Veteran NFL writer and Pat McAfee Show correspondent Mark Kaboly gives his Raw predictions for the start of a new era of WWE programming with the first-ever show on Netflix tonight (8/7 C) event at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
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John Cena’s Farewell Tour begins
It’s been six months since John Cena announced that 2025 would be his final year of in-ring action during his illustrious and guaranteed first-ballot WWE Hall of Fame career, and what better way to kick off a new era of WWE programming on Netflix than with The Cenation Leader kicking off the show? That’s not a prediction; it’s just a hope on my end. With Cena’s stated goal to work between 30-40 dates with him already committing to the next three PLEs of the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania 41 over the next 15 weeks, the possibilities are endless for The Greatest of All Time. Cena has worked with the majority of the roster throughout his career, but time ticks by fast. Just four weeks away from the Royal Rumble, there’s no time to waste in getting this farewell tour rolling. With Cena doing this year-long swan song (if anybody deserves it, it’s Cena), the logical initial response, like the debut of WWE on Netflix, would be a veteran who never did the part-time thing. Randy Orton would be the logical path, but it’s too soon for that. The Miz is another. Call it a hunch, but the new face of the WWE Cody Rhodes has to be part of the Netflix debut, no?
Prediction: Cena and Rhodes set up a match for after Royal Rumble
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Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa – Tribal Combat
If this match doesn’t scream out for The Rock to appear following the outcome, then I’m not sure what does. The People’s Champ’s last WWE appearance came three months ago at WWE Bad Blood, and he didn’t seem pleased with Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Jimmy Uso working together to defeat Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline. And then The OTC and Jimmy returned to the ring to help The American Nightmare, who was jumped by The Bloodline. With Reigns regaining the Ula Fala in a match that has stipulations of no outside interference and no disqualification, it should be brutal yet have a clear winner. With Reigns now in possession of the Ula Fala, The Rock could either want it for himself, or even juicer, he could be the one pulling the strings from afar with Sikoa’s Bloodline.
Prediction: Reigns pins Sikoa, The Rock returns in the aftermath
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WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley
2024 was the year of “The Liv Morgan Revenge Tour.” That is as undeniable as the fact that it isn’t 2024 anymore. Both Morgan and Ripley made it crystal clear last week when both repeatedly said “this has to end.” The only way this ends on Monday is if Ripley wins convincingly, but there is definitely a door wide open for the shenanigans to take place that allows the two to go their separate ways. Morgan and Ripley have been in a rivalry for some 20 months now. We will most likely see interference. You can count on that, but from whom?
Prediction: Ripley defeats Morgan to regain the Women’s World Championship
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CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
CM Punk and Seth Rollins are involved in the most heated rivalry in WWE. Sure, their resumes precede them. But the reason why Punk vs. Rollins has so much intrigue despite them having only one career singles match from a dozen years ago is because of their work on the microphone. Punk and Rollins dropped one of the best promos of the year at last week’s Raw that set the stage for what should be the main event and the best match of the night. The two eviscerated each other last week. They brought it all together in what has become a year-in-the-making match since Punk returned, and it blurred the line of the two’s outside relationship. The promo made it clear why each despises the other. The slow burn is over. If there is one match on the card that seems highly unlikely to have outside interference, it is this one. Also, there are indications that this won’t be their only match, and everybody would be just fine with that.
Prediction: Punk pins Rollins
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Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre
With McIntyre methodically making his way through the entire OG Bloodline on his way to Roman Reigns, Jey Uso just happens to be the latest obstacle in the path of The Scottish Psychopath. McIntyre took out Uso backstage last month and casually took credit for it. Uso and McIntyre are arguably the two hottest stars in the company right now and will provide an interesting contrast of styles in this matchup. With McIntyre solely focused on eradicating WWE of Reigns and his associates, who is going to stop him? I don’t expect a clear outcome. Other than that, pretty much anything and everything is on the board.
Prediction: McIntyre pins Uso with help because of a distraction
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