By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,699)
Hershey, Pennsylvania, at Giant Center
Streamed live December 15, 2025, on Netflix
[Hour One] Raw opened with a recap of Gunther beating John Cena in Cena’s retirement match on Saturday Night’s Main Event…
Gunther’s entrance music played, and the fans booed. Gunther walked onto the stage, held his arms out, and smiled before walking to the ring. A fan in the crowd held up an “HHH Sucks” sign.
Powell’s POV: I understand booing the head of creative over an unpopular finish, but I hope it ends here, or I fear this could lead to Paul Levesque going back to playing a heel authority figure character.
Gunther stood on the broadcast table in front of Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett while being introduced by ring announcer Alicia Taylor. The boos continued. Gunther entered the ring and boasted that he made Cena tap out “like a little bitch.”
Gunther exited the ring and then decided to return. He laughed at the fans. A “Cena” chant broke out, and then he left the ring again. Rinse and repeat, as Gunther teased leaving, only to return to ringside. Gunther stood on the broadcast table and played to the crowd for heat.
“I made John Cena tap out like a little bitch,” Gunther boasted while standing on the broadcast table. “It is my time now. I will forever be the man who made John Cena give up.” Gunther dropped the mic and laughed as he headed to the back.
A cameraman followed Gunther as he headed backstage. He crossed paths with Otis and Akira Tozawa. Otis said he bet Gunther felt pretty good. Gunther laughed and said that he did. Next up was R-Truth, who called Gunther a piece of trash.
Raw General Manager Adam Pearce approached Gunther and asked if he was proud. Gunther said he was very proud. Pearce said he made Cena tap out, and he walked all over his legacy because he knew he wasn’t coming back. Gunther asked if Pearce was finished. Pearce told him to find the exit.
Gunther left the venue and entered the parking lot, where AJ Styles was waiting by his car. Gunther asked Styles if there was anything he wanted to tell him. Styles motioned to the car. Gunther got in the car and started to leave, but he stopped. Gunther rolled down the window, got Styles’ attention, laughed while doing the “You Can’t See Me” hand gesture, and then drove away…
Powell’s POV: Gunther did a great job of trolling the fans. For all the years that Cena drew mixed reactions, it was fun to see the man retire him get booed by 99 percent of the fans.
The broadcast team spoke at their desk. Footage aired of Bronson Reed, Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, and Paul Heyman entering the building. Another shot showed Stephanie Vaquer walking backstage. Ivy Nile was shown walking with Julius Creed and Brutus Creed. World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk was shown and was cheered by the fans…
A brief video aired on Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso, and then they were shown walking through the concourse before making their entrance through the crowd. Tessitore hyped The Usos vs. New Day before the first commercial break… [C]
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods made their entrance with Grayson Waller…
1. Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso vs. “New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods (w/Grayson Waller). Barrett said they are the best tag teams of their generation. Tessitore said New Day held tag team titles 12 times, while the Usos held tag team titles eight times. He added that the teams had met 44 times. Woods clotheslined Jey from the apron while the referee was focused on Jimmy. Kingston kicked Jey to the floor. [C]
Powell’s POV: I’m a big fan of the announcers using more statistics after Vince McMahon left the company. I would have guessed that the Usos and New Day had more than 44 matches together, simply because of the number of house shows the company used to run.
Kingston distracted the referee while Waller ran legal man Jimmy into the ring post. Jey headed to that side of the ring and was taken out by Woods diving from the apron. Kingston rolled Jimmy back inside the ring and put the boots to him. Later, Jey tagged in and hit Woods with a suicide dive. Jey rolled Woods back inside the ring and then performed a top rope crossbody block that led to a two count. [C]
The referee ejected Waller from ringside coming out of the break. The Usos isolated Jimmy and got a near fall. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Kingston tagged in and jumped into a superkick. Jimmy knocked Woods off the apron, and then Jey speared him on the floor. Jimmy speared Kingston inside the ring and tagged out. The Usos hit 1D on Kingston, and then Jey pinned him…
Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso beat “New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods in 17:25.
Powell’s POV: A good match, but it was unfortunate that the match was interrupted on television with two commercial breaks. By the way, WrestleTix listed the host venue as being set up for 8,591, with 8,461 tickets distributed as of an hour before the show. The Giant Center capacity is listed at 12,500 for concerts.
