3 Things We Hated And three Things We Loved

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.’s weekly review of “WWE Raw,” the show where you may tell it’s a brand new landscape in WWE when the most important event ends in countout/DQ/no contest shenanigans! That is never happened before! In fact, the massive news of the night was Logan Paul initially appearing to side with, then ultimately betraying CM Punk, possibly joining The Vision in the method, and the WINC crew absolutely have thoughts about that. We even have some women’s division thoughts, some Rey Mysterio thoughts, and a few John Cena tournament thoughts as we try to cover a lot of the show that aired Monday night!

In fact, we can’t have the option to cover every part (especially because the show went the total three hours this time around; sorry tag title match!) but for those who missed it and want to know what happened, that is what our “Raw” results page is for. If you need to know what the WINC staff thought of (almost) every part that went down, listed here are three things we hated and three things we loved concerning the 11/3/2025 episode of “WWE Raw!”

What timeline are we in?

I’m still attempting to process whatever happened on Monday’s “WWE Raw” opener, where CM Punk took to the microphone to have a good time his world title win, just for Logan Paul to point out up, trash talk him, then have a dramatic internal conflict when The Vision appeared to beat down “The Second City Saint.” My hair is tousled from absolutely the storm of a gap segment that was. The whiplash from this arc has me booking a chiropractor appointment. What do you mean we have now babyface Logan Paul within the 12 months 2025?

Okay, for those who’ve seen the tip of the show, then you understand that we do not actually have babyface Logan Paul. Still, I actually have words concerning the opening segment, and the way weird it was, each in vacuum and considering the tip of the show. The arrival of Paul-shaped rain onto Punk’s post-world title win parade was weird enough, but after some typical Paul-isms and the arrival of The Vision, his resolution began to falter. I get that he’s a cowardly heel and that is his whole thing. I get that to ensure that a personality to develop — for an individual to vary — they first have to be made uncomfortable. Why not drag that out over the course of the month, then? Why not allow for us to realize sympathy for Paul (nevertheless much of a Sisyphean task that’s), and draw out his babyface turn? Don’t just shock us into the ice-cold water. I do know that this turn actually didn’t find yourself happening, but when this was a legitimate babyface turn, the pacing of it will have tarnished the complete thing for me (except for, you understand, the apparent towheaded man at the middle of it).

I’m not going to get too into the tip of the show — my colleague will indulge you — however the indisputable fact that WWE was so dramatic about babyface Paul, only to not pull the trigger with it, is so weird. WWE knows that Paul is an unsavory character out and in of the ring, so the indisputable fact that they even teased this babyface turn is crazy. This then loops back to my original criticism: why tease a Paul babyface turn, and why do it poorly? I do know the jury continues to be out on whether WWE has employed the usage of AI in its storylines, but I’d file this weird Paul arc as evidence for such an argument.

There have been some redeeming qualities of the opening segment, mainly, Punk putting several stars over by name-dropping them, but the great was not sufficient to counteract the bad. What do you mean we got a babyface Logan Paul, even for a moment, within the 12 months 2025?

Written by Angeline Phu

Nonetheless long this run may last, by the tip of it there can surely be no claims that Nikki Bella had been selfish in her return to the corporate. Despite being one in all the larger names of the ladies’s revolution and a former champion in her own right, she hasn’t returned to take unnecessary title runs and bury rising talent with momentum-snuffing wins, but slightly been on the losing end of more of her bouts, and more recently giving the platform to a specific rising star in the shape of Roxanne Perez. 

While last time around Perez defeated Bella in singles motion, this time it was arguably more significant because it got here in a tag match pitting Perez and Raquel Rodriguez against Bella and Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer, pushing Perez and her partner into the title picture with the victory – as Bella herself would apologize for later. Bella has been working with names that she had never really mixed with previously – Becky Lynch aside – and the indisputable fact that she is working because the giving veteran slightly than one seeking to take the limelight only serves to raise those opposite her. 

Tonight, she worked because the proverbial gatekeeper for Perez to push into title contention, continuing an all-too-good program between her and Vaquer from their time in “WWE NXT,” while also continuing her own arc as someone who’s self-aware of her shortcomings; or, perhaps, playing the long game for the title she stands so near. Either way, it has been a program that has this author invested for the subsequent part nevertheless which will come, and that must be considered an excellent thing.

Written by Max Everett

Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch has only been off television for 2 weeks, but I still really liked her surprise return, if you need to go so far as to call it that, tonight. I feel the surprise element of her popping up from the gang to leap on the commentary desk, telling Joe Tessitore to shut up, and rant to the gang was a very nice touch. I do not think the pacing of tonight’s “Raw” was bad or anything, nevertheless it did help break things up a bit in a way I wasn’t expecting. And, in fact, Lynch rocked up in all black, so the immediate shock of “who’s THAT?” was type of fun.

She in fact ran down Maxxine Dupri, who’s she’s greater than likely going to be facing once more, but twisted her rant in a way that she blamed the gang for making Dupri feel like she was more necessary than she really is, in Lynch’s ind, at the least, which I assumed was a pleasant super-heelish touch. Her rant led to her staring down the camera to deal with Dupri with that fireside only Lynch has when she’s working heel, it was really excellent. She also snuck in a “Breaking Bad”/meth reference in there to run down the gang, which I assumed was pretty clever.

As Lynch was walking down the ramp to the back, the Kabuki Warrior’s music hit, and I love when WWE does the entire overlapping thing with its talents entrances and departures. She stared down Asuka, who can be the most effective things happening “Raw” right away, and truthfully, now all I would like is a Lynch and Asuka feud, though they’re each heels.

