By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,659)
New York, New York at Madison Square Garden
Streamed live March 10, 2025 on Netflix
[Hour One] Michael Cole introduced the show while a shot aired of the New York City skyline and the exterior of MSG. Cole said the show was sold out with over 19,000 in attendance. Arrival shots aired of WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, new Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky along with Dakota Kai, Bianca Belair, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk…
Jey Uso made his entrance from the concourse with “yeet” chanting fans. Jey greeted the broadcast team of Cole and Pat McAfee, who was standing on the broadcast table. Andrew Schulz was shown in the front row while Cole plugged his latest Netflix comedy special. Grayson Waller made his entrance with Austin Theory and was introduced by ring announcer Mike Rome…
1. Jey Uso vs. Grayson Waller (w/Austin Theory). Cole said it was the second ever singles match between the two wrestlers. There was a loud “Let’s Go, Uso” chant during the opening minute. Waller was in offensive control heading into an early commercial break. [C]
Waller jumped from the middle rope and dropped an elbow on Jey for a near fall coming out of the break. Jey battled back and superkicked Waller who fell to ringside. Jey went for a suicide dive, but Waller clotheslined him over the middle rope. Waller did his dive from the floor into a rolling Flatliner for a two count. Jey superkicked Waller. Theory climbed onto the ring apron and was superkicked by Jey, who then speared and pinned Waller.
Jey Uso beat Grayson Waller in 9:10.
After the match, Jey was attacked by Waller and Theory. Jey sent Waller to ringside and then speared Theory. Jey followed up with an Uso Splash. World Heavyweight Champion Gunther appeared in the ring behind Jey and put him in a sleeper hold until he faded. Gunther put a foot on Jey and posed for the crowd before leaving the ring…
Powell’s POV: A pretty standard match with Jey getting the expected win before Gunther got the better of him again afterward. Jey was really over with the MSG crowd and not just during his entrance.
A video package recapped the CM Punk and Seth Rollins storyline that stared when Punk returned to WWE… Rollins was shown in his dressing room, and then Punk was shown warming up in the New York Knicks’ locker room while Cole hyped the cage match for later in the show… [C]
Jey Uso was in the trainer’s room when “Alpha Academy” Otis, Akira Tozawa, and Maxxine Dupri checked on him. Jey said he was doing all right…
McAfee pushed a Wrestling Is Real t-shirt that WWE is selling…
Logan Paul made his entrance while Cole listed the attendance as 20,142. Paul spotted a male “fan” wearing an “I Hate Logan Paul” t-shirt. Paul ripped the shirt off the fan and then headed to the ring. Paul was booed loudly while he spoke.
Paul said AJ Styles was supposed to call him out, but he decided to beat him to the punch. Paul said that when you hear his name, you think of names like John Cena and The Rock. He said they have transcended sports entertainment and will do anything to get to the top.
Paul mocked Cody Rhodes’ decision to reject The Rock’s offer. Paul said it took Cena twenty years to figure out that nice guys finish last. Paul said he figured that out from day one. He addressed The Rock and said that his soul is for sale.
Paul pointed out comedian Andrew Schulz in the crowd and said real recognizes real. Schulz didn’t look impressed by Paul, who asked for someone to give him a mic. Paul asked Schulz who he came to see. Schulz said he came to see the cage match like everyone else. TKO executive Mark Shapiro was shown clapping in the front row.
Schulz said no one was there to see Paul. Schulz said New York City wants to see real wrestlers like AJ Styles. Paul pulled Schulz over the barricade and threw him in the ring. Paul set up for a move, but he let him go when he heard entrance music.
AJ Styles came out and dropped Paul with a punch. Styles followed up with a Phenomenal Forearm. Paul rolled to the floor while the fans chanted for Styles. “Get your ass back in this ring, I’m not done with you,” Styles said while Schulz stood by. Paul kept walking. Styles said Paul doesn’t run from opportunities. Styles said it’s New York City, then raised the arm of Schulz before hugging him…
Powell’s POV: NYC despises Logan Paul, who had Dominik Mysterio heat. Schulz did a nice job and didn’t take the tongue-in-cheek approach that too many celebrities do when they take part in wrestling segments. Schulz also didn’t tell viewers that wrestlers know who is going to win before they have matches, so that was nice.
A video package aired on Iyo Sky beating Rhea Ripley to win the Women’s World Championship while Bianca Belair watched from ringside…
“New Day” Kofi Kinston and Xavier Woods made their entrance heading into a break… [C] Cole touted the announcement of the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony on April 18 at the BleauLive Theater…
A recap video aired on the announcement of TKO entering the boxing business with Saudi Arabia officials… Legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach and boxer Callum Walsh were shown seated together in the crowd. Cole also hyped an upcoming UFC event…
NXT Champion Oba Femi was shown holding up his title belt while Cole hyped the Roadblock themed edition of the NXT television show for Tuesday night on The CW…
Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee made their entrance to Rey’s entrance theme…
2. “New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods vs. Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee in a tornado tag team match. Cole explained the rules of the tornado match and then both teams threw punches once the opening bell rang. Rey and Lee started to pull a table out from under the ring, but Kingston and Woods stopped them.
Kingston and Woods chanted “tables” while looking into the crowd and then shoved the table back under the ring. The fans chanted for tables. Rey and Lee battled back and then set up a table at ringside. Lee put Kingston his shoulders while standing on the apron. Rey set up for a move, but Kingston escaped and attacked him while Woods tripped Lee. The New Day duo ran Rey into the ring steps and then double powerbombed Lee on the ringside floor. [C]
Mysterio jumped from the top rope to pull Woods off the ropes with a huracanrana. Lee had Kingston in a Tree of Woe and then double stomped him before covering him for a near fall. Lee used a huracanrana to pull Woods from the apron. Woods grazed a table and it cracked perfectly in the middle, and then Woods reached back and his arm finished breaking the table. Oops.
Rey hit Kingston with a 619. Rey went for a frog splash, but Kingston put his knees up. Kingston hooked Rey into a pin, but Lee broke it up. Lee clotheslined Kingston to the floor and then hit him with a flip dive.
A luchador wearing an American flag mask attacked Rey and Lee. The broadcast team played stupid. Security pulled the man over the barricade. Cole asked if the mask had “American Made” written on it. McAfee continued to play dumb. The masked man was shown running away from security. In the ring, New Day hit their finisher on Rey and then pinned him…
“New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods defeated Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee in 11:10 in a tornado tag team match.
After the match, Cole continued to avoid saying Chad Gable’s name while trying to get McAfee to admit that he knew who the mystery man was…
Powell’s POV: I’m not taking Cole’s hints as gospel. For all I know, that was Satnam Singh in the red, white, and blue mask. I can’t be the only person who would enjoy seeing heel John Cena team with heel New Day at some point.
Cole narrated highlights of Bron Breakker getting the better of Finn Balor last week…
[Hour Two] Backstage, Finn Balor complained to Carlito that Bron Breakker is rubbing him the wrong way. Carlito was staring at his apple. Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Dominik Mysterio showed up. Morgan said Rodriguez would face Bayley for a shot at the Women’s Intercontinental Championship.
Dom informed Balor that he went to Raw general manager Adam Pearce and got Balor a match against Breakker for next week. Dom said Pearce was just waiting for Balor to make it official. Balor hugged Dom and then made his exit. Morgan said she didn’t know why Dom didn’t put himself in the match. Dom told her that he believes in Balor…
Cole hyped WWE Evolve for Wednesdays on Tubi…
Evolve play-by-play voice Peter Rosenberg was shown in the crowd. Rapper Fabolous was shown in the crowd. A shot aired of a man holding a title belt in front of his face. He pulled the belt down to reveal himself as Macaulay Culkin, which got a pop from the crowd…
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made entrance. Cole wondered what Cody would say about John Cena… [C] Cole said MSG has hosted three WrestleManias, three SummerSlams, three Survivor Series, and two Royal Rumbles…
Cody Rhodes stood in the ring and asked the NYC fans what they want to talk about. Cody put over MSG. He mentioned John Cena, who was booed loudly. Cody said Cena was not there. Cody said Cena told his inner circle that consists of Travis Scott and The Rock that he wouldn’t be at MSG, but he will be in Brussels, Belgium next week.
Cody said he doesn’t know if he likes that. He said it’s the same Cena who won the U.S. Title in MSG, and also returned to win the Royal Rumble in the same venue. Cody said apparently it was an easy decision for Cena to miss the show. Cody said it’s apparently an easy decision to kick someone in the nuts when you have backup.
Cody said he doesn’t begrudge Cena for having a part-time schedule. “Let’s Go Cena” and “Cena Sucks” dueling chants broke out. Cody said fun things happen when it’s live on Netflix. He told the fans to go ahead with all of that. He said Cena is somewhere watching and then encouraged the crowd to let him hear it.
Cody said he was annoyed by Cena’s tweet: “Have the discipline to do what needs to be done, especially when you don’t feel like it.” Cody said at some point you have to say, “Sit down, John, you goddamn moron.” Cody said there were almost 17,000 fans in attendance (Cole quickly said 20,000).
