wrestling / TV Reports
Cook’s WWE Raw Review 11.3.25
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the latest edition of WWE Raw on Netflix. Tonight’s episode features multiple tag team matches with bitter rivals. Judgement Day teams will feature in two of them. Former Damage CTRL members will feature in the other one. CM Punk will appear tonight as the new World Heavyweight Champion. There’s a lot going on tonight, hopefully we’ll have some good times!
I mean, we’re at least getting some Chilean Hotness, am I right? Apparently a new landscape is supposed to start tonight as well. My shrubbery could use some trimming.
Cook’s WWE Raw Review 11.3.25
Then. Now. Forever. Together!
Rio Rancho, New Mexico hosts WWE Raw for the first time! Heck, it’s never been in New Mexico before! We flash back to Saturday Night’s Main Event, where CM Punk won the World Championship. Jey Uso was mad. Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett are our hosts.
CM Punk is WALKING BACKSTAGE. The fans chant his name, and then LIKE MUSSOLINI he marches down to the ring. Well, it’s not really a march, he takes his time getting there and runs around in the ring for a bit. Punk gets the championship & New Mexico pop. There is a litany of people Punk needs to thank for getting him here. The fans say Punk deserves it, he says he’ll cover the difference between deserve and earn. First, he thanks his wife AJ Lee for being with him through the bad & good times. Number two is the audience. Some call it the WWE Universe, he calls them CM Punk fans. He couldn’t have done it without them, so they deserve it. He’d like to thank Jey Uso for the tough match & hard fight, he truly is Main Event. Punk hopes they can still be friends, but it’s ok if they can’t, Punk came back to make money and not friends. Punk learned at SummerSlam to hold on to the strap as close as he possibly can. The good news is that there’s no Seth Rollins creeping around in the background with a briefcase. Punk swings the belt around like he’s Seth Rollins back in the day. Punk’s got the validation now, and he knows there’s a target on his front & back. If he’s not ready to fight every single week, he can lose the title. Breakker & Reed are mentioned. He wants to be a fighting champion because there’s a lot of people he wants to punch in the face. He wants to test himself against the best wrestlers in the world right now. AJ Styles has earned the right to step up and get a title shot. Dominik Mysterio hasn’t earned anything, and Punk wants to punch him in the face. JD McDonagh gets put over strong as someone that could beat Punk. Finn Balor & Sheamus are called out, as is John Cena. He’s got a few dates, but he’s here for a good time. The Champ is here!
Logan Paul hits the stage, and it looks like he wants to take Punk up on his offer. Punk is dismayed. He wants to be a fighting champion, but wants nothing to do with Paul’s famous for nothing ass. Punk suggests that Paul go to SmackDown and accept Ilja’s open challenge. Paul says that Punk is a man of his word. Paul is a Ferrari and nobody in attendance can afford to buy it. Punk’s a Honda Civic. Paul has wrestled John Cena & AJ Styles, including beating Styles at WrestleMania. If anyone has earned a title shot, it’s him.
Paul Heyman interrupts alongside Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed. They’re going to take the long walk down to that ring. Heyman sees a bitch without an owner. That’s directed towards Logan. The front of the line belongs to Bronson Reed & Bron Breakker. Logan’s in the line waiting just to get in line. Punk is 432 days short of the time they were Champion, and Heyman wasn’t the one that lost their title. Heyman tells Logan that he’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he should get the steppin now. Logan says he was here first, they should have gotten some pep in their step and some hustle. Bron takes the microphone and tells them that Heyman bought everyone two weeks to live. They had to be patient after leaving Rollins in the dirt. Punk got his moment, but the dog isn’t waiting anymore. Bron is coming for what belongs to him, and nothing will stand in his way. He will whip both Punk & Logan like dogs.
Punk tells Logan either to fight with him or get the hell out of his ring. Logan steps outside, but the Brons won’t let him leave ringside. Bron pushes Logan down, he & Bronson circle Punk. The two on one beatdown commences and Logan starts walking off. Logan thinks about it, then actually runs back to the ring to make the save! Logan takes some offense from the Brons and gets set up for the…TSUNAMI! Punk comes in with a chair and sends the Brons out of the ring. Punk poses with the title while Logan lies in the corner and the Vision head backstage.
