The September 22, 2025 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw opened with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes addressing the audience. Rhodes brought out the ring he won at last year’s Crown Jewel event and expressed his desire to earn another one. His statement drew the attention of World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, who entered the arena accompanied by Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Paul Heyman. While the others remained outside the ring, Rollins stepped in to confront Rhodes directly.
Rollins began by referencing their shared moment at SummerSlam, where both men walked out as champions. He said he had been anticipating a match with Rhodes since that night, but noted that it wouldn’t be as simple as “May the best man win.” Rollins acknowledged the perception fans and fellow wrestlers have of him, especially as the crowd chanted for CM Punk. He dismissed Punk’s relevance to the conversation, stating that Punk was not a champion, and turned the focus back to Rhodes by asking what he truly thought of him.
Rhodes responded by recounting the impact Rollins had on his career. He credited Rollins for standing across from him at WrestleMania despite not knowing what to expect, and said that his injury at Hell in a Cell revealed his own resilience. Rhodes also said Rollins helped validate the Rhodes family legacy when he won the championship. However, he criticized Rollins for sometimes relying on outside interference and said he wouldn’t engage in personal attacks. Instead, he asked Rollins what he wanted from him.
Rollins shifted the conversation to a watch Rhodes had gifted him at WrestleMania 40, noting that he hadn’t worn it until that night. He accused Rhodes of publicly supporting him while privately undermining him by calling himself “QB1,” implying superiority. Rollins described himself as “The Vision,” a representation of the future of professional wrestling, and declared that Crown Jewel would prove he is not part of a two-man show but the dominant force in WWE.
Rhodes closed the exchange by pointing out that all three of their previous matches had been one-on-one contests, and reminded Rollins that he had won each of them. He then exited the ring, briefly confronted by Breakker and Reed, who ultimately allowed him to pass. Their interaction sets the tone for the upcoming Crown Jewel event, scheduled for October 11, 2025, at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The confirmed lineup includes Rhodes vs. Rollins for the WWE Crown Jewel Championship and Stephanie Vaquer vs. Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship.
"In the three matches that we've had, Seth Rollins, how many of those have YOU won?"
Cody Rhodes is standing on business tonight! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NR8tvhfRvY
— WWE (@WWE) September 22, 2025