Cody said he will get the heartbreaking privilege of beating his hero when he gets his last chance and finds out in real time – “John, I’m the captain now.” Cody wished the fans well and tossed the mic down and then played to the crowd before exiting the ring…
Powell’s POV: It will be really interesting to see if the masses boo Cena or if we start to get more of as split reaction like we had tonight.
Cole hyped that Cody and Cena will be in the same building for the first time since Elimination Chamber on next week’s Raw… Cole hyped the Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez match while separate shots aired of the wrestlers… [C]
Footage aired of Jimmy Snuka hitting the Superfly splash on Don Muraco in an MSG cage match in 1983…
Ali Ahn from the Netflix series “The Diplomat” was shown in the crowd, as were cast embers from “Selling The City.” Rapper Rich The Kid was shown in the crowd, as was boxer Amanda Serrano, who will face Katie Taylor in a big rematch on July 11 on Netflix at MSG…
Cole hyped next week’s Raw and said it will stream live on Netflix at 2CT/3ET and will feature Cody Rhodes and John Cena…
Powell’s POV: Hell yes I will have live coverage of Raw at the earlier start time. I don’t know what I’ll do with myself on a Monday night when there’s no Raw or Monday Night Football game, but I’m sure I’ll figure something out. We should have early start times for the two episodes of Raw that follow in Glasgow and London.
Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan, and Dominik Mysterio were in the ring. Bayley’s entrance was televised…
3. Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez (w/Liv Morgan, Dominik Mysterio). Cole said Bayley won the only prior singles match between Bayley and Rodriguez. Morgan checked on Rodriguez, who stuck her head through the ropes. Bayley, who was at ringside, ran up the ring steps and then hit Rodriguez with an elbow. [C]
Bayley hit a clunky knee to the head of Rodriguez and then went up top. Bayley hit a top rope elbow drop for a near fall. Cole said Bayley was paying homage to Randy Savage and added that they would show highlights of Savage in a cage match later in the show.
Bayley set up for her finisher, but Rodriguez escaped. Bayley threw Rodriguez through the ropes and then kicked her. Bayley did a baseball slide that Rodriguez avoided. Rodriguez tried to run Bayley into the ring post, but Bayley slipped off her shoulder and shoved Rogriguez into the post.
Bayley set up for a dive. Dom climbed on the apron and distracted the referee while Morgan interfered. Bayley fought off Morgan and then Dom before going for a suicide dive. Rodriguez caught Bayley and then dumped her on the broadcast table. Bayley beat the referee’s count and was hit with a big boot. Rodriguez hit the Tejana Bomb and scored the pin…
Raquel Rodriguez beat Bayley in 11:05.
Powell’s POV: The crowd was hot for everything prior to this match. It’s hard to blame the fans, as Bayley has really cooled off and Rodriguez comes off like Morgan’s sidekick despite being one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. The match was rough, but the finishing sequence was solid. I thought it was for a shot at the Women’s Intercontinental Championship, but I may have been mistaken.
Backstage, Cathey Kelley caught up with Chad Gable and said he made his return earlier in the show. Gable denied being the masked man who attacked Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee. Kelley continued to insist that it was Gable until a handcuffed man wearing the red, white, and blue mask was escorted through the backstage area by security guards. “You see that?” Gable asked. “New York security. Pathetic”…
Powell’s POV: Maybe I was on to something earlier. Do we know if Satnam Singh is still under AEW contract?!?
Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky was sent on her way by Dakota Kai. Cole said it would be his pleasure and honor to interview Sky after a break… [C]
Cole narrated highlights of Randy Savage beating Ted DiBiase in a steel cage match in 1988…
Actor William Jackson Harper, Broadway writer Kris Diaz, actor Josh Segarra, and rapper Nardo Wick were shown in the crowd. Segarra wore a Steiner Brothers’ t-shirt and barked when they showed him…
Powell’s POV: At the rate they are going, they’ll introduce the janitor from the Ed Sullivan Theater and there’s a 50/50 chance he’ll have his own Netflix series.
Michael Cole stood in the ring and introduced new Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky, who made her entrance. Cole congratulated Sky and said she’s going to WrestleMania as the champion. A “you deserve it” chant started and faded quickly. Sky thanked the fans and said it was a dream to be at MSG as champion.
Cole introduced Bianca Belair, who made her entrance and entered the ring. She spoke favorably about facing Sky at WrestleMania. Cole asked Belair if she thought she would be facing Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania if Belair had not appeared at ringside. Belair spoke about how she’d had enough drama in her life lately.
