Roman Reigns Shocks Paul Heyman, LWO Rises, and More

WWE Raw on July 21, 2025 was a jam-packed episode loaded with storyline twists, explosive confrontations, and a few head-scratching moments. As SummerSlam 2025 inches closer, WWE is pulling out all the stops to build momentum, but not every segment hit the mark this time around.

In this detailed WWE Raw review, we break down the top 3 things WWE did right and the 3 biggest letdowns, with a focus on key takeaways and how they’ll affect upcoming storylines. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just tuning in for the road to SummerSlam, here’s everything you need to know.

Top 3 Things WWE Got Right on Raw (July 21, 2025)

1. Roman Reigns’ Shocking Face-Off with Paul Heyman and the Return of Jey Uso

One of the most talked-about WWE Raw moments was Roman Reigns confronting Paul Heyman during the closing segment. Tension between The Tribal Chief and his former Wise Man reached a boiling point, but fans were blindsided when Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed ambushed Reigns, seemingly under Heyman’s direction; maybe because Roman called Paul a dumbass, who knows?

Just when things looked grim for Roman, Jey Uso made a shocking return, attacking the duo and aligning (at least temporarily) with Reigns. This reunion, while brief, planted serious seeds for a high-stakes tag match at WWE SummerSlam 2025. Reigns and Jey vs. Heyman’s new proteges is a potential show-stealer. Unfortunately, it’s unclear at this time whether it’ll be Roman Reigns vs Bron Breakker in a standout match, or if they’re building to a less important tag team match featuring Jey Uso and Bronson Reed. Still, any segment with Roman Reign’s aura is a nearly-always thumbs up from us.

2. The Latin World Order Becomes #1 Contenders

In a triple-threat tag team match that could have easily felt like filler, The Latin World Order (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) outlasted The New Day and The Creed Brothers to become No. 1 contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship.

This was a refreshing spotlight for LWO, who have often played second fiddle to more dominant factions. The match was fast-paced, well-structured, and gave the crowd something fresh. The LWO tag title opportunity breathes new life into a division that has felt stagnant in recent weeks. The LWO will go down as one of WWE’s biggest missed opportunities with the way they’ve been booked until now.

3. CM Punk vs Gunther Storyline Heats Up

CM Punk and Gunther traded words in a red-hot promo segment that reminded fans exactly why they’ve been clamoring for this match. Punk, fresh off his gauntlet win last week, brought his signature venom to the mic, while Gunther’s cold stoicism only added to the gravity of their faceoff. I have to be honest here, though. I didn’t give this a point because of CM Punk. No, I’m getting tired of Punk; I was never a huge fan in the first place and his return to pro wrestling has been less than stellar, especially now that I know that in a real fight he couldn’t quite cut it. I’m trying really hard to shake that perception. This point is for Gunther. He has improved by leaps and bounds on the mic. Yes, he’s still got a bad cadence when he talks, but the things he says sound believable. He often spits truth and sounds like he really means it. This point is for the Ring General.

This CM Punk vs Gunther feud is shaping up to be the most anticipated match on the SummerSlam card (especially with the uncertainty of Seth Rollins around the corner). WWE wisely gave the segment time to breathe without overbooking or outside interference. It was classic wrestling storytelling.

3 Things WWE Got Wrong on Raw (July 21, 2025)

1. The A-Town Down Under Breakup Was Way Too Rushed

After nearly two years together, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller have officially split. But instead of a dramatic betrayal or a shocking twist, the duo simply announced it in a short backstage interview, citing “creative differences,” because Austin Theory is injured. All the times the fans cheered for Austin, all the build up, all the anticipation… nothing. Waller cuts a promo on how much he hated Theory (wait, what?) and that’s it.

That’s it. No beatdown, no emotional weight, no fan investment.

The A-Town Down Under breakup should have been a bigger deal. These two were the future of WWE’s midcard scene, and breaking them up this way felt like flushing a year of development down the drain.

2. Overbooked Women’s Tag Match Leads to Chaos

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match featured Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez taking on Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. On paper, the bout had strong potential. In execution, it was a jumbled mess. We saw interferences from Dom, and AJ Styles, and their own tag team partners, and what is this? It’s so weird that NXT can book such a fascinating women’s division, but the main roster can’t duplicate those results even with the same people.

Too many distractions, unnecessary outside interference, and unclear tagging rules made the match hard to follow. Despite the talent involved, the crowd simply didn’t connect. I blame a lot of that on Raquel Rodriguez, who seems to be struggling for years to connect with the fans in any meaningful way.

This was a missed opportunity to elevate women’s tag wrestling ahead of SummerSlam.

3. Bron Breakker’s Promo Still Needs Work

WWE is pushing Bron Breakker hard, but he continues to struggle on the mic. His promo tonight felt stiff and over-rehearsed, taking away from the intensity of his ongoing feud with Roman Reigns. I mean, this guy is a Steiner and when he gets amped up, you hear the ole Uncle Booty Daddy coming out of him. You can tell it’s there deep down. I’m docking this one a point, only because I see the potential that’s not being met yet.

Final Thoughts: A Mixed Bag with Big SummerSlam Implications

WWE Raw on July 21, 2025 delivered some strong storytelling and exciting developments, especially regarding Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and the LWO. But it also fell flat in areas like the A-Town Down Under split and the underwhelming women’s tag match.

As WWE builds toward SummerSlam 2025, the seeds planted on this episode could lead to major payoffs—but only if WWE learns from this episode’s missteps.

This received a 3 up/3 down from the Kayfabe-O-Meter, which means it wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad. It was just the same ole, same ole with characters who luckily can hold their own like Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman.