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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

Fresh off their team winning the womenâ€s WarGames match at Survivor Series, Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky opened the show this week. As the two of them still have unsettled issues with the Womenâ€s Tag Team Champions Asuka & Kairi Sane, Rhea & Iyo demanded a shot at their titles. They were soon interrupted by the former champions and their WarGames teammates Charlotte & Alexa Bliss. As they never received their rematch after losing the titles three weeks ago, Charlotte & Alexa claimed they were the ones more deserving of a title shot. The arguing between both teams led to a match at the end of the show to decide who will get the next shot at the Womenâ€s Tag Team Titles.

As both teams put on a great match, the outcome would leave things unsettled as it became an afterthought to everything that happened after. In addition to that, we had both semi final matches in the My Last Time is Now Tournament, Liv Morgan staking her claim as the leader of Judgment Day, and a fiery promo from Bron Breakker directed at C.M. Punk.

L.A. Knight vs. Jey Uso

Latest developments:

On the November 1 Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, it was announced that there would be a My Last Time is Now Tournament taking place to decide who John Cenaâ€s last opponent will be. In a first round match on the November 14 Smackdown, Jey Uso defeated The Miz to advance in the tournament. On the same night, LA Knight advanced to the next round as he defeated a returning Zach Ryder. Last Friday on Smackdown, Jey defeated Rusev to punch his ticket to the semi finals. Later that same night, LA Knight defeated The Miz (who was a late substitute for Sheamus) to advance to the semi finals.

This week, Knight and Jey went one on one in the semi finals of the tournament in a match where both men took turns hitting each other on the top rope until they fell off of it. After making it back in the ring to avoid being counted out, Jey hit a Spear for a close near fall. Knight soon recovered and hit Jey with a Megaplex, but it still wasnâ€t enough. Jey hit another Spear and followed it with an Uso Splash but as he went for the pin, Knight pulled his arms back into a pinning position to get the win and advance to the finals. After the match, an upset Jey pushed over the display of Prime bottles sitting at ringside and walked away in anger.

Analysis:

Solid match between these two that produced the right outcome. Considering the bad blood these two had a few months ago that was never really resolved, at least we got a match between them here with a clean finish. As weâ€ve seen Jey vs. Gunther countless times this year, Knight vs. Gunther is a fresh match. While the outcome to it may be predictable, itâ€s still the better route to go as the crowd reaction alone will make it stand out. While Knight may not win marquee matches as often as many would like him to, heâ€s still someone that belongs in that main event mix.

Another reason why this was the right outcome is because of the story now being told with Jey. Jey crashing out the way he did after the match made perfect sense for his character considering all the huge losses heâ€s had lately. As it was being teased initially during his feud with Knight a few months ago, it now feels like the time for Jey to turn heel. As popular as he is, a heel turn feels like it would be the best thing for his character. From the way he acted after the match combined with all the great stories they could tell with him going into next year, choosing not to pull the trigger on a heel turn for him would be a huge mistake.

Grade: B+

Liv Morgan Promo

Latest developments:

On the June 16 Raw, Liv Morgan injured her shoulder during a match with Kairi Sane and it was later revealed that she would be out of action until early 2026. At Survivor Series, Dominik Mysterio challenged John Cena for the Intercontinental Championship that he lost to Cena three weeks earlier. As the match progressed, a returning Liv came out to get involved in the match. Liv initially slapped Dominik and jumped into Cenaâ€s arms to hug him as the expression on her face slowly changed. She then kicked Cena below the belt and that led to Dominik hitting him with a Frog Splash to regain his title.

Dominik along with Judgment Dayâ€s Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez, & Roxanne Perez were in the ring as he introduced Liv. Liv shouted out the words “Iâ€m back†and said that no one saw her coming, especially John Cena. She went on to say she missed everyone but that sheâ€s been hearing things since sheâ€s been gone. Some of those things she said sheâ€d been hearing is that the group is falling apart, but that it all ends now because sheâ€s back. Liv said theyâ€re coming for everything thatâ€s theirs and they officially run Raw as she then slapped Dominik before jumping in his arms.

Analysis:

From this segment combined with what happened later in the show, itâ€s clear that Liv is the leader of Judgment Day. Itâ€s funny that Liv first debuted on the main roster eight years ago as a part of a group and now sheâ€s the leader of her own. This all felt like a reset for the group as the tension Liv had with Finn as well as Perez before she got hurt looks like itâ€s been pushed to the side. Livâ€s return has breathed new life into Judgment Day and a clear sign that theyâ€re going to continue to be the dominant faction on the show. While everything seems cool between everyone in the group right now, their tension will likely brew up again as we get into WrestleMania season.

With the momentum Liv has right now combined with the brief confrontation she had with Stephanie Vaquer later in the show, itâ€s clear that sheâ€s going to be back in the title picture soon. While she is already a heavy favorite to win the womenâ€s Royal Rumble, thereâ€s also a chance she could become the champion again before that. As thereâ€s already been a major title match made for the January 5 Raw, a title match between these two is another one they could potentially add to that show. Itâ€s clear from how she was presented on the show this week thatâ€s sheâ€s going to be a focal point of the show going forward, more so than Vaquer. Regardless of whenever it happens, this new version of Liv is tailor made for another title reign.

Grade: B

Bron Breakker vs. C.M. Punk

Latest developments:

On the October 13 Raw, Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed turned on World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. As Rollins had to forfeit the title due to injury immediately after, C.M. won the vacated championship by defeating Jey Uso on the November 1 Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. At Survivor Series, Punk teamed with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Jimmy, & Jey Uso to face Breakker, Reed, Brock Lesnar, Logan Paul, & Drew McIntyre in WarGames. As Punk and Breakker started the match, both men brutalized each other throughout it, including a Doomsday Device Punk & Cody hit on Breakker that caused him to land on his neck. After interference from a mystery man under a black hoodie that attacked Punk, Breakker hit Punk with a Spear to win the match for his team.

Breakker was in the ring this week along with Reed, Paul, & Paul Heyman where Heyman revealed that Breakker will get a shot at Punkâ€s title on the January 5 Raw. Breakker went on to say that Punk is no different than any other veteran living off past glory, and no different than Rollins sitting at the top while holding everyone else down when he should be more concerned about his wife being a bigger star than him. He brought up how Punk tried to break his neck during WarGames and said heâ€s coming for Punkâ€s career and every single good memory the people remember him for. Breakker then brought up Punk coming up to him backstage at WrestleMania last year and Punkâ€s saying, “letâ€s see if you can cut a promo with the big dawgs†and he said to now consider the promo cut. Breakker ended the promo by saying on January 5 when they announce him as the new champion, Punk will look into his eyes and realize that heâ€s not even close to the badass Bron Breakker, the real best in the world as he aggressively dropped the mic.

Analysis:

This was by far the best promo that Breakker has ever cut in his career. He was intense, believable, and sold himself as someone whoâ€s ready to be the champion. While itâ€s unfair to compare this promo to other great ones like Punkâ€s pipe-bomb from 2011, it still delivered and accomplished what it needed to. Breakker had a lot of steam after he turned on Rollins, and he seemed to have cooled off over the last month. From defeating Punk to win WarGames to the promo he had here, itâ€s clear that everything is back on track for him.

With the match between him and Punk set to take place on the first Raw of the new year, it feels like the right time to do a title change. If Breakker is the man that they wanna strap the rocket on, having him win the title on that show would set the tone for 2026. If it ends up not happening there, then it should definitely happen at the Royal Rumble. As tempting as it would be to wait until WrestleMania to have him win the title, this doesnâ€t have the same story that Cody had two years ago to stretch out that long. If thereâ€s one thing anyone walked away from this promo feeling, itâ€s that Punkâ€s days as champion are numbered.

Grade: B+

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Raw: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Gunther vs. Solo Sikoa

Latest developments:

On the November 17 Raw from Madison Square Garden, Gunther made his return as he defeated Jeâ€Von Evans in a thrilling match to advance in the My Last Time is Now Tournament. On the same night, Solo Sikoa defeated a returning Dolph Ziggler to also advance in the tournament. Last week, Gunther defeated Carmelo Hayes in another competitive match to advance to the semifinals. Later that night, Solo faced Penta in another tournament match where Penta suffered a shoulder injury several minutes into the match. Penta was unable to continue the match due to the injury, so Solo was awarded the match by forfeit and advanced to the semifinals to face Gunther.

As the match took place, Solo blocked a Powerbomb attempt and despite Gunther stopping his Samoan Drop attempt by pulling on his thumb, Solo succeeded with the second attempt for a near fall. Solo went for the Samoan Spike, but Gunther hit him with a hard chop to the chest followed by several more as he backed him into the corner. Solo rebounded with a Spinning Solo Slam and followed that with a Splash from the top rope, but Gunther kicked out. Solo went for another Spike, but Gunther trapped him in the Sleeper until Solo grabbed the rope to escape, and Gunther hit him with a German Suplex as Solo ripped off the top turnbuckle. While the referee was distracted, Talla Tonga hit Gunther with a big boot outside the ring and held him up for Solo to do the Spike before the referee stopped them and Gunther escaped. Gunther later hit Solo with a low blow followed by a Powerbomb to advance to the finals.

Analysis:

For the third straight week, Gunther showed why heâ€s been the MVP of this tournament. Without him, this tournament would be looked down upon a lot more than it has been. As weird of a dynamic as it looked like on paper with Gunther and Solo both being heels, they still put on a great match here. Even though heâ€s worked with people like Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, this was the best match Solo has ever had on the main roster. While Gunther deserves a lot of the credit for why this match was so good, Solo more than held up his end of it.

With Gunther set to face LA Knight in the finals, that match should be no less good than the ones weâ€ve seen with him so far. Itâ€s a fresh match we havenâ€t seen before with very high stakes, and one thatâ€ll have the crowd invested from start to finish. While this tournament has been underwhelming for the most part, it looks like itâ€s going to have a satisfying conclusion. As great as it would be to see Knight win this tournament considering that he usually doesnâ€t win big matches, a match with him and Cena doesnâ€t have the same appeal as one between Cena and Gunther does. That combined with how great his matches have been throughout the tournament and the fact heâ€s never faced Cena before; Gunther is just too perfect of a final opponent for Cena to let that spot go to someone else.

Grade: A

Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky vs. Charlotte & Alexa Bliss:

Latest developments:

At Survivor Series, Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, AJ Lee, Charlotte, & Alexa Bliss defeated Asuka, Kairi Sane, Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, & Lash Legend in WarGames. Rhea & Iyo came out to open the show this week and challenged Asuka & Kairi for the Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship. The two of them were soon interrupted by Charlotte & Alexa, who claimed they deserved a title shot first since they held the titles last and never got a rematch. Rhea said she respected them, but that they needed to respectfully get to the back of the line since they couldnâ€t beat Asuka & Kairi. Alexa then challenged them to a match for later in the night to decide who would get the next shot at the titles, and Iyo accepted on behalf of her & Rhea.

In the main event of the show, Rhea hit a Riptide onto Alexa as Iyo tagged in and hit the Over the Moonsault, but Charlotte tackled Rhea onto Iyo to interrupt the count. As all four women were down, Asuka & Kairi came into the ring and attacked everyone to end the match on a double disqualification. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria then ran to the ring to fight them off and as Lyra was about to jump off the announce table onto Asuka, Liv Morgan tripped her on top of it. Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez then appeared to attack all the women in the ring and as they held the titles up, Perez handed one of them to Liv. Liv then immediately handed the title back to Perez and she raised up the hands of Raquel & Perez as they held up the titles to end the show.

Analysis:

Before the finish, this was one incredible Tag Team match. With a match as good as this one, having it end with no clear winner was disappointing. While the angle they did after the match didnâ€t fully make up for that, it was still a strong angle that made for a good ending to the show. If it wasnâ€t obvious in the segment earlier in the show, it became very obvious here that Liv is the real leader of Judgment Day. Liv, Raquel, & Perez standing tall together at the end of the show is something weâ€re going to be seeing a lot of on the show in the next few months.

This ending also showed how stacked the womenâ€s tag division is right now compared to the menâ€s. From Asuka/Kairi, Rhea/Iyo, Charlotte/Alexa, Bayley/Lyra, and Raquel/Perez, that division feels more competitive and unpredictable than it ever has since those belts were first introduced. While thereâ€s a case for all these teams to have a run with the titles, the way the show ended makes it seem like Raquel & Perez are going to get them while Liv eventually gets back the Womenâ€s World Title. As great as the post match angle was here and all that it gave us to look forward to, it couldâ€ve still been done while giving us a clear winner to the match. If the match we got here before the finish is any indication, weâ€re going to have an endless amount of great Tag matches involving these women going into 2026.

Grade: B+

A.J. Styles & Dragon Lee vs. New Day

Latest developments:

After being granted a World Tag Team Championship match by Adam Pearce last week, the New Day challenged the champions AJ Styles & Dragon Lee this week. Despite Styles getting the hot tag, New Day would get the better of him as Kofi hit him with a Scissors Kick while Xavier held him up for a near fall. Styles later rebounded and trapped Kofi in the Calf Crusher before Xavier interrupted the hold. As Lee moved out of the way when Kofi attempted the Trouble in Paradise, Lee hit him with a clothesline that knocked him inside out and he then tagged in Styles. Lee then hit Kofi with a double stomp as he hung from the top rope and Kofi fell right into the arms of Styles, who hit him with the Styles Clash to get the win and retain the titles.

Analysis:

The highlight of this match was the finish when Lee stomped onto Kofiâ€s back from the top rope and then Kofi fell into the arms of Styles for the Styles Clash. While a solid match overall, itâ€s hard to get too excited about the Tag Team Division for the men on either show these days. Styles & Lee are a fun team to watch, but itâ€s clear that theyâ€re not a team destined to have the titles long term. With this week being the year anniversary of that great segment when Kofi & Xavier turned on Big E, seeing where they are now is both confusing and sad. The more time goes by, the decision to split both Tag Titles last year looks worse and worse.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

The Continental Classic is off and running as AEW invades Fishers, Ind. tonight. Thereâ€s a fine slate of tournament matches on deck. Weâ€re also scheduled to hear from the new Men’s World Champion and his first challenger and by the end of the night, plus the finals of the Womenâ€s Tag Team Title tournament will be set. All of this and more tonight on Dynamite.

Good Enemies, Better Friends?

Latest Developments

After Samoa Joe and Hook revealed that they had been in cahoots all along, Swerve Strickland and “Hangman” Page marched through the Nashville crowd and to the ring and wiped out the Opps Dojo.

Analysis

Samoa Joe and The Opps hit the ring to celebrate his AEW World Title victory at Full Gear. He called the fans “simpletons,” compared himself to Sun-Tzu, and aired a video purporting to show how he and Hook had been conspicuously all along.

Midway through, Swerve Strickland was shown arriving as Hangman waited for him backstage. Back in the ring, Hook came out called the crowd “rednecks” and claimed to be the best second generation wrestler of all time. Thatâ€s when Swerve and Hangman made their way to the ring from opposite sides of the crowd, each wearing a chain around his neck.

Samoa Joe had filled the ring with “trainees” from the Opps Dojo and used them as human shields to escape. Hangman and Swerve tore through those poor schmucks like a hot knives through butter. They capped things off by each hanging a guy over the ropes with a chain.

Lots of mixed emotions on this segment. Samoa Joe cut another fairly basic heel promo. If Joe is going to be the heel at the top of the Men’s World Title picture, heâ€s going to need to have more inspired promos. A bigger missed opportunity, though, was explaining the conspiracy with Hook. Yes, they made an effort with the video, but it wasnâ€t quite explanatory enough. Joe and/or Hook shouldâ€ve filled in the blanks so that there was a coherent picture of their plan.

When it comes to Swerve and Hangman, though, I thought they were great. Coming through the crowd, Hangman taking a shot at the bar beforehand – these guys were the coolest, most badass guys in the world. They way they disposed of the Opps Dojo wasnâ€t exactly a great advertisement for that facility, but it certainly made a statement. I definitely think we need to hear from them this week. These guys made peace ahead of All In, but itâ€s important to understand the nature of their friendship right now.

More importantly, whoâ€s going for the title? Itâ€s clear Hangman wants a piece of Hook, but itâ€s to hard imagine he doesnâ€t want a rematch for the title that was stolen from him. Conversely, Swerve’s been out for the last few months so he doesn’t have a strong claim to a title match. Sense needs to be made of this.

In the meantime, Joe has a challenge for next weekâ€s annual Winter is Coming episode of Dynamite. Eddie Kingston finally did what he does best and thatâ€s cut an off-the-cuff promo. Truly, one of my favorite pairings in wrestling is Eddie Kingston and a live mic. After a well placed “F— Twitter†and basically telling Hook that you reap what you sew, he laid into Joe for manipulating Hook and challenged him for the title. Eddie isnâ€t going to win but the face to face with Joe tonight should be excellent.

