Cook’s WWE Raw Review 12.15.25

Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for another edition of WWE Raw on Netflix! We’ve got some old rivals hooking it up again tonight. The Usos & New Day will collide for the first time since 2022. Chilean Hotness will face her toughest challenge yet, as Raquel Rodriguez vies for her Women’s World Championship. CM Punk is here, as is the Ring General Gunther. Sounds like a good time to me!

Cook’s WWE Raw Review 12.15.25

Then! Now! Forever! Together!

We open with a video package chronicling John Cena’s Last Match on Saturday night. I, for one, had no issue with Cena losing to Gunther. Thought it was obviously gonna happen. I get it though, people wanna be happy. Life isn’t too happy for many, so they turn on wrestling and they want some cheer. It makes sense to feel that way…but you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Pro wrestling destroyed sports entertainment!

That familiar Symphony No. 9 in E Minor hits, and der Ring General Gunther appears! The fans seem displeased. Gunther seems happy. Gunther mounts the announce table, sending Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett scrambling. Gunther enters the ring and mounts the turnbuckle to embrace the hate. (see what I did there?) The fans say Gunther sucks, I always ask how they know these things. The fans chant about Gunther tapping out. Gunther did what he said he was going to do. He made John Cena give up! The fans boo. When Cena gave up, he tapped out like a little bitch! Gunther drops the microphone and leaves, his mission complete. No, never mind, he walks back to the ring and mounts the turnbuckle. Gunther laughs and leaves the ring as the fans say he sucks. Gunther walks back down again while Joe & Wade discuss the matter, and he remounts the announce desk. Gunther grabs the mike and restates the fact he made John Cena tap out like a little bitch. It is his time now! He will forever be the man that made John Cena give up! Gunther leaves again with a smile on his face.

We see Gunther walk backstage through the Gorilla position. Gunther walks up to Otis & Akira Tozawa. Otis bets Gunther feels pretty good, and indeed, Gunther does. R-Truth is the next contestant, and he calls Gunther a piece of trash. Gunther says “sure”. Adam Pearce asks if Gunther is proud of walking over Cena’s legacy because he knows Cena’s not coming back. Pearce calls Gunther an asshole and tells him to find the exit. Gunther finds the exit and finds AJ Styles standing by his car. Gunther asks if there’s something AJ wants to tell him. AJ has a cold stare as Gunther gets in his car. Gunther does the You Can’t See Me taunt to Styles before driving off. Awwwwww, that’s the good heelin there!

Wade talks about how he’s never felt the type of visceral hatred being thrown Gunther’s direction before. Bronson Reed motions Paul Heyman in, who motions Bron Breakker in. Logan Paul just walks in because Bron doesn’t motion. Stephanie Vaquer is WALKING! Ivy Nile & the Creed Brothers are WALKING! CM Punk is WALKING!

We see a video package about the Usos returning to the tag team division. The New Day promises to bury them under the penitentiary.

Jimmy & Jey Uso vs. Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston (w/Grayson Waller): Time to yeet! Xavier has the phrase “Quad Father” on his tights, which brings back fond memories of Rollerjam. Mark D’Amato was the shit! Kofi with a headlock on Jimmy, Jimmey reverses, shoulderblock by Jimmy. Kofi avoids a superkick but eats a couple of shots from Jimmy. Jey tags in, kicks Kofi in the corner. Uppercut by Jey, but Xavier takes him down from behind. Jey gets kicked to the floor. We go to commercial!

Kofi runs into Jey’s boots in the corner and Jimmy gets the tag. Buncha strikes to Kofi. Kofi slips out of the Samoan drop and sends Jimmy into Xavier. Jimmy with a kick on Kofi, and the running hip attack in the corner. Jimmy wants to climb up top, but Grayson Waller provides a DISTRACTION and Jimmy gets sent into the barricade. Xavier hits a clothesline off the apron on Jey. Jimmy gets stomped down in the corner. Kofi whips Xavier into a dropkick on a seated Jimmy for two. Xavier puts Jimmy in the Tree of Woe, but Jimmy avoids Kofi’s dropkick and Kofi hits the ringpost in a not great place. Jey tags in and hits some Yeet punches. Jey misses in the corner, but the superkick doesn’t miss Xavier for two. Tope suicida by Jey! Jey goes up top, crossbody on Xavier gets two. We go to commercial!