The Kabuki Warriors are WALKING OUTSIDE! So are Dragon Lee & AJ Styles.
Stephanie Vaquer & Nikki Bella vs. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez: I was about to complain about Stephanie’s cool entrance being cut short, but then was like “Dude, its Nikki Bella’s entrance, this was your favorite part of many a show. Chillax.” Good point, me! I never get to see Roxanne Perez or Raquel Rodriguez enter on this show, so I can’t comment about all that. We look back to last week, which set up this match! Nikki & Roxanne start us off. Shove from Roxanne, Roxanne evades Nikki, Nikki with a go-behind, fireman’s carry into an armbar. Roxanne rolls out but Nikki holds on until a well placed kick. Monkey flip by Nikki, and Raquel tags in. Nikki can’t match Raquel in strength, and gets whipped hard into the corner. Raquel with some elbows in the corner. Nikki slips out of the slam attempt and Stephanie tags in. Raquel shoulderblocks her down, then almost works her into a suplex. Stephanie with a kick to the mush, and Roxanne tags in to get slammed. Raquel gets kicked by both her opponents. Back suplex on Roxanne by Stephanie. Stephanie teases the Devil’s Kiss, but Raquel pulls Roxanne outside. We see double cross bodies from Nikki & Stephanie, and we go to commercial!
Nikki is getting beat down as we return. Raquel with the slingshot slam, then Roxanne hits the Perfect 10 for two. Nikki fights out of a chinlock, but Raquel keeps Nikki from making the tag. Nikki evades a move and hits a Tornado DDT. Tag to Stephanie! Roxanne is still down, so it’s Raquel going at it with her. Headbutt, Vaquer misses in the corner, hits an elbow and then a corner dragonscrew. Meteora in the corner by Stephanie. Raquel blocks the double underhook move. Stephanie up top, crossbody! That only gets two. Raquel responds with a Northern Lariat. Roxanne tags in and hits the running uppercut. Stephanie blocks the Perfect 10 and back suplexes Roxanne. It’s time…DEVIL’S KISS! Nikki tags in, hits the Rack Attack 2.0! Raquel makes the save at the last half second! Raquel catches Stephanie’s crossbody, and they end up tumbling to the floor. Raquel blocks a Devil’s Kiss and drops Stephanie on the apron. Nikki with a rollup, but Raquel breaks it up with a cheapshot! Roxanne gets the advantage on that and hits Pop Rox for the pinfall.
Winners: Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez (9:45 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **3/4
Roxanne & Raquel continue to impress and prove that they deserve some more attention. Will the Hall of Famer get mad about this losing streak she’s on? Friends of champions that go on losing streaks seem to do that, I’ve noticed.
Joe & Wade chat about the Last Time Is Now Tournament, and we see the video from Saturday night. Now that Cena voice overs car commercials I can’t help but think I’m being sold a Hyundai. There’s a tumbler with names! Adam Pearce is shown opening one for a referee.
Jey Uso walks up to Punk backstage. Jey knows he’s been all over the place. He feels like he should help Punk out. Punk wants to know who he’s talking to. Jey points out that everyone is coming after Punk now, and offers to help him body this Vision problem tonight. Yeets are exchanged, so we might have some kind of match later. If not tonight, then likely sometime later in life.
Penta vs. El Grande Americano (w/Rayo & Brrrrravo Americano): Having heard it from a bunch of obnoxious Bears fans yesterday, I’m over this “Ole Ole Ole” stuff. Penta with some early kicks, but Americano takes over. The Tag Team Match Playa match has been made for later. Penta with a fisherman’s buster for two. He goes up top but Grande meets him. Back in center of the ring Penta goes for a Driver, Grande with a kick. Penta sends Grande to the apron, kicks him there, goes for the Destroyer on the apron but Americano blocks and baseball slide kicks Penta to the floor. Grande mocks Penta as we go to commercial.
