WWE Monday Night Raw 3/17/2025

WWE Monday Night Raw 3/17/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/wwe-monday-night-raw-3102025.html

This aired at 3PM EST due to being in Brussels, Belgium. It did air live though due to it being on Netflix.

Corey Graves and Michael Cole are on commentary. We see various wrestlers arrive.

John Cena comes out and gets a big reaction with loud boo's. Cena's wearing his usual gear and gets a "John Cena Sucks" song sung to him.

Cena grabs a mic and the crowd is going nuts with "Let's Go Cena"Cena Sucks" chants. Cena teases leaving but doesn't. He says when you properly grounded in life, you shouldn't have to look outside for approval.

Cena says he's been the victim of an abusive relationship for 25 years. Cena says the crowd bullied him into being their puppet and expected him to do it with a smile on his face. We then get "f*ck you Cena" chants. He says he's not a babyface or a heel but a human being. He says everyone has been awful to him for 25 years.

He said he changed himself and worked hard so they would like him and it worked for a bit. He said he started to win and said the fans hated it. He said he gave everything he could and it wasn't enough. He said he announced he was walking away and said the fans ruined it when he tried to do a nice thing for them. He said it was nice here for 2 seconds then it wasn't enough and he got booed. The crowd sings the "goodbye" song.

Cena says the fans are proving his point. He says the fans should be ashamed of themselves. He says all they do is take. He says the fans asked what do they get when he came to town and not one asked how he felt. He said the fans get nothing and they have earned nothing. He says we don't get a new look or new music. He said the fans only get to look in the mirror and see how bad they are. 

The crowd chants for Cody. Cena said they are throwing him out for the shiny new toy. He asks what the fans have done to support him. He says they just steal from him and made him their toy. He ays h'es been made the butt of an invisible joke. He says the fans are pathetic. He says the fans wear hustle, loyalty and respect but he lives it. He says everyone is a toxic, dysfunctional relationship. He says he's breaking up with all the fans and says they are dumped.

He says he doesn't need them, he doesn't care and they don't matter to him. He says we know he is right and we know the fans are wrong. 

Cody Rhodes comes out. He says he was willing to hear Cena out. He says the crowd have given him their worst but gave their best for 25 years because Cena is special. Cena calls him kid and Cody says it's not kid, it's WWE champ. Cody asks who are you. He says he was excited to go face to face weekly with Cena but got this instead. He says this better not show up at Mania as he will run it over and out as he took its best shot and it wasn't enough. He says he will retire it early. He says go find Cena as he wants to wrestle him at WM41 and not this whiny b!tch.

Cody leaves then Cena leaves and gets the "goodbye" song. Cena stops at the stage. Cena gives an evil stare and leaves.

Thoughts: It was a good promo from Cena and made sense with him bringing up the crowd booing him for the last 25 years and never really accepting him. He also kind of mentioned him being a bit phony and never really being himself. I was hoping we'd get more along the lines of him turning to try and get the title again though as that was the easy route to go. I'm not sure what happens now as both kind of said their piece. 

Cole rants on Cena and calls him an irrational prick. Corey says what Cena said was uncomfortable. He says it's disappointing but Cena spoke his truth.

Ludwig Kaiser gets on the mic before his match. He says he demands all the fans gratitude. He says he will take care of Penta for good. He says Penta says he knows no fear. He says nobody will remember Penta after he beats him up. He says Penta will learn what fear truly means.

No Holds Barred - Ludwig Kaiser vs Penta

They trade shots. Penta chops him down. Penta lariats him over the top. Penta goes after him and is thrown over the rail. Penta walks the rail and diving headscissors him on the floor.

LK goes out and grabs chairs. Penta tope con hilos him. They fight on the commentary table and trade chops. LK eye rakes him and rolling death valley drivers him on the it. We go to break and return. Penta is sent into the rail. 

Penta chops him against the post. Penta hits the post when LK moves then he gets hit. LK hits mounted shots on him. Penta is thrown into the rails and LK foot chokes him. They fight on the buckles and LK tries to rip the mask up. Penta top rope crossbodies him. Penta hits a slingblade bulldog.

Penta does an up and over backcracker for 2. Corey brings up his brother Sam Adonis and says he's a luchador in Mexico. LK step up enzugiri's him and rolling death valley drivers him for 2. Penta's head is banged off the steps.

LK is back body dropped onto the commentary table. They trade shots on their knees then get up and trade. LK blocks a tilt-a-whirl and hits a forearm to the back of the head. LK tells Penta he will fear him.

LK chairs him in the back then chokes him with a chair. LK's arm is cranked. LK begs off from a chair shot. He says he gives up and Penta wins. LK then eye rakes him. Penta superkicks a chair into LK's face twice. Penta hits a diving canadian destroyer onto a chair off the top. Penta hits a made in Japan and wins.

Thoughts: It was a good match. The match should have stopped though when LK said he gives up. At the very least, the ref should have asked him if he was quitting. Penta didn't overdo it too much here and they kept up a quicker pace before the finish. 

Cathy Kelly interviews Penta in the aisle. She asks what's next. Penta's hard to understand and says the "Continental Championship" is next. Cole says Penta made it clear what he wanted but I disagree.

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez talk in the back. Carlito is spray painted. Finn comes in. Liv says they wish him luck tonight. Finn then wishes them luck. Dominik Mysterio comes in. Finn thanks Dom for getting him the match tonight. Dom says he has an idea for tonight. Dom says he wants to add Penta to Judgment Day.

Finn gets mad, saying Penta said he just says he wants the IC Title. Finn says Dom is a snake. Dom tells Carlito he didn't know Penta wanted the IC Title. Carlito says, "you don't watch the show, do you?".

