WWE Raw live results: IYO SKY vs. Rhea Ripley Women’s title match
Date: March 31, 2025
Location: The O2 in London, UK
The Big Takeaway —
Cody Rhodes and John Cena had an entertaining verbal exchange where Cena finally explained why he specifically turned on Rhodes. Cena has still not explained aligning with The Rock (who was mentioned by Rhodes). For the first time in weeks, they did not advertise a Cena/Rhodes segment for next week.
The need to set up multiple multi-person WrestleMania matches led to two bad finishes on tonight’s show, particularly the main event.
Gunther bloodied Jimmy Uso, Finn Bálor pinned Penta, Tyler Bate returned, and Lyra Valkyria defends her IC title against Bayley next week.
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Show Recap —
Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai, Bianca Belair, Logan Paul and cronies, Jey and Jimmy Uso, and Gunther were shown arriving at The O2 in London.
There was a long shot of the sold-out crowd. There were dueling John Cena chants before his music even hit.
John Cena and Cody Rhodes segment
Cena entered first, and he soaked in the chants for 30 seconds until Cody Rhodes’ music hit. They stood around for a minute while the fans sang for Cody.
Rhodes knew Cena would try to “cook” him and wanted to know where he would start. Maybe it would be his lisp, maybe it would be Stardust. The fans chanted for Stardust, and Rhodes said it must bother Cena that Stardust was his final WrestleMania opponent.
Maybe Cena would insult him for having an arm tattoo on his neck. (Rhodes paused again for the fans singing his name.) Maybe Cena would insult him for being booed in the company he created.
Rhodes knew Cena wouldn’t bite on any of that. Rhodes might even be struggling with the idea that Superman was dead. (Rhodes paused again for dueling Cena chants.) Rhodes said Cena has lied to the fans the past two weeks. His words did not match his actions.
Rhodes recalled riding with Cena years ago, and the two of them sang in the car together. Rhodes knew Cena cared about the fans. He wanted Cena to really explain why.
Cena said he would not reduce himself and punch down to Rhodes’ level. Cena wouldn’t protect Rhodes because he’s been protected long enough. Cena wouldn’t cook Rhodes—he would bury him. Just like he buried everyone else.
Cena said the fans accused him of burying other talent. Cena was the talent. He buried mediocrity. Cena didn’t care about Rhodes’ lisp or failures. Rhodes manipulated his way to the top, and his ego outmatched his ability. Rhodes rode the coattails of Cena’s success.
Cena was so great that WWE was able to hand the heartbeat of the organization over to his chauffeur. Rhodes was nothing more than a slimy pickpocket who thought he could run the kingdom because he stole the blueprint.
It disgusted Cena to see Rhodes with the belt. Rhodes rode with him for years and stole every secret. Rhodes wanted to be undeniable, but he was still underwhelming. Cena tried to tell him that he needed to be authentic because the fans could see through phony. Rhodes didn’t listen, and it showed. He was too perfect and too rehearsed.
Cena said Rhodes relied on the fans signing his name and his song. He was like the Pied Piper because all he ever did was make a catchy tune trick these people into liking mediocrity. Rhodes didn’t look like Cena, he didn’t act like Cena, and he didn’t work like Cena. But Rhodes didn’t look like, act like, or work like himself, either. He was a generic mix of every superstar and TV show he ever loved. He was still a kid who was afraid of public speaking. Nowadays, that was enough to trick these people.
Cena worked too hard to make the belt a symbol of mastery to have it paraded around by a paint-by-numbers nepo baby that was so into himself that he had his wrestling gimmick tattooed for the world to see. The problem with Rhodes’ tattoo wasn’t its location; it was that it made him look like a fan, like everyone else.
Cena advised him to go to Fanatics and buy a toy belt after WrestleMania, because the last real champion was taking the title home forever. He would expose Rhodes as an errand boy who got lucky.
Rhodes said Cena might be right. Maybe he was chosen. But it was the fans who chose him. Rhodes wondered if Cena could say the same. Was it the fans or one guy in an office who isn’t here anymore, and we can’t talk about it.
