‘WWE Raw’ Review (Aug 25th 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 emanated from right here in the UK, in Birmingham…
Match #1: Dragon Lee def. JD McDonagh
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
When Finn Bálor got caught on the apron with an obvious malicious intent early in the match, the official wasted little time ejecting him from ringside. Although Dominik Mysterio soon took Finn’s place and interfered, AJ Styles emerged from out of nowhere to neutralize Dirty Dom. With the playing field level, Dragon Lee defeated JD McDonagh with Operation Dragon.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Kofi Kingston def. Penta
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Grayson Waller brought the distraction and paved the way for Kofi Kingston to overcome Penta with Trouble in Paradise.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Rhea Ripley def. Roxanne Perez
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Moments after Rhea Ripley earned a hard-fought win by defeating Roxanne Perez with Riptide, a post-match attack on The Eradicator by Perez and Raquel Rodriguez brought IYO SKY to the ring to send The Judgment Day scurrying.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #4: AJ Styles def. Finn Bálor
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Narrowly avoiding Finn Bálor’s Coup de Grace, AJ Styles blasted his opponent with the Styles Clash to pick up the three-count in the edge-of-your-seat thriller.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: Bron Breakker def. LA Knight
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The main event showdown pitting LA Knight against Bron Breakker started in the backstage area when The Megastar igniting a pre-match brawl with his opponent. In the final moments of the subsequent matchup, Seth Rollins emerged to distract Knight and allowed Bron Breakker to hit a monstrous Spear outside the ring. Seconds later, Breakker finished Knight with a second Spear for the win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.75/5
This week’s Raw struggled to find its rhythm, landing closer to average than must-see. While a few storylines moved forward and the bigger names kept fans invested, the overall pacing dragged with too many filler segments and matches that lacked urgency. Promos often overstayed their welcome, and some booking choices felt repetitive rather than fresh. The main angles did their job in building toward Clash in Paris, but the show rarely hit a consistent stride, leaving large portions feeling flat. With stronger editing and a tighter focus, Raw could have delivered more impact. Thank god for the UK crowd, who at least managed to add a great atmosphere to an otherwise dull show.
