‘WWE Raw’ Review (Sep 8th 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…
Match #1: AJ Styles def. El Grande Americano
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Phenomenal One picked up a big victory by vanquishing El Grande Americano thanks to an assist from Dragon Lee. AJ Styles brought the fight to the luchador, but two more El Grande Americanos appeared and took out Styles as the official was distracted. When all hope seemed lost, Lee hit the scene and neutralized his foes, allowing Styles to hit a Styles Clash to win the bout.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Raquel Rodriguez def. Lyra Valkyria
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Judgment Day’s Raquel Rodriguez continued her dominant run as she defeated Lyra Valkyria in a hotly contested match. Rodriguez targeted Valkyria’s lower back, and it compromised the former Women’s Intercontinental Champion during the rest of the contest. The fighting spirit in Valkyria was evident, but her back didn’t hold up for a Nightwing, and a distraction from Roxanne Perez gave way to a match-ending Tejana Bomb.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Rusev def. Penta
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
A thrilling matchup pit the dangerous Rusev against the electrifying Penta, but The Bulgarian Brute stood tall in the end. Rusev battered his opponent, sending him into the announce table, but the masked luchador avoided a devastating shoulder tackle into the steel steps. Penta was in full control when The New Day and Grayson Waller appeared and distracted him, but he still nearly won with a Code Red. Xavier Woods ran more interference, and a devastating Machka Kick out of mid-air gave Rusev the win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Asuka def. Nikki Bella
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella was ready for Asuka, but not even that was enough to defeat The Empress of Tomorrow. The brutality of Asuka was on full display, and despite a strong flurry from Bella, the lethal strikes of Asuka were too much to overcome. One swift kick from The Empress of Tomorrow allowed her to lock in the Asuka Lock and force Bella to tap out.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: “Big” Bronson Reed def. LA Knight
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Aus-zilla came to Monday Night Raw looking for a fight, and he found it in the form of LA Knight. The Megastar was determined to get payback on The Vision, but he found it difficult to out-muscle “Big” Bronson Reed. Knight pulled out all the stops and leapt off the announce table to down Reed, but Bron Breakker at ringside stopped a BFT, which was followed by a Jagged Edge from Reed. After the match, The Vision beat Knight down, only for The Usos to repel the attack. However, Jey Uso delivered a thunderous Spear to Knight as well.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
This week’s Raw was all about big moments and setup heading into Wrestlepalooza. AJ Lee’s emotional return after a decade stole the show, immediately igniting a heated feud with Becky Lynch that now involves CM Punk and Seth Rollins in a blockbuster tag match. AJ Styles delivered a fiery promo before scoring a solid win, while Raquel Rodriguez and Lyra Valkyria put on a strong, physical match. The Usos’ reunion added chaos, capped off by Jey’s shocking spear on LA Knight. Though pacing lagged at times, Raw balanced drama and action well.
