The last RAW before Survivor Series War Games took WWE into Oklahoma City, Oklamhoma.
Let’s get into the results:
The Last Time is Now tournament: Gunther def. Carmelo Hayes
Rey Mysterio def. JD McDonagh
The Last Time is Now tournament: Solo Sikoa def. Penta
War Games advantage match: Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre def. The Usos
Notes:
Roman Reigns opened the show. He could only say “Acknowledge me” before Cody Rhodes also made his entrance. Cody asked Roman why he wanted to be involved at War Games to which the OTC eloquently replied he’s been involved in this war with The Vision for months, Cody is only just joining.
Just as Cody condescendingly welcomed Roman to “my team”, CM Punk’s music hit. Punk, Rhodes and Roman just about got on the same page after some tense back and forths. Roman said he hated The Vision more than he hates them, and that’s his promise. As he left, Reigns said “that title would look a lot better on my shoulder,” leave Punk to question are you talking to me, or Cody? Reigns left them wondering.
Paul Heyman reveals with The Vision backstage that Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul would represent them in a tag team match for the advantage at War Games.
Rhodes, Punk and Reigns were talking backstage when The Usos turned up, amped up, to declare they would be tagging against McIntyre and Paul.
Dominik Mysterio came out to run down John Cena and was interrupted by Cena’s music. What ensued was a little person coming out to impersonate Cena – Wade Barrett called him John Weiner – who was filmed by a little cameraman, too.
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Even though this is something WWE did about 20 years ago (I recall The Rock doing this to Booker T in 2001 in fact), it was pretty funny. Watching Mysterio try his absolute hardest not to laugh got me! Of course, he ended up beating up the small Cena after he gave the AAA champion some attitude.
Rey Mysterio tried to make the save, but Dominik departed and his Judgement Day teammates – Finn Balor and JD McDonagh, turned up with the latter facing Mysterio.
Brock Lesnar arrived to the arena and went into a room with Heyman.
Becky Lynch and her Survivor Series team came out with the Irish star cutting a less than endearing promo to her own team. AJ Lee and her team then made their way out as the returning legend made several threats to Lynch before both teams clashed.
Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair cleared the ring and told the heels to “suck it” before IYO SKY delivered a moonsault to the outside. Advantage – babyfaces.
Penta lost his match with Sikoa after a doctor’s stoppage. The Mexican star landed badly and the injury seemed real.
Maxxine Dupri had a chat with Adam Pearce backstage (much about nothing) before Ivy Nile confronted her and then Roxanne before Pearce interjected again. Seems the notion is, Dupri needs to get ready to be hunted as champion.
Paul won the tag match with a roll-up as the inevitable interference ensued on the outside. Roman Reigns would make the save before Lesnar – who totally stacked it and fell over during his entrance – made his way out, regathered his troops and attacked the ring to end the show in chaos.
Analysis:
It’s a real shame for Penta that he suffered a legitimate injury. The prospect of the luchador taking on Gunther was salivating to wrestling fans everywhere and Solo Sikoa’s face told everyone that was the plan.
Giving the heels the advantage in War Games is never a bad idea really. Stack the deck, sew the seeds of dissension among the patched together babyface team. Rhodes, Punk and Reigns are all teasing the ability to flip on one of them, but who will it be? If any of them..
Lesnar falling head over heels was excellent stuff. Totally an accident but even a veteran of the game like Paul Heyman, a true pro, could not keep it together. Lesnar, all 6’3″ monster of him, looked embarrassed and it was sensational.
Dom Mysterio and the little person? Meh. I found it quite entertaining because Dirty Dom was struggling so bad to keep it all together. The actual idea and execution in 2025 is not something I would have banked on, but is it something a heel like Mysterio would do? Yeah, I can by that. You don’t have to like it.
The women have a good thing going with AJ Lee and Becky Lynch as the cornerstones of this match, but the star power around them is huge. Every time Rhea Ripley’s name is mentioned the crowd go bonkers. Charlotte Flair is clearly enjoying being a babyface for an extended period for once. She looks comfortable in her skin for the first time in a while.
Finally, Carmelo Hayes really showed out once again. Anyone who doesn’t have a good match with Gunther should have a long, hard look at themselves anyway, perhaps you shouldn’t wrestle! But Hayes certainly can wrestle and he keeps showing us his star-making mix of palpable charisma and in-ring proficiency.
Another solid RAW. Not as good as last week’s I would argue, but a decent go-home show.