Ivy Nile vs Dakota Kai

Chad Gable returns. Kai pounds on Ivy then Ivy lariats her. Ivy hits mounted shots. Kai takes a german for 2. Kai spinning forearms her, lariats her and dropkicks her. Kai hits a facewash kick in the corner. Chad gets on the apron and Kai is distracted. Ivy hits a pendulum side slam for 2.

Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee come down and beat up The Creed's. Gable ten runs away from Rey. Kai corner facekicks Ivy then hits a GTK and wins.

Thoughts: It was short. What we got was fine but it wasn't much.

Adam Pearce hosts a contract signing between Iyo Sky and Bianca Belair. Iyo says neither BB or Rhea will disrespect her again because she is the champ. She says she will still be champ after Mania. BB says she respects her. She says Iyo will find out who she is at Mania and tells her not to put her hands on her again.

The contracts are signed and Rhea Ripley comes out. She says she won't take Iyo slapping her in the face like Bianca did. Rhea asks why Bianca didn't do anything about it. She says she's signing her Mania contract. Rhea said BB had no business being in her title match. Rhea says she will take a moment to watch. They argue. Iyo goes up to them and all 3 start fighting. Iyo is powerbombed onto BB on the table. Rhea then signs her name on the contract which the commentators say isn't binding.

Jey Uso is walking down stairs. He says he has been doubting himself and flew across the world to whip someone's @ss. He says he will shock the world and become champ at Mania. He then runs into Gunther. They argue and Pearce and officials are there. Jey ends up pushing him.

Jey Uso vs Austin Theory

No entrance for Austin. Jey is distracted by Waller then gets nailed by Austin. Jey hits a flying crossbody and wins.

Thoughts: This was a stupid burial that helped no one.

Jey then superkicks Waller. He tries to tope con hilo the heels but gets stuck on the ropes and barely touches them.

Gunther then grabs a sleeper on Jey. Jey rams him into the buckles. Jey takes Gun's title and pulls him over the top rope.

We get a package on Bron Breakker vs Finn Balor.

Adam Pearce and Rhea talk in the back. Adam ells her to give him the contract. Rhea does and says to put her in the match. Bianca goes after Rhea then Iyo gets involved. Iyo is pushed into a door and Bianca is pushed into a box.

The LWO (Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee) vs American Made (Brutus and Julius Creed)

BC = Brutus Creed, JC = Julius Creed

JC flying knees Lee to start. Lee headscissors him into the buckles. Lee superkicks BC then topes him. Lee top rope crossbodies JC for 2. JC sliding lariats Lee.

We go to break and return. Rey and JC get in. Rey boots him out of the corner then satellite headscissors him. Jey hits bad corner punches. Rey is flipped onto JC then ddt's him off of it. Lee flying headscissors JC over the top to the floor. Rey goes up top and top rope diving headscissors JC. Rey 619's JC and slingshot splashes him to win.

Thoughts: This was another one that was too short for no reason. What we got was rushed but okay. Rey almost got dropped on his head.

The guy in the mask who we think is Chad Gable attacks The LWO. Rey is release german'd onto Lee. The masked guy hits a top rope diving headbutt on Lee and is chased away.

Seth Rollins comes out. He says he came out mad but it's hard to be mad when the crowd is singing his song. Seth said he's not mad Roman coming for revenge as he'd do the same thing. He says Roman can't come up with his own plan and needs his architect to do it.

Seth calls Punk the luckiest loser and said he would have stomped his head through the mat, ended his Mania dreams and put his career on ice if he had more time. He said he's left to clean up Roman's mess just like the old days. He says he wishes Punk and Roman were here. He says he will show up to see them on SD. Seth asks the crowd to sing his song again as he goes.

Cathy Kelly interviews AJ Styles. Karrion Kross and Scarlet interrupt. KK asked how long it took AJ to find respect and says it didn't like Logan Paul long at all. AJ says he sees what he's doing and it won't work. Kross says it's working.

Bron Breakker heads to the ring and Penta stares at him.

WWE Intercontinental Title - Bron Breakker (c) vs Finn Balor

Finn side headlocks him then Bron shoulders him over. Finn side headlokcks him. Bron is thrown over the top but lands on his feet. Bron drives him into the corner for corner spears. Finn is thrown out. Bron runs at him and takes a flying shot.

We go to break and return. Bron hits shots on Finn. Fiss la mistica's him into a russian legsweep. Finn boots him in the head several times. Bron gets mad. Bron hits punches then flying back elbows him. Bron overhead throws him.

Finn jumps up and is powerslammed. Dominik Mysterio and Carlito run down. Finn rolls him up for 2. Finn hits a final cut for 2. Finn stomps on him. Bron running lariats him. 

Bron jumps off the apron and diving lariats him over the commentary table. Finn slingblades him. Finn shotgun dropkicks him. Finn misses a to prope double stomp. Born spears the buckles when Finn leapfrogs him. Bron gorilla press powerslams him for 2. They go up top and Dom pulls Bron off. Dom then crotches Finn at the same time on accident.

Bron knocks Judgment Day off the apron, runs up the buckles and hurricanrana's Finn. Bron then flying spears Finn and wins.

Thoughts: What we got was good but it was rushed and didn't really get the time it should have. I'm not sure hwy either. Bron's mouth got busted up some here and he was holding his knee and his side of the head at times.

Carlito and Dom jump Bron after. Penta comes out to save Bron. Bron spears Carlito. Penta grabs Bron's title. Bron holds the title up at him and they stare down

Overall thoughts: The Cena promo was the big thing on this show, as it should have been. It was good but there's a lot more to uncover. A lot of the matches didn't get enough time here and I can't say we got a ton of developments otherwise. It was a good 6/10 show, but it could have been better if the matches were getting more time. And despite Raw having basically unlimited time to work with, most of the roster still struggles to make the show most weeks.