Just over three weeks after bidding farewell to the GOAT of professional wrestling, John Cena, WWE returned to New York City to celebrate its one-year anniversary on Netflix at the Barclays Center its home base for more than a decade. While Madison Square Garden long served as WWE’s spiritual headquarters, rising operational costs, enhanced production capabilities, and the benefits of a modern venue have positioned Barclays Center as the company’s preferred stage. Though it lacks the Garden’s historic aura, Barclays has established its own wrestling legacy, hosting moments such as the debut of The Shield, iconic NXT TakeOvers including Sasha Banks vs. Bayley, and major premium live events like SummerSlam (Lesnar vs. Undertaker II) and Survivor Series (Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair).
From the opening moments, the atmosphere felt significant. The noise was defining, the crowd sat on edge, and WWE leaned hard into spectacle appropriate for the company’s current TKO-era pricing and production expectations. This was New York City, after all, where everything is bigger in the city that never sleeps. Heavy smoke, fire-drop pyro, and a teased Stranger Things partnership added to the big-fight feel, though the collaboration never fully materialized. While set design featured Stranger Things branding, the absence of cast members opting instead for an actor from a different Netflix property felt like a missed opportunity for true cross-promotion.
Women’s Tag Team Titles Open the Night Strong
The show opened with Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY challenging the Kabuki Warriors for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. The challengers received a solid reaction, while the Kabuki Warriors who had held the titles for just under two months generated strong opening heat. With over 14,000 fans in attendance, the crowd was hot from the opening bell.
Commentary flowed naturally, even referencing the recent retirement of New Japan Pro-Wrestling legend Hiroshi Tanahashi. A Razor’s Edge into a missile dropkick produced a convincing false finish, and while the crowd dipped at points, they surged for hot tags and major sequences. The match concluded with Ripley pinning Asuka to crown new champions. It was a strong opener that not only set the tone but subtly teased a future split between Ripley and SKY possibly laying groundwork for a WrestleMania clash.
Gunther Generates True Heel Heat
Gunther followed and drew massive, sustained boos authentic heel heat at its best. Holding up a “Tap Like a B****” shirt aimed squarely at John Cena supporters only intensified the reaction, as chants of “You tapped out” echoed throughout the arena to try and rattle Gunther. AJ Styles interrupted, charging directly to the ring, but Gunther refused to let him speak, instead mocking Cena directly in Styles’ face.
The segment ended on a flat note after Styles slapped Gunther, though the confrontation clearly set the stage for a major program. WWE later announced Gunther vs. AJ Styles for Germany, a match that increasingly feels positioned as a possible career-defining, or career-ending, bout for Styles.
Women’s Intercontinental Championship Stalls Momentum
Momentum slowed considerably during the Women’s Intercontinental Championship match. Becky Lynch entered to virtually no reaction neither booed nor cheered placing her in a rare state of audience indifference. Champion Maxxine Dupri received no response at all.
The match struggled from the start, with the Brooklyn crowd unusually quiet for a title bout. While there was a slight pickup midway through, it never reached the level expected for a championship match. Dupri continues to show improvement but still moves slowly and lacks in-ring believability, leaning more toward performance than competition. Lynch, by contrast, remained credible throughout.
The match ended with Lynch cheating to win the title, using a reverse ankle-lock pin while holding the ropes. The finish told a logical story, but the match itself was subpar.
Stephanie Vaquer Attacked as The Usos Light Up the Arena
Stephanie Vaquer appeared in a promo segment wearing a protective boot, but the broadcast abruptly shifted to the new WWE Tag Team Champions, The Usos, whose entrance sparked a massive reaction. Confusion followed as Jey Uso once firmly established as “Main Event Jey” suggested a renewed focus on the tag division alongside his brother.
Vaquer later made her way to the ring to finish her promo, stating that no injury would stop her momentum. That declaration was immediately undercut when Raquel Rodriguez launched a brutal attack. The assault continued backstage, leaving Vaquer screaming in pain and firmly establishing Raquel as a dominant force in the division.
Liv Morgan Returns to an Uneven Crowd
Liv Morgan returned to the ring for her first match in seven months, facing Lyra Valkyria. Despite working as a heel, Morgan was largely cheered by the Brooklyn crowd. Every heel tactic met with approval. It was a strange dynamic, reflective of a crowd that felt inconsistent throughout the night.
Both women worked hard, and Morgan’s Oblivion drew a response, but overall the crowd remained subdued. The effort was undeniable; the energy was not.
Main Event Saves the Night
The main event finally delivered the spark the show needed. Challenger Bron Breakker entered first, channeling elements of both his father Rick Steiner and uncle Scott Steiner. The champion, “The Voice of the Voiceless” CM Punk, followed to a massive reaction.
The two delivered an excellent main event filled with near falls, dramatic moments, and genuine suspense. Punk ultimately retained clean, decisively defeating a worthy challenger in Breakker. It was the type of match that reminded fans what Monday Night Raw can be.
As the credits rolled, there were no surprises only reflection. In the end, this was a largely flat episode of Monday Night Raw, salvaged by an outstanding main event. Was it worthy of an anniversary? Probably not. Worthy of New York City? Definitely not. Better than last week’s excellent three-hour SmackDown from Buffalo? Not even close.
So what was it? Simply another Monday night. And sometimes, as a friend once said, all you can do is wait and go along for the ride.
