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WWE RAW REPORT
MARCH 31, 2025
LONDON, ENGLAND AT THE O2
AIRED LIVE ON NETFLIX (WORLDWIDE)
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, EDTIOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reports that 10,516 tickets were distributed headed into the show. The arena was set up for 10,516, so it’s a sellout. The arena has a capacity of 14,300 spectators when configured for concerts.
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch’s Javier Machado to review WWE Raw LIVE tonight right after the show ends. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Raw during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Raw. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
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[HOUR ONE]
-They showed the exterior of the arena as Michael Cole introduced the show. Then they showed Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley, and Bianca Belair each arriving. Then Logan Paul, Jimmy with Jey Uso, and Gunther.
-They cut to cheering fans in the arena. Then a “Let’s Go Cena! / Cena sucks!” chant broke out. After waiting that out, Cena’s entrance theme played. Fans sang “John Cena sucks!” to the beat of his song. He glowered at the camera as he held up his retirement tour t-shirt. “The smile has become a scowl,” said Cole. As Cena was about to speak, Cody Rhodes’s song played. Fans sang along as he walked out.
Cody said he’s let him talk the last two weeks, so he’s going to talk now. He said Cena has claimed he’s going to cook him and end him. “Where do you want to start?” Cena said. He said there’s a lot that Cena could make fun of him for. He said he has a little bit of a lisp. He said sometimes it shows up with words beginning with “S.” He said: “I’ll give you one: Stardust.” He said that has to bother Cena that he’s going on last in his final WrestleMania against a wrestler once known as Stardust.
Cody said he could also go after the fact that “I have an arm tattoo, but it’s on my neck.” Fans loudly sang “Cody Rhodes!” (This is the new “What?” chant, Europe-style.) Cody waited it out (but seemed to avoid endorsing it). He said there’s so much more.
He said he’s struggling with the fact that “Superman is really dead.” Fans (obnoxiously) interrupted Cody with a “Let’s Go Cena / Cena sucks” chant. Cody again waited it out (without encouraging it or seemingly to endorse it as it was interrupting the flow of his promo). He said he doesn’t think Cena’s words have matched his actions. He said he thinks Cena has lied to the audience the last two weeks. He said they used to ride together and he knows he used to care about him at one point and also the fans.
Cody told Cena to really tell the fans “why.” Cena said he won’t “reduce myself and punch down to your level just to protect you.” He said he has been protected long enough. He said he’s not going to cook him, he’s going to bury him. He said people have been saying for years that he buries talent. “I don’t bury talent,” he said. “I am talent. I bury mediocrity.” He said he doesn’t care about his lisp or failures. He said he has manipulated himself to the top of the business. He said he has ridden the coattails of his success.
“I have been so great that the WWE can hand the heartbeat of this organization to my chauffeur,” Cena said. He called him a slimy pickpocket. He said Cody stole the blueprint and now thinks he can run the kingdom. He said it disgusts him. He said he sat by his side and stole every secret he needed in order to be undeniable “but you are still underwhelming” He told Cody that he has to be authentic because they can see through phony. He said he didn’t listen and it shows. “You’re too perfect, you’re too polished, you’re too rehearsed,” he said. He said Cody relies on fans singing his name over and over to get by. He said he’s tricked fans into loving mediocrity.
Cena said Cody doesn’t look or act like him “and he sure as hell doesn’t work like me.” He said Cody doesn’t act or look or work like him because he’s still scared to show everyone who he is. He said he’s some generic mix of every TV show Cody has ever watched “in a big confused blob.” He said it makes him look like a 16 year old taking acting lessons who is still afraid of public speaking. He said he has worked too damn hard to have the title paraded around by “a paint-by-numbers, sociopathic nepo-baby who is so into himself he had his wrestling gimmick tattooed onto himself for the world to see.” He said his tattoo exposes that he’s a common fan “like them.”
He told Cody to go straight to Fanatics after WrestleMania and buy a toy belt that fans buy and call himself their champion “because the last real champion is taking the belt home forever and exposing you for who you are – an errand boy who got lucky. There’s your ‘why,’ pal.” A “Cena!” chant started.