We return to Penta kicking and sling blading Grande. Kick in the corner, handstand into the dropkick gets two. Penta motions for the Destroyer, Grande kicks him and knocks him off the ropes. Grande goes to the top rope gets crotched and kicked to the mat for two. They both get up and start chopping & punching. Penta slips out of a back suplex and hits a Tornado DDT. Penta hits the flip dive! Brrrravo sweeps Penta’s legs, but the referee sees him touching Penta and ejects him! Meanwhile, Rayo gives Grande the metal plate for the headbutt. Penta avoids it and hits a backcracker. Rayo crotches Penta on the top rope and he gets ejected too. Penta dives onto Rayo on the floor. Back in the ring, Grande dives into Penta’s superkick. A Mexican Destroyer ends it for Penta!
Winner: Penta (7:24 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
Pretty similar to the matches we’ve gotten from these guys before, but the live crowd loved it. Why wouldn’t they?
Dos Americanos try to attack afterward, but Penta evades them.
Asuka says everyone needs to recognize that she’s the true legend of the Women’s Division. Last week was a small taste. They will keep tearing the tag team division apart until they get their title shot. Last week, they let Bayley walk away. She should be thankful, but Asuka’s kindness will not last forever. Tonight, they will do whatever it takes to prove they’re the most dominant tag team in WWE.
Dominik Mysterio’s music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. To show how much of a wrestling bubble guy I am, the first time I heard “champ champ” was in regard to Deonna Purrazzo in Impact Wrestling. Dom tells us to bow down to the king of the luchadores. Satruday he proved that he’s the greatest Intercontinental & Mega Champion, the greatest luchadore of all time, and there is no man on this planet that can stop him.
Rey Mysterio’s music hits! The crowd screams for religious fecal matter. Dom can say he’s the greatest champion of all time, Rey doesn’t care. He’s not King of the Luchadores though. The crowd sings for Dirty Dom. When he says that, he insults the family name and his blood. What about El Santo? Blue Demon? Eddie Guerrero? Dom tells Rey to keep his father’s name out of his month! He’s better than Santo, Demon & Eddie. There’s one for a fact that he knows he’s better than, and that’s Rey. Rey won’t stand here and let Dom disrespect lucha libre. Rey takes his jacket off. Dom says that Rey’s jealous. He’s already stealing Dom’s mustache! The crowd chants for someone to whoop somebody’s ass. Dom made the Mysterio name relevant. He’s already surpassed everything Rey ever did in any way, shape or form. Does he have to kick Rey’s ass again? He tells Rey to get out of his ring. Rey says he’ll leave, but Dom needs to understand 3 things: As long as he’s around, Dom will never be King of the luchadores. As long as he’s around, this will never be Dom’s ring. And as long as he’s around, Dom will never be the greatest Mysterio.
Dom goes for the punch but Rey blocks and hits a few before Dom hits him in the gut. Off the ropes, Rey headscissors Dom into 619 position, and hits it! Dom runs away while Rey sets up for a top rope move.
Lyra Valkyria wants Bayley to tell her what’s going on. Bayley has the aftermath of the match in her head. Lyra is unsure if she can trust Bayley. Bayley swears to Lyra that she can count on her.
Joe & Wade talk about Bayley & Lyra until Becky Lynch walks up on their desk! Becky’s been going through a lot the last few weeks. Her hot husband is injured at home. The Vision lost their minds and ruined everything. She’s saddled with a crooked referee that wants to hold her down. She was sent home to cool down, but she is the definition of cool. The only cool thing to come out of New Mexico is a show about how much meth they do! Maxxine Dupri is not cool, but she’s lucky. She stepped in the ring with Becky and lived to tell about it, but she won’t shut up about it. Maxxine does not belong. Becky is not just good, she’s the greatest of all time! Other people say it! She’s a lifelong student of the game, Maxxine can’t cram for this test. One wrong move next time, it’ll be her last opportunity. Welcome to the big time!
Becky walks off, and as she heads backstage the Kabuki Warriors make their entrance! Asuka & Becky stare at each other before Becky makes her exit.
Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane): Asuka & Lyra start things. Asuka with a hammer lock, they twist and turn around in arm bars. Asuka takrs Lyra down and kicks her in the spine. Asuka misses a kick and Lyra with a couple of her own. Lyra kicks Asuka down and hits a dropkick for two. Bayley tags in, as does Kairi. Kairi doesn’t seem to want to fight at first, but then kicks away. Kairi ducks outside and gets Bayley in a headscissors. Bayley with a crucifix for two, but then Kairi hits an elbow. Some shots in the corner, Kairi up top and hits a flying clothesline for two. Asuka doesn’t want a tag, and Bayley tags in. A double team leading to an elbow drop gets two. Lyra with a Northern Lights suplex for two. Lyra crossbodies both Asuka & Kairi, does some wooing, jumps outside but Asuka kicks her! Lyra gets suplexed on the floor, and Asuka & Kairi celebrate on the announce table as we go to commercial.
