Austin Theory officially sees The Vision: Raw Recap, Dec. 29, 2025

Summary

Raw Recap with Sam Roberts & Megan Morant

Episode: Austin Theory officially sees The Vision: Raw Recap, Dec. 29, 2025
Date: December 30, 2025
Host: WWE x Fanatics Podcasts

Overview

This special year-end episode of Raw Recap dives into a monumental night on Monday Night Raw, featuring epic title shifts, the continued rise of The Vision faction, and an exclusive interview with Austin Theory on the night he officially joined this dominant new group. Sam Roberts and Megan Morant dissect the night’s biggest matches—including the Usos capturing tag gold for a record ninth time, Maxine Dupree getting intense with Becky Lynch, Gunther’s reign of terror, and the red-hot CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker feud. They preview what's next for 2026, the generational change looming over WWE, and share behind-the-scenes insights and banter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Usos Crowned Tag Team Champions—Again (00:41–13:07)

• Match Recap: The Usos win the Tag Team Championships for the ninth time, defeating AJ Styles and Dragon Lee in a classic tag match.
  • Sam lauds the "classic Usos" feel:

    "It was a classic tag match. You had near falls, people coming back from the dead—it was amazing." (02:00)

  • Megan highlights Jey Uso’s tumultuous year:

    "You think about winning the Royal Rumble, becoming World Heavyweight Champion, losing to Gunther, the family drama, and now finding his way back home with his brother as champion to end the year." (04:57)

• Usos’ Legacy:
  • Both hosts reminisce on the team's journey from face-paint-and-board-shorts days to single stars back to being a dominant duo.
  • Sam reflects on the Usos revolutionizing tag team wrestling and bringing it to the main event of WrestleMania.
  • Megan:

    "There’s a generation of fans who never saw the Usos as a tag team. Now they're getting to see what all the hype was about." (11:29)

• Future of the Tag Division:
  • New Day and The Vision flagged as potential challengers.
  • Sam: "The Usos are a Hall of Fame tag team and they're back. It’s exciting to see this unexpected new chapter." (13:07)

2. The Generational Shift & The Rise of The Vision (13:08–16:46, 33:49–41:18)

• Changing of the Guard: Sam and Megan note the generational impatience from young stars—2025 being marked by Cena’s retirement, seasoned veterans holding top spots, and now a palpable shift.
• The Vision Faction:
  • Official lineup (as seen during Raw): Bronson Reed, Braun Breakker, Logan Paul, and now Austin Theory—with Paul Heyman as the “Oracle."
  • Sam: "This is a very different group than when Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman started it." (15:39)
  • Megan: "They’re not waiting for their turn. They’re taking it—‘the future, the now, the forever.’"
  • Notably compared to the Four Horsemen in aura and ambition.

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3. In-Depth: Austin Theory Exclusive Interview (17:45–31:32)

[Full Interview with Austin Theory — major highlights and quotes:]

• On Joining The Vision:

  "Now we just take. And that's how it feels now being in the Vision—just going to take everything." (18:13, Austin) "There was a time where I was all alone, trying to take out all these old guys... now you’ve got guys like Bron Breakker, Logan Paul..." (19:38, Austin)

• On Experience and Attitude Shift:

  "I think I got comfortable, waiting for somebody to, you know, give me a handout. Now if there’s anything that I truly want, I can have. But I've got to take it." (19:10)

• Paul Heyman Relationship:

  "If there's anybody in this industry that you want looking out for your career… it's Paul Heyman. I just don't think he can do any wrong." (22:34)

• On Bonding with Logan Paul:

  "With my change in my mindset… we are working together, but we all can hold our own. …we're both more handsome than those two. That's why they wear the mask and we're in the Vision." (23:58, on Mysterio and Penta)

• On “Youth Movement” & Veteran Superstars:

  "You know, how many matches get taken up because of these guys?… We run this now and then, we don't even have to keep saying 'the future.' It's crazy. It's already here." (27:03) "It's time to go, Phil. It's time to go." (on CM Punk, 27:30) "You want to try to ruin this, right? …That's why you’re all going to stand in line, pay your ticket, and watch the now, the future, the forever." (29:49)

• Sam’s skeptical questioning about egos in The Vision:

  “That's what you think, Sam. ...You don’t see the Vision.” (29:49)

• Heated Ending—Memorable Exchange:

  Austin Theory: "The only way I'm ever going to do this again is if you get the Vision logo tattooed on your chest. That's the only way. …You're not man enough." (31:12)

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4. CM Punk & Bron Breakker: Clash of Generations (41:18–49:16)

• Showdown Recap: The Vision clears the ring for a tense CM Punk/Bron Breakker face-off ahead of their heavy title match.
  • Megan:

    “There was a part of me—I just had, like, flutters in my stomach waiting to see how this was all going to play out.” (41:18)

  • Sam observes Bron Breakker’s fiery promo:

    "When Bron started laying in to CM Punk... he was letting everything out—‘you call me a Nepo baby, do you know the standard I was held to?’” (43:35)

  • Megan highlights Bron’s intensity:

    “I felt a lot of passion when Bron Breakker looked CM Punk straight in the eye and said, ‘I was sharing a football field with Lamar Jackson while you were on the Indies. We are not the same.’” (44:45)

  • Both discuss the broader implications for NXT athletes, respect in wrestling, and the cyclical nature of WWE power shifts.
  • Punk's response: "I’m not ready to let it go" (46:36)
  • Sam: "It’s wild to see these roles shift—now Punk is defending his place against a hungry next-gen star." (48:33)

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5. Gunther: A Ruthless, Unstoppable Champion (51:14–59:51)

• Night’s Match: Gunther dominates R-Truth, refusing to treat him as a joke.
  • Sam:

    "Gunther just showing up and he's on a victory tour that nobody wants him on." (51:14)

  • Megan:

    “When Gunther laughed backstage in R-Truth’s face, that hurt.” (51:16)

  • Sam uses Thanos as a metaphor:

    "The last person to be described as an inevitability was Thanos." (55:37)

• State of the Intercontinental Title & Gunther’s Character:
  • Gunther enjoys antagonizing the crowd and decimating fan favorites.
  • Sam: "This is the reality now. Some people are looking at it going like, well, is Gunther going to start just, like, retiring people?" (54:24)
• No Clear Challenger:
  • Sam: "When I look at future bouts for Gunther, I don't see anyone in front of me that I go, oh, that guy's going to beat Gunther. No one." (59:52)

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6. Women’s Division: Maxine Dupree vs. Becky Lynch, Tag Team Drama (62:40–71:21)

• Maxine Dupree & Becky Lynch:

  • Maxine on edge—a stressful wedding week and major IC title defence looms.
  • Sam:

    "By far the biggest title defense Maxine has had as champion. Must win.” (68:11)

  • Megan on Becky: "Part of being prepared would be following along with the content of the greatest female wrestler of all time." (66:34)

• Kabuki Warriors, EO Sky, & Rhea Ripley:

  • Megan thinks a title change is coming.
  • Sam:

    "If there's one thing Asuka and Kairi do, it’s stay on the same page. ...I think the Kabuki Warriors are getting underestimated." (70:00)

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7. "Stranger Things Raw" & Predictions for 2026 (71:43–73:39)

• Huge Matches Previewed:
  • Becky Lynch vs. Maxine Dupree for the IC Title.
  • Women’s Tag Team Championship: Kabuki Warriors vs. EO Sky & Rhea Ripley.
  • Main Event: Braun Breakker challenges CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. Both hosts lean toward a Breakker win, acknowledging the era-defining stakes.
  • Megan:

    “Let’s start the year with a bang, baby.” (73:14)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sam, on the Usos:

  "The Usos as a tag team act took the tag team championship to the main event of WrestleMania… It was because it was deserved." (03:20)

• Austin Theory, on the Vision:

  "I'm not waiting for opportunities… Now we just take." (18:13)

• Austin Theory, on retirement tours:

  "You gotta leave for a year. We have to say goodbye to you each night for a year… How ego hungry are you?” (28:07)

• Bron Breakker, per Megan:

  "I was sharing a football field with Lamar Jackson while you were on the Indies. We are not the same.” (44:45)

• Sam, on Gunther:

  "He enjoys bathing in the tears of wrestling fans. He finds it very, very relaxing." (56:03)

• Sam, on the Vision's potential:

  "We’re looking at a Horseman-type group, if they are successful." (40:27)

• Heated Interview Exit:

  Austin Theory: "The only way I'm ever going to do this again is if you get the Vision logo tattooed on your chest." (31:12)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:41 — Raw overview, Usos vs. AJ Styles/Dragon Lee tag match recap
• 04:57 — The story of Jey Uso in 2025
• 13:07 — Looking ahead: old guard vs. new generation, The Vision
• 15:39 — Introduction of The Vision faction, Austin Theory joins
• 17:45–31:32 — Full Austin Theory interview
• 33:49 — The Vision compared to the Four Horsemen, group dynamics
• 41:18 — CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker confrontation, generational themes
• 51:14–59:51 — Gunther’s dominance, R-Truth match, no clear challenger
• 62:40 — Becky Lynch/Maxine Dupree tension; Intercontinental and Women’s Tag Title build
• 71:43 — Main event predictions, 2026 preview

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Final Thoughts

A packed Raw ushers in a changing of the guard, with The Vision’s youth movement and the Usos’ veteran resurgence both at center stage, while Gunther’s ruthlessness and the women’s division intrigue keep the show unpredictable. Sam and Megan’s blend of deep wrestling insight and lively banter give fans a must-listen review and an exhilarating preview of the future of WWE.