Rhodes was indeed a wrestler like his father, and if anyone was a company creation, it was Cena. People were afraid of Cena on the mic but Rhodes wasn’t because Cena had more dick on the mic than in his jorts. Cena insulted him for acting like a 16-year-old taking public speaking lessons, but Cena was the one hanging out with Zac Efron, wishing he were 16.
Cena created so many disenfranchised fans that he made it easy for Rhodes to pack up and go elsewhere. He told Cena not to act like he left the business better than when he found it. And between the two of them, Cena was the one who sold out to The Rock.
Rhodes said Cena was still his hero—but he was also a piece of shit.
Cena said Rhodes’ brain was full of feces and not facts. He worked 100 times harder than Rhodes, and he was never protected from the fans or a superstar taking their best shot at him. Everyone took their strongest swing when he was in the ring, and no one has ever been worthy, so he just did it all himself.
Cena always made things great, no matter what garbage they gave him. Rhodes had to leave because his best couldn’t wipe Cena’s ass. Cena made empires for billionaires, while Rhodes only stole money from their kids. Cena dropped the mic.
Before Cena could leave the ring, Rhodes wanted him to know one thing: never once have the fans chanted at him, “You can’t wrestle.”
Cena acted offended by this and re-entered the ring. He backed down before attempting a cheap shot, but Rhodes put him down with a Cross Rhodes. The fans chanted for Rhodes.
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Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, and Wade Barrett are tonight’s announcers.
As New Day awaited their opponents, Adam Pearce informed them that they would be wrestling the New Catch Republic—Pete Dunne and the returning Tyler Bate.
Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods defeated Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate (8:43)
Dunne and Bate got a fair amount of offence in, but New Day won after hitting UpUpDownDown on Dunne.
Obviously, Dunne and Bate wrestled as babyfaces here in London, but this wasn’t much of a return for Bate. We’ll see if they drop the whole Butch stuff with Dunne if he’s reuniting with Bate full time.
— After the match, Cathy Kelley asked New Day if they thought they deserved a title match. Woods asked her if she was slow. They said they deserved a title shot, and they wanted it now. The War Raiders (the champions) entered and faced off with New Day.
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Jey and Jimmy Uso met backstage. Jimmy told Jey he wanted to take on Gunther alone tonight. Jey said he would feel better if he were out there. Jimmy said Gunther was a big deal—but so were they. There was no Ring General tonight. Gunther was beatable. Jimmy would beat him tonight, and Jey would beat him at WrestleMania to become champion. They shook hands, but Jey pulled him in close and earnestly told him to be careful.
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Jackie Redmond interviewed Ludwig Kaiser during a break. He wants a match at Mania, and if Pearce doesn’t give him one, he may have to take matters into his own hands.
There was a video package of Triple H beating Mick Foley in a street fight at the 2000 Royal Rumble. They plugged the Hall of Fame.
Kate Nash (from Netflix’s GLOW), Charlie Brooker (Black Mirror), and UFC’s Michael Page were shown in the crowd.
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World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defeated Jimmy Uso in a non-title match (8:37)
Jimmy hit suicide dives and went for an Uso splash, but Gunther got his knees up. Jimmy was able to follow with a superplex and an Uso splash for a nearfall. Gunther chopped him out of mid-air outside the ring and clotheslined him.
Gunther worked him over during a break, but Jimmy fought back after the break with strikes, superkicks and a German suplex. Gunther cut him off with a dropkick and powerbomb. Gunther seemed to have it won, but he lifted Jimmy’s shoulders off the mat at the two count. Gunther hit a clothesline but lifted him up again at two.
The crowd chanted, “Yeet,” but Gunther applied a sleeper hold, and Jimmy passed out.
— Gunther placed Jimmy in the sleeper again after the match, so Jey ran out (to his music). Jey tackled Gunther and wildly attacked him, but Gunther quickly escaped through the crowd.
During a break, Jimmy heavily sold damage from the sleeper as Jey and medical staff checked on him. As the timer for the commercial break counted down from ten, the crowd began to buzz, so you could tell something was about to happen.
