WWE Monday Night Raw Review – 11.24.25

It’s the last Raw before Survivor Series. We’ll find two more winners in the Last Time is Now Tournament, the men battle for the WarGames advantage, and perhaps we’ll have a women’s match after not having one on SmackDown.

If you missed it in all the other stuff that happens on Thursdays here (mainly the Dynamite review), I started reviewing SmackDown from the pilot episode. Check it out here.

The last week in WWE: Raw / NXT / Impact / SmackDown

Then, Now, Forever, Together.

The sound of “War Pigs” welcomes us to Oklahoma City, home of the Paycom Center and tonight’s Raw. We’re live on Netflix and presented by DoorDash.

Here’s a look at Petco Park in San Diego and the WarGames structure being built and then a look at what has happened to build up the men’s WarGames match.

Arrivals! The Vision, Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre are here. Tonight, the Men’s WarGames advantage match. Penta struts in, ready to face Solo Sikoa in the Last Time is Now Tournament. Carmelo Hayes is here, and he’ll face off with big Gunther tonight. Becky Lynch is raving into her phone and will have some thoughts on her Intercontinental Title loss last week.

OTC1 Roman Reigns is out first tonight to a sea of acknowledging fingers and his usual gigantic pop. He gets several sets of pyro, the “OTC” chant and the “Roman, Roman Reigns” song. He asks for and receives acknowledgement before “Kingdom” plays and we welcome Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and his forehead wound from SmackDown. The fans sing “Cody, Cody Rhodes” and QB1 has a microphone of his own. He would like to know what Oklahoma City wants to talk about. He asks Roman why he’s doing WarGames. Roman responds that he has been in this war. They don’t like each other, they don’t know each other well, but they both know – the fans “what’ him – that they don’t play around when it comes to their family. “Half of this team IS my family. Before they were on this team, they were in my bloodline. That means I’ve been invested in the Usos for a long time and I’m here to see that investment through.”

Our next special guest is WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk. He needs a “1” nickname too. Zebro1? He asks OKC to acknowledge “us” and tells Roman that this is an all-star WarGames. He doesn’t need Roman’s word because he saved Roman’s life at WarGames. He tells Roman that if he stabs him in the back at WarGames, he would be doing the same to his own family. Cody interrupts to say they’re all on the same team and Punk argues about who the team leader is. “This is Monday night, this is Netflix, you can be the quarterback on Fridays but here I’m the champ.” Roman tells them to go ahead and pull them out and measure them. He doesn’t like either of them but they can all agree to hate Paul Heyman and the Vision. “I hate them more than I hate you. And since we’re being honest tonight, that title would look so much better on my shoulder.” He drops the mic and leaves. Punk: “Hey, you talking to me or you talking to Cody?” Roman responds to the camera, “Well, that’s for you to figure out.”

The Vision and Logan Paul are backstage with Drew McIntyre in a room full of mounted musical instruments. Heyman reminds Drew that he is still suspended and to behave. Heyman says Brock is in a terrible mood and for Logan to not even mention his name. We learn that Logan will be in the WarGames advantage match tonight alongside Drew against two members of the other team.

The Last Time is Now Quarterfinals Match: Gunther vs Carmelo Hayes

Gunther advanced by destroying Je’Von Evans last week, while Melo defeated Bronson Reed by count out on SmackDown Friday. The winner faces the winner of tonight’s other tournament match. Melo last wrestled on a Raw broadcast in June 2023 while still a member of the NXT roster, losing to Finn Balor. Melo offers up chops and forearms, only able to get a one count after a leaping DDT. Melo springboards into a chop and now big Gunther is chopping down Melo’s chest and sending us to commercials about turkeys using Google AI and Homer Simpson teaming up with the Bride from Kill Bill and the K-Pop Demon Hunters to get a shard piece in Fortnite.

Gunther has the advantage when we return. Melo catches Gunther with a sleeper, Gunther backdrops his way out. Gunther gives Hayes a hell of a double underhook suplex and pulls him up to chop him back down. Melo leaps on for another sleeper and Gunther backs him into a corner. Hayes counters out of a powerbomb to send us to our next break.

