Welcome or welcome back to our weekly WWE RAW review where we recap some of the biggest hits and misses from the show.
The first RAW of 2025 went down in Los Angeles as it made its grand debut on Netflix. The show featured a brand new presentation, together with a new ring mat, as well as major celebrity appearances.
Here’s what went down at the first RAW on Netflix.
Miss – Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa
This writer was expecting a surprise for the Roman Reigns versus Solo Sikoa Tribal Combat. Instead, we got a couple of routine Bloodline run-ins. Jey Uso was nowhere to be seen during the match. Owens popping up was a surprise. It seems the self-proclaimed Undisputed WWE Champion hates Roman more than Solo.
What was the point of Solo losing WarGames if he was to lose this match as well? Plus, they could’ve added some color to sell the intensity of what was supposed to be a blood feud. The Rock’s appearance could’ve been saved for this segment instead of the opening monologue. It’s worth noting that The Rock downplaying his ‘Final Boss’ persona for a more babyface approach was noticeable. That said, Rock versus Reigns still seems like a possibility after how things went down post-match.
Hit – John Cena declares for Royal Rumble 2025 on WWE RAW
Cena should’ve been the opening promo and not The Rock. It was nice to once again see and hear the man who was once this writer’s reason for watching WWE. Cena’s Royal Rumble announcement was bound to happen. If there’s one person who deserves to, not only become a three-time Royal Rumble winner, but become a 17-time World Champion, it’s John Cena. This writer won’t mind if a certain mark for five-star matches got the report right for Cena versus Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.
Miss – Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre
Jey’s entrance with Travis Scott was one of the major hits of WWE RAW last night. The match with McIntyre wasn’t. McIntyre and Jimmy seem to have more chemistry even though they’ve supposedly never squared off in singles action. A fluke win over McIntyre suggests WWE wants to extend the feud between Jey and McIntyre.
Hit – Rhea Ripley reclaims her title
Rhea Ripley put an end to Liv Morgan’s revenge tour. This was a brilliant way to cap off a solid rivalry. Rhea and Liv put on a great show (second to Rollins versus Punk) in terms of in-ring action. Props to Morgan for carrying WWE RAW into 2025. She’s truly established herself as a main event attraction. It seems Mami will stay on top for a bit, and The Undertaker coming out to endorse her was an added bonus.
Miss – No World Heavyweight Champion on WWE RAW
Imagine snubbing the man who’s literally the top champion of your brand! That is what Levesque apparently did by not booking Gunther to appear on RAW’s Netflix debut. We got Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, the Women’s World Champion(s) and WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton but no World Heavyweight Champion. They could’ve showcased Gunther instead of Hulk Hogan because Brother got booed anyway.
Hit – CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
This is how dream matches are supposed to turn out even though both men have competed against each other in the past. Punk just might be the most important wrestler of this generation. Rollins deserves every bit of respect he gets for being a consistent team player for the last decade or so. Punk winning was the right call because it’ll only fuel Rollins’ obsession when it comes to taking out his former mentor.
How would you rate WWE RAW on a scale of 1 to 10? Let us know in the comments!
Check out everything that went down on WWE RAW here.