Yeet punches by Jey on Xavier. Grayson trips Jey up, the referee suspects foul play and ejects Waller from the proceedings. Tag to Big Jim, double superkicks for both New Day members. Xavier is out in the middle of the ring, both Jey & Jimmy hit Uso splashes. That gets two. Jimmy’s landing on Xavier’s legs didn’t look too fun for anybody. Usos call for the 1D, but Kofi grabs Jey and throws him into the steps. Jimmy sent to the floor, and Xavier hits a tornado DDT! Xavier with a tope suicida on Jey. Kofi splashes Jimmy’s back, and they hit the Vegomatic for two! Trouble in Paradise on Jey. Everyone is down. Kofi flies into a superkick from Jimmy. Xavier is sent outside, then speared by Jey. Jimmy spears Kofi and tags Jey. 1D! That gets the three count.

Winners: Jimmy & Jey Uso (11:21 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/4
It’s nice to see these teams hook it up again after a bit of a break. I enjoyed their matches back in the day, but all they ever did was wrestle each other. A bit of space helps a lot.

Joe Tess & Wade talk about the one year anniversary of Raw on Netflix. On January 5, CM Punk will defend the World Championship against Bron Breakker! The Kabuki Warriors will defend the Women’s Tag Team Championship against Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY!

Asuka talks about IYO betraying her family. Kairi says she & Asuka loved IYO. Asuka says all IYO had to do was recognize her as her senpai, but she sided with Rhea instead. They will end Rhea & IYO and defend their Tag Team Championship.

Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY are WALKING! We’ll hear from them next!

We see a video of Rey Mysterio & Logan Paul’s interactions last week. LA Knight got the honor of losing to Logan thanks to a masked man. Then he got TSUNAMIED on a car. Good times!

Logan tells Bronson that he flattened LA Knight. Bron says LA is gone, and CM Punk is here tonight. Logan wants to know who the masked man is. Paul says he doesn’t know, but he’ll take the help. The Vision has a lot of enemies, so they could use a masked man. Bron says he’s going to take Punk out tonight, Paul says not to since Punk won’t be available on January 5 if Bron takes him out. Logan suggests they lock in on Rey Mysterio tonight.

Season 2 of WWE Unreal premieres on January 20. We’re informed that LA Knight suffered a cracked sternum and will be out indefinitely. CM Punk will be here tonight.

IYO SKY appears, then it’s Rhea Ripley! They make their way to the ring. I would probably react the same way IYO does to walking out with Rhea, just saying. Asuka appears in the crowd and blows mist in Rhea’s face! Kairi Sane kicks IYO down! IYO gets sent into the steps. Rhea swings blindly and gets smacked down. Rhea is sent into the ring as referees try to break things up. They can’t stop the Insane Elbow! IYO covers Rhea and takes the impact on her back. Rhea & IYO are down as the Kabuki Warriors exit.

We see a replay of Rhea & IYO getting owned.

Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match: Maxxine Dupri (c) vs. Ivy Nile: What’s with all these lady rasslers from Knoxville & Sacramento? Ivy with a quick rollup for two. Ivy pounds Maxxine on the mat, Maxxine fights back but gets slammed down for two. Maxxine goes for the anklelock but Ivy is in the ropes. Maxxine with a hanging armbar in the corner. Ivy drops Maxxine on the apron and kicks her to the floor. Ivy hits a German suplex on the floor. We go to commercial!

Ivy tries to suplex Maxxine on the apron, Maxxine misses a kick and Ivy knocks her down. Back in the ring, a quick rollup by Maxxine gets two. Ivy lifts Maxxine up but gets taken over with a headscissor! Maxxine & Ivy trade shots, Maxxine gets the advantage. Backbreaker by Maxxine. Splash in the corner and a Perfectplex by Maxxine for two. Maxxine misses the kick, Ivy with a powerbomb for two. Ivy with some punches in the corner, but Maxxine powers out and hits the sitout powerbomb for two. Ivy stretches Maxxine with a hanging Dragon sleeper! Ivy dropkicks Maxxine while in the Tree of Woe. Maxxine sends Ivy flying off the turnbuckle and pulls her straps down. Maxxine up top, Ivy avoids the crossbody and rolls Maxxine up for two. Maxxine gets the anklelock! Ivy tries to kick Maxxine off but Maxxine keeps going back to it. Maxxine kicks Ivy down and it’s another anklelock. Maxxine grapevines the leg and Ivy taps out!

