Is Sports Entertainment Officially Dead in WWE?
Tonight's episode of WWE Raw, airing on December 15th, 2025, promises a seismic shift. This is the third installment in the nine-week build-up to the Royal Rumble, set for January 31st in Saudi Arabia. But the real headline? The potential death of 'sports entertainment' in WWE.
For much of 2025, WWE has been touting John Cena as the GOAT. However, Cena's storyline with GUNTHER seemed to suggest WWE was crowning Cena as the greatest sports entertainer of all time, rather than the greatest wrestler. This led to a very interesting statement from Michael Cole after GUNTHER retired Cena at Saturday Night's Main Event, with the camera panning over the stunned crowd: "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight, professional wrestling destroyed sports entertainment."
But here's where it gets controversial...
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio seems to agree with this sentiment, stating that it's now Paul Levesque's mantra: "It is no longer sports entertainment. We’re gonna call it professional wrestling."
The truth is, the term "sports entertainment" always felt a bit forced. Who genuinely uses phrases like "I'm a huge fan of sports entertainment"? It's a phrase that never truly resonated with fans, a term Vince McMahon pushed for years to replace what fans always knew and loved: professional wrestling.
And this is the part most people miss...
Tonight, GUNTHER is scheduled to appear on Raw. Will he address the shift from sports entertainment to professional wrestling, or will he simply bask in the glory of ending Cena's career? Will he acknowledge the new era, or will the debate be left in the past?
Here's what else to expect:
- Women's World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer defends her title against Raquel Rodriguez. Will Nikki Bella interfere? Is Liv Morgan truly okay with Rodriguez chasing the belt?
- Women's Intercontinental Championship: Maxxine Dupri returns to defend her title against Ivy Nile. Considering Nile's winless streak on Raw in 2025, Dupri is likely to retain.
- New Day vs. The Usos: A classic tag team rivalry is revisited. Will The Usos earn a title shot if they win?
- Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul: With The Vision backing him, Mysterio could be in for a rough night. Will Dominik Mysterio get involved?
- CM Punk's Return: The World Heavyweight Champion returns to Raw to address Bron Breakker and the masked mystery man. Could it be Seth Rollins under the mask?
Other things to keep an eye on:
- LA Knight's status after Bronson Reed's attack.
- Potential main roster call-ups for Oba Femi, Sol Ruca, Je’Von Evans, and Joe Hendry.
- The women's tag team division and who will challenge for the Kabuki Warriors' titles.
- Rusev's future.
- Royal Rumble match declarations.
- Where is Omos?
What are your thoughts?
Do you think WWE is truly moving away from 'sports entertainment'? Are you excited about the changes? Share your opinions in the comments below!
