‘WWE Raw’ Review (Dec 1st 2025)
Welcome to our review of this past Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, right here on Nerdly! Let’s see what went down on this week’s show, which follows on from a rather mediocre Survivor Series PLE…
Match #1: The Last Time is Now Tournament – LA Knight def. Jey Uso
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
“Main Event” Jey Uso was coming off a grueling WarGames loss at Survivor Series, and LA Knight tried to take advantage with a BFT attempt to start the match. The Megastar hit a Burning Hammer, but Uso scored with a Spear moments later. Uso thought he had the match won after a second Spear and an Uso Splash, but Knight kicked out before rolling up Uso to gain the victory in shocking fashion.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: World Tag Team Championship – AJ Styles & Dragon Lee def. The New Day
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
AJ Styles countered the Boom Drop from Kofi Kingston with a rollup before transitioning to the Calf Crusher until Xavier Woods saved his partner. Dragon Lee hit a double stomp on Kingston, which led to a Styles Clash that allowed Lee and Styles to retain their title.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: The Last Time is Now Tournament – Gunther def. Solo Sikoa
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Solo Sikoa had an ace up his sleeve in the form of Talla Tonga, who attacked Gunther when the referee’s back was turned. Gunther nailed Sikoa with a superplex and a giant splash from the top rope, but Sikoa kicked out. Moments later, Sikoa delivered a Spinning Solo for a two-count. Sikoa readied for the Samoan Spike, but Gunther chopped him out of nowhere. Just as Gunther thought he had Sikoa down, Sikoa countered a Gunther clothesline with a Spinning Solo and a huge splash. Gunther locked in the Sleeper Hold before hitting a German suplex, but Sikoa ripped off the turnbuckle as he flew through the air. Outside the ring, Gunther evaded a Tonga and Sikoa double team. Back in the ring, Gunther hit Sikoa below the belt while the official was dealing with Tonga. The Ring General followed with a Powerbomb to win the match and advance to the final.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #4: Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY vs. Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair (No Contest)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Despite being on the same team at their victory inside WarGames, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY battled Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, each looking to be next to challenge WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors. SKY took out Flair and Bliss with a scintillating moonsault from the top turnbuckle to the outside. Ripley went for the Riptide, but Flair reversed it into a tornado DDT. Flair executed the Natural Selection on SKY, and Bliss landed Sister Abigail, but The Eradicator interrupted the count. Suddenly, however, The Kabuki Warriors attacked all four competitors to end the match in a no-contest.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
This week’s Raw delivered a functional but uneven show, boosted largely by tournament action and a few standout performances. The Last Time Is Now semi-finals gave the episode its backbone, with LA Knight scoring a surprise win and Gunther powering through his match to set up a genuinely intriguing final. The tag-team division also had a strong night, with the champions turning in a polished defence that reminded everyone how reliable they’ve become. Liv Morgan’s return added spark to the women’s storytelling, though the women’s tag match later in the night fizzled thanks to a messy non-finish that stalled momentum. That issue summed up the episode overall: promising threads that didn’t always land cleanly. Raw wasn’t bad by any means; it kept plates spinning and set up future angles, but it rarely punched above “solid weekly TV.”