Don’t miss the next episode as the first Raw of 2026 promises title matches, generational confrontations, and the continued evolution of the WWE Universe.

Transcript

[Austin Theory]

The world is full of tours. But you don't choose a Toyota truck to follow the beaten path. You choose it to find the places.

[Sam]

In between.

[Austin Theory]

The detours where each adventure pulls you toward the next. And wrong turns turn out right. So why would you ever take a tour when you could take a detour? Toyota trucks.

[Sam]

If you're the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, you know having a trusted partner makes all the difference. That's why, hands down, you count on Grainger for auto reordering.

[Austin Theory]

With on time restocks, your team will.

[Sam]

Have the cut resistant gloves they need at the start of their shift and you can end your day knowing they've got safety well in hand. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. Did Brawn Breaker just get in CM Punk's face and usher in a whole new era? Maxine Dupree gets aggressive. Gunther continues to be no fun. We've got Austin Theory on the show on the night that he joined the vision and the Usos are the tag team champions for the ninth time. This is Raw recap at WWE and Fanatics Original production. Oh, Megan Morant, are you yeeting? Heck yeah, I'm yeeting. Are you yeeting for the world to see?

[Megan Morant]

I am yeeting because the USO's are the new tag team champions.

[Sam]

I mean, what a way to close out 2025. Yes. I don't think anybody, I don't think anybody could have tracked Jay USO's full 2025 year. It has been a journey.

[Megan Morant]

Yes.

[Sam]

But yes, on the last Monday night Raw of 2025, we close out the show with the Usos winning the tag team championship for the ninth time. This time against AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. I mean, and it was a, it was a classic tag match. It was so, so good. I mean, I mean, near falls, you had, you had finishes, you had people coming back from, from the dead. It was, it was, it was amazing. And to me, it was classic Usos.

[Megan Morant]

Yes. And that's. We were wondering for a long time when Jimmy came back to Monday Night Raw, are we going to get this super tag team of the USO's being once again back together? And we got some tastes of it along the way tonight. It felt like we were finally fully back.

[Sam]

I think so too. And I mean, I think too. First of all, you have to give credit to the fact that like AJ Styles in Dragon Lee, which honestly started as a tag Team that just seemed kind of randomly put together for sure, where he's like, I don't know, AJ's good, Dragon Lee's good. Let's put them together and let's see what they do as a tag team. Within like two weeks of being together, we're all of a sudden speaking that same kind of in ring language and telling those stories as if they had been teammate together forever.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah.

[Sam]

So you get to a point where you see a tag team that literally has been teaming together, the Usos, their twin brothers, and having this classic tag with AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. But look, I mean, I mean, as I was watching this, all I could think about, especially as the USO's retreated into the audience to celebrate with the crowd and Joe Tess is on the call talking about them winning that title for the ninth time. I went all the way back to WrestleMania 39 and just thinking about not only the fact that the Usos have now held that tag team championship nine times, but that they've revolutionized what the tag team championship is. The USO's as a tag team act, took the tag team championship to the main event of WrestleMania. And I say as a tag team act because it's not like two of the top stars in the world just became a tag team and well, now they can bring the tag team championship to the main event. To the main event of WrestleMania. You had the Usos at tag team act taking that title and not being in the main event because it's like, oh, wouldn't that be interesting? Or it was because it was deserved. It was because it was the match on night one of WrestleMania 39 that people wanted to see the most. And to see a tag team that is that epic and legendary, celebrating with the title again, I was, I was, I was thrilled.

[Megan Morant]

I was thinking back to just the ride that Jay USO's been on throughout 2025, right? And you think about winning the Royal Rumble and then the journey of him losing his confidence and going to WrestleMania, gaining that confidence back, becoming World World Heavyweight Champion, losing the title to Gunter, trying to find a way to rebuild himself, having the drama within his family, listening to Roman, listening to Jimmy, listening to all of the other voices and finally finding his way back home with his brother now as a champion to end the year.

[Sam]

I mean, I think right earlier, literally on the show tonight, Jimmy had to give Jay a pep talk. And God bless Jimmy uso, because I swear, if my brother, with everything that Jay USO has accomplished this year, Alone. But like regardless of this year, going back to the bloodline, going back to the Usos, going back to how far this tag team has, has come in the wwe, from wearing board shorts and face paint to being like the example of what tag team wrestling can be in the wwe. The idea that at any point now Jay USO is still not exactly sure where he lands. That's. That's gotta be done.

[Megan Morant]

How many times can we run it back for Jey USO to believe?

[Sam]

Yeah, everybody loves him.

[Megan Morant]

That this is great.

[Sam]

Oh, all the. There's grown ass men wearing T shirts say yeet on it. Grown men with children.

[Megan Morant]

When we were walking to the studio to record this, there was a grown ass man yeeting in the hallway.

[Sam]

And I mean he's grown, grown singing the song Day one.

[Megan Morant]

Ish.

[Sam]

But I mean like, it has to be. I can't because I tell you, if my brother was still coming to me with these, like, you know that I had to, I had to check to make sure his head was still in the game. I wouldn't have the patience, I would not have the patience that Jimmy USO has with Jey uso. So I've, I've got to hope and I've got to believe that after this win, after a tag team match that was that good, that that part of Jay USO is done. Because it's really interesting that with, with so many wins like last year, it was the story of, oh man, Jay's never going to win the big one. We wanted him so many times.

[Megan Morant]

Main event, Jay uso. We wanted that.

[Sam]

Wanted that. We wanted Jay USO to be the one to beat Gunther. He wasn't the one to beat Gunther. We wanted Jay USO to be the one, I mean, you know, for the Intercontinental title. We wanted Jay USO before that to be the one to beat Roman Reigns. He wasn't the one to beat Roman Reigns. Finally he has this year that everybody has been waiting for. That he's been waiting for. And he's still having those like crisis of conscience moments. I want to hit that Cody Rhodes enough. But it's over. The conversation is done.

[Megan Morant]

You know, the, it's, it's like in a way, Jay USO is all of us right at one point or another having imposter syndrome in our life with different things. But there comes a point where you've been a world heavyweight champion. You have all of these people telling you and showing you that you belong.

[Sam]

Yeah, yeah. But I mean, look, yes, everybody's struggled with imposter syndrome, I would imagine that's ever been able to do anything in kind of a significant fashion. But at a point, you know what I mean? At a point, it's like, this is not. You can't feel this way anymore. You have to figure out who you are and tell me who you are. And I think that that did come alive tonight.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah. And I'm hoping so now that they're the tag team champions, especially that all of this doubt gets left behind in 2025 for Jay Uso.

[Sam]

I wonder, like, now that they have that title, is there any team, obviously, the New Day would be the ones to step up. But the New Day lost to the Usos last week. You know what I mean? I almost am looking around going like, okay, the USO's are the tag team champions now. What team is there?

[Megan Morant]

Well, I mean, you could never count out the Vision.

[Sam]

That's true. We've got enough members of the Vision that they could come for everything.

[Megan Morant]

Well, you got to think about the Judgment Day, dealing with injuries, so.

[Sam]

Right, the Judgment Day. You know, they said on commentary tonight that Dominic Mysterio had a shoulder injury, that J.D. mcDonough was out. So I don't know if there's enough members of the Judgment Day to constitute a tag team. You have the War Raiders, you have tag teams, but the USO's are a hall of Fame tag team. And it's actually really interesting going back to stuff that the Vision was talking about tonight and that confrontation with CM Punk and Bron Breaker, and we'll get into that in a little bit. But, like, the USO's are kind of that old guard of tag teams that are now being able to have this one more run that I don't think a lot of people saw coming. No, I think most people thought, especially going in, I would say, even last year, that, like, the. The era of the USO's being a tag team is over.

[Megan Morant]

You know, it was main event Jay and Big Jim.

[Sam]

Right. Big Brother Jim.

[Megan Morant]

And to me, that was singles acts.

[Sam]

Right.

[Megan Morant]

So seeing them back together, I love it. Yeah, it's so much fun.

[Sam]

But, you know, and I don't mind that, you know, I. I feel like.

[Megan Morant]

And it's different.

[Sam]

It's very different. It's super different because they're both better. They're both way better, and they both experience different things and they both resonate with the audience in totally different ways than they used to. And I think, too, you remember going all the way back, we've talked about this Here before, when Roman Reigns at the beginning of the tribal chief run, looked at at Jay and he said, you know what they say when they see you? Which one is he? But that's what the USO's were. The USO's were a tag team or nothing.

[Megan Morant]

Not anymore.

