By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,697)
Glendale, Arizona, at Desert Diamond Arena
Streamed live December 1, 2025, on Netflix
[Hour One] The broadcast team duo of Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett stood in the crowd with fans and set up a video package that recapped the Survivor Series WarGames event… Tessitore narrated backstage/arrival shots of “The Vision” Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Logan Paul, Solo Sikoa and Talla Tonga, and World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee.
The Judgment Day members Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez, and Roxanne Perez were shown in the parking lot. Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan arrived in a lowrider. Morgan got out and hugged Rodriguez and McDonagh, then nodded at Perez, and spoke with Balor, but there was no volume…
Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley made their entrance while being introduced by ring announcer Alicia Taylor. Sky sold shoulder pain, and Ripley was still wearing a face shield. Once in the ring, Ripley said they were a little banged up, but they won the war. She said they managed to come out victorious despite the teammates not all being on the same page.
Ripley said the war isn’t over. Ripley said she and Sky want revenge, and it would start by taking the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles from “The Kabuki Warriors” Asuka and Kairi Sane. Sky told Asuka that no one is ready for Rhea. Ripley started to call out the tag team champions, but she was interrupted by the entrance music of the previous tag team champions.
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss made their way to the ring. Bliss said she couldn’t help but overhear them call for a shot at the tag team titles, but she wanted them to pump their brakes a little. Flair said she and Bliss are former tag team champions, and they haven’t had a rematch. Bliss said they are all for Ripley and Sky getting a title shot, only after they get their rematch.
Ripley said Flair and Bliss lost to the Kabuki Warriors and told them to go to the back of the line. Flair said if Ripley and Sky think they are better than her and Bliss, they should prove it. Bliss called for a match between the two teams for later in the show. “You are on,” Sky said with a smile…
Backstage, Adam Pearce was on the phone, and he told someone that Ripley and Sky vs. Flair and Bliss was official and would be the main event. Ivy Nile showed up and said she wanted a shot at the Women’s Intercontinental Title. Pearce said Maxinne Dupri was training with Natalya, but Nile would get the first shot at the title.
Paul Heyman and Bron Breakker were waiting for Pearce after Nile walked away. Pearce said they had nothing to talk about unless Heyman was going to disclose who was under the mask at Survivor Series WarGames. Heyman said he’s always considered guilty, but he claimed he had no idea who was under the mask.
Heyman recalled Breakker pinning World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk to win the WarGames match. Heyman said they had a lot to talk about, and then Pearce invited him and Breakker into his office…
Jey Uso was shown in the concourse with fans, and then he made his entrance through the crowd for the first semifinal tournament match before the first commercial break… [C]
Powell’s POV: They packed a lot into the first 15 minutes of the show with a good Survivor Series recap video, the verbal segment that set up the show’s main event, the backstage segment that leaned into the mystery attacker angle and acknowledged that Breakker pinned Punk, and then the hook of Jey heading to the ring for the first tournament match. By the way, roughly an hour before the show, WrestleTix reported that the building was set up for 9,614, and 9,180 tickets had been distributed. The listed capacity for the building is 20,000.
CM Punk was featured in a John Cena video. Punk said he might be biased, but he knows he was Cena’s greatest rival. Cody Rhodes and Kofi Kingston also chimed in on the rivalry between the two…
Tessitore announced that CM Punk was not cleared for action due to what happened at the end of the WarGames match. Tessitore hyped Cena’s last match for the December 13 Saturday Night’s Main Event… LA Knight made his entrance…
1. Jey Uso vs. LA Knight in a The Last Time Is Now tournament semifinal match. Jey hit Knight with a suicide dive two minutes into the match. [C] Knight set up for a move from the ropes, but Jey fought back, and they both fell to the floor.
Back in the ring, Jey speared Knight for a two count. Jey went up top moments later, but Knight ran over and superplexed him and then covered him for a near fall. Jey rolled up Knight for another two count, and then speared him. Jey went up top and hit the Uso Splash and got a near fall, but Knight hooked him into a pin and got the three count.
LA Knight defeated Jey Uso in 9:45 to advance to the finals of The Last Time Is Now tournament.
A dejected Jey sat in a corner of the ring after Knight made his exit. Jey slid under the bottom rope to the floor. Jey put his head on the broadcast table and tapped it a few times, then turned and turned the stupid Prime cart over. Jey removed the top part of the ring steps and tossed it before heading to the back…
Powell’s POV: I thought they were heading toward another Jey vs. Gunther match, so Knight going over was a mild upset. Perhaps the bigger story is Jey’s post-match meltdown and where his character goes from here.
