Raw Recap with Sam Roberts and Megan Morant — Nov. 17, 2025: One Final Night at MSG for John Cena

Overview

On this episode of Raw Recap, hosts Sam Roberts and Megan Morant deliver an energetic, ringside breakdown of an all-time Monday Night Raw emanating from Madison Square Garden. The show is headlined by John Cena's farewell performance in WWE’s most iconic venue and features blockbuster moments—Roman Reigns’ and Brock Lesnar’s surprise returns, the shocking crowning of Maxine Dupree as the new Women’s Intercontinental Champion, and the electric presence of top celebrities. The episode features live interviews with John Cena and Maxine Dupree, and plenty of behind-the-scenes flavor, offering a true backstage pass on a historic night for WWE.

Key Discussions and Segments

1. Star-Studded Atmosphere at MSG

Theme: Madison Square Garden delivered a truly stacked night, packed with wrestling icons and A-list celebrities.

• Both hosts are awed by the volume of stars present—not just in the ring, but in the crowd and backstage.
  • “All the stars were out and for good reason tonight.” – Megan (02:06)
• Notables: Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Andrew Schulz, Eric Andre, Pete Davidson, John Cena, and more.

Memorable Moment: Megan’s story of being snubbed by Pete Davidson, which Sam tries to downplay.
- “I go out to shake a hand and completely got blown off.” – Megan (02:54)

2. The Shock Returns: Roman Reigns & Brock Lesnar

Theme: WWE’s biggest names made dramatic entrances, shaking up the War Games narrative.

• Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar both made unannounced comebacks, creating seismic shifts in the roster landscape.
  • “When that music hits and we're like, oh, my God, everything changes… you feel somehow like the landscape has completely shifted.” – Host (06:44)
• Paul Heyman’s manipulation, reuniting with Lesnar, sets the stage for a new era of chaos.
  • “Part of you just goes, ‘Oh my, he's just the greatest…’ and the other part of you is checking to see if your wallet is still there.” – Host (05:43)

Big Spot: Lesnar immediately goes after CM Punk and the World Heavyweight Champion, cementing his devastating impact.

Notable Quotes

• “He Superman punched Brock Lesnar out of his boots.” – Host (10:21)
• “When Roman Reigns gets into a ring, that ring is his.” – Host (11:30)

3. Deep Dive: The War Games Roster — Tension and Alliances

Theme: The complexity of the War Games teams, built on past feuds and unresolved drama.

• Roman Reigns joins a team with former rivals—CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, and the Usos—introducing friction.
  • “CM Punk on the team last year…It was tense.” – Megan (14:05)
  • Mattel's action figures even include the “iconically tense” facial expressions from last year’s War Games.
• The internal Bloodline dynamic, especially between Roman, Jey, and Jimmy Uso, remains fraught.
• Drew McIntyre brings symbolic gear (“flu game Jordans”), reflecting personal vendettas against the Bloodline.
  • “Everything starts at the sneakers.” – Host (18:21)

4. John Cena’s Last MSG Raw — Live Interview (20:00–38:58)

Theme: Cena reflects on his legacy, authenticity, and getting to retire on his own (not entirely voluntary) terms.

Highlights from the John Cena Interview

• Cena emphasizes the history of MSG, advocating that every WWE superstar must respect the Garden’s legacy.
  • “If you are allowed to perform here, you are a professional.” – John Cena (21:03)
• On retiring and being self-reflective:
  • “I don't want to get lost in my own sauce. I want to keep my feet on the ground. There’s 16,000 people here tonight—I want to make sure they’re happy...” – Cena (22:52)
• Importance of authenticity, worn through his iconic jorts:
  • “It’s okay to be authentic. [The jorts] are me. … The jorts now are in whatever perspective they're in because I just wouldn't give up on wearing them.” – Cena (24:44)
• On finally winning the Intercontinental title:
  • “How about that accolade right at the end, still making history.” – Megan (27:21)
  • “He reminds me a lot of me and he reminds me a lot of the mistakes I made.” – Cena on Dominic Mysterio (27:42)
• Why he’s committed to finishing with dignity:
  • “When I got a step slower, I got to walk away... I could probably squeeze out more matches, but at what cost?” – Cena (33:01)
• Cena’s pride in elevating new stars and his desire for the audience to celebrate the future of WWE as much as his own finale:
  • "We're all just kind of closing a chapter of an era... and I want people to be able to look forward to what's next." (35:43)

Memorable Quotes

• “I want to do this for infinity, but I can’t.” – John Cena (33:10)
• “You can never master sports entertainment. You can never master WWE. There's always something to learn.” – Cena (29:42)

See: John Cena Interview Segment (20:00–38:58)

5. John Cena’s MSG Segment and Fallout

• Crowd goes wild. Dominic Mysterio interrupts, seeking heat.
  • “John Cena is literally on his last Monday Night Raw and Dom's like, now's a good time for me to go out there.” – Host (42:39)
• A rematch tease—Dominic challenges, but stalls for Survivor Series. Promises emotional stakes in San Diego.

Six-Man Tag Spectacle

• John Cena, Sheamus, and Rey Mysterio vs. Judgment Day (Dom, JD, Finn)
  • “This is one of the funnest six-man tags ever. Like, everybody just doing their stuff and enjoying the moment.” – Host (47:28)
• Mysterio’s agelessness awes the hosts:
  • “There is nobody that better exemplifies [Benjamin Button] than Rey Mysterio.” – Host (48:39)

6. Tournament Matches & Returns: Gunther and Dolph Ziggler

Theme: Old faces return and new stars emerge in the tournament to face Cena in his last match.