The broadcast team hyped CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker for the World Heavyweight Championship, and “The Kaubki Warriors” Asuka and Kairi Sane vs. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles for the January 5 Raw in Brooklyn, New York, at Barclays Center…
A video package aired on the Kabuki Warriors and their issues with Ripley and Sky. Asuka spoke mostly in Japanese, while subtitles were used. She said the challengers would only know pain, and that she and Snae would retain their titles…
Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky were shown walking backstage… [C] Tessitore ran through the WWE podcast schedule… A video package recapped the issues between Rey Mysterio and Logan Paul, and the attack by Paul and Bronson Reed on LA Knight…
Inside The Vision’s dressing room, Logan Paul and Bronson Reed spoke about Reed hitting a Tsunami on LA Knight on top of a car. Bron Breakker said Knight was gone, but CM Punk was in the building, and they should destroy him. Logan said he thought the masked mystery man would show up.
Paul Heyman spoke with Logan about the masked man. Heyman spoke about Knight’s friends coming for the Vision. Heyman said he doesn’t know who it is, but he’ll take his help. Breakker pulled Heyman aside and spoke about taking out Punk. Heyman said Breakker couldn’t beat Punk in three weeks if he took him out before then. After Heyman left, Logan spoke with Breakker about locking in and getting his help while he warmed up…
Powell’s POV: Breakker and Reed were friendlier with Logan Paul than were during other backstage segments. I did have to laugh at Heyman mentioning that Knight’s friends would be coming for them. I chalked up no one saving Knight from the attack to his character not having friends.
Tessitore and Barrett plugged the WWE Unplugged season two premiere for January 20. Barrett said LA Knight suffered a cracked sternum from the Tsunami on the car, and added that he would be out indefinitely. Tessitore hyped CM Punk appearing soon…
Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky made their entrances. Once they arrived at ringside, Asuka stood in the front row and blew mist in Ripley’s eyes. Sane jumped off the barricade and hit Sky. Asuka and Sane ran Sky into the ring steps. Ripley swung at Sane, who ducked, and then Asuka and Sane teamed up on Ripley and threw her inside the ring. Asuka held Ripley’s hands while Sane went up top. Sky covered Ripley while Sane performed an Insane Elbow. Asuka and Sane headed to the back to boos…
[Hour Two] [C] Ivy Nile was in the ring coming out of the break. Maxxine Dupri made her entrance for the Women’s Intercontinental Title match…
2. Maxxine Dupri vs. Ivy Nile for the Women’s Intercontinental Title. Alicia Taylor delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Dupri caught Nile’s foot and applied a standing ankle lock, but the referee made her release the hold because Nile was holding the ropes. Dupri followed up with an armbar over the ropes. It was a struggle, but Nile powered up Dupri and slammed her on the apron. Nile performed a German suplex on the apron. [C]
Nile performed a hanging Dragon Sleeper that she had to release because they were in the ropes. Nile had Dupri in the tree of woe when she went up top, but Dupri flung her to the mat. Moments later, Dupri applied an ankle lock. Nile kicked out of it, but Dupri reapplied the hold. Nile kicked her off, but Dupri put her down with a kick and applied the hold again. Dupri grapevined Nile’s leg and forced her to tap out…
Maxxine Dupri beat Ivy Nile in 10:00 to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Title.
Powell’s POV: I get that they are trying to toughen up Dupri’s image, but Tessitore acting blown away when she performs moves or applies holds is going to get old in a hurry.
A video package showcased the performances of NXT Champion Oba Femi, Sol Ruca, Joe Henry, and the team of Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater on Saturday Night’s Main Event…
Backstage, Adam Pearce congratulated Je’Von Evans, saying he had the eyes of the world on him, and he did not disappoint. El Grande Americano showed up with Rayo and Bravo. Americano spoke in Spanish. Pearce booked Evans vs. Rayo in a match for next week’s Raw…
Tessitore hyped CM Punk for after the break… [C] The WrestleMania 42 ad that features Tiffany Stratton was shown…
World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk made his entrance while the fans sang along with “Cult of Personality.” Punk was all business as he walked to the ring. He got a mic and tossed the mic flag at Tessitore. Once in the ring, Punk said he missed two Raws because the people smarter than him wouldn’t medically clear him.
