WWE Raw at MSG: John Cena’s Last Monday, A Flood of Returns, and a Wild Night on the Road to Survivor Series

WWE walked into Madison Square Garden last night with a very clear mission: make this episode of Raw feel like an all-timer. With John Cena’s final Monday appearance as an in-ring competitor, a wave of surprise returns, and storylines that finally started threading together, the show delivered the kind of energy Raw hasn’t seen in a long time.

This wasn’t just another episode — it felt like the moment before a turning point.

John Cena’s Last Monday Night: A Farewell Wrapped in Fireworks

Cena’s entrance immediately shifted the atmosphere. You could feel the weight of it. This wasn’t a typical nostalgic return; this was him closing the chapter on wrestling Mondays for good. And unlike most retirements in this business, this one felt sincere. When Cena says he’s done wrestling weekly, you believe him.

But he didn’t get long to soak it in before Dominik Mysterio sauntered out to cut him off. Judgment Day followed, and within seconds, Sheamus and Rey Mysterio sprinted out to even the odds. It played out like a greatest-hits live event match — fun, warm, and exactly what you’d want from a farewell moment. Cena hit the AA, Sheamus and Rey stood tall with him, and for a few minutes everything felt easy and nostalgic.

What lingered longer, though, was the setup:

Cena vs. Dominik at Survivor Series.

This isn’t just a match; it’s a chance to make a star. Cena’s been open about wanting to put over younger talent on his way out, and losing to Dom in San Diego would be a career-defining rocket strapped to the kid. Dom already speaks directly to younger fans. A clean storyline win over Cena? That’s the kind of thing that shifts a career forever.

Gunther Reclaims His Theme — and the Crowd Doesn’t Miss a Beat

Gunther showed up next, walking out to his original classical theme, and the crowd absolutely loved it. It’s wild how a simple shift in music can make everything click again. His match with Javon Evans was exactly what it needed to be: physical, convincing, and loudly supportive of the younger rising talent.

Evans has been steadily building momentum, and MSG embraced him like a future main-eventer. Gunther tapping him out protected his aura while still giving Evans one of the biggest showcases of his young career. It feels increasingly difficult to justify leaving him in NXT when he’s clearly ready to swim in deeper water.

A Five-Minute Reminder of Dolph Ziggler’s Brilliance

Solo Sikoa vs. Dolph Ziggler was short but incredibly sweet. The moment Ziggler stepped out, MSG erupted, and for the next few minutes he gave a masterclass in selling. Nobody hits the mat and makes you feel it quite like Dolph.

Solo played his part perfectly — stripping down the quirks, leaning into the menace, letting Ziggler shine before finishing the job. It was simple, effective storytelling, the kind that lets both guys leave looking better.

A Tournament Full of Possibilities

As the matches played out, the tournament bracket began taking shape. Sheamus lurks, Solo advances, Gunther dominates, and suddenly everything starts pointing toward something huge — maybe even Cena’s last match against Gunther. The contrast in styles, the built-in tension, the legacy implications… it all lines up too well to ignore.

Raw hasn’t had a tournament feel this meaningful in a long time.

Chaos Unleashed: Brock Lesnar & Roman Reigns Return

Then came the moment the episode flipped from “great” to “unhinged in the best way.”

Paul Heyman teased a fifth man for his Survivor Series team. Fans buzzed. Punk came out. Cody came out. The Garden got louder with each entrance. And then, like a brick through a window, Brock Lesnar stormed in and annihilated both WWE champions without a pause. You could practically see new storylines forming in real time — Brock vs. Cody II, Brock vs. Punk for the first time in years.

And right when it looked like the show was winding down, Roman Reigns emerged with the swagger of a man who knows MSG is his home turf. He destroyed everything in sight — even an NYPD officer — and speared Bronson Reed straight through a barricade. The pop was enormous, and suddenly Survivor Series had its story.

The men’s WarGames lineup is ridiculously stacked: Punk, Cody, Roman, the Usos… against Logan Paul, Drew McIntyre, and The Vision. It’s madness — the good kind.

The Women’s Road to WarGames — Big Moments and One Odd Misstep

The women’s division made noise of its own. Maxine Dupri scoring a shocking win over Becky Lynch thanks to AJ Lee’s distraction was one of the night’s genuine surprises. AJ accepting Rhea Ripley’s invitation to WarGames felt like the kind of moment fans have been waiting years to see.

The stumble came with Alexa Bliss’ promo. The writing felt off-tone — leaning into clinginess and emotional manipulation that didn’t read like a babyface moment. It landed awkwardly, and even Charlotte’s kendo-stick save couldn’t smooth it over.

Still, the WarGames teams are strong, and the women’s match is shaping up to be wild.

Nikki Bella & Stephanie Vaquer: A Quick Beat That Needed More Time

Nikki Bella’s heel work continues to look promising, but the segment with Stephanie Vaquer came and went too quickly to land. The tension was there; it just needed more room to breathe. Nikki’s character shift deserves the time to cook, and hopefully that happens on the next show.

A Raw Fueled by Nostalgia, Momentum, and Smart Timing

By the end of the night, it felt like WWE had dunked the entire show in pure adrenaline. Returns, surprises, emotional beats, storyline momentum — it was all crammed into a single episode that never gave the crowd a chance to exhale. And while some of that leans on cheap pops, that’s exactly what makes MSG feel like MSG.

What happens after Survivor Series, or after Cena steps away for good, is the real question. A lot of the current energy is anchored around him. But for now, for this one night, WWE delivered something legitimately special.

If you missed it and you’re wondering whether to go back and watch — absolutely. The episode crackles, even on replay.

And who knows — maybe you’ll see the Alexa Bliss segment differently. That’s the thing about wrestling: we’re all watching the same story, but we’re never guaranteed to see it the same way.