By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,698)
Kansas City, Missouri, at T-Mobile Center
Streamed live December 8, 2025, on Netflix
[Hour One] Raw opened with a video package that focused on Gunther beating LA Knight to earn the right to be John Cena’s final opponent… Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett were on commentary, and the ring announcer was Alicia Taylor…
Gunther made his entrance dressed in non-wrestling attire. A “We want Cena” chant broke out. Gunther told the fans not to get their hopes up because Cena wouldn’t be coming. Gunther said it was his time. He said he submitted LA Knight and earned one of the biggest honors of his career.
Gunther said John Cena is the greatest sports entertainer of all time. Gunther said that on Saturday, Cena will face the best professional wrestler of all time. Gunther had a countdown clock appear on the big screen that counted down the time until Cena’s final match.
Gunther said that beating Cena won’t be enough for him. Gunther said he’s going to break Cena’s spirit. He said he would push him around, bully him, drop him on his head, and then lock his arms around his neck and squeeze until the last bit of hustle, loyalty, and respect leaves Cena’s body.
Gunther said he would force Cena to do the one thing he would never do. “I’m going to force you to give up,” Gunther said before leaving the ring. Gunther stopped on the stage and looked at the countdown clock on the big screen, looked at his own watch, and headed to the back…
Powell’s POV: Gunther’s promo was brief, but it accomplished what it needed to by establishing that Gunther intends to force Cena to submit. WrestleTix lists the Raw host venue as being set up for 7,978, with 7,598 tickets distributed
Tessitore narrated backstage/arrival shots of Rey Mysterio, Lyra Valkyria and Bayley, World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee, Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer, and Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky…
A video package recapped Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky fighting Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss to a no-contest when “The Kabuki Warriors” Asuka and Kairi Sane interfered, and the post-match brawl that involved the teams of Lyra Valkyria and Bayley, Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez, and Liv Morgan…
Iyo Sky made her entrance with Rhea Ripley for Sky’s match against Kairi Sane… [C] Tessitore hyped the Peacock schedule for Saturday, which includes a two-hour countdown show and a post-show…
NXT Champion Oba Femi was shown in the crowd. He held up the title belt and jawed into the camera. Barrett hyped Oba’s match against WWE Champion Cody Rhodes for Saturday Night’s Main Event…
1. Iyo Sky (w/Rhea Ripley) vs. Kairi Sane (w/Asuka). Sane’s entrance was not televised. Sky had Sane down on the floor and was going to run the ropes, but Asuka caused a distraction. Sky ran toward Asuka, who held the ropes open, causing Sky to tumble to the floor. Ripley approached Asuka. Sane hit Sky with a move from the apron. Ripley checked on Sky. [C]
Sky performed a German suplex on the apron, which sent Sane to the floor. Sky performed an Asai moosault and then threw Sane back inside the ring. Sky dropped Sane with a kick and then went up top, but Asuka tripped her into a tree of woe while the referee was focused on Sane. Ripley kicked Asuka before tossing her into the timekeeper’s area. Sane went up top and stood over Sky, who flung Sane to the mat. Sky followed up with Over The Moonsault and got the three count…
Iyo Sky beat Kairi Sane in 11:30.
Powell’s POV: A solid opening match. There wasn’t much mystery regarding the outcome, but Asuka’s interference kept things interesting.
Paul Heyman stood in The Vision’s dressing room while Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed were seated in front of him. Logan Paul entered the room and asked if they had seen Rey Mysterio smack him in the face last week. Logan said something had to be done about it. Breakker and Reed stood up. Breakker said that they’d handle it if that’s what Logan wanted. Logan said yes.
