Raw on Netflix: Time to set up the WarGames

Tommy "Milagro" Martinez

Raw on Netflix: Time to set up the WarGames

Four men vie for a chance to face John Cena since his Last Time is Now on WWE’s Raw on Netflix. Plus, the Kabuki Warriors faces Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair for the Women’s tag titles in the main event, and we see how things will set up for the upcoming WarGames.

As 2025 winds down to a close, four men will have a chance to face John Cena as his Last Time is Now. Damien Priest will square off against Russo, while Sheamus wants to have a banger with Shinsuke Nakamura.

We’ll find out who advances as we come to you from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett have the call. Our own “Nasty” Nick Tylwalk is away on assignment, and Triple H is in the ring. After everyone is done bowing down to the King of Kings, he gets on the mic and, I’ll let the Chief Content Officer have his say:

“We live in a magical time where we can all be here for a night like this.

We also live in a time where people don’t agree on much. Everybody has their opinion, especially when it comes to this business. It seems that everybody has an opinion. Whether it’s fans, whether it’s talent, whether it’s media, whether it’s the people in the back running the business; they all have their opinions on who the greatest of all time is.

The thing is, you can measure it from a million different ways: in ring performance, charisma, the ability to tear somebody up on this microphone, the ability to do PR, the ability to be a box office attraction. These are the categories. Categories are endless, but the truth is, they are all subjective. I have the unique ability to see it from a lot of different sides: as a fan, as a talent, as a performer, as a businessman, as a promoter.

I can see all sides of what it takes to be considered great in this, and I think that tonight might be one of those nights where everybody in this building can agree on one thing, because when I break it down from every category and from every side, and look at it as maybe the most objective person there is, there is only one person at the top of that list. One person who was a box office attraction, one person who left it in this ring every single night for twenty years. One person that was ruthless on this microphone and could tear anybody apart. One person who did it all; did it all with a smile on his face, did it all because he loved this business as much as anybody on the face of this planet, and just wanted to see it elevated to the biggest form of entertainment on this planet possible.

That one person, when I look at it objectively, is, without a doubt, the single greatest asset that this business has ever seen.”

With that, John Cena makes his entrance, and I’m giving him the time:

“Ever since I announced my retirement, the one question I’ve heard a lot is, ‘Who would you like to face you?’

What goes on in here is a team effort, and it does not happen without each and every one of you. It’s amazing how often this question came up: Who should John Cena face? But through it all, there was one question that I actually wanted to hear, and one person asked me that question, “What do I want to do? What is my goal in this exercise?”

My goal is to leave this business better than I found it, and to do my damnedest to try to payback all the opportunities and chances to showcase myself in front of an audience that the WWE has given me and that the fans have been gracious enough to put up with over the years. I am super excited about tonight, because tonight, in the Time is Now tournament, WWE superstars will showcase their skills to earn an opportunity for the chance to say…maybe…they ‘retired’ John Cena.

Oh, you’re gonna have to bring it, because I’m not going down without a fight. Don’t you worry. Another thing I wanted to do, and thank you for being so gracious to allow me to make this announcement, which means so much to me, right here on my last performance of this December 13, [at] Saturday Night’s Main Event.

This is where it gets good. This is where it means so much to me. It is a night to close one chapter, but it is also going to be (and thank you), a night of opportunity. Yes, that’s right, it will be my final in-ring performance, but also a chance to give people a time to shine and showcase their skills. It will be a night where main WWE roster superstars host exhibitions for the brightest. NXT has to offer for the future of this business.

I said this does not happen without ,you and without your interest on what goes on here, you will cease to exist. So, December 13 is about closing one chapter, but also it is about paving the road ahead. And that’s what I want for this tour. I did have one last ask.

Thank you also for this one, because it’s selfish. I wanted to come to Boston one last time. I don’t book the dates, I don’t book the towns. Man, we’ve been in Brussels, we’ve been in London, we’ve been in Perth. I just wanted to come to Boston one last time.

I saw my first WWE in the old [Boston] Garden, and it means everything to me to stand in the TV garden, to feel the magic in the air, to look up at the banners from the rafters, to feel the greatness in this building, to be surrounded by friends, family, people I love, to be filled with joy and to be able to stand in this ring and say thank you so much for all your support.”

