Monday Night Raw
Date: September 21, 2026
Location: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

We’re back stateside and that means it’s time to keep getting ready for Money In The Bank. We’ll be having some qualifying matches, but we’ll also have to deal with LA Knight getting the World Title shot against Roman Reigns. You didn’t hear about that one? Well it was announced after last week’s Raw went off the air. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Penta vs. Roman Reigns in their instant classic last week. We also see LA Knight coming out to lay Reigns out after the show, with the Money In The Bank title match being announced, oddly by Reigns, who wanted revenge.

Penta and LA Knight have a quick staredown in the back but everything seems to be ok.

Here is Penta to get things going and he gets quite the pyro. Penta talks about how big last week was for everyone, including himself and his family. Roman Reigns was the better man that night and Penta respects him, but this isn’t over. He wants another shot to win the title but here is Judgment Day to interrupt.

They don’t know why Penta is talking about the title when he lost last week. Dominik Mysterio is going to win Money In The Bank and become the champion while Penta is just a luchador. Dominik says he is the King Of The Luchadors but Penta says the only king is Dominik’s father. The brawl is on and Penta fights back with a double high crossbody to send the villains bailing.

Jacob Fatu yells at the Usos about how they keep screwing up with 946 (Royce Keys and OTM). Solo Sikoa comes in with a literal white flag and says they need to work together against OTM. That’s only happening if Sikoa acknowledges the Bloodline, which Sikoa says isn’t happening and leaves. Fatu says that was a big mistake….by the Usos.

Women’s Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Iyo Sky vs. La Catalina vs. Roxanne Perez

Catalina’s AAA Reina de Reinas title isn’t on the line. Perez chases both of them outside to start before it’s Perez going back inside to get double dropkicked right back to the floor. Catalina spins Sky around for two and Perez is back in for some rollups of her own. They get up for a three way standoff and Perez knocks Sky outside again. The suicide dive is cut off by Sky’s forearm and Sky follows with an Asai moonsault. Catalina dives onto both of them and we take a break.

We come back with Perez grabbing a DDT and Russian legsweep at the same time for two each. Catalina is back up with a high crossbody for two and some running hip attacks in the corner. Sky is sent outside and a forearm to the back gives Perez two. Back up and Sky goes up top, where Catalina shoves her onto the post. Perez gets up top with them and throws Catalina down, leaving Sky to get caught with a super hurricanrana.

Catalina knees Perez down though and everyone needs a breather. They all get up and strike it out until Catalina Gory Bombs Perez for two. Sky is back in with a double missile dropkick and the running knees hit them both in the corner. Over The Moonsault only hits Catalina though, allowing Perez to Pop Rox Sky for the win at 14:02.

Rating: B. The ending was a nice sequence but it was another example of a triple threat match where one of them stayed down for awhile while the other two did their thing. It’s a problem with having this many triple threat matches because it always comes up. Perez going over is fine, even if pinning Sky is something of a surprise.

LA Knight makes sure Solo Sikoa isn’t joining the Bloodline again and they agree to both win at Money In The Bank. Sikoa just better not cash in on him.

Here is LA Knight for a chat. He gives Roman Reigns and Penta props after last week’s classic, but now he has his shot against Reigns at Money In The Bank. It’s been three years since they’ve fought one on one because Knight has been kept out of the plans. The problem is Knight is the plants.

Knight will acknowledge that Reigns won a great one last week and he did it himself. It’s easy to acknowledge Reigns’ greatness, but the people have kept staying behind Knight the whole time. The problem is the fans don’t believe it’s going to happen and Knight doesn’t blame you after losing the big one so many times.

Maybe no one believes that he can win, but what interests Knight is how many times Reigns has done things with no Bloodline. Knight: “Good for you. Yippy skippy.” The reality is Reigns has never been able to beat him one on one and Knight has done everything on his own. At Money In The Bank, he’ll acknowledge Reigns acknowledging him as the new champion. This was a fired up Knight, though I’m still not sure I can imagine him winning.

Je’Von Evans is ready to win Money In The Bank. The Vision comes in to threaten him, with Bron Breakker saying the briefcase belongs to him. Evans is ready with the challenge and slaps Breakker before running away. Breakker doesn’t follow, saying it’s time to use his head first.

Je’Von Evans vs. Bron Breakker

Breakker starts fast and hammers away in the corner, followed by some knees in the corner. Back up and Evans fights up for an uppercut in the corner and the suicide dive. They both wind up outside with Breakker being sent into the announcers’ table. Breakker’s charge misses and he crashes into the time keeper’s area. Evans follows with a big dive to take Breakker down again and we take a break.

We come back with Breakker snapping off the super Frankensteiner but the spear is blocked with a perfectly times superkick. They both get up and Evans hits a springboard crossbody but has to counter a gorilla press into a DDT. A running Sliced Bread gets two but Maxxine Dupri offers a distraction, allowing Austin Theory to get in a cheap shot. A spinning Boss Man Slam gives Breakker two but he misses a charge into the post. Evans hits a pair of big dives to the floor (one for Bronson Reed, one for Breakker). The OG Cutter is loaded up but Theory breaks it up for the DQ at 12:02.