Punk called Bron Breakker a “crosseyed neanderthal nepo baby.” He recalled Breakker complaining about Punk nearly broke his neck during the WarGames match. Punk said he understands that brains don’t run in Breakker’s family, but he signed up for WarGames, not boardgames.
Punk recalled Breakker saying he wanted the old version of him to return. Punk said Breakker can’t handle 2025 Punk without help from his friends. Punk congratulated Breakker for pinning him, but pointed out that he didn’t do it alone.
Punk said Breakker could ask Paul Heyman how many times he gassed up a young wrestler and gave them too much too soon and watched them wilt under the bright lights. Punk said if he had a dime for every time he stood in the ring across from a talented individual who people who are not as smart as him gassed up to be can’t miss future WrestleMania main eventers, “Well, I’d have a pocket full of dimes.”
Punk said that if Breakker mentions his wife’s name again, this would go from business to personal faster than Breakker can run. He said it wouldn’t be about the belt anymore, because he’d rip his eyes out of his head and piss on his single-digit IQ brain.
Punk said he would challenge Breakker to face him one-on-one, but he knows he won’t because he doesn’t have the balls or the heart. Punk told him to bring Heyman, The Vision, the mystery masked man, the National Guard, his dumb father, and his even dumber brother Scott to Brooklyn. Punk said Breakker would need all hands on deck to stand a snowball’s chance in hell to beat him for the title.
Punk said that when he wins, and Breakker wakes up and sees that Heyman has left him for the next big thing, and Bronson Reed will be reduced to doing TikToks with a YouTube scammer, the only people that Breakker would have left will be Dumb & Dumber – his father and uncle. Punk said that in real time, all three of them would find out that even with Steiner Math, the GTS equals 1-2-3. Punk exited the ring and slapped hands with some fans at ringside while taking a lap around the ring…
Powell’s POV: An intense promo from Punk. The story could change between now and then, but I like the idea of Punk and Breakker both acting as confident as ever heading into their title match on January 5.
Backstage, Dominik Mysterio spoke with Liv Morgan while Roxanne Perez stood by. Dom said he hoped that The Vision would put an end to his deadbeat dad, and he could have a great Christmas. Morgan asked where Finn Balor was. Dom said Balor was JD McDonagh, who would be on the shelf for a while.
Morgan turned her focus to Raquel Rodriguez’s match for the Women’s World Championship later in the night. Rodriguez said she knew they would have her back, but she wanted to handle Stephanie Vaquer all on her own. Morgan said she and Perez would celebrate with her once they become WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. Perez said she had to take care of Bayley next week, and then she and Lyra Valkyria would be out of the picture…
Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer made her entrance… [C] Raquel Rodriguez was in the ring coming out of the break… [C]
3. Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez for the Women’s World Championship. Alicia Taylor delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Rodriguez caught Vaquer jumping off the ropes and then picked up a near fall before a break. [C]
Vaquer performed the Devil’s Kiss while the fans counted along. Vaquer hit double knees on a seated Rodriguez. Rodriguez stuffed the SVB and then blasted Vaquer with a clothesline. Vaquer caught Rodriguez in an armbreaker over the ropes, and then Rodriguez ended up on the floor once she released the hold. Vaquer dove from the apron, but Rodriguez caught her. Rodriguez lined up Vaquer for a ring post shot, but Vaquer slipped away and shoved her into the post.
Nikki Bella ran Vaquer into the ring post, and then ran Rodriguez into the ring steps to end the match. Nikki ran Vaquer into the barricade before rolling her inside the ring, where she hit the Rack Attack 2.0…
Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer fought Raquel Rodriguez to a non-contest in 8:00.
Powell’s POV: I assume this is leading to a Triple Threat with Vaquer defending against Rodriguez and Nikki at some point.
Backstage, Adam Pearce told Paul Heyman to tell him the identity of the mystery attacker. Heyman said Seth Rollins. Heyman then said Becky Lynch, Nick Aldis, and Bruno Sammartino before saying he doesn’t know. He said he doesn’t mind as long as the person is aligned with his vision. Heyman said he had to get Logan Paul ready. Pearce told him he wanted Heyman to tell him the truth by the end of the night.