Winner: Maxxine Dupri (6:55 shown via submission)
Match Rating: **1/2
This was pretty alright. Maxxine’s reign continues, I was a little surprised we didn’t see Nattie out there but I assume that angle’s still continuing.

We see clips of Oba Femi taking on Cody Rhodes at Saturday Night’s Main Event, Sol Ruca defeating Bayley, Joe Hendry appearing to attack the Miz & Leon Slater & Je’von Evans facing AJ Styles & Dragon Lee.

Pearce is talking with Evans when the Americanos appear. Grande speaks Spanish and calls Evans a vato loco. Rayo volunteers to take Evans on next week.

CM Punk is next!

Raw is in Hershey, PA. Good chocolate products there.

LIKE MUSSOLINI! CM Punk marches down to the ring. He foregoes his usual entrance theatrics, so you know he means business. He rips the Raw mic flag off! Punk was forced to miss two consecutive Raws since he wasn’t medically cleared to compete or fly. War Games was painful, but not as painful as sitting on his couch and listening to Bron Breakker. Punk calls Bron a cross eyed nepo baby and says that brains don’t run in his family. He didn’t sign up for board games, but for war. Bron had the audacity to talk about how easy it was to pin Punk. Bron wants 2011 CM Punk but can’t handle 2025 Punk without a lot of help from his friends. Brock, Bronson, Drew, and their masked man. Bron is in line for a title shot, but didn’t do it alone. He’s been here many times before, Paul Heyman has gassed up a lot of young wrestlers that wilted under the lights. If he had a nickel for every time he’d faced someone gassed up like Bron, he’d have a pocket full of dimes. Punk doesn’t like Bron trying to bring AJ Lee into this. Punk would tell Bron to show up alone, but he knows he won’t do it. Bron doesn’t have the heart to wear the gold or earn it on his own. Punk tells Bron to bring all of his friends and his dumb father & uncle. Bron doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of beating Punk for the title. When Bron loses, Paul Heyman’s gone, Bronson Reed is gone, the only two left will be Dumb & Dumber. Steiner Math means GTS = 1-2-3.

Backstage, Dirty Dom talks about how excited he is for the main event, when Logan Paul will beat his dad. Finn is with JD, who will be on the shelf for awhile. Raquel tells Liv & Roxanne that she wants to handle Stephanie all on her own. Roxanne will take care of Bayley next week, and Bayley & Lyra will be out of the picture so she & Liv can win the tag team championship. Raquel says they’ll run Raw.

Women’s World Championship Match: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez: The tieup doesn’t seem like great strategy for Stephanie, she gets set down. Sunset flip attempt, Raquel lifts Stephanie up who lands some punches before running into a boot. Raquel with some punches and kicks in the corner. Stephanie fights back, rolls Raquel up for one. Raquel sets Stephanie on the apron, Stephanie goes up top and gets caught by Raquel, who hits a reverse suplex for two. We go to commercial!

Raquel misses in the corner, Stephanie goes for a sleeper but Raquel shrugs her off. Straitjacket hold by Raquel. Stephanie evades a boot and hits Raquel with punches. Stephanie puts Raquel in position and hits the dragon screw on her. Raquel fights back with shoulderblocks in the corner. Hanging armbar by Stephanie, Raquel powers her down for a two count. Raquel goes to the middle rope, Stephanie evades the Vader Bomb and kicks Raquel down. She sets Raquel up and it’s the Devil’s Kiss! Meteora in the corner by Stephanie. She goes for the SVB but Raquel gets out and takes her down. Stephanie with another armbar in the corner, and Raquel flips to the floor. Raquel catches Stephanie on the crossbody, Stephanie evades the ringpost and sends Raquel into it. Nikki Bella attacks Stephanie from behind! It’s a disqualification!

Winner: Stephanie Vaquer (6:14 shown via disqualification)
Match Rating: **1/2
Was getting pretty good when the finish hit. Obviously they didn’t feel like having Raquel lose another title match, so involving Nikki was a nice way to get around that.

Nikki rolls Stephanie into the ring and hits the Rack Attack 2.0. Nikki tells the fans to respect the legend. I agree!