With that, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio makes an appearance, and once he gets the stick, fans chant “Shut the F*** up.”He asks (amidst the boos) about what’s gonna happen, and Cena, for his part, tries to be respectful.

To be fair, Mysterio is a little lucha punk talking down to Cena. Even Cena mentions he is invincible in his town, and if he picks a fight here in Boston, he will lose. He offers him a chance to walk away out of respect for his dad, and Mysterio keeps poking the bear.

Even Boston knows he f***d up, and Triple H agrees this is the era, time, and place is now so…

After some (ugh) ads on Netflix, Your First Match of the Night is for the…

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Dom Mysterio(c) vs. John Cena

…and the match is underway, because Gods forbid Picture in Picture becomes a thing on this streaming service.

Cena tosses Mysterio out, and he starts to walk away, but Cena brings him back in the ring. Mysterio tosses him to the steel steps and mocks him. The ref starts the count, and Cena gets in at nine. Mysterio channels his inner “Papi” with Three Amigos but can’t make the pin. Then he gets a Dirty Dom DDT for a two and then…

More ads (seriously, Netflix? You can’t spring for Picture in Picture?!)

We come back to Cena hitting the Five Moves O’ Doom, and Mysterio sends him to the post before the AA connects. He gets a pad off the top turnbuckle, and while the ref deals with that, Mysterio pulls an ‘Eddie”, bangs a chair, and collapses, and Cena follows suit.

The ref is knocked out following an AA attempt, and he locks in an STF. Mysterio taps, but there is no ref in sight. Another AA and another ref comes in to count the one, two…nope. Mysterio nails a 619 and a frog splash, but Cena rolls through and delivers the AA for the pin and the win. So that means…

Your Winner, and New WWE Intercontinental Champion: John Cena

Cena is on the mic, and he announces the Champ is Here. So that makes him a Grand Slam champion in the WWE.

Backstage, he celebrates with the roster, including Rey Mysterio and Cody Rhodes.

We also get a review of the exchange between Punk and Logan Paul last week on Raw.

But now it’s time for the…

WWE Raw Last Time is Now Tournament: Damian Priest vs. Rusev

Priest’s eye is in question ahead of this match, since Aleister Black threw a fireball, so that will be an issue.

This is primarily a slugfest, and as Priest gets a little Old School, Rusev trips him up. He gives a fallaway slam as Rusev tumbles out for…

Ads (Ugh! Again, Netflix. You have money. Spring for Picture in Picture!)

We come back, and both men are going for the big guns, and Priest is having trouble with the vision in his left eye. He goes back to the Old School and lands with a crossbody. As Priest attempts to take the South to Heaven, and Rusev gouges the eyes, followed by a Matcha kick that gets the victory.

Your Winner, and Advancing in the Last Time is Now Tournament: Rusev

Raw GM Adam Pearce is with AJ Styles and Lee on challengers for their tag team titles and possible tag names. Then Maxine Dupri comes in, and she wants Becky Lynch. Pearce agrees and declares she will face her next week at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Dupri is happy, and that’s when Lynch strikes because she has some other thoughts on the matter.

CM Punk is out to face the Cult of Personality, and he wants to fight Logan Paul and give a “boot in his broccoli-headed millennial neck.”

Paul is out, and even though I should quote what he says, I will paraphrase in the words of Michael Scott from “The Office”: Why are you the way that you are?” Honestly, every time he speaks or gets in a ring, he makes it not that way.

Apparently, he has a new Vision, and that’s when Paul Heyman and the Brons (Breakker and Reed) make their presence known. Heyman runs him down, saying he could not be more unlikeable, unless his name were AJ Lee.

Well, them’s fighting words, and then Jey Uso comes out to help. Things look bleak until Rhodes’ music hits and…

(Author’s Note: You know what’s coming up, and we’ll talk about it later.

We head to the next match for the…

WWE Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (with Nikki Bella)(c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez (with Roxanne Perez)

Alicia Taylor provides the boxing-style intros, and it is mostly a power versus prowess match between the two. Vaquer attempts the Devil’s Kiss, and Rodriguez powers out and stuns her on the turnbuckle. She hits a lariat and covers for a two-count, and then…

Ads (Seriously, Netflix. You’re built for no ads! What the ever-loving hell??!!)

