WWE Monday Night Raw Review – 09.22.25

Now that we have Wrestlepalooza in the rear-view mirror – did you hear it was on ESPN? – we are on the road to Crown Jewel. We’re always on the road to something. The road never ends.

The last week in WWE: Raw / NXT / EVOLVE / SmackDown / Wrestlepalooza (Scott’s Version / Kat’s Version)

Then, Now, Forever, TOGETHER. Dun dun dun.

Wrestlepalooza was a thing and friends, it was on ESPN! Here’s a highlight package of the lead-in to it, the event and just a few more mentions of ESPN. It’s the ESPN ERA!

The Vision arrives with glum faces. WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer is here, being accompanied by her father Victor. The New Day and Grayson Waller are still in mourning but walk in with kendo sticks, a six-man no-DQ match ahead of them. Bayley is smiley and she’s here. Tonight, she battles Roxanne Perez. L.A. Knight is here too as we see Rusev shoving Intercontinental Champion and AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio in the background. Tonight, Knight faces Jey Uso! Surely it’ll be our main event. We’re in Evansville, Indiana at the Ford Center live on Netflix and presented by Snickers.

Wrestling has more than one royal family. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has joined us for a little talk tonight in the arena. He brought all his pyro with him. He’s introduced by Lilian Garcia, filling in for the vacationing Alicia Taylor. Cody slaps hands and hugs children. At Crown Jewel, he’ll battle Seth Rollins for the Men’s Crown Jewel Championship, something that will not be mentioned for another eleven months after it happens and they do it again.

Cody asks Evansville what they’d like to talk about. He focuses on the Crown Jewel championship he is wearing. He’d love to add another of them in Perth. This brings out WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins along with Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker and Big Bronson Reed to the singalong of the crowd. “May the best man win,” notes Seth, “and it should be that simple but it’s not that simple because it’s you and me.” He knows what the live crowd thinks about him, the Internet, and especially the Blog of Doom commenters think about him and he doesn’t give a damn. The fans chant for “CM Punk” and he says it isn’t about him because he doesn’t have a championship. He needs to know the truth from Cody about what Cody thinks of him.

Cody: “I guess it’s complicated and it shouldn’t be complicated.” He says Seth has made some questionable choices including Mr. Heyman, but he thinks Seth changed his life by standing across from him at WrestleMania, at Hell in a Cell, and at WrestleMania XL when he was Cody’s shield. He says the better question for Seth is what he thinks of himself – the Seth that Cody is talking about isn’t hiding between three goons. “What can I do for you right now, Seth?” Seth says we’re talking about his watch instead of Cody’s ring. Seth gave Cody the watch at WrestleMania XL and he hasn’t worn it a single time until tonight. He needs to know if it was a real gift or a token gesture because Cody is fantastic at saying all the right things about him when it suits him but then undermining everything he stands for in the next breath. Seth knows Cody is not the right person to lead this industry into the future and it also means that Cody doesn’t think Seth is as good as him. “Those aren’t goons, understand that? The Vision isn’t just a group of people. The Vision is an idea about what the future of this industry looks like and it runs through me. I am the tip of that spear, not you. You can be the quarterback Cody, but you will be MY quarterback.”

Seth tells Cody that in three weeks, the truth will come out by any means necessary. This is not a two man show – “I’m the alpha.” Cody says he has a lot of questions. The first is that all three of their matches have been one-on-one, and will Crown Jewel be the same way? The second is asking how many Seth has won, shoving the microphone in Seth’s chest and leaving. Cody goes to leave and the Brons step up to him but Seth waves them to the side, letting Cody leave. This was a good segment and even though the match is largely pointless, we have a motivation for Seth winning now.

Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett greet us from ringside. We move back to Big Jim Uso walking backstage and finding his brother Main Event Jey Uso. Jimmy says the Brons are trash and he went to talk to Adam Pearce for a rematch but Jey had already made a match with Knight. Jimmy asks if it is a good idea with Jey’s head injury and Jey yells that he hasn’t even had the time to wipe the blood off his Air Forces and he flips it on Jimmy, blaming him for teaming with Knight last week. Jey says they have a lot to handle and they’ll do it after he bodies L.A. Knight.