Adam Pearce asks Paul Heyman who’s under the mask. Paul gives a few options, but he doesn’t know. He doesn’t mind it either. Paul wants to prepare Logan for his match, but Adam wants to know who the masked man is by the end of the night. Paul exits and Rhea enters. Rhea wants Asuka, and Pearce makes it official.

CM Punk tells Rey Mysterio he’ll watch his back, and Rey appreciates it.

We see clips of Hershey Park, which looks fun! JACKIE REDMOND is with AJ Styles & Dragon Lee, and asks them about the Usos. AJ says they’re ready to defend their titles. Dragon Lee says any time, any place, and they go to talk to Adam Pearce. Nikki Bella says she won’t apologize for putting people beneath her in their place. She’s a legend in this industry, and Stephanie & Raquel should be shining her boots.

Next Monday: Bayley vs. Roxanne Perez! Je’Von Evans vs. Rayo Americano! Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka!

Bayley congratulates Maxxine and says she’s proud of her. Lyra asks Bayley how she’s feeling. Bayley says that her loss to Sol Ruca wasn’t fun, and she wonders if Asuka was right about her. Lyra says this isn’t the Bayley she grew up watching, or the one she’s gotten to know. Maybe Bayley is an idiot! Bayley shoves Lyra and says Lyra’s the idiot and she’s gonna show she still has it against Roxanne next week. Lyra notes that that’s the Bayley she knows.

Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul (w/Paul Heyman): Some theatrics early on. Logan gets Rey into the corner, the ref eventually has to break the tieup with his count. Rey slaps Logan and punches him in the corner. Rey invites Logan outside, runs back in the ring and kicks Logan on the floor. Rey does jumping jacks like he’s a Bodydonna, then sets Logan up for the 619. Too early, Logan boots Rey down and punches him on the mat. Logan punches Rey some and poses. Logan whips Rey with his belt. Rey kicks Logan in the corner and kinda hits a bulldog I guess. Mounted punches in the corner by Rey, but Logan yanks him off the ropes. Logan catches Rey on a crossbody, lifts him on his shoulders and hits a rolling senton. Rey gets the knees up on the Lionsault and Logan heads outside. Rey hits a seated splash on Logan on the floor. We go to commercial!

Logan whips Rey into the corner and splashes him. Rey evades the splash off the top rope and kicks Logan down on the apron. Logan evades the 619 and knocks Rey down. Logan tries to set Rey up for something, but Rey follows him up the turnbuckle. Rey punches Logan and goes for the top rope rana, he hits it! Cover gets two. Punches are exchanged. Logan ends it with a boot, Rey gets caught on a moonsault and a running powerslam by Logan gets two. Logan lifts Rey for a powerbomb, gets kicked into 619 position but Logan kicks Rey down. Logan does the three amigos like he’s Dominik Mysterio or something. The third places Rey on the top turnbuckle. Rey blocks the superplex and hits a sunset flip powerbomb. Rey kicks Logan to the floor, then hits a baseball slide into a splash on Logan. The Brons start walking down to the ring, but CM Punk has a chair and he chases them off! Rey with a crucifix for two. Rey with an elbow to Logan, Logan blocks the rana and hits a reverse power bomb. Logan gets the brass knuckles from Paul Heyman. Rey trips Paul into the ropes and hits the 619! Rey sees the knucks on the mat and picks them up. The masked man stomps Rey on the apron! Logan goes up top, hits the superstar splash for three.

Winner: Logan Paul (12:28 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/2
Nothing really new with these guys this time around. It was all right, mostly there for the angle with the masked man…

Logan stares down the masked man on the apron. Punk runs back down to the ring, but the masked man exits. He stands on the steps and unmasks himself. It’s Austin Theory! Bron sneaks into the ring and spears Punk! Bron grabs the World Championship and tells Punk if he ever talks about his family like that again, he’ll never stand on his own two feet again. Well, that’s fair. Bron poses with the World Championship. Play his music! Bron, Logan & Heyman celebrate 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.

7.4

The final score: review Good

The 411

I wouldn't say this episode really struck me as the beginning of a new era. It was fun though. I thought the choice of Gunther beating Cena was a sound one, and it's already paying off as the fans really don't like the guy. It was probably a good idea to go ahead and reveal Theory, as he would have come off as a disappointment if they kept it going for too long. So long for now!