[Sam]

It was like you knew one was Jimmy and one was Jay, but you weren't 100% sure which was which. You're 100% right now. It's not. You have your favorite. You, you know, like, like two distinct personalities. Two distinct, different types of wrestling. Like, like two distinct acts that come together and just compliment each other. And I would even say that because really there hasn't been an extended run for the USO's since. I mean, it's been years. Yeah, right. Since Jay probably came onto Raw when he left the bloodline from the beginning.

[Megan Morant]

Cody brought him to Raw.

[Sam]

Right. That, like, there's probably a generation of WWE fans that doesn't know the USO's.

[Megan Morant]

Is a tag team. You're so right.

[Sam]

Exactly.

[Megan Morant]

You're so right. I mean, you look at all these young kids dressed like Jey uso, there are many of them in the crowd. They don't remember Jey USO and Jimmy USO in board shorts or they weren't.

[Sam]

Yeah, they definitely know they weren't. Might not even been born for that. Yeah, but they weren't watching even at WrestleMania 39 or 38 or going back when the Usos were really defining what the tag team division was. And so for those kids and for those newer fans too. Cause they were adults that just started watching a year or two ago are going to be able to say, like, oh, this is what it was all about. This is what the foundation was. And I mean, I do love the idea of getting to go back into arenas and seeing the USO's be a dominant tag team again and doing it with the confidence of. It's one thing to see a tag team reunite for a match.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah.

[Sam]

We had seen with Jimmy and Jay this year. But it's another thing when those tag team titles are involved and you're ending the year. This is the last scene of Monday night Raw in 2025. Is the Usos in the crowd holding up the tag team championships with fireworks going off. My feeling is that, okay, this is gonna. This is a run now, now, now. This is what Jimmy and Jay are doing. So the idea that, like, we get to see this unexpected new chapter kind of unfold and go wherever it's gonna go. I think it's pretty exciting.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah. And I love how you brought up the kind of the old guard and then, you know, the Visions mission, as we've talked about on this show and as the visions talked about on ra, to shape the future, change the now of wwe. And so that's interesting to me.

[Sam]

It's super interesting. Yeah. Because. Because I think there is a very interesting thing going on with WWE as you get into 2026. You know, 2025. So much of this year was all around that John Cena retirement tour. And there are so many wrestlers that have been here for a long time but are still performing on the highest of levels and still garnering the greatest interest and still gathering the largest number of eyeballs and ears watching and listening to everything that they do. And when you're still doing that, there's no reason for you to. Even if you can still go at a high level and people are still interested in seeing you go at a high level.

[Megan Morant]

Continue, please.

[Sam]

Yeah, there's no reason for you to go, but at the same time, you're getting to the point where that younger generation is getting impatient. And it's interesting to me, this idea that we've been seeing that specifically, I think, in the men's singles division and that now that may extend itself into the tag team division with the USO's back on top.

[Megan Morant]

It's very interesting. We saw an Obofemi package tonight on Raw. We saw Javon Evans backstage.

[Sam]

Trick was backstage on Raw too. Trick Williams going back. Javon Evans showing up and being like, oh, yeah, no, no, I don't know what I'm doing here. Adam Pierce wanted to talk to me about something, so I'm just here.

[Megan Morant]

He had some AI shorts on. Not. I like artificial intelligence. I like Allen Iverson.

[Sam]

Oh, I thought the computer had made the shorts.

[Megan Morant]

They might have.

[Sam]

I don't know.

[Megan Morant]

Who knows?

[Sam]

I don't know for sure.

[Megan Morant]

The AI is for you to interpret, right?

[Sam]

That's exactly right. But, yeah, I mean, I think that the landscape of the WWE is going to change dramatically very quickly in 2026. But. But I love the idea. And that's. That's what makes stuff like this different. That, yes, the USO's are the tag team champions again, but you're going to look around and see a whole bunch of new faces that are coming after the USO's. And the USO's may have to completely change their game to adapt to. To what this new era of stars is going to look like.

[Megan Morant]

I can't Wait. I'm excited for it.

[Sam]

It's pretty, pretty exciting. It was a big night. Monday Night Raw starts with the announcement from the Vision that Austin Theory is officially in. And I do very much love that there is no sort of vagueness about it, that there's no, I don't know. We'll see. We're going to test this week and test that week and test that week. It's like, okay, dude, you're in. And this is the group. And we. And we got a chance to see what the whole group looked like with Bronson, Reed and Braun, Breaker and Logan, Paul, and now Austin Theory alongside Paul Heyman. A very, very different group than Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman started to begin with.

[Megan Morant]

Extremely.

[Sam]

But before we get into what they said, and especially what Bron Breaker and CM Punk said, which was a real highlight for me on Monday Night Raw tonight, we got the chance right after his match with Rey Mysterio to talk to Austin Theory about joining the Vision.

[Austin Theory]

You hear that? That's not just a Toyota truck. That's the sound of no crowds, no alerts, no distractions, and no telling what you'll find next. You know, like a detour. So why would you ever take a tour when you could take a detour? Toyota trucks?

[Megan Morant]

If you're an H vac technician and a call comes in, Grainger knows that you need a partner that helps you find the right product fast and hassle free. And you know that when the first problem of the day is a clanking blower motor, there's no need to break a sweat. With Grainger's easy to use website and product details, you're confident you'll soon have everything humming right along. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Sam]

Well, we welcome here onto the Raw recap on his first day as an official member of the Vision, Austin Theory. First of all, congratulations. How does it feel to this quickly have that goal accomplished and have the Vision not only accept you, but all together kind of announced to the world that you're. You're in, you're in the group?

[Austin Theory]

Well, to me it's about the future. And that's exactly what the Vision's about. And it's about taking. And that's what I'm all about now. I'm not waiting for opportunities. I'm not, you know, looking at my past and saying, hey, I beat John Cena. Give me something. Somebody hand me another opportunity. Now we just take. And that's how it feels now being in the Vision, just going to take everything?

[Sam]

Is that something that you came to when you're. When you're at home, when you're injured and you're. And you're trying to figure out what's next? Was there a point when you realized that this was the direction that you needed to take?

[Austin Theory]

Yeah, you know, like, when I really kind of sit back like I did and think about it, you know, I went from just a lot of big moments so quick in my career, and I think I kind of lost myself. I think I. I did. I got comfortable, you know, and like I said before, waiting for somebody to, you know, give me a handout, give me something because of me, feeling like I deserved it. And I feel like, you know, my whole life I've worked for everything that I've had. And at a young age, getting to the wwe, accomplishing the things that I've done, I just kind of got to a point where the Vision just takes. And they're not waiting for anything. And that's. You know, when I put myself back at home and I'm watching, it's like I could sit here and I can wait and I could point the finger and blame whoever I want, but I can point it out myself because I know at the end of the day that if there's anything that I truly want, I can have. But I've got to take it. I've got to put in that effort, and I know exactly what to do. And division was the perfect opportunity for that. I feel like there was a time where I was all alone, trying to take out all these old guys, and there was no one else that was really young stepping up to the plate. And now you've got guys like Bron Breaker, who's going to be the next World Heavyweight champion? You have Logan Paul. I mean, who doesn't know Logan Paul? You've got Bronson Reed, the muscle on that guy, the shoes that he collects, the tribal thief. I'm going to acknowledge him. And when it comes to me, you know, I'm not stopping. I don't stop, I don't fold. And I sure as hell don't forget.

[Sam]

You said something really interesting there at the beginning when you talked about beating John Cena, that that's something that you have on your resume, that especially in this current era, not that many people have. Do you think that that is what happened to you, that you were sitting there waiting for, you know, the rewards to come from that, that you were sitting there waiting for somebody to give that to you instead of actually using that opportunity to step up to the plate yourself.

[Austin Theory]

Yeah, I can admit that. Being the youngest Mr. Money in the bank, youngest US champ, beating John Cena at WrestleMania, walking in the US champ, walking out the US champ. And I was, you know, in a place back then where I just hung on to that stuff so much, you know, and especially the John Cena thing. I don't know how many times I said his name and tried to tell everybody that I did this, but it's one of those things where I'm at now mentally, is like, hey, that guy, Austin Theory B, John Cena. People should already know that. I shouldn't have to tell you. And that's kind of where I'm at now with things. You're going to see me accomplish stuff. You're going to see me take whatever I want. And, you know, I'm not chasing moments anymore. They're going to come to me. And when you see that, you'll know I don't have to tell you.

[Megan Morant]

Well, you talked about before, earlier on in your career, when you were. You were doing things alone, you know, making these massive moments at WrestleMania, becoming the youngest United States Champion, but you were really doing it by yourself. Now you are a member of the Vision, obviously not a solo act. And Paul Heyman, one of the leaders, the Oracle, if you will, in the Vision.

[Sam]

Adorable Oracle.

[Megan Morant]

Some refer to him as the Adorable Oracle, Sam being one of them. But what was your relationship like with Paul Heyman before you became an official member of the Vision?

