By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,675)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at PPG Paints Arena
Streamed live June 30, 2025, on Netflix
[Hour One] Raw opened with a recap of the Night of Champions premium live event, which included Paul Levesque gushing over Saudi Arabia during the post-show…
Michael Cole, who was joined on commentary by Corey Graves, narrated arrival/backstage shots of Sami Zayn, Penta, New Day, and Sheamus… Cole said the show was sold out and listed the attendance as 14,033 while a shot aired of the host city…
Rhea Ripley made her entrance and entered the ring after being introduced by ring announcer Alicia Taylor. There were loud “Mami” chants before Ripley welcomed viewers to “Monday Night Mami.” Ripley said she hoped to be done with Raquel Rodriguez and The Judgment Day for good, then questioned what was next for her. Ripley said she needed to get her priorities straight.
Women’s World Champion Iyo Sy made her entrance and joined Ripley inside the ring. Sky said you can’t have Evolution without her. Sky said Ripley is wrong when she says she’s on top when she doesn’t have the championship.
Sky said that Raw General Manager Adam Pearce told her that she would pick her challenger for the WWE Evolution event. Sky said she wants to defend against the best, which means she will defend the title against Ripley.
Ripley said she has nothing but respect for Sky. She said she would stop at nothing to get the title back. Ripley said that what happens at Evolution is what Sky wanted. Ripley accepted the match. Sky smiled and held up the title belt while Cole praised Sky for choosing to defend the title against Ripley…
Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio wished Finn Balor and JD McDonagh luck before they left the area. AJ Styles showed up. Dom showed Styles his medical papers. Dom said Adam Pearce verified that Styles would not get a shot at the Intercontinental Title if he put his hands on him.
Styles pulled out reader glasses and checked the doctor’s note. “Yep, right here the doctor says you’re a punk ass,” Styles said. He added that Dom would get what he has coming to him once he’s cleared…
Finn Balor and JD McDonagh made their entrance for the World Tag Team Title match heading into the first break… [C]
Powell’s POV: I like the idea of having Sky be a fighting champion by choosing to face Ripley. On a side note, it’s worth noting that Cole did not mention Pat McAfee when he introduced Graves as his color commentator.
1. “New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods vs. Finn Balor and JD McDonagh for the World Tag Team Titles. The New Day entrance was not televised. Alicia Taylor delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. McDonagh set up for an early Asai moonsault, but Kingston tripped him from the floor. Woods tagged in and then jumped from the ropes and double stomped the back of McDonagh, who had been draped over the ropes. [C]
Balor set up for a shotgun dropkick, but Kingston cut him off with a standing double stomp. Both wrestlers tagged out. McDonagh dumped Woods to the floor and then hit him with an Asai moonsault. McDonagh sent Woods back inside the ring and went for a top rope moonsault, but Woods put his feet up.
McDonagh made a blind tag and then tried to hold Woods in place for the Coup de Grace, but Woods broke free, and then Balor landed on McDonagh. Kingston tagged in before he and Woods hit Balor with the Midnight Hour for a good near fall. McDonagh hit Kingston from the apron, which led to a near fall. Woods returned the favor by hitting Balor with a tag title belt, which also led to a near fall.
Woods went up top. Balor sent Kingston into the corner, causing Woods to be crotched on the top turnbuckle. McDonagh tagged in and hit a top rope Spanish Fly, but Kingston broke up the pin attempt that followed.
Kingston tried to take out McDonagh with a dive to the floor that McDonagh avoided. Balor put Kingston down with a sling blade clothesline on the floor. In the ring, Woods charged McDonagh, who put his feet up. Balor tagged in before McDonagh hit Woods with a top rope moonsault. Balor followed up with a Coup de Grace and then pinned Woods…
Finn Balor and JD McDonagh defeated “New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods in 12:20 to win the World Tag Team Titles.
After the match, Dominik Mysterio joined Balor and McDonagh. All three men held up their title belts while pyro shot off behind them on the stage…
Powell’s POV: A hot match with a fairly surprising title change. The crowd got behind Balor and McDonagh, presumably because they were the challengers in a heel vs. heel match. Every time I think Judgment Day has run its course, the creative team finds new ways to keep the act relevant.
Jackie Redmond interviewed Bayley in a backstage area and asked if she was still focused on the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Bayley said she is. She said she’d be the champion had it not been for Lyra Valkyria getting involved in her business.
Lyra Valkyria showed up and took offense to what Bayley said. Valkyria said it’s personal between her and Becky Lynch. Bayley spoke about how things between her and Lynch are also personal. Bayley and Valkyria bickered.