Grade: B

Fighting for the Finals

Latest Developments

The Timeless Love Bombs will do battle with Megan Bayne & Marina Shafir in Hardcore Holiday Death Match to determine who will meet the Babes of Wrath in the finals of the Womenâ€s Tag Team Title Tournament.

Analysis

The Babes of Wrath defeated The Sisters of Sin in the first semi-final match. It wasnâ€t the smoothest of encounters, but the Babes of Wrath pulled it out.

Later in the night, following his Continental Classic match, Toni Storm came out to confront Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir. She ran both of them down in a way that only Toni can and then announced that she chosen the stipulation of a Hardcore Holiday Death Match as a Christmas gift for Mina Shirakawa.

Iâ€m no prude when it comes to violence, but the last two weeks have been particularly bloody. I think was an opportunity to use a stipulation that wouldâ€ve been more creative. With the Babes of Wrath advancing, it seems more likely that Megan & Marina defeat the Timeless Love Bombs.

Grade: B

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

New Champions, New Challengers

Latest Developments

Mark Briscoe and FTR each got an immediate challenger for their newly won titles.

Analysis

Mark Briscoe reflected on his TNT Championship win in a promo taped right afterwards. He talked about how he lost half of himself when his brother died and how he had to prove to himself and everyone else that he could go it alone. He dedicated his win to his home family and road family and his brotherâ€s memory.

On Collision, Daniel Garcia cut a promo before his match with Matt Menard, mentioning how he wanted the TNT Title back. After Garcia had beaten Menard, Briscoe came out to confront him and offer up a title shot.

FTR came out to cut a celebratory promo. Stokely spoke but before Dax or Cash could speak Juice Robinson and Austin Gunn hit the ring. They pointed out how they owned a victory the new champions and how Juice and Jay White had taken them to their limit once upon a time.

I think in both cases the challenges are perfect first stops for the new champions. As a fighting babyface champion, it makes sense for Mark Briscoe to offer Daniel Garcia a title match. Conversely The Bang Bang Gang did score that win over FTR. A few weeks back so this is a way to pay that off.

Grade: B+

Random Question

-Michael Ray isnâ€t going to wrestle Ricochet, is he? The new National champion got into with the country music performer who was ringside for Collision last week. WWE had Jelly Roll team with Randy Orton at Summerslam. I donâ€t know what bothered me more. While Michael Ray is more legitimate representative of country than that hack, I have no desire to see him in the ring. If anything, he can second the Outrunners and Dalton who the Demand seemingly started a feud with.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

With this weekâ€s Raw being the go home show before Survivor Series, we saw things heat up between everyone involved in the menâ€s WarGames match. As Roman Reigns opened the show, he was interrupted by Cody Rhodes followed by C.M. Punk. This quickly turned into a tense segment between all three men, leaving many to question how theyâ€ll be able to co-exist this Saturday. By the time the segment was over, a seed was planted for a potential feud surrounding one of the major titles after Survivor Series. This would all boil over into the main event of the show as the Usos faced Logan Paul & Drew McIntyre to decide who will have the manâ€s advantage in WarGames.

Much like the end to last weekâ€s show, this weekâ€s also ended with a chaotic brawl between both teams to give us a preview of whatâ€s in store for this weekend. In addition to that, we had another thrilling match involving Gunther in the Last Time is Now tournament, Dominik Mysterio sending a message to John Cena, and a wild brawl between both teams involved in the womenâ€s WarGames match.

Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes,  C.M. Punk Segment

Latest developments

Two weeks ago, World Heavyweight Champion C.M. Punk was about to be attacked by Logan Paul, Bron Breakker, & Bronson Reed before Jey Uso followed by WWE Champion Cody Rhodes showed up to help Punk fight them off. Later that night, it was made official that both teams would face each other in WarGames at Survivor Series. As Jimmy Uso was added to Punkâ€s team and Drew McIntyre was added to the opposing team the following Friday on Smackdown, both teams had a face off to end last weekâ€s show. In the middle of this wild brawl, Brock Lesnar appeared and laid out Punk & Cody with multiple Suplexes. As Brock was revealed as the final member of Heymanâ€s team, Roman Reigns came out to take down Brock with a Superman Punch and revealed that he would be the fifth member of Punkâ€s team.

Reigns came out this week to open the show before being interrupted by Cody. Once Reigns assured Cody that he wouldnâ€t do anything in WarGames to hurt his cousins, Cody said the words “welcome to my team.†As Reigns rejected Codyâ€s handshake, they were both interrupted by Punk. After Punk said he wasnâ€t worried about Reigns stabbing them in the back, he called out Cody for claiming that it was his team. Reigns then said he doesnâ€t like either one of them, but he hates The Vision and that his word to them is that he hates The Vision more than he hates them. Reigns then said the title would look much better on his shoulder as he left the ring to leave Cody & Punk to figure out which title he was talking about.

Analysis:

Funny enough, this is the first time in years that these three shared the ring together at the same time. Considering their star power and past history, this segment was great in building more tension between them going into WarGames. As good as this segment was, the best part was the ending where Reigns said the belt would look better on his shoulders, while leaving Punk & Cody to figure out which belt he was referring to. Itâ€s clear from watching this that theyâ€re already planting seeds for WrestleMania. By Saturday, we should have a better idea of what match weâ€re likely going to get there.

While this segment was fun, there was one story they couldâ€ve told this week that they chose not to. With Reigns telling his cousins Jimmy & Jey that he didnâ€t want to see them until Christmas at Crown Jewel, nothing about that has been mentioned since Reigns came back. To do that story the way they did and then just act like it didnâ€t happen would make no sense. In addition to the tension between Reigns, Cody, & Punk, they have to expand on those issues in some form between Reigns and his cousins in the WarGames match. With all these elements involved, how well this team can get along will be the biggest story we see play out at Survivor Series.

Grade: B+

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Gunther vs. Carmelo Hayes

Latest developments:

On the November 1 Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, it was announced that there would be a My Last Time is Now Tournament to determine who will be John Cenaâ€s opponent for his retirement match. Last week, a returning Gunther faced NXTâ€s Jeâ€Von Evans in a first round match up. Despite a strong effort from Evans. Gunther eventually trapped him in the Sleeper to pick up the win by tap out. The following Friday on Smackdown, Carmelo Hayes faced Bronson Reed in another first round match. Cody Rhodes hit Reed with a Crossroads on the floor, which lead to Reed being counted out as Carmelo advanced to the next round.

This week, Gunther and Carmelo faced each other in a second-round match that saw Carmelo counter multiple Powerbomb attempts from Gunther. Carmelo later hit Gunther with a DDT off the barrier outside the ring, but Gunther was able to make it back in the ring before being counted out. Gunther regained the advantage with a Lariat followed by a Powerbomb, but Carmelo kicked out. Gunther then trapped Carmelo in the Sleeper, but Carmelo was able to will himself back up. Despite that, Gunther picked him up for another Powerbomb to finally pick up the win.

Analysis:

For the second week in a row, Gunther proved to be the standout in this tournament so far. Similar to Bret Hart in the 1993 King of the Ring Tournament, this is quickly turning into a Gunther showcase. Itâ€s clear from how these last two matches went and how the brackets are set up, heâ€s going to be John Cenaâ€s last opponent. In all honesty, thereâ€s no better person for that spot than him when you look at his accolades and the fact that Cenaâ€s never faced him before. If he ends up winning (which he probably should), heâ€ll be able to say that he retired Goldberg and Cena in the same year.

The other story coming out of this match was the performance of Carmelo. From how up and down his time on the main roster has been, this was the best match heâ€s had since being called up. What we saw from him here was a clear example of how much he has to offer. Coming out of this, the question now is whether or not WWE capitalizes on this and actually uses him to his full potential. As great as Carmelo is and was in this match especially, it would be a huge black eye on their creative team if they donâ€t do anything meaningful with him going forward.

Grade: A

John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, Dominik Mysterio defended his Intercontinental Championship in an impromptu match against John Cena. As Dominik hit Cena with a Frog Splash, Cena immediately picked him up and hit him with an AA to win his first Intercontinental Title. Cena came out last week for his final Raw and Madison Square Garden appearance before he was interrupted by Dominik. As Dominik demanded a rematch, Cena was willing to do it right then and there. Dominik refused as he wanted to have it on his home turf of San Diego at Survivor Series, and Cena agreed.

Dominik came out this week to call out Cena. Cenaâ€s music hit but instead of Cena coming out, a “little†John Cena appeared as Dominik laughed. After Dominik told “little†Cena that he has no idea whatâ€s in store for him for Survivor Series, “little†Cena then called him the worst Mysterio of all time. Dominik whispered in his ear to stick to the plan, but “little†Cena continued and told Dominik if he wanted some, to come get some. Dominik then kicked him down, hit him with a Five Knuckle Shuffle, 619, and followed that with a Frog Splash before Rey Mysterio came out to chase him off.

Analysis:

Once Cenaâ€s music hit, it was obvious that it wasnâ€t going to be him that came out. Anyone whoâ€s been watching the show a long time could tell it was going to be some kind of Cena imposter that came out instead and to no surprise, thatâ€s exactly what happened. While having a miniature version of Cena feels more like something Vince McMahon wouldâ€ve done, this segment still accomplished what it needed to. With Cena not advertised to be on the show this week, it seems like they felt they needed to do something to add more heat to this match. While they maybe couldâ€ve found a better way, this definitely succeeded in getting the crowd to hate Dominik.

With all the great crowd reactions Dominikâ€s been getting up until recently, this feud with Cena has made the crowd boo him mercilessly again. The reactions heâ€s been getting since this feud started strongly mirror the ones he was getting during his peak as a heel in 2023-2024. Considering that Survivor Series is going to be in his hometown and heâ€s facing Cena in his second to last match, how the crowd reacts to both of them will likely be what stands out most. While Cena winning the IC Title made for a great moment, thereâ€s no other logical way for this match to end other than Dominik regaining his title. The only question is whether or not he wins cleanly or he finds some kind of underhanded way to win (itâ€ll likely be the latter).

Grade: B-

A.J. Lee, & Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky & Charlotte & Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch & Asuka & Kairi Sane & Nia Jax & Lash Legend

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, a returning Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky came to the aide of Charlotte & Alexa Bliss as they were being attacked by Asuka, Kairi Sane, Nia Jax, & Lash Legend, leading to a WarGames match being made official for both teams immediately after. Despite Charlotte briefly dropping out of the match the following Friday on Smackdown due to her past with Rhea, she rejoined Rheaâ€s team last Monday on Raw as the two agreed to put their differences aside. Later that night, AJ Lee distracted Becky Lynch during her Womenâ€s Intercontinental Championship match against Maxxine Dupri and that distraction led to Becky losing her title. Last Friday on Smackdown, Rhea introduced AJ as the fifth member of her team but as AJ was walking to the ring, Asukaâ€s team attacked Rheaâ€s team from behind. Before AJ could could come to their rescue, Becky attacked her out of nowhere and revealed herself as the fifth member of Asukaâ€s team.

This week, both teams met in the ring for one last face off before Saturday. AJ said she doesnâ€t need to bark like Becky does because she bites. She said Becky lit a fire in her that her teammates poured gasoline on it and that sheâ€s going to let the old AJ out at WarGames. Rhea then hit Nia with a mic and both teams started brawling. After Nia & Lash pulled AJ & Alexa off their backs, Charlotte & Rhea knocked them both down with Big Boots. As Becky watched in the aisle way, Iyo took out all the member of Asukaâ€s team with a Moonsault, and all the members of Rheaâ€s stood tall in the ring.

Analysis:

While not as strong as the segment they had on Smackdown, this segment did what it needed to do as the final selling point for the womenâ€s WarGames match for this weekend. The best parts of the brawl were when Nia & Lash pulled Alexa & AJ off their backs and then Charlotte & Rhea big booted them immediately after. Even though they couldâ€ve stretched the issues between Charlotte & Rhea out a little longer, the build for this match has been solid overall. With a team consisting of Rhea, AJ, Iyo, Charlotte, & Alexa, this is perhaps the most star-studded womenâ€s team thereâ€s ever been for any WarGames or Survivor Series for that matter. With the teams theyâ€ve put together combined with all the bad blood between all these women that has stretched throughout the year, the womenâ€s WarGames this year has all the tools to outshine the menâ€s.

Without a doubt, the star of this entire segment was Becky. Her rant about losing her title last week and the way she insulted all of her teammates individually was hilarious from start to finish. In every segment sheâ€s in (this one included), she proves why sheâ€s the best heel in the entire company. As entertaining as she is, sheâ€s a good enough heel where you still canâ€t bring yourself to cheer for her. With her leaving her partners to fend for themselves at the end of this, thereâ€s a strong chance that decision could come back to haunt her during the match this weekend.

Grade: B

Jimmy & Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul

Latest developments:

Last week, it was announced that there would be a Tag Team match this week to decide who will have the manâ€s advantage in the menâ€s WarGames match. This week, Paul Heyman, Logan Paul, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, & Drew McIntyre were together backstage when Heyman revealed that McIntyre would be one of the men representing them in the Tag match. After Heyman rejected Paulâ€s suggestion that Breakker, Reed, or Brock Lesnar be McIntyreâ€s partner, he said that Paul would be McIntyreâ€s partner. Later backstage as C.M. Punk, Roman Reigns, & Cody Rhodes were gathered together, Jimmy & Jey Uso approached them. Noticing all the tension between the three of them, Jimmy & Jey volunteered to represent them in the Tag match later in the night and everyone agreed.

As the match progressed, Breakker & Reed showed up at ringside before Cody & Punk showed up to fight them off. Jey then leaped over the top rope onto everyone but as Jimmyâ€s back was turned, Paul rolled him up to get the win and the manâ€s advantage for his team. Both teams continued to brawl after the match as Reigns later appeared to knock down Breakker & Reed with Superman Punches in the aisle way as well as took down McIntyre & Paul once he entered the ring. Punkâ€s team stood tall as it looked like the show was ending until Lesnarâ€s music hit and despite Lesnar falling down during his entrance, he slowly entered the ring with the rest of his team and both teams brawled again as the show ended.

Analysis:

Itâ€s crazy to say that the one highlight from this whole segment that people will be talking about the most was Lesnar falling down during his entrance. From the ripped pants incident he had on Smackdown a few months ago to now this happening, heâ€s become a comic relief on the show without even trying to. Much like the segment with the women, this segment wasnâ€t as strong as their previous one. The match itself with the Uso against Paul & McIntyre was fine for what it was but predictably so, it was overshadowed by all the shenanigans surrounding it. Although this match and the teams in some ways feel thrown together, the star power involved still make it feel like a big deal the way a WarGames match should.

Unlike the ones in the past, the outcome for this one is a little harder to predict. As dissension between the members of Punkâ€s team is inevitable, dissension between the members of Heymanâ€s team also feels like a certainty. Considering that Lesnar hasnâ€t wrestled in any form of Tag match since 2004, much of the dissension is going to be with him. Other than Paul, the one person heâ€ll likely have issues with is Breakker as that happening could set up a potential match between them down the road. Regardless of whatever dissension between each team plays out or who wins, this WarGames match feels like it will definitely live up to its title and then some.

Grade: B

Rey Mysterio vs. J.D. McDonagh

After chasing off his son Dominik Mysterio as he was attacking “little†John Cena, Rey Mysterio went one on one this week with Dominikâ€s stablemate JD McDonagh. As Rey was down on the apron, he used his feet to knock JD into the post. Rey built momentum and was about to hit a 619 until JD hit him with a running Spanish Fly for a close near fall. Rey went for a 619 again before Finn Balor tripped him and as Finn climbed on the apron, Rey caused JD to accidentally run into him. Rey capitalized on this by succeeding with his third 619 attempt and following that with a Springboard Splash for the win.

Analysis:

This match was a lot of fun, and it made for a great showcase for JD. Throughout this year, heâ€s really proved how great of a talent he is and how well he can hang with any legend or top talent. If he ever did end up splitting from Judgment Day, heâ€s someone who could excel on his own as a babyface. Even at this stage of his career and just coming back from an injury, Rey continues to show no signs of aging with the performance he put on here. As heâ€s likely to have another match with Dominik down the road, this win here over one of his stablemates was a strong way to build towards that.

Penta vs. Solo Sikoa

In another My Last Time is Now Quarterfinal match that happened this week, Penta went one on one with Solo Sikoa. Several minutes into the match, Penta hit a Hurricanrana onto Solo from the barricade onto the floor. However, Penta landed awkwardly when he did the move and was having a hard time getting back up. Several moments later, the referee ruled that Penta was too injured to continue the match. As a result, Solo was declared the winner by forfeit and he advances to the next round.