[Austin Theory]

I've always had a good relationship with Paul. Back when I was the Evolve Champion, WWE did one of their first shows with Evolve, and it was at the ECW arena. And that was the first time I ever met Paul, and I didn't even know that night. But he ended up doing the Ring introduction for me, and that kind of set off the relationship there. And there was another time as well, kind of during the Pandemic, I got an opportunity to be on Raw, and in that opportunity, that was because of Paul Heyman. So we've always had a great relationship, and I think if there's anybody in this industry that you want looking out for your career or you'd like to, you know, get some knowledge from a wise man, it's Paul Heyman. So I just don't think he can do any wrong.

[Sam]

What about the. I mean, you talk about your bond with. With Paul Heyman. What about the bonding that. I mean, Megan, you had noticed this a couple of weeks ago.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, it Seemed like Logan Paul always, you know, really relied on where and when the masked man was going to show up while the rest of the vision, you know, they, they weren't really, really in on what was going on with the masked man. And then tonight on Raw, we saw you bonding with Logan Paul. Do you have a pre established relationship with Logan Paul? Did you just get to know him through the Vision? What, what type of history do you have with Logan Paul?

[Austin Theory]

So with Logan, you know, I'd have to say that, you know, when he had the United States Championship, I knew like, you know, what that meant and what needed to be done. And I saw him coming into this fresh, but also a guy that's super talented, a guy that can pretty much become great at anything if he just puts the time in and that's what he was doing. And I thought, hey, why not, you know, help and support him, you know, get him those brass knuckles. But that was a little back, that was kind of when we first met. And I just think now, you know, with my change in my mindset and you know, not really like, I guess like, you know, we are working together, but we all can hold our own. And I think having somebody like Logan, I just know, you know, if Rey Mysterio wants to get a little crazy and have one of his, another ugly friends that has to wear a mask come out, you know, Logan will be there and he'll, he'll drop that guy. So. And you know, maybe, you know, tonight was a little bit of a surprise. It caught us off guard. But we're both more handsome than those two. I mean, that's why they wear the mask and we're in the Vision and those two, well, they probably won't be here too long.

[Megan Morant]

I don't know. I thought Penta looked pretty cool.

[Sam]

I mean, he did, you know.

[Austin Theory]

I bet you did. And whoever did your hair, they probably told you to look cool, huh?

[Megan Morant]

They did.

[Sam]

They did. They told her.

[Megan Morant]

Great to have you back.

[Sam]

Ridiculous. You know, you talk about, I was thinking about, you know, watching you and Rey Mysterio in the ring together tonight. And to me it's, it's what I've thought about a lot in terms of where the WWE is now and where it's going. I mean, the star power, the that is on this roster right now in terms of established stars is maybe at an all time high. When you look at the WrestleMania poster and you see Roman Reigns and Cody and Brock Lesnar and when you look at, and CM Punk and when you look at Rey, mysterio there. You look at AJ Styles, but then you also have this, Damn, I'm sorry.

[Austin Theory]

I have to cut you off. You've mentioned Ray several times, and somebody being close to Dirty Dom, I find it very disrespectful because Dirty Dom is, you know, he's. He's. He's making his own path, you know, as a Mysterio. He's not trying to live off his father's legacy. You know, Ray's over here hurting him. He injured him, you know, because he's jealous. And then guess who was on Raw tonight? Not Dirty Dom, that deadbeat. Yeah, go ahead.

[Sam]

I apologize. I apologize. I was being disrespectful, especially to Dirty Dom or anything, because I also see this groundswell that I think you're a part of, and Dirty Dom is a part of, and the vision is a part of more of a youth movement happening than I think we've seen in a very long time. Is there that groundswell? Is there a group of you that are looking at this established talent going, get out of here?

[Austin Theory]

Absolutely, absolutely. You know, how many matches get taken up because of these guys? You know, there's dust all over them. They gotta go. They gotta get out. We run this now and then, you know, we don't even have to keep saying the future. It's. It's crazy. It's already here. We're living in it now. These guys are hanging on for that glory. I mean, you saw CM Punk tonight with that world title, like, it's. It's just not for him anymore. It's time to go, Phil. It's time to go.

[Sam]

Yeah, it felt like a very real moment when he said, I'm not ready to go. Because it felt like the message that you guys are sending is. And it's not just Braun, it's all of you guys is. It's time for you guys to go. That when. When John Cena was on that retirement tour, it felt, you know, almost like, okay, you had 20, 25, but for a lot of that whole generation, it's not just one guy leaving. It's time for everybody to go. Because there are people like you who, as you just declared, are not really willing to wait anymore.

[Austin Theory]

Yeah, it's funny, you say retirement tour and CM Punk saying he's not ready to go. Maybe that's him pitching his retirement tour. Because I think all these guys just want a retirement tour, you know? But it's like, come on, like, you gotta. You gotta leave for a year. We have to say goodbye to you. Each night for a year. Like, how drawn out is that? How ridiculous is that? How. How ego hungry are you? You know, you're such a good guy. But, man, we gotta say goodbye to you on Monday and maybe Friday and definitely on the ples and definitely at a Wrestlemania, you're definitely gonna be on that show. And then maybe we'll just make one big show all about you.

[Sam]

So you're not. You're not one of these guys that needs a retirement tour for somebody every year going forward.

[Austin Theory]

It's insane. Yeah, it's insane. It's crazy. What? Ray gets one, Punk gets one, AJ Styles is going to get one. What is pin are going to get one. Like, what are we doing? What are we doing?

[Sam]

What happens to a group like the Vision when you guys get what you want, when it is about you? But then the people in charge have to be decided based on who's in that group. How is a group of guys like you that all have appropriate egos going to be able to long term accept that not everybody in the group is going to get to be the world champion and not everybody in the group is going to get to be the guy on top. That even when you get to that place that you all want to get to, only one of you is going to be able to be the guy.

[Austin Theory]

That's what you think, Sam. That's what you want to do. You want to try to ruin this, right? But you know what it is? It's simple. You don't see the Vision. You don't. And the thing is, is nobody really is going to see the Vision except for the Vision. That's why you're all going to stand in line. You're going to pay your ticket and you're going to watch the now, the future, the forever. That's how this goes. That's how it goes. And you're gonna watch all your little favorites get knocked out. And when I say knocked out, not just knocked out physically, they're gonna get knocked out of the company. They're gone. And we're gonna run everything and there's gonna be nothing to deny.

[Sam]

Well, listen, Austin Theory, congratulations on becoming a member of the Vision. I know that we certainly look forward to seeing what the Vision looks like as it gets played out. It's good timing coming to the end of the year and the beginning of something, hopefully for your sake, new and we appreciate you giving us your time here so generously on Raw Recap.

[Megan Morant]

Thank you so much.

[Austin Theory]

Yeah, I just. I can't believe I gave you my Time. Because you wasted it. You wasted it, Sam.

[Sam]

Well, okay. I don't know. I mean, I feel like we asked appropriate questions. I feel like we got great answers from you, but I.

[Austin Theory]

Let me tell you something, Sam. Let me tell you something. The only way I'm ever going to do this again is if you get the Vision logo tattooed on your chest. Big right there on your chest. Okay? That's the only way we're doing this again. And I'm pretty sure you're not man enough to do that, so.

[Megan Morant]

Definitely not.

[Austin Theory]

Yeah. So we're not gonna do that then. We're not gonna do this anymore. You're not gonna ask stupid questions? You're not going to try to ruin the vision. You hear this? This guy's trying to ruin the vision. You know what? I'm out. I'm done with you, Sam. Your piece is trash, Sam.

[Sam]

Okay. I mean, I don't know why I had to end negative.

[Megan Morant]

It was kind of awkward when he thought you were Team Deadbeat.

[Sam]

Yeah, he doesn't watch the product and the product being raw. Recap. I couldn't believe that. I've never been accused of being Team Deadbeat dead before.

[Megan Morant]

I was loving that.

[Sam]

I know, I know you didn't at all.

[Megan Morant]

I know. I couldn't at all. I was like, let's just. Let's just let Sam figure it out.

[Sam]

I mean, it would literally be like if somebody came on here and was like, megan, don't you think you should be defending Becky Lynch? Like, it's like, what? What about my life? It's like somebody just ignoring my life's work.

[Megan Morant]

He had already insulted my hair. I was not about interrupt him once again.

[Sam]

No, I probably wouldn't have thrown myself on the sword for you either, so.

[Megan Morant]

No, I know you wouldn't have.

[Sam]

How do you know that? How do you know that? By the way, speaking of deadbeats, there is a new Deadbeat Rey Mysterio T shirt that is live right now on WWE Shop and Fanatics. I mean, I will say, Deadbeat, that he might be terrible father. I don't even know how he is as a human being, but as a wrestler, pretty good. Rey Mysterio is unbelievable. And there were multiple moments in that match with Austin Theory that I could not believe. So I would understand if somebody wanted to rep Ray Mysterio loud and proud on the brand new T shirt. You can get it now at WWE Shop and Fanatics. Right across the chest there. Six, one nine. That's probably the size that Austin Theory wanted me to get. The Vision logo.

[Megan Morant]

You're not getting it, are you?

