WWE Monday Night Raw 4/14/2025

WWE Monday Night Raw 4/14/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/04/wwe-monday-night-raw-472025.html

We are in Sacramento, CA. This is the final Raw before Wrestlemania. Pat McAfee and Michael Cole are on commentary.

We see various wrestlers arrive.

Gunther comes out and Cole talks to him in the ring. He says Jey said he wasn't scared of him, but he's full of crap. Gunther says screw everyone who stands with Jey and everything he stands for. He says he's been the greatest gift for the company and has been a champ 80% of the time he has been here.

He tells Jey to come out with confidence but says he will put him down for a 4th time. Gun says he was told he lost control and went too far but said he never did that. He says he was in full control when he beat up Jimmy and he liked it. He said he would have drowned Jey in Jimmy's blood if he wasn't in control. He says he can't wait to tell his mom how much he enjoyed beating up Jey. He says he will walk out of Mania as champ.

Thoughts: It's a little late but it was one of Gun's better promos from this feud so far. 

Bianca Belair says she's been in her head lately. She said the stuff with Iyo and Rhea brought out a different version of her but it is not wrong. She says she stood up for herself and spoke the truth. She says you can't deny the truth and the truth is it's a triple threat. She says it doesn't matter though and she will be the best Bianca. She says you can't spell Wrestlemania without EST.

Liv Morgan vs Bayley

Liv hits her and runs. Bay chases then gets stomped on inside. Liv hits boots to the gut. Bay slaps her and hits forearms. Bay hits a thesz press with punches. Bay sliding lariats her for 2.

Liv dropkicks her into the buckles. Bay running lariats her. Bay suplexes her for 2. Bay diving armdrags her off the ropes then backdrops her. Bay goes to tope her and is hit. Liv suplexes her on the floor. Liv's head is banged off steps. Bay running knees the steps when Liv moves. Liv suplexes her off the steps onto the floor.

We go to break and return. Bay hits forearms. Liv pump kicks her then Bay knees her in the face. Liv sends Bay into the 2nd buckle head first. Liv gets a 2 count on her then rolls her up for 2. Bay running knees her. Bay sunset flips her into the buckles for 2.

Liv codebreakers on the apron then dropkicks her off the apron to the floor. Liv high kicks her from the ropes. Liv comes off the 2nd rope and is caught with a stunner. Bay belly to belly suplexes her for 2. Raquel helps out Liv then Lyra comes out and nails her. Raquel boots her. Bay takes out Raquel then Liv backbreakers Bay. Lyra blocks Liv from hitting oblivion and Bay pins Liv.

Thoughts: It was an okay match here with some added fun with Raquel and Lyra getting involved to spice things up here.

We get a package on the 3-way.

Rhea Ripley does a video. She says she can see Bianca's true intentions and she thrives by winding Rhea up. She says she will stop at nothing to get back something she loves. She said she got what she wanted out of Iyo and tells her to cherish every moment she has with the title. She says she will get back what belongs to her at Mania. 

Rey Mysterio vs Julius Creed

Both people have their crews with them. JC back elbows Rey in the corner then lifts him up by the arm. Rey flips out of an armlock using the ropes. Rey flying snapmares JC then is shouldered over. Rey flying headscissors JC. JC lariats him over for 2.

JC chinlocks him then knees him in the gut. Rey goes up top and Chad Gable pulls him down. Dragon Lee then crotches JC up there. The two factions argue on the apron and all of them are kicked out.

We go to break and return. Rey hurricanrana's JC over the top and takes a hard ride out. Rey slides out but is caught. JC tries to spear Rey into the post on the apron but just goes in shoulder first. Rey top rope diving hurricanrana's him. Rey hits corner punches.

Rey's moonsault is caught by JC but he hits a ddt out of it for 2. JC hits a hard knee on Rey. JC goes over the top. El Grande Americano gets on the apron. Rey goes for the mask. JC then rolls up Rey for 2.

JC is pushed into Grande and knocks him off the apron. Rey 619's JC then springboard splashes him to win.

Thoughts: Rey again had a botch where he nearly hurt himself by going over the top. It wasn't the cleanest ever but it was a good match and it was nice to see JC get some time on the show. They had an athletic match here.

Americano attacks the LWO after and they say that he is using a loaded mask. Americano hits a top rope diving headbutt on Rey. 

The War Raiders do a promo on The New Day. They say New Day says they are the best tag team of all time but they have been the best for a decade. They say they had them beat last week and they took the coward's way out. Erik says they tried to put him on the shelf and end his career. Ivar says it won't be a match, it'll be war.

The New Day are interviewed in the back. They say they've been at war the entire time. They say they will take their titles back and say they are the greatest tag team on earth. 

AJ Styles vs Karrion Kross

They say KK got tights made like AJ from the guy who makes AJ's tights.

KK shoves him and takes corner spears. KK facekicks him. KK stomps on the leg. AJ hits chops. Scarlet chokes AJ. AJ jawbreakers KK then is suplexed.

AJ is sent into the buckles chest first. AJ dropkicks KK then baseball slides him. KK sweeps AJ on the ropes. AJ is sent into and over the timekeeper's rail.

We go to break and return. KK backbreakers him then gets a 2 count on him. KK death valley drivers AJ for 2. KK is whipped into the ropes, goes down and holds his ankle. KK then punches AJ then he gets up and laughs.

