New York showed up and RAW answered. John Cena’s final Raw match at Madison Square Garden delivered a five star moment, Dirty Dom ate his medicine, and the building felt like a premium live event from the first pop to the last siren. The tournament brought real juice with Solo’s statement win and a Gunther clinic over Je’Von Evans. The women’s scene spiked with Kabuki momentum, Vaquer’s quiet killer aura, and a shocker as Maxxine toppled Becky with AJ Lee back in the frame.

Then came the chaos. The Vision stood tall, Punk swung back, and MSG erupted when Brock’s music hit, only for Roman to follow and stare the place silent. That is how you close a show and sell a war.

One more thing before we dive in. Join us in welcoming a massive addition to the Straight Shoot family. Anime Empire is officially on the team. Expect exclusive artwork, event visuals, and next level storytelling pieces in every issue. Congratulations and welcome aboard!

P.S. Want to listen instead? Hit Listen Online at the top right of your email.

Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City
Overall Vibe: PLE level television, loaded with moments, returns, and a chaotic WarGames closer that made MSG feel like a big fight arena again.

🔥 John Cena’s Final Raw at MSG - Six Man Tag
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cena’s last Raw match in Madison Square Garden felt exactly as big as it should. The crowd treated him like a legend, Dominik Mysterio grabbed instant heat whining about being handed nothing, and rolling it into Cena, Rey Mysterio, and Sheamus vs Judgment Day gave the match that cross era celebration feel. Workrate was secondary to the moment, and the moment hit. Fans got the “I was there” memory, Judgment Day stayed credible, and Cena stood tall on Raw in MSG one last time.

💔 Nikki Bella Attacks Stephanie Vaquer
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐

Nikki jumped Vaquer and cut the promo, but the aura math is off. Stephanie feels like one of the best wrestlers in the world right now, and trying to frame Nikki as a dominant, big sister heel over her does not land in 2025. The angle was fine on paper, wrong opponent and wrong framing. This only works long term if Vaquer verbally and physically cooks her in the weeks ahead.

🐺 Last Time Is Now Tournament - Solo Sikoa def Dolph Ziggler
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perfect use of a surprise opponent. Ziggler got a big MSG reaction and reminded everyone he can still go, while Solo finally picked up a meaningful, hard earned win. Ziggler’s speed and counters forced Solo to grind instead of squash, and the Samoan Spike finish felt decisive. Solo looks dangerous again, Ziggler gets flowers, and the tournament feels more legit.

🧨 Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, and the Women’s WarGames Picture
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alexa venting about getting jumped while Charlotte goes missing felt grounded and real. Asuka, Kairi, Lash, and Nia circling gave her a great outnumbered visual. Rhea and Iyo making the save set the uneasy alliance tone, and Charlotte sprinting in with the kendo stick for the hot save gave the division a huge image heading into WarGames. The tension is not gone, but now the team finally feels dangerous.

🏅 Women’s Intercontinental Championship - Maxxine Dupri def Becky Lynch (AJ Lee Return)
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This wildly over delivered. Maxxine fought like a real underdog, not a joke project, with a big boot, an ankle lock that had Becky in trouble, and a rope break after a Manhandle Slam that genuinely shocked the crowd. AJ Lee’s music hitting, Becky melting down on the ref, and Maxxine stealing it with a top rope crossbody was classic TV drama. Becky keeps her edge, Maxxine walks out with a title and a story, and AJ feels important to the current era, not just a nostalgia cameo.

🪖 Last Time Is Now Tournament - Gunther def Je’Von Evans
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This felt like the first chapter of a future main roster rivalry. Gunther walked in as the final boss in his building, Evans wrestled like a young star who knew this was his biggest shot. Evans got just enough shine with the frog splash and counters to look like a future main event player, while Gunther slowly turned the dial from annoyed to ruthless before finishing with the sleeper. Evans is more over in defeat, Gunther looks like himself again, and the tournament gains real prestige.

🎯 Maxxine, AJ Lee, and Rhea Ripley Backstage
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Short and important. Maxxine celebrating with AJ and Alpha Academy kept her in joyous underdog mode instead of suddenly serious killer. AJ admitted Becky lit a fire in her again, and Rhea quietly asking for a word with AJ hinted at bigger plans. It positioned AJ as a current player, not just Punk’s wife, and kept Maxxine’s win plugged into the wider women’s main event scene.

