WWE Raw Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights After MITB
On the heels of an eventful Money in the Bank premium live event, WWE hit the Netflix airwaves for the latest episode of Raw, headlined by the first words from Ron Killings following his return Saturday and the opening rounds of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments.
What went down, who advanced in the tournament and was Jey Uso able to retain his World Heavyweight Championship against Gunther in a blockbuster WrestleMania 41 rematch?
Find out with this recap of the June 9 show.
Match Card
1 of 10
Announced in advance of Monday's show:
* World Heavyweight Championship: Jey Uso vs. Gunther
* King of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4-Way: Penta vs. Sami Zayn vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. Bron Breakker
* Queen of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4-Way: Rhea Ripley vs. Kairi Sane vs. Liv Morgan vs. Roxanne Perez
* R-Truth speaks
* The return of Nikki Bella
John Cena Kicked Off Raw
2 of 10
If CM Punk wants a shot at John Cena and the Undisputed WWE Championship, he will have to travel to Saudi Arabia to get it.
After a passionate back-and-forth promo between The Unseen 17 and The Best in the World, Punk laid down the challenge for one last showdown between them with the top prize in the company at stake.
Master manipulator Cena agreed...but only if he did something he seemed unlikely to ever do: compete in Saudi Arabia, at Night of Champions on June 28.
Before Punk could answer, Seth Rollins emerged from the back with his Money in the Bank briefcase in hand, a warning to both men that he can cash in at any time, in any place.
The promo was great, with Punk doing what he does by setting the tone for the exchange and getting the crowd to invest in the story they were telling. The idea of Cena using Saudi Arabia as a weapon against Punk, knowing his personal feelings on WWE's relationship with the country, is a brilliant move and adds further gravity to the babyface's pursuit of the title.
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
* "You are all spineless keyboard warriors," Cena said, both Monday night and definitely to himself every night between 2006 and 2012.
* There was a sense of desperation in Cena's voice as he implored the fans not to "use your voice and send me the class clown" in reference to R-Truth.
* "Are you comfortable, John, because I have a lot of things I want to get off my chest," Punk said, throwing it back to his famous pipebomb promo.
* "I'm here to defend the people," Punk said. "Are you mad because the establishment picked you but the people never did?"
* "I have to become the monster to stop the monster."
AJ Styles vs. Chad Gable
3 of 10
AJ Styles avenged his loss to El Grande Americano last week by defeating the masked man's alter ego, Chad Gable, Monday night.
The Phenomenal One overcame the Olympian and the presence of the Creed Brothers to best Gable, countering an ankle lock into what appeared to be an attempted Calf Crusher, only to transition right into the Styles Clash for the pinfall victory.
The win gave Styles a much-needed victory but it came at the expense of Gable, who was the MVP of WWE's weekend in Los Angeles.
With no clear indicator of storyline advancement, this was a strong match between two talented wrestlers that existed to follow up last week's events but accomplished little else.
Result
Styles defeated Gable
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
* Gable is sporting the same elbow wrap that El Grande Americano did Saturday night at Money in the Bank. That's real friendship.
* There really should be more for Julius and Brutus Creed to do than be lackeys and occasional tag team contenders.
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Rhea Ripley vs. Kairi Sane vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Liv Morgan
4 of 10
The 2025 Queen of the Ring tournament kicked off with Fatal 4-Way action pitting Ripley, Sane, Perez and Morgan against each other for the right to advance to the singles match round.
Before the match, Morgan refused Perez's invitation to work together, with tension between the two still thick amid the latter seemingly moving in on the former's boy toy, Dominik Mysterio.
That standoff-ish behavior from Morgan was short-lived as she and The Prodigy worked together to take the fight to Ripley and Sane throughout, forming a seemingly unbeatable union.
It was not until the babyfaces were able to separate them that they built momentum down the stretch, with Ripley delivering Riptide to Morgan for what appeared to be the win. However, Raquel Rodriguez appeared and brawled with The Eradicator on the arena floor.
