WWE Raw opened with commentary welcoming us to the show before rolling straight into a video package detailing the escalating road to WarGames. The usual arrival montage followed, a parade of tense faces stepping into the building ahead of a crucial night.
Roman Reigns made his return to Raw, soaking in a loud mixed reaction as he demanded the crowd “acknowledge” him, only to be cut off by a heavily bandaged Cody Rhodes. Rhodes hit the ring with purpose, telling Oklahoma City he expected something different from Reigns tonight. He acknowledged Roman’s word, but noted that the last time was a match. This time, it’s a war.
Rhodes pressed Reigns on his motivation. Roman fired back that he’s been in this war longer than Cody ever has, and that family is the one thing both men take seriously. Half the WarGames team is his family, men he’s invested in for years, and he intends to see that investment through. Cody extended a hand… and Roman refused to shake it.
Then came CM Punk. Punk strutted into the confrontation and asked Oklahoma City to acknowledge them. He admitted he was stealing Roman’s material, but said an all-star WarGames match called for it. Punk reminded Reigns he saved his life in last year’s WarGames, only for Roman to note Punk “ruined” his life four months later.
Punk kept stirring the pot, pointing out that Reigns wouldn’t dare stab him in the back, because that would mean betraying the Usos. Cody tried to calm the situation, reminding everyone they had Roman’s word.
Punk then questioned whose team this even was, since Raw is his show. Reigns, unimpressed, told them all to “pull ’em out and measure ’em” because he doesn’t like either man, and the only thing the three of them agree on is their hatred for Paul Heyman and the Vision.
Then Reigns hinted at his bigger goal: the world title, which he said would look a lot better back on his shoulder. Punk asked which of them Roman was talking to. Reigns smiled, leaving Rhodes and Punk to sort that one out themselves.
Backstage, Paul Heyman attempted to corral Drew McIntyre ahead of tonight’s advantage match. Logan Paul wandered in, confidently guessing that his partner would be Brock Lesnar. Heyman panicked at the name-drop, insisting Brock was in no mood to be discussed. After several wrong guesses, Logan learned he’d be teaming with Drew. He called it a “wise choice”.
The Last Time Is Now Quarter Final: Carmelo Hayes vs. Gunther
Gunther marched out before the break, and the quarter-final kicked off with Carmelo Hayes desperately trying to chop the Ring General down. Hayes’ early flurry only angered Gunther, who swatted him aside with brutal strikes, until Hayes stunned him with a surprise powerbomb and a springboard DDT that nearly ended it.
The match rolled through multiple frantic phases across two commercial breaks, with Hayes repeatedly surviving Gunther’s onslaught and forcing the Austrian to dig deeper. The turning point came when Gunther missed a chop on the apron and struck the steel post full-force, allowing Hayes to launch himself with a springboard DDT on the floor that sent the crowd roaring.
Hayes hit La Mistica and hunted Nothin’ But Net, but Gunther evaded, levelled him with a lariat, and finally crushed him with a second Powerbomb to advance.
Winner: Gunther
Backstage, Rhodes, Punk and Reigns continued bickering until the Usos arrived, mocking all three for focusing on everything but tonight’s advantage match. They argued that they should be the ones competing. With no resistance, they walked off, leaving Roman to ask, again, whose team this actually was.
A pre-recorded John Cena interview aired, with Cena reflecting on fulfilment, perspective, and the value of “earning the sunset”.
Dominik Mysterio hit the ring, promising to end Cena’s retirement tour and reclaim the Intercontinental Championship in Cena’s hometown at Survivor Series. He called Oklahoma City a dump, and then Cena’s music hit. But instead of John, out came a little-person Cena impersonator, complete with miniature Stu the cameraman.
Dom cut a promo on the impostor until “Little John” fired back, calling Dominik the worst Mysterio of all time and telling him that if he wants some, he can come get some. Dominik snapped, flooring him with a boot, hitting a Five Knuckle Shuffle, a 619, and a Frog Splash. Rey Mysterio arrived to chase Dom off as we headed to break.
JD McDonagh vs. Rey Mysterio
Joined in progress, Rey went after JD McDonagh with speed and precision until JD caught him in the ropes and punished him with focused offence. The battle spilt to the outside, where McDonagh dropped Rey face-first on the announce desk, heading into another break.
Back inside, Rey fired back with a seated senton, buzzsaw kick and near-falls. Interference from Finn Balor backfired, as McDonagh accidentally knocked his Judgment Day partner off the apron. Rey capitalised with a 619 and a diving splash to score the win.
Finn Balor tried a post-match attack, but Rey escaped without issue.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Adam Pearce tried to resolve concerns from Raquel Rodriguez before New Day interrupted, demanding to know where AJ Styles and Dragon Lee were. Instead, Pearce informed them they’d earned a title match next week, which they quickly accepted. Grayson Waller then placed a blonde wig on Pearce’s head before fleeing.
Brock Lesnar was shown arriving at the arena.
Becky Lynch headed to the ring with her full WarGames team, Lash Legend, Nia Jax, and the Kabuki Warriors. Lynch claimed she was advised not to speak on last week’s officiating injustice but assured the crowd she’d get the decision overturned and reclaim her title.
She then ran down AJ Lee, promising to finish her inside WarGames, and boasted about assembling the greatest team the match has ever seen. She ran through personal history with each teammate, calling Lash Legend her newest protegee.
AJ Lee arrived with Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss and Iyo Sky. AJ spoke calmly, saying therapy works, but Becky’s arrogance had awoken her darker side, and inside WarGames, she’d finally let it out.
Ripley grabbed the mic, but instead of speaking, she spiked it into Jax’s face, kicking off a massive brawl. Flair wiped out Asuka, Alexa and AJ locked bodyscissors on Lash and Jax, and Charlotte and Ripley cleared the ring before Sky capped it all off with a breathtaking Orihara moonsault to the floor.
Becky screamed in defiance as we went to a commercial.
The Last Time Is Now Quarter Final: Penta vs. Solo Sikoa
The match barely got underway before Penta delivered a hurricanrana to Solo Sikoa on the outside of the ring, landing heavily on his left shoulder, forcing the action to come to a halt. Referee stoppage handed Solo the win.
Winner: Solo Sikoa
Backstage, Maxxine Dupri told Adam Pearce she intended to prove herself a worthy champion and planned to call Natalya. Several challengers interrupted, all demanding their shot, before Pearce urged Dupri to make the call immediately.
WarGames Advantage Match: Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul vs. The Usos
The Usos made their traditional concourse entrance before the break. Once the match began, Logan Paul started strong until a stiff shot from Jimmy sent him tumbling. The heels isolated Logan until McIntyre finally tagged in with power and speed, only for the Usos to rally again.
The match broke down late, with interference and bodies flying everywhere. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed appeared in Paul’s corner, prompting Cody Rhodes and CM Punk to sprint out to even the numbers.
Amid the chaos, Logan caught Jimmy Uso alone and rolled him up for the win, giving his team the crucial WarGames advantage.
Winners: Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul
Post-match, the chaos didn’t stop. The fight spilt immediately back into a mass brawl, and that’s when Roman Reigns stormed down the aisle to even the odds for his cousins. The Tribal Chief hit the ring like a missile, drilling Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed with Superman Punches, snapping Logan Paul across the top rope, and knocking McIntyre to the floor before doubling back to crack both men with another pair of Superman Punches for good measure.
As the credits rolled, the babyfaces briefly regained control… and then Brock Lesnar’s music hit. Lesnar marched to the ring, and the whole scene erupted into an all-out five-on-five melee just as Raw went off the air.