Melo dodges a Gunther kick and heads to the top, Gunther chopping him to the ring apron. Gunther misses a chop and chops the ring post instead, Melo springboarding and hitting parts of a DDT onto the apron. Gunther’s knee is busted open as Melo springboards on top of the big man. “This is awesome” chant. Gunther snatches Melo who backdrops him into the timekeeper’s area. Gunther grabs Melo and tosses him over, Melo hits a beautiful DDT from the barrier as Jessika Carr hits a nine. Gunther dives in to break the count. Melo goes up and misses Nothing But Net, being turned inside out by a clothesline and kicking out of a powerbomb. Gunther hooks the sleeper and Melo tries to fight out. Gunther pulls him into a second powerbomb and that’ll do it.

Gunther pins Carmelo Hayes to advance to the semifinals of the Last Time is Now tournament. Hell of a match. This was a great showing for Melo. I’d love to see him more often on Raw. He’ll battle the winner of Sikoa-Penta.

Cody, Punk and Roman are arguing backstage. Main Event Jey Uso and Big Jim Uso walk up and ask why they aren’t talking about the big tag match. Jey says he and Jimmy will be getting the W tonight.

Here’s a video package with John Cena talking about his definition of success.

AAA Mega Champion “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio has joined us in the arena. The fans are happily booing him tonight. He says he’s putting an end to the Cena retirement tour and he’ll continue to be the greatest Mysterio of all time at Survivor Series. “It doesn’t even matter if you cheer for John Cena or not because he’s not here. I don’t blame him for not wanting to come to this dump.”

John Cena’s music hits and a vertically-challenged version of John Cena as well as a smaller version of cameraman Stu come out. Real Stu is filming Little Stu. Little John tries for the slide into the ring but can’t quite reach. Dom tells Little John that he should drop him right there but he’s saving his energy for Survivor Series. Little Stu is standing on a box next to Big Stu filming which is great. Little Cena compliments the people of OKC and runs through some Cena catchphrases before Dom boots him down. Dom drops the Five Knuckle Shuffle on him and 619s him before nailing him with a frog splash. Rey Mysterio runs out to check on Little Cena before the Judgment Day theme hits.

WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio vs JD McDonough (with Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio)

We join the match in progress after a break. Mysterio hits ten in the corner, McDonough spins Rey into a knee. Looks like Dom left during the break as the commentary team tell us Sheamus is out of the Last Time is Now tournament, a replacement coming on SmackDown. Having seen the spoilers, I’d advise you to have low expectations. Rey lands on JD’s shoulders, they roll out and JD smashes Rey down onto the announce desk to send us to another break. Friends, this match is kind of dull.

After the break, Mysterio ducks a charge by JD. He springs JD into the ring post and leaps onto him crotch-first. McDonough hits a Spanish Fly for a two and runs into a Destroyer. Rey calls for the 619 and Finn trips Rey. JD runs into Finn, Rey lands 619 and a splash for the pin.

Rey Mysterio pins JD McDonough. This was pretty dull.The last minute or so was fun but meh.

The WWE Podcast Network has… Timothee Chalamet with Cody Rhodes? Sure.

Raquel Rodriguez is complaining to WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce. He promises Raquel a World Title shot and here comes New Day and Grayson Waller. Kofi tells Adam he has ruined the holiday, the tag division, and asks where AJ Styles and Dragon Lee even are. Fair question. Styles and Lee defend against New Day next week announces Adam, with Waller gifting Pearce a wig before leaving.

A creepy man with a cowboy hat is walking and meets Paul Heyman, going into their locker room.

An hour and 22 minutes into the show, we get our first in-ring appearance by a woman as Becky Lynch comes out. After another break, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) have joined her as have Lash Legend and Nia Jax. Becky knows the fans are all upset about the injustice of last week and she promises the best lawyers are working on it but she’s been advised to not talk about it. After she does indeed talk about it, she says the company will be better off when she gets rid of AJ Lee. “I have assembled by myself the greatest WarGames team in the history of WarGames.” This is an insult to the Stud Stable. She somewhat compliments each teammate and promises to take Lash under her wing and make her a star like she did the other three.