Adam Pearce showed up and got between Bayley and Valkyria, and then shouted, “Enough!” Pearce booked Bayley vs. Valkyria for a shot at the Women’s Intercontinental Championship…
Sheamus was shown warming up backstage when he was greeted by Maxxine Dupri, Natalya, and Akira Tozawa… [C]
A Goldberg video package aired and focused on his winning streak in WCW, and included footage of his WWE run…
Powell’s POV: That’s more like it. That’s exactly the type of video package I was hoping to see for Goldberg.
Cole mentioned that Smackdown would move to two hours starting Friday night…
Powell’s POV: It’s an Independence Day miracle!!! God bless two-hour Smackdown episodes!!!
Highlights aired from last week’s Raw of Penta performing The Sacrifice on Chad Gable during a backstage segment…
Footage aired from earlier in the day of Chad Gable, with his arm in a sling, telling Julius Creed, Brutus, Creed, and Ivy Nile they would need to hold down the fort while he’s gone.
Ludwig Kaiser was watching in the background as Adam Pearce showed up and wished Gable the best of luck with his surgery. Gable said he’s an Olympian and makes his own luck.
Pearce assumed this would be the end of El Grande Americano for a while. Gable said Americano is the world’s greatest luchador, and he keeps a busy schedule, but you never know. After Pearce left, Gable told the Creeds and Nile that it’s time to fulfill their championship potential. Brutus asked what they would do without Gable, who told him to listen to Nile…
Rusev made his entrance to his shitty entrance theme. Cole set up a WWE-themed Jurassic Park movie trailer that was narrated by Bronson Reed… [C]
Powell’s POV: Seriously, bring back Rusev’s old entrance theme.
Adam Pearce was talking with Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis when Finn Balor and JD McDonagh showed up. Balor suggested that Raquel Rodriguez team with Roxanne Perez as the new Women’s World Tag Team Champions.
Pearce and Aldis spoke for a moment and then told Balor that they would allow it. Aldis said they would need to prove they are worthy champions. Pearce said Rodriguez and Perez will defend the titles against a team from each Raw, Smackdown, and NXT at Evolution. After Balor and McDonagh left, Aldis noted that he and Pearce were on the same page. “For now,” Pearce said before walking away…
2. Sheamus vs. Rusev. Sheamus’s entrance was not televised. Cole said Sheamus had never beaten Rusev in a singles match. Sheamus threw punches at Rusev in a corner of the ring. When Sheamus mounted him on the ropes, Rusev grabbed him and powerbombed him. Sheamus stood on the floor and threw punches at Rusev, who hit him with a knee strike. Rusev dove off the apron into a powerslam on the floor. [C]
[Hour Two] Sheamus no-sold Rusev kicks while firing up in a corner of the ring. Sheamus worked over Rusev and hit him with an Irish Curse backbreaker. Sheamus went up top and then hit a knee drop on Rusev. Sheamus covered Rusev, who kicked out at one. Graves astutely compared the move to Ray Stevens’ Bombs Away finisher. Rusev performed a middle rope superplex that left both men down. [C]
Rusev put Sheamus in The Accolade. Sheamus powered his way to his feet and fell back into the corner, but Rusev held on. Sheamus fell through the middle rope, bringing Rusev with him. Sheamus dropped Rusev with a Brogue Kick on the floor, which left both men down. Sheamus returned to the ring, and then Rusev barely beat the count to continue the match.
Both men ended up fighting for position on the ropes. Rusev thumbed Sheamus’s eye. Rusev removed the covering of the turnbuckle strut and then pulled Sheamus into it. Rusev followed up with Machka Kick and got the three count…
Rusev defeated Sheamus in 19:45.
Powell’s POV: It would have drawn boos from the live crowd, but I wouldn’t have bitched had the teased double count-out served as the actual finish. That said, it was nice to get an actual finish, even if it involved the heel cheating. We clearly haven’t seen the last of this feud.
A video featured general managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis talking about the WWE Evolution event. They announced that there will be a battle royal for a title shot at Clash in Paris…
Backstage, Jackie Redmond spoke with Ivy Nile and the Creeds. Nile said she wanted in the battle royal. El Grande Americano showed up and then walked away. Nile declined to comment on Americano, and then she and the Creeds made their exit.
Sami Zayn was spotted by Redmond, who attempted to talk to him. Karrion Kross attacked Zayn and ran him into a production crate. Kross grabbed a pipe that he struck Zayn’s ribs with. Scarlett and a group of referees and producers showed up… [C]
Powell’s POV: Americano’s neck grew a lot since we last saw him. It’s almost as if Ludwig Kaiser is now under the mask. Nah.