Backstage, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria spoke with Adam Pearce about getting back in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title picture. Pearce asked Bayley if she was in the right headspace to face The Kabuki Warriors. Valkyria said she was doing well most of the time. Pearce said he would consider them and then exited.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions “The Kabuki Warriors” Asuka and Kairi Sane showed up. Asuka said her WarGames team could have won had Bayley agreed to join it. Asuka said she’s a tag team champion, and Bayley is nothing. Sane wrapped the green chain she used during the WarGames match around Bayley’s neck. Asuka yelled for Sane, who left without grabbing the chain…
Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio made his entrance with fellow Judgment Day members Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez, and Roxanne Perez coming out behind him. Dom bumped fists with Balor, who was all smiles, and then Dom bumped fists with McDonagh… [C]
Dom greeted the crowd with a line in Spanish, and then said if John Cena is the greatest of all time, and he just beat him, that makes him the greatest Mysterio, luchador, the king of the luchadores, and the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time. Dom said he couldn’t have done it without the four wrestlers in the ring, then introduced the person who helped him the most.
Liv Morgan made her entrance and declined to slap hands with fans lined up along the entrance aisle. Morgan entered the ring and kissed Dom on the cheek. “I’m back,” Morgan declared. She said that neither the fans nor John Cena saw her coming.
Dom said he knew Cena would figure out the Judgment Day plan, so they decided to play the ace up their sleeve. Dom said he got back his two favorite things in the world, the Intercontinental Title and Morgan.
Morgan said she missed Dom and the other Judgment Day members. She said she heard some things about the faction while she was gone. She said she heard the Judgment Day was weak, lost some of its gold, and was falling apart. She said it all changes now that she’s back.
Morgan said the Judgment Day is back and they are coming for everything “that is ours.” Morgan declared that the group once again rules Monday Night Raw. “Oh, and Dom, one more thing,” Morgan said. Morgan slapped Dom across the face. Dom smiled, and then she jumped into his arms…
Powell’s POV: Let the record show that Daddy Dom likes it rough. Anyway, this was a decent segment, but I hoped for more drama involving the Judgment Day members. I didn’t expect them to give everything away in one night, but this was really straightforward, with even Balor and Perez smiling and applauding. I thought they might show those two looking annoyed by Morgan, given their past issues with her.
A training video showed Maxxine Dupri training. Natalya told her to try it on her, and then footage showed Natalya forcing her to submit to the Sharpshooter. When Dupri stood up, Natalya slapped her and told her to get out of her ring. “Again,” Dupri said. Natalya turned back toward Dupri and smiled…
Backstage, Adam Pearce told referee Eddie Orengo that he needed a favor and he needed it done discreetly. Pearce said he spoke with Paul Heyman and doesn’t believe anything he said. Pearce said he reports of Rollins walking around Survivor Series without a sling, but medical said Rollins isn’t cleared and couldn’t have climbed the WarGames cage. Pearce asked Orengo to get a survey of the locker room and get back to him…
Powell’s POV: Turn your brain off nonsense. Pearce wanted Orengo to take the survey discreetly, so he made the request live on Netflix, even going so far as to look around to make sure no one was listening. Tessitore acknowledged the discussion, so this wasn’t one of those dumb segments that viewers can see, but no one else can. Rather, it was one of those dumb segments that make the people involved look like morons.
WWE Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee made their entrance…
Trey Benson and Pharaoh Brown of the Arizona Cardinals were shown in the crowd…
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were in the ring, and Grayson Waller was in their corner. Alicia Taylor delivered in-ring introductions for the title match…
[Hour Two] 2. AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. “New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods (w/Grayson Waller) for the World Tag Team Titles. Kingston and Woods jumped the champions to start the match. Lee performed an early flip dive. [C]
Styles caught Kingston in a Calf Crusher, but Woods broke it up. Later, Styles draped Kingston over the top rope. Lee jumped off the top rope and double-stomped Kingston, who was launched into a Styles Clash. Lee took out Woods and Waller with a dive to the floor while Styles got the three count…
AJ Styles and Dragon Lee defeated “New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods in 9:05 to retain the World Tag Team Titles.
Powell’s POV: They didn’t create much suspense when it came to making it seem like the champions were at risk of losing, but it was a crowd-pleasing win for Styles and Lee.