Rating: B-. This was a case where I liked the result, as Evans was making me think he was about to win and the last thing I wanted to see was him getting speared in half for the pin. This leaves the door open for a rematch down the line and I could go for seeing them running it back, as the next generation gets another chance to show what they can do. Good match here with a better result.

Post match the beatdown is on but Oba Femi runs in for the save and wrecks the entire team, including some rather loud chair shots. That’s not enough though as Femi picks up Evans and launches him onto the team, with the Vision only kind of catching Evans.

Mark Henry is here.

946 is in a car and says no one is safe.

We look at Joe Hendry doing a live performance earlier, with some fans joining in to sing about JD McDonagh as a Funko Pop, and yes there is a life McDonagh Pop there.

Here is Judgment Day for a chat. McDonagh is sick of all the insults from Joe Hendry and they have to end because his family is being hurt. Liv Morgan brags about all of the success the team has had, including attacking El Grande Americano. Morgan wants her rematch for the Women’s Title right now because what happened to her was unfair.

Instead here is Becky Lynch to interrupt in the crowd, saying she’s disappointed of everyone there, including Jordan Devlin McDonagh. They’ve known each other for years and Lynch has CALLED HIS MOM. Mama McDonagh is sick of seeing her son like this and being around such losers. Lynch says Morgan must be disappointed as well, because she found out what happened when she actually defended her title.

They better not be disappointed in Referee Rebecca though, because she might be the greatest referee of all time. Cue Stephanie Vaquer, who says she’s the champion around here. Morgan can have her rematch to show that the win in Chile wasn’t a fluke. Lynch isn’t happy so Vaquer says she’ll talk to Adam Pearce about it. We’re getting another triple threat out of this but I’m trying to get over the idea of Lynch calling McDonagh’s mom. Lynch was acting like her old self here and that is awesome to see again.

Lyra Valkyria talks about everything she had to do to get away from Bayley and then tried to win Money In The Bank. Bayley cost her, so now it’s time to make Bayley wish that their last match was their last match. Valkyria’s transformation in recent months is remarkable.

Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria

Bayley jumps her on the floor before the bell and the beating is on, with Sky in fast trouble. They go inside for the opening bell and Sky is sent outside again. The dive is cut off so Bayley grabs a belly to back suplex. Bayley gets flipped into the corner though and comes up holding her knee. That’s enough for Valkyria to hit a top rope Fameasser for two but Bayley is able to knock her off the top. The top rope elbow gets two and Bayley drops a string of elbows as we take a break.

We come back with Valkyria planting her down for two and knocking Bayley into the corner. Back up and a quick Bayley To Belly gets two on Valkyria, who can’t hit the Last Breath. The Rose Plant is blocked as well and they fight out to the floor. Valkyria is thrown over the announcers’ table and Bayley tries a piledriver, which is broken up. Back in and Bayley is so livid that she gets sent throat first into the rope. Valkyria grabs a rollup with tights for the pin at 11:45.

Rating: B-. You know this isn’t over and that’s not a bad thing, as there seems to be a lot left in the tank here. Bayley getting cheated out of the win after beating the fire out of Valkyria for a good while is a good example of Valkyria looking crazy but still coming off as smart. I’m liking her prospects as this is already working better than what she was doing before.

Chad Gable congratulates Dragon Lee on a great match last week and is willing to run it back anytime. Lee seems to appreciate that but Ethan Page comes in to interrupt. Page says maybe Gable should get a mask of his own because he’s clearly hiding. Gable points out that Page keeps getting chances but losing, so go show him something. Until then, stay away from the title.

Here is Adam Pearce with a contract. He brings out the officially signed Lola Vice, who is happy to come out and greet the fans. She talks about her mother introducing her to dance while her father introduced her to martial arts. Now she’s ready to knock out whoever she needs to in order to win Money In The Bank. This brings out Roxanne Perez, who says no one care about the signing. The fight is nearly on, with Vice just barely missing the spinning backfist.

Paul Heyman is shown watching Vice in the back when Bron Breakker comes up. Heyman says Oba Femi is still breathing and that’s bad for the Vision. Breakker says he’s still breathing too and that’s bad for everyone. Heyman: “Everyone?” Breakker: “Everyone.” Heyman isn’t sure what to think about that one.

Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Solo Sikoa vs. Dragon Lee vs. Dominik Mysterio

Hold on though as 946 has attacked Solo Sikoa and throw him in the back of their car and drive off with him. Jacob Fatu and the Usos show up but the car drives away. Fatu blames the Usos for this as LA Knight shows up to hear what happened. We take a break and come back with Dominik Mysterio trying to get a bye to Money In The Bank but Adam Pearce sends him to the ring. So it seems we’re having a singles match…but hang on. Here is Adam Pearce to say this is still a triple threat match.

Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Dragon Lee vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. Penta

Yeah this works. Mysterio gets double stomped down and Lee backdrops him out to the floor. A quick armdrag sends Penta into the corner but Mysterio pulls Lee outside. That means Penta can hit a big running flip dive and we take a break. We come back with Lee striking away at Penta out of the corner and hitting the big running flip dive to the floor.