Lyra is still catching a beatdown when we return. The Kabuki Warriors hit some double teams. Lyra fights back and hits a sitout Doctor Bomb. Bayley & Asuka tag in, and Bayley fires away. Bayley drops Asuka neck first on the apron and kicks her, then the elbow drop to the bent over Asuka gets two. Kairi tags in without Bayley knowing, which means she can hit Bayley off the apron. Bayley evades a top rope move, blocks a sunset flip and hits the Bayley to Belly. Kairi kicks out at two. Kairi blocks the Roseplant, but sends Bayley into Asuka. Bayley sunset powerbombs Kairi into the corner, Lyra tags in and hits a top rope legdrop for two. Lyra places Kairi up top, Lyra gets knocked down into the Tree of Woe, and Kairi hits the double stomp for two. Bayley breaks the count at two. Kairi jumps into Lyra’s arm. Backbreaker, then a Bayley elbow drop! Asuka breaks the count. Lyra dropkicks Lyra on the outside. Kairi gets a quick nearfall on Bayley, then Asuka drops Lyra on the apron. . Lyra gets rolled in by Kairi. Asuka tags in and we’re set up for the assisted Insane Elbow, Bayley breaks it up. Lyra goes for the Nightwing, Asuka slips out and runs Lyra into Bayley, knocking her off the apron. Asuka rolls Lyra up for two. Lyra goes to the middle turnbuckle and jumps back into the Asuka Lock! Lyra has no choice but to submit.
Winners: The Kabuki Warriors (11:08 shown via submission)
Match Rating: ***1/2
This was really nice stuff! I kinda didn’t mind watching most of it twice because my Internet jobbed me out. Asaka & Kairi winning to further establish themselves as contenders is the play here, while Bayley & Lyra continue their story.
The potential post match attack on Lyra is thwarted by Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, who run down and send the Kabuki Warriors out of the ring. That’ll be a fun match! Charlotte’s sense of style has changed a bit lately, and I’m here for it.
We see a recap of JD McDonagh beating Sheamus last week with a little help. Roxanne & Raquel celebrate their win, and the fact that Raquel’s getting a Women’s World title match next week! Finn & JD talk about how they’ll win the tag titles, then Dom comes in and is a wet blanket about the whole situation. Finn says they’re too busy to help him, and they need to focus on the tag team titles. Raquel tells Dom that he’s the reason they lost the titles to begin with. Roxanne sits Dom down and tells him to be the bigger person. Dom listens and says he’ll try.
World Tag Team Championship Match: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee (c) vs. Finn Balor & JD McDonagh: Finn & JD get things off to a hot start, attacking both men and singling out Dragon Lee. Dragon fights back with a crossbody. Kick to Finn, then he ranas JD to the floor! Dropkick by Finn gets two on Dragon. Finn with a chinlock on Dragon, Dragon fights back and hits a sitout powerbomb! Styles tags in and hits a combo on Finn and a backdrop on JD. Styles with the backbreaker on Finn, then he crossbodies both of them! We go to commercial!
Dragon & Finn tag in and Dragon takes the offensive as we see Dirty Dom has made his way to ringside at the suggestion of Roxanne. Dragon runs into a slingblade by Balor. Shotgun running dropkick in the corner by Finn, the Coup de Grace is avoided and Dragon rolls Finn up for two. Finn with a clothesline. AJ & JD tag in and AJ dropkicks Dom to the floor! Dom distracts the referee while JD holds AJ for the Coup de Grace. JD takes it instead! Finn sent into the corner, AJ hits the Phenomenal Forearm on JD for two. Finn gives Dom an idea, and Dom lines AJ up for a belt shot. The referee sees him, stopping Dom. Sheamus runs him over! Finn still has Sheamus’s shillelagh and hits AJ with it, but the count is only two. Meanwhile Sheamus beats the hell out of Dom on the outside. Dragon ranas JD and dives onto Finn on the outside! AJ runs into JD’s boot, but hits a Styles Clash for three!