• Gunther returns with a classic, no-nonsense persona, defeating upstart Je’Von Evans.
  • “Gunther may be the greatest no fun wrestler of all time.” – Host (50:00)
• Dolph Ziggler returns as a surprise opponent for Solo Sikoa, rekindling nostalgia.
  • “It was absolutely awesome. … Really cool to see Dolph Ziggler again.” – Host (51:40)

7. Maxine Dupree: From Underdog to Women’s Intercontinental Champion

Theme: Emotional triumph, self-belief, and the magic of seizing a moment.

• Maxine Dupree stuns Becky Lynch after help from AJ Lee, in a career-defining upset.
• Raw Recap hosts interview an overjoyed Maxine about her journey, learning in the “dungeon” with Natty, and vision boarding her destiny.

Maxine Dupree Interview Highlights (53:07–72:22)

• “Please say it one more time: your new Women's Intercontinental Champion, Maxine Dupree.” – Maxine (53:50)
• On achieving her vision:
  • “I dream big. I don’t think they’re really going to happen. I just lie to you and say I’m going to achieve this.” – Maxine (55:26)
• A love letter to MSG and family:
  • “I cannot believe that my mom, my dad, and my fiance were all here to see it happen. … If nothing good happens after this, I’m okay.” – Maxine (55:14)
• On Becky Lynch:
  • “If you want to be the best, you got to beat the best. And, baby, I beat the best.” – Maxine (63:09)
• On her late grandfather, a lifelong wrestling fan:
  • “I just know he was kicking his feet, that his granddaughter, like, made it, you know.” – Maxine (61:55)
• On AJ Lee’s support:
  • “If you use a candle to light another candle, the other one doesn’t lose its flame. There is room for both of us to shine in that moment, and I think we proved that tonight.” – Maxine (60:28)

Notable Quotes

• “I want to be undeniable.” – Maxine (59:48)
• “Tonight was truly the best night of my life… this is, truly, step one of 100.” – Maxine (59:07)

See: Maxine Dupree Interview Segment (53:07–72:22)

8. AJ Lee’s Shocking Return

Theme: A returning legend stirs the women’s division, especially Becky Lynch.

• AJ Lee’s presence and signature skip needle Becky Lynch, causing distraction and ultimately helping Maxine.
• “When she skips and she's got that look on her face. It is this weird control that she knows that she has over whatever situation.” – Host (76:11)
• Teases abound about AJ Lee joining War Games and an alliance with Rhea Ripley.

9. Women’s War Games — Who’s In?

• Charlotte’s loyalty to Alexa Bliss vs. her suspicion of Rhea Ripley.
• Speculation about AJ Lee’s and Charlotte Flair’s participation.
• “There is so much happening right now, and that's why we need to be here to recap it.” – Host (77:51)

Timestamps for Main Segments

• Star-Studded Night begins: 02:06
• Brock Lesnar/Roman Reigns Returns: 04:06 – 13:47
• War Games Team tension & breakdown: 13:47 – 19:59
• John Cena full interview: 20:00 – 38:58
• Raw reactions, Cena segment, six-man tag: 41:59 – 49:45
• Gunther & Tournament Matches: 49:45 – 52:09
• Maxine Dupree full interview: 53:07 – 72:22
• AJ Lee Return & Women’s Division: 74:47 – 77:51

Notable Quotes

• Sam Roberts (on the War Games chaos):

  “When that music hits and we're like, oh, my God, everything changes… you feel somehow like the landscape has completely shifted.” (06:44)

• John Cena (on retirement):

  “I want to do this for infinity, but I can't... I made a promise to the fanbase—when I got a step slower, I got to walk away.” (33:10)

• Maxine Dupree (on her journey):

  “This is, truly, step one of 100. I'm so happy, but, like, this is not… I'm gonna celebrate tonight. And then we're back. We're back to training.” (59:07)

• Sam Roberts (on NYC fans):

  “We can be a fickle bunch, but when they realized they’d been a part of this moment… the fans were like, this is what we wanted.” (56:02)

• AJ Lee’s impact:

  “She’s careless, and everybody else is enraged.” – Megan (76:19)

Episode Tone & Style

• High-energy, irreverent, deeply “inside baseball” wrestling banter.
• Candid, often humorous exchanges with plenty of passion for both the business and its personalities.
• Insightful reflection on wrestling history and legacy, especially during extended interviews.

Summary Takeaways

• This episode marks the intersection of WWE tradition and the evolving new era: John Cena’s heartfelt sendoff at MSG; Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar reshaping main event storylines; and Maxine Dupree’s fairy-tale title win, signifying the rise of new talent.
• The atmosphere was electric, the matches legacy-defining, and every returning or debuting Superstar felt consequential.
• Raw Recap—through its exclusive interviews (especially with Cena and Maxine)—captured not just the results, but the emotional gravity of one of WWE’s most memorable Monday Night Raws.

For fans and non-listeners alike, this episode is a must for understanding wrestling’s intersection of nostalgia, transition, and star-making, all filtered through the joyful, knowledgeable gaze of Sam and Megan.