Back in and a sitout powerbomb gives Lee two on Mysterio, who is able to catch Lee on top. Lee is right back up with the top rope double stomp but Penta takes Lee out to leave everyone down. Mysterio is back up with a trio of slingshot hilos to Penta until Lee cuts Mysterio off with a superkick (I’m guessing Lee wasn’t there in time so Mysterio had to keep doing it).

Lee gets sent to the floor but pops right back up with a slingshot hurricanrana to take Penta out on the floor. Mysterio hits a heck of a 619 to a running Lee, leaving Penta to come back in for the three way chop off. Lee is knocked down and a Penta Driver gets two on Mysterio to leave everyone down again. Lee forearms Mysterio down and hits Operation Dragon for two, with Penta diving in for the save.

Penta and Lee slug it out until Penta’s superkick only earns himself a poisonrana. Mysterio’s quick from splash hits raised knees and Lee Styles Clashes Mysterio for two with Penta making another save. Penta drops Lee on the apron and gets 619ed, setting up a frog splash for a heck of a near fall. The frustrated Mysterio pulls a turnbuckle pad off but Penta sends him into the steel instead. The springboard Mexican Destroyer gives Penta the win at 18:55.

Rating: B+. After last week, it made sense to put Penta in the match and have him win. He doesn’t have to win Money In The Bank, but what matters is he’s still in the picture here. That’s what the fans wanted to see here and it came after a heck of a match. These three know how to do the exciting style and it worked rather well.

Overall Rating: B. They weren’t going to be able to top what they did last week but we did get a very good show, with the fans still being all about Penta. The ladder matches are looking strong and I’m not sure which way they’re going. Raw is actually on something of a roll right now and I could go for seeing how they follow it up. Granted that doesn’t mean it’s going to go well, but they do at least have the momentum at the moment.

Results
Roxanne Perez b. Iyo Sky and La Catalina – Pop Rox to Sky
Je’Von Evans b. Bron Breakker via DQ when Austin Theory interfered
Lyra Valkyria b. Bayley – Rollup with tights
Penta b. Dominik Mysterio and Dragon Lee – Springboard Mexican Destroyer to Mysterio

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: September 14, 2026
Location: Arena CDMX, Mexico City, Mexico
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Corey Graves

So we’re in Mexico for the first time in fifteen years, it’s two days before Mexican independence day, and Penta is challenging Roman Reigns for the World Title. That opens up one heck of a door and I’m curious to see what happens. Other than that, of course we have Money In The Bank qualifying matches. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a video on Penta vs. Roman Reigns.

Penta arrives on a freaking horse. Dang he might actually win this thing.

Here is Rey Mysterio, with Adam Pearce, and in a neck brace after Triplemania, to talk about how proud he is to be back here in Mexico and to be a luchador. He is proud to represent Mexico and is proud of another Latina wrestler, as Stephanie Vaquer won the Raw Women’s Title over the weekend in Santiago, Chile. Mysterio brings out Vaquer, who could not be happier to have won the title in her home country.

Cue Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan to interrupt, with Morgan being lived about losing the title. Dominik is booed out of the building again, with Rey asking what happened to Dominik’s title? Dominik wants a mixed tag right now but Pearce says no as Rey (who is in street clothes) isn’t medically cleared. Instead here is El Grande Americano to a ROAR, who is in for the mixed tag. Pearce: “ES OFFICIAL!” I was waiting on Americano to show up and it didn’t disappoint.

El Grande Americano/Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan/Dominik Mysterio

We’re joined in progress with Americano kicking Mysterio in the face, so Morgan can come in. That’s fine with Vaquer, who catches her with a high crossbody and gets two off a rollup. Mysterio low bridges her to the floor and Morgan is livid enough to hammer away. Vaquer fights up and knocks her down, allowing the tag off to Americano. House is quickly cleaned, including a middle rope Blockbuster, but Mysterio gets in a shot to put Americano on the floor as we take a break.

We come back with Morgan cutting off a tag attempt but Americano is fine enough to hit an Air Raid Crash for two. Now it’s Vaquer coming back in to take over on Morgan, including a quick powerslam for two. Everything breaks down and Morgan jumps into Mysterio’s arms. That means it’s a double 619 (Rey approves) but here is Judgment Day to jump the heroes for the DQ at 12:06.

Rating: B-. This was getting rather good before the ending and it’s kind of a shame that it had to go that way. I’m not sure why you can’t have the heroes get another win here as it’s not like it would be some devastating loss for Mysterio and Morgan. At least Americano got that entrance though and it was worth the wait.

Post match Dominik goes after Rey, with Americano trying to make the save but JD McDonagh hits the big headbutt to cut him off.

Video on the Vision going after Oba Femi and taking him out last week.

Rey Fenix gives Penta a pep talk.

Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Je’Von Evans vs. Austin Theory vs. Big Cass

Maxxine Dupri is here with Theory, who jumps Evans instead of going after Cass. That earns Theory a big toss from Cass, with Evans sending him outside. Evans puts Theory into the timekeeper’s area but gets chokeslammed into it as well as we take a break. We come back with Theory hitting a pretty impressive torture rack bomb to Cass but getting frog splashed by Evans. That’s enough to send Theory outside for the big no hands dive but Cass is back in with the swinging Boss Man Slam.