Cody said: “John, oh, I didn’t expect to say this. Maybe I was chosen, but you know who chose me? They chose me. Can you say the same, Cena, or was it one guy in an office who’s not here anymore and we don’t talk about.” That got an earned roar from the crowd. He said he is Cody Rhodes, a wrestler like his father before him, and if anybody is a company creation, “it’s you John Cena and not me.” He said: “Everyone is so terrified of you on the mic. I’m not, because I know you’ve got more dick in your promo than you do in your shorts,” he said. “You want to make fun of me for appearing like I’m 16. You’re the one who hangs out with Zac Efron and wishes he was 16.” He said it was such a softball he threw him when he said he created all of this and him. “You created a lot of disenfranchised fans who made it easy for me to pack up and go elsewhere. Don’t act like you cleaned up your room before you left and went to Hollywood. Don’t act like you left WWE better than when you found it.”
He added: “Between you and I, which one of us sold out to The Rock?” Fans chanted, “You sold out.” Cody told Cena, “You’re still my hero, but you’re also a piece of shit.” Fans cheered and then chanted, “Piece of shit.”
Cena said his brain is filled with feces and not facts. “I have worked a hundred times harder than you and never once was I protected from an audience or a Superstar taking their best shot at me,” he said. He said he lets anyone who steps into the ring take their strongest swing to see if they are worthy to put him into the ground. He said no one has been worthy, so he decided to do it himself. He said that’s why he never left. He said no matter what garbage they give him, he found a way to make it great. “You had to leave,” he said. “You had to leave because you realized that at your best you can’t wipe my ass. I make empires for billionaires. All you’ve ever done is steal money from their kids. See you at WrestleMania, champ.”
Cena began to leave the ring. Cody said he’s not done. He said never once has an audience chanted at him, ‘You can’t wrestle!'” Cena seemed triggered and re-entered the ring. He took a swing at Cody. Cody ducked and then gave Cena a CrossRhodes. Cena laid flat on his back as Cody soaked up fans singing, “Cody Rhodes!” again. He raised his belt in the air and left the ring. Cole said Cody isn’t afraid to show who he is.
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s more like it. It addressed, ever-briefly, that Cena sold out to Rock. Cena finally fully acknowledged his motivation for going after Cody. They went at each other and strayed into some territory that feels unleashed without it seeming like Cena was being protected or set things up to be off-limits, or that others were afraid to even suggest going there. Cena hit on some of the key criticisms of Cody after Cody took a few off the table by admitting them himself. Cody alluded to Vince McMahon and Cena alluded to Tony Khan. That is what we hoped they were pacing themselves for and would show up in their exchanges. It took three weeks, but it arrived.)
-They went to Cole, McAfee, and Barrett at ringside. Barrett called it the highlight of 2025 and thanked Cody for it.
-A video package previewed the Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley main event with Belair as the special referee. Cole called it their main event.
-The New Day came out to their new entrance theme. [c]
-Adam Pearce stood on the stage and said New Day need to prove they deserve the shot at the tag titles. He introduced “New Catch Republic,” Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate.
(1) NEW DAY (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) vs. NEW CATCH REPUBLIC (Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne)
Cole said Bate was out since last July recovering from a torn pec. Bate has shorter hair and a thicker mustache. The bell rang 35 minutes into the hour as Cole talked about Bate’s background. Bate and Dunne leaped onto New Day at ringside as they cut to a very early break. [c]
Back from the break, New Day made a comeback. Kofi scored a near fall on Dunne at 7:00. Dunne tagged out to Bate who went after Xavier. Dunne tagged in and they set up a double-team move, but Kingston yanked on Bates’s leg. Xavier tossed Dunne into the turnbuckle. Then New Day finished him with Day Break.
WINNERS: New Day in 9:00.
-Xavier terrified a boy around age 7 or 8 at ringside. Cathy Kelley interviewed New Day about whether they feel they’ve now proven they deserve a tag title shot. Xavier asked Kelley if she’s “slow.” He said of course. The War Raiders walked out with the belts and had a staredown with New Day.
-They went to the announcers at ringside. Cole hyped Evolve.
-A recap aired of the latest interactions with the Usos and Gunther.
-Jey told Jimmy backstage that he’d feel a lot better if he was out there with him. Jimmy said it’s not a “Ring General” in the ring but a regular man who is beatable. He said he will show Jey that’s the case so he knows he also can beat Gunther at WrestleMania. Jey told Jimmy, “I hear you; just be careful.” Jimmy seemed slightly spooked, like Jey know something that Jimmy hadn’t accounted for.
-They showed Gunther walking backstage as he headed to the ring. [c]
-Cole plugged this year’s WWE Hall of Fame. He said he and McAfee will be hosting the ceremony this year. Then they pointed out celebrities at ringside: Kate Nash, Michael “Venom” Page, Charlie Brooker, and Lewis Capaldi (he looked like he was randomly chosen to be on TV and was terrified).