The broadcast team hyped the following matches for the July 13 WWE Evolution premium live event: Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship, a battle royal for a shot at a championship at Clash in Paris, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez vs. teams from Raw, Smackdown, and NXT in a four-way for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles…
Cameron and Connor Heyward were among the three members of the Pittsburgh Steelers shown in the front row. Cole, a New York Jets fan, said Aaron Rodgers broke his heart…
World Heavyweight Champion Gunther made his entrance for an in-ring promo. Gunther said he was there to talk about “Bill Goldberg.” He said he was impressed by the Goldberg video package. Gunther said that just like the matches, it was all summed up in three minutes for the fans.
Gunther said Goldberg had every right to claim that he was the most feared man of his generation. Gunther said he’s not afraid of what’s left of Goldberg. He said Goldberg is a 58-year-old man who wants to ride out his career on Gunther’s coattails.
Gunther said Goldberg isn’t capable of taking the title from him, whereas he is very capable of beating Goldberg in less than three minutes. Gunther said he intends to take his time, take Goldberg apart, blow him up, outclass and embarrass him in front of everyone who is near and dear to him.
Gunther recalled Goldberg saying he doesn’t like bullies. “Too bad you bumped into the biggest bully around here,” Gunther said. Gunther said people wondered if Goldberg still has it, but he’s going to expose that Goldberg never had it. Gunther said he will be the one asking who’s next.
Seth Rollins’ entrance music played, and he headed to the ring with Paul Heyman, who held a black and gold Money in the Bank briefcase. Rollins recalled vowing that CM Punk would not become a world champion in WWE. Rollins said he flew across the world to make good on that statement. Rollins also recalled saying that when he won MITB, it would be an all-out assault on both world titles.
CM Punk’s entrance theme hit and he headed to the ring and attacked Rollins. Punk got the better of Rollins, who fled the ring and ran up the steps. Punk went to leave the ring, but Gunther hooked his arm. Punk turned and shoved Gunther on his ass. Punk jawed at Gunther and then exited the ring while Rollins was shown waving from the top of the steps.
LA Knight showed up behind Rollins. Once Rollins turned around, Knight hit him with a bag of popcorn. Rollins and Knight fought their way into the concourse. Rollins grabbed a beer from a concession stand and threw it at Knight…
Powell’s POV: That will be $15, please.
Balor, McDonagh, and Dom were in the Judgment Day clubhouse with Roxanne Perez, who joined them in holding a title belt. Raquel Rodriguez showed up and asked if they were replacing Liv Morgan. Rodriguez said Morgan was rehabbing and would be back.
Balor said he’s had a shoulder injury and it will be a long time before Morgan returns. Balor said he wanted to make sure Rodriguez stayed a champion. Balor called for a vote on making Perez an official member of the group. Dom said he had to talk to Liv. Balor told him to vote. Rodriguez said Perez better hold up her end of the bargain. Perez was officially added to the group. Balor claimed Morgan would love it…
Bayley made her entrance while footage aired of her announcing two first-round picks for the San Jose Sharks during the NHL Draft on Friday… [C]
A Kairi Sane video package aired. It had a pirate theme, and she spoke about how she’s not afraid of anything. “The Pirate Princess is here,” Sane closed…
3. Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria for a shot at the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Valyria’s entrance was not televised. Both wrestlers crashed when they went for simultaneous crossbody blocks. [C]
Bayley stuffed a late Night Wing attempt and rolled Valkyria into a pin for a two count. Valkyria rolled Bayley over for a two count. Bayley pulled Valkyria back into a pin, and the referee made the three count.
Bayley fought Lyra Valkyria to a draw in 10:15.
Bayley and Valkyria held up their arms as if they’d won. The referee explained to the ring announcer that the shoulders of both women were down and therefore it was a draw. The fans booed when informed that the match was a draw.
Bayley and Valkyria fought to ringside. Adam Pearce and a bunch of producers and referees pulled the wrestlers apart. Cole said Becky Lynch would be happy about the draw because no one became No. 1 contender…
Powell’s POV: Bayley and Valkyria have bickered, but the fans were never given a reason to side with one wrestler over the other, so most sat quietly for most of the match. I continue to assume we’re heading toward a Triple Threat with Lynch defending against both women.
Graves announced Seth Rollins vs. LA Knight for Saturday Night’s Main Event…
Jackie Redmond caught up with CM Punk in the backstage area. Punk said Seth Rollins’ knees haven’t worked as well in years as they did when he ran away. Punk spotted LA Knight and said Knight should get in line for Rollins. Knight informed Punk about the SNME match and said that means he is the line…
Sami Zayn sat backstage with his ribs wrapped while a woman examined him. Penta showed up, and Zayn told him he’d see him in the ring for their tag match. Cole assumed that meant Zayn had been cleared for the match despite the earlier attack by Karrion Kross. Zayn made his entrance for what Cole referred to as a massive main event…
[Hour Three] [C] Penta was in the ring coming out of the break.
