The year 2025 was a turbulent one for WWE and the wrestling industry at large. Despite enormous fan interest and some outstanding moments, WWE Raw, Monday Night Raw, WWE Survivor Series 2025, and other flagship shows faced significant creative challenges that led to many low points. Below are the 25 worst wrestling moments that defined WWE’s rocky calendar year.
1. Triple H’s Bad News for New Orleans
WrestleMania 42’s unexpected venue change from New Orleans to Las Vegas alienated fans and erased hopes for future shows in New Orleans. WWE’s chase for dollars through controversial moves further deepened fanbase frustration.
2. Eddie Kingston’s Underwhelming AEW Return
Kingston’s long-awaited return was mishandled with low-key booking and lackluster promos, limiting his initial impact despite his popularity.
3. The Worst Botch of the Year on SmackDown
A chaotic finish to a WWE title triple threat match between Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax, and Jay Cargill left the audience confused and frustrated, highlighting sloppy execution.
4. The End of the Hurt Syndicate/MJF Story
A promising storyline collapsed abruptly with no follow-up, frustrating fans and undermining months of build.
5. Hurt Syndicate’s Failure to Lose at Forbidden Door
Political protection and prolonged dominance marred the tag team scene, detracting from match quality and engagement.
6. Thunder Rosa, Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford Botch
A miscommunication during a segment led to embarrassment and disrupted momentum for the women involved.
7. Bailey’s Nervous Breakdown Character
A poorly written and incoherent storyline portraying Bailey’s split personality failed to resonate and drew criticism.
8. Kyle Lore’s Absurd Social Media Ramble
Odd and cringe-worthy Instagram posts diluted interest in his title matches, creating unintended backlash.
9. Kit Wilson’s Toxic Masculinity Persona
An outdated and misplaced character choice clashed with modern audience expectations and WWE’s evolving brand.
10. MJF’s Threat to Set Mark Brisco on Fire
A storyline involving MJF nearly committing outrageous violence altered fan perception and trust negatively.
11. Charlotte Flair vs. Tiffany Stratton Promo Breakdown
An overly harsh and unscripted promo devolved, leading to a decline in feud credibility.
12. MJF and Jeff Jarrett’s Failed Feud
Despite potential, the feud dissolved quickly due to poor writing and lackluster promos.
13. John Moxley Kidnaps the Rock and Roll Express
An ill-conceived storyline involving Moxley dramatically failed to engage and was widely ridiculed.
14. Moxley vs. Copeland at Revolution
A slow, interference-heavy main event epitomized creative missteps amidst otherwise strong shows.
15. Ron Killings and Our Truth’s Disappointing Return
After a fan-fueled campaign, their returns were followed by stagnation and poor booking decisions.
16. WWE Post-All In Texas Cooldown
The momentum following major AEW events drained quickly, with star absences and stagnant storylines.
17. TNA vs. NXT Storyline
An unconvincing cross-brand feud lacked believability and failed to excite audiences.
18. Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena at WrestleMania
A lethargic and heavily criticized match sapped energy from two major stars.
19. John Cena vs. CM Punk Match Mishandling
High expectations were unmet due to controversial location and messy booking, resulting in fan disappointment.
20. Brock Lesnar’s Return and Underwhelming Performances
Despite hype, Lesnar’s appearances were lackluster, compounded by uninspired promos and matches.
21. WrestlePalooza Disaster
An event marred by inconsistent talent usage, poor match quality, and fan dismay.
22. The Rock on Raw Is Netflix Special
The all-star event was overshadowed by misused star power and confusing narrative directions.
23. The Rock’s NXT Appearance
An insecure and rambling promo failed to capitalize on his star power, turning fans off.
24. WWE’s Overall Creative Decline
From bad booking to repetitive storylines, WWE’s creative issues were on full display, eroding viewer trust.
25. John Cena’s Failed Heel Run
Perhaps the most disappointing storyline, Cena’s heel turn never connected, leading to an anticlimactic end to his run.
Conclusion: 2025 may have offered spectacular wrestling matches and moments, but it was equally characterized by WWE’s creative misfires and botched storylines. WrestleMania 42, Survivor Series, and Monday Night Raw remain cornerstones, yet the challenges faced this year demand recalibrated creativity and fan outreach to recapture the magic fans crave. As WWE moves forward, hopefully lessons learned will guide better booking, more coherent storylines, and lasting fan engagement.