Analysis:

Unfortunately, this match ended in the worst way possible. For as great of a first year in WWE that Penta has been having, itâ€s a shame that itâ€s ending like this. From how the brackets were set up, it was likely that he was going to advance and have a match with Gunther for the first time ever. Not only is that potential match off the table, but this injury could possibly keep him out of action for a while. Hopefully, the injury isnâ€t that severe to the point where heâ€ll be out for a significant amount of time and he can recover from this much sooner than later.

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Dominik Mysterio

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

This week marked John Cenaâ€s final appearance on Raw as well as his final appearance in Madison Square Garden. Fresh off winning the Intercontinental Championship last week, Cena came out to open the show this week to a well-deserved standing ovation. Before he could get into how much being in the Garden for the last time meant to him, he was interrupted by Dominik Mysterio. Wanting a rematch for the title he lost last week, Dominik only agreed to one on his terms. Their exchange escalated as Dominik brought out his stablemates from Judgment Day to help him attack Cena.

The three on one attack wouldnâ€t last long as Cena had a few allies come to his aide, leading to an impromptu Six Man Tag. In addition to that, Maxxine Dupri once again challenged Becky Lynch for her Womenâ€s Intercontinental Title, Gunther made his return to battle Jeâ€Von Evans for a chance to advance in the John Cena Last Time Tournament, and the members of Team Punk and Team Heyman faced off in the showâ€s closing segment with the return of two huge stars being added to each team.

John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio

Latest developments:

After defeating Dominik Mysterio to win his first Intercontinental Championship last week, John Cena opened the show this week for his final Raw appearance as well as his final appearance in Madison Square Garden. Cenaâ€s promo time was quickly interrupted by Dominik, who demanded a rematch for the title he lost last week. Cena agreed to have the rematch there, but Dominik refused as he wanted to do it on his home turf of San Diego at Survivor Series. After Cena agreed to have their rematch there, Finn Balor & JD McDonagh came out to help Dominik attack Cena. The three on one attack was short lived as Sheamus followed by Rey Mysterio came out to help Cena fight off the members of Judgment Day.

This all led to an impromptu Six Man Tag where Cena was hit with a Moonsault from JD, the Coup De Grace from Finn, followed by a Frog Splash from Dominik before Rey and Sheamus interrupted the pin attempt. Later in the match, Cena, Rey, & Sheamus hit the three members of Judgment Day with the Ten Beats of Bodhran simultaneously. They followed this trend by nailing their opponents with simultaneous Five Knuckle Shuffles, but not before Sheamus placed Cena in the center of the ring to do his. Rey then drop-kicked Finn & JD into the second rope and hit them both with the 619. Sheamus then clocked Finn with a Brogue Kick and Cena put down JD with an AA to pick up the win in his final match at MSG.

Analysis:

There was no better way to do Cenaâ€s last night in MSG than the way it was done here. Between his entrance and the extended ovation he got, Dominikâ€s interruption that led to the impromptu Six Man Tag, to the way the whole match played out, this exemplified what wrestling is when itâ€s at its most fun. The highlight of the whole match was when Cena, Sheamus, and Rey all did the Five Knuckle Shuffle simultaneously, with Sheamus intentionally pulling Cena into the center to do his version of it. With Sheamus likely not to be the one who wins the Last Time Tournament, it was great that he got to work with Cena one last time in this setting. Considering the many memorable moments Cena has had on Raw and in MSG, this night provided the perfect exclamation point to all those moments.

What we also got from all this was the rematch between Cena and Dominik being set for Survivor Series. While it didnâ€t seem as if we were going to get this match a few weeks ago when the Rey and Dominik segment happened, weâ€re now going to get it twice. As they wrestled each other last week on Cenaâ€s home turf, itâ€s only fitting that the rematch takes place on Dominikâ€s. Although the outcome to that match is pretty predictable as itâ€s Cenaâ€s second to last match, that wonâ€t make it any less memorable. As up and down as Cena ‘s retirement year has been, tonight proved to be another example of it going out on a high note.

Grade: A

Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky & Charlotte & Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane & Nia Jax & Lash Legend

Latest developments:

Last week, Nia Jax & Lash Legend helped Asuka & Kairi Sane defeat Charlotte & Alexa Bliss for the Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship. As the four of them attacked Charlotte & Alexa after the match, a returning Iyo Sky followed by Rhea Ripley came to their rescue and Rhea shouted out the words “WarGames†as the show ended. The following Friday on Smackdown, Rhea, Iyo, Charlotte, & Alexa all met in the ring for a promo. To everyoneâ€s surprise, Charlotte took herself out of the match as she claimed that she canâ€t trust Rhea due to their past rivalry. As Rhea, Iyo, & Alexa were later backstage discussing how they were going to find two more partners, they were attacked by Asuka, Kairi, Nia, & Lash.

This week, Alexa came out to the ring to call Charlotte out for abandoning the team before she was interrupted by Asuka, Kairi, Nia, & Lash. Nia said she could understand why Charlotte left Alexa as she was once her best friend and that since it looked like no one was coming to save her, what was about to happen was going to be fun. All four women surrounded the ring but before they could get to Alexa, Rhea & Iyo came out to back her up. The heels overpowered them with a four on three disadvantage that saw Alexa get laid out with a massive right hand from Lash. To everyoneâ€s surprise, Charlotte came out with a kendo stick that she clocked Nia & Lash with multiple times before they along with Asuka & Kairi retreated. Charlotte picked up Alexa and gave her a hug as she faced off with Rhea while Iyo gave her a hug to end the segment.

Analysis:

Considering that they only started this storyline with Charlotte dropping out of WarGames last Friday, they really rushed to the conclusion of it. While itâ€s a story thatâ€s been done before, they couldâ€ve definitely stretched it out for at least another week to make things more interesting. From Alexa pouring her heart out in that promo to her, Rhea, & Iyo being outnumbered, this segment wouldâ€ve been more effective if it ended with the three of them being beaten down. Despite being back on Rheaâ€s team, their issues will likely still play out between now and Survivor Series. Even if that happens, they were honestly better off not having Charlotte drop out in the first place if they were just going to rush bringing her back as soon as they did.

With all that aside, the brawling between all the women was still fun to watch. Charlotte really didnâ€t hold back with that kendo stick and all of this made for a good appetizer for what weâ€ll see once the match happens. As Iyoâ€s been in every Womenâ€s WarGames match since 2019, whatever stunt she pulls off this year will be the spot to watch out for the most. By Friday or next Monday the latest, we should know for sure who the final member of each team is going to be. Considering how the ending to the Womenâ€s Intercontinental Title match played out later in the show, it shouldnâ€t be hard to guess whoâ€s going to occupy those spots.

Grade: B-

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri

Latest developments:

On the October 6 Raw, Maxxine Dupri defeated Womenâ€s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch by count-out in a non-title match. Humiliated by the defeat, Becky faced Maxxine again on the October 20 Raw with her title on the line. As Maxxine had built momentum throughout the match, Becky hit her with the title to end it on a disqualification. As Adam Pearce granted Maxxine another title shot due to that ending, Maxxine spoke to Pearce last week backstage and chose to have the rematch with Becky this week. Immediately after, Becky attacked Maxxine to let her know what was in store for her.

As the match took place this week, Maxxine trapped Becky in the Ankle Lock in the middle of the ring before Becky was able to reverse it into a pin for a near fall. Becky then hit Maxxine with a Manhandle Slam, but Maxxine put her foot on the rope to interrupt the count. As Becky attempted to take the turnbuckle pad off while the referee was distracted, a returning AJ Lee came out to distract her. When Becky turned around, Maxxine hit her with a Cross Body from the top rope to pick up the shocking win and the Womenâ€s Intercontinental Title. Later backstage as Maxxine & AJ were being interviewed by Jackie Redmond, Rhea Ripley asked AJ if she had a minute to chat and the two of them walked away together.

Analysis:

While this outcome was unexpected when this feud first started, what happened here made for one of the better upsets for a title thatâ€s happened on Raw in a long time. For how great of a heel Becky has been this year, it was only a matter of time before she eventually got her comeuppance. Maxxine made for a great underdog in this storyline and her winning the title in MSG of all places was genuinely a good moment. This whole storyline proved to be another example of how great Becky is at elevating whomever sheâ€s working with to a new level that the audience can buy into. Although she likely wonâ€t have a long title reign and will end up dropping the belt right back to Becky, no one can ever take this moment away from her.

The return of AJ for the first time since Wrestlepalooza was arguably the bigger story coming out of this match. As the feud between Becky and AJ is still far from over, AJ costing her the title here was the perfect way to add more heat to it. This feud being likely extending into next year is another reason why Becky will probably get the title back sooner than later as itâ€s a feud that should have the Womenâ€s IC Title attached to it. With Rhea Ripley asking to talk to AJ backstage afterwards, this is clearly leading to AJ and Becky occupying the final spots for the Womenâ€s WarGames match. In that kind of match at a big event like Survivor Series in a baseball stadium, thereâ€s no better place for their feud to escalate than there.

Grade: B+

Gunther vs. Jeâ€Von Evans Â

Latest developments:

At Summerslam, Gunther defended the World Heavyweight Championship against C.M. Punk. After a match that went 30 minutes, Gunther lost the title to Punk after being hit with two consecutive GTSâ€s. As Gunther went into that match with an injury to his nose, heâ€s been out of action ever since. On the November 1 Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, it was announced that were would be a tournament held over the next few weeks to decide who John Cenaâ€s opponent is going to be for his retirement match on the December 13 Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. Last week, it was revealed by Adam Pearce that Gunther would return to face NXTâ€s Jeâ€Von Evans in a first round tournament match this week.

Both men exchanged several strikes and even a few hard chops before Gunther took Evans down with a big boot. Gunther attempted a suplex that Evans countered with a Cutter and then continued that momentum as he leaped over the top rope onto Gunther. Evans later went to the top rope and hit a Frog Splash from halfway across the ring for a close near fall. Gunther rebounded and nailed Evans with a devastating Powerbomb, but Evans surprisingly kicked out. Gunther then trapped him in the Sleeper and despite a strong attempt from Evans to escape, Gunther kept the hold locked in until Evans eventually tapped out.

Analysis:

To no oneâ€s surprise, this turned out to be the best match of the whole tournament so far. Despite being out for three months, Gunther showed no sign of ring rust and looked every bit as good here as he did before he took his hiatus. With him being the heavy favorite to win this tournament, him picking up the win wasnâ€t much of a surprise. In all honestly, this performance showed how much his presence on Raw has been missed. Considering that he just came back and is someone that Cena has never wrestled before, anyone else other than Gunther winning the tournament would feel like a let down.

Despite the defeat, Evans didnâ€t lose anything here. As no one realistically expected him to win, he showed that he wasnâ€t out of place being in the ring with someone on Guntherâ€s level. The fact that he got to wrestle a former World Champion in Madison Square Garden and have a match that was this good shows that his best days are far ahead of him. With the performance he had here, thereâ€s no way that he doesnâ€t become a big deal once he does get called up to the main roster. Although itâ€s more of a Smackdown issue than a Raw one, the show could use more call ups like him to freshen things up.

Grade: A

Team Punk vs. Team Heyman

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, Logan Paul knocked out World Heavyweight Champion C.M. Punk with a pair of brass knuckles as he aligned himself with Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, & Bronson Reed. Last week as Paul, Breakker, & Reed came to the ring to attack Punk, Jey Uso & WWE Champion Cody Rhodes came out to help Punk fight them off. Later that night, it was made official that both teams would face each other in WarGames at Survivor Series. The following Friday on Smackdown, Jimmy Uso was added as the fourth member on Punkâ€s team. Later in the night, Drew McIntyre was revealed as the fourth member added to Heymanâ€s team.

In the main event segment, both teams brawled all throughout the ringside area and as Punk was about to hit the GTS onto Paul inside the ring, Brock Lesnarâ€s music hit. Lesnar entered the ring and laid out Punk and Cody with multiple Suplexes. As Lesnar stood in the ring on his own, Roman Reigns appeared and knocked him out of the ring with a Superman Punch. Reed attacked Reigns from behind and attempted a Tsunami before Reigns got back up and knocked him off the top rope with a Superman Punch. As NYPD and security attempted to separate everyone, Reigns Speared Reed and one of the officers through the timekeeperâ€s area as the show ended.

Analysis:

For a show that was already wild, chaotic, and fun, this segment was the ultimate climax for it. While the brawl between both teams started out wild and crazy, Brock and Reigns showing up really put it over the top. Honestly, this was one of the best endings to Raw that thereâ€s been the entire year. Although this WarGames match in some ways does feel thrown together, what we saw here gave us every reason to be hyped for it. In all the years theyâ€ve been doing WarGames matches in WWE, none of them have contained the amount of star power that this one does.

With all the people involved, there are countless stories that can play out in this match that could plant the seeds for future feuds to come. Whether itâ€s Punk vs. Paul or Reigns vs. Breakker, weâ€re like to see a lot of feuds coming out of this that stretch into 2026. As appealing as the face offs on the opposing sides look, whatâ€s also appealing is the potential issues that could spark between those who are in the same team. From the unsettled issues between Reigns and the Usos stemming from Crown Jewel, lingering hard feelings between Jey and Punk from their title match a few weeks ago, or even potential issues between Lesnar and Breakker due to their ties with Heyman, we may see as much fireworks between teammates as we do between opponents. With all those factors involved, this year WarGames match for the men has all the tools to be the most epic one that weâ€ve seen in years.

Grade: A

Nikki Bella Attacks Stephanie Vaquer

Latest developments:

After Nikki Bella turned on Womenâ€s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer last week, Vaquer came out this week for an interview with Jackie Redmond. Before she could even make it to the ring, Nikki attacked her from behind. Nikki grabbed a mic and told her that she didnâ€t come back to sit on the sidelines or to be her sidekick. She stated that she came to take back the Womenâ€s Division and thanked Vaquer for reminding her who she was. Nikki said that Vaquerâ€s gonna give her a title shot and she will also bow down to her as she held up the title before dropping it on the champion.

Analysis:

After what happened between these two last week, this was a disappointing follow up. With the show this week being in MSG, it felt like we were going to get something different as opposed to what turned out to be more of a carbon copy of what happened last week. This wouldâ€ve been more effective if Nikki had cut the promo in the ring that she was originally advertised to do and then laid out Vaquer again as she tried to come into the ring for revenge. Regardless, this did what it needed to in setting up their title match for Survivor Series. As Nikki just turned a week ago, it would be foolish to have that match be a one off and not extend the feud beyond that.

Solo Sikoa vs. Dolph Ziggler

Latest developments:

In one of two John Cena Last Time Tournament matches that took place this week, Solo Sikoa went one on one with a mystery opponent that turned out to be a returning Dolph Ziggler. As the match progressed, Ziggler built up momentum with a DDT followed by a Fameasser. Ziggler attempted the Zig Zag, but Solo blocked it and hit him with a Spinning Solo Slam for a near fall. Solo hit the post head first as he tried to run into Ziggler in the corner, and Ziggler then succeeded with his second Zig Zag attempt before Solo was able to kick out. Ziggler hit a SuperKick and went for another Zig Zag that Solo blocked, and Solo was able to capitalize with a Samoan Spike for the win.

Analysis:

While Ziggler wasnâ€t someone many wouldâ€ve guessed as the mystery opponent, it made for a nice surprise that the audience responded to positively. Ziggler really put on another great performance here that he was always known to do during his prime WWE years. Also like his prime WWE years, he was clearly used here to make Solo look good. With Solo still being a full time WWE talent, there was no other way this match was going to end. It was still great to see Ziggler in this spot for one night and hopefully, weâ€ll see more cameos from him like this in the future.

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  Greg WyshynskiNov 20, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

Before the 2025-26 NHL season — on Sept. 24, to be exact — we made bold predictions for all 32 teams. With a quarter of that season now in the books, it’s time to check the validity of those claims.

At least one of them was already proved true. At least one of them was very, very wrong.

Here’s a progress report on our bold predictions. We’ll rate each prediction on a 1-10 scale, with “1” indicating that the prediction absolutely will not come true and “10” indicating that I absolutely nailed it. Enjoy!

Jump ahead to your team

Atlantic Division

Bruins will trade Pavel Zacha

Considering the Bruins’ massive trade-off last season, seeing Zacha shipped out during their “retool” made sense. He’s a center who plays in all facets of the game and really found his offensive stride since arriving in Boston. He’s signed through next season at a very affordable $4.75 million annually against the salary cap.

But his availability is based on a few factors. Like whether Boston sees Zacha as part of their long-term solutions. Like if Boston is contending for a playoff spot or not. Like if someone in this center-starved league calls up GM Don Sweeney and makes him an offer he can’t refuse.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Rasmus Dahlin is a Norris Trophy finalist

Dahlin is skating with a lot on his mind. He revealed before the season that his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, received a heart transplant this summer following a health scare while on vacation. Earlier this month, he returned to Sweden to care for her, missing three games. The support he received from the hockey community was inspiring and a reminder of how far we’ve come in consideration of a player’s life outside the NHL.