Backstage, Paul Heyman stood on the Gorilla Position set with Bronson Reed. Heyman spoke on the phone with Seth Rollins and told him to enjoy his flight. Heyman said Rollins was on his flight, perfecting Plan B. When Reed asked what it was, Bron Breakker showed up and said the plan is for him to smash anyone who gets in their way. The trio made their entrance…
4. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed vs. Sami Zayn and Penta. Zayn and Penta hit stereo flip dives onto their opponents, heading into an early break. [C] Zayn hit an Arabian Press on both opponents and sold his wrapped ribs when he stood up.
Zayn rolled Reed back in the ring and went up top, but Reed cut him off. Reed joined Zayn on the ropes. Zayn threw several punches at Reed’s back and then hit a sunset bomb for a near fall. Zayn sold his ribs again. Reed hoisted up Zayn and hit him with a Death Valley Driver that led to a two count.
Penta returned to the apron after selling on the floor for a stretch. Breakker hit his leaping clothesline from the apron and knocked Zayn over the broadcast table. [C] Penta performed The Sacrifice on Breakker, who came right back by pressing Penta over his head. Petna countered with a DDT for a near fall.
Heyman climbed onto the apron and distracted the referee when Penta went to the ropes. Breakker hit Penta with a Frankensteiner, and then Reed followed up with a sit-out powerbomb and had the pin, but Zayn broke it up.
Reed went for a Tsunami that Penta avoided. Both men tagged out. Zayn hit Breakker with an exploder suplex in a corner of the ring. Zayn went for a Helluva Kick, but Breakker cut him off with a leaping clothesline. Breakker lowered the strap on his gear and ran the ropes, but Zayn put him down with a kick.
Zayn tried to suplex Reed, who stuffed it initially. Penta clotheslined Reed over the top rope, and then Zayn suplexed Reed. Breakker entered the ring and speared Zayn, and then covered him for the three count.
Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed defeated Sami Zayn and Penta in roughly 8:15.
After the match, Breakker speared Penta. Reed dragged Zayn into position for his finisher while Breakker cleared Penta from the ring. Breakker held Zayn’s legs, but the heels were interrupted by entrance music.
Jey Uso came out with a chair and worked over Breakker with it at ringside. Jey entered the ring and threw punches at Reed and then drilled him with a superkick. Jey threw the chair at Reed’s head (Reed wisely put his hands up), causing Reed to fall out of the ring to the floor. Jey’s music played while he helped Zayn and Penta to their feet. The executive producer credits were shown while Graves said Jey may have saved Zayn’s career…
Powell’s POV: A fun show-closing tag team match with the added bonus of Jey Uso making the save, which got a great pop from the live crowd. I really like the Breakker and Reed tag team. In fact, I’d love to see them get a run with the tag team titles and feud with teams such as the Motor City Machine Guns, the Street Profits, and Fraxiom. WWE plays pretty loose with the brand split rules these days, but that’s probably pushing it unless Breakker and Reed somehow win the WWE Tag Team Titles.
Overall, a solid show with some Saturday Night’s Main Event and Evolution developments. I will be back later with my weekly same-night audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below. Have a terrific holiday week.
i must not be the target demographic or something, but goldberg’s return does nuthin for me. i get that gunther is a great opponent for him but, too me, it feels like this whole thing is a step down for him.
perhaps y’all have some insight that i don’t?
Nah. Goldberg’s one good run was the streak. Everything after that was diminishing returns. 95% of his time in wwe has stunk. His only entertaining match since 2016 was his slugfest with lesnar at mania 33. Everything else was either the same routine or a complete travesty
Nope, it doesn’t do much for me either. But if you’re going to do it, then do it right. That’s why I’ve been hoping for the type of Goldberg video package that we got tonight.
Let me amend my sentence: I get that Gunther is a great opponent for Goldberg but, to me, it feels like a step down for Gunther.
HHH’s booking is no better than Tony Kahn’s.
You’re as retarded as Dick the Boozer.
“Powell’s POV: Seriously, bring back Rusev’s old entrance theme.”
Why do you dorks care about entrance music so much?
Because presentation is important and the last two years of royal rumbles are the proof
People pop at the first sound of a star’s entrance music. That’s a huge part of the modern wrestling presentation.
“I continue to assume we’re heading toward a Triple Threat with Lynch defending against both women.”
So do I, and I expect it to be at Evolution.
It is a step down for Gunther. If he loses to a 58 year old, he’s a chump, and if he wins, he beat a 58 year old. Goldberg was exposed in his heyday, and WWE has been unusally generous in granting him return matches, which I thought were his final ones. Ultimate Warrior couldn’t wrestle, but he was an exciting larger than life character. Goldberg isn’t.
He got so “exposed” that he kept drawing ratings and selling tickets at an extremely high level for decades afterwards and wrestling fans still pop every time he shows up.