[Sam]

Tattooed on my. I don't think my wife would want me to. Although I don't know if she married me for my chest. You know what I mean? I don't know. Maybe. I don't know if it's an aesthetic thing with her.

[Megan Morant]

You should ask her.

[Sam]

Yeah, I probably will. I probably will. Is it cool if I get the Vision logo tattooed on my chest? I want to interview Austin Theory again. I mean, I do want to interview him again, but probably give it a little bit of breathing room and end it.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, maybe I'll forget.

[Sam]

And ending kind of tense. Yeah, hopefully he will forget. I'll tell you what, I don't think any of us will forget anytime soon. So Monday night Raw starts, as we said, with Austin Theory coming in, accepting his position in the Vision. And the Vision is very unique in the way that they operate because most factions will tell you it's all for one and one for all. But you can read. Well, no, this guy's over here, this guy's over there. The idea that the minute that somebody is in, they go, I got your back. Well, I got your back. Well, I got your back. Well, I got your back. You know, I, I, I think, like, especially with guys like Braun Breaker, who are hungry for everything right now. Austin Theory, who we just said is on a singular mission to just take and take and take. Bronson Reed, who has made a career of ending people, and Logan Paul, who, who is in and outside of wrestling, the biggest egomaniac that anybody could ever encounter.

[Megan Morant]

But when he's in the Vision, he's a team player.

[Sam]

That's what I'm saying. The fact that all of these guys have somehow become team players, by the way, I don't know, the four of them with Paul Heyman right there with them. I mean, would I be, Would I be committing an act of sacrilege if I said there was something Four Horsemen esque with Paul. Wow. Paul Heyman in the role. Wow. J.J. dillon. I'm just saying, like, listen, maybe right now you're going to tell me I'm crazy, but five years from now, five months from now. What did you just say when I said the Usos were tag team champions, they weren't going to have a lot of competition. What'd you say?

[Megan Morant]

I said the Vision.

[Sam]

So what if? What if? And I mean, you say five years, that's what they're mad about. It ain't five years. It's not the future, it's the now, what if that's true?

[Megan Morant]

But when Heyman came out tonight on Raw, he was saying, like, five years from now, you will look back on this as the moment that these four stood in front of you.

[Sam]

Okay, but what if a week from now, Bron Breaker wins the World Heavyweight Championship? Is that a possibility?

[Megan Morant]

A big one. Okay, huge possibility.

[Sam]

What if Austin Theory and Logan Paul take this friendship to the point where they were bonding? They were bonding over beating up Rey Mysterio, which I do understand, but what if that tag team connectivity clicks? What if they get past Rey Mysterio and Penta? What if they are the ones to take out the USO's? What if they get the Tag Team Championship? And then what if. What if Bronson Reed ends up getting a hold of the Intercontinental Championship? God forbid. I doubt he'd take it from Dominic Mysterio, but if somebody is able to steal it from Dominic Mysterio and then Bronson Reed takes it from them, this could be months.

[Megan Morant]

You're right. You're right.

[Sam]

All of a sudden, that's.

[Megan Morant]

I look at them and I say five years. But you're right, it could be months.

[Sam]

Months. We could be there by WrestleMania. That's how crazy this is. And that's. I think, and I maybe, I hope the pace that things are gonna move, that's the pace that I'd like to see things move in wwe. That. That's. Not. That that's definitely gonna happen, but that's at least a possibility that we're sitting there going, we had this conversation in December at the end of the year, and we're over here talking about five years, and you saying that it's not a crazy thing. No.

[Megan Morant]

The MO of the division ever since Seth Rollins was taken out by Bron Breakker has sort of been that as well.

[Sam]

Right.

[Megan Morant]

I remember the night that we watched Seth Rollins get taken out by Bron Breakker. We said, well, maybe Bron will be the guy in two years, not before dinner.

[Sam]

Right, right.

[Megan Morant]

And he was.

[Sam]

Exactly.

[Megan Morant]

And ever since that happened, this is what the Vision has been doing. They've been operating on their time, on their schedule, on their pace, and they're taking over way quicker than anybody, myself included, ever anticipated them.

[Sam]

And if you look at that group now, when Seth Rollins was in the group, and when Seth Rollins comes back, it's going to be a whole different story. Seth Rollins rules. But when Seth Rollins. Bron Breaker. Here comes Bronson Reed. There was a lot of, well, who is the Vision? What is this Vision thing? What do they really? Do I go, okay, Present. Okay, Future. This is a different group with a different agenda. That really makes sense now, you know? And when you look at them all together, all with different skill sets, all having each other's backs, even when I say to Austin Theory, what are you gonna do when you guys are the present, when it is your company and only one of you could be on top? And, like, that's an offensive question. Like, you're really gonna try. You're not gonna be able to ruin this. We're already on the same page. Like, first of all, the power that Paul Heyman would have. But second of all, what would be able to stop this group if they really are all on the same page? Bron Breaker, who athletically is superior to maybe anybody on the roster. Bronson Reed, who crushes people because it's fun. Shoes and takes their shoes. Not just anybody's shoes, the tribal chiefs shoes. Austin Theory, who I've never seen him, is hungry and is kind of like. Like the fact that he acknowledges that he beat John Cena and then didn't take advantage of the opportunity, that he has that chip on his shoulder and realizes that. And then Logan Paul with them, who doesn't? Logan Paul. Say what you want about Logan Paul, he doesn't operate doing anything unless it's on the highest level.

[Megan Morant]

That's right.

[Sam]

He's literally, like, in the news right now trying to sell a $5 million Pokemon card.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, that's all over my feedback.

[Sam]

I see it everywhere, telling people to buy collectibles instead of stocks. I got a $5 million Pokemon card. Who wants it? And somebody's gonna buy it. He's gonna make a profit off of it, because that's the level that Logan Paul operates on, whether you like him or not. And Paul Heyman, who, I mean, since I'm a kid watching wrestling, has somehow always managed to be at the center of what's relevant and what's cool. Whether it's the Dangerous alliance, whether it's ecw, whether it's CM Punk, whether it's Brock Lesnar, who always figures out a way to be at the center of what is right now. I mean, we're looking at a Horseman type of group if they are successful.

[Megan Morant]

When you put it that way, it doesn't sound crazy at all. When you first say we see the picture and you say, I don't know, Horseman esque, I go, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Sam]

And then, I mean, same number of people, but.

[Megan Morant]

But then when you draw it out the way you just did, I kind.

[Sam]

Of see it, especially because you go, well, what was the magic of the Four Horsemen? Part of it was that Ric Flair grabbed a microphone and commanded your attention, and in a very different way than Ric Flair ever did it. Brom Breaker was able to do that tonight. Braun Breaker, who? I just love that. The story here is that somehow, at some point backstage that we never saw at WrestleMania, CM Punk questioned whether Bron Breakker was going to be able to cut a promo with the people who are at the top of the wwe.

[Megan Morant]

When Punk came out tonight, and he was, you know, telling the rest of the Vision to get out of the ring, and I was thinking to myself, oh, my gosh, are we going to have this moment? Are we going to have Bron Breaker and CM Punk nose to nose? Nose to nose, each with a microphone in their hand? And is Bron Breaker going to be able to cut a promo with the big dogs? There was a part of me that I just had, like, flutters in my stomach waiting to see how this is all going to play out.

[Sam]

Because you can't fake it. No, it's live, it's real life, and.

[Megan Morant]

You'Re right there, nose to nose with the best in the world on the.

[Sam]

Stick, right, CM Punk? Just people waiting. You pointed that out while we were watching. Just the energy of people waiting to watch CM Punk talk.

[Megan Morant]

The whole crowd is chanting, CM Punk, they're not going to put hands on each other because we have a World Heavyweight championship match on January 5 between.

[Sam]

These two a week from now.

[Megan Morant]

But the whole arena is chanting CM Punk to hear him talk.

[Sam]

And it was. To me, it was really interesting because at the beginning, because CM Punk comes, right. Austin Theory is explaining to people how he fits in the Vision. And here comes CM Punk. He interrupts it. You know what I mean? Says, I'm tired of this. Ask the Vision to get out of the ring. At first, the Vision doesn't, but then once Braun says, no, you can go. It's okay. They all get out of the ring, but they stay there at ringside. And when Punk and Braun are face to face, at first I was like, oh, okay. Like, I felt like Braun in the beginning might be kind of relying on the group, because if you look at him in the beginning, he kind of takes that step back. He's pointing out the positives of everybody that's in the group with him. And I go, oh, okay. I mean, it's still cool, right? But I go, it's not the thing. And then when Bron started laying in to CM Punk and, I mean, got right in his face and started talking about, like, you think that what. Cause I didn't come up on the Indies like you, that I don't deserve to be here? You call me a Nepo, baby. You talk about my family. Do you know the standard that I was held to do? You know, the level of greatness that just had to be regular? I mean, it was amazing. It was like his. He was. He was. He was letting everything out on top of CM Punk. And when he told CM Punk straight up that the two of them are not the same, we're not the same. And it was like, it wasn't just Bron Breakker talking to CM Punk. You know, there's been a lot of talk. And there was a couple of years ago when people realized that all these, like, D1 athletes were coming into WWE and people questioned whether or not these D1 athletes were gonna have that passion, because what was the story? Always what was. We loved seeing our indie guys come up and we would go and we would see them at, you know, bingo halls and whatnot and watch them on these little shows and see. Watch the clips on the Internet and everything. And then they just scrap and scrap and scrap. And one day they get to NXT and they go, no, this is the guy. You gotta trust in this guy. And you'd build and you'd build and you'd build. And that was the story. And that was the story that we all loved. And when we started to Hear about these D1 athletes, we go, well, they're not gonna have the passion. They're not gonna have the. And you're laughing because it's like, these are. These are D1 athletes.