The OG Cutter is blocked so Evans rolls Cass up for two instead. Back up and Cass boots Evans with Theory stealing the near fall as Cass pulls him out at two. Dupri yells at Cass so Theory hits a dive, only to be thrown down as well. Back in and Evans Sliced Breads Theory onto Cass, allowing the OG Cutter to drop Cass and give Evans the pin at 9:45.

Rating: B-. That’s a surprising result, as while Evans getting the win makes sense, I wasn’t expecting Cass, the new midcard monster, to lose so soon. He hasn’t exactly been lighting the place on fire but I wasn’t expecting him to lose already. Evans going to the ladder match is great though, as he can go do some stupid dives to the big reactions, which is why he’s involved.

We look back at Royce Keys and OTM burning the Usos’ car last week.

Jacob Fatu and the Usos say the play is to stay together, even with Roman Reigns needing protection.

Intercontinental Title: Chad Gable vs. Dragon Lee

Lee is challenging and we get a show of respect to start. They go technical, with Gable flipping him into a sunset flip for two. Back up and Lee knocks him into the corner for a running dropkick to send Gable outside. Gable is fine enough to snap off an overhead belly to belly and a northern lights suplex gets two. Lee cuts off an Ultimo Dragon headstand in the corner from Gable to send him outside. That means the big running flip dive onto the announcers’ table as we take a break.

We come back with Gable getting two off a super Angle Slam to leave them both down. Gable cuts off a flip with a sitout powerbomb for two more but the moonsault hits raised boots. Lee hits a running forearm but Operation Dragon is countered into a quickly broken ankle lock. They fight on top with Gable being knocked into a Tree Of Woe over the apron, with Lee hitting the big double stomp (with the camera looking up for a great angle).

Back in and Gable suplexes him into the corner, setting up a moonsault for two more. Gable rolls some German suplexes but Lee flips out of the third and grabs Operation Dragon for a rather near fall. The Styles Clash is countered into an ankle lock but Lee rolls over into the Styles Clash for an even nearer fall. The ankle lock goes on again and Lee FINALLY taps at 15:36.

Rating: A-. The crowd carried this one even higher, as the two of them were having an awesome match that was turned into something incredible due to the reactions. Gable is just on another planet right now and it’s great to see him getting these reactions just by being himself. It’s LONG overdue and he’s making the most of it, which is great for him. Lee had the best WWE match of his career and felt like a real threat to the title, which is more than I was expecting. Outstanding.

Post match Gable immediately lets go and checks on Lee. As Gable leaves, Lee apologizes to the fans.

Bayley talks about the beating that Lyra Valkyria gave her and how she has realized what Valkyria did to her. Valkyria has called her the doormat of the women’s locker room, which suggests that nothing she has done in fourteen years has mattered. Bayley chose her path and she’s going to show Valkyria what she is all about. This was serious Bayley and it worked.

Women’s Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Kelani Jordan vs. Lola Vice vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Jordan’s NXT Women’s Title and Rodriguez’s Women’s Intercontinental Title aren’t on the line. Jordan bails to the floor to start, leaving Vice to kick away at Rodriguez. Vice’s kicks are blocked and Rodriguez picks her up, with Jordan coming in for a dropkick. Vice and Jordan team up to knock Rodriguez to the floor, with Jordan hitting a moonsault. That leaves Vice to dive onto Jordan, only to get crushed by Rodriguez as we take a break.

We come back with Vice kicking Jordan into the corner, setting up the running hip attacks in the corner (you’ll notice a theme from Vice). Rodriguez knocks Vice to the floor and counters a top rope hurricanrana, with Jordan rolling her up for two instead. Back in and Vice gets caught with a fall away slam but pulls Jordan into a triangle choke. That’s broken up and Jordan is sent outside, leaving Vice to roll Rodriguez up for the pin at 12:12.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure why you would have two champions and a debuting star there with one of them having to take a loss but that’s modern wrestling for you. Anyway, Vice felt like a star and you can probably expect her to get a big push in the coming weeks. If nothing else, she gets to be the fresh blood in the division for a bit and that’s nice to see again.

OTM and Royce Keys do their best Shield impression and suggest that Jacob Fatu might be paranoid, but also reveal that they’re in Mexico.

We get a clip from Joe Hendry’s music video about how he should get every single belt (right now).

Stephanie Vaquer is going to leave but runs into Becky Lynch, who thinks she should get a title shot after helping Vaquer win the title (as guest referee). Lynch leaves before Vaquer can say anything.

Raw World Title: Penta vs. Roman Reigns

Penta, in a massive headdress (probably three and a half feet in all directions), is challenging and gets an absolute hero’s welcome. The bell rings and Reigns stalls a lot but Penta does the Cero Miedo, earning himself a running shoulder. Back up and Penta hits a headbutt, earning himself a glare from Reigns. Penta knocks him outside and there’s the big running flip dive as we take a break.

