Monday Night Raw – August 24, 2026: That Wasn’t In My Notes
Monday Night Raw
Date: August 24, 2026
Location: Canadian Tire Center, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
We’re in Canada for an earlier than usual show, which is going to have a lot of fallout. The big story coming out of last week’s show was Solo Sikoa rejecting the order to rejoin the Bloodline and instead siding with LA Knight. That isn’t going to go well for either of them and the Bloodline is going to have a response. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a recap of last week’s Sikoa/Knight/Bloodline issues.
Here is Knight for a chat. He’s in the capital of Canada so he wants to talk about a coward with a capital C. It’s no secret that he wants the World Title and Roman Reigns told Knight to win a tournament that he can’t even enter. Knight knows that he’s going to have to deal with a lot of the family and there is already one man with him. That would be Solo Sikoa, who pops up in the crowd. Sikoa thanks Knight for having his back last week and who could have seen this coming just a year ago?
Knight says Sikoa has gotten a warning shot but here are the Usos to interrupt. They don’t like what Sikoa did and issue him another warning shot, with Sikoa doing the Matrix bullet time. The Usos don’t care for that either and the challenge for the tag match is issued for tonight. Sikoa: “You got my back?” Knight: “YEAH! You got my back?” Sikoa: “PEW!” Not exactly shocking stuff here but Sikoa is incredibly entertaining at the moment.
We recap the #1 contenders tournament.
Stephanie Vaquer vs. Roxanne Perez
The other women of the Judgment Day are here with Perez. Vaquer knocks her away to start and works on the arm. Back up and they trade rollups for two each until Vaquer ties her up again. A Judgment Day distraction lets Perez knock her outside though and it’s a whip into the barricade as we take a break. We come back with Vaquer in trouble and Liv Morgan yelling from ringside (Morgan: “I’m better than you! And I’m prettier than you!”) until Vaquer makes the comeback.
Some clotheslines set up the Devil’s Kiss (it’s still over) and Perez tries to go to the floor. That earns her a pull back inside but the referee has to fix the ring skirt, allowing Perez to go to the eyes. A Shining Wizard gives Perez two so it’s off to the crossface but Vaquer is up with the SVB. Morgan cuts her off on top though and that’s enough to bring out Becky Lynch. Vaquer cuts Rodriguez off and seems to thank Lynch before going back inside. Perez misses a moonsault and it’s a double underhook facebuster to give Vaquer the pin at 13:14.
Rating: B-. There was a lot going on here but Lynch and Vaquer as the female version of Sikoa and Knight going after the big stable with the title as the ultimate goal is working. Vaquer feels like she belongs at this level and if that can continue, they should be in for something good in the upcoming weeks.
Post match Vaquer thanks Lynch, who seems to say that Vaquer owes her two.
We look at Big Cass beating up Je’Von Evans.
The Judgment Day seems to threaten Rey Mysterio, with Evans running in for the save. Rey is rather appreciative.
#1 Contenders Tournament Semifinals: Dragon Lee vs. Rey Fenix
Fenix’s AAA Cruiserweight Title isn’t on the line. They trade flips to start until Lee sends him into the corner for the running dropkick. Fenix is right back with a kick to the head into a high crossbody for two as Lee bails out to the floor. A big moonsaults takes Lee down again but he snaps off a German suplex back inside. That means the big running flip dive can take Fenix out on the floor as we take a break.
We come back with Lee fighting out of trouble and loading Fenix into the Tree Of Woe for the big double stomp. Fenix is sent outside for a crazy running flip dive onto the announcers’ table (that looked great). Back in and a tornado DDT drops Fenix for two but he’s back up with a brainbuster (with commentary calling it together for extra emphasis). The Mexican MuscleBuster is reversed into a Styles Clash to give Lee two more but Fenix is right back with a rolling cutter. Now the Mexican MuscleBuster can give Fenix the pin at 13:31.
Rating: B+. Take two young, talented high fliers and let them go nuts for awhile. It’s worked before and it worked again here, which is great to see. Fenix going forward against Penta (because it’s going to be Penta) is the right call as it adds a personal touch to the finals. Lee held up his end here though as that flip dive was awesome. Outstandingly entertaining match here and I had a great time with it.
Lola Vice (not named but pretty clear) is coming on September 14.
Here are Paul Heyman and Adam Pearce for the Oba Femi/Bron Breakker contract signing. Breakker sits down and pauses before signing. He asks what Femi has done to be seen as the future around here. Yeah he squashed a bunch of people and beat Brock Lesnar. That doesn’t sound like a championship.
Eight months ago, Breakker had this place in the palm of his hand, but then he got hurt. He took himself out, because no one around here could take him out, including Femi. Then Femi took Breakker’s spot and is doing everything he was doing. Femi: “Bron, you are an angry orange man.” Breakker underestimates him, but if Breakker had debuted in 2002 or 2015, he would have been the big dog against John Cena. But it’s 2026 and Breakker has to run against Oba Femi. Now Femi is going to show Breakker what is coming for him, which seems to have Breakker thinking twice.
Breakker says he’s going to make Femi fight in the deep waters and it’s going to leave Femi as a sorry wrestler in the middle of the ring who can’t compete. Breakker signs and asks if Femi wants to do the same. He asks if Femi’s daddy should do it for him. Breakker: “Yeah sign it Paul.” Heyman: “Don’t do this.”
