Raw Recap with Sam Roberts and Megan Morant

Episode: Naomi Steals the Show and the Women's World Title: WWE Evolution Recap
Date: July 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This special episode of Raw Recap delivers an immediate, energetic breakdown of WWE Evolution 2025, spotlighting the seismic Women’s World Title cash-in by Naomi. Hosts Sam Roberts and Megan Morant broadcast backstage from Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, joined by in-arena guests like Natalya and Naomi herself. The episode pulses with excitement as the trio unpack the night’s unforgettable matches, legendary returns, and the emotional journey of WWE’s women’s division. The chemistry among the hosts and guests brings authentic insights on the ongoing evolution of women’s wrestling.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Naomi's Shocking Money in the Bank Cash-In

• Moment of Shock: Sam and Megan react live to Naomi's unexpected cash-in, comparing it to Seth Rollins' iconic WrestleMania 31 moment.
  • Sam: “A cash in that I think has to go down with the Seth Rollins WrestleMania 31 cash in as right there in the top two best, biggest cash ins ever. Because for a few reasons, number one, this was a big show. Number two, Rhea Ripley versus Iyo Sky was a huge match. And number three, no one saw it coming.” (02:54)
• Context: The focus coming into Evolution was Rhea Ripley’s struggle to beat Iyo Sky, not Naomi being a title threat. Naomi capitalized on the chaos post-match (after having lost earlier to Jade Cargill), making her cash-in even more dramatic.
  • Megan: "Naomi had a brutal match with Jade Cargill earlier in the night that she lost...she came out to cash in. She was beat up." (03:24)

2. Natalya Joins – The Evolution of Veteran Talent

• ON THE MOMENT: Natalya joins backstage, describing the atmosphere as “magical” and commending Naomi’s gritty perseverance.
  • Natalya: “Tonight, I think she found her fu... She literally is just such an inspiration... She took all of her power back, reinvented herself and literally did her homework and did what brought her to the dance and killed it tonight.” (05:40, 09:04)
• Veterans' Legacy & Relevance: The hosts and Natty underscore that, unlike the constant youth focus in women’s wrestling, seasoned stars are thriving, citing parallels to Bret Hart, The Rock, and Serena Williams.
  • Megan: "No one’s saying the men are aging out... but to your point, with Naomi, we’re watching this play out and these veterans in the locker room, they still have a place, they still belong, and they still can be champions and make history." (10:28)

3. Storytelling, Character Evolution & the Women's Division

• Triple H’s Vision: Discussion of Triple H fostering stories over age/tenure, with deep investment in each storyline and giving each match meaning—even battle royals and tag team contests.
  • Sam: “Every single match had investment from the audience... because every single match had a story to tell.” (18:01)
• Social Media’s Power: Natty highlights how women like Chelsea Green and Maxine maximize their limited on-air minutes through social, sharing training and developing their personas to connect with fans.
  • Natalya: "If we're not getting time on Raw or Smackdown... We can still go to our social media and blow it up. Chelsea Green is a great example of that." (14:36)

4. Celebrating Women’s Wrestling: Past, Present, and Future

• Locker Room Culture: Natalia and hosts rave about the supportive environment, camaraderie backstage, and how legends mingle with current stars, passing the torch.
  • Natalya: "All the girls were all, like, in gorilla or outside of gorilla, watching and supporting each other. Even if we're in storylines where we hate each other, it's just a cool feeling that we really step up for each other." (20:24)
• Legends Return: Special moments recalling cameos and tributes to pioneers like Ivory, Jazz, Jacqueline, Leilani Kai, and more, reinforcing the sense of generational continuity.

5. Key Matches and Standout Performances

• Title Matches:
  • Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky: Described as an epic, physically intense war. (03:13, 35:03)
• Battle Royal & Tag Matches:
  • Young Stars Shine: Natalya excited to feud with new faces like Kalani Jordan, Jada Parker, and Lash Legend, who eliminated Nia Jax with Stephanie Vicaire.
    • Natalya: "Lash really proved herself. She really stepped up. And that's what the division is all about. Literally the word evolution is about us continuing to pay it forward and build the division." (26:07)
  • Charlotte Flair’s Redemption: Noted for winning back crowd support, showing a more vulnerable, relatable side, and feeling “invigorated” working with new talent.
    • Megan: “The entire crowd is chanting, ‘We want Charlotte.’ And we did. We wanted Charlotte." (62:37)
  • Dungeon Dolls Emergence: Natalya and Maxine’s partnership, chronicled through social and training, validated by the enthusiastic crowd reaction.