In the 17 games Dahlin has played, he has 14 points with 13 of them assists. That places him in the top 10 among defensemen in scoring. That he plays for a Sabres team once again struggling to contend shouldn’t impact his Norris candidacy, as he finished sixth for the award last season. If there’s an analytic argument for his defense to go along with strong offensive numbers, he’s got a shot at being one of three finalists.

The real concern with this bold prediction is that for the foreseeable future, there might be only one Norris Trophy finalist spot open to someone who isn’t Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 5

play

0:18

Rasmus Dahlin notches goal on the power play

Rasmus Dahlin capitalizes on the power play

Steve Yzerman fails upward

Naturally I predicted that the Red Wings’ general manager would abdicate the throne in the season where Detroit raced to first place in the Atlantic. I still don’t have too much faith in the “Yzerplan” — rough starts for top prospect Marco Kasper and goaltending solution John Gibson haven’t helped — but Stevie Y likely won’t be going anywhere if the Red Wings improve on their .524 points percentage from last season.

Of course, that’s going to depend on whether Detroit avoids its traditional second-half tailspin. Over the past two seasons, the Red Wings are 16-23-4 after March 1. If they fall short of the playoffs and are worse than last season’s record … well, he’s been the GM since 2019. How many more chances does the franchise legend get?

Bold prediction confidence rating: 4

Sergei Bobrovsky gets a “Marchand” deal

Regular-season Bob is the guy who is 9-5-0 through 14 games with a .883 save percentage and a 2.80 goals-against average. He does what he needs to in order to collect points to make the postseason. Which is where he becomes Playoff Bob, the guy who has led the Panthers to three straight Stanley Cup finals and two straight championships. The guy with the .914 save percentage and a 2.20 GAA in 23 games last postseason.

The Panthers just re-signed a guy named Sam Bennett who is productive in the regular season and a monster in the playoffs. I imagine they’ll do the same with Bobrovsky. The Panthers also just re-signed a 37-year-old to a six-year contract that pays him $5.25 million against the cap annually. I imagine they’ll do the same with Bobrovsky. Like Brad Marchand, he doesn’t want to leave, either.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 8

Kaiden Guhle earns leaguewide appreciation

Well, it turns out Kaiden Guhle played five games before having surgery for a partially torn abductor muscle and will miss at least two months of the season.

Now, that does leave enough time in the season for him to make an impact and earn the notice he deserves. Or, failing that, the Canadiens miss him desperately while he’s on the mend and he’s appreciated for his absence.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 6

Dylan Cozens sets new career highs

The targets for this bold prediction: 31 goals and 68 points, set when Cozens was a 21-year-old center with the Sabres in 2022-23.

The progress so far: Cozens has seven goals and seven assists in 19 games. That puts him right around 30 goals but well short of his career point total. Praying for a hot streak at some point this season.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 3

Lightning will win the Atlantic Division

The Lightning face-planted out of the gate with a 1-4-2 record and then suffered a slew of injuries to players like Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh and Anthony Cirelli. They’ve now won nine of 12 games and some of the aspects of their team that were struggling — like their power play — might be rounding into form. At some point it would be nice if Brayden Point looked like Brayden Point again, but he’s got time.

Stathletes projects the Lightning to have an 81.5% chance of finishing first in the Atlantic Division. We’ll take it.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 8

Leafs will retain Nick Robertson

Given everything that swirled around the Maple Leafs in the first month of the season, this prediction reads like an act of cowardice. Where was “they fire Craig Berube before Christmas?” Or “the Leafs miss the playoffs outright?”

Instead, I predicted that Nick Robertson, a player perpetually in trade rumors, would remain with the team rather than being shipped out. He’s still there, playing in 19 of their 20 games and has 11 points. But who knows where the wacky season in Toronto takes him.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Metropolitan Division

Canes will win the Eastern Conference

The Hurricanes’ regular-season success has become so expected under coach Rod Brind’Amour that their 13-5-1 start is just background noise in the Eastern Conference right now — despite not having star defenseman Jaccob Slavin for all but two games of it. They’ve made the conference finals in three of the seven years that Rod the Bod has coached them, including two of the past three seasons in which they were eliminated by the Florida Panthers. No shame in that. Ask Edmonton.

Their issue in the playoffs remains their goal scoring. They averaged 3.12 goals per game during that three-year span in the postseason, down from 3.27 over 246 regular-season games 2022-25.

Absent a star scorer like Jake Guentzel or Mikko Rantanen, perhaps that defect prevents them from playing for the Stanley Cup again. Or perhaps the early returns on the Carolina offense this season (3.63 goals per game over 19 games) underscore how deep their goal generation goes on this edition of the Canes, indicating they have enough of it to finally break through the Eastern Conference ceiling.

All of that ignores the elephant in the room, which is that no one in the Eastern Conference seems all that formidable at the moment in comparison to the Hurricanes. Unless of course the Panthers get Aleksander Barkov back for the playoffs …

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Jet Greaves takes over the crease

There have been few stats more jarring than the Blue Jackets being among the leaders in team save percentage during the first 20 games of the season, given the recent effectiveness between the pipes. The goalie rotation of Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzļikins was working well, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that Greaves was outplaying his tandem partner. He had a .904 save percentage in 12 games and higher goals saved above expected.

If the crease isn’t Greaves’ now, it will be eventually. The Jackets have waited for someone to play well enough to relegate Merzļikins to a backup role, and Jet might have the fuel to do it.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Jack Hughes plays 82 games

Mea culpa: I was unaware that the Devils were going to have a team dinner at a Chicago steakhouse wherein Jack Hughes would have what’s been called a “freak accident” that involved getting his finger sliced by glass. Jack had surgery and will be out a minimum of six weeks, all but assuring that New Jersey will continue to be a franchise without a 50-goal scorer or 100-point player and that his bold prediction can already be deposited in the trash.

On the plus side, Hughes was correct when he sassed reporters before the season about his offseason conditioning and perpetual injuries. There’s no accounting for freak accidents on the ice or around the glass.

Bold prediction confidence rating: ZERO

Patrick Roy coaches his last season on Long Island

I’m going to blame Matthew Schaefer for mucking up what should have been a fairly easy call here.

Roy reportedly doesn’t have a contract beyond this season. He has a new general manager in Mathieu Darche who had no hand in hiring him, and as a new general manager, he would probably like to get his own guy in there at some point. The Islanders were projected to finish with around 84 points and had a 1-in-4 chance of making the playoffs.

Then the 18-year-old first overall pick in the NHL draft shows up, plays like Cale Makar, and infuses the entire organization with a youthful enthusiasm and optimism. Suddenly the Islanders are in a playoff spot and ascendant in the East.

I’m not selling on this prediction yet for the factors listed above and because it’s so early. But I am shaking a fist in the direction of Matthew Schaefer while muttering something about “these kids today.”

Bold prediction confidence rating: 5

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Matthew Schaefer makes NHL history with OT winner for Islanders

Matthew Schaefer becomes the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal in the regular season.

Rangers return to the playoffs

There have been stretches in the first 21 games of the season in which this prediction looked quite good, and there have been stretches in which the Rangers making the playoffs seems implausible.

Stathletes says there’s an 84.2% chance the Blueshirts make the Stanley Cup playoffs, which gives me hope. So do the seasons that goalie Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox are having, and the seasons that players such as forwards Will Cuylle and Vincent Trocheck will have when they get through the team’s early-season offensive doldrums.

And yet I worry about their depth, which was a concern before the season and is a deeper one having gotten eyes on them. I worry about captain J.T. Miller, whose offensive numbers have fallen off a cliff while fan-cams are catching him acting listless defensively. I worry that the chemistry is off and the competition is too good. But I keep the faith that Mike Sullivan and the Rangers will figure this thing out. And if they don’t, GM Chris Drury will no doubt be aggressive in trying to ensure they do.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Flyers win the Gavin McKenna draft lottery

The impetus for this prediction was basically a goof on Penguins fans who thought their team would continue its downward trajectory only to end up with the first overall phenom in next year’s draft who also happens to play at Penn State. Wouldn’t it be funny if he went to the other team in the state? Ha, ha. Everyone laughs.

Well, it turns out the Penguins aren’t currently playing like a lottery team and the Flyers are stubbornly hanging tough in the Metro Division under head coach Rick Tocchet thanks to exceptional goaltending from offseason pickup Dan Vladar.

I’m heartened that the analytics community still sees the Flyers as an eventual cellar dweller. Stathletes projects them as a lottery team (89.2 points). Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic has them much lower at 81.6 points, ahead of only four other teams.

I remember sharing this prediction with someone in Philadelphia recently who said it would be ironic if the Flyers won the lottery the year in which a winger (McKenna) was top pick, given their needs at center. It’s like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Sidney Crosby plays somewherein the playoffs this season

The true genius of this prediction was in its vagueness. Like many others, I heard the speculation that Crosby might end up leaving the Penguins if this was another lost season. That he was tired of missing out on the most important time of the NHL calendar and wasn’t going to be mired in a rebuild.

I asked Sid about that theory at the NHL player media tour in September. He told me it wasn’t anything on his mind because he was optimistic that the Penguins, picked by many to finish last in the division, could return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Which, admittedly, seemed delusional. But it was enough for me to hedge my bold prediction, declaring that he would play in the playoffs “somewhere,” including on the off chance that would be in Pittsburgh.

What I didn’t count on was Crosby willing the Penguins into the playoffs himself. Through 19 games, the Penguins have a .632 points percentage and Crosby is leading them with 23 points. His buddy Evgeni Malkin, also the subject of trade speculation, leads the team with 12 goals.

They were never going to leave Pittsburgh if the team was relevant. Through their own efforts, some Jack Adams-level coaching by Dan Muse and the second-best goaltending in the league so far, the Penguins not only are relevant but are a team that could make the playoffs. Which would be fine by me, because Pittsburgh is — at last check — “somewhere.”

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Ovechkin breaks another Gretzky record

After shattering the most famous Wayne Gretzky goal-scoring record last season, Ovechkin has a chance to shatter another one this season. Gretzky scored 1,016 goals combined between the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. Ovechkin needed 43 goals between the regular season and postseason to beat that mark.

Through 19 games, Ovechkin has six goals. That pace would put him under 30 goals for the season. Even with a prolonged playoff run by the Capitals, it would be hard to see him break that mark without a bigger goal cushion in the regular season. The good news is that when Ovechkin gets hot, his goal-scoring pace can get scorching.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 6

Central Division

Frank Nazar doubles his points total

With Connor Bedard having a star-making season (13 goals in 19 games) that might earn him a trip to the Olympics, whatever Frank Nazar does for the Blackhawks might be a little overlooked. He’s been great, with 13 points in 17 games and playing in all phases of the game. He briefly missed some time after taking a cross-check from Joel Farabee earlier this month, but Nazar is back and picking up points again.

He tallied 26 points in 53 games last season. At his current scoring rate, and assuming he stays in the lineup, Nazar could top 60 points. He isn’t on Bedard’s line, but he gets to hang with him on the power play. That’s good enough for me.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 8

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Frank Nazar scores goal vs. Senators

Frank Nazar scores goal vs. Senators

Avs win the Western Conference

It’s always a nice feeling when you hitch your wagon to a bulldozer. The Avalanche started the season going 13-1-5 in their first 19 games. They led the NHL in offense and defense and had its leading scorer in points and goals (Nathan MacKinnon), its top scorer among defensemen (Cale Makar) and the fourth best team save percentage (.909) thanks to a 33-year-old journeyman having potentially the best season of his pro career (Scott Wedgewood).

What’s scary about the Avs is that there’s still so much room for improvement in players such as Brock Nelson, Gabe Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin.

The caveat here is that the Avalanche haven’t made it past the second round since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. But so far, MacKinnon & Co. seem absolutely determined to drink of the chalice again next June.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 8

Matt Duchene regresses

It does feel a bit awkward to grade this one out with Duchene on long-term injured reserve at the moment with an undisclosed ailment. He hasn’t played since Oct. 18. Duchene had a goal and an assist in four games.

My point still stands that the departure of Mikael Granlund and Mason Marchment combined with a downgrade from his 19.7% shooting percentage means Duchene won’t hit that point-per-game pace from last season when he returns to the ice.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 8

Zeev Buium outscores Brock Faber

Through 20 games, Zeev Buium had 10 points to Brock Faber’s nine points, so let’s stop the count and call this one a win!

OK, to dig into this a little further, my prediction here was predicated heavily on Buium getting top unit power-play time, assuming that he wouldn’t produce all that much at 5-on-5 as a rookie. True to form, seven of his 10 points have come on the man advantage. He’s averaging more ice time per game (3:22) than Faber (1:04) on the power play so far this season, but his role as the quarterback for Kirill Kaprizov’s unit isn’t cemented.

He hasn’t produced much of anything in his last 10 games heading into Wednesday night, and his overall ice time has been fluctuating. I’m concerned but confident.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 6

Andrew Brunette keeps his job

GM Barry Trotz recently said that the Predators are in a “transitional phase” as an organization but wouldn’t go as far to call it a “rebuild.” Either way, it’s clear things aren’t working under Brunette for a second straight season, which could necessitate his firing …

… only what would that accomplish? Brunette signed a four-year deal in 2024. Unless Trotz wants to add “coach” to his job title for no significant bump in pay, wouldn’t it make sense for the organization to let Brunette coach through a lost season instead of paying him not to work?

The only scenarios I see in which Brunette doesn’t finish the season are if Trotz felt compelled to save the season himself or if he felt that AHL Milwaukee Admirals coach Karl Taylor was the next guy behind the bench and wanted to give him a few months of experience this season. Because even if things get bad for Nashville, that’s ultimately good in a “transitional phase,” no?  

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Jimmy Snuggerud, Calder Trophy finalist

Snuggerud has been unremarkable during the first 20 games of the season after making a huge impression with four points in seven playoff games last season. He has five goals and six assists, skating to a minus-2. He has played up with Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas and has gotten some power-play time.

Snuggerud faces two significant problems right now as a Calder candidate. The first is that the Blues stink, and therefore his accomplishments aren’t going to get the same attention as those of rookies on contending teams. The second is that defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the Islanders and forward Ivan Demidov of the Canadiens have absolutely owned the rookie spotlight through the first quarter of the season.

Throw in a quartet of interesting rookies in goal — Yaroslav Askarov (SJS), Jakub Dobes (MTL), Jesper Wallstedt (MIN) and Arturs Silovs (PIT) — and it’s already a crowded field. But Snuggerud still has a lane to the Calder if he can pick up the scoring pace. And by that we mean lead all rookie forwards in points.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 6

The Mammoth make the playoff cut

When the Mammoth lost their third straight overtime game this week, head coach André Tourigny joked, “We’re undefeated in regulation in the last four [games]. Let’s put it that way.”

To that end, the Mammoth are picking up points again after losing five of six games in regulation. That followed seven straight wins. This is what young, super-talented teams do, and Utah isn’t immune to it.

The Mammoth have shown me enough to be confident that the sum total of this season will be a playoff appearance. Their core players are great, and their young stars like Logan Cooley are constantly improving. If I have a concern, it’s in goal, where Karel Vejmelka and Vitek Vanecek are both playing below replacement levels. But I’m not giving up on them Yeti, er, yet.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

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Clayton Keller wins it in OT for Utah

Clayton Keller wins it in OT for Utah

Kyle Connor stays, makes Marner money

After my predictions story ran Sept. 24, Connor signed an eight-year contract extension Oct. 8 worth $96 million, which gives him a $12 million average annual value through 2033-34.

Mitch Marner had signed an eight-year contract extension on June 30 worth $96 million, which gives him a $12 million average annual value through 2032-33.

Just a tomahawk dunk from the foul line of a prediction. I’d give this an 11 if I could.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 10

Pacific Division

Ducks are a final week elimination

The Ducks have been an early-season revelation as new head coach Joel Quenneville unlocked their offense to the tune of 3.63 goals per game, third in the league. Young stars like Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier were among the NHL’s top scorers. Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba were playing like they wanted to make the Rangers regret forcing them out of MSG. Anaheim sat atop the Pacific Division, looking like they’ve turned the corner.

Stathletes gives Anaheim a 67% chance of making the playoffs, which tells you that this early-season sprint by the Ducks isn’t an aberration. But contending for and making the playoffs are two different things. One assumes the Oilers will do what they usually do: start slow and then catch fire to finish in the top three in the division. The Kings are solid. The Golden Knights haven’t truly hit their stride. The wild card could be crowded with teams like the Mammoth, Wild and Kraken.

But the reason I’m sticking with a near-miss by these Ducks: They don’t defend at a playoff level yet. Which is fine, because a lot of them are still ducklings. Lukas Dostal is good enough to carry them to the bubble, but it’ll eventually pop days before the postseason.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Nazem Kadri will be traded

The Flames had the worst record in the NHL through 21 games, with just a .310 points percentage. They might be the only team in the league for whom you could say the season was already lost, sitting 10 points out of the final wild-card spot and 11 points out of third place in the Pacific on Nov. 19.