Logan asked Heyman if he could speak to him. Logan said the Rey situation would be handled tonight. Heyman said the best thing about it is that Logan has backup for the first time in his life. Logan said he wanted Breakker and Reed to know that if there was trouble, he would be their backup, too. Heyman said he didn’t think he could respect Logan more than he did. Heyman pulled out the brass knuckles and gave them to Logan “just in case.” After Logan left, Heyman told Breakker and Reed that he really likes Logan…
Rey Mysterio was shown walking backstage while Tessitore hyped his match with Finn Balor. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce was arguing with Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Grayson Waller as Mysterio walked by… [C]
Tessitore plugged the WWE podcast schedule… A War Raiders video package aired to build up Erik and Ivar for their World Tag Team Title match…
Rey Mysterio made his entrance and was slapping hands with fans along the barricade when Logan Paul ran out and attacked him from behind. Logan rolled Rey inside the ring and kicked and punched him. Logan put on the brass knuckles and went to punch Rey, who caught him with a kick. Rey tripped Logan into position for a 619.
The hooded man in black from Survivor Series entered the ring and superkicked Rey. The masked man followed up with a Stomp. The masked man left the ring and hopped the barricade when security guards ran toward him. In the ring, Logan hit Rey with the brass knuckles.
LA Knight’s entrance music played. Knight came to the ring, causing Logan to duck to the floor. Knight told Logan not to go anywhere. Knight said that if the masked man was Seth Rollins, he would stomp his head in. Knight said Rey is a legend, and he was pissed about the way Logan treated him. Knight said it was time for Logan to pay. Knight said he didn’t want to wait; he wanted Logan to pay tonight. Knight said “yeah” while Logan responded “no” several times… [C]
Powell’s POV: I liked the backstage segment with The Vision. Heyman declined to say on the Survivor Series post-show whether Logan was with the faction full-time. Logan seemed like he was trying to fit in during the backstage segment, but it came off like Breakker and Reed are just tolerating him for now.
Tessitore congratulated Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on being nominated for a Golden Globe award for best male actor for his performance in The Smashing Machine…
The broadcast team said the Logan Paul vs. LA Knight match was official for later in the show… The War Raiders were in the ring, and then AJ Styles and Dragon Lee made their entrance…
NXT star Je’Von Evans was shown in the crowd. Barrett announced AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater for Saturday Night’s Main Event. There was no mention of the World Tag Team Titles being on the line…
Powell’s POV: That’s a really fun match on paper. If the plan his for the champions to retain, I’d like to see them add a little juice to it by making it a title match. Styles and Lee could look like fighting champions by volunteering to put their titles on the line, even though Evans and Slater haven’t earned a title shot.
2. AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. “The War Raiders” Erik and Ivar for the World Tag Team Titles. Alicia Taylor delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Grayson Waller walked out. Kingston and Woods sat in chairs next to the broadcast table while Waller stood behind them. Erik and Ivar got off to a fast start with Ivar hitting his running crossbody block on Styles, who was seated against the ring apron. [C]
The countdown to John Cena’s final match was shown in a lower corner of the screen at one point during the match. Lee caught Erik in the tree of woe and hit him with a double stomp from the top rope. Lee tried to hoist Ivar up on his back, but he collapsed under his weight. Lee tried again and fell. Lee tried one more time and pulled off a clunky-looking move.
[Hour Two] Lee went for a huracanrana on Erik, who stuffed it while standing on the apron. Lee kicked Erik, who then tossed Lee to Ivar, who powerslammed Lee on the floor. Back in the ring, Ivar hit a top rope moonsault on Lee and had him beat, but Styles broke up the pin.
Erik and Styles squared off. Erik drilled Styles with a knee strike and covered him for a two count. The New Day chirped from the floor about Erik not hooking Styles’ leg. Moments later, Styles pulled Ivar from the ropes with a huracanrana that launched Ivar into Erik, who tumbled to ringside. Lee performed a flip dive onto Erik on the floor. Styles hit Ivar with the Phenomenal Forearm and then pinned him.
AJ Styles and Dragon Lee defeated “The War Raiders” Erik and Ivar in 11:20 to retain the World Tag Team Titles.