We come back with Reigns whipping him hard into the corner and mocking the crowd for trying to start the comeback. The big right hands in the corner have Penta in more trouble but Reigns takes too long and gets knocked away. A Backstabber out of the corner gives Penta two, as does a springboard tornado DDT. Penta Sacrifices Reigns’ arm but he’s fine enough to plant Penta with a release Rock Bottom for two as we take another break.

We come back with Reigns’ arm giving out so Penta sends him to the apron. The springboard Mexican Destroyer is countered with a backdrop though and Reigns hits a big toss powerbomb onto the announcers’ table. Back in and the Penta Driver gets two in a heck of a near fall, followed by the Superman Punch to give Reigns two more. The spear misses and Penta gets the Mexican Destroyer, only for Reigns to come back with the spear for two more as the fans die and come back to live in the span of five seconds.

Reigns gets up and hammers away again before grabbing the mic and promising to end Reigns. Another spear is countered with a superkick and the springboard Mexican Destroyer gets two in a finish I bought so hard that I have an extended warranty. The go to their knees and punch the tar out of each other with Reigns getting the better of things. Three straight superkicks cut Reigns off but he Superman Punches a springboard out of the air. Back up and another spear retains the title at 22:24.

Rating: A-. Oh sweet goodness this was awesome. You know you’re seeing something special when you actually feel the air go out of you when the fall goes down. What mattered here is that Penta went out on his shield and it was an outstanding performance, even in defeat. At the same time though, Reigns was in his glory heeling on this crowd and it made the match that much better. Absolutely a pay per view worthy match, made even better with the molten crowd. This was a moment, and that’s not something you see very often.

And for once nothing happens, as Reigns mocks the crowd to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. Two phenomenal matches and a white hot crowd and my goodness what else could you want? This was Raw turning it up and letting its talented people tear the roof off the place. I had a great time with this show and even the weakest stuff was rather good. The fans alone bring this one up but the wrestlers were doing their job as well. Outstanding show.

Results
El Grande Americano/Stephanie Vaquer b. Dominik Mysterio/Liv Morgan via DQ when Judgment Day interfered
Je’Von Evans b. Big Cass and Austin Theory – OG Cutter to Cass
Chad Gable b. Dragon Lee – Ankle lock
Lola Vice b. Kelani Jordan and Raquel Rodriguez – Rollup to Rodriguez
Roman Reigns b. Penta – Spear

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: August 17, 2026
Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re on the way to Saturday Night’s Main Event and the big story here is Solo Sikoa being forced to come back to the Bloodline after losing to Jey Uso last week. Other than that, we have a tournament going on to determine who challenges Roman Reigns on Raw in Mexico City in a few weeks. Reigns is at least here tonight so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here is Stephanie Vaquer to get things going. She gets right to the point of calling out Liv Morgan for a fight so here are all three women of the Judgment Day. Morgan mocks Becky Lynch being worried about Morgan mocking the women who came before her. Why should Morgan care about any of them?

Morgan brings up the beatings she has given to Vaquer, who wants to fight anyway. Judgment Day gets in the ring and lays her out but Vaquer sends Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez to the floor. A superkick hits Morgan but the other two are back in to jump Vaquer again. Cue Becky Lynch for the save until she gets in a shoving match with Vaquer. That lets Morgan post Lynch and Vaquer is laid out again. They’ll need a third but a six woman tag could go well for Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The Bloodline arrives, including a rather reluctant Solo Sikoa. They run into LA Knight, who isn’t happy but they keep walking anyway because Roman Reigns is waiting.

Je’Von Evans vs. JD McDonagh

This is an impromptu match that was set up during the break. Evans knocks him outside to start but Dominik Mysterio trips Evans so McDonagh can stomp away. That earns McDonagh another trip to the floor, with Evans clotheslining him into the timekeeper’s area. The big running dive sends McDonagh into a wheeled chair for a huge crash. Mysterio offers another distraction though and McDonagh wraps the knee around the post as we take a break.

We come back with Evans fighting up again and hitting a spinning kick to the back. McDonagh gets in a headbutt into the brainbuster for two and can’t believe the kickout. Evans loads up….something from the inside to the announcers’ table but settles for avoiding a moonsault instead. The OG Cutter gives Evans the pin at 9:17.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure what Evans was teasing to the table near the end but thankfully he went with something that worked a lot better instead. Evans continues to be one of the easiest people in the world to get behind and it worked again here. Nice job here, though it feels like a countdown to the next Big Cass beating.

Post match indeed here is Big Cass to lay Evans out again. Cass goes to leave but Evans says no no no. He asks if that’s all Cass has so Cass lumbers back to the ring, where Evans gets in a dive. Evans hammers away until Mysterio posts him,

We recap the lucha tournament, with Rey Fenix and El Fiscal (the Prosecutor) ready for their first round match.

#1 Contenders Tournament First Round: Rey Fenix vs. El Fiscal

Fenix’s AAA Cruiserweight Title isn’t on the line. They run the ropes to start with Fenix getting the better of things off a dropkick. Fiscal is right back with a spinning rather high crossbody and they both go up top. That means some headbutts can knock Fiscal down for a really big springboard dive as we take a break. We come back with Fiscal hitting a discus lariat but not being able to get in his spinning Tombstone. Fenix sends him into the corner though and comes out with the Mexican MuscleBuster for the pin at 9:03.

