HIGHLIGHTS
- Gunther will address John Cena and their retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13
- AJ Styles and Dragon Lee defend the WWE World Tag Team Championship against the War Raiders
- Rey Mysterio battles Finn Bálor as his war with The Judgment Day continues
Just days after Gunther defeated LA Knight to secure his spot as the opponent for John Cena in the latter’s retirement match, the Ring General will take center stage. Gunther is expected to kick off Raw and fire up the hype leading to his clash with Cena at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 in Washington D.C.
Raw will also feature a tag-team title match and perhaps even more details about the rest of the SNME card. Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s episode of Raw.
Date, Time and How to Watch
- Date: Monday, December 8, 2025
- Start Time: 8 PM ET
- Location: T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri
- How to Watch: Netflix (U.S. and most international markets)
For international viewers, Raw airs at 1 AM GMT Tuesday in the UK and 6:30 AM IST Tuesday in India.
Confirmed Card and Segments
WWE World Tag Team Championship AJ Styles & Dragon Lee (c) vs. The War Raiders (Erik & Ivar)
Singles Matches
- Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Bálor
- Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez
Advertised Segments
- Gunther addresses John Cena ahead of their Last Time Is Now retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event
- Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer appears following her successful title defense at Survivor Series
Featured Superstars CM Punk (though there are rumors he’s still on the set of the film Bodyguard), Becky Lynch, LA Knight, Jey Uso, and Rhea Ripley are all advertised to appear.
What to Expect in the Ring
The tag team title match should be a showcase. Styles and Dragon Lee bring speed and strike-heavy offense, while the War Raiders counter with power and aggression. It’s a formula for another exciting match, though they will have a hard time topping what Lee and Styles did against the New Day last week.
Erik and Ivar earned this shot by beating The New Day, so expect a competitive, longer bout. Whether WWE solidifies the new champions heading into the premium live event or pulls the trigger on a title change for shock value remains to be seen.
Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Bálor is all about Rey’s mission to get his hands on Dominik and that Intercontinental Championship. The Judgment Day will almost certainly factor into the finish—whether that means interference from Dom himself or Logan Paul inserting himself into the story after slapping Rey last week. This one sets the table for Rey’s next title opportunity.
Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez has been positioned as a statement match. Both women came up through NXT and know each other well. This feels like a spotlight opportunity to show what they can do on the main roster stage, and the winner could find herself in the conversation for a future shot at Vaquer’s Women’s World Championship.
Cena vs. Gunther: The Final Build
This is the go-home show for Saturday Night’s Main Event, and the Cena retirement match is the centerpiece. Gunther won the Last Time Is Now tournament by making LA Knight tap out on SmackDown, and now he gets to do what he does best—cut a promo that makes you believe he’s about to end an era.
Gunther has said he plans to reveal how he intends to end Cena’s career. I’m guessing it’ll be his modified STF, which he used to get Knight to tap out. That’s still a crazy concept, but I digress. Whether that’s mind games or a physical statement, the Ring General knows how to build a main event.
Why This Raw is a Huge Episode
With SNME just days away, creative will likely use this episode to lock in multiple storylines at once. Cena vs. Gunther is the headline, but the tag titles, Rey’s war with The Judgment Day, and whatever direction they choose for Vaquer’s next defense all need attention.
WWE also has to start hyping the inclusion of NXT Superstars who will be in action in Washington D.C.–especially after a highly entertaining Deadline PLE.
This show should be heavy on angles and post-match brawls. The Netflix era has put Raw’s production and pacing under the microscope, and this episode is being hyped as one of the more stacked Monday nights in months.
Be on the lookout for post-Raw coverage, especially if we get more information on the masked man who played a role in the ending of the main event at Survivor Series.