They came back from break as Jey helped Jimmy walk toward the aisle, but Gunther attacked them both from behind. Security tried to stop Gunther, but he powerbombed one of them onto the steel steps.
Gunther ziptied Jey to the ring ropes and chucked Jimmy into the barricade. Gunther held up his title belt and taunted Jey with it. The fans called Gunther a wanker. Jimmy got to the apron, but Gunther hit him with the title belt.
As Gunther continued to taunt Jey, Jimmy reemerged with a bloody face. Gunther powerbombed him as Jey desperately tried to rip the zip tie. Gunther wiped Jimmy’s blood over his body and tasted some of it (before quickly spitting it out).
Gunther placed bloody Jimmy in a sleeper again as the announcers wondered where the hell help was. Officials finally stepped in and stopped Gunther.
(The match itself was ok, but this was a strong post-match angle that will hopefully—and finally—give Jey the motivation he needs.)
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There was a video package of the SmackDown angle with CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins. Cole said, “So, what is the favour? Hopefully, we find out soon.”
Judgment Day met backstage. Finn Bálor and Dominik Mysterio were back on the same page. Bálor sarcastically offered his condolences to Raquel Rodriguez for losing her IC title match last week. Bálor said he would bring home the IC title to Judgment Day.
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Bron Breakker entered during a break. Everyone else entered live.
Finn Bálor & Dominik Mysterio (w/Carlito) defeated Penta & Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker (9:10)
Penta suffered his first pinfall loss in WWE.
Penta hit a dive and, believe it or not, that led to a break. Judgment Day used a referee distraction to take control. Penta gave Dom a backstabber after the break and made the hot tag to Bron, who handed out suplexes to both opponents.
Bálor and Dom set up for a double vertical suplex on Bron, but Bron hoisted them up and gave them a very impressive-looking double suplex instead. Bron hoisted Bálor on his shoulders (for a Steinerizer), and Penta brought him down with an elevated slingblade, but Dom broke up the cover. As cool as all this was, it led to a somewhat convoluted finish.
Penta went for a Canadian Destroyer on Bálor, but Dom grabbed him from the apron. The referee just stood by and watched because he knew this was leading to the planned finish. Bron set up for a spear, and Dom warned Bálor it was coming. Dom then shoved Penta into Bálor, and that knocked Bálor aside, so Bron speared Penta by accident instead.
Dom dropkicked Bron out of the ring, and Bálor hit Penta with Coup de Grace for the pinfall win.
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Chad Gable told Pearce he was impressed with El Grande Americano and would love to wrestle him one day. Gable was still sick, though, and couldn’t compete. He produced a doctor’s note. Pearce said that was too bad because they were in Gable’s hometown of Minneapolis next week.
Gable wanted to wrestle next week and said he would be fine, but Pearce said he should recover. El Grande Americano would be in a match instead. Gable was disappointed because he still wanted to wrestle in his hometown (instead of his alter ego), but was caught in a lie and couldn’t do anything about it.
As Gable was about to leave, he bumped into Alpha Academy. He referred to them as clowns and idiots before leaving.
Maxxine Dupri told Pearce that she spoke to Natalya, and she had ideas about the tag division.
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Redmond interviewed Karrion Kross (with Scarlett) during the break. He was interested to see which version of AJ Styles we would see tonight.
Penta confronted Bron backstage and called him stupid. Officials quickly stepped in and pulled Penta away. Bron told him to watch his mouth.
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AJ Styles and Logan Paul segment
Logan Paul was supposed to call out Styles, but Styles entered first. Styles was tired of waiting in the back, and he called out Paul, who entered to a ton of heat. Paul said if he wanted to make them wait, they would, because they were sheep. The fans told him to shut the f*ck up.
Paul said he’s had a change of heart. He was a dad now. A girl-dad. He wanted to teach his daughter the art of forgiveness, so he forgave Styles for what he did to him at Madison Square Garden. He warned Styles not to try it again.
Styles said he had a daughter, too, and he forgave Paul as well. Paul didn’t understand. Styles forgave him for being the biggest douchebag to ever step foot in WWE. Styles said Paul bragged about his success and money, but the fans didn’t care about that. They wanted to see what he would sacrifice in the ring for them. Styles said Paul might be talented, but that could only take him so far. Styles wondered what he would do with all that talent.