Rhea Ripley made her entrance and asked had a mic with her. Ripley asked from ringside what Belair why she was at ringside. Ripley entered the ring and said there was no reason for Belair to be out there. She said maybe Belair should have let her handle her business with Sky while she handled her own with Naomi and Jade Cargill.
Belair took offense to Ripley bringing that up. Belair said Ripley was upset with her for clapping for Sky and asked if that sounded crazy to her. Belair said Ripley can’t beat Sky and she’s blaming her for it. Sky tried to intervene, but Ripley pie-faced her. Ripley accused Belair of hiding behind Sky just like she hid behind Naomi and Jade.
Sky tried to cut in again, but Belair pie-faced her. Sky shoved Ripley and slapped her across the face, then turned and knocked Belair down with a slap, which got a rise out of the crowd. Sky yelled and then exited the ring while Belair and Ripley were left holding their jaws…
Powell’s POV: Meh. Sky standing up for herself got a nice reaction, but I’m still down on the company taking a great WrestleMania singles showdown match and seemingly turning into a less appealing Triple Threat.
Cole hyped the early start time for next week’s Raw and the appearances by Cody Rhodes and John Cena before announcing the following matches: Penta vs. Ludwig Kaiser in a No Holds Barred match, Jey Uso vs. Austin Theory, Dakota Kai vs. Ivy Nile, and Bron Breakker vs. Finn Balor for the Intercontinental Championship…
The cage lowering music played while split screen shots aired of Seth Rollins and CM Punk. Rollins walked into the Gorilla Position and then made his entrance. There was some pyro at ringside for Rollins. The cage started to lower around the ring. Cole hyped the main event for after the break… [C]
Separate shots aired of NXT Women’s North American Champion Stephanie Vaquer and NXT Women’s Champion Giulia in the crowd while Cole hyped their title vs. title match for Tuesday’s NXT Roadblock…
[Hour Three] Rollins paced in the ring after his music stopped playing. A “CM Punk” chant broke out then he made his entrance. Punk was censored for something he said once he arrived at ringside and was jawing at Rollins…
4. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins in a steel cage match. Rollins threw his jacket at Punk as Punk was climbing through the ropes. Rollins went right after Punk and was rewarded for it, as the referee called for the bell to start the match. There were dueling chants for both wrestlers with the Punk chants winning out. Rollins avoided an early GTS attempt. Punk went for a high knee in the corner, but Rollins caught him and powerbombed him against the cage. [C]
Rollins had Punk down when he had the ringside referee open the cage door. Rollins could have escaped. Rather, he motioned for Punk to leave the cage. Punk flipped him off and they actually cut to a black screen. Good lord. Rollins went for another powerbomb into the cage, but Punk slipped away and then hit the GTS. Cole pointed out that Punk showed no interest in going for the pin.
Rollins was on the apron when Punk hit him with a high knee. Punk raked Rollins face against the cage. Punk hit Rollins with a knee to the back of the head that drove Rollins into the cage. Punk had the referee open the cage door and motioned for Rollins to leave. Rollins flipped him off and the screen went black again. Ugh.
Punk got Rollins down and then to the ropes and hit a top rope elbow drop. Punk went up top again and this time he flashed double birds and went uncensored. Punk hit another top rope elbow drop. The crowd chanted one more. Punk obliged by hitting another top rope elbow drop and then covered Rollins for a two count in what Cole noted was the first pin attempt of the match.
Punk climbed to the top of the cage in one of the corners and then looked down at Rollins, who climbed to the top rope. Punk threw kicks at Rollins from the top of the cage, but Rollins was eventually able to join him. Punk and Rollins traded shots while seated on top of the cage. Punk got up and threw kicks at Rollins while holding one of the chains used to elevate and lower the cage. Eventually, Rollins was able to superplex Punk and covered him for a near fall.
Both wrestlers got to their knees while the fans chanted “this is awesome.” Punk and Rollins traded punches on their knees and continued to throw punches as they stood up. Punk went for another GTS, but Rollins blocked it and went for a Pedigree that Punk stuffed. Punk hit the GTS and covered Rollins for a good near fall.
Punk motioned for another GTS. Punk picked up Rollins and hoisted him up for the move and then looked at the WrestleMania sign. Punk went for the move, but Rollins took him down and put him in an STF. Rollins yelled at Punk to go to sleep. Punk broke the hold and put Rollins in the Anaconda Vice. Rollins reached the ropes, but Cole noted that there were no rope breaks. Rollins gouged the eyes of Punk to break free. Rollins got back to his feet and hit the Stomp. Rollins made the cover and only got a two count.