As one would expect, the trade rumor industrial complex is feasting on Flames content. Pending UFA defenseman Rasmus Andersson has been the subject of speculation for most of the year. Versatile forward Blake Coleman, signed through 2026-27, could be a coveted addition. But it’s Kadri that continues to enchant fans whose teams need a No. 2 center, with his unique mix of skill and snarl. He has limited trade protection.

TSN’s Darren Dreger said the Flames aren’t shopping Kadri, who is signed through 2028-29 at a solid cap hit ($7 million annualy), specifically noting that “Flames ownership” wants to keep him around. So that’s discouraging, but not nearly as discouraging as the results the Flames aren’t getting on the ice. Moving him might just eventually make more sense than keeping him around if some contender sees him as the final piece of a championship puzzle.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 6

Connor McDavid signs a team-friendly, three-year extension

Connor McDavid ended his contract drama by signing an extension on Oct. 6. Was it team-friendly, as predicted? Yes, as McDavid signed for much less than market value, insofar as such a thing could exist for the best hockey player on the planet. The Oilers inked him to a deal that carries an average annual value of $12.5 million, which is $1.5 million less annually than teammate Leon Draisaitl.

Was it three years? No, it was not. McDavid surprised many by taking an even shorter short-term deal with Edmonton, giving them a three-year window — this season, plus two more — in which to finally win a Stanley Cup with McDavid.

So, in the end, partial credit.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 8

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McDavid scores absurd spinning backhand goal for Oilers

Connor McDavid puts defender Denton Mateychuk in a spin cycle and backhands an unbelievable goal past Jet Greaves.

Eliminate the Oilers in the first round

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: The Kings are an excellent defense team (sixth in the NHL) that doesn’t generate enough goal scoring (26th). They have a .600 points percentage so far in Anze Kopitar’s farewell tour and are looking like a playoff team again.

Again, the law of averages would indicate that the Kings won’t lose to the Oilers in a fifth straight opening-round series. This might be the best year to catch Edmonton, with a roster that might not match the depth of the ones that rolled to the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive seasons.

In hindsight, I goofed up this prediction with specificity. I should have said “the Kings advance further in the playoffs than the Oilers” on the off chance Edmonton doesn’t qualify. Which, given the current state of things …

Bold prediction confidence rating: 7

Macklin Celebrini hits 90 points

What a season so far for Celebrini. At one point he led the NHL in points as he powered the Sharks to respectability for the first time in years. No one on the team is more deserving of the giant teal shark jaws necklace that Ryan Reaves is forcing players of the game to wear while topless during postgame interviews.

Celebrini had 30 points in his first 20 games. Based on his current scoring pace, Celebrini would end up in the neighborhood of 123 points in his second NHL season. That’s not exactly going to tamp down the Sidney Crosby comparisons.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 9

Kraken are the trade deadline’s top seller

The Kraken have been better than expected at the start of the season, amassing a .605 points percentage in 19 games and sitting in a playoff spot as play began on Thursday. New coach Lane Lambert has them playing a confident and effective defensive game.

But Seattle doesn’t exactly generate all that much offense (28th in the NHL). Does that mean they eventually slip down the standings in a competitive division and conference, or do they remain close enough in the playoff hunt that they aren’t looking to move any of their half-dozen pending free agents like Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, Mason Marchment or Jamie Oleksiak?

Bold prediction confidence rating: 5

Elias Pettersson cracks 30 goals again

Free of J.T. Miller’s dressing room tormenting, many expected this to be a bounce-back campaign for Pettersson on the Canucks. His offensive numbers are up year-over-year, with 19 points in 21 games. Unfortunately, his goal-scoring rates are more aligned with last season (0.8 goals per 60 minutes) than when he was good for 30 goals in a season. Pettersson had six goals in those 21 games, which projects to around 24 for the season.

I never thought I’d say this, but I’d much rather Elias Pettersson have Kiefer Sherwood’s goal total right now.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 4

Knights make the conference finals

It’s hard to get a handle on how good the Golden Knights can be given their lineup absences, which have included Mark Stone, Adin Hill, Noah Hanifin and William Karlsson.

We know how incredible Jack Eichel has been (24 points in 19 games) and that Mitch Marner is still doing his 200-foot player thing (21 points, plus-10). We also know that Shea Theodore has stepped up big time in the absence of Alex Pietrangelo and that Ivan Barbashev and Pavel Dorofeyev have absurd shooting percentages. We know they are adept at picking up points in the regular season, placing second in the Pacific through 19 games.

If they’re at full capacity in the postseason, I think the Golden Knights can emerge from the Pacific this season, especially if Mark Stone can go. They’re fundamentally sound and physical as they come. But yeah, I’m a little worried we’ll never see them at full capacity.

Bold prediction confidence rating: 8

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  David SchoenfieldNov 17, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  • Covers MLB for ESPN.com
  • Former deputy editor of Page 2
  • Been with ESPN.com since 1995

Each year, I make a bold prediction for every team as part of our MLB season preview. These aren’t wacky, unthinkable predictions — like a catcher hitting 60 home runs or a hitter reaching base nine times in a World Series game or the World Series being decided by the length of the lead a runner gets off third base. No, who could predict any of that happening?

These were bold — but realistic — predictions for the 2025 season. Let’s go back and grade each one to see how I did — and then spin it forward to next year.

The prediction: Paul Skenes doesn’t just win the Cy Young Award — he has the best season ever for a Pirates starter (in the live ball era, since 1920).

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Cy Young Award? Check. Highest WAR for a Pirates starter since 1920? Check. Lowest ERA by a Pirates starter since 1920? Check. Well done, Mr. Skenes, well done.

Grade: A+

Looking ahead to 2026:It won’t be easy to top 7.7 WAR and a 1.97 ERA, but Skenes can do it. He can certainly improve upon his 187â…” innings as the Pirates still held him back, letting him reach 100 pitches in just eight of his 31 starts. With a few more starts on four days of rest and additional innings, a 9- or 10-WAR season is possible.

The prediction: Bryan Woo will be the best starter on the Mariners.

Nailed it. Woo went 15-7 with a 2.94 ERA and 4.2 WAR – double the 2.1 of fellow rotation members Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo. Woo, who finished fifth in the Cy Young voting, also set an MLB record when he pitched at least six innings in each of his first 25 starts of the season. Unfortunately, he injured his pectoral muscle in his final start of the regular season, missed the ALDS and was only able to pitch out of the bullpen in the team’s ALCS loss to Toronto.

Grade: A+

Looking ahead to 2026:The Mariners will have high hopes after finishing one win short of their first World Series appearance. With better health from Gilbert, George Kirby and Bryce Miller and another big season from Woo, the Mariners’ rotation can get back to its 2024 status as one of the best in the game.

The prediction:Gavin Williams will lead the rotation in ERA and WAR.

Williams finished 12-5 with a 3.06 ERA and 3.8 WAR — easily leading the rotation in both categories.

Grade: A+

Looking ahead to 2026:Williams certainly delivered a breakout season, riding one of the best curveballs in the game (batters hit just .116 against it). He tweaked his slider, turning it into a sweeper, and that became another effective pitch. If he can cut down on his walks — he led the majors with 83 — he can take another step forward.

The prediction:Riley Greene becomes just the 10th Tigers outfielder to hit 30 home runs and becomes the first Tigers outfielder to make consecutive All-Star appearances since Magglio Ordonez in 2006-07.

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Greene hit 36 home runs and did make the All-Star team again, so I nailed both predictions. His WAR, however, fell from 5.4 to 2.2 as his defensive metrics on Baseball-Reference were much worse and his OBP dropped from .348 to .313. It was a weird mix, as he also set a Tigers record with 201 strikeouts and his walk rate fell from the 83rd percentile to the 34th.

Grade: A

Looking ahead to 2026:While Greene drove in 111 runs, he slumped to a .218 average and .694 OPS in the second half and hit just .185 overall in high-leverage situations. His speed metrics declined significantly as well. The power numbers were great, but Greene needs to get back to being a better all-around player.

The prediction: Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran all win Gold Gloves.

Close! No outfield trio had ever done this, and while Rafaela won his first in center field and Abreu won his second in right field, Cleveland’s Steven Kwan won again in left field. Duran had led all outfielders in defensive runs saved in 2024 and had another good season in the field, but he fell off enough that Kwan won for the fourth year in a row.

Grade: B+

Looking ahead to 2026: Enter Roman Anthony. The outstanding rookie played 71 games in 2025 and will be playing every day in 2026. The Red Sox could rotate the four outfielders through the DH role, although they have Masataka Yoshida there as well. They could play Rafaela at second base, but that’s a waste of his defense in center field. It could lead to an offseason trade.

The prediction:Juan Soto sets a club record for OPS, and Pete Alonso breaks his own club record in RBIs.

With a .921 OPS, Soto fell short of Mike Piazza’s mark of 1.012, although he was still a top-three MVP finalist after hitting a career-high 43 home runs and leading the National League in on-base percentage. Alonso finished with 126 RBIs, a big improvement from 2024 when he drove in 88, but he just missed his club record of 131 set in 2022.

Grade: B

Looking ahead to 2026:Alonso is a free agent and will seek — and certainly receive — a bigger deal than the two-year, $54 million contract he signed with the Mets last offseason (that included a player opt-out). While he still seems like the right fit for the Mets, the front office might look to put money toward the pitching staff instead.

The prediction:Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte both finish in the top 10 of the MVP voting and the Diamondbacks lead the majors in runs for the second straight season.

What a frustrating year for the Diamondbacks. They did get two players in the top 10 of MVP voting and one was Carroll, but the other was shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (who led all NL position players with a 7.0 WAR). Marte had a solid 4.4-WAR season and made the All-Star team. Arizona finished sixth in runs scored (and were fourth before dealing Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez at the trade deadline).

Grade: B

Looking ahead to 2026:With holes to fill in the rotation and the bullpen, plus first base, Marte’s name has popped up in trade rumors. It could be related to reports in July that he lost support in the clubhouse after missing three games following the All-Star break when he flew home to the Dominican Republic. He was placed on the restricted list for two games while absent and benched for the third after returning — though did apologize for the absence.

The prediction: Wyatt Langford has a 30/30 season and finishes in the top 10 of the MVP voting.

This one is interesting. Langford had a 22/22 season in home runs and stolen bases — so didn’t come all that close to 30/30 — and didn’t crack the top 10 in MVP voting, but he did finish with 5.6 WAR, which ranked tied for eighth among American League position players. Part of the high WAR was his outstanding defense, but also that, for whatever reason, Globe Life Field played as an extreme pitcher’s park in 2025, so Langford finished with an excellent 127 OPS+.

Grade: B-

Looking ahead to 2026:Langford played 134 games, so if he can get up to 150 and if Globe Life returns to more of a neutral park, 30/30 will be on the radar. If he can cut down on his strikeouts — 16th percentile — then we’ll see even bigger offensive numbers across the board.

The prediction:The Angels will have six 20-homer hitters … but still lose 95 games.

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The Angels did hit a lot of home runs, ranking fourth in the majors, although just four players reached 20 with a fifth at 19. And, hey, they didn’t lose 95 games! They only lost 90.

Grade: B-

Looking ahead to 2026:The trade-off for those home runs? The Angels led the majors in strikeouts. And their .225 team batting average was the worst as well. As a result, they finished 25th in runs scored, despite all the home runs. The Angels need to diversify their offense, but there isn’t much help on the way from the minors. Let’s see what happens in free agency.

The prediction: Kyle Tucker hits 40 home runs, steals 30 bases and finishes second to Shohei Ohtani in the MVP voting.

At the end of June, Tucker was hitting .291/.395/.537 with 17 home runs and 20 stolen bases — on pace for 33 home runs and 39 stolen bases. At the time, he ranked third in the NL in WAR, just barely behind Ohtani and teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong. He was on track to finish second in the MVP voting, given PCA was likely to regress. But Tucker had suffered a hairline fracture in his hand, which, in turn, affected his production, and then he suffered a calf strain in September. He finished with 22 home runs and 23 steals.

Grade: C+

Looking ahead to 2026:Tucker is a free agent — he is No. 1 in our ranking of this offseason’s top free agents. He is projected to get a big contract from some team, but probably not the Cubs. They have young outfield options such as Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara, plus Seiya Suzuki, who can DH or play right field, and need to address their rotation.

The prediction:Vinnie Pasquantino hits with .300 with 25 home runs and makes the All-Star team.

Pasquantino did break out his best season, hitting .264 with 32 home runs and 113 RBIs, although he did not make the All-Star team as his power surged with 17 home runs in 64 games after the All-Star break. While he had a fairly low BABIP of .271, he matched his “expected” average of .263.

Grade: C+

Looking ahead to 2026:Pasquantino has turned into a dead-pull hitter — he pulled all 32 of his home runs — and while he keeps the strikeouts down (83rd percentile), he probably won’t turn into a .300 hitter with his fly-ball-oriented approach. His defensive metrics are weak and he’s slow, but he has a case as the No. 2 first baseman in the AL.

The prediction:All five starters throw at least 162 innings and finish with an ERA under 3.50.

The 2006 White Sox remain safe. The only pitcher to meet both criteria was Cristopher Sanchez; Ranger Suarez (3.20 ERA, 157 innings) and Zack Wheeler (2.71 ERA, 149 innings) just missed. Jesus Luzardo pitched enough innings, but his ERA was a little high (3.92), while Aaron Nola was awful with a 6.01 ERA. The Phillies’ rotation did lead the majors in FanGraphs WAR and ranked second in ERA.

Grade: C

Looking ahead to 2026: The rotation is in a bit of flux. Suarez is a free agent, Wheeler will attempt to return from thoracic outlet surgery, and Nola will have to bounce back.

The prediction:Spencer Schwellenbach will finish in the top five of the Cy Young voting.

This looked pretty good through June 28, when Schwellenbach was 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA, 108 strikeouts and just 18 walks in 110â…” innings. He ranked tied for seventh in the NL in FanGraphs WAR at the time, just one good start outside the top five. Unfortunately, he didn’t pitch again after being diagnosed with a small fracture in his elbow.

Grade: C

Looking ahead to 2026: Schwellenbach has already started a throwing program and is expected to be part of the rotation next season. With a healthy Schwellenbach, a healthy Chris Sale and an improved Spencer Strider, the rotation could be good enough to get the Braves back in the playoff picture.

The prediction:Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez and Spencer Arrighetti will win 45 games and combine for 13 WAR.

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Well, two out of three isn’t bad. Brown went 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA and was a Cy Young finalist. Valdez was solid again, going 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA. Arrighetti, who had finished strong in 2024, broke his thumb in early April — he was hit by a line drive in batting practice while playing catch in the outfield. He returned in August, struggled and finished the season on the injured list with elbow inflammation. The trio combined for 26 wins and 10.0 WAR.

Grade: C-

Looking ahead to 2026:Valdez is a free agent, so if the Astros don’t re-sign him — a likely scenario — they will be counting on Arrighetti, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. to make more than the 28 combined starts they did in 2025. Ryan Gusto, Brandon Walter and AJ Blubaugh, all rookies in 2025, should also factor into the rotation mix.

The prediction:Brent Rooker hits 53 home runs and edges out Aaron Judge for the home run title.

OK, OK … instead, can we call up the clip from the “Baseball Tonight” podcast when I predict Nick Kurtz will win Rookie of the Year? (Spoiler: He did.) No? The thinking here was Sacramento might play as a tremendous hitter’s park. Instead, it was close to neutral and the A’s homered slightly more often on the road. Rooker finished with 30 home runs.

Grade: C-

Looking ahead to 2026:Now, Kurtz … he might be a player who can win the home run title after mashing 36 in just 117 games. With Kurtz leading the way, the A’s are going to have one of the most exciting lineups in baseball in 2026.

The prediction:CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. both reach 25 home runs.

Only six middle infield combos had done that since 2010. It’s still six. Abrams hit 19 home runs and Garcia 16 — one fewer from 2024 for Abrams and two for Garcia. Garcia saw his batting average drop 30 points, resulting in a 61-point drop in OPS.

Grade: D+

Looking ahead to 2026:The Nationals were supposed to be building around James Wood, Dylan Crews and the two infielders, but only Wood met expectations in 2025 — and even he slumped in the second half after a big first half. Maybe a new manager, coaching staff and front office can get more out of this group.

The prediction: The Marlins quickly fall out of the race in April and trade Sandy Alcantara to the Athletics.

Well, part of that was right: The Marlins were 12-18 at the end of April and already 8.5 games out of first place. However, Alcantara, returning from Tommy John surgery, got off to a horrific start — 8.31 ERA at the end of April, 8.47 at the end of May — and was untradable, although his name did still pop up at the trade deadline.