-They showed Bianca Belair being given advice on refereeing from a referee backstage. Cole said she has never been a referee before.
(Keller’s Analysis: This decision makes Adam Pearce look so incompetent. Why put someone with a vested interest in the outcome of a title match in a position to influence the outcome, and why put someone unqualified in the ring to do an important job?)
(2) GUNTHER vs. JIMMY USO
Cole talked about Jey having a crisis of confidence recently. Barrett said Jimmy has a chance to shatter the massive, intimidating aura of Gunther. “Do that and perhaps Jey will have a chance,” he said. The bell rang 58 minutes into the hour. Jimmy went on the attack aggressively, but Gunther brushed him off and went on the attack.
[HOUR TWO]
Jimmy made a comeback a minute later and dove through the ropes and tackled Gunther. Jimmy then leaped off the top rope as fans chanted “Uso!” Gunther lifted his knees. Jimmy met Gunther on the top rope and landed a superplex at 3:00. He then landed a top rope Uso splash for a two count. Gunther rolled to the floor and took over against Jimmy when he chopped him out of mid-air. He slammed him on the ring apron and then landed a lariat as they cut to a break. [c]
Jimmy made a comeback after the break. Barrett said Gunther tormenting Jimmy cost him. Gunther landed a dropkick seconds later to take over and followed with a powerbomb. He lifted Jimmy’s shoulders at the count of two. Cole said that was ridiculous and he should just end the match. Some fans chanted, “One more time!” (Stop that.) “This is enough, be done with this,” Cole said after Gunther lifted Jimmy’s shoulders at the count of two again. Gunther put Jimmy in a sleeper next and the ref called for the bell. “Thank goodness it’s over,” said Cole. “As each week passes by, I fear more and more for Jey Uso.” Barrett said this match was supposed to shatter Gunther’s aura, but instead it doubled in size.
WINNER: Gunther in 8:00.
-Gunther put Jimmy in a sleeper afterward. Jey ran out to his music for the save. He tackled Gunther, who rolled out of the ring. They cut to a break as Jey entered the ring to check on Jimmy. [c]
-Back from the break, Jey and a referee were helping Jimmy walk away. Gunther charged from behind and attacked them. Barrett said there is “more flesh on the bone” for Gunther. Gunther powerbombed a security guy on the ringside steps and kicked another as producer Jason Jordan got red-faced yelling at him. Gunther threw Jey into the ringpost. Gunther pulled a zip tie out of a security guy’s pocket. Cole said security guys carry those sometimes. Gunther zip-tied Jey’s wrist to the middle rope. Cole said Jey was defenseless. Gunther picked up Jimmy and whipped him into the security barricade.
Call called it “flat out disgusting.” Gunther told Jey he’s no tough guy and no Superstar. He taunted him with the belt before charging at Jimmy and nailing him with the belt in the forehead, knocking him off the ring apron. Gunther turned back to taunt Jey. They cut back to Jimmy pulling himself up and into the ring. He was bleeding heavily from the forehead. Gunther held him up by his hair and made Jey look. He then powerbombed Jimmy as Jey attempted to break free. (Someone with a scissors, run out from the back! WWE regrets cutting Ricochet now, I bet.) Gunther rubbed Jimmy’s blood all over his body and then licked his finger before spitting. He laid Jimmy at Jey’s feet within his reach. Jey pulled him toward him, but then Gunther kicked him away and put him in a sleeper again. Jey reached out in desperation.
WWE officials entered the ring to pry Gunther off of Jimmy. Gunther’s torso was covered in Jimmy’s blood. Pearce yelled, “What the hell is wrong with you!?”
-They cut to the announcers at ringside. Cole stood and said Gunther is a hypocrite for preaching that the mat is sacred and it’s all about competition, but then he sneak attacks and ambushes Jimmy and uses a zip tie. “He’s nothing but a bully,” he said. “And he’s supposed to represent this company as a champion.” Barrett advised Cole not to say that to his face. McAfee called it disgusting. He added that Jey just got cut away from the ropes.
-A video recap aired of the C.M. Punk-Roman Reigns-Seth Rollins segment from last week.
-Cole asked, “So what is the favor?” He hyped their triple threat match at WrestleMania. McAfee hyped Travis Scott’s official theme song for WrestleMania 41 as a drone shot aired of the arena from above. Cole said they found a way to reconfigure the arena in Pittsburgh to create 1,750 more seats for Pat McAfee’s one man show.
