EVANSVILLE, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 22: Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes in ring with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rolins during Monday Night RAW at Ford Center on September 22, 2025 in Evansville, Indiana. (Photo by Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
The dust has barely settled from Wrestlepalooza, but WWE Raw wasted no time pushing stories forward on its Sept. 22 episode. Coming out of WWE’s ESPN debut, the spotlight shifted from spectacle back to storyline, as the red brand set the tone for the fall stretch leading into Crown Jewel on Oct. 11.
Not every big name showed up. John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and CM Punk were absent, but Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins appeared, while Rhea Ripley and Asuka dazzled in a star-studded main event.
With major names rising and others struggling, here’s a look at the biggest winners and losers from Raw.
Winners: Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins
We’re packing both Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins into one because, with a single opening promo, they sold their match for Crown Jewel.
Rhodes and Rollins, as the men’s world champions, will go head-to-head for the Crown Jewel ring on Oct. 11 in Perth, Australia. The last time they crossed paths in a storyline, both were babyfaces, with the Architect helping the American Nightmare on his quest to finish the story for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
They went from foes to allies and now back to rivals, so WWE needed to create tension and give fans a reason to care beyond this just being another international showcase match.
It’s not only about the best of the best clashing to prove who’s superior, but also about how Rollins shaped Rhodes’ second WWE run, and how this bout gives Rollins a chance to prove his greatness apart from his “goons,” as the WWE Champion labeled Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed.
Adding to the intrigue, Rollins hasn’t beaten Rhodes in their three meetings since 2022.
That points to a Rollins win here, especially in a non-title match, likely with help from The Vision. It would reestablish his footing after losing the mixed tag at Wrestlepalooza. Either way, it sets the stage for another strong outing between two wrestlers with undeniable chemistry.
Loser: LA Knight
For all that’s gone right with LA Knight’s rise over the last few years, he’s starting to flounder even while holding an upper-card spot. WWE seems to be figuring out where he fits, and while he remains an important part of Raw, his momentum is slipping behind the storyline tension between The Usos and Jey Uso’s potential heel turn toward the Undisputed WWE Championship.
The Megastar was a late addition to the tag match between The Usos and Breakker and Reed at Wrestlepalooza as a special guest referee. It gave him a spot on the card, but it also fed into a loss two nights later to Uso on Raw, once again with interference from The Vision.
Once this feud with The Vision runs its course, it’s unclear where Knight goes next. He showed some edge at one point, but that’s now been overshadowed by Uso’s own mean streak. For now, it’s a wait-and-see game with Knight’s direction.
Winner: Stephanie Vaquer
Stephanie Vaquer’s interview earlier this month with wrestling podcast host Chris Van Vliet showed her improved English in a longform setting, but speaking in front of a live audience of thousands is a different challenge. She delivered a confident, terrific promo about her Women’s World Championship win at Wrestlepalooza and what it means to her.
The crowd responded strongly, and Raw general manager Adam Pearce announced that Vaquer will face the winner of Tiffany Stratton vs. Nia Jax vs. Jade Cargill at Crown Jewel.
Vaquer will need a real feud sooner rather than later. WWE can have her make appearances on SmackDown in the short term, but this should also be the moment to establish rivals behind her so a ready-made feud is waiting after Crown Jewel.
