WWE Monday Night Raw: UK start time, matches announced & current names in John Cena’s retirement tournament

• It is set to be an emotional episode of Monday Night Raw in Boston this evening.
• The “Never Seen 17” John Cena will be making his final appearance in a WWE ring in his hometown.
• His appearance comes as the first round of matches to determine his final opponent in December is crowned.

Raise a glass to John Cena, Boston, one last time - as your hometown hero is set to make his final appearance in a WWE ring in the city on this evening’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

Cena is scheduled to kick off the show and set the stage for the 'The Last Time is Now' tournament; a 16-man bracket, featuring stars from all WWE brands, will determine the Superstar who earns the career-defining opportunity to be John Cena's final opponent in his farewell match at Saturday Night's Main Event.

John Cena makes his final appearance in a WWE ring in his hometown this evening, as "The Last Time Is Now" tournament gets underway. | WWE

The tournament comes as Cena, now a good guy for those not keeping score at home, suggested that his final opponent he wants to face on the December 13 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event is one that earned their shot at the “Never Seen 17,” rather than someone handpicked for the occasion.

The first round of matches on the Raw brand starts this evening, with Cena in attendance to potentially scout and early favourites he might have to face - we’ve made a couple of choices who we think could take on Cena at his last WWE match, but in wrestling, anything can happen - and usually does.

Here’s your WWE Monday Night Raw preview for November 10, including UK start time and what other matches are set to take place along the first round of “The Last Time Is Now” tournament.

What time is WWE Monday Night Raw starting in the UK this week?

This evening’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw is scheduled to take place at 1am GMT on November 11 exclusively through Netflix in the UK, with on-demand repeats available shortly after broadcast.

What else has been announced for WWE Monday Night Raw this evening?

Women's Tag Team Championship: Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss (c) v The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane)

A major title defence is scheduled as the current WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, the unorthodox pairing of Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, put their titles on the line against the formidable duo of The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane).

The challengers have been using weeks of mind games to destabilise the champions. Will their history and coordinated effort pay off with a title change, or will the raw star power of Flair and Bliss be enough to retain the gold? This is expected to be a thrilling championship encounter on the red brand.

Women's World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) v Raquel Rodriguez

In a night packed with high-stakes contests, Stephanie Vaquer will make a critical defence of the Women's World Championship against the physically dominant Raquel Rodriguez.

This match is the result of escalating tension between the two women and their respective allies. Just last week, we saw Rodriguez and her partner, Roxanne Perez, face Vaquer and Nikki Bella. Although the match was not a title defence, Rodriguez’s immense power played a factor in the outcome, cementing her as the immediate threat to Vaquer's reign.

Vaquer, the current champion, is a highly technical and ruthless competitor who has been consistently backed by the veteran presence of Nikki Bella. However, the sheer size and strength advantage of “Big Mami Cool" cannot be ignored. Rodriguez is eager to re-establish herself at the top of the Women's Division, and capturing the World Title in Boston would be a massive statement.

The 'Last Time is Now' Tournament Begins

The beginning of the monumental 'Last Time is Now' tournament will take place tonight, launching the search for John Cena's final opponent at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event.

Two high-profile matches are scheduled to kick off the bracket. In the first showdown, the veteran Rusev will face Damian Priest. This bout pits a classic Cena rival—dating back to their intense rivalry culminating at WrestleMania 31—against a newer, highly successful star in the form of the former World Heavyweight Champion, Damian Priest, who has yet to challenge Cena in a major singles match.

The second match of the tournament sees ‘The Celtic Warrior’ Sheamus take on ‘The King of Strong Style,’ Shinsuke Nakamura. Sheamus holds a unique place in Cena's history, being the man who defeated him to capture his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship. He enters the ring against Nakamura, a Superstar with far less televised history against the legend.

CM Punk to appear

The reigning World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk, is confirmed to make an appearance on this week's RAW.

Following his recent tensions with The Vision and the new rivalry brewing with Logan Paul—who laid him out with a brass knuckles punch—fans will be highly intrigued to hear what the "Best in the World" has to say as he addresses the latest challenges to his title reign and his reputation.

Who has been confirmed so far as part of “The Last Time Is Now” John Cena retirement tournament?

With Nick Aldis having announced who from the SmackDown brand will be competing in ‘The Last Time Is Now’ tournament, six superstars have been announced so far for first-round matches:

The Last Time Is Now - confirmed tournament entrants

• Rusev (Raw)
• Damian Priest (Raw)
• Sheamus (Raw)
• Shinsuke Nakamura (Raw)
• The Miz (SmackDown)
• Jey Uso (Raw)
• LA Knight (SmackDown)
• Mystery Opponent (announced by Nick Aldis, to face LA Knight)

As mentioned, we have made some predictions about who we think could be Cena’s last opponent, which you can check out in our most recent gallery.

Though no date has been announced when the finals will take place, it is believed that the winner will be crowned or the final stages of the tournament will take place at Survivor Series: Wargames, due to take place on November 29 2025.

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