After the match, Kingston, Woods, and Waller entered the ring and approached Styles and Lee. Jey Uso’s entrance theme played, and then he and Jimmy Uso made their entrance through the crowd and eventually joined the other teams inside the ring.
Jimmy announced that he and Jey are back in the tag team division. Jimmy spoke about their recent losses. He said he saw Jey crash out last week and then had one question on his mind – “What we doing, Uce?” Jey said they were going to “get back to us.” Jey said the tag team division is on notice. Jey said he and Jimmy need gold. Jimmy said respect to the tag team champions, who don’t know about them yet.
Jey turned his attention to New Day and said, “They do.” Jey turned back to address the champions. Kingston and Woods spun around the Usos, and were quickly knocked out of the ring with punches from Jimmy and Jey. Waller acted like he wanted to run it back, but then took the hint and left the ring. The segment ended with Styles and Lee exchanging words with the Usos…
A video promoted WWE Smackdown and the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 30-31. Tessitore hyped that tickets for the shows will go on sale Wednesday…
Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer was shown walking backstage…[C]
Powell’s POV: A quality tag team match, aside from Lee refusing to give up on trying to power up Ivar. I like the idea of reuniting the Usos. Do they break up in time for another Jey vs. Jimmy match at WrestleMania, or are they truly back long term? It’s nice to see the tag team titles getting more attention. I just wish they would build up the challengers before feeding them to Styles and Lee.
Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen was shown in the crowd…
Jackie Redmond stood in the ring and introduced Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer, who made her entrance. Redmond asked about what’s next for Vaquer, who took the mic from her. She spoke of being the best and said that Nikki Bella is a legend. Vaquer mentioned Rhea Ripley, Bayley, Natalya, and Iyo Sky. She was about to boast about being at the top of the division when she was interrupted by entrance music.
Nikki Bella walked out with a microphone in hand and took a jab at the fans. Nikki said she and Vaquer are not done. Nikki climbed on the apron and demanded a rematch.
Raquel Rodriguez hopped the barricade and pulled Nikki off the apron and then launched her into the ring post. Rodriguez entered the ring and told Vaquer to name the time and place, and she’d kick her ass and take her title…
LA Knight was shown warming up backstage… [C]
Powell’s POV: Rodriguez saving the world from another Nikki Bella title shot was enough to make her a babyface in some circles. To be fair, it’s not that Nikki and Vaquer had a bad match at Survivor Series. The problem is that the live crowd didn’t buy Nikki as a threat to win, and sat on their hands during her entrance.
A John Cena video aired that focused on his WrestleMania history… Tessitore hyped Cena’s final match for Saturday, and mentioned that tickets are still available…
Finn Balor boasted to Liv Morgan, Dominik Mysterio, and Raquel Rodriguez that the masked man took out Rey, so it would be an easy night for him. Dom said he doesn’t know who the masked man is, but he kind of likes him. Raquel Rodriguez arrived. Morgan asked her about attacking Nikki Bella. Rodriguez said Nikki ruined her last shot at the title, so she wasn’t going to let her do it again.
Morgan said she was surprised that Rodriguez didn’t say anything to her about it. Rodriguez said she didn’t know she had to run everything by her. Morgan said she didn’t, but then looked a little strange when Rodriguez said she was going to talk with Adam Pearce about her title match.
Morgan told Perez that she would be in her corner. Perez wondered why. Morgan said that if Rodriguez is going for the Women’s World Championship, then she and Perez would be the next tag team champions. After the women left, Dom and Balor were happy that Morgan and Perez were bonding.