[Megan Morant]

Well, I felt a lot of passion when Bron Breakker looked CM Punk straight in the eye and said, I was sharing a football field with Lamar Jackson while you were on the Indies.

[Sam]

We are not the same. And it was like, nobody wrote that. No, he felt that. And he was telling Punk and telling everybody and speaking for his people and going, this isn't. We're not talking. We're not the same. We're not in the same league. We're not doing the same thing.

[Megan Morant]

And the fact that you think I didn't have to work hard.

[Sam]

Yeah. My pursuit of greatness is a totally different level than what you're even used to. And I was like, whoa.

[Megan Morant]

That was the moment for me. Of his entire promo.

[Sam]

You loved it.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, it was fantastic. And I love. You know, it felt like the switch turned on in Bron Breaker after he got through pointing out everybody in the vision and everything that they've done. And then it got personal to him.

[Sam]

Because I think Braun Breaker has felt that way for a long time.

[Megan Morant]

Why is everybody looking at me like I was handed this right?

[Sam]

Where it's like, your job is to show reverence to the people who came before you. Okay, I'll show reverence. Okay, I'll show respect. Okay, I'll show reverence. Okay, I'll show respect. And at a point, you go, okay, I've done it. What about the reverence to me? What about, like, what I'm capable of? What about the road that I've been on that these guys never did? And the fact that he also sat there and said, like, that he's so sick of hearing one day because he's ready now. And I love that mentality. I adore that. When I look in someone's eyes and I know that they believe it. Like this whole, like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Five years from now, maybe one day, it's like, no, no, no, no, no. I'm here for it right now, one.

[Megan Morant]

Week from now, one week from today.

[Sam]

And there's nothing you can do about it. And even CM Punk's retort, right? And we were talking about it a little bit with Austin Theory earlier, but CM Punk's retort that he was different because he wasn't ready to let it go. And I go, that's a really interesting way to phrase it, because that's exactly the frustration that a younger guy would have, that you're not ready to let it go. Maybe it doesn't matter whether or not you're ready to let it go. But, like, I get where Punk's coming from. He's had to work forever to finally get to this point in his career. He. By the way, if you go and trace back, I mean, now we take for granted that CM Punk is, like, in this position of one of the greats of all time, one of the truly respected veterans. He was never put in that position. He had to work harder than anybody's had to work to be in that spot, because he wasn't built for him and he took it. But the fact that he finally has that spot, it's like he doesn't want to give it up. Which is so fascinating to me because I grew up watching cm Pun. I didn't grow up. I was an adult. But you know what I mean? When I was younger, I watched cm.

[Megan Morant]

He was your childhood hero.

[Sam]

He was my childhood hero. Like R Truth and John Cena. But I watched the rise of C. I was the biggest CM Punk fan ever. And when somebody that had been around for a while said that they weren't ready to give it up to somebody like CM Punk, CM Punk didn't take that sitting down. And that's why we all loved CM Punk. So to see Bron Breakker look at Punk in the face and go, it's mine now. And Punk say, I'm not ready to give it up. Time is a circle. And you wonder if Punk and Braun and everybody. I mean, I know Paul Heyman's aware of it because he was there for.

[Megan Morant]

All of it, every second of it.

[Sam]

But it really is remarkable to watch those roles get switched in this story.

[Megan Morant]

I also really liked when Punk pointed out, do you understand the weight of this? And I'm not just talking about the physical weight of the championship, but everything that comes with that.

[Sam]

That's right. Yeah. Because I bet Punk wasn't even aware of that when he was fighting for it and didn't become aware of it until he had it.

[Megan Morant]

And you're the young guy who is the future, and you claim the future is now. I'm not ready to give this up. But do you even understand the weight of this title?

[Sam]

Right? And you know what? He doesn't have to understand it. He doesn't have it right now.

[Megan Morant]

That's right.

[Sam]

You know, he's going to win it, and then we'll figure out if he can understand it or not. But that's next week. And who knows? I mean, it's crazy when you're watching this and it's not one of those stories where you're like, well, clearly this one's going to win, or clearly that one's going to win. Like, people are going to be watching this one. People are really going to be watching this one. I've got to tell you, it's an exciting time. It's an exciting time across the universe. You know why?

[Megan Morant]

Why is that?

[Sam]

Well, because we can step into the ring with the debut of Topps Universe wwe. That's right. It's making its hobby debut, right?

[Megan Morant]

That's right.

[Sam]

A bold, cosmic, inspired take on WWE collecting. It features a massive 300 card base set. Hall of Famers Current Champions Rising Prospects. I wonder where you're going to put Braun. Breaker Rising Prospects Current Champions maybe. Who knows? After next week. Stunning, by the way. Galactic patterns and vibrant color parallels bring every superstar to life. Every box, well, it guarantees two autographs and one relic. So there's big hits in every Single rip. That's why Triple H and me like to rip back.

[Megan Morant]

You got to get back with Triple H. I know.

[Sam]

Wait till he finds out. Chase. Short printed inserts highlighting iconic storylines, rivalries, and unforgettable WWE moments as well. Whether you're hunting grails or building a rainbow Topps universe, WWE is your ringside seat to the hobby's next heavyweight release. And while all this tension is going on and generational combat is happening, there's one person on the sidelines who's just enjoying all of the fruits of his labor, and that is Gunther. Gunther just showing up and just really, like, he's just on a victory tour that nobody wants him on. And it's kind of an amazing thing to watch.

[Megan Morant]

It's insulting, right?

[Sam]

You feel insulted.

[Megan Morant]

I do. When Gunther laughed backstage in our Truth's.

[Sam]

Face, that I would be insulted by that.

[Megan Morant]

That hurt.

[Sam]

I mean, yeah. Here's the.

[Megan Morant]

And this wasn't fun, though. We're playing with Truth. This is a blast. Like, this was a disrespectful laugh. That hurt.

[Sam]

Yeah. Especially because not only is R. Truth beloved, but he was serious.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Like, there was no sort of goofy, I'm going to call you by the wrong name. I'm going to do this. He even referred to John Cena as a hero of his, not a brother or a childhood hero. All the fun and games were out the window. Truth was straight up going up to Gunther and saying, hey, you done it twice now. That's the last time it's going to happen.

[Megan Morant]

This wasn't the same Truth that was dressed up as a rabbit in a bunny costume on Friday Night Smackdown.

[Sam]

No, no. That was a miracle on 34th street fight.

[Megan Morant]

Well, this. This was not that.

[Sam]

His holidays confused. There's no bunnies on Christmas.

[Megan Morant]

Well, he had nothing confused tonight on Raw.

[Sam]

No, on Raw, he had all of his feelings and emotions in check. But they may have. Well, they may have steered him a little bit wrong. I don't know. People think Gunther's a joke. People think Gunther is. Is. Is someone to play with or someone to step up to. I have to wonder if. If R. Truth is sitting there going like, oh, it's a good thing I did that, because, I mean, he really was. It was another one where I hope nobody was thinking there'd even be a moment of R. Truth making us all feel better.

[Megan Morant]

I think R. Truth got lucky tonight that he didn't get taken out on a stretcher.

[Sam]

Well, that's why. Probably why he tapped, because he realized, if I don't tap. That's the other way to go home.

[Megan Morant]

We're talking about Gunter. We're talking about a ruthless Gunter.

[Sam]

Yeah, Yeah. I mean, those moments where it was like, truth mounted a comeback for a second, and it was almost like, I don't even want to. It was almost like Gunther allowed it to happen because he wanted us to have that one little glimmer, one little moment of hope, and then he would just chop it down again. And Gunther decided, well, because he wanted us to hurt.

[Megan Morant]

That's why he gave him the moment of glimmer, so that we could feel. So that Gunter could crush us.

[Sam]

That's right. Gunther decided when it was time to just lock that sleeper on our truth and make our truth tap out. I mean, it's gotten to the point now where, like, do you even have Gunther wrestle regularly on Monday Night Raw? I mean, what does this guy have to prove? Like, nothing. And the. The. I don't want to say ego trip that it's given him, but the level of confidence that the victory over John Cena has given Gunther is what puts him in there now. And, like, he carries himself as if there's, like, him and the rest of the WWE roster. And why is it that he can carry himself that way?

[Megan Morant]

Because he tapped out John Cena.

[Sam]

He made John Cena tap out. As Joe Test said, like a B. That's what Gunther says. That's what Joe Test said.

[Megan Morant]

Gunther said, like a B.