Paul said he would ask for Styles’ advice, but you should never take advice from someone you wouldn’t trade places with. Styles warned him not to write a cheque he couldn’t cash. Paul asked if that was a threat. Styles said he was in his gear, but Paul said he didn’t fight for free. Paul insulted the fans for being broke and accused one fan of spending their life savings on a front row seat. The crowd told him to be quiet again.
Paul tried a cheap shot, but Styles saw it coming. However, Paul used the middle rope to crotch Styles and laid him out with the Paulverizer.
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Redmond interviewed Lyra Valkyria. Valkyria appreciated Bayley’s help last week, but she wanted to prove that she could stand on her own. Bayley is the only person who has beaten her since she won the title, and it was driving her crazy. They would have a rematch next week with the IC title on the line.
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Next week on Raw in Minneapolis (regular start time of 8 pm ET):
- Lyra Valkyria vs. Bayley for the Women’s Intercontinental title
- El Grande Americano in action
- Seth Rollins appears
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Bálor was pumped up over his win and celebrated with Judgment Day. Bálor was excited after pinning Penta and getting the better of Breakker again. Bálor left to talk to Pearce about getting a title shot.
They were all on the same page until Liv Morgan noticed Bálor was taking all the credit. After Bálor left, Morgan told Dom that Bálor had already lost to Breakker, while Dom had not. Morgan said she would talk to Pearce when Bálor was done. Dom was unsure about all of this (because he doesn’t want to piss off Bálor).
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Women’s World Championship: IYO SKY vs. Rhea Ripley [with Special Guest Referee Bianca Belair] ended in a double disqualification (14:41)
This was bad.
There were spots early on where Belair had to pull each woman off the other while in the ropes because they wouldn’t listen. During a break, Ripley slammed Sky and got a two count on a cover (but we didn’t see it because the screen went back as they returned from break).
Sky hit a suicide dive following the break. Ripley had Sky on her shoulders outside the ring, and Sky went for a poisonrana, but Ripley slipped and just fell over. They both avoided a count-out by entering the ring at the same time.
Sky took over and hit a double foot stomp. Ripley went to the middle rope, and Sky tried the poisonrana again, but Ripley blocked it and hit an avalanche Samoan drop. At least that’s what it looked like. It was meant to be a crucifix bomb by Sky, but it didn’t look like it at all. Sky covered Ripley for two. The crowd played along and applauded.
Sky tried a flying crossbody, but Ripley headbutted her out of midair for a two. They traded counters until Ripley hit a Razor’s Edge and a shining wizard for a nearfall.
They traded counters again until Sky got backed into Belair. You could see what was coming. Sky ducked, and Ripley booted Belair out of the ring.
Sky tried a cradle on the distracted Ripley. The crowd was too eager to react, and they loudly counted the fall with Belair down, but it was never meant to be a false finish because Ripley got right up. Ripley hit Sky with a Rip-tide moments later, and the crowd loudly counted to twelve with Belair still down.
Belair got to her feet, and Ripley told her it should be over. Belair entered the ring to count the fall, but Sky kicked out. Ripley argued with Belair and put her hands on her, so Belair shoved her hand aside. Ripley attacked Sky in the ropes, so Belair pulled her away. Ripley smacked Belair.
Ripley turned around and ducked upon seeing Sky flying off the ropes, and Sky hit Belair with a missile dropkick by mistake, knocking her out of the ring again. Ripley decked Sky from behind, which didn’t look good either.
Belair got to her feet and called the match off because she had enough. They announced a double DQ.
— Ripley attacked Belair, and they brawled until Sky wiped them out with a dive. Sky attacked Ripley before Belair attacked Sky.
This led to Ripley giving both women Rip-tides. The crowd chanted, “One more time,” so Ripley gave Belair another one off the middle rope. Ripley posed with the belt, and the crowd cheered.
Barrett put over Ripley as a deserving title contender, and the crowd did their part to play along, but this was an awful setup.