Heyman isn’t happy and Breakker grabs him by the jacket, which is enough for a cheap shot on Femi. That’s enough for Heyman to vamoose as Femi is back up. Cue Austin Theory from behind and Breakker….can’t hit the Super Spear. Instead Breakker gets clotheslined to the floor and Theory is put through the table. With Breakker on the floor, Femi signs as well to make the match official. Femi sounded so natural on the mic while Breakker sounded shaky.
The Usos, with their black necklaces, are ready to run the play but mock Jacob Fatu for not being on their level.
Big Cass vs. Je’Von Evans
Evans pounds away to start but gets cut off without much trouble. He’s back up to knock Cass outside and tries a dive, which Cass pulls out of the air. Cass beats on him on the floor and grabs a spinning Boss Man Slam back inside as we take a break. We come back with Evans hammering away and hitting a big dive over the barricade and into the timekeeper’s area. Evans: “I’m about to whip your a**!” More right hands have Cass in trouble and the spinning kick connects inside. The OG Cutter is loaded up but Cass cuts him off, with a big boot finishing Evans at 8:48.
Rating: B-. They kept this simple, with Evans wanting revenge and firing off everything he could until he caught with too much power. That’s an idea that has worked forever in wrestling and it worked again here too. I’m not sure what the endgame is with Cass at the moment, but every week that he’s here on his own is one week without Enzo and that means it’s a good week.
Post match Judgment Day jumps Evans, with Dominik Mysterio hitting a frog splash.
Sol Ruca is ready for the Judgment Day when Iyo Sky comes in for some giggling hugs. Lyra Valkyria comes in and says she’s their friend too. She wants Ruca’s match against Raquel Rodriguez but Ruca turns her down. Valkyria is not happy and this probably won’t end well.
#1 Contenders Tournament Semifinals: Penta vs. La Parka
Penta starts fast and sends him to the floor for the big dive. Parka fights right back and hits a moonsault but dives into a superkick back inside. The backstabber has Parka in more trouble and we take a break. We come back with Penta fighting back and cutting Parka off again. The super Spanish Fly cuts Parka off again but walking into a powerslam. Penta is right back to knock him into the corner for a handstand dropkick. Parka is right back with a tornado DDT and they go to the top, with Parka grabbing a super Spanish Fly. Penta shrugs that off and the springboard Mexican Destroyer connects to give Penta the pin at 9:54.
Rating: B. Yeah it was fun and the high spots worked, but this whole tournament has been little more than a countdown to Penta winning (they’ve all but announced him as winning in AAA). Parka is someone who can get some attention and the fans know who he is so putting him out there was fine. This was all about Penta though and that’s all it should have been.
Post match Penta and Rey Fenix have a staredown.
LA Knight and Solo Sikoa affirm their friendship before the main event.
Ethan Page interrupts Chad Gable and suggests he should be Intercontinental Champion. Gable points out that Page cost himself the title shot in the gauntlet match.
Here’s what’s coming next week.
We recap Stephanie Vaquer vs. Roxanne Perez.
Vaquer is told that she gets a title shot in two weeks and even though she didn’t need it, she thanks Becky Lynch for her help. She’s coming for the title in two weeks and is ready to destroy Judgment Day.
Usos vs. LA Knight/Solo Sikoa
Jimmy gets sent into the corner to start and Sikoa is right there with a running Umaga Attack and the early near fall. The Usos are back up to knock Sikoa outside for the double superkick though and we take a break. We come back with Sikoa fighting his way out of trouble but getting caught by Jey’s jumping enziguri. Jey cuts off another comeback attempt but the running Umaga Attack takes too long, allowing Sikoa to get in a clothesline.
Knight and Jimmy both come in, with the former firing off the left hands. Everything breaks down and Jey’s suicide dive is cut off. A superkick isn’t cut off though and Jey talks about Roman Reigns, only for Royce Keys to tackle Jey and Sikoa through the barricade. Cue NXT’s OTM (Bronco Nima/Lucien Price, a powerhouse team) to jump the Usos, as well as Knight. We’ll say the match is thrown out at about 9:30.
Rating: C+. Uh, yeah I’m not sure on this one, as OTM was hardly a big time team in NXT and then here they are. I can go with Keys getting some help and that’s a good thing, but dang this feels out of nowhere. Hopefully it winds up working as I like OTM, but this whole story just took a rather weird step.
Post match the beating continues, with Keys using the steps to beat on a bunch of people, including Sikoa and Knight. Jimmy is put through the announcers’ table and the new team poses to end the show. The fans weren’t exactly thrilled here and I get it, as OTM is just such a random pick for this spot.
Overall Rating: B. The tournament itself isn’t interesting as it feels like a long path to an obvious result, but dang the action worked rather well this week. It’s been good enough to make up for the lack of drama, with Fenix vs. Lee being a show stealer. I’m really not sure where the big main event angle is going, but the bigger issue is that I’m not sure I care. Other than the women’s stuff, there wasn’t much story development here that got my interest, but the wrestling more than pushed this one higher.
Results
Stephanie Vaquer b. Roxanne Perez – Double underhook facebuster
Rey Fenix b. Dragon Lee – Mexican MuscleBuster
Big Cass b. Je’Von Evans – Big boot
Penta b. La Parka – Springboard Mexican Destroyer
Usos vs. LA Knight/Solo Sikoa went to a no contest when OTM and Royce Keys interfered
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