No-Disqualification Match: New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) and Grayson Waller vs Penta & The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)

There is a LOT of crowd screaming for Penta. All six men brawl to start because there is no DQ. Penta and the Raiders feign jumping on the New Day crew, but New Day pulls two of the three outside. After some brawling, Ivar clotheslines both New Day members and Penta springs off the back of Erik and onto all three opponents and we conveniently use it for a commercial break.

There’s a Slim Jim Table set up on the outside and another propped in the corner. New Day sling Waller into Penta who tosses him over the top, then delivers a rana to Kofi. Woods puts Penta on the outside table and holds him as Kofi leaps through Penta and the table with a legdrop. The Raiders work over Waller in the ring but New Day breaks it up. Ivar offers up a moonsault to New Day but they roll out of the way, Woods holding Ivar and Kofi crashing onto his back on the apron. Waller rolls across the apron but is caught by Ivan who drops him on the apron before Woods tees off with the kendo stick.

Back in the ring, Kofi springs over Penta who instead slings him right through the table. This match is wild. Penta climbs and Waller smashes him with the kendo stick, climbing up with him. Penta reverses an attempt at a Spanish Fly into an Avalanche Mexican Destroyer which gives him the easy win.

Penta & War Raiders defeat New Day & Grayson Waller. Really HOT match with a hot crowd. The action didn’t stop once (besides the commercial, I guess, for those of us in the U.S.) and it was all thrilling. Go back for this one and quit sleeping on New Day matches in 2025.

Judgment Day Clubhouse. Dominik Mysterio says the Rusev situation is out of hand and that they have to stick together. Finn Balor suggests that Dominik suggests he ask his new buddy El Grande Americano. JD McDonough says he is busy as well and Roxanne Perez suggests that he help Dom with Rusev tonight.

Raw General Manager Adam Pearce is in the ring and asks us to welcome the brand-new WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer. She gets the “you deserve it” chant and Adam congratulates her. She tells us this is the dream of her life and at times it felt impossible, but she worked for it, sacrificed for it and made it. She beat one of the best in the WWE and the title represents the motivation we have all given her. You’re welcome, Stephanie. Adam says she’ll face the winner of Friday’s SmackDown title match in a champion versus champion match at Crown Jewel. Stephanie gets all the pyro. This was good for her, I think, and the crowd is very behind her.

Here’s a look at John Cena losing at Wrestlepalooza.

Stephanie is greeted backstage by Nikki Bella and then Rhea Ripley. Rhea congratulates Stephanie and tells her she’s still coming for the belt. Asuka and Kairi Sane appear and Stephanie offers her a match any time. As Vaquer leaves, Rhea tells Asuka she’s tried to stay out of her way and she’s sick of her attitude. Asuka threatens to show Rhea why she isn’t ready for Asuka and Rhea throws out a match challenge instead. That’s a hell of a Raw match. Kairi of course tries to be kind to Rhea afterwards and we get the Asuka “KAIIIRIII.”

Bayley (with Lyra Valkyria) vs Roxanne Perez (with Raquel Rodriguez)

Rayley is in a “role model” version of the hugger shirt and we’re on good terms tonight, Wade begging for a hug as we go to break. We find out that Rhea vs Asuka is official and whoa, it’s the main event. What has happened to my boring Raw program?? Where is my Vision main event? The women fight outside and Rox drives Bayley into the barrier har before tossing her back in the ring. Bayley rallies as Wade notes that Rox is tied with Knight for most matches in WWE in 2025, this being the 38th.

The battle continues through a break as Bayley drops a flying elbow to Rox’s back for a two count. Lyra misses a PopRox but rolls Bayley into a two. Rox follows Bayley to the second rope and drops her. Bayley rolls out and Rox eats a right hand as she tries to dive on her. Rox does connect with PopRox on the arena floor which gets her a good count, Bayely taking until nine to slide back in the ring. As Rox distracts referee Jessika Carr, Raquel attacks and Lyra and her Becky Stompers come to the rescue. Rox dives out on Lyra to bring us back to one-on-one. Bayley snaps and drags Rox into the ring then grabs her head again, finding her chill. She offers up a Bayley-to-Belly and a Rose Plant, giving her the three count.

Bayley pins Roxanne Perez. This was a good one. Bayley still has it and Rox is a good opponent for basically the entire roster at this point. Lyra joins Bayley to celebrate in the ring and offers a hug, but Bayley shoves her off. Wade notes that this is very Jekyll and Hyde. I’m liking the character change so far though I’m sure it isn’t for everyone.