Highlights aired of Stephanie Vaquer beating Nikki Bella to retain the Women’s World Championship at Survivor Series…
Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer was interviewed by Jackie Redmond in a backstage area. Vaquer said she’s ready for her next challenger now that she beat Nikki Bella. Liv Morgan showed up, causing Redmond to scurry. Morgan told Vaquer that she was back, and then added an insincere congratulations to her…
“The Vision” Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Logan Paul made their entrance… [C] Tessitore ran through the podcast schedule…
Coming out of the break, the Vision members were in the ring. Heyman gave shout-outs to Brock Lesnar and Drew McIntyre for their performances in the WarGames match, then shouted out the three men in the ring with him individually.
Heyman said Bron Breakker will challenge CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship on the January 5 edition of Raw in Brooklyn, New York, at Barclays Center on the first anniversary of Raw’s debut on Netflix.
Breakker said he was a little upset, but it wasn’t because of where they are or because of the hooded person who appeared in the WarGames cage, “and tried to ruin my moment.” Breakker said he was disappointed by how easy it was to pin Punk, and it made him realize that Punk is nothing more than “a soft-ass bitch.”
Breakker said Punk is no different than any other veteran who lives off past glory. He said Punk is no different than Seth Rollins, who lived at the top of the mountain while trying to hold everyone else down. Breakker said Rollins should be more worried about the war at home because his wife is a bigger star than Rollins is.
Breakker said it would be a different kind of fight on January 5. He said Punk tried to break his neck and ruin his life during the WarGames match. Breakker got fired up, removed his jacket, and threw it down. Breakker said he would ruin Punk’s life and take away his career.
Breakker recalled Punk approaching him backstage at WrestleMania and congratulating him on all his success, then said he’d see if Breakker could cut a promo with the big dogs. Breakker said to consider the promo cut.
Breakker said that when she stands over Punk and is announced as the new champion of the world, Punk will realize that he wasn’t even close to him, the real Best in the World. Breakker spiked the mic and exited the ring alone while Heyman, Reed, and Paul stood in the ring and applauded him…
Powell’s POV: Breakker did a nice job with his longest main roster promo to date. I love that they are starting out the new year with a PLE-worthy title match. It doesn’t mean it will have a PLE-worthy finish, but I’m looking forward to finding out.
Jackie Redmond caught up with Jey Uso and asked him how he was feeling after losing to LA Knight. Jey mumbled something. She asked about the mystery man at Survivor Series. he said he didn’t know anything about it. She asked about Bron Breakker becoming the number one contender. Jey stopped and said he didn’t give a damn about Breakker or The Vision.
Jey said there were a lot of people in his head who needed to get out. Jey said the only person to blame is the man looking back at him in the mirror. Jey was about to leave when he stopped and said that Roman Reigns said it best when he said the world title belts look better on his shoulders, not his…
Powell’s POV: Two men were talking in the background, but I couldn’t make out who they were.
Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky were shown backstage while Tessitore hyped the main event… [C]
Another clip aired from Tom Rinaldi’s interview with John Cena, who spoke about the passage of time. Tessitore said the full interview will be released on YouTube after Raw…
Footage aired of Solo Sikoa beating Penta via ref stoppage to advance in the tournament. Barrett said Penta will be out indefinitely and wished him the best…
3. Gunther vs. Solo Sikoa (w/Talla Tonga) in a The Last Time Is Now tournament semifinal match. Solo’s entrance was not televised. Solo got the better of an early battle of shoulder blocks by knocking Gunther to the mat. Gunther came back with a big boot. Solo rolled to the floor to regroup. [C]
Gunther cut off Solo on the top rope and superplexed him. Both men traded chops. Solo switched to punches, but Gunther got the better of it with chops. Solo regrouped and superkicked Gunther. They clotheslined each other, and then Solo hit a shot to the throat, and both men were down, going into another break. [C]
Solo put Gunther down with a Samoan Drop and covered him for a near fall. Barrett said both men were running on fumes. Solo signaled for the Samoan Spike, but Gunther lit him up with a series of chops. Solo came right back with a Spinning Solo. Solo followed up with a top rope splash for a good near fall.
A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Solo went for the Samoan Spike once Gunther was back on his feet, but Gunther ducked it and put him in a sleeper. Solo reached the ropes, but Gunther put him down with a German Suplex.
