Here is Paul Heyman for a chat. He has a lot to talk about and paraphrases a “secondary champion” by asking what we want to talk about. The fans cut him off with an OTC chant but Heyman points out that Reigns was stretchered out of Paris by Bronson Reed. Maybe we should talk about Bron Breakker, who will be the star of the next ten years? Or maybe the conspiracy theories about Brock Lesnar? Either way, here is Cody Rhodes to interrupt.

Rhodes apologizes for calling Heyman a goon last week, so he wants to hear about Brock Lesnar. We look at a still of Heyman introducing Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza and Rhodes suggests that it wasn’t a one night thing. Is he talking to the Oracle, a wiseman, or an advocate? Heyman: “You’re talking to the GOAT.” The reality is that Lesnar is going to put everyone in danger but here is the Vision.

Rhodes says it’s about time they met, because he knows what it’s like to be the son of a legend. He grew up the son of a booker and was around all kinds of people in wrestling but he always knew where their loyalties lied. Where do Heyman’s loyalties lie though? No one knows, but they aren’t with Breakker. The fight is teased and Rhodes takes his watch off but the numbers get the better of him in a hurry. The beatdown is on until Randy Orton runs in for the save. That’s a heck of a tag match whenever they get around to it, along with the eventual Rhodes vs. Orton title match.

The Street Profits talk about how they have issues at times but the goal is always the same.

Street Profits vs. Carmelo Hayes/The Miz

For a future Tag Team Title shot. Miz rolls Ford up a few times to start and it’s off to Hayes, who gets his own rollup for two. Everything breaks down in a hurry and the Profits clear the ring but Hayes dropkicks Dawkins on the floor. We take a break and come back with Miz DDTing Ford for two and Hayes knocks Dawkins off the apron in a smart move.

Ford slips out of a belly to back suplex but Miz is right there to pull Dawkins down. The First 48 connects and Hayes loads up Nothing But Net, only for Miz to tag himself in. The argument is on, allowing the tag off to Dawkins. A Sky High into the frog splash gives Ford the pin at 9:28 (with Hayes glaring at Miz rather than making the save).

Rating: C+. Good enough match, with the Profits seemingly getting back on the same page. The question now is whether or not that is maintained at the title match, as the Wyatts are the reason for their strife in the first place. At the same time, Miz and Hayes are still having issues, which has been the case since they got together in the first place.

The Wyatt Sicks come out for the staredown.

Jade Cargill is tired of Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax so she’s ready to become champion. Stephanie Vaquer comes in and Cargill says she’s coming for her at Crown Jewel.

Giulia/Kiana James vs. Michin/B-Fab

B-Fab forearms at James to start and gets two off a basement clothesline. Giulia comes in for a running dropkick and sends B-Fab down hard, only for B-Fab to hit a running dropkick. Michin comes in and everything breaks down with the fight heading outside. Michin’s dropkick off the announcers’ table hits Giulia and we take a break.

We come back with James kicking B-Fan in the face so Giulia can hit a missile dropkick for two. B-Fab fights out of trouble though and it’s off to Michin to take over. Everything breaks down and Michin hits Eat Defeat on James. Giulia comes back in with the running knee though, followed by the northern lights bomb for the pin at 10:14.

Rating: C. Michin and B-Fab haven’t felt like viable challengers to Giulia so there wasn’t much of a reason to believe that they were going to win here. James was fine as backup for Giulia, who needs to string together a few wins. There are only so many challengers for the title, but Michin and B-Fab need to move on already as it doesn’t feel like they’re any kind of a threat to Giulia.

Sol Ruca and Zaria (from NXT) come in to ask Charlotte and Alexa Bliss for a Women’s Tag Team Title shot. Charlotte says you can’t just wave your hand and get a title shot, which Zaria finds funny. Bliss tells them to go prove themselves, with Charlotte liking the assertiveness.

Video on the Crown Jewel Title matches.

Here is Drew McIntyre, in a walking boot, for a chat. McIntyre talks about his history in Orlando, including returning to WWE in 2017 and winning his second WWE Title. He should be here with the title but Cody Rhodes was one step ahead. The referee cost him the title because it should have been a disqualification. Do the referees work for WWE or for Rhodes? Cue Nick Aldis to interrupt who says McIntyre shouldn’t make excuses because he’s better than that. That boot didn’t come from the WWE medical team but McIntyre calls himself a champion without a championship.