Sane delivered a dive that wiped them both out, added the In-Sane Elbow to a downed Morgan and covered, only for Perez to come from nowhere, stack her up and win the match.
Not only did we get the reigniting of the Ripley-Rodriguez rivalry, but Perez pinning Sane at Morgan's expense will also only further the tension that exists between them.
Good action, a logical finish and a red-hot crowd inside the PHX Arena in Phoenix helped elevate this match.
Result
Perez defeated Ripley, Morgan, and Sane to advance
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
* Despite the pre-match refusal, Morgan and Perez did work together to launch Sane over the top rope and onto Ripley heading in to the commercial break.
* Ripley delivered a double powerbomb out of the corner to Morgan and Perez, and Sane answered with a diving forearm to Mami for a near-fall in a great sequence.
* Ripley is on another level of stardom than anyone in her division. She is a top star, right there alongside Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, CM Punk and Seth Rollins.
Becky Lynch Promo
5 of 10
Women's intercontinental champion Becky Lynch hit the ring and immediately took exception to Lyra Valkyria's attack after their match at Money in the Bank.
She called the former champion out, only to be attacked by the returning Bayley, who sent The Man scurrying to the sanctuary of the crowd and then stood tall to close things out.
This was a much-needed return and hopefully one that nets us a high-profile program between two of the original Four Horsewomen.
After having her WrestleMania spot yanked from her for the sake of the angle, Bayley certainly deserves as much.
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
* "What? No 'you deserve it' chants?" Lynch said. "I don't need you to tell me because I know I do."
* "She raised it so hard I thought she dislocated my shoulder," Lynch said of Valkyria's post-match attack Saturday night.
* The pop for Bayley's return was well-deserved.
Ron Killings Is The Truth
6 of 10
R-Truth hopped the guardrail, jumped on the announce table and spoke to the WWE fans for the first time since his return at Money in the Bank.
He credited fans for bringing him back but warned that, while he is back for them, he is back for himself, too.
He shed the funny comedy act that is R-Truth and announced that Ron "The Truth" Killings is here and ended the segment by cutting his hair and left through the crowd.
This was the perfect way to follow up Money in the Bank. It was a "thank you" and acknowledgement of the fans, but it was also a new chapter in the Hall of Fame career of one of WWE's most engaging performers.
Longtime fans of Killings know he can thrive as a serious competitor. He proved as much during his early run in TNA, which netted him the NWA World Championship. While it remains to be seen if a world title in his future, there is no denying the 53-year-old is as hot now as he has ever been.
Grade
A+
Top Moments and Takeaways
* "Don't let nobody tell you your voice doesn't matter," Killings said.
* "R-Truth can be too funny all the time. R-Truth can be too nice. And he's too forgiving. Not me."
* "R-Truth...the truth has set me free. I am Ron Killings. I am the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Now put some respect on my name!"
Sami Zayn vs. Penta vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. Bron Breakker
7 of 10
The 2025 King of the Ring tournament kicked off with Mysterio, Zayn, Breakker and Mysterio squaring off in a Fatal 4-Way match.
Breakker dominated early, unloading on his opponents with the explosive offense that has become a staple of his work. When Zayn or Penta fought back and threatened to get the crowd back into it, he cut them off.
The action evolved, with the three opponents neutralizing Breakker and teeing off on each other, with several near-falls teasing their victories. Late, The Badass returned to the fray and unloaded a Spear to Penta.
LA Knight, though, came from nowhere and got a measure of revenge for Money in the Bank, delivering Blunt Force Trauma to Breakker and taking him out of the equation.
Back in the ring, Zayn delivered the Helluva Kick to Mysterio and cashed his ticket to the semifinals of the tournament.
A great match, the introduction of a new program and a big win for Zayn made this a quality watch, the second of the night.