Grade: D+

Looking ahead to 2026:With a much better second half — a 3.33 ERA over his final 13 starts — Alcantara’s name is near the top of the offseason “most likely to be traded” list. You know who could use a starter? The Athletics!

The prediction: The White Sox lose 110 games, matching the 1962-63 Mets as the only team to lose at least 110 in consecutive seasons.

OK, fine … I also predicted the White Sox would trade Luis Robert Jr. No more trade predictions for me! Like Alcantara, Robert was so bad that his value tanked. The White Sox were also a little better than their preseason forecast, although they still finished with 102 losses.

Grade: D+

Looking ahead to 2026:The White Sox picked up Robert’s $20 million option for 2026 — hoping he can find his 2023 level of production. But after two bad years at the plate and an inability to remain healthy, that is growing increasingly less likely.

The prediction:Jackson Chourio will finish with a .900 OPS.

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This was an aggressive prediction, but Chourio had posted a .915 OPS in 63 second-half games in 2024. He finished 2025 with a slash line of .270/.308/.463 and a .770 OPS that was 21 points lower than his rookie season.

Grade: D

Looking ahead to 2026:Chourio’s high chase rate (eighth percentile) was a key reason he failed to improve upon his rookie season, as it led to too much soft contact, even with a league-average strikeout rate. He’s still just entering his age-22 season, so there’s time to improve, but the likelihood he turns into a big star has dimmed a little.

The prediction:Elly De La Cruz will hit 30 home runs, steal 80 bases and finish in the top five of the MVP voting.

Well, that was a letdown. After hitting 25 home runs and stealing 67 bases in 2024 in his age-22 season, De La Cruz fell off to 22 home runs and 37 stolen bases, despite playing all 162 games. Most shockingly, he fell into a horrific power slump, homering just once in a 74-game span from late June through early September.

Grade: D

Looking ahead to 2026:What happened here? After his 5.2-WAR season in 2024, De La Cruz seemed ready for even bigger things. Instead, he regressed. Of interest: Perhaps looking to cut down on his strikeouts (which he did), De La Cruz’s bat speed declined from the left side and his swing length shortened. But it didn’t lead to better results.

The prediction:Michael King becomes just the third Padres pitcher to win 20 games.

Ahh, pitcher predictions — often doomed to fail due to injury risk. King was great through the end of April (4-1 with a 2.09 ERA) but then got injured in the middle of May, made one start in early August and then didn’t pitch again until September. He finished 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 15 starts.

Grade: D

Looking ahead to 2026: King is a free agent. Dylan Cease is a free agent. Yu Darvish is already out for the season. The Padres’ rotation is going to need a big offseason makeover.

The prediction: The Rockies will end up with two All-Stars: outfielder Brenton Doyle and reliever Victor Vodnik.

LOL. The Rockies had just one All-Star, although at least catcher Hunter Goodman was a deserving one (he hit 31 home runs and won a Silver Slugger award). Doyle hit .233 with 15 home runs, and Vodnik had a 3.02 ERA and 10 saves.

Grade: D

Looking ahead to 2026:The Rockies probably won’t have two All-Stars.

The prediction:The Cardinals stay in the NL Central race until the final week of the season — with four rookies in the rotation.

Well, technically, the Cardinals were still alive in the wild-card race entering the final week, sitting four games behind the Reds and Mets. The four rookies I mentioned — Michael McGreevy, Quinn Mathews, Tink Hence and Cooper Hjerpe — made little impact, however, with only McGreevy (16 starts) even appearing in the majors in 2025.

Grade: D-

Looking ahead to 2026:The premise here was correct: The Cardinals didn’t have a good rotation. Mathews was the top prospect entering the season but struggled with his control in Triple-A. Hence had a couple of injuries and made just eight starts in the minors. Hjerpe had Tommy John surgery in April and didn’t pitch at all. The rotation will need some help.

The prediction:Samuel Basallo becomes the regular DH in the second half and hits 15 home runs.

Basallo did eventually hit his way out of Triple-A, making his debut for the Orioles on Aug. 17, just a few days after turning 21. He struggled big time, however, hitting .165/.229/.330 with four home runs in 31 games.

Grade: D-

Looking ahead to 2026: Basallo remains one of the top prospects in the game and his rookie status is intact. While he scuffled in the majors, he hit .270/.377/.589 with 23 home runs in 76 games at Triple-A. Whether he’ll continue to catch remains a question, but he can hit.

The prediction:The Yankees finish 80-82 for their first losing season since 1992.

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Oops. The reasoning here was that without Gerrit Cole and with Luis Gil sidelined for several months, the Yankees might be in trouble. Well, of course, Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger combined for 63 home runs and 8.6 WAR, Aaron Judge had another dominant MVP season, the rotation was fine with Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and rookie Cam Schlittler, and the Yankees won 94 games.

Grade: F

Looking ahead to 2026:With Cole returning and Gil and Schlittler around for full seasons, this projects as an outstanding rotation. Grisham and Bellinger are free agents, however, so the Yankees will have to fill center field — perhaps with rookie Spencer Jones, if they don’t re-sign one of the two free agents.

The prediction:The Twins will have the best bullpen in the majors, with Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax both posting sub-2.00 ERAs.

Duran just missed, with a 2.06 ERA. But Jax had a 4.23 ERA, although a 2.51 FIP. Of course, the bigger story here: Duran finished the season with the Phillies and Jax with the Rays (and Louis Varland, who had a 2.02 ERA with Minnesota, with the Blue Jays). In the end, the Twins finished 26th in bullpen ERA and 28th in win probability added — although tied for sixth in FanGraphs WAR. That’s an odd mix, basically suggesting Twins relievers had good peripheral stats but didn’t prevent runs or pitch well in high-leverage situations.

Grade: F

Looking ahead to 2026:After trading their top three relievers, the Twins will have to rebuild the back end of their bullpen. It’s unclear if those players are currently on the roster. Journeyman right-hander Justin Topa got four of the team’s eight saves after the deadline dump. Cole Sands would be another late-inning option.

The prediction:Bryce Eldridge will be called up early in the season and lead the team in home runs.

Nope. Eldridge injured his wrist in spring training, missed the first month of the minor league season and finally made his major league debut in September (going 3-for-28 with 13 strikeouts and no home runs). He had surgery after the season to remove a bone spur from his wrist.

Grade: F

Looking ahead to 2026:Eldridge is still just 21 and mashed 25 home runs in 102 games in the minors, so the 6-foot-7 slugger remains a top prospect. With Rafael Devers in the mix as the possible full-time first baseman, the Giants can play it a little more conservatively with Eldridge, make sure the wrist is healthy and give him a couple of months in Triple-A. His future as a potential elite power bat remains in play.

The prediction:Curtis Mead produces the first 4-WAR season by a player born in Australia.

Remember the old rule: Never buy into spring training hype or statistics. Mead had a hot spring and started at first base on Opening Day, but the bat never got going and the Rays ended up trading him to the White Sox at the trade deadline. He finished at .233/.291/.321, batting 264 times in a utility role. Value: minus-0.2 WAR.

Grade: F

Looking ahead to 2026: The hype Mead had as a prospect has faded. He’s still just 25 and the White Sox do have a hole at first base, so he’ll be in the mix to win that job.

The prediction: The lowest team ERA+ of the live ball era (since 1920).

This seemed reasonable considering the three lowest marks in this category belonged to the 2020 Dodgers (146), the 2022 Dodgers (145) and 2021 Dodgers (140). With Shohei Ohtani returning to the mound, plus the free agent additions of Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, the Dodgers’ pitching appeared deeper than ever. Instead, it was mediocre — at least until the postseason — and the Dodgers finished just 10th in the majors with a 106 ERA+.

Grade: F

Looking ahead to 2026: All the key pitchers will be back, and assuming more volume from the likes of Ohtani, Snell and Tyler Glasnow, plus improvement from the bullpen, I just might make this prediction again.

The prediction: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is traded … to Seattle or Milwaukee.

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Well, this is about as wrong as you can get. The Blue Jays, of course, signed Guerrero to that $500 million extension about a week after the season started. They also were not out of the race at the trade deadline, as I also predicted. My attorney offers up this defense: (1) These extensions NEVER happen after the season has started for a player one year away free agency; (2) George Springer? Ernie Clement? Nathan Lukes? Nobody saw those seasons coming; (3) The Mariners (Josh Naylor) and Brewers (Andrew Vaughn) both traded for first basemen. Apparently, the jury has rejected this defense.

Grade: F-

Looking ahead to 2026:Guerrero was very good in the regular season, although his batting average dropped from .323 to .292 and his slugging percentage from .544 to .467. But he crushed it in the postseason, hitting .397/.494/.795 with eight home runs in 18 games as Toronto made it all the way to the World Series, losing in a crushing Game 7. Let’s see if he can parlay that into a more dominant regular season.

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Fresh off of defeating Jey Uso to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, C.M. Punk opened this weekâ€s show. Before he could finish his celebration promo, he was interrupted by Logan Paul. As Paul attempted to stake his claim as Punkâ€s first challenger, they were interrupted by Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, & Paul Heyman. After a few moments of back-and-forth bickering, Breakker & Reed laid out Punk & Paul to end the segment. Looking for revenge, Punk recruited Jey to team up with him to face Breakker & Reed in the showâ€s main event.

Before the night was over, Paul would make another appearance to declare where his allegiance lies. In addition to that, we had Stephanie Vaquer team up with Nikki Bella to face Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez, Dominik Mysterio being confronted by his father Rey, as well as AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defending their newly won World Tag Team Titles against Finn Balor & Dragon Lee.

Stephanie Vaquer & Nikki Bella vs. Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, Womenâ€s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer defeated Roxanne Perez in a non-title match. Perez along with Raquel Rodriguez attacked Vaquer after the match until Nikki Bella came out to her rescue. Last week, Nikki went one on one with Perez in a match where Perez picked up the win with the Pop Rocks. As Perez & Raquel attacked Nikki after the match, Vaquer came to Nikkiâ€s rescue to return the favor from the week before. Later in the night, it was announced that Vaquer & Nikki would face Raquel & Perez this week.

As the match took place, Vaquer hit Perez with a Back Suplex from the second rope and followed that with the Devilâ€s Kiss. Nikki then tagged in and hit the Rack Attack 2.0 onto Perez before Raquel interrupted the pin attempt. After both falling over the top rope, Vaquer attempted a Devilâ€s Kiss to Raquel on the apron before she blocked it and slammed Vaquer face first onto the apron. Raquel then hit Nikki with a hard right hand through the bottom rope after Perez kicked out of Nikkiâ€s pin attempt and that allowed Perez to hit her with the Pop Rocks for the win. Later in the night, it was announced that Vaquer will defend her title against Raquel next week.

Analysis:

While it wasnâ€t anything that stood out too much, this match was a big improvement from the match between Nikki and Perez from last week. Interestingly enough, this match ended the same way as the one last week with Perez pinning Nikki with the Pop Rocks. While there was nothing wrong with that finish, Raquel shouldâ€ve been the one to get the win here since sheâ€s gonna be challenging Vaquer for the title next week. Raquel has improved tremendously throughout this year and that title match next week is going to be a huge showcase in showing how far sheâ€s come. As good as that match will likely be, thereâ€s no way that it ends with a title change.

Will all the momentum that Vaquer has now and considering that this is going to be her first title defense, her losing the title now doesnâ€t seem realistic. In addition to all that, this all feels like itâ€s leading to an eventual feud between Vaquer and Nikki. Theyâ€ve done a good job in telling the story of Nikkiâ€s recent losing streak starting to make her doubt herself. With her going through that and the fact that sheâ€s been almost too friendly with Vaquer lately, Nikki turning on her so that she can challenge for the title feels inevitable. As sheâ€s always made a better heel than a babyface, that would be the best route for Nikki going forward.

Grade: B

Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio

Latest developments:

On the April 18 Smackdown, Rey Mysterio was injured during a match and has been out of action ever since. The following Sunday at WrestleMania 41, Dominik won the Intercontinental Championship in a Fatal Four Way match. At Triple Mania, Dominik won the AAA Mega Championship. Immediately after the match, his father Rey kept his word that he gave to him before the match and put the title around his waist. Last Saturday at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, Dominik successfully defended his Intercontinental Title against Penta and Rusev.

This week as Dominik was in the bring bragging about being the greatest lucha dore of all time, he was interrupted by his dad Rey. Dominik accused his dad of only being there to cash in because heâ€s the one who made the Mysterio name relevant and surpassed everything heâ€s ever done. Rey agreed to leave the ring after Dominik ordered him to, but made it clear to his son heâ€ll never be the greatest Mysterio as long as heâ€s around. Dominik tried to cheap shot Rey before he stopped him and Rey then pulled Dominik into the ropes as he hit him with the 619. Rey was then about to hit him with a Frog Splash, but Dominik slipped out of the ring and escaped before he could.

Analysis:

With Rey being gone for over six months, this was a very strong way to bring him back. This segment between Rey and Dominik brought back a lot of great memories from their 2022-2023 feud that really helped elevate Dominik to where he is now. Perhaps the best line from this whole segment was when Rey told Dominik he wasnâ€t better than Eddie Guerrero, Dominik told him to keep his dadâ€s name out of his mouth. In addition to that, the closing line when Rey told him that heâ€ll never be the greatest Mysterio as long as heâ€s around also hit hard. As great as Dominik has been over the last three years, none of his feuds have ever hit the same as the one with his dad.

As long as their feud went on, itâ€s crazy to think that they only had one singles match at a PLE. With Survivor Series only a few weeks away and with it being in their hometown of San Diego, it looks like weâ€re about to get the second one. Now that itâ€s looking like this match is going to happen at Survivor Series, that puts the rumors of a match between Dominik and John Cena happening there to bed. While that wouldâ€ve been a fun match, doing another Rey vs. Dominik match in that setting is also very appealing. If this segment is a sign of whatâ€s to come, this feud is arguably going to be the best part of the show between now and November 29.

Grade: A

Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane

Latest developments:

Last week before Bayley & Lyra Valkyria were about to challenge for the Womenâ€s Tag Team Titles, Asuka & Kairi Sane confronted Lyra backstage about how they were the ones who really deserved a title shot. Later in the night, Bayley & Lyra challenged Charlotte & Alexa Bliss for the titles in the showâ€s main event. After a competitive match that couldâ€ve gone either way, the champions eventually retained. After the match, Asuka & Kairi attacked Charlotte & Alexa. As they were about to attack Lyra after, Bayley chased them off.

Lyra & Bayley faced Asuka & Kairi this week in a match where Lyra hit Kairi with a Backbreaker as Bayley hit an Elbow Drop from the second rope, but Asuka interrupted the count. As Asuka later held up Lyra for Kairi to hit the Insane Elbow, Bayley pulled Kairi down. Asuka then threw Lyra into Bayley off the apron, but Lyra was able to kick out of Asukaâ€s roll up attempt. Lyra then jumped backwards from the second rope, but Asuka trapped her into the Asuka Lock as she landed and forced her to tap out. Asuka & Kairi were about to attack Lyra after the match before Charlotte & Alexa came out to chase them off. Later in the night, it was announced that Charlotte & Alexa will defend their titles against Asuka & Kairi next week.

Analysis:

To no surprise considering the talent involved, this was a fun tag match. Of all the great spots throughout it, the highlight was the finish when Asuka caught Lyra when she jumped from the second rope and trapped her in the Asuka Lock. After the way the show ended last week, it was obvious that Asuka & Kairi were going to be challenging for the titles and this win just helped establish that. With Asuka & Kairi set to challenge Charlotte & Alexa next week, it feels like somethingâ€s going to happen there to set up for the Womenâ€s WarGames match. While itâ€s hard to say what the teams are going to be, itâ€s likely going to involve a combination of the women we saw here.

Another noticeable thing about all this was how Asuka & Kairi have been more hesitant to attack Bayley than they have been about attacking Lyra. As the weeks have gone on, theyâ€ve done a good job in establishing how unpredictable Bayleyâ€s behavior is. While it looks like theyâ€ve gone away from her having a split personality, it now looks like sheâ€s doing things behind Lyraâ€s back. Although Bayley turning on Lyra is the eventual destination, the way it happens is now looking more interesting. With all these different stories involved and the possibility of seeing Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky return to get involved in all this, the Womenâ€s WarGames match this year has the potential to be even better than the menâ€s.

Grade: B

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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A.J. Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Finn Balor & J.D. McDonagh

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, Finn Balor & JD McDonagh lost the World Tag Team Titles to AJ Styles & Dragon Lee. Last week, Finn & JD confronted Adam Pearce about giving them their rematch. Pearce said heâ€d consider it if JD went one on one with Sheamus later in the night. After Finn hit Sheamus with a shillelagh while the refereeâ€s back was turned, JD picked up the win with a Spanish Fly from the top rope. After the match, Pearce granted Finn & JD their rematch for the titles for this week.

