‘WWE Raw’ Review (Nov 24th 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: Last Time is Now Tournament – Gunther def. Carmelo Hayes
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Carmelo Hayes rocked Gunther after a rare misstep from the former World Heavyweight Champion. Hayes locked in a Sleeper Hold before Gunther reversed and cinched in his own Sleeper. Hayes thwarted The Ring General as Gunther appeared to be underestimating his opponent. After Hayes hit a springboard DDT on the outside, Gunther barely made it back in the ring to beat the count. Hayes missed Nothing But Net, allowing Gunther to nail a Powerbomb for a long two-count. Unfortunately for Hayes, his valiant fight ended after Gunther locked in the Sleeper Hold before connecting with another Powerbomb to win the match and move on in the tournament.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: Rey Mysterio def. JD McDonagh
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After Dominik Mysterio attacked “little John Cena,” Rey Mysterio faced JD McDonagh. Mysterio had to have eyes on the back of his head, as Finn Bálor was at ringside ready to help his Judgment Day partner. Mysterio went for the 619, but McDonagh hit a superb running Spanish fly that nearly ended the match. The Master of the 619 kicked out before holding off a Bálor interference attempt. Mysterio sent McDonagh into Bálor before hitting the 619 and the West Coast Pop to win the bout.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Last Time is Now Tournament – Solo Sikoa def. Penta
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Penta hit a huge hurricanrana from the barricade but appeared to injure his shoulder in the process. After being checked on by the medics, Penta was ruled no longer able to compete, which resulted in Solo Sikoa advancing to the semifinals.
My Score: N/A (due to injury)
Match #4: WarGames Advantage Match – Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul def. The Usos (Jey & Jimmy)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Drew McIntyre dropped “Main Event” Jey Uso before mocking him, as he and Logan Paul isolated Jey from his brother. The Scottish Warrior inflicted further punishment on Jey, hurling him into the announce table. McIntyre and Paul hit a double delayed suplex on Jey, posing before kipping up impressively. Jey tagged in Jimmy, who executed an Uso Splash on Paul, but McIntyre interrupted the count. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed eventually arrived, followed by Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk as all the competitors brawled. During the chaos, Paul rolled up Jimmy to gain the advantage for WarGames.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This week’s Raw did exactly what a pre-PPV episode should: build tension, sharpen feuds, and let the big personalities sell the chaos to come. The opening segment with Roman, Cody and Punk instantly gave the show a sense of importance, setting the stage for the WarGames fallout and drawing a clear line between the major players heading into the weekend. In-ring, the standouts were the tournament matches—again proving my long-held belief that tournaments make weekly TV infinitely better. Gunther vs. Carmelo Hayes felt like a real event, a match with weight, pacing and purpose rather than filler. The rest of the mid-card worked hard too, even if the show hit a slower patch through the middle with a few segments that didn’t quite land. The main-event advantage match delivered the predictable “momentum boost,” though it lacked the spark you’d expect this close to a major show.
