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.
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)
- Sam lauds the "classic Usos" feel:
- 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.
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)
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)
- Megan:
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)
- Sam:
- 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)
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)
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)
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)
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
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.