The match took place as Dominik Mysterio got on the apron to distract the referee as Styles had JD pinned, and that led to JD escaping the pin to hold onto Styles for Finn to hit the Coup De Grace, but Finn hit JD with it by mistake. Styles then hit JD with a Phenomenal Forearm, but Finn interrupted the count just in time. Dominik was about to hit Styles with his IC Title after Finn told him to, but Sheamus came out to attack Dominik. Finn hit Styles with the shillelagh as the referee was distracted, but Lee interrupted the count just in time. Lee then leaped over the top rope onto Finn and as JD went for a Hurricanrana from the top rope, Styles turned it into a Styles Clash to get the win and retain the titles.

Analysis:

While not as strong as the match two weeks ago where the titles changed hands, this was another fun outing involving these four. There were a lot of close calls here, especially where it looked as if Finn & JD were going to win the titles back after Finn hit Styles with the shillelagh. After Sheamus was screwed by Finn last week, it made sense for him to get involved here as a measure of payback. With his involvement and the fact that Finn & JD lost again, itâ€s looking like Judgment Dayâ€s going to be feuding with Sheamus for a while. Especially considering that Sheamus mainly attacked Dominik, thatâ€s also an Intercontinental Title feud we could see playing out as the weeks go on.

Something else to take out of this is the never-ending tension between Finn and Dominik. As it was Dominik who accidentally put Finn & JD in the match where they lost the titles in the first place, Finn wasnâ€t shy about bringing that up to him backstage before this match. Even though Dominik wasnâ€t the main reason they lost here, the fact that they lost again with him at ringside is likely going to play into their growing tension. As their issues have been going on for the better part of a year now, theyâ€ve backed away from pulling the trigger multiple times. With the way itâ€s been playing out lately and Liv Morganâ€s return not being too far off, they need to pay this off by the time we head into WrestleMania season.

Grade: B

C.M. Punk & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed

Latest developments:

At Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, C.M. Punk defeated Jey Uso to win the vacated World Heayweight Championship. This week as Punk was in the ring stating heâ€d take on all challengers, he was interrupted by Logan Paul. Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, & Paul Heyman then came out several moments later and as they were about to square off with Punk and Paul, Paul walked away to leave Punk to fend for himself. Breakker shoved down Paul as he attempted to leave and then he along with Reed attacked Punk, but Paul came back into the ring to go after them before he was overpowered and hit with a Tsunami from Reed. Later backstage, Jey asked Punk to let him be his partner to face Breakker & Reed later in the night, which Punk agreed to.

In the showâ€s main event, Jey got the hot tag and took the fight to Reed that included a running hip attack and a Spear that Breakker interrupted the count for. All four men later brawled outside the ring as the referee counted to 10 and the match ended on a double count out. After the match ended, Breakker & Reed took out Jey with two Spears and a Tsunami as Punk came into the ring with a chair to chase them off, but they then pulled two chairs from under the ring to confront Punk with. Paul then came out to stand by Punkâ€s side while he put brass knuckles on his hand and as they were about to fight side by side, Paul knocked Punk out with the brass knuckles on his hand. Paul then faced off with Heyman and then handed the brass knuckles to him as the show ended.

Analysis:

As the match itself was nothing to write home about, it didnâ€t really matter as it was an afterthought to the angle that followed. After Breakker & Reed attacked Paul earlier in the show, it really made it seem like he was going to turn babyface. When he came out at the end of the show and acted as if he was standing side by side with Punk, it was clear as day that he was going to turn on him. Thank God that he did because while Paul turning on Punk was predictable, itâ€s a far better route to go than turning Paul into a babyface. Considering that he handed the brass knuckles to Heyman right after, it now looks like Paulâ€s aligning himself with The Vision for WarGames.

With the injury to Rollins messing up a lot of their plans, Paul seems like the one whoâ€s going to replace him on The Visionâ€s team. As heâ€s never been in a WarGames match before and considering the great performances heâ€s had throughout the year, heâ€ll make a great addition to that match. Another person who could potentially join their team as heâ€s someone who goes way back with Heyman is Brock Lesnar. With Paul, Breakker, Reed & possibly Lesnar making up the heel side, the babyface side will probably consist of Punk, Jey, Jimmy Uso, Roman Reigns, or LA Knight factoring in somehow. As much as the Rollins injury threw a monkey wrench into everything, the potential lineup for both teams with all the stories and possible swerves that could happen are enough reasons to be no less hyped for the Menâ€s WarGames match.

Grade: B

Penta vs. El Grande Americano

Latest developments:

After coming up short in his quest to win the Intercontinental Championship at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, Penta looked to bounce back this week as he went one on one with El Grande Americano. Penta maintained the advantage with a Tornado DDT followed by a leap over the top rope onto Americano. After Bravo Americano tripped Penta as he tried to get back into the ring, the referee kicked him out of ringside. Americano was then given a piece of metal to put into his mask by Rayo Americano before Rayo was kicked out of ringside for pulling Pentaâ€s leg. Penta then jumped onto Rayo from the top rope, kicked Americano in the head as he went for a running head butt, and followed that with a Mexican Destroyer from the second rope for the win.

Analysis:

This was the standard good Penta match that weâ€ve seen regularly ever since he debuted in January. With him not having much of direction right now after not winning the Intercontinental Title, at least he was able to pick up the win here to stay strong. Although Ludwig Kaiser has done a good job playing Americano and heâ€s even got his own stable of Americanos out of it, itâ€s just not the same as when Chad Gable was playing the character. It just feels like if Gable and also Rey Mysterio hadnâ€t gotten injured when they did, this storyline wouldâ€ve been wrapped up by now. Considering that Penta got the win here decisively despite all the outside interference, thereâ€s no reason to run this back again.

Becky Lynch Promo

Latest developments:

As Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett were talking at the announce table, Womenâ€s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch showed up out of nowhere and stood on top of the announce table to cut a promo. Despite Adam Pearce sending her home to cool off after the rough few weeks sheâ€s had, Becky called herself the definition of cool and told the crowd that the only cool thing to ever come out of New Mexico was a show about how much meth they do. She then turned her attention to Maxxine Dupri as she said Maxxine was lucky to be in the ring with her but now wonâ€t shut up about it. She then looked into the camera and told Maxxine that you donâ€t survive in this business by being lucky, you survive by being good and that sheâ€s not just good, sheâ€s the greatest of all time. She ended the promo by telling Maxxine it wonâ€t just be the biggest opportunity of her career the next time she steps in the ring with her, itâ€ll be her last and shouted welcome to the big time before dropping the mic.

Analysis:

From Becky appearing out of nowhere to interrupt the announcers, standing on top of the announce table, all the way to the Breaking Bad reference, this promo was another example of why Becky is honestly the best heel in the company. Although they couldâ€ve just had her do this promo backstage, it was far more effective having her do it the way she did here in front of the crowd. For a feud was felt like it was going to be short, her feud with Maxxine has extended much longer than most people expected. Just because it wasnâ€t expected to go so long doesnâ€t mean itâ€s been bad as the feud has not only been entertaining, but itâ€s also done wonders for Maxxineâ€s career. While the outcome of their third match isnâ€t in doubt, what theyâ€ve done with this storyline is going to make their third match really feel like a much bigger deal by the time it happens.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

Despite Bayley recently showing signs of a split personality, her and Lyra Valkyria have developed into a good tag team. With the momentum theyâ€ve had lately, it was only a matter of time before they received a shot at the Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship. They would get their shot this week as they faced the champions Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss in this weekâ€s main event. Similar to Bayley & Lyra, Charlotte & Alexaâ€s team also got off to a rough start before they found success. With the task of closing this weekâ€s show, both teams gave us a match that showed how prestigious those titles can be when theyâ€re given the spotlight.

As Asuka & Kairi Sane made their case for also deserving a title shot, they would send a message to both teams before the night was over. In addition to that, we had a face to face between C.M. Punk and Jey Uso ahead of their World Heavyweight Title match this weekend, Penta going one on one with Rusev to decide who gets another shot at the Intercontinental Title, and Bron Breakker going one on one with L.A. Knight.

C.M. Punk vs. Jey Uso

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, C.M. Punk defeated L.A. Knight and Jey Uso in a Triple Threat match to become the number one contender for Seth Rollins†World Heavyweight Championship. As Punk was attacked by Rollins, Bron Breakker, & Bronson Reed after the match, Breakker & Reed shockingly turned on Rollins immediately after. Last week, Adam Pearce announced that Rollins would be stripped of his title due to the injuries he suffered from the attack by Breakker & Reed. Pearce then announced that a Battle Royal would take place later in the night to decide who would face Punk for the vacant title at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. After simultaneously eliminating Knight and his own brother Jimmy, Jey eliminated Dominik Mysterio last to win the Battle Royal and earn the right to face Punk.

This week, Jey opened the show to talk about how he was going to win the title this Saturday before he was interrupted by Punk. Punk admittedly that Jey has what it takes to be champion but asked how far he was willing to go to make it happen. Punk said he knew how far he was willing to go as he claimed he needed to be champion again like he needs air in his lungs. Jey responded by saying he knows how to swim in the deep waters and how as soon as he does something right for himself, Punk paints him out to be the bad guy. Jey then told Punk “Screw you†and that on Saturday night, heâ€s going to show him who the best in the world is.

Analysis:

Although it couldâ€ve been longer, this segment was exactly what it needed to be. The highlights of it were when Punk had his theme song played over again like Jey always does as well as the line where Jey told Punk “Screw you.†While it accomplished what it needed to in selling the match, there wasnâ€t much about this that anyone will remember beyond this week. As popular as Jey is, it still feels like Knight wouldâ€ve made for a more interesting opponent for Punk. Considering the tension Punk and Knight have had in recent weeks; it felt like that spot was tailor made for Knight if Bron Breakker wasnâ€t going to get it.

With all of that aside, Punk vs. Jey one on one is a match we havenâ€t seen before. Although how the match turns out remains to be seen, thereâ€s no doubt that itâ€ll feel like a big match by the time it happens. If thereâ€s an actual winner on Saturday, this will mark the first time in history that a new World Champion has ever been crowned on a Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. However, with the strong possibility of Breakker, Bronson Reed, and even Jimmy getting involved, it doesnâ€t feel like a certainty that weâ€re going to get a new champion. With Survivor Series only a month away, this vacant title situation could very easily continue until then.

Grade: B

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Raw: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Penta vs. Rusev

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, Dominik Mysterio defended his Intercontinental Championship against Penta. Rusev came down to the ring during the match but before he could interfere, Penta leaped over the top rope onto him. Dominik then hit Penta with the timekeeperâ€s hammer as the referee was distracted, and he followed that with a 619 and Frog Splash to retain his title. Dominik defended his title last week against Rusev in a match where he tried to leave the ring with his title, but Penta stopped him before he could. Rusev then knocked down Penta and as the referee later took away the timekeeperâ€s hammer that Rusev pulled out of Dominikâ€s boot, Dominik hit Rusev with a low blow and that led to him once again retaining his title.

This week, Penta and Rusev faced each other in a match to decide who would get the next shot at Dominikâ€s title. At one point, Penta escaped an Accolade attempt and hit Rusev with a Penta Driver for a close near fall. As both men were trading shots while down on the mat, El Grande Americano along with Los Americanos attacked them both to end the match on a double disqualification. Despite the attack, Rusev and Penta recovered and fought them all off as they stared each other down afterwards. Later backstage as Adam Peace saw Dominik talking to the Americanos, Pearce informed him that heâ€s now going to have to defend his title against both Rusev and Penta in a Triple Threat match at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event.

Analysis:

Considering that these two have been chasing Dominik for the better part of a month, the outcome to this match was very predictable. As Dominik is still a slimy heel despite being cheered like a babyface, him having Los Americanos interfere on his behalf made perfect sense. As having them interfere caused the match to be thrown out, it was obvious that he was going to end up having to face both Penta and Rusev in a Triple Threat. With the interactions these three have been having recently, it was inevitable that this was going to be the destination. If given sufficient time to work with, this Triple Threat could potentially be the match we walk away from Saturday talking about the most.

Unfortunately, Saturday does feel like the place where this feud is going to end. If itâ€s true that Dominik is going to face John Cena at Survivor Series, thereâ€s no sense in him losing the title in this match. Even if that match ends up not happening, it still wouldnâ€t be the right move to take the title off Dominik with the momentum he has right now. As he will likely move on to other challengers after this, that will free up Penta and Rusev to feud with each other some more. Theyâ€ve shown in their recent matches how good their chemistry is together and they can continue to build on that, even without the IC Title involved.

Grade: B

Bron Breakker vs. L.A. Knight

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed turned on World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. As the injuries Rollins suffered forced Adam Pearce to strip him of his title, Pearce also removed Breakker & Reed from the Battle Royal that was scheduled for later in the night that would decide who would challenge for the vacant championship. As he was one of the final four in the Battle Royal before being eliminated, L.A. Knight cut a promo this week where he said he would challenge whomever the new champion is. In response to this, Paul Heyman convinced Breakker to face Knight later in the night so that Breakker could be in the conversation for an eventual title shot.

As the match progressed, Knight hit Breakker with a Springboard Superplex for a near fall. Despite being distracted from Reed jumping on the apron, Knight ducked a Spear attempt as Breakker ran shoulder first into the ring post. Breakker then attempted to Bench Press Knight into a Powerslam, but Knight reversed it into an inverted DDT for another near fall. Knight went to the second rope for a Jump Up Elbow Drop before Breakker kipped up and as Knight came down on the mat, Breakker hit him with a devastating Spear to get the win.

Analysis:

As the two people who many wouldâ€ve preferred to be in the title match this Saturday over Jey Uso, they put on a match here that showed why people feel that way. Although weâ€ve seen countless variations of Knight against Breakker & Reed over the last month or so, this was by far better than any of them. Despite not being the one whoâ€s destined to become champion any time soon, Knight has shown with outings like the one here that heâ€s not out of place in the main event picture. Unfortunately for Knight fans, he does end up losing these major matches more often than not. Although heâ€s in a good spot, it does feel like heâ€s not being positioned to get past a certain point (at least for now).

In addition to that, there was no way that Breakker was losing this match with all the heat that he has right now. As Breakker is destined to be the champion in the not-too-distant future, this match was just another way of keeping him strong. Considering that Pearce pulled Breakker & Reed from the Battle Royal last week, the two of them getting involved in the title match this Saturday is an absolute certainty. Their involvement could potentially even lead to no new champion being crowned and having to wait until Survivor Series for it to happen. If that does happen and there ends up being a tournament to decide the new champion, then that will be the likely scenario where Breakker wins the title.

Grade: B+

Sheamus vs. J.D. McDonagh

Latest developments:

Last week, J.D. McDonagh & Finn Balor lost the World Tag Team Titles to A.J. Styles & Dragon Lee. Later in the night during the Number One Contenderâ€s Battle Royal, they were both eliminated by Sheamus. Immediately after, they snuck back into the Battle Royal and eliminated Sheamus. This week, J.D. & Finn went into Adam Pearceâ€s office to demand a rematch for the Tag Titles. After what they did in the Battle Royal last week, Pearce told them that heâ€d only consider giving them their rematch if J.D. faced Sheamus later in the night.

As the match took place and Sheamus hit J.D. with the High Cross, Finn put JDâ€s foot on the ropes to interrupt the pin attempt. Sheamus clocked Finn with a knee to the face outside the ring and was about to hit him with a High Cross through the announce table before J.D. interrupted with a Suicide Dive attempt. However, Sheamus caught J.D. before he could do any damage and then threw him over the announce table. As Sheamus threw J.D. back in the ring and climbed to the top rope, Finn hit him in the back with a shillelagh as the referee was distracted. This allowed JD to hit a a Spanish Fly from the top rope onto Sheamus to get the win.

Analysis:

On a night where the wrestling carried the show, this was arguably the best match of the night. Although weâ€ve seen great performances from J.D. before, he really shined here in a way that he hasnâ€t in other matches. As great as he is as a tag team wrestler, he really showed here that heâ€s no less great in singles matches. This match also served as another example of how great Sheamus is, even though heâ€s getting closer to the end of his career. No matter what type of match or type of opponent heâ€s put in the ring with, he finds a way to make whatever heâ€s involved in great.

As great as Sheamus still is, J.D. winning this match was the right move. Considering that he along with Finn are getting their rematch for the Tag Titles next week, it only made sense for him to get the win here to give them some momentum going into that. While thereâ€s no need to rush it considering how great of team he makes with Finn, J.D. can definitely be a singles star at some point. From the match last week to this one here, this was the second straight week where the best match on the show involved the Judgment Day. Regardless of how the match next week turns out, itâ€ll be one that will likely continue this trend.