[Sam]

Like a B. And I. And I just, like, I don't know you. It's. It's almost one of those things where you. You look at Gunther and you just go, this is the. This is the reality of what we got now. And some people are looking at it going like, well, is Gunther going to start just, like, retiring people? And I'm kind of like, man, if I'm Gunther, I'm not limiting myself to that. If I'm wwe, I'm not limiting Gunther to that.

[Megan Morant]

I don't think it gives him, you know, any extra feeling. Oh, I. He doesn't put a notch in his hat. Oh, I retired Goldberg. Cena's obviously different. Right. But I don't think he's collecting these feathers in his hat about who is retired. Gunter wants to completely destroy anyone who steps up to him.

[Sam]

Right. For fun.

[Megan Morant]

Yes.

[Sam]

He enjoys it.

[Megan Morant]

I mean, I think at one point on commentary, Wade Barrett said, it's an inevitability.

[Sam]

Yes.

[Megan Morant]

And that describes Gunter perfectly.

[Sam]

Right. The last person to be described that way was Thanos. You know what I mean? And he's got that. He's got that infinity gauntlet on his hand. But, yeah, I mean, I really. I really think that Gunther has. I mean, he's entered into this whole different space, and he did it not at Saturday night's main event, but on the way to Saturday night's main event.

[Megan Morant]

As soon as he came back for the tournament.

[Sam]

That's right. That's 100% right. Because he enjoyed eliminating La Knight and he enjoyed eliminating Javon Evans. He enjoyed all of us, you know, going on the Internet and going, like, why would you just have Javon Evans just go down to Gunther like that. He enjoyed all of us going on the Internet and going like, we all love La Knight. Like, why would you just have Gunther just like. And it's like, no, there's no. You have. It's Gunther. This is what I'm going to do every time. Because, like, he loves bathing in the tears of wrestling fans. He enjoys that. He finds it very, very relaxing. He went on, I think it was first take. I was listening to it before Saturday night's main event, and he said that he just loves antagonizing people. And, you know, for forever, Gunther was defined by this person who is just there for business. I'm here for business. The bigger the win, the more money I make. The more money I make, the more I feed my family. That's what I'm here for. This is that to a different level.

[Megan Morant]

We.

[Sam]

Where he, it seems to me, has developed a taste for antagonism and using his ability to ruin this for wrestling fans.

[Megan Morant]

He's relishing another's pain.

[Sam]

Yes, he loves it. And I think that that makes him dangerous because now he's going to go after whoever he can go after if it's going to make life difficult for people.

[Megan Morant]

Well, before, it almost felt like Gunter thought, oh, you. You have the. Those. Those feelings. That's okay. I'm here for business. And now he says, oh, I. I enjoy making you feel hurt. I enjoy. Yeah, crushing your souls. I enjoy.

[Sam]

Yeah, I heard you have those feelings. That's great. I'd love to eat them. I'd love to consume them, and I'd love for them to power me and to move forward with them. That's exactly right.

[Megan Morant]

Before he said, oh, that's nice. I'm still going to win.

[Sam]

Right.

[Megan Morant]

It's inconsequential. It's time to keep relishing in it.

[Sam]

That's right. That's right. It used to be a bystander of all this. Okay. I mean, if you feel that way. That's how you feel. I don't know what to tell you. That means nothing to me now. It's like, oh, really? Oh, you do?

[Megan Morant]

Ooh, what if I ruin that?

[Sam]

I'd love to ruin that. I'd love to feel what it's like to ruin that. Like, he's really.

[Megan Morant]

It's evil.

[Sam]

It's evil. It's an evil thing. It's an evil thing. But it's. It's wild to see. And like, also, it's really interesting because he's portrayed on television as having everybody really upset with him, right? And you see these people and they're glaring at him and they're snarling at him. And everybody except Becky Lynch. Becky lynch thinks he's doing a great job.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, he was. He was on our vlog this week.

[Sam]

Hurt. You told me.

[Megan Morant]

I showed you.

[Sam]

I didn't check.

[Megan Morant]

I made you watch it.

[Sam]

He did make me watch the vlog, which is. I mean, every Monday.

[Megan Morant]

Look forward to it.

[Sam]

Oh, award.

[Megan Morant]

It's award winning.

[Sam]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't think there should be cameras in the locker room, but this is not unreal after all. But I think that. I think that I'm looking at everybody being upset with Gunther, but it's like, what difference does it make? And as much as usually it. If I'm watching a show and I'm watching and the whole locker room is mad at this one superstar, I go, oh, that guy's in trouble. Oh, that guy's going to get his comeuppance. Oh, that guy's going to have a match with this guy or have a match with that guy. And that's where we're going. And that's how he gets his. And I'm watching, and I'm more going like, man, I don't know why you guys are stepping up.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, I feel the same way.

[Sam]

Because I don't see any. I. When I look as a fan, when I look at. At. At future bouts for Gunther, I don't see anyone in front of me that I go, oh, that guy's going to beat Gunther. No one. No one.

[Megan Morant]

I don't either.

[Sam]

It's nuts, ma'. Am. It's a nuts, nuts thing. I'll tell you what, he probably won't be at Fanatics Fest because there'll be so much joy at Fanatics Fest. But that's the big news, right? The WWE and sports fans. This is huge. The world's number one sports fan festival, Fanatics Fest. It's making its return to New York City.

[Megan Morant]

How many days?

[Sam]

Four. You think three, right? No, four. Four. There's way too much. Way too much. Because fanatics, they bring you closer to the leagues, the teams, the superstars, the athletes that you love across four action packed days in July. You go to Fanatics Fest. You can meet your favorite WWE Superstars. You can get your hands on exclusive merch. You know what my wife found me for Christmas. This is, this is. I'm going to tell you. This is for a shoot. You know, my wife found me, found me for Christmas.

[Megan Morant]

What'd she find you?

[Sam]

She found. And I didn't get it at Fanatics Fest last year and I regretted it every single day. And so she had to track it down, pay a huge amounts of money on the secondary market to get it because it was exclusive to Fanatics Festival. But she got me the John Cena Fanatics Fest Tour stop T shirt. You know how I did a different T shirt for every tour stop on the retirement tour? He had one exclusive to Fanatics Fest last year. I didn't get it. I finally have my hands on it now because that's where we changed each other's lives.

[Megan Morant]

That's right. That's when he hugged you?

[Sam]

Well, he leapt across the table and hugged me.

[Megan Morant]

Tackled.

[Sam]

But those are the kind of moments.

[Megan Morant]

You can make at Fanatics Fest.

[Sam]

You can make those types of moments at Fanatics Fest. And that's what we did in three days. I can only imagine what we're going to do in four. You could get your tickets right now. They are on sale. And just for being a fan of Raw recap, you can get 10% off. Let's go get that 10% discount by using code RAW RECAP10 at checkout. That's RAW RECAP10. Get your tickets to Fanatics Fest now. Hopefully Megan and I, we will see you there. You know we talked about Becky Lynch.

[Megan Morant]

Well, I'm hoping she's going to have a big vlog from Fanatics Fest.

[Sam]

One could only hope.

[Megan Morant]

Four days. That's a lot of vlogging.

[Sam]

It's a lot of vlogging. But imagine all the fans opportunities to be a part of this big award winning vlog which she never quite made clear who gave her the award. She just said it was an award.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, I think it's all over the Internet. Everybody on the Internet has recognized these vlogs as the greatest vlogs that anybody has ever seen.

[Sam]

Yeah, no, I was just thinking 2025 is definitely the year that the vlog. Vlog. It's not like an old. Well, whatever. You got to give it to Maxine Dupree. Maxine came out right out of the gate, aggressive, threatening. Becky lynch interrupted.

[Megan Morant]

Listen, she's a bride, right? This is the wedding, her wedding week. And as all brides know, the week of your wedding, very stressful. It is so coming out here just fired up and ready to go because on top of all of the planning, she has to do all of the details. She has to iron out for one of the biggest days of her life. She also has to turn around and defend the intercontinental title just a few short days later.

[Sam]

You think it's too much on her plate?

[Megan Morant]

It's a lot.

[Sam]

I didn't know brides get that stressed out. Imagine how stressed my wife must have been. This is what she's looking at. That's terrible.

[Megan Morant]

That's tough.

[Sam]

But yeah, that's true. She's got a wedding and an intercontinental championship defense within 48 hours against the former champion, Becky Lynch.

[Megan Morant]

This is tough planning.

[Sam]

Who. I mean, really. Becky lynch has a lot to lose in this match. As much as she has been yap, yap, yap type, type. Type. Yap, yap type, yap type.

[Megan Morant]

It is interesting that they're going to be in New York once again. And we do know that New York has a manager's license clause and all the contracts. We do. Well, of course we know this because AJ Lee didn't have one always covered and that was in New York. And now we're gonna. But it's in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is still New York. So managers license.

[Sam]

No, you know geography too well.

[Megan Morant]

I didn't know if it was manager's license. Just in New York City.

[Sam]

You thought. You thought it was borough specific.

[Megan Morant]

I don't know. I haven't like you the manager's license.

