The last “Raw” before Christmas reinforced WWE’s top heel on Monday, cementing why the ending of John Cena’s final match at “Saturday Night’s Main Event” on Dec. 13 was the right call. But the biggest focus of the night was The Vision, who scored a key victory in the main event and gave an explanation why former masked assailant and current Vision trial member Austin Theory donned the mask in the first place. As the show closed, The Vision’s Bron Breakker got one up on the champion, CM Punk, adding fuel to the fire for their World Heavyweight Championship match on Jan. 5.
Dec. 12 ‘Raw’ results
• Asuka def. Rhea Ripley
• Je’Von Evans def. Rayo Americano
• Bayley def. Roxanne Perez
• Austin Theory and Bronson Reed def. CM Punk and Rey Mysterio
Gunther is officially on his own island
WWE fans still don’t like Gunther and still won’t let him speak. For the second straight week, Gunther kept his words short after the crowd drowned him in boos for minutes, saying, “Don’t be mad at me. Be mad at the guy who tapped out like a little b—-.”
This isn’t me taking a victory lap, but for those who wished for a Cena victory at “Saturday Night’s Main Event,” the reaction Gunther has received the past two weeks shows exactly why he was the winner. Gunther would not be getting these reactions if he had lost.
It isn’t just the fan base that has lost respect for Gunther. Every wrestler he has run into since retiring Cena seems to have a problem with him, too. He’s a lone wolf within the company now, but he’s relishing the role, laughing, mocking Cena and giving snarky retorts to everyone who opposes him.
More ‘Raw’ takeaways
• An unmasked Theory picked up the pin in the main event tag match with his partner Bronson Reed against CM Punk and Rey Mysterio. His explanation for the masked intrusions over the past couple months was that he wanted to let his actions vouch for him to The Vision boss Paul Heyman before he revealed his face. Not too long ago, Theory was a can’t-miss prospect who seemed to lose his way, but alignment with The Vision could re-establish him as a major player. As long as Theory doesn’t lose every match and become the “first line of defense” to eventually get to Reed and Breakker, I like Theory with The Vision.
• Je’Von Evans continued to establish himself as a future star in WWE against Rayo Americano. Despite still being in NXT, Evans is fielding offers from “Raw” and “SmackDown” and will soon be on the main roster, much to the delight of pro wrestling fans everywhere. He will be a world champion by WrestleMania 45 in 2029.
• Asuka finally defeated Rhea Ripley. The pair first met in WWE singles competition in 2021 at WrestleMania 37, where Ripley defeated Asuka for the Women’s World Championship. Since then, every single one-on-one contest has been won by Ripley … until “Raw” on Monday night. Asuka fans must be absolutely delighted. Their match was a lot of fun, and I’m sure we’ll get more in the near future.