Grade: A

Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria

Latest developments:

Last week, Bayley told Lyra Valkyria that she had a surprise for her for this week as her birthday was coming up. The following Friday, Bayley challenged Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss on behalf of her & Lyra to a match for the Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship for Raw this week, which was later accepted. This week, Asuka & Kairi Sane confronted Lyra backstage over the fact that they shouldâ€ve gotten a shot at the titles first. After they walked away, Bayley walked in as Lyra blamed her for issuing the challenge for the titles without talking to her first. After Lyra continued to vent for a little bit, she eventually snapped out of it and said that the two of them could win the titles.

In an extremely competitive match that main evented the show, Charlotte went for the Figure Eight on Bayley before Lyra interrupted with a top rope Leg Drop onto the back of Charlotteâ€s neck as she had tagged in behind Charlotteâ€s back. Lyra ran across the ropes as Alexa caught her mid way to hit the Sister Abigail DDT, but Bayley interrupted the count. Lyra caught Alexa as she went for a Cross Body and hit her with the Nightwing before Charlotte kicked Lyra in the head to save the titles. Charlotte later had Bayley trapped in the Figure Eight as Lyra held up Bayleyâ€s hand to keep her from tapping, but Alexa then hit the Twisted Bliss on Lyraâ€s back. Charlotte & Alexa then hit Bayley & Lyra with dueling Natural Selectionâ€s as Charlotte pinned Bayley to retain the titles. Asuka & Kairi attacked the champions after the match as Asuka held up Charlotte as Kairi hit her with the Insane Elbow and the two of them then attacked Lyra before Bayley ran them off.

Analysis:

Although this match happened a little sooner than expected, it turned out to be another strong main event showing from the women. From the opening bell, the counters, to that great finish with the dueling Natural Selectionâ€s, there was nothing that this match was lacking. Ironically enough, this was the second week in a row where we got a great match that was centered around a pair of Tag Titles. This was a clear example of how WWE shouldnâ€t just be taking the Tag Team Division more seriously with the men, but also with the women. This was the best match Charlotteâ€s had since she came back from her injury, the best match her & Alexa have had since they became a team, arguably the best Womenâ€s Tag Title match this year next to the Bianca & Naomi vs. Liv & Raquel match from late February.

In addition to a great match, what we also got from this is the potential direction for what feuds could follow in the coming weeks. With Asuka & Kairi attacking everyone after the match, it seems certain that theyâ€re going to get the next shot at Charlotte & Alexa. When you take into consideration the heat they have right now, thereâ€s a strong chance that they could even end up winning the titles. What happened here post math also gave a hint on what the potential womenâ€s teams for WarGames could be. While more of that still needs to play out in the next few weeks, what we saw here gave us plenty of reasons to be excited for this yearâ€s WarGames match involving the women and their division as a whole.

Grade: A

Nikki Bella vs. Roxanne Perez

Latest developments:

After Nikki Bella came to the rescue of Womenâ€s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer as she was being attacked by Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez, Nikki went one on one with Perez this week. Raquel jumped on the apron to cause a distraction before Nikki knocked her down as Perez then attempted to roll Nikki up for the win with her feet on the ropes before she kicked out. Nikki went for the Rack Attack 2.0 before Perezâ€s escaped and Nikki then hit her face into the turnbuckle as she tried to run into Perez. Perez then took advantage of this and hit the Pop Rocks onto Nikki for the win. Raquel & Perez attacked Nikki after the match until Vaquer came out to her rescue. Raquel faced off with Vaquer briefly as Nikki stood by Vaquerâ€s side and Raquel backed away.

Analysis:

While there wasnâ€t much about this match that stood out, what did stand out from it was Perez getting a credible win over a veteran like Nikki. As bright of a future as she has, this was the second straight week where she had a match that felt underwhelming. Predictably so, this is all leading to a tag match pitting Vaquer & Nikki against Raquel & Perez next week. After it was teased that Perez is going to be an eventual challenger for Vaquerâ€s title, what we saw here is making it look like Raquel is going to be another one. As much as it looks like theyâ€re getting along now, it wonâ€t take long before Nikki eventually turns on Vaquer to establish herself as another potential challenger.

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Picks 21-32

3 of 3

21. Pittsburgh Steelers DL Derrick Harmon: A-

He missed the first two weeks of his rookie season due to a knee injury but picked up a sack in his pro debut and already has five pressures as well as a critical batted pass that led to an interception. The former Oregon star is off to a splendid start, albeit in a limited sample.

22. Los Angeles Chargers RB Omarion Hampton: A-

Among 23 backs with at least 50 rushes, Hampton ranks fifth with a 5.0 yards-per-attempt average. He’s scored twice and has factored in more as a receiver the last couple of weeks. Considering the Chargers’ offensive-line issues, he deserves a ton of credit.Â

23. Green Bay Packers WR Matthew Golden: B-

There was plenty of hype that the team’s first Round 1 receiver in years would quickly become the No. 1 guy, but Golden has yet to find the end zone while taking a back seat to Romeo Doubs. That said, he has caught nearly 80 percent of the passes thrown his way and has zero drops.Â

24. Minnesota Vikings G Donovan Jackson: B-

Jackson was off to an up-and-down start (great debut against Chicago, brutal follow-up against Atlanta) before playing with a wrist issue in Week 3. Now, he’s undergone surgery on the injury.Â

25. New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart: A

By no means was he legendary as a passer in his debut in place of Russell Wilson in Week 4, but Dart made some tremendous plays with his legs and wasn’t useless with his arm in an impressive upset victory over the previously undefeated Chargers.

26. Atlanta Falcons edge James Pearce Jr.: A

Just 84 snaps so far for Pearce, yet he leads the team with nine hurries. He’s already earned a key role in the rotation, and the trajectory is promising.Â

27. Baltimore Ravens S Malaki Starks: B

He’s been extremely active and a tackle machine, but Starks has suffered from lapses in coverage and missed a few tackles. The Georgia product’s run defense has been solid, and he’s coming off quite possibly his best game yet.

28. Detroit Lions DL Tyleik Williams: B-

Williams has been overmatched a little too often in run defense. He’s made a decent impact as a pass-rusher. Good, not great…yet.Â

29. Washington Commanders OT Josh Conerly Jr.: C+

Conerly’s PFF grade of 46.9 ranks 54th among 60 qualified offensive tackles, but keep in mind that his first three matchups against the Giants, Packers and Raiders were awful. He’s gotten it together the last couple weeks and is coming off his best performance yet in a Week 4 loss to Atlanta.

30. Buffalo Bills CB Maxwell Hairston: Incomplete

The Kentucky product has yet to make his regular-season debut due to a sprained knee, and it won’t be easy to play a major role in 2025 considering how much time he’s already missed.

31. Philadelphia Eagles LB Jihaad Campbell: A+

Incredibly, Campbell has already become one of the best linebackers in the game. He’s stood out in pretty much every facet as an every-down guy from Day 1, and he’s flashed his playmaking ability with two critical takeaways already.Â

32. Kansas City Chiefs OT Josh Simmons: B

Bad, good, bad, good. It’s been a roller coaster so far for the Chiefs’ new left tackle, which isn’t surprising considering the competition. Despite some missteps, this looks like a real solid pick at the end of Round 1.Â

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The 45th Ryder Cup is in the books, and it was Europe holding off the U.S., 15-13, despite winning just one singles match on Sunday at Bethpage Black.

The Europeans dominated the first two days, riding its stars to a record, seven-point lead through four sessions, but a day later, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm all lost to give the Americans hope. Scottie Scheffler closed with a singles point over McIlroy, though it only salvaged a 1-4 week.

In the end, Europe claimed its ninth Ryder Cup in the last 12 editions.

Here’s how we’re grading each players’ performance:

Europe

Tommy Fleetwood – A

Record: 4-1
Strokes gained total: +6.24
Comments: Not only the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award winner but the MVP as well. Let Justin Thomas steal a singles point on the back nine Sunday, but prior to that he was nails, going undefeated in team play alongside Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose. The iron play was spectacular, and at 11-4-2 in his career – 6-0 in foursomes alone – he’s quickly climbing the ranks of all-time European Ryder Cuppers.

Justin Rose – A-

Record: 2-1
Strokes gained total: +4.59
Comments: At 45 years old, this could be Rose’s final Ryder Cup. If it is, what a way to go out for the veteran, now 16-10-3. He turned in the best putting performance of the week, by far, in Saturday four-balls while sparring with Bryson DeChambeau and a couple caddies. And he battled back against the Americans’ best player, Cameron Young, to take the opening singles match to the 18th hole.

Matt Fitzpatrick – A-

Record: 2-1-1
Strokes gained total: +4.39
Comments: This grade is relative. He entered this Ryder Cup a paltry 1-7 in his career, but he quickly established himself as the top performer in Friday foursomes alongside Ludvig Aberg. He was fine in his Saturday matches but proved his mettle once again against DeChambeau in singles, going 5 up through seven and forcing DeChambeau to make six birdies just to earn a tie.

Rory McIlroy – B+

Record: 3-1-1
Strokes gained total: +2.56
Comments: The heart and soul of the team, and he took the brunt of the New York crowd’s vitriol while still producing in a big way. He ran out of gas against Scheffler in a singles match that he described as a “pillow fight,†but the Europeans don’t win this week without McIlroy, who is now 19-14-5 in his career.

Jon Rahm – B+

Record: 3-2
Strokes gained total: +2.35
Comments: Through three sessions, Rahm was balling. He and Tyrrell Hatton quieted DeChambeau and Thomas in the leadoff foursomes match on Friday, and it wasn’t until the approach play and putter left him on Saturday afternoon that he lost a point. Xander Schauffele then dusted him, 4 and 3, the most lopsided singles defeat, to keep the Spaniard from reaching double-digits wins for his career.

Shane Lowry – B+

Record: 1-0-2
Strokes gained total: +0.10
Comments: He’ll remember that retaining point forever – and we’ll remember the celebration. Russell Henley was the best player on Sunday in strokes gained total, and Lowry beat him with a 6-under, bogey-free round. He was less sharp in his two four-ball halves alongside McIlroy, but he made some crucial putts, especially on Saturday afternoon, and doubled as a bodyguard.

Tyrrell Hatton – B+

Record: 3-0-1
Strokes gained total: -0.09
Comments: Lots of B+’s and higher on the European squad. Hatton pushed to 4-0 in foursomes alongside Rahm, whom he combined for 11 birdies with. He then jumped in last minute on Saturday afternoon to pair with Fitzpatrick and had some huge putts in a four-ball match against Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay that featured just three won holes. The putter cooled on Sunday and he drove it poorly again, otherwise we may have been looking at a 4-0 week.

Ludvig Åberg – C+

Record: 2-2
Strokes gained total: -4.73
Comments: Looked great in Friday foursomes, then not so great in the next two sessions. He ended up losing strokes everywhere except off the tee, though his 2-and-1 singles win over Cantlay marked Europe’s only full point on Sunday.

Bob MacIntyre – C

Record: 1-1-1
Strokes gained total: -1.35
Comments: Looked more comfortable in his second Ryder Cup. Bounced back from a Friday foursomes loss with Viktor Hovland to win their Saturday foursomes match, then earned a halve with Sam Burns in singles, though it’s worth noting that Burns didn’t card a birdie on the back nine, which both players entered tied.

Viktor Hovland – C-

Record: 1-1-1
Strokes gained total: -2.79
Comments: Gifted a free half-point after withdrawing from singles, his neck injury clearly affected him well before that and limited him to just two matches.

Sepp Straka – D+

Record: 1-2
Strokes gained total: -4.64
Comments: With a newborn in the NICU, Straka was battling more than golf this week – and considering that, performed admirably. But this is a grade solely based on his play, and Straka was statistically the worst on approach on either team. He went 1-1 alongside Rahm in four-balls, though the loss can probably be attributed to both he and Rahm equally. Then in singles he led 2 up early before letting Spaun flip the match in a big way with five bogeys.

Rasmus Hojgaard – F

Record: 0-2
Strokes gained total: -6.15
Comments: Played just twice while finishing at the bottom of the field in strokes gained total. Ben Griffin lost more strokes than any American on Sunday – and he still beat Hojgaard.

Luke Donald – A+

Comments: What else is there to say that wasn’t said in Rome? He filled door cracks, replaced shampoo and bedding, and again left no other stone unturned to build his case as the best European captain ever.

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 27, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Team USA’s Bryson DeChambeau bumps fists with Cameron Young on the 2nd hole during the foursomes on the second day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Mandatory Credit: Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images

Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images

U.S.

Cameron Young – A

Record: 3-1
Strokes gained total: +5.06
Comments: After sitting the opening session, the rookie could not be denied. He gained over five shots per round to lead the U.S., and his only loss came alongside Justin Thomas in Saturday four-balls, a day after the two throttled Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard, 6 and 5. His closing birdie on No. 18 in singles against Justin Rose was the first domino to fall for the Americans on Sunday.

J.J. Spaun – A-

Record: 2-1
Strokes gained total: +2.27
Comments: Another standout rookie, as Spaun flashed his elite ball-striking. He birdied each of his last two holes to flip a Saturday four-ball match against Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka, then beat Straka again on Sunday. He should’ve played more.

Xander Schauffele – B+

Record: 3-1
Strokes gained total: +0.78
Comments: Another guy who probably had a case to go all five sessions, though he struggled mightily with the putter in Saturday foursomes. Otherwise, he was exactly what he’s been for these U.S. teams over the years – a dependable performer and leader.

Justin Thomas – B

Record: 2-2
Strokes gained total: +0.94
Comments: Got off to a disastrous start alongside Bryson DeChambeau in that Friday foursomes match but settled in nicely after that. He got 2 down early to Tommy Fleetwood in singles before flipping the match right after the turn. He also birdied the last, right after Young, to provide another spark to a comeback-hopeful American side. Like Schauffele, these U.S. teams need his leadership.

Bryson DeChambeau – C+

Record: 1-3-1
Strokes gained total: +3.62
Comments: The record probably looks worse than how he actually played. It’s still hard to ignore that he’s 2-5-1 in team play with seven different partners, including four this week. Stormed back in singles after being 5 down to Matt Fitzpatrick to earn a half-point, though he needed a full point there.

Scottie Scheffler – C+

Record: 1-4
Strokes gained total: +0.32
Comments: Another guy whose record was not indicative of his performance. He became just the third player ever to lose in each of the first four sessions, though his 1-under round on Sunday was enough to fend off an exhausted Rory McIlroy. If you want to blame an area of his game this week, it was the chipping more than the putting.

Russell Henley – C-

Record: 0-2-1
Strokes gained total: +3.1
Comments: Didn’t earn a full point, but statistically, he was the best in singles; he just ran into a buzzsaw in Shane Lowry. On the other hand, his foursomes success with Scheffler never re-materialized after Montreal.

Patrick Cantlay – C-

Record: 1-3-1
Strokes gained total: -2.79
Comments: Had a promising start with a Friday foursomes win with buddy Schauffele, but it all fell apart after that. He went all five sessions, yet it was easy to forget he was even playing.

Collin Morikawa – D

Record: 0-2-1
Strokes gained total: -1.13
Comments: His foursomes partnership with Harris English was never going to work if you believed Data Golf, which ranked that combo as the worst among 132 options for the U.S. And yet, they were sent out like pigs for slaughter not once but twice. This performance isn’t surprising, considering Morikawa has been off for months, notably with the flatstick, but at least he gutted out a half-point while gaining nearly a shot on the greens in Sunday singles.

Harris English – D-

Record: 0-2-1
Strokes gained total: -3.33
Comments: Mr. Envelope’s half-point came via Viktor Hovland’s injury withdrawal in singles, and his foursomes struggles alongside Morikawa were mentioned above. Hard to see English making a third Ryder Cup team.

Ben Griffin – D-

Record: 1-1
Strokes gained total: -4.81
Comments: The rookie played just twice, lost the most strokes on the American side, and the only reason he won his singles match is because Rasmus Hojgaard played just worse enough.

Sam Burns – F

Record: 0-1-2
Strokes gained total: -5.93
Comments: Harsh? Sure, but the PGA Tour’s best putter lost an average of 1.64 strokes on the greens, second worst on his team and third worst in the field. Much was expected in Burns’ second Ryder Cup, and he could only muster a half-point in singles as his traditionally average iron play cost him more than the putter.

Keegan Bradley – D+

Comments: Where Bradley fell short can be summed up by this quote on Saturday night with his team trailing by seven: “I think historically we play faster greens on the PGA Tour than they do.†This isn’t 1991. Every member of this year’s European team plays full-time on Tour; some have done so for over a decade. The course setup was a major issue, as the lack of rough and overall difficulty negated any advantage guys like Scheffler or DeChambeau would’ve had. The Europeans are no longer a collective of plodders; McIlroy, Rahm, even rookie Rasmus Hojgaard hit the ball far. And yet, Bradley’s passion clearly rubbed off by Sunday, as his players salvaged a respectable two-point defeat. It sounds crazy, but with the setup out of the U.S. captain’s control in Ireland in 2027, why not run Bradley back and create some sense of continuity.