Lynch’s interruption of “Raw” tonight was such a small a part of the show, but on a show that felt type of slow without a variety of susbtance, in my humble opinion, it was a shiny spot. I also really like that WWE gave the Lynch/Dupri feud somewhat little bit of a breather, likely because Lynch was at home with a recovering Seth Rollins there for a bit, nevertheless it worked well to provide it a little bit of a break. Her promo tonight jogged my memory that I’m still very much invested in Dupri’s journey, and I do not think I mind that the ladies are working toward one more match.

Written by Daisy Ruth

We’re so back.

what a “pop” is. Every wrestler dreams of walking through those curtains to be met with applause and uproar from the fans. In fact, there are big pops, like Edge (now-known as AEW’s Cope) and his 2021 Royal Rumble return, or John Cena’s closely-guarded 2008 Royal Rumble appearance. There are, nevertheless, personal pops. Possibly a talent you actually enjoy does a post-match run-in to place themselves in title contention. Possibly a veteran you grew up with appeared in a backstage segment. Possibly a wrestler, who, in your eyes, is the perfect to ever do it, comes back after a groin injury to put some truth into his rat-stached son before following it up with a 619.

I actually have never had a private pop more meaningful to me than Monday, when Rey Mysterio returned to WWE programming.

I’m a Mysterio kid, through and thru. He was the primary person of color I ever saw celebrated on television, and even past the cultural foundation that set for me, his moveset and in-ring aura has just never been replicated, even with the good luchadors which have passed through WWE’s doors. Mysterio has at all times been that guy, and so to see him coming back even in his old age, post-injury, to come back out on top over one in all WWE’s most dastardly heels (who I also love)? I used to be the audience for this return.

Rey didn’t miss a step in his return, verbally or physically. He didn’t waste any time getting Dominik Mysterio where it hurt as he invoked the name of Eddie Guerrero in his argument against Dominik’s self-aggrandization as the best luchador to do it. He didn’t waste any time in asserting himself because the king of the luchadores. He didn’t waste a single step in laying out Dominik for his iconic 619. Rey moved with the wisdom of a veteran, however the energy of a rookie. Ring rust? Do not know her.

Except for Mysterio’s return, Monday was just a terrific night for real luchadors. Penta managed to get a win over El Grande Americano, even after interference from the opposite two masked minions. Laying EGA out with a Mexican Destroyer after EGA put that damned metal piece in his mask was so poetic. Dragon Lee was on fire in his first WWE World Tag Team Championship defense against Finn Balor and J.D. McDonagh. You could not blink at the tip of the match, lest you miss the complete electrifying ending sequence! Real luchadors got here out on top Monday night, and while I do not know if this can be a definitive sign of turning tides inside WWE, I’m appreciative of all of it the identical. Viva la lucha libre!

Written by Angeline Phu

We’re just six weeks away from the official end of John Cena’s illustrious profession and as a substitute of already having a final opponent announced for him and using his few TV appearances to construct said match, WWE is doing the “Last Time is Now” tournament to decide on his final opponent. Following his disastrous heel turn, this seems like one other big misstep in Cena’s retirement 12 months.

On Saturday, WWE announced all of the tournament participants, plus five additional wrestlers. Those five could possibly be talent who don’t work for WWE, meaning at the least a few of them will probably be TNA talent (no, it’s going to not be Edge). Tonight, Adam Pearce used a raffle drum (or a pitcher) to choose which Superstars will face one another next week. Rusev will tackle Damian Priest while Shinsuke Nakamura will attempt to beat Sheamus to earn a tournament spot. Nick Aldis will announce two additional matches on “SmackDown”.

Cena will make his final appearance in his home state of Massachusetts when “Raw” involves Boston next week. While it hasn’t been announced what he’s doing on the show, we are able to assume he’ll be watching the 2 tournament matches closely. In fact, Cena will address the gang to get a large hometown pop. It still seems like a waste of an appearance when he could possibly be having an in-ring segment along with his final opponent. WWE ought to be build up Cena’s final match as a much bigger deal by already revealing who his opponent is as a substitute of dragging it out.

Written by Samantha Schipman

There is no doubt that CM Punk, Jey Uso, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed deserve their flowers for being considered a number of the biggest names amongst WWE’s men’s division. With that said, I just couldn’t really get into their most important event match as a consequence of its later start time and the finish of the match.

I can understand WWE wanting to maintain all 4 men on this match looking strong by selecting to finish things in a count out in order that nobody has to take a loss, but at the identical time, it’s a very boring ending to look at as a viewer. WWE has done countless similar endings to this one during the last several weeks during “Raw” most important events (albeit as a rule as disqualifications that cause matches to finish in a no contest), making it a predictable finish that many fans are in a position to see coming week in and week out.

The post match beatdown The Vision launched on Jey and Punk didn’t really help add any unpredictability, nor did Logan Paul’s involvement in every part. Not only do Reed and Breakker often blindside individuals with attacks after most most important events of “Raw”, nevertheless it wasn’t super hard to guess that Paul would betray Punk at the tip of the show. I personally had a tough time wrapping my head across the concept of Paul even remotely being a babyface because he seems like such a natural heel character within the skilled wrestling business, so it wasn’t much of a surprise for me when he hit Punk with the brass knuckles. Furthermore, I can get WWE wanting to depart things on a cliffhanger as as to if or not Paul is now a member of The Vision or simply an ally, but him handing over the brass knuckles to Paul Heyman felt more confusing than the rest to decipher. It by some means wasn’t engaging or fun viewing for me personally whilst by some means still being so much to soak up all of sudden with how abrupt the brand new Paul/Vision alliance is.

Written by Olivia Quinlan