Outside the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, it was buzzing. This was not just a Monday, but the first RAW in the post-Survivor Series WarGames 2025 aftershock earthquake, and the card was heavy. Starting with the semifinals of the tournament that would bring a person a step closer to a match with John Cena in his last, and finishing with a World Tag Team Championship bout, the evening was pre-programmed with theatrics.
When the lights went down, and the fans applauded, the overtones of WarGames were thick as thieves, deceit, treachery, revenge promised, and this was the backdrop to every entrance and backstage action. The atmosphere was electric, and one had a feeling that a good number of wrestlers were not only here to entertain but to score points.
The show was launched on this tension. The women’s division, still fluttering under the aftermath of WarGames, was experiencing the old alliances’ tension because the challengers emphasized that they had come to play serious games. Meanwhile, at the tag division, champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee were against The New Day in a much-anticipated game. The chemistry, the clearness of all the gasps and cheers of the audience – it was evident that titles would have more meaning than belts this evening.
But the inmost part of the evening throbbed within the singles ring. The Last Time Is Now Semifinal Tournament was in the limelight. To start with: GUNTHER vs Solo Sikoa – a battle of strength and force of sheer power. The ring was made to shake by their blows, and every swing had the promise of a future confrontation with Cena. By the time the dust had settled, one man had come out at the other end with the impetus to make the final.
The other semifinal, Jey Uso vs LA Knight, was brutal in its own turn: speed, maneuvering, near falls, and one lightning-fast move that left the audience in shock. It was a genuine uproar, the feelings were unrefined, and the message was unsubtle: everyone has something to lose, and each participant is hungry to get that last opportunity to become a legend.
Backstage shots, when outside the ring, depicted an image of turmoil and loyalties changing. As certain alliances broke, and others strengthened, talk of revenge and betrayal filled the corridors. WarGames survivors, cheated-on, people who wanted redemption– all had a reason why they were out this night.
As the last bell was ringing and the wins were counted, the excitement in the arena did not decrease. Instead, it surged. What remained when the fans went to bed was to discuss where it could go, who might play who, and what was in store. The Tag Team champions were still alive; the bracket of the tournament was hardened; enmities were stiffened.
Still, though, the rediscovery of the truth that RAW is unpredictable and raw in feeling and highly personal may be the greatest influence. To any wrestler, this evening was not only about victory or defeat. It was legacy, redemption, and a way of laying the groundwork for the future.
When the lights went up, this much was certain: the after-effects of WarGames were not going to die away easily enough yet RAW was only beginning to open a new book.