-Cole narrated highlights of Dominik attacking Bron Breakker last week on Raw and then Penta turning down the offer to join The Judgment Day.
-Backstage, Finn Balor was chatting with Dom and Carlito when Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez approached them. Liv said it appears they’ve patched up their differences. Balor said they can focus on what’s important now that a discussion adding a new member is in the past. Balor told Raquel that even though she lost to Valkyria last week, he’ll bring gold to the group. Raquel then asked Carlito why he didn’t leave with Dom and Balor. Liv then told Raquel that they need to do something about Liv and Bayley.
-Penta’s ring entrance took place. [c]
-Cole plugged “Stephanie’s Places” on ESPN+.
(3) BRON BREAKKER & PENTA vs. FINN BALOR & DOMINIK MYSTERIO (w/Carlito)
Breakker was already in the ring. They showed Breakker and Penta having an intense discussion. The announcers debated whether it qualified as “bickering.” Balor and Dom then made their entrance with Carlito. The bell rang 33 minutes into the hour. McAfee said, “Dominik looks like a pub’s bathroom smells.” Barrett said there was no need for that.
Penta got a flurry of offense in early. He leaped over the top rope and flipped onto Balor and Dom at ringside as Breakker held down the top rope. Cole said they make a great team. [c]
Dom had control of Penta after the break. Cole noted this was the last night of WWE’s three week tour of Europe. He touted a crowd of 16,566. Dom began doing a series of suplexes on Penta, drawing boos. Cole said Dom stole it from Eddie Guerrero. Barrett said he perfected it, he didn’t steal it. Penta hot-tagged in Breakker at 7:00. Breakker tossed around both Balor and Dom. Breakker gave vertical suplexes to both Balor and Dom at the same time, popping the crowd.
Penta set up a Mexican Destroyer on Balor, but Dom intervened. Breaker then went for a spear on Balor, but he speared Penta by mistake when Dom shoved him into the path. Balor then landed Coup de Grace on Penta for the win.
WINNERS: Balor & Dom in 9:00.
-Chad Gable congratulated Adam Pearce for signing El Grande Americano. He said he’d like to wrestle him some day. Gable coughed and said he is still sick. Pearce said Raw is in his hometown next week, Minneapolis. Gable said he’ll get himself healthy by then. Pearce said nothing is more important than his health, so he’s scheduled El Grande Americano to wrestle. Gable protested, but Pearce held his ground. He turned and saw Otis, Akira Tozawa, and Maxxinne Dupri. He called them clowns and looked at Otis and said, “Idiot.” Gable left. Maxxinne told Pearce she’s been talking to Natalya recently and she has some ideas.
-Cole plugged Undertaker’s One Man Show.
-They showed Ripley warming up backstage. Then they showed Dakota Kai giving encouragement to Iyo Sky. [c]
-A.J. Styles made his ring entrance. Styles said he heard Logan Paul say he was going to call him out. “I’m tired of waiting,” he said. “If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face right now.” Logan made his entrance. He said he is a rich, beloved, good-looking global phenomenon. Logan said he’s had a change of heart now that he’s become a dad to a baby girl. He said he came out there to be nice and he won’t stoop to his level. He said he forgives Styles for what he did to him at MSG. Styles said he forgives Logan, too. Logan asked what he forgave him for. Styles said “for being the biggest douchebag to ever step foot in WWE.” Fans chanted “douchebag!”
Styles said fans don’t care about his money, but rather what he’s willing to sacrifice in the ring. He said Logan has a ton of power, so he asked what he’s going to do with it because talent only gets you so far. Styles told Logan not to write a check he can’t cash. Fans chanted “Write a check!” Logan said they’re too poor to know anything about that. Styles said he shouldn’t make his hand write a check his mouth can’t cash. Logan asked if that was a threat. Styles said, “This is Monday Night Raw.” He said they are in London and he’s got his gear on, so what does he think. Logan said he’s “just saying a bunch of stuff that’s true.”
Logan said he doesn’t fight for free. “This city cannot afford me,” he said. He pointed at various fans and said they’re broke. He tried to kick Styles, but Styles blocked it and attacked Logan. He set up a Styles Clash, but Logan retreated to ringside. Styles went after him there and rammed him into the announce desk. Styles threw Logan back into the ring. As Styles entered behind him, Logan yanked the middle rope into his crotch. Logan then gave Styles a Pulverizer. Cole wondered if Styles vs. Logan would be added to WrestleMania.