🔥 WarGames Chaos Closer - The Vision, Punk, Lesnar, and Reigns
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Heyman in MSG with Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, and Drew McIntyre finally made The Vision feel like a true WarGames level unit. Punk, Cody, and the Usos hitting the ring turned it into a wild brawl, then the dial went to ten when Brock Lesnar arrived, and then to eleven when Roman Reigns followed. Punk’s face at Brock’s music, Heyman and Brock fist bumping, Roman and Brock staring each other down while security and NYPD tried to contain it all was iconic television. Reigns spearing Reed and a couple of “cops” through the barricade to close the show was the right kind of chaos. No neat bow, just violence and anticipation.

📊 Straight Shoot Scoreboard

Show Grade: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Numeric Score: 9.0 out of 10

5 Ups

2 Downs

Straight Shoot Verdict:
Top three Raw of 2025. Multiple returns that mattered, a title change that felt earned, tournament matches that built the future, and a main event angle that made Survivor Series WarGames feel massive.

Packed arenas, clean finishes, and a WarGames fuse finally lit. Here are the week’s undeniable highs, crisp and ready for your inbox.

👑 Men’s Wrestler of the Week: John Cena
Grand Slam complete, hometown coronation, title won clean. Cena beat Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship with classic big match timing, ref drama used smartly, and a roof ripping reaction. History made, momentum real.

💎 Women’s Wrestler of the Week: Stephanie Vaquer
Quiet dominance with bite. Vaquer outclassed Raquel Rodriguez, then ate a post match chair shot from a freshly snapped Nikki Bella, turning a solid defense into compelling chaos before WarGames.

🎬 Show of the Week: Monday Night RAW
Every segment mattered, crowd molten, stakes clear. Cena’s historic win, Punk vs The Vision made official for WarGames, and Kabuki Warriors crowned in a frantic main event that set the women’s scene on fire.

🏆 Match of the Week: Ilja Dragunov vs Axiom, SmackDown
Four star clinic, zero shortcuts. Axiom brought precision and invention, Ilja brought violence and grit. Torpedo Moscow into H Bomb sealed it. Television wrestling at its best.

🤝 Tag Team of the Week: Kabuki Warriors
New champions, chemistry undeniable. Asuka and Kairi flowed, finish advanced multiple rivalries, and the lights out return of Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley hammered home one word that matters most right now. WarGames.

🎤 Promo Segment of the Week: CM Punk and The Vision
Raw emotion, sharp structure, maximum heat. Punk seethed, Logan strutted, Heyman poisoned, and Cody with Jey closed the loop. Backstage confirmation turned talk into war declaration.

🧨 Angle of the Week: Drew McIntyre Joins The Vision, SmackDown
A true threat emerges. Cody vs Bronson Reed was a purpose built DQ to stage the ambush, then Drew stormed in and wrecked everyone. Heyman presenting Drew as the new soldier gave the faction final boss energy.

🌟 Standout Performer of the Week: Ilja Dragunov
Consistency, brutality, champion aura. Another defense, another opponent elevated, US Title prestige firmly restored.

🎭 Character Segment of the Week: Blake Monroe’s Mirror Faceoff, NXT
Backstage cinema with stakes. Blake negotiated with her darker self, clear plan for Sol Ruca, and top champion presence without a single wasted line.

🚀 Rising Star Watch: Je’Von Evans
Big fight feel on demand. Composure under chaos, highlight offense, and credible main event engine heading into Gold Rush.

🔔 Pop of the Week: Zack Ryder’s Return, SmackDown
Huge reaction, nostalgia meets growth. Fun match with LA Knight, though a blended Cardona presentation would have sent it into orbit.

☀️ Straight Shoot Summary
Best In Ring: Ilja Dragunov vs Axiom
Most Engaging Story: CM Punk vs The Vision
Women’s Scene Heat: Kabuki Warriors crowned, Vaquer targeted, Jade stacking wins
SmackDown Pulse: Ilja’s clinic, Drew’s turn, Sami cleared for a live wire Survivor Series beat
NXT Pulse: Ricky Saints vs Trick Williams violence, Blake Monroe layered and lethal
Overall Mood: Strong execution, clear stakes, WarGames anticipation peaking

Final Word: Cena made history, Ilja made art, Punk made war, and Drew made The Vision feel inevitable. Keep the gas down, keep the surprises coming, and the road to Survivor Series stays must watch.