Rating: C+. This was completely fine with both guys getting to do their high flying. Fenix is a rather talented started who can make almost anything work, including the flying around like this. Fenix winning makes sense, as it wouldn’t stun me to see him vs. Penta in the finals. Fiscal is a good star in his own right, but he’s not on the same star power level as Fenix.

Roxanne Perez still wants the Women’s Title when Becky Lynch comes in. Perez tells her to stay away, but Lynch says she’s always here when Perez is going for the title, which she seems to be doing next week.

Lyra Valkyria can’t believe she’s not getting anything after taking Bayley out. It’s all about Sol Ruca, who can’t do anything impressive because Valkyria could do all of them. Ruca isn’t just surfing part her, and then she’s getting her title back.

Sol Ruca vs. Lyra Valkyria

Valkyria grabs a headlock and headscissors on the mat to start, with Ruca headstanding her way out. Some cranks on the arm have Ruca down but she’s able to knock Valkyria outside. The moonsault connects but Valkyria knocks her back down again. A springboard is broken up back inside and we take a break.

We come back with Ruca fighting out of trouble again and hitting a knee out of the corner. The middle rope dropkick connects with Valkyria for two and they’re both down again. Back up and Valkyria cuts her off with a nasty neckbreaker across the rope, setting up the top rope ax kick for two. Ruca gets backbreakered out of the corner but manages to escape Nightwing. A tornado DDT sets up the Sol Snatcher for the pin on Valkyria at 10:48.

Rating: B-. I’m more than a bit surprised that Valkyria lost here, as she seemed to be being built up for something bigger down the line. At the same time, Ruca getting a win is a good thing as she could easily be rebuilt back into title contention. If nothing else, it feels like a matter of time before she’s in the main title picture and a clean win, with the Sol Snatcher looking smoother and smoother, is a good start.

The Usos come up to Jacob Fatu, with Jey bragging about beating Solo Sikoa when Fatu couldn’t.

Austin Theory and Maxxine Dupri are rather happy with how badly the Alpha Academy has been destroyed. Bron Breakker is asked about Oba Femi and says anything he has to say to Femi, he’ll say to his face.

And with that, Breakker comes to the ring and immediately calls Femi out. Instead he gets Bron Breakker, who says he knows what is wise and unwise. One thing that is wise is to find out who is the future of WWE. Breakker: “How about you tell me Paul?” This brings out Femi, who says that Brock Lesnar was the future, but even he knew who the future is now. That would be Femi himself, and if Breakker has a problem with that, do something about it.

Breakker is ready to go but Heyman says if Breakker takes a step towards Femi, he takes a permanent step away from Heyman. This is a publicly traded company and you don’t just have this kind of a fight for free. We promote this match to be the biggest it can possibly be, which is why Heyman has already gotten it signed for Sunday Night’s Main Event. Breakker goes to leave and Heyman gives Femi a friendly handshake (which Femi accepts), leaving Breakker not sure what’s going on. Heyman: “That’s good business!” That handshake is interesting as you never know what Heyman has going on.

Dragon Lee is ready for El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.

El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. is ready to win to honor his family.

#1 Contenders Tournament: Dragon Lee vs. El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.

Lee grabs a headlock to start and grinds away until Wagner sends him into the corner. That earns Lee a hard chop into a running forearm and the Death Valley Driver. Some tilt-a-whirl backbreakers have Lee in trouble and the big flip dive off the apron takes him out again. Back in and Lee charges into a superkick for two and we take a break.

We come back with Lee hitting his own superkick and a tornado DDT to send Wagner outside. The big running flip dive connects for Lee and they trade some rather loud chops back inside. Lee sends him into the corner for the Tree Of Woe double stomp so Wagner plants him back down. A frog splash gives Wagner two more but the Wagner Driver is broken up. Operation Dragon gives Lee the pin at 11:05.

Rating: B-. This got better as it went, though I still don’t quite get the appeal of Wagner. He’s a bigger guy than a lot of the people in AAA but he’s just kind of there for the most part. Lee isn’t exactly a top star, but he is someone who has been presented as a much bigger deal. His match with Fenix next week should go rather well too.

Intercontinental Title: Rey Mysterio vs. Chad Gable

Gable is defending and Mysterio takes him down to start fast and Gable seems to think twice about things. Mysterio sends him into the corner for the right hands and manages to launch him into the post. The running hurricanrana off the apron drops Gable again and we…don’t take a break, but we do get a big DiGiorno ad on the screen for a bit. Mysterio goes back in but gets suplexed out of the air, allowing Mysterio to go after the leg.

With that broken up, Gable goes with an upside down Gory Stretch until Mysterio powers out. Gable’s charge hits the post but he’s fine enough to hit a cliffhanger DDT. The Swan Dive (Cole: “For the retention!”) gets two so Mysterio is right back with a diving DDT for the same. They go up top again with Mysterio trying a super hurricanrana but getting reversed into a super spinning Angle Slam for two in a heck of a false finish.