Rhea Ripley interrupts followed by individual entrances for Iyo Sky, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss and AJ Lee. AJ gives a shout out to therapy and tells Becky she can see the insecurity. “I don’t need to run my mouth to lift myself up, I know who exactly the hell I am. I don’t need to bark bark bark like an angry little chihuahua.” Rhea clocks Nia with the microphone and we’re brawling. Rhea and Charlotte stand tall in the end, offering crotch chops as Iyo takes down the field with a moonsault to the outside. Good setup for the women’s match which is so much more interesting to me than the men’s match and not just because I prefer the women. Becky is so, so good on the mic.

The Last Time is Now Quarterfinals Match: Solo Sikoa (with Tala Tonga) vs Penta

Solo defeated Dolph Ziggler last week on Raw while Penta beat Finn Balor on SmackDown. The winner battles Gunther. I’d think Penta wins this because there’s a lot more draw in Penta/Gunther than Solo/Gunther right now. Penta has added some ring post fireworks to his entrance. Solo clotheslines Penta outside and over the barricade, Penta leaps off the barricade onto Solo as we take a break. It felt like a bit of an awkward send to break and hopefully Penta was pointing frantically to his shoulder.

Back to it and the referee calls for the bell. Alicia Taylor announces that Penta is no longer able to compete.

Solo Sikoa defeats Penta by medical stoppage. Well, there was nothing to this so we can’t really judge it. Hopefully this is a quick recovery for Penta. Solo advances to face Gunther.

Pearce is with WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Maxxine Dupri. She knows the hard work has paid off. She says she’s putting in the work and will be calling Natalya. Here’s Ivy Nile, returning from the vortex to yell that the title is her. Maxxine turns around and walks into Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez. Pearce comes back in and tells her to make that call to Nattie.

In a video package, WWE World Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer tells Nikki Bella that she’ll pay at Survivor Series. Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore run through the Survivor Series lineup.

WarGames Advantage Match: Big Jim Uso and Main Event Jey Uso vs Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre

The Usos yeet through the hot crowd as they do. Barrett notes that while Drew is suspended on SmackDown, he isn’t on Raw. Paul only has one previous match on Raw, defeating Rey Mysterio back in February in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match. Jimmy and Logan start it off and wrestle through a break. Jey tags in as Joe Tess talks about the Sooners, a Raw play-by-play tradition. The Usos double team Logan and this too, so far, is a bit dull. Drew gets the tag and works over Jey as Logan knocks Jimmy off the apron to stop the tag attempt. Drew ragdolls Jey onto the announce table for the commercial break spot.

After that break, the bad guys still have the advantage and are working over Jey. Drew and Logan work well as a team. Jey dodges a Claymore attempt, Jim gets the hot tag and takes Logan down with a spin kick. Jim lands a clunky splash on Logan. Logan swings and misses, Jimmy spears him and goes up for the Uso Splash. Drew breaks the pin and brawls on the outside with Jey as the fans bark for the appearance of Bron Breakker and Big Bronson Reed. Punk and Rhodes appear to counter and the brawl is on. I’m sure you can guess who is going to be behind them. Jey leaps onto the whole brawling party as Logan rolls up Jimmy to steal the win.

Logan Paul pins Jey Uso to win the advantage for his team at WarGames. This was not a particularly great match. It felt disconnected but I think we all knew where it was leading.

All the men brawl as Roman Reigns joins in and then Brock Lesnar does the same. Brock busts his ass doing his pyro jump which is fantastic. Between this and the pants split, his aura sure is dropping. The teams face off and brawl to end the show.

More of a miss than a hit tonight. I’m not judging on the Penta/Solo match, but the main and the Rey/JD match didn’t hit for me. This was also the second WWE show in a row without a women’s match which is a departure from the recent flow, though they’re setting up WarGames and set several things up for the Intercontinental Title. Raw usually delivers a serviceable show even when it feels repetitive, but this one wasn’t a great episode. I do highly recommend the opening match though.