Episode Summary

The year’s almost over, so we’re closing the book on WWE with a full “Year in Review” run-through. No hot-take chasing, no revisionist history—just what actually mattered: the biggest moments, the storylines that hit (and missed), the surprises, the injuries, the returns, and the debates we’re still having heading into January.

In This Episode

• Netflix era kickoff for RAW + early-year presentation changes
• Royal Rumble recap and why Jey Uso’s win mattered
• Elimination Chamber chaos: Cody/Rock “sell your soul” angle + the John Cena heel shock
• WrestleMania 41 fallout: Paul Heyman’s betrayal, Seth’s “architect” moment, and what it set up
• Money in the Bank: Naomi’s run + why it felt earned; Seth as Mr. MITB
• SummerSlam highlights, returns, title shifts, and what worked vs what didn’t
• The ESPN/PLE pricing controversy + the “Wrestlepalooza” disappointment
• Survivor Series WarGames recap + Cena’s final PLE discussion
• Saturday Night’s Main Event: Cena’s final match debate (and why the finish hit a nerve)
• Current State of WWE heading into January: injuries, title picture, factions, and what’s next
• Holiday sendoff + quick sports shoutout

Big Takes / Debates

• Rock/Cody alignment felt confusing and never fully paid off
• Cena’s heel run had fire… then got repetitive without consistent Rock follow-through
• Cena tapping out in his final match felt disrespectful (strong disagreement on the finish)
• WWE’s move from Peacock pricing to ESPN created real fan backlash

Next Episode Preview

We’re doing an End-of-Year Awards Show: best match, best promo, MVPs, worst botches, and more.

Episode Notes — Maxxed Out (Nov 25, 2025)

This week on Maxxed Out, we’re rolling straight into Thanksgiving week and the final stretch toward Survivor Series: WarGames 2025. Joe and Jose are joined by returning friend of the show Anthony D. Vaughn for a packed breakdown of WWE SmackDown, Raw, and the Road to WarGames.

We dive into:

• Ilja Dragunov’s rise as U.S. Champion and why he might be WWE’s next breakout workhorse
• The women’s division booking struggles, Asian champions discourse, and why open challenges would fix a lot
• The John Cena: The Last Time Is Now Tournament — the wins, the misses, and the emotional weight of Cena’s final run
• Carmelo Hayes’ near-moment, Gunther’s dominance, and concerns around Triple H’s booking patterns
• Faction tension across WWE: MFTs, The Wyat Six, The Vision, plus the WarGames implications
• SmackDown’s upcoming classic Survivor Series elimination match
• The women’s WarGames lineup, internal betrayals brewing, and who might steal the show
• Dom Mysterio’s rise as a generational heel and why he may become one of WWE’s all-time greats
• AEW notes including Penta’s injury update and Samoa Joe’s big championship moment

We wrap with predictions for Survivor Series: WarGames on November 29 and tease an upcoming full John Cena career episode with Anthony.

Hit play, subscribe on Spotify & YouTube, and stay Maxxed Out!

Show Notes:

John Cena stepped inside Madison Square Garden one last time — and we’re breaking down every major moment from his final RAW appearance. From capturing the Intercontinental Championship to the rematch setup with Dominik Mysterio, this episode covers the full story behind Cena’s farewell run and what it means heading into Survivor Series: WarGames.

We also dive into everything happening across WWE right now:

• All major title changes since mid-October

• SmackDown and RAW storyline updates

• Survivor Series builds, WarGames team rumors

• The John Cena Retirement Tournament shaping WWE’s winter storylines

• We end the show talking about WWE LJN Toys

Whether you missed a month of shows or want the cleanest recap out there, this episode gets you caught up fast.

Follow us on TikTok & YouTube: MaxxedOutSE