Mysterio tries a 619, which is reversed into an ankle lock, which is countered with a roll into the corner. The 619 hits in the corner and a regular version connects, with the fans going absolutely nuts. The top rope splash hits knees though and the ankle lock is on again. That’s reversed into a cradle but Gable reverses into one of his own to retain at 13:19.

Rating: B+. This started off slowly but they were absolutely rocking by the end. They had me actually wondering if the title change was happening but it was a huge win for Gable, who won clean. Awesome match here and one of the best back and forth showcases I’ve seen on Raw in a good while.

Here are Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu for the Solo Sikoa presentation. Cue the rather enthusiastic Usos and Sikoa looking like he’s ready to walk to the gallows. Reigns says it was about three years ago when Reigns beat him on the premiere on Netflix and we go into a package of Sikoa mocking Reigns and the Bloodline for years.

Back in the arena, Reigns takes off Sikoa’s sunglasses and stomps on them, before asking why Sikoa isn’t begging Reigns for forgiveness. Fatu then superkicks and Tongan Death Grips Sikoa, with Reigns shouting ENOUGH to break it up. Reigns says Sikoa needs to lay there for a bit because he has something else to do. He praises the Usos for their success and calls them made men, and if you disrespect them, you disrespect him. The Usos get some special black flower necklaces before Reigns goes back to Sikoa.

Cue LA Knight to clear the Usos but but Reigns and Fatu take him down. Reigns tells Sikoa to finish him but Sikoa Samoan Spikes Reigns instead to blow the roof off the place. Knight and Sikoa clear out the Usos (again) as Fatu just stands back and watches. Reigns is back up and tries a Superman Punch but gets caught in a BFT.

Sikoa and Knight fist bump as Fatu again just stands there (remember Reigns told him to leave Knight alone) to wrap everything up. While I’m not wild on the stipulation from last week just being ignored, it’s the kind of thing that has to happen as Knight is basically the top opponent to the Bloodline. He needs some help, and Sikoa fits that rather well.

Overall Rating: B+. The main event angle and match both worked very well and you had more than enough good going on in the midcard to keep up the pace. We’re pretty clearly moving towards Penta getting the title shot against Reigns in Mexico City, followed by the big showdown with Knight in…sometime after that. This did a rather nice job of getting us closer to those shows though, along with the Women’s Title picture getting that much better. Strong show here, with Sunday Night coming up soon.

Results
Je’Von Evans b. JD McDonagh – OG Cutter
Rey Fenix b. El Fiscal – Mexican MuscleBuster
Sol Ruca b. Lyra Valkyria – Sol Snatcher
Dragon Lee b. El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. – Operation Dragon
Chad Gable b. Rey Mysterio – Rollup

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: August 10, 2026
Location: Scope Arena, Norfolk, Virginia
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re starting something new here and this time it’s taking the form of a #1 contenders tournament for a shot at Roman Reigns. The catch though is there are a lot of luchadors in the field, with the title match taking place in about a month in Mexico City. LA Knight wants the title shot too though so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We recap LA Knight confronting Roman Reigns last week and calling Reigns a fraud. Rather than Reigns sending the Bloodline after Knight, instead he gave the Bloodline another target. This resulted in Jacob Fatu going after Royce Keys and taking him out in a rather violent street fight. Keys is out indefinitely.

Here is Solo Sikoa, coming through the crowd, and kind of singing the Usos’ theme. He’s here to deal with the Bloodline so here is Jey Uso, through the entrance, to interrupt. Uso asks if Sikoa is sure he wants to do this and then tells him to fall in line. Sikoa finds that funny and asks if Uso fell in line. Sikoa: “Cause it looks like you fell off.”

The reality is that Uso was a World Champion who won the Royal Rumble and beat Gunther at Wrestlemania (and yes, Sikoa does do his own yeeting along the way). But now all of that is gone and Uso has nothing. Sikoa isn’t coming back to the family because he loves where he’s at right now.

Uso says he raised Sikoa, who has his big house because of the rest of the family. Uso wants to face Sikoa tonight and if Sikoa loses, he’s back in the Bloodline. He calls that a warning shot so Sikoa turns around and asks if everyone behind him is ok. Sikoa is in for tonight, but when he wins, the family is done with him. That’s Uso’s warning shot, and yes he makes a finger gun sound. When did Sikoa grow a personality? It’s working for me.

Penta is ready to win the tournament but he can’t look past Laredo Kid.

Laredo Kid is ready to show what he can do in the spotlight.

Jey Uso runs into Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu, the latter of whom isn’t sure what Jey is thinking. Jey says it’s just him running a play but Fatu accuses him of ignoring the rest of the team. That’s not cool with Jey, who says he’s getting Solo Sikoa back, so what has Fatu done lately? Fatu brings up taking out Royce Keys last week and says Jey better win, with Jimmy agreeing.