Talla Tonga climbed onto the apron. Gunther knocked him down and then went to ringside, where Talla put him down with a big boot while the referee was focused on a turnbuckle pad. The referee turned and caught Talla holding Gunther while Solo set up for his finisher. Gunther kicked both men below the belt, and then rolled Solo back inside the ring. Gunther kicked
Gunther got Solo back inside the ring. The referee was jawing at Talla when Gunther kicked Solo in the balls. Gunther powerbombed and then pinned Solo to win the match.
Gunther defeated Solo Sikoa in roughly 19:00 to advance to the finals of The Last Time Is Now tournament.
Powell’s POV: Holy exceeded expectations, Batman. That was one of Solo’s better matches, and he looked great in defeat for hanging with Gunther.
The updated brackets showed Gunther vs. LA Knight in the tournament finals for Friday’s Smackdown. Knight entered the ring and jawed at Gunther, and wished him the best. Gunther smiled as Knight exited the ring…
A WrestleMania 42 ad aired that focused on Becky Lynch… [C]
Backstage, Eddie Orengo told Adam Pearce that he the people he spoke with didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, except for seeing Seth Rollins.
AJ Styles and Dragon Lee showed up after Orengo left. Styles told Pearce they want to defend their titles again next week. Lee said they want to face the War Raiders. Pearce said he loved it, and booked the title match for next week…
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss were shown walking backstage… [C]
The broadcast team listed the following for next week’s Raw in Kansas City: The Last Time Is Now tournament will appear, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. “The War Raiders” Erik and Ivar for the World Tag Team Titles, and Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Balor…
Rey Mysterio spoke with Jackie Redmond backstage, who said he had no problem going through the Judgment Day one member at a time. She asked him about whether he’d be interested in making another run at the Intercontinental Title.
Logan Paul showed up and told Rey that the title belongs to The Vision. Paul told Rey that he needed to step back. Rey asked Paul who would stop him, and then called Paul a pendejo. Paul said he would retire Rey, who slapped him across the face. A group of producers ran in and held both men back…
[Hour Three] Entrances for the main event took place, starting with Flair and Bliss, and then Ripley and Sky followed…
4. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky vs. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Flair threw a big boot at Sky, who moved, causing Flair to hit Ripley and knock her off the apron. Flair leaned through the ropes to tell Ripley that it was accidental. Sky took Flair down and hit her with a standing double stomp. [C]
Flair and Ripley eventually ended up in the ring together and traded chops. Flair got the better of it until Ripley hit her with a headbutt. Flair slammed Ripley’s head into the turnbuckle pad. Ripley threw a kick at Flair from the mat that caused Flair to join her heading into a break. [C]
Ripley set up Flair for the Riptide, but Flair countered with a DDT. Bliss tagged in and put Ripley down with another DDT and covered her for a two count. Bliss went for Twisted Bliss, but Ripley put her knees up. Both wrestlers tagged out.
Sky went up top and jumped over Flair, who then hit her with a big boot. Flair hit the Natural Selection on Sky, and then Bliss followed up with a Sister Abigail and went for the pin, but Ripley broke it up. Ripley sent Flair to the floor and then dragged Sky to their corner and tagged herself in.
Ripley stuffed a Sister Abigail attempt and headbutted Bliss. Sky tagged in and hit Bliss with Over The Moonsault, and had her pinned, but Flair tackled Ripley and drove her into Sky to break up the pin, leaving all four wrestlers down.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions “The Kabuki Warriors” Asuka and Kairi Sane ran out and attacked both teams to end the match in a no-contest.
Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky fought Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss to a no-contest in 14:25.
Asuka set up to hit Sky with a title belt, but she was interrupted by the entrance music of Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, who got the better of the champions. Valkyria stood on the broadest table with Sane on the floor.
Liv Morgan tripped Valkyria. Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez entered the ring and got the better of Asuka and Bayley. Rodriguez and Perez picked up the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title belts while the executive producer credits were shown.
Morgan entered the ring and looked at Perez, who looked at the belt she was holding and then smiled and tried to give it to Morgan. After looking at the belt, Morgan handed it back to Perez and then raised the arms of Rodriguez and Perez to close the show…
Powell’s POV: The match was really fun until the latest cheap main event finish. That said, the players in the women’s tag team division were showcased nicely. They clearly wanted to put a stop to any Morgan and Perez drama, but that’s something they can revisit at any time.
Overall, this was a good Survivor Series fallout episode. I’m surprised the WarGames mystery man didn’t play a bigger part in the show. Are they saving the reveal for that first Raw of 2026? If so, will he play a big part in the finish of Punk vs. Breakker? I will be back shortly with my weekly same-night audio review of Raw that 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.