[Sam]

In Queens, but not in Brooklyn.

[Megan Morant]

Maybe. You never know.

[Sam]

I don't. That wasn't covered on the vlog.

[Megan Morant]

It wasn't.

[Sam]

Okay, so we don't know for sure.

[Megan Morant]

But it is interesting this is taking place in New York.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Megan Morant]

I mean, look, Becky lynch did try.

[Sam]

To control room Queens. We definitely need a manager's license. Is that right? Yeah. Okay. That is correct. Queens, we need one. That's what we know for sure.

[Megan Morant]

For sure. And Manhattan.

[Sam]

And Manhattan, yes.

[Megan Morant]

Still don't know about Brooklyn.

[Sam]

We don't know Brooklyn yet, but we are checking on it.

[Megan Morant]

Okay, great. Well, Becky lynch, though, she did try to give Maxine Dupree a little bit of. Credit. She struggled to get the words out.

[Sam]

I've seen people.

[Megan Morant]

This was big of Her.

[Sam]

I mean, I don't know. I've seen people struggle to get words out before. I don't know that I've ever seen anybody struggle quite as hard as Becky struggle to get those words out. But she gave credit. First of all, she got really mad. Look at that face. She gave credit to Maxine for being able to steal the championship. That's not credit. She didn't say, I give you credit. You beat me. She said, I give you credit. You managed to steal my championship. That's not credit for what Maxine.

[Megan Morant]

You get away with it.

[Sam]

Yeah, that's not what Maxine did.

[Megan Morant]

Well, she did beat her because of an interference by AJ Lee without a manager's license. And before that corrupt car.

[Sam]

Jessica Carr, the referee.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, she counted. She ended the count.

[Sam]

Was this all covered on the vlog? I didn't see every. Okay, okay.

[Megan Morant]

You're have to check it out.

[Sam]

That might be why I missed it.

[Megan Morant]

Don't show to the. Don't show up to your job unprepared. Watch Becky Lynch's vlog.

[Sam]

Well, every time I say I turn on her, so I go, I go like, oh, let me watch Becky's vlog. And I check her socials, and she's tweeting about me. I'm seeing pictures of my action figures. She's comparing it to Cole Cole, not Michael Cole, which would have been bad enough. He was in the blog, but I'm sure he was.

[Megan Morant]

He was.

[Sam]

I'm sure he was.

[Megan Morant]

You didn't make an appearance this week. Maybe next week.

[Sam]

I don't need to be in the vlog. I don't need to be involved. I'm getting. The little Sam action figure is getting besmirched by this Becky Lynch. I can't. What am I gonna. I mean, I'm keep scrolling and looking for some vlog.

[Megan Morant]

I just need you to show up to your job prepared. And part of being prepared would be following along with the content of the greatest female wrestler of all time. And you're clear. Clearly just ignoring it.

[Sam]

You know what? I know what you're doing. You. Here's what you want because you're a clout chaser. Always have been, always will be. You are hoping. Yep. You. You.

[Austin Theory]

Me.

[Sam]

Yes, you. You are hoping that now the new thing in the Becky lynch tweets are that she tweets that I'm not prepared because it gives you some kind of sick enjoyment that you've helped feed her egomaniacal nonsense. That's what I think.

[Megan Morant]

Listen, this is not over. Clout. Chaser until Becky lynch wins. And she always finds a way to win. Can you agree with that? She does always find a way to win.

[Sam]

No, she's multiple times lost. For instance, the Intercontinental Championship match against Maxine Dupree and at War Games. Those are both massive matches that not only did she not find a way to win, but she lost both of them. So, no, I do not agree that she always finds a way to win. Otherwise she'd still be the champion.

[Megan Morant]

Listen to me, you little pup.

[Sam]

You love that.

[Megan Morant]

Listen to me.

[Sam]

Okay, sorry.

[Megan Morant]

The little pup.

[Sam]

Sorry, sorry.

[Megan Morant]

I love when Becky gets fierce.

[Sam]

No, she does. And she's going to have to get fierce next Monday night. Huge. Huge. Monday night Raw. Three massive matches, the first of which is, of course, Becky Lynch, Maxine Dupree Intercontinental Championship. By far the biggest title defense that Maxine has had as champion. Must win.

[Megan Morant]

And it seems wild to say it's the biggest match of Maxine Dupree's career because she has faced Becky lynch now. This will be the fourth time, but.

[Sam]

Each time you think this is bigger than her winning the her. Yeah. Because now she's got to keep it.

[Megan Morant]

Yes.

[Sam]

So I would say this is the big.

[Megan Morant]

Like when she won it, you know, not everybody. Nobody really thought that that was going to happen.

[Sam]

And this is a massive. Yeah, that's right. She's coming in as champion. She's expected to win. This is a massive episode of Raw. It's the first Raw of the year. It's the Netflix one year reunion. It's the Stranger Things Raw.

[Megan Morant]

That's right.

[Sam]

You think that Becky lynch is our version of Vecna?

[Megan Morant]

Yes, I do.

[Sam]

That's co.

[Megan Morant]

I do.

[Sam]

That's cool.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Yeah. Just two villains. Yeah. I would say you're right. This is the biggest match that Maxine Dupree has ever had. But it's it. It is. Though must win more so than usual for Becky lynch because she's made all of these ridiculous vlogs and even you, if Becky loses again, couldn't deal with another Becky lynch excuse.

[Megan Morant]

It's. It's going to be tough.

[Sam]

Must win. Must win for Becky Lynch. Then you have the Women's Tag Team championship on the line. We saw promos tonight. We saw the Kabuki warriors hit the ring and Eosky and Rhea Ripley respond to that. Come out. Physicality ensued. It all gets settled next Monday. Women's Tag Team championship on the line. I don't think that this division has ever been as hot as it is right now. Rhea Ripley and Eo sky as a tag team seems like should be impossible to beat if they stay on the same page. Because if there's one thing Oscar and Kyrie do, it stay on the same page.

[Megan Morant]

Kyrie.

[Sam]

Yeah, yeah, we heard.

[Megan Morant]

We heard that tonight live.

[Sam]

And in effect, do you see a title. I know you see a title change happening in the Intercontinental match. Do you see a title change happening here? I've got to tell you, I think that as difficult as it is to picture either Rhea Ripley or EO sky losing, I think the Kabuki warriors are getting underestimated. I think they're both lethal. I think they work well as a tag team. And I think you hater of the year, Megan Morant, for a long time questioning EO and Rhea Ripley's teaming. I think that that might finally rear its ugly head.

[Megan Morant]

You think I could be onto something.

[Sam]

I think it may finally rear its ugly head next week. It's almost like when you're in a relationship that you probably shouldn't be in, but it's okay because it's working, but you know, it's not long term. And then a proposal comes and that's when it all blows up. Because you're like, we shouldn't have gotten this far.

[Megan Morant]

That haven't been answered.

[Sam]

That's right.

[Megan Morant]

There's some things on the table that we don't want to go there and we don't want to discuss them. Them because we know we're not on the same page.

[Sam]

That's right.

[Megan Morant]

But these are big things.

[Sam]

That's right.

[Megan Morant]

And that's where EO and Ria are.

[Sam]

I don't think a title change is happening. What about you? Also, I don't. I think Maxine Dupre is going to retain too. But go on.

[Megan Morant]

It's tough for me to pick against two of the best, the biggest stars on the planet. Right. Rio Ripley and EO Sky. I look at those. Two of the best wrestlers on the planet. Two of the best stars in the entire company. I like. I think. I think we're going to see a title change. Oh, I do. I do.

[Sam]

And then World Heavyweight Championship is on the line.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, my gosh. Am I going to pick three title changes?

[Sam]

Br.

[Megan Morant]

What am I?

[Sam]

Braum Breaker. So far, I've picked no title changes. Definitely not. Intercontinental Braun Breaker.

[Megan Morant]

Ridiculous.

[Sam]

Is challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. This was a big one for Braun. He has been so successful on his way here. He has not only not disappointed, but delivered at every single point. But that's CM Punk. That's the best in the world. By the way, any question as to the caliber of CM Punk? He also I'm assuming this is the main event next Monday. I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming there's a good chance this is the main event next Monday. You know who main evented the first Raw on Netflix? CM Punk. Who do you see walking out of Stranger Things Raw Brooklyn Netflix anniversary as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion after tonight's promo brawn break.

[Megan Morant]

Wow.

[Sam]

Megan, you too. I don't know if I say I think that will happen, but I kind of want it to happen. I kind of want to see it. And I would never think that. I wouldn't have thought it on paper. I wouldn't have thought it even a few weeks ago. I want to see things get mixed up.

[Megan Morant]

I do, too.

[Sam]

I want to see it happen.

[Megan Morant]

Let's start the year with a bang, baby.

[Sam]

We'll find out. We'll see what happens next week. Whatever happens, I promise you this will be here to recap it. So make sure that you are subscribed across all audio platforms. If you're watching on WWE's YouTube channel, click. Like, leave comments and we'll see you next week for the first raw recap of 2026.

[Austin Theory]

It went big.

[Sam]

Can't wait. Me.