AJ forearms him then urakens him. AJ hits a big lariat then sliding forearms him. KK ddt's him. AJ hits an ushigoroshi. AJ hits a springboard forearm for the win.

Thoughts: I thought Kross went down too easy here and I'm not sure where that leaves this storyline. I liked AJ firing up here near the end. It was just average.

Logan Paul comes out. He congratulates AJ and said he did it in front of people who weren't cool enough to live in LA or smart enough to live in San Francisco. He said he showed these losers why their match will cook at Mania. Logan then shows a video saying this is what AJ is up against.

AJ says it's a cute video and tells him to come to the ring to start Mania early now. Kross nails AJ and AJ hits shots on Kross and Logan. AJ reverse ddt's Kross. Kross hits a punch on AJ then flips him into a ddt.

Paul Heyman is waiting for Roman Reigns to arrive.

Jey Uso heads out to the ring through the crowd. Jey gets on the commentary table. He said he said what he wanted to say last week. He says he's crashing out but he's locked in. Jey says Gunther is mad and afraid. He says Gunther is afraid he will whoop him for the title at Mania. He says he's gonna get him. Jey then goes back out through the crowd.

Bron Breakker is interviewed by Cathy. He says Mania is the biggest title defense of his career. Judgment Day then jump Bron and throw him into boxes. 

Penta vs Finn Balor

Penta dropkicks Finn off the apron during his entrance then tope con hilos him. Penta hits a top rope crossbody. They each avoid moves. Penta handstand pendulum kicks him in the corner for 2. Penta leg kicks him.

Penta chops him. Finn rolls out of a sunset flip and basement dropkicks him. Finn chinlocks him. Finn stomps him. Finn final cuts him on the apron.

Finn hits a top rope superplex for 2. Finn armbars Penta. Penta flying headscissors him then hits lariats. Penta goes up and over and hits a backcracker for 2. Penta headscissors Finn off the buckles. Penta then slingblade facebusters him. Finn then slingblades him.

Penta tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him then cranks Finn's armback. Finn rolls him up for 2. Penta hits kicks. Judgment Day comes down. Finn rolls up Penta for 2. Finn slingblades Penta then dropkicks him into the buckles. Finn goes on the apron then Bron Breakker comes out. Bron nails Finn for the DQ and pounds on him. Bron is then beaten up. Bron then spears Dom and Carlito at the same time.  

Penta and Bron fight. Penta gets the edge on Bron and ends up diving on him, Dom and Carlito outside.

Thoughts: It was an athletic match as expected. They didn't overdo it so it was acceptable but nothing too memorable. Atleast the interference had a reason behind it.

Iyo Sky does a video. She says Bianca forgets she is champ. She says Bianca has ignored her and she's done with it. She says she has beaten Bianca and Rhea before and will do it again. She says they won't foget her name.

CM Punk sits next to Paul in the back. Roman then arrives next to them. Roman walks past Paul and ignores him. 

Roman Reigns is in the ring with Paul Heyman. Paul tries to give him the mic, Roman walks past him and grabs another mic. Roman says to acknowledge him and says the whole world knows they wouldn't betray their tribal chief. Roman says the whole world isn't like him and some would betray him.

Roman says some people would betray him and asks if they know who that is. Roman asks Paul how he could betray him. Paul says it was not a betrayal, he just paid back a favor he owed.

Roman says you pay favors back yourself but says the only person who is getting screwed is him. Roman says he doesn't ask for favors, he takes what he wants. Roman says he never asked for a favor and wants to know why he needs to cover the tab for the favor.

Seth Rollins comes out. He says Roman is finally putting the pieces together but he still has to end him at Mania. He says it's the right thing to do. He says it's the biggest match as the winner gets to define the future of their industry. Seth says the business dies if it's up to people like Roman who only show up when it's convenient. He says the business dies if people like Punk come in and leech off of others.

Seth says the business thrives if it's filled with people like him who live it and do what's best. He says there can only be one and it's gotta be him. Seth says favors a choice. He says he chose not to put Paul in the hospital and he can choose to repay him, but he expects nothing from him. He says Paul isn't in Punk's corner by chance, he made a choice. He says Paul isn't returning a favor, he's choosing and why is he choosing Punk over Roman?

Roman says Seth is right. He says Paul made his choice and he made his. He then punches Seth and sends him into the post. Paul is happy and says he acknowledges Roman. Roman then piefaces Paul over. Roman then shakes his head.

CM Punk comes out. Punk and Roman fight. Roman is lariated over the top. Punk checks on Paul then is speared by Roman. Roman pounds on Punk. Seth then chairs Roman in the back. Seth curb stomps Punk and Roman. 

Thoughts: This was interesting with Roman pushing Paul down and Punk coming to Paul's rescue before being put down with Roman.

Overall thoughts: Maybe I'm old school but I do think it was a mistake to not do something with Cena/Cody on the show. That match could have used it even if they will likely address it on SD. Like most go-home shows, the stars were not in action here due to them not wanting to get anyone hurt and the show was only so good because of it. There were lots of packages here and not a ton of wrestling with only 4 matches. It was not a must-see show and you could watch this and really not miss much at all for Mania and I don't know if that's a good move with Mania season cooling off. I'd give this one a 5 out of 10. It was mostly filler. There wasn't a ton of wrestling and there wasn't going to be a lot going on angle wise due to this being the go home show. It was acceptable but the happenings were kept to a minimum here and I don't think it was their best work.