Rhea Ripley entered the picture and said she wanted Asuka. Pearce asked her how next week sounded. She said it was perfect. He said it was official…
Backstage, Rey Mysterio and CM Punk crossed paths. Punk said he would have Rey’s back if it was okay with him. Rey said he appreciated it. Punk told him to go punch Logan Paul in the face… [C]
Tessitore recapped the show while a “Raw Roundup” graphic listed that Gunther was booed mercilessly, and the results of the matches…
Backstage, Jackie Redmond asked World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee about the Usos beating New Day. Styles put over the Usos and their rivalry with New Day, but said he and Lee are the champions. Lee said they would face them any time. Styles said they should go talk to Adam Pearce.
Nikki Bella showed up after Styles and Lee left. Nikki complained about being disrespected and said that Vaquer and Rodriguez should be shining her boots…
The broadcast team listed the following matches for next week’s Raw (the show will be taped on Friday at the Smackdown event): Bayley vs. Roxanne Perez, Je’Von Evans vs. Rayo, and Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka… [C]
Backstage, Bayley congratulated Maxinne Dupri, who showed off a bloody finger. Bayley told her she should go take care of it. Lyra Valkyria showed up. Bayley told her that she’d been thinking about some of the things Asuka said to her after she lost to Sol Ruca on Saturday.
Valkyria asked if one loss was all it would take make Bayley doubt herself. Lyra shoved Bayley and said Asuka was right when she called her an idiot. Bayley shoved her back and yelled that Valkyria was the idiot and how she would beat Roxanne Perez. “There she is,” Valkyria said with a smile after Bayley walked away…
Rey Mysterio made his entrance…
[Hour Three] [C] The tail end of Logan Paul’s entrance was televised…
4. Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul (w/Paul Heyman). The broadcast team debated whether Heyman knows who the mystery man is. Rey’s belt ended up on the mat. Logan picked it up and whipped him with it in front of the referee. The broadcast team said he was risking disqualification. Logan went for a Lionsault, but Rey put his knees up. Logan rolled to the floor. Rey dove onto him from the apron. [C]
Late in the match, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed walked out and were headed to the ring when CM Punk came out and attacked them with a chair. All three men went backstage. In the ring, Heyman handed Logan his brass knuckles. Logan wanted to use the brass knuckles, but Rey tripped him up and got him in position for a 619.
Rey reached for the brass knuckles that were on the mat, but the mystery masked man showed up and gave him a Stomp while Heyman distracted the referee. Paul took advantage of the interference by hitting Rey with a frog splash for the win.
Logan Paul beat Rey Mysterio in 15:00.
After the match, Logan looked unsure of the masked man. Punk returned with his title belt and a chair, causing the heels to leave the ring. The masked man ran into the crowd and up the steps in the same aisle that the Usos made their entrance from earlier in the show.
The mystery man unmasked and revealed himself to be Austin Theory (with shorter hair). Punk stood on the middle rope and jawed at Theory from a distance while Bron Breakker entered the ring. Breakker speared Punk and then took the title belt and squatted next to him. Breakker said Punk was right, it’s just business. “You ever talk about my family like that again, you will never stand on two feet ever again,” Breakker said.
Breakker held up the title belt while Heyman and Logan watched from the apron, and Theory watched from the crowd. The executive producer credits were shown while Breakker’s entrance theme played. Tessitore hyped Punk vs. Breakker for January 5 to end the show…
Powell’s POV: The main event was essentially there to set up the mystery man’s attack and reveal. Word leaked of the plan for Austin Theory to join The Vision before Seth Rollins got hurt. Although plans may have changed since the Rollins injury occurred, my guess remains that Theory is joining The Vision. It’s far the most exciting mystery reveal, but I am looking forward to seeing how Theory does in whatever his new role is, especially if he has Heyman handling a lot of his mic work.
Overall, this was a solid show highlighted by Gunther’s gloating, the angry Punk promo, and the mystery man reveal. I will be back shortly with my weekly same-night audio review of Raw for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Sorry, but Austin Theory being revealed just makes no sense. Let’s not even take into account the leaked info and lack of surprise to a two week long drawn out “mystery” which was never mysterious at all. The main issue I have is that Theory was being set up for as a babyface in a turn on Grayson Waller before his exit. It makes no logical sense.