Cue Jacob Fatu and this should be interesting. Fatu takes the mic from McIntyre and tells him to shut up and stop b*******. McIntyre asks who Fatu thinks he is so Fatu hits his catchphrase. A Glasgow Kiss staggers Fatu, who is right back with a superkick and a shot with McIntyre’s medical boot. Yeah Fatu getting elevated like this is a good sign and he seems ready for the spot.

Stephanie Vaquer comes in to see Tiffany Stratton, saying they might face off at Crown Jewel. Stratton respects Vaquer, but will put her in the ground if they meet.

Rey Fenix and Sami Zayn are good after last week and Fenix is looking forward to finding out who is next for the US Open Challenge.

Solo Sikoa praises JC Mateo, who says he loves Sikoa.

US Title: Sami Zayn vs. ???

Zayn is defending against…NXT’s Je’Von Evans (a young and talented high flier). As luck would have it, Evans’ opponent at tomorrow’s NXT No Mercy, Josh Briggs, is here too. They trade armdrags to start and Evans takes him into the corner for a chop. A top rope hurricanrana takes Zayn down but he cuts a dive off with a running clothesline.

We take a break and come back with Evans hitting a heck of a dive to take Zayn out on the floor. A spinning kick to the face gives Evans two so Zayn fights back and goes up. That’s fine with Evans, who runs up the corner for a super hurricanrana and another near fall. The springboard spinning splash misses for Evans but he misses a Helluva Kick. Evans’ top rope cutter connects for two but he misses a charge, allowing Zayn to hit the Helluva Kick. The Blue Thunder Bomb retains the title at 10:17.

Rating: B. This was a heck of a showcase for Evans, who went out there and gave it everything he had, even in defeat. Evans started off rough in his career but he has turned into a rather entertaining star as he’s figured a lot of what he needs to do. It was a fast paced match and Zayn had to wait for the opening to catch him, which made for a good story. Heck of a match here.

Chelsea Green offers Nia Jax in the Secret Hervice but Jax rips up the offer. Jax runs into Stephanie Vaquer and threatens her.

Kit Wilson complains to Damian Priest about his toxic, patriarchal attitude last week. Priest lunges at him and Wilson falls down. Priest: “B****** be tripping huh?” Aleister Black comes up from behind and kicks Priest in the head, followed by some mockery.

Women’s Title: Tiffany Stratton vs. Nia Jax vs. Jade Cargill

Stratton is defending and gets knocked down to start, leaving Jax to shrug off Cargill’s running shoulder. Stratton dropkicks them both down and we take a break. We come back with Stratton’s suicide dive getting caught in the ropes so Cargill sends her back inside. Jax runs both of them over but gets caught on to. Cargill chokes Stratton but gets legdropped by Jax, leaving Stratton to hit a Swanton for two.

We take another break and come back again with a double superplex dropping Jax to leave everyone down. Stratton gives Cargill a Regal Roll and the Prettiest Moonsault Ever hits Jax, with Cargill making a save. Jaded hits Stratton so Jax pulls the referee out at two. Jax busts Cargill open so Cargill gives her a Samoan drop on the steps (geez).

We pause for the referee to try to close the cut on Cargill’s head but Cargill comes back in for the Eye of the Storm on Jax, with Stratton making the (late) save. Stratton covers and the referee just stops counting at two, with Jax clearly yelling at her as a result. Stratton pops up and hits The Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Jax to retain the title at 13:55.

Rating: C+. That botched kickout sequence at the end was terrible and brought things down a good bit. I’m assuming Cargill was supposed to make the save, but at least Stratton was smart enough to get up and hit the finish to get out of there. Either way, Stratton gets the two out of the way for the time being and can move on to the…well really the far less important match but it’s what we’re getting anyway.

Post match Stephanie Vaquer comes out for the staredown with Stratton to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I cannot bring myself to get into this Crown Jewel stuff as it feels so unimportant. I know it’s treated as a big deal at the time, but the whole thing is then basically ignored for eleven months. Why should I care about it if WWE doesn’t? That was one of the big focal points of this show, though the Zayn vs. Evans match was a lot of fun. It’s definitely not a bad show, but I’m really looking forward to moving on past the champion vs. champion stuff as it feels like such an unimportant side trip.

Results
Street Profits b. Carmelo Hayes/The Miz – Frog splash to Miz
Giulia/Kiana James b. Michin/B-Fab – Northern lights bomb to Michin
Sami Zayn b. Je’Von Evans – Blue Thunder Bomb
Tiffany Stratton b. Nia Jax and Jade Cargill – Prettiest Moonsault Ever to Jax

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6