Cody is walking backstage and finds Jimmy. Jimmy congratulates him on the win at Wrestlepalooza. Cody asks about Jey and Jimmy says that he’s all in his head and maybe he’ll listen to him. Cody says yeah, he’ll go talk to him.

After a break, Cody follows through. Cody asks Jey if he is okay. Cody tells Jey if he ISN’T good, he’s been there and sometimes you isolate yourself and lash out. “You have your family, you have your fans, you have your friends – we believe in you.” Jey tells Cody he’ll find his way back to the top.

WWE World Tag Team Champion JD McDonough (with Dominik Mysterio) vs Rusev

I can’t believe Raw keeps falling on Rusev Day. It’s all Rusev early until JD tries to chop Rusev. JD takes this time to run which is smart, but he runs back into the ring which is not as smart. Rusev tosses JD out of the ring again and returns his focus to Dominik, coming out after him. Rusev slams JD into the barricade and JD shoves the steps into Rusev for a break. After throwing Rusev into the ring post, JD springboard moonsaults onto Rusev and yes, that’s what leads us to commercials because that’s always the kind of thing that leads us to commercials.

We come back to JD fighting out of the corner as Joe Tess hypes up our Rhea/Asuka main event. JD dodges Rusev and works the leg, giving him a chance to hit a few aerial moves and a big running knee. Unfortunately that barely gets him a one count. JD offers punches and a spinning DDT followed by a leap from the top for a two. Can he win this? (Probably not.) JD hits Rusev with half a dozen running clotheslines but Rusev still ragdolls him across the ring. Rusev hits the kick and locks on the Accolade. Dom thinks about coming in to help but reconsiders as JD taps.

Rusev defeats JD McDonough by submission. Finn Balor runs in to help and then confronts Dom who leaves. Hey, this wasn’t bad. JD has become a reliable opponent for most everyone and I appreciate that Judgment Day is doing SOMETHING else, even if for a few weeks.

Asuka is shadowboxing with Kairi as Iyo Sky tells her this doesn’t have to happen, and she doesn’t take advice from someone who lost. Kairi reminds Iyo that she is why they are there and they need to listen to her before “KAIIIIRIIIIIII.”

Jackie Redmond has found L.A. Knight as she seems to do most weeks. She questions his refereeing. “God are you wordy” – L.A. to Jackie and the BOD readership when I write reviews. Knight says he doesn’t want to hurt Jey, but he will if he has to do it. He tells Jey to not brain himself like he did this weekend and if Jey doesn’t, he’ll do it for him.

Main Event Jey Uso vs L.A. Knight

Jey yeets through the crowd with the kids because the kids love them some Jey Uso. Jey attacks during the entrance of Knight and he’s wearing all black tonight, something he has done with this character when he’s having edgier weeks. Knight hits a neck breaker in the corner and tries for the BFT but Jey shoves out. Knight misses a running slide to the outside and Jey clotheslines him to the mat as we take another break.

Post-break, we’re still back and forth and having a good match. A superkick brings Jey a two count. L.A. gets a DDT and drops a jump-up elbow on Jey, setting up the BFT. This brings us Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker though Knight knocks them out before they can be disqualified. Jey spears and goes up top and hits the Uso Splash, scoring the three count. Jimmy meets Jey at the ramp and says the Vision are about to kill Knight and they’ve gotta go help them. Jey leaves so Jimmy grabs a chair and confronts them, the Vision backing off.

Jey Uso pins L.A. Knight. A good but short match which isn’t a bad thing. Less is more sometimes. You can go ahead and pencil in the main event spot for next week. Reed and Heyman offer the Tribal Chief finger in the air and the crowd chants for OTC.

Seth is looking at his watch and WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch is ranting. She tells Seth is disrespecting them and she is the greatest WWE women’s champion of all time – Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, and ESPN are all saying it. She says she’s going to make an example and grabs her belt, walking off. Seth hasn’t stopped focusing on the watch.

Rhea is stretching those shoulder muscles. Iyo joins in and Rhea asks if they’re even allowed to be around each other. Iyo asks Rhea to call off the match, Rhea says it has to happen and maybe they can beat the respect into each other. Rhea asks if Iyo can even trust Asuka which upsets Iyo.