[HOUR THREE]
-Jackie Redmond interviewed Lyra Valkyria. She asked what her focus is now with WrestleMania just three weeks away. Valkyria said she’s happy Bayley has her back, but it’s driving her crazy that Bayley is the one wrestler who beat her. She said therefore she wants to face her next week with her IC Title on the line. Redmond said Lyra is living up to her goal of being a fighting champion.
-Cole plugged WrestleMania Afterdark. Then he reacted to a replay of Gunther bloodying Jimmy earlier in the show as Jey was forced to watch. Then they showed an aerial shot of Minneapolis, Minn. and the St. Anthony Falls. He then plugged Raw in Minneapolis next week including Lyra vs. Bayley, El Grande Americano, and a Seth Rollins appearance. (Not the most loaded of line-ups so far.)
-Belair made her ring entrance. She was wearing a striped top and leggings. Cole said she spent time in her hotel room in London making those in recent days.
-A commercial aired for Evolve.
-Backstage, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez congratulated Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio for winning. Balor said he pinned Penta and got the better of Breakker. He said he has momentum so he’s going to get himself a title match. An enthusiastic Balor left. Liv then told Dom that Balor was taking all the credit for their win earlier. She said Balor already lost to Breakker, whereas he hasn’t yet. She said she had an idea and would go talk to Pearce.
-McAfee called Liv “Yoko Ono.”
(4) IYO SKY vs. RHEA RIPLEY – Women’s World Title match with Bianca Belair as special referee
Ripley made her entrance. Then Iyo made her entrance. It seemed Sky got a bigger reaction. When the bell rang 14 minutes into the hour, fans sang “Iyo Sky.” Belair had the earpiece in that referees wear and the receiver box attacked to her back. They cut to an early break. [c]
Cole talked about the power that Belair has to decide what is worthy of DQ. The announcers scrutinized her refereeing. Sky went for a Poison Rana at ringside, but her legs slipped off of Ripley and Ripley just fell backwards onto her. The announcers tried to figure out what happened. Back in the ring, Sky dominated. At 9:00 she climbed the ropes, but Ripley stood and lifted her onto her shoulders. Sky tried to take her down with a Poison Rana, but Ripley countered with a Samoan Drop for a two count.
A minute later, Sky leaped off the top rope, but Ripley headbutted her out of mid-air for a two count. A dueling chant of “Rhea Ripley / Iyo Sky” broke out. Sky countered a Rip Tide attempt. Ripley shifted into a Razor’s Edge and then a running kick to the face for a believable near fall. Rhea accused Belair of a slow count. Cole said Ripley was just growing frustrated. Barrett said the cadence might’ve been slow. Sky then leveraged Rhea’s shoulders down for a near fall. Ripley went to kick Sky, but Sky moved and Belair took the kick and fell to ringside. Ripley landed Rip Tide and made the cover. Fans counted well past ten. Belair was still at ringside. When Belair finally entered the ring, Sky recovered enough to kick out. McAfee said it wasn’t Belair’s fault she got kicked in the mouth.
Ripley stood and yelled at Belair. Sky went after Ripley. Ripley beat on Sky in the ropes. Belair counted to five and then yanked her away from the ropes aggressively. Ripley hit Belair. Ripley looked remorseful. Sky went for a dropkick, but it hit Belair in the chaos. Belair then yelled, “That’s it. I’m done!” The announcers were sympathetic to Belair’s mounting frustration.
WINNER: Double DQ in 15:00 so Sky retained the title.
-Belair and Ripley brawled at ringside. Sky moonsaulted onto both of them. She threw Ripley into the ring and beat on her. Belair entered the ring and took Sky down with a forearm. Ripley headbutted Belair and then gave her a Rip Tide. Cole said Ripley is ticked off she’s left out of WrestleMania. She gave Sky a Rip Tide. Barrett said, “Are you telling me that woman isn’t going to compete at WrestleMania?” Cole said Sky is still the champion and Belair earned the match against her. Fans chanted, “One more time!” Ripley dragged Belair into the corner and delivered a second rope Rip Ride. McAfee called it “a therapy session” for Ripley’s anger. Barrett called it “temporary catharsis.”
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch’s Javier Machado to review WWE Raw LIVE tonight right after the show ends. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Raw during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Raw. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
If you can’t join us live on YouTube, stream the show on demand later at YouTube or listen or stream later on a podcast app. Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.
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