#1 Contender Tournament First Round: Penta vs. Laredo Kid

Kid isn’t shaking hands to start so Penta grabs a headlock instead. What looks to be a monkey flip attempt from Kid is countered with a kick to the ribs but he knocks Penta outside. That just earns Kid a kick to the head and Penta snaps off a running headscissors to the floor. Kid is right back up with a shot of his own, followed by a moonsault to drop Penta again. A moonsault Swanton hits Penta as well and we take a break.

We come back with Penta kicking him in the knee and grabbing a reverse Sling Blade. A slingshot dropkick in the corner hits Kid for two more but he hurricanranas Penta down. The 450 gives Kid two so Penta Backstabbers him out of the corner for two more. They strike it out for a bit until Penta sends him outside for the big running flip dive. The Penta Driver gets two back inside but Kid drivers him right back. Kid can’t hit a corkscrew moonsault so Penta is right back with a Mexican Destroyer for the pin at 10:45.

Rating: B+. It shouldn’t be a surprise that these two had a good match together as they have the talent and experience to make it work well. Penta getting the title shot is absolutely not out of the question and he very well could be the favorite for the whole thing. Beating Kid is a nice start and we got to see some of the stuff that makes both of them feel like major stars.

Logan Paul (with the Vision but without the arm brace) calls the Alpha Academy a bunch of jokes. Maxxine Dupri agrees, because Akira Tozawa has no chance against Austin Theory, who is apparently rather attractive. Bron Breakker does not seem to approve of any of this, but it turns out that he’s focused on Oba Femi. Yeah that works.

Akira Tozawa vs. Austin Theory

Theory charges into a boot in the corner to start and a hurricanrana takes him back down. That’s fine with Theory, who pops back up with a clothesline to put Tozawa in early trouble. The chinlock keeps Tozawa down as Bron Breakker is in another world at ringside. A full nelson backbreaker lets Theory go outside to pose with his teammates, leaving Breakker at least somewhat interested as we take a break.

We come back with Theory getting a kiss on the floor but Tozawa gets in a Shining Wizard. The backsplash gives Tozawa two and he fires off a bunch of kicks. Back up and Theory just blasts him with a spinning forearm (which is apparently called the Off Switch) for the pin at 8:28.

Rating: C+. I’m still trying to care about the Alpha Academy in this spot and it’s still not working. Otis is a lot more interesting than Tozawa, but Tozawa has been treated as a joke for years now. That makes it kind of hard to just flip a switch and make it work here. He’s good in the ring when he gets the chance, but it’s hard to care about him all of a sudden.

Post match Theory teases doing more but Adam Pearce comes out to cut him off. Bron Breakker gets inside and that’s enough to summon Oba Femi, which is just what Breakker wanted. Theory is quickly dispatched and a bunch of people have to hold Femi and Breakker apart. The fans seem WAY into this one

AAA GM Rey Mysterio is excited about the tournament and Dragon Lee comes up to thank him for the spot. Dominik Mysterio pops in to ask why he’s not in the tournament when he is the king of the luchadors. Rey: “I didn’t think you wanted another handout because that’s how you became a jackass in the first place.” With that great line out of the way, Lee tells Dominik to show his father some respect and he’s ready for a match later tonight.

We look back at Stephanie Vaquer being injured back in the spring at the hands of the Judgment Day, setting up returns from both Vaquer and Becky Lynch last week.

Here is Vaquer for a chat. She’s glad to be back and has missed everything about being around here, including the fans. Above all else though she has missed seeing Judgment Day getting scared every time she shows up. That’s why she’s ready to take them out one by one and she knows Liv Morgan isn’t ready for her.

Cue Lynch to interrupt, with Vaquer asking what she wants. It’s probably the same thing Vaquer wants, including giving Morgan one heck of a beating. Lynch has worked too long to see the title go back to the mid-2000s and that isn’t going to happen. As for Vaquer, she’s a bit more of an enigma, but she seems to be gone more often than she’s here.

So is Vaquer this bada** or does her body give up so her mind doesn’t have to. Lynch is fine with Vaquer giving Morgan a beating but Lynch is getting the title. Vaquer isn’t impressed and leaves so here is Morgan, who is quickly dispatched by Lynch. Vaquer comes back in and almost (but doesn’t) hit Lynch by mistake. They go nose to nose and talk a lot of trash until Lynch storms off. Nice segment here and Vaquer getting involved with Lynch is absolutely a big deal.

LA Knight is ready for Roman Reigns and he’s fine with winning the tournament to get the World Title shot. He’s told that it’s a luchador tournament so he can’t enter, which Knight finds very convenient. Solo Sikoa comes in to say that if he loses tonight, Knight is all alone. Knight doesn’t seem overly interested.

Dragon Lee vs. Dominik Mysterio

Mysterio’s AAA Mega Title isn’t on the line. Mysterio chops away in the corner to start but gets taken down with a headscissors. A double stomp gives Lee two but Mysterio is right back up with a running clothesline. Mysterio backdrops him to the floor, with Lee’s leg landing in the ropes, allowing Mysterio to hit a big dive.

We take a break and come back with Lee superkicking him into a tornado DDT, setting up the big flip dive to the floor (that looked great). Back in and Lee hits another superkick but charges into a Michinoku Driver. Lee is fine enough