Tessitore pointed out that Rodriguez was wearing a Houston Texans shirt a night after they beat the hometown Kansas City Chiefs…
Lyra Valkyria made her entrance with Bayley, who spotted Sol Ruca in the front row. They were cordial. The broadcast team hyped Bayley vs. Ruca for Saturday Night’s Main Event. Roxanne Perez and Liv Morgan made their entrance. Morgan hugged Perez before exiting the ring…
3. Lyra Valkyria (w/Bayley) vs. Roxanne Perez (w/Liv Morgan). Valkyria performed a Northern Lights Suplex into a bridge for a two count during the opening minute. She hooked Perez into a pin and got another two count. Perez slapped Valkyria, who performed another Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. The wrestlers ended up at ringside, where Perez ran Valkyria’s shoulder into the ring steps. Perez grabbed Valkyria’s left arm and pulled her into the steps a few times. [C]
Perez targeted Valkyria’s left shoulder. Valkyria performed a German suplex. Valkyria had Perez on her shoulders when Morgan climbed onto the apron, distracting the referee while Perez raked Valkyria’s eyes. Bayley tripped Morgan. Perez kicked Bayley. Valkyria rolled up Perez, who kicked out, sending Valkyria toward the ropes. Morgan, who was still lying on the apron, kicked Valkyria. Perez hit Pop Rox and scored the pin…
Roxanne Perez defeated Lyra Valkyria in 10:15.
Powell’s POV: The body of the match was pretty good, but the finish was rough. It looked like Morgan missed with the kick from the apron and then threw another, which didn’t look very good. There were no signs of friction between the Morgan and Perez characters, but the look that Morgan gave backstage while she had her back to Rodriguez was interesting.
A WrestleMania 42 ad aired and focused on Tiffany Stratton… Logan Paul was shown backstage while Tessitore hyped him as coming up next… [C]
A video focused on Maxxine Dupri training with Natalya, which resulted in Natalya tapping out. Dupri stood up and said again…
The broadcast team spoke at their desk about John Cena’s final match. Barrett guaranteed that Michael Cole would be an emotional mess. Tessitore set up the latest clip from Tom Rinaldi’s interview with Cena, which will finally be released on YouTube after tonight’s Raw. Cena spoke about how fans chanting “You can’t wrestle” stuck with him because he was doing the same five moves every night. He spoke about shaking things up and learning during matches with Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, AJ Styles, and others…
The broadcast team ran through the previously advertised Saturday Night’s Main Event matches. Tessitore noted that Barrett would be on the call (with Cole)… LA Knight made his entrance… [C]
4. Logan Paul (w/Paul Heyman) vs. LA Knight. Logan’s entrance was not televised. Logan took a cheap shot at Knight, and the referee rewarded him for it by calling for the bell to start the match. A short time later, Knight slammed Logan’s head on the broadcast desk several times. Knight got Logan back in the ring and then hit him with a slingshot shoulder block that led to a two count. Logan regained offensive control going into a break.
[Hour Three] [C] Logan picked up Knight in powerbomb position and dropped him face-first with what Barrett labeled a reverse powerbomb. Knight rallied and hit a side Russian Leg Sweep and a jumping neckbreaker for a two count. The Cena countdown clock was shown again.
Knight hit a seated Logan with a knee strike. Knight set up for a superplex, but he was distracted by Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed walking out. Logan knocked Knight off the ropes and then performed a crossbody block from the middle rope and nearly overshot Knight.
Knight fought back again and hit his double jump elbow drop. Breakker climbed onto the apron. Knight punched Breakker, who dropped back to the floor. Knight went after Reed, who was on the apron, but Reed headbutted him while the referee was distracted by Breakker.
The referee spotted Reed and then motioned for him and Breakker to leave. Breakker bickered with the referee while Knight kicked Logan through the ropes and joined him on the floor. Knight leaned over the broadcast table while working over Logan with punches. The mystery man showed up again and hit Knight with a Stomp on the broadcast table. The mystery man rolled Knight back inside the ring and then hopped the barricade. Logan went up top and hit Knight with a frog splash for the win.
Logan Paul beat LA Knight in roughly 13:00.
After the match, Breakker put the boots to Knight. Logan picked up Knight and held him while Breakker speared him. Reed hit Knight with two Tsunami splashes. Trainers got Knight out of the ring. Heyman grabbed a microphone and told a crew member to walk away from him. [C]
Heyman, Breakker, Reed, and Logan were in the ring coming out of the break. Heyman mocked Kansas City, questioning whether they were in Kansas or Missouri. Heyman said Bron Breakker will win the World Heavyweight Championship on January 5.