Location: The Theater at MSG, New York City
Tone: A big night for NXT. Loud crowd, sharp matches, strong storytelling. A confident 8 out of 10.

🏆 AAA Mixed Tag Championship
Ethan Page and Chelsea Green def Joe Hendry and Thea Hail
Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Fun, energetic opener with the right winners. Hendry and Hail gave the crowd plenty to cheer for, while Page and Green leaned fully into their delusional Canadian power couple act. A little comedy, some crisp TV spots, and a finish that kept the champions strong without burying the challengers. Easy, effective first match to warm up MSG.

👑 NXT Women’s North American Championship
Blake Monroe def Sol Ruca
Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of the best worked matches of the night. Blake targeted Sol’s knee with veteran level psychology, and Sol’s selling tied the entire match together. The one legged kip up, the moonsault to the floor, the desperation offense all hit. Zaria throwing in the towel was predictable in the best way, protecting Sol and planting seeds for the next angle. Blake continues to shine as one of NXT’s most complete rising stars.

⚔️ NXT Championship Face Off
Ricky Saints and Oba Femi
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This felt big. Ricky came off sharp and confident, Oba walked in like a returning final boss, and their verbal back and forth had real weight. Trick Williams inserting himself only to get blasted with a chair by Myles Borne gave the title picture extra depth. The Deadline rematch already feels important.

🏷️ NXT Tag Team Championship
DarkState def Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater
Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Booking Note: ⭐⭐

Bell to bell, this ruled. Je’Von and Slater are unreal for their age, blending athleticism with mature timing and selling. DarkState played their roles perfectly as slower, meaner champions. The issue is not the match. It is the booking. Je’Von took Gunther to the limit on RAW, then ate another loss 24 hours later. He does not need belts yet, but he does need a meaningful win soon. You cannot condition fans to see him as “the guy who almost wins.”

👑 NXT Women’s Championship
Jacy Jayne def Tatum Paxley
Segment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

One of WWE’s best ongoing stories. Tatum’s anxious, fractured character work continues to elevate her into must watch territory. Jacy played her role exactly right, aggressive and opportunistic. The real magic was The Culling. Tatum refusing to cheat, Izzi Dame’s body language getting louder, and the eventual betrayal hit hard. Izzi standing over Tatum looked like a breakout moment. Jacy becoming a two time champion is almost secondary to the emotional fallout between Tatum and Izzi. Fantastic television.

👀 Quick Hits
NYC Presentation: The towels, lighting and intimate arena made the show feel alive.
Cena Announcing Iron Survivor Competitors: A clever, elevating role.
Heights vs Briggs Brawl: Simple and gritty, the right kind of physicality.
Shiloh Hill Vignette: Short but promising, classic NXT character work.

⚠️ Biggest Miss
Je’Von Evans: Two nights, two losses
He is one of the most gifted prospects in the world. He should not be taking back to back high profile losses on RAW and NXT in consecutive nights. Not fatal, but noticeable.

📊 Straight Shoot Scorecard

Match of the Night: Tatum Paxley vs Jacy Jayne (plus Izzi’s turn)
Performers of the Night: Tatum Paxley, Blake Monroe, Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater
Story of the Night: The Culling betrayal
Concern of the Night: Je’Von’s momentum vs his win record

Final Grade: 8 out of 10
A strong, confident show with a hot crowd, sharp matches, and a women’s angle worthy of main event positioning anywhere in the company.

A huge win for the Straight Shoot community

Straight Shoot Unfiltered just picked up a major talent signing. Anime Empire, one of the most respected graphic creators in wrestling media, is officially joining the team.

This is the same creator who has worked with WWE, AEW, TNA, and top independents around the world. Fans trust his work because it hits all the pillars: creativity, storytelling, accuracy, and real love for the business. His following is massive for a reason.

What this means for Straight Shoot:
• Exclusive artwork and premium visuals in every edition
• Event graphics and custom storytelling pieces
• Breakdowns from a creator who has been inside every promotion that matters
• A new, elevated look across our wrestling coverage

Anime Empire fits Straight Shoot perfectly. Authentic voice, real passion, and industry level talent.

The bottom line: this is a huge step for the brand and an even bigger win for the readers.

Welcome to Straight Shoot Unfiltered, Anime Empire. The visuals are about to go next level.

Be Good People🤘
mr.teshk

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