The WWE Podcast Network has a wide selection of guests this week including, uh, Dana White. This leads us into a look at Undertaker telling Stephanie McMahon she is the first member of the 2026 Hall of Fame Class.

Next week, Dom defends the Intercontinental Title against Rusev. Plus, Bayley battles Raquel Rodriguez and a tag team tornado match with The Usos against Bron & Bronson.

A video package looks at Los Americanos, telling us that no family is more influential than Los Americanos. The voiceover tells us that many thought they were gone forever but they have been restored, rejuvenated and are stronger than ever as we see some pretty bad (for a reason?) AI. Long live lucha libre and long live the Dominion of Americano, the voice tells us.

Maxxine Dupri is with Adam. He sees the tenacity in her and tells her if she keeps doing what she’s doing, he’ll find the right opportunity for her. He turns and is joined by AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. AJ says the Americanos are pissing him off. Lee calls them a disgrace. Lee wants them in the ring next week and Adam questions which two. He tells them to consider the tag match official.

Rhea Ripley vs Asuka (with Kairi Sane)

It’s main event time, baby, with a match that really could be a gigantic WrestleMania match if they wanted. As always, I’ll note the sheer wild amount of female screaming you get during a Rhea entrance compared to every other entrance on any of the shows. As the bell rings, the Mami chants are LOUD. Asuka tries for the Asuka Lock, Rhea dodges out. Asuka is caught in the corner by Rhea but rolls through for a two, Rhea nails her with a big suplex after that. Asuka hip-checks Rhea to the outside and we’re taking a break because somebody has been knocked outside, a Raw on Netflix tradition.

Post-break, Rhea is unleashing the brutality with a series of kicks and the continued screams. She tries for a bridge pin for a two count. The “Mami” chants pick up again and tries for a Razor’s Edge, but Asuka slips out and goes back to working the leg. After another break, Rhea is fighting out of an anklelock. She takes Asuka to the top and hits a nice superplex on Asuka, hurting moth of them as Kairi winces outside. As the fans chant for both women, they trade blows. Asuka rolls Rhea up for a two. They are trading BLOWS here. Rhea tries again for the Razor’s Edge and this time hits every bit of it before a kick and a two count.

Asuka fights back again with kicks and elbows. Asuka kicks Rhea to the outside and argues with the referee as Kairi shakes a fist at Rhea but won’t hit her. Asuka goes to yell at Kairi and tosses Rhea into the announce table and back into the ring. Rhea smacks Asuka with a kick to the head but Asuka catches it, hooking on a leg lock. Asuka launches from the top and Rhea nails a hell of a dropkick to knock her out of the air. The crowd is loud, chanting “this is awesome” as Asuka again yells at Kairi to hit Rhea. Kairi balls up her fist again and spins an elbow, which Rhea catches. This gives Asuka a chance to strike, but Rhea bounces her off and rolls her up for a pin.

Asuka spits the poison mist in Rhea’s face after the match and yells at Kairi, telling her to attack her now. Kairi follows through and does, the Warriors beating Rhea down. This brings out Iyo Sky to stand between the Warriors and Rhea, pleading with them. The crowd chants for “Iyo” and Asuka grabs her hand, giving her a hug. Asuka hits Iyo with a spinning strike and taunts Iyo, telling Kairi to attack HER. Kairi doesn’t want to do it but does, showing some happiness as she goes up top. Asuka takes Rhea down again and holds Iyo, giving Kairi a chance to drop the elbow. Iyo huts Kairi as Kairi stares at the green on her hands, holding her head and not sure about what she has done.

Rhea Ripley pins Asuka. This was good television from start to finish. Rhea and Asuka had one of the better matches Raw has had in the last few years and that’s no shock because it’s two of the best women the company has ever had. I can only imagine what they could do on a larger stage without commercial breaks. Rhea is so “next level” with the crowd. Great match and the drama after was fun too, the mist finally returning and poor Kairi giving in to the dark side but not totally sure it was the move.

A very fun episode of Raw this week. It helped to simply switch up the formula a bit – a Rhea match on top, a shorter Uso/Knight match, the Vision not wrestling for fifteen minutes for one show of our lives, and a hot no DQ match. I’d recommend most of this episode, really. The no DQ and main event are both must-watches. In an era where most episodes of Raw feel very cut and paste from week to week, this one stands out.