Breakker took the mic and let “CM Punk” chants grow. Breakker asked where Punk was. He said he didn’t mean physically, he meant he didn’t believe the Nice Guy version of Punk. Breakker said Punk is a fraud, and he doesn’t believe him. Breakker mocked Punk for being Straight Edge, yet “looking like the biggest crackhead anyone has ever seen.” Breakker said he doesn’t want the Nice Guy Punk on January 5. Breakker said he wants the old Punk.
Breakker said he wants to face the guy from 2011-2013, who beat The Rock and had a 434-day title reign. Breakker dropped to his knees and begged for the old Punk. Breakker said he wants to be the greatest superstar to ever lace a pair of boots. Breakker said if he didn’t get that version of Punk, he would send him to the hospital, take his title, and his wife.
LA Knight was shown down on the ground backstage, telling trainers and referees that he wasn’t done yet. Reed and Logan left the ring and ran to the back. Breakker said it would be “Spear, 1-2-3” on January 5.
Backstage, Reed and Logan attacked Knight. Security tried to intervene, but they were quickly fought off. Reed and Logan put Knight through a sponsored table. Reed put Knight over his shoulder and then dumped him onto the hood of a car. Reed climbed to the top of some crates near a wall, and then Logan got Knight on the roof of the car. Reed hit Knight with a Tsunami.
Adam Pearce showed up with more referees and producers, and yelled for medics while the executive producer credits were shown…
Powell’s POV: It wasn’t a bad beatdown angle, but I’m not really sure why it was down. Knight tapped out to Gunther on Smackdown, was pinned by Logan Paul tonight, and was taken out with a post-match attack. If this were the Attitude Era, I’d be wondering if he was going to pop up on WCW Nitro next week.
Overall, this show started stronger than it finished, but they did a good job of consistently pushing John Cena’s final match for Saturday. I will be back shortly with my weekly same-night audio review of Raw, which will be available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
If Gunther’s countdown clock hits zero and it’s Jericho I’ll be disappointed.
So I guess Larry was off limits in Bron’s promo there.
Maybe there’s more than one of these masked men with one of them being Montez Ford and of course Austin Theory.
One thing I do like about the tag team match at SNME. They didn’t mention it but maybe they might – the meeting in the ring of Leon Slater and AJ Styles after Slater won the X Division title at Slammiversary, where AJ put Leon over. Did you forget about that, Jason? It’s the sort of thing I would have thought you would have picked up. No offence.
Crowds are way down from just a few months ago. Time to get concerned? Or will the “Road to Wrestlemania” bring fans back to the arena?
Q3 showed a 23% increase in revenue.
John Cena’s retirement match, but tickets are still available?
Does that smug jackass from TKO now see they’re pricing the audience away?
Also, is Trump going to be at SNME? In front of a crowd in a city he’s trying to control with military rule?
TKO chasing clout, and Trump wanting adulation. Good God.
Fun tidbit: TKO’s Ari Emanuel is the brother of Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former Chief of Staff and Democrat mayor of Chicago. But he’s fine with Republican Trump being there, a tacit endorsement by TKO and WWE of all the racist, plutocratic, alleged war crimes and Constitution-threatening things the Trump Administration has done. Another example of the wealthy living on their own plane, while feeding us red state and blue state division.
If they’re going to bring politics into wrestling, then they better be prepared to talk politics, and face whatever fallout because of it.
I just feel bad for Cena, who was trying to give back, yet whose entire retirement run has been hijacked by egos. Cena walks with a hunch now, literally broke his back for the business, and they couldn’t do right by him.
This! Look at Steve raising the bar for wrestling discourse. Well said.
I wish i could have gone to the show again this time but I got wrapped up with some work stuff this month. Last time they were here Seth was stomping out Sami.