"Now you owe me a favour!" - Raw Recap and Results 7/4/25

The penultimate episode of Monday Night Raw before Wrestlemania was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and with it being 12 days away from The Show of Shows, WWE put on a very entertaining show. Three more matches were announced, entertaining matches happened and the main event ended with a cryptic message.

Rhea Ripley was added to the Triple Threat match at Wrestlemania.

The night started with Raw General Manager, Adam Pierce, in the ring greeting the audience in Minneapolis. He welcomed one by one, The Women's World Champion, Iyo Sky, The Elimination Chamber winner, Bianca Belair, and The Eradicator, Rhea Ripley. Pierce told the women he was wrong for making Belair the referee last week and couldn't believe he thought they could all be professional. Pierce then told the crowd he had made the match at Wrestlemania official: Iyo Sky vs Bianca Belair vs Rhea Ripley for the Women's World Championship.

Belair told Pierce she would have been annoyed a few weeks ago, but now she was happy as The EST would walk out of Wrestlemania as the Champion. Ripley went to speak but Belair cut her off, the two got into a staredown before Ripley shoved Sky. Whilst the two women were getting in each other's faces, Iyo Sky went to the apron and landed a springboard dropkick which knocked Ripley into Belair. Sky signed the contract and the match we all knew would be happening was finally made official.

Lyra Valkyria Def. Bayley to retain the Women's Intercontinental Championship.

The 84-day reign of Lyra Valkyria was in jeopardy as she battled Bayley for the Women's Intercontinental Championship. Bayley and Valkyria met only once before when Bayley got the win in a Women's Elimination Chamber qualifier match in January. The two will be teammates on Smackdown as they fight in a gauntlet match for an opportunity at the Women's Tag Team Championships at Wrestlemania.

The friendliness was thrown out the window early on as both women went for roll-ups to no avail. Valkyria gained the upper hand as she did a sweep kick followed by a dropkick and a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. She continued with a dropkick to Bayley on the outside before a cross-body block off the top rope got another near fall. Bayley gained some momentum as she dragged the champion off the rope and hit a diving elbow drop to her back.

The two women went back and forth with forearms before an altercation outside of the ring leading to Bayley hitting the Bayley-to-Belly suplex. Both superstars made it back into the squared circle before the count of ten as Valkyria used a step-up enziguri and sit-out powerbomb combo for a near fall. Valkyria's back was hurting by this point in the match and Bayley took full advantage delivering a sunset flip powerbomb into the turnbuckle before locking in a Boston Crab Submission Hold. Valkyria got out of the hold, and Bayley went for the Rose Plant, but the Champion flipped out of it and rolled up her challenger for the victory.

After the match, Valkyria went to shake Bayley's hand, but Bayley pushed it away before changing her mind and shaking it. She lifted Valkyria's arm and the two looked forward to Smackdown.

El Grande Americano & The Creed Brothers def. L.WO. (Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde & Dragon Lee)

As a result of Chad Gable handing in sick notes week after week, his chance to wrestle in his home town of Minneapolis was revoked and instead, he was replaced with El Grande Americano. The newest Luchador on the raw roster joined forces with Julius and Brutus Creed against the L.W.O.

Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro worked well together leading to Wilde hitting a moonsault, before a head scissors on Julius. All six men were in the ring as the three members of LWO hit corner splashes and dropkicks simultaneously. Wilde, Del Toro and Dragon Lee hit dives over the top onto their opponents before getting back into the ring. American Made stropped them in their tracks as they hit three superplexes.

The athletic Dragon Lee was chased to the top rope by Julius Creed, Lee tripped him up and hit a double foot stomp to his chest. Del Toro tagged in with a cross-body block and two hurricanranas. He followed it up with a running kick to the head along with a neckbreaker. El Grande Americano tagged in at the same time as Dragon Lee as Grande hit a belly-to-belly suplex. Lee gave Americano a sitout Powerbomb before Julius hit a Shooting Star Press onto Lee. Wilde dived over the top to the floor, followed by Del Toro jumping off the top rope with a corkscrew splash onto another one of the Creeds on the floor.

Ivy Nile handed a piece of metal to El Grande Americano, who put it under his mask. This got the attention of Rey Mysterio, but he was headbutted down off the apron. Dragon Lee tried to take off Americano's mask and he hit a headbutt with his loaded mask. El Grande Americano jumped off the top and hit a diving headbutt on DragonLee for the win. Adam Pierce made another match for Wrestlemania official later on in the show: Rey Mysterio v El Grande Americano.

Jey Uso is no Longer afriad of Gunther.

After hospitalising Jimmy Uso last week, World Heavyweight Champion Gunther made his way to the ring, sporting a suit and a red tie. Before getting a word out, he was interrupted by his challenger at Wrestlemania, Jey Uso. Uso looked shaken from what had occurred last week, as he slapped Gunther's mic out of his hand and cut an emotional promo.