6. Naomi: The Unpredictable New World Champion

• Naomi Interview: Fresh off her cash-in, with visible battle wounds, Naomi is electrified, calling herself “the evolution” and crediting her longevity and adaptability.
  • Naomi: "I am the evolution. My whole journey, everything I've evolved and adapted and adjusted for 16 years... I am the epitome of evolution." (44:50)
• Mental Transformation: Shares Natalya's “find your fu” philosophy, pushing through criticism, setbacks, and personal loss to fuel her reinvention.
  • Naomi: “When I started, there wasn’t even Instagram... you gotta find your fu... cut out all the noise and push through and just keep going.” (46:10)
• Character Layering: Unpacks moving beyond the GLOW and embracing a more unpredictable, “unhinged” style that audiences have fully embraced.
  • Naomi: “I think we all got a little unhinged in us… Sometimes, y’all got the right one today. And sometimes it’s very much real.” (48:22)
• Raw’s New Era: Naomi promises to make Raw her domain, eager to disrupt the pecking order and settle scores, notably with Bianca Belair.
  • Naomi: “I always feel like Raw did me dirty. I ain't never had no success over there on Raw, so... I wanna turn that around. I got some stuff I need to go do over there.” (55:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sam Roberts on the cash-in (02:54):
  “This is a cash in that I think has to go down with the Seth Rollins WrestleMania 31 cash in as right there in the top two best, biggest cash ins ever.”

• Natalya on Naomi’s journey (09:04):
  “Naomi proved to the entire world... that old dogs can learn new tricks and they can be better than they’ve ever been, ever.”

• Megan on veterans in the women’s division (10:28):
  “For some reason, we look at the women’s division and we say, oh, the future is bright. Oh, they had their time... But with Naomi, we’re watching this play out, and these veterans in the locker room, they still have a place, they still belong, and they still can be champions and make history.”

• Natalya on social media (14:36):
  “If we're not getting time on Raw or Smackdown... We can still go to our social media and blow it up…”

• Naomi on finding her ‘fu’ (46:10):
  “She [Natalya] always says, find your fu… That string, that thing that fires you up and that just makes you not give a crap to get to your goals and dreams and where you want to go.”

• Naomi on transformation after the GLOW era (50:46):
  “I started this when I was 21, and just going through life, losing family, losing friends, losing my job at one point, it just changes you... I can’t be GLOW no more… I love her, she’s still in there, but right now, somebody else got to show up and cut up and handle business.”

• Megan on Charlotte’s renewed connection with the crowd (62:37):
  “Tonight at Evolution to get tagged in, bro, Charlotte’s a babyface. And the entire crowd is chanting, ‘We want Charlotte.’ And finally, when she gets tagged in by Alexa Bliss… you are quickly reminded tonight, everybody’s coming at her and she’s going boom, boom, boom.”

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Naomi’s cash-in shock & immediate reactions:
  • [00:53]–[04:35]
• Natalya joins backstage, reflecting on Naomi and women’s wrestling stories:
  • [04:39]–[11:47]
• Discussion of the role of age and reinvention in the women’s division:
  • [11:47]–[13:22]
• Social media as a tool for developing women’s wrestling:
  • [13:34]–[15:51]
• Celebration of legends and the past/present/future of the division:
  • [18:01]–[21:44]
• Naomi in-depth interview as new World Champion:
  • [41:31]–[57:53]
• Raw roster talk: Naomi on her next chapter:
  • [55:25]–[56:11]
• Discussion: Charlotte Flair, tag matches, rising stars:
  • [62:15]–[65:58]
• Closing reflections: Megan on the meaning of Evolution:
  • [69:22]–[70:16]

Tone & Language

• Casual, spontaneous, passionate, often playful but deeply respectful towards the subject matter and participants.
• Frequent inside banter and backstage stories with an authentic focus on both personal journeys and wrestling as an art form.

Final Reflections

Megan’s Closing Thought:
“This wasn’t just great for women. This was great for wrestling. These were great matches. They weren’t just great women’s matches.” (70:11)

The episode celebrates not only Naomi’s coronation but the ongoing evolution and camaraderie of WWE’s women’s division, affirming its place at the center of sports entertainment’s future.