For anyone who assumes holiday-season shows are meaningless, the final episode of WWE Raw in 2025 proved the opposite. With two title matches and a promo that set up a World Heavyweight Championship bout for the first show of 2026, it was an impactful episode that helped define what WWE will look like heading into its most important stretch of the year.
So, what went down on the final main roster show of 2025? Let’s take a look:
Bron Breakker Proves His Readiness
After needing five minutes to dodge crowd reactions, Paul Heyman handed Austin Theory a microphone and he was immediately booed. He started by pandering to the group, including calling Bron Breakker the next World Heavyweight Champion, but before he could go any further, CM Punk came out and demanded a face to face with Breakker and actually got it.
Punk’s “what do you got, kid?” line was telling. It set up the segment as a chance for a young talent like Breakker to hold his own on the microphone against Punk, and he did just that. He stood with confidence and maintained a mostly strong cadence despite repeated “what?” chants from the crowd, stating that he is not the future, but the “now.”
His fiery promos are not chaotic like the one seen earlier on this show, but relatively controlled. This one sounded more polished than others he cut earlier this fall, and he even delivered a semi babyface line about needing to perform at the highest possible level, saying he is “willing to die” for the title.
It elicited “CM Punk” chants, but the point was clear. Punk is the veteran who has already had his time at the top, and this run has been a nostalgic thrill, but Breakker needs to be the one holding the title heading into 2026. Even with Punk arguing that Breakker is not ready, and despite Punk’s strong retort, nothing about that promo suggested the upstart WWE star is not ready.
Austin Theory Officially Joins The Vision
Back to Theory, he is now officially a member of the Vision. It took only one week for him to earn Paul Heyman’s approval, which felt a little rushed in the storyline, but it is understandable that they did not want to drag out the process.
Theory then got his first match as a full member of the stable against Rey Mysterio. Something about his presentation felt inauthentic or tired. We have already seen him presented as a serious heel for years, while his more over version has been the goofy, borderline babyface heel. His scowl during his entrance especially came off forced.
The match ended in a disqualification after Logan Paul attempted to “bond” with Theory by interfering. Disqualification finishes are rarely satisfying, but it did lead to one of the night’s high points: the return of Penta, who had not been seen since suffering a shoulder injury during the Last Time is Now Tournament. He came out to help Mysterio, received a great reaction, and created a fun and unexpected pairing in the ring. The segment had its ups and downs, but it closed on a strong note.
Vaquer Wins, But The Women’s Division Spins Its Wheels
It is surprising that this did not main-event the show, especially considering it is the top women’s title on WWE Raw. It continues a trend of women’s division booking that has felt underwhelming heading into 2025.
One thing that is not underwhelming is how over Stephanie Vaquer’s Devil’s Kiss is. It might be more popular than any move in WWE right now, and it is not even a finisher. It consistently draws a reaction, and that momentum has carried from Booker T’s viral reactions to its presence on the main roster throughout 2025. Mid-match, Vaquer hit the Devil’s Kiss while Nikki Bella applied an STF on Raquel Rodriguez, which prompted an awkward “Thank you, Cena” chant from the crowd. Still, the move produced a reaction unlike almost anything else on this show.
The finish was arguably the strongest part of the match. Rodriguez hit the Tehana Bomb on Bella after attempting a double move on both Bella and Vaquer, only for Vaquer to show some edge by tossing Rodriguez out of the ring and stealing the pin. It was a heel-leaning tactic, but also calculated and crafty.
For Bella, this feels like the end of the line for her title pursuits. WWE has not given her any meaningful wins, and she continues to take losses, even after the fiery promo she cut that seemed to hint at a reestablished direction. Instead, she is right back where she started… again.
Vaquer simply needs a new challenger. It feels like WWE is waiting for Liv Morgan, possibly for Royal Rumble or WrestleMania 42, but there is still a long stretch between now and mid-April. They need to make a move, and fast.
The Usos Are Back
This might be the reason the women’s title match did not headline.
2025 was a topsy-turvy year for Jimmy and Jey Uso. Although Jey won the Royal Rumble and had a World Heavyweight Championship reign on top of it, he still faced heavy criticism throughout the year. From being booked to tap out Gunther at WrestleMania 41 to critiques of his microphone work and in-ring skills, his run was not as clean as the big moments might suggest.
WWE eventually put the Usos back together for another run, and at one point it even looked like Jey was on the verge of turning. Instead, it became a story of him overcoming doubt, leading to his first tag title win with Jimmy since 2023, in what was a terrific match that took the titles off AJ Styles and Dragon Lee.
The Usos looked rejuvenated, possibly delivering one of their best performances since that previous tag title reign. Great near-falls and perfectly timed superkicks kept the crowd hooked, while Styles and Lee continued to shine as a standout team that helped elevate the tag division late in 2025.
Things can always shift, but this feels like the early groundwork for the Usos to have a title match at WrestleMania 42. Who their opponents could be remains unclear, since the tag division is constantly in flux. But if WWE wants a tag title match to feel truly important on the grand stage, these are the right guys to anchor it.