Jey said that he had to tell his mom that her oldest son was in a hospital bed and got 15 stitches across his forehead. She asked Jey: “Why didn’t you protect him, Joshua?” Uso said he never felt so hopeless, helpless, disrespected, mad, angry and damn near scared. He followed up by saying in his darkest moment in front of the world, a lightbulb went off for him. Jey realized he was not afraid of Gunther anymore. The fans erupted and got behind Jey as Gunther looked timid at what was in front of him. Uso told Gunther he better hug and kiss his family because he'll get him, he’ll get him for Jimmy and get him for his whole damn family. He’ll take the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania!

The New Day def. The War Raiders by Disqualification in a World Tag Team Championship Match

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe joined Micheal Cole and Pat Mcafee on commentary for the next match which had the World Tag Team Championships on the line as the War Raiders took The New Day. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods had earned their opportunity for a tag title shot in recent weeks defeating both the L.W.O and New Catch Republic.

Woods and Kingston kept making quick tags in the early stages, keeping each other fresh as they stomped down on Erik. Erik came back with a double clothesline and tagged in Ivar who hit a sidewalk slam and a cross-body block. The Champions worked over their challengers as Erik lifted Ivar and body-slammed him onto Kingston. Erik tossed Woods over the top to the floor and Ivar sent Kofi into the barricade. Ivar hit a running cross-body block onto Woods, crushing him against the barricade.

Ivar continued his assault with another cross-body block on Kingston before a running splash against the turnbuckle. Woods saved Kingston from a splash by Ivar as he crashed into the turnbuckle. Woods tagged in and jumped off the turnbuckle delivering an elbow smash onto Ivar. Xavier Woods worked over Ivar and stayed in control before Ivar fought back with a jumping splash to knock him down. Erik got the hot tag and delivered an overhead suplex, backbreaker and a knee strike to the face. Erik was on a roll as he hit an impressive spinebuster on Kingston.

Ivar was tagged in, as the War Raiders hit a pop-up power slam and a double-team clothesline into a Suplex for near fall. Woods brought a chair into the ring, and Ivar took it away before hitting Woods in the ribs. The referee spotted the chair and called for the DQ. An enraged War Raiders were complaining to the referee before Woods and Kingston took advantage, landing chair shots on both members of the Tag Team Champions. Ivar was sent over the barricade and Erik into a chair that was propped up in the corner. Just before more damage could be done, officials ran out to remove The New Day from the ongoing attack.

Penta Def. Dominik Mysterio.

Adam Pierce announced at Wrestlemania it would be Bron Breakker v Penta v Finn Balor v Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Champiosnhip. After the chaos that ensued last week in their tag team match, Penta and Mysterio met one-on-one.

They exchanged chops to start with Dominik holding his own against the seasoned pro, Penta. Mysterio worked him over with shoulder tackles before Penta hit a running hurricanrana, backbreaker and a Slingblade. He went up to the top rope and dove, hitting a cross-body block onto Mysterio and Carlito on the outside. Carlito distracted Penta long enough for Mysterio to send him into the ring post and gain some control in the match.

Penta tried to gain some momentum as he jumped off the top rope, but Mysterio was ready for him, countering with a kick to the gut. Mysterio followed it up with the Three Amigos vertical suplexes for a two-count. Penta answered back with a superkick before his signature handstand kick in the corner for another two-count. Mysterio impressively used Penta's move, The Mexican Destroyer, before hitting the 619 kick. Dominik looked to have the match won with a Frog Splash, but Penta got his knees up. Penta hit The Sacrifice and The Penta Driver for the pinfall Victory.

After the match, Penta was attacked from behind by Carlito who hit a Back Stabber, all the commotion brought out the Intercontinental Champion, Bron Breakker, who Speared Carlito, Mysterio and Penta before being stopped in his tracks by Finn Balor. Balor laid Breakker out and posed with the Intercontinental Championship. He avoided a Spear from Breakker and left with a banged-up Carlito and Dominik Mysterio.

Seth Rollins Stomps CM Punk.

The main event of the show had Paul Heyman standing in the middle of the ring. He claimed he would always be loyal to "The Tribal Cheif" Roman Reigns, but he would also always be loyal to his best friend CM Punk. Seth Rollins interrupted "The Wise Man" and spoke truths to Heyman. He told him when Roman Reigns lost the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 40, did he take his Wise Man with him, No. Rollins told Heyman that his kids had to watch as he was put through a table by Solo Sikoa's bloodline in his home town and Reigns was nowhere to protect.

Rollins reminded Heyman that CM Punk walked out of the business for 10 years, and didn't mention Heyman, Punk wasn't even the first choice for Reigns' team at War Games, Rollins was. So Rollins suggested that he should remove himself from the toxic situation, and he would be honoured to do it himself. Rollins shoved Heyman multiple times and eventually had him in the corner when "Cult of Personality" blared through the speakers.

The crowd in Minneapolis erupted as CM Punk ran towards the ring and unleashed an attack on Seth Rollins. They brawled all around ringside before Rollins got back in the ring and delivered a brutal Stomp to Punk. Heyman went to check on his "Best Friend" as Rollins turned around and lined him up for a Stomp. He ran at Heyman before stopping just before, Rollins grabbed a microphone and told Heyman, "Now you owe me a favour!" as the show went off the air.