Result
Zayn defeated Mysterio, Breakker and Penta
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
* That Breakker has a year on the main roster under him and is still hitting ropes with the unmatched speed that he does is simply astonishing.
* Zayn's sunset flip powerbomb is still the best in the business. He is also the purest, best babyface in any major company today, which is why he is going to be an excellent heel when he finally turns.
* Cheer him or not, but Mysterio remains the measuring stick for delightfully slimy, sneaky heels.
* Penta has such a deep arsenal that he can answer a botched roll-up from Mysterio with a Mexican Destroyer and get the crowd right back into things.
* During the commercial break, Karrion Kross applauded Zayn for seizing an opportunity and using Knight's interference to get ahead, and then claimed the winner of the previous match was a manipulator.
Nikki Bella Returns
8 of 10
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella returned to Raw Monday night to start the hype for Evolution on July 13.
While listing some of the top talent in WWE today, she passed over Liv Morgan, which drew the ire of the tag team champion.
Morgan and Bella exchanged verbal shots before the former delivered ObLIVion, laying out the two-time Divas champion to close the segment.
And with that, the build to a high-profile matchup is underway.
It will likely come in the form of a tag team title bout, if Morgan and Rodriguez hold onto the titles until then. Could we see a Bella Twins reunion or will WWE go with a standard one-on-one match?
Either way, it's as big a spot for Morgan to be in outside of a championship singles match and one she has earned on the historic card.
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
* "Nikki...if you're talking about the best women in this division, you better mention Liv Morgan," the tag team champion said.
* "I have everything you don't: I have respect, I have a championship, and I have a man," Morgan said.
* "I'm just trying to figure out who he belongs to: You or Roxanne Perez?" Bella replied.
* "I'm still a champion and all you'll ever be is a reality show diva," Morgan said.
World Heavyweight Championship: Jey Uso vs. Gunther
9 of 10
Jey Uso and Gunther again took to the squared circle, opponents for the first time since WrestleMania 41 when the former bested the latter to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
On this night in Phoenix, Gunther avenged that loss, taking advantage of an Uso who was physically spent after wrestling numerous times in recent weeks and putting him to sleep with the same rear naked choke that felled him in Las Vegas.
The match was an excellent exercise in crowd manipulation and drama, particularly with the reversals in and out of the sleeper, as well as the near-falls late. The crowd was there for it all until it became clear that the babyface had nothing left and would ultimately pass out in the arms of his opponent.
Uso is still incredibly over and felt like he was finding his stride as champion so the decision to put the title back on Gunther, no matter how extraordinary a talent he is, feels premature.
It feels like a commitment to the long-term storytelling rather than recognition of when something is working.
Maybe Triple H and Co. consider the babyface chase to be the way to go but considering the current state of the product, and the criticisms facing his creative regime, perhaps booking two heel champions at the expense of much more popular stars is not the best way to endear the show to fans.
Especially when the air left the room in the wake of Monday's main event.
Gunther is great, will deliver between the ropes and brings a consistency that bookers value. Time will tell if going back to him at the expense of one of the biggest babyfaces on the roster early in his first reign as champion was the right call.
Result
Gunther defeated Uso to win the title
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
* Michael Cole and Wade Barrett heavily put over what appeared to be a lack of preparedness from Gunther, as if he was mentally unready for the match. It was an interesting approach as it combats everything we know about The Ring General.
* Gunther targeted the midsection of Uso, a nice change of pace and a section of the body that is far too often ignored when heels pick their opponents apart.
* Uso nearly scored the win on his trademark top-rope splash, which flew in the face of the story of the match that centered around the champion's ribs and core being severely injured.
Overall Grade
10 of 10
Good-to-great action elevated this week's show, but it will ultimately be remembered as the night when Gunther became a two-time world champion by defeating Jey Uso, one of the biggest babyfaces in WWE, clean in the middle of the ring.
How that decision ages will determine the value of this episode, but for now, it was a strong show with memorable moments and quality build to Night of Champions.
Grade: A
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