Rollins went to the middle rope. Punk shot up and tripped Rollins on the ropes and then hit him with a GTS and covered him for another near fall. Punk sat up and looked at the WrestleMania sign while showing some frustration over not getting the pin. Some fans started to chant the Rollins’ entrance theme.
Punk got back to his feet and hit the Stomp on Rollins and then covered him for another near fall. Punk thought about leaving through the cage door. Rollins told him to earn it and called him an asshole. Punk went after Rollins, who ended up hitting him with a GTS. Rollins followed up with a Stomp and then covered Punk for yet another near fall.
Rollins had a chance to exit via the cage door, but he went to the second rope instead and hit Punk with what Cole called a Super Stomp. Rollins was censored as he sat in the corner and jawed at Punk. The crowd started cheering for something off-camera.
Roman Reigns reached inside the cage and pulled Rollins to the floor and then flung him to the ground. Ring announcer Mike Rome declared Rollins the winner of the match.
Seth Rollins defeated CM Punk in 22:30 in a cage match.
Rollins stood up and was knocked down by a Superman Punk. Reigns let out a war cry and then speared Rollins. The crowd chanted OTC. Reigns ran Rollins into the barricade. Reigns, who wore a YTC t-shirt, hit Rollins with his own Stomp finisher on the floor. Reigns held up his index finger and said one more time.
Reigns placed Rollins head over the ring steps and yelled at him. Reigns backed up and was setting up for a Stomp on the steps when Adam Pearce and a group of producers and referees ran out to stop him.
Paul Heyman was inside the cage talking with Punk while both men were on their knees. Reigns spotted it and smiled. Reigns entered the cage and then ran Punk into the cage wall twice before spearing him. Heyman stood in a corner and looked fearful. The credits were displayed and then Reigns stood over Punk and held up his index finger.
Powell’s POV: A clever finish to set up the heavily rumored Triple Threat for WrestleMania. I’m not a fan of seeing Punk and Rollins kick out of their finishers so many times, but at least their feud has reached a level of hatred where it feels like both men would go above and beyond to not be beaten by the other. On a side note, I love that there’s no set end time for Raw on Netflix, as it didn’t telegraph when this match would end.
Overall, a good show that peaked with a hot cage match and the big return of Roman Reigns. I will have more to say about Raw during my same night audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of Raw by grading the show below.
Looks like Roman’s coming back tonight.
I know he’s a complete tool but “Paul said it took Cena twenty years to figure out that nice guys finish last” is pretty dumb when he has the most titles by someone not called Flair.
For clarity, I mean Paul is a tool, not Jason, obv.
The promo with Bianca and Rhea and Iyo was, in a word, WEAK. No one seemed to have their lines down, for one. And, as Jason said, “Meh.”
Rollins called Punk an asshole a few times but it was calling him “motherfucker” that got censored
I thought Iyo had a bad night. First, her corny “I’m over the moon” comment and then her saying shes going to Wrestlemania.
Not only that, after she slapped both of them she was jumping up and down.
Next Monday night you can contemplate Aaron Rodgers potentially turning babyface and joining the Vikings.
What’s brought on the women’s triple threat? Why didnt they have Rhea get pissed at Bianca but still hold on to her title and then a singles at WM. I cant come up with the logic on this at all.
It’s pretty obvious why the triple threat is happening.Iyo’s taking the loss so Rhea and Bianca doesn’t have to.
At WM, though? I get that at any other event, but an L to Rhea or Bianca isnt gonna hurt.
Not saying youre wrong, though. I just think there would be a better path to that than Rhea losing her title before Mania.
“Andrew Schulz was shown in the front row while Cole plugged his latest Netflix comedy special.”
I guess we’re gonna see a lot more of this kinda thing now that WWE is on Netflix. I can’t wait until the cast of Stranger Things appears on RAW a week before the final season airs on Netflix.
Yeah they should have the entire cast of Shameless as well!
Lol
Jason, according to my Netflix Glasgow is an hour later than Brussels and London is the same time as Brussels. Smackdown in Spain is also at the same time as Raw in Brussels and London (so O/S is getting SD before the US I assume).
Jason
Good call about the run time it does create added suspense
I just have to say when the double Gable lucha showed up behind Cathey Kelley, the look of shame/I told you so that Chad gave her was priceless. I had to watch that back like 5 times.
So is it Rey Fenix then?
Lol
Holy hell, Jey Uso is a terrible wrestler. He’s John Cena with a smaller move-set.
2 and half hours is perfect