We come back, and Vaquer fires back and nails a Meteora in the corner for a count of two. There is an exchange of holds, and Rodriguez nails a vertical suplex for a near fall. She hits a boot for two, and then Vaquer manages to block the Tejana Bomb. La Primera counters with another Meteora, but Rodriguez powerbombs her for another two count.
Perez interjected, and Bella stopped it cold. Now the Devil’s Kiss connects, and then Vaquer delivers with the Corkscrew moonsault, which means…

Your Winner, and Still WWE Women’s Champion: Stephanie Vaquer

Perez attempts to interject after the match, and Bella comes in for the assist. The other half of Judgment Day walks down the ramp, and while that takes place, Bella grabs the belt and clocks the champ.

Tell me ya didn’t see that coming a mile away.

Pearce asks if Punk, Rhodes, and Uso are ok. Punk has something to say, and William Regal sums it up best…

I mean.. Si vis Pacem, Para Bellum (for those of ya who don’t speak Latin)

Next is the other…

Raw Last Time is Now Tournament: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sheamus

It’s a nice start as both men give the other one banger after banger after banger, if ya catch my drift. Each counters the other’s signature hold, but Sheamus slams Nakamura on the apron and then…

Ads (my gods, why is this necessary?! How cheap is Netflix to spring for Picture in Picture?! I know my subscription price ain’t going down!

We come back, and Sheamus lands with a steamroller and goes up the top turnbuckle. Nakamura kicks him down and then sends him hard to the mat with a superplex. We see flashes of the King of Strong Style as he strikes with his knees, and Sheamus invites more punishment. They unload their arsenal, and Sheamus comes back with the Ten of Clubs. Nakamura returns the favor with a modified Sling Blade, followed by a Kinshasa that Sheamus shrugs off. They return to the high-rent district, and Nakamura repositions himself to land a powerbomb for two. Now, both men go for broke, and a bicycle kick by Sheamus earns the pin and the win.

Your Winner, and Advancing in the Last Time is Now Tournament: Sheamus

Pearce announces that next week’s Raw on Netflix will have four other members in the Time is Now Tourney. The first will be Je’von Evans against Gunther, and Solo Sikoa versus…ehh, he decides to hold that fact back, so allow me an…

(Author’s Rant: Seriously, he’s gonna pull a Nick Aldis?! The hell, WWE?!! Ugh, fine!!!)

Either way, it’s time for the Main Event and it’s for the..,

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair(c) vs. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane)

Alicia Taylor is back for more boxing-style intros. Once the bell rings, both teams are evenly matched as we head to…

Still More Ads (Netflix, you are trulysucking the joy outta everything I watch!)

We come back, and Bliss is in Peril by the Kabuki Warriors. She manages to get the double DDT on both women, and then there is a hot tag to Flair with a double cross body as the Queen is en Fuego. Then it’s chops ahoy, and a lariat for a two count. She launches a fallaway slam to both Asuka and Sane along with a moonsault to the Warriors for a two count.

The match devolves to a Pier Four brawl. As Bliss gets isolated, Asuka goes for her patented Asuka lock, but Flair manages to roll for a pin, and she releases the submission. Flair repositions to a Boston crab to the delight of the TD Garden crowd, yet the Eempress of Tomorrow escapes. Flair cinches the Figure Four on Asuka. Sane tries to make the save, but Bliss catches her and nails Sister Abigail. Now, Flair arches for the Figure Eight when Nia Jax and Lash Legend interfere. Bliss tries to deal with them, which allows the Kabuki Warriors to deliver the Insane Elbow for one, two, and three.

Your Winners, and New WWE Women’s World Tag Team Champions: Asuka and Kairi Sane

After the match, Jax and Legend pick apart Bliss and Flaire, only to have Iyo Sky run out to even the odds. Things don’t look good until Rhea Ripley comes out, mask and all.

As they get tossed out, Ripley gets on the mic and says one word: War Games

In other words, Thanksgiving is around the corner, and we’ll see ya next Monday!

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