Winners: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee (8:28 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/2
Whew! I need some water after watching that one! Everything happened at 100 miles per hour, which I feel is going to be the trend during this title reign. I can dig it.
Stephanie Vaquer is leaving when Nikki Bella catches her and apologizes for everything. Stephanie says it’s ok, she’s ready for it. Nikki feels like she’s rusty and making bad decisions out there. She’s wondering why she’s here. Stephanie says that Nikki is still amazing and needs to believe in herself more. She paved the way for people like Stephanie. They hug, and Nikki thanks her for making her feel better. She’ll be there to cheer her on next week. Indeed.
Paul Heyman is in Jey Uso’s locker room. Jey was always his favorite member of the Bloodline because he always kept him guessing. Why would he team with Punk after Sunday? Jey tells OG that Punk earned his respect and his admiration. Paul says things with the Vision are different now. Paul says that Jey has a vision all of his own, and he likes it. He’ll see Jey out there tonight.
Time for The Last Time Is Now Tournament Draw! Adam Pearce announces the first two opening round matches that will take place next week: Rusev vs. Damian Priest & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sheamus! Nick Aldis will announce the next two opening round matches this Friday night on SmackDown.
Next week’s Raw will also feature Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss defending the Women’s Tag Team Championship against the Kabuki Warriors, and Stephanie Vaquer defending the Women’s World Championship against Raquel Rodriguez.
CM Punk & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed (w/Paul Heyman): Time to yeet! Either this is going to be a really short match or one of the longest Raws in recent memory. Jey & Bronson start the match. Jey up and over in the corner, hits some Yeet punches. Tag to Punk, Punk with the axehandle to Reed’s arm. Reed takes over and Breakker tags in. Bron throws Punk over his shoulders like yesterday’s garbage. Jey tags in and Bron gets sent outside so they can work on Bronson. High knee by Punk in the corner followed by a superkick. Punk holds the top rope down so Jey can dive onto the Brons. We go to commercial!
Bron suplexes Punk as we return. The Brons double splash Punk for two. The fans chant for Jey as Punk gets worked over. High knee in the corner by Bron. Another one hits, the third doesn’t. Bronson comes in, takes Punk down with a clothesline and knocks Jey off the apron. A flapjack lungblower gets a two count thanks to Jey breaking it up. Bron gorilla presses Punk, but Punk slips out and hits a neckbreaker. Jey & Bronson tag in and it’s some Yeet punches! Uppercut by Jey, then some kicks. Bronson kicked down in the corner, Jey Backs it Up before going up top, but Bronson grabs him, goes for the Jagged Edge, Jey slips out and hits a spear! Bron breaks the count at two. Punk kicks Bron out of the ring and dives onto him on the floor. Bronson goes through the middle rope, Jey hits the tope suicida. Punk boots Bronson and they break out into a brawl. The referee keeps counting while the wrestlers keep fighting on the floor, and the count reaches ten.
Winners: Nobody (7:54 shown via double countout)
Match Rating: **1/2
Most of these guys have wrestled each other a lot lately. This was basically here to set up the ending and to keep Jey’s story going.
Punk & Reed keep fighting around ringside, with Jey not too far behind. Before Jey can set something up, Bron runs around ringside and spears him! Reed smashes Punk against the barricade. The fans chant “OTC” as Jey is rolled into the ring. 23 mph spear by Bron on Jey! Bronson goes up top…TSUNAMI! Punk rolls in the ring with a chair, and the Brons exit stage right to go under the ring and get some chairs of their own. Punk stares down the Brons, and Logan Paul arrives! Logan’s got the brass knuckles, and he knocks out Punk! Ha, he fooled the fans! Logan stares down Heyman & the Brons, and he hands Heyman the knucks. They continue to exchange looks as our live event comes to an end.
If you’d like to chime in with your own thoughts on tonight’s show, feel free to join your fellow 411 Maniacs down in the comment section! As the legendary Larry Csonka always said: Have fun and don’t be a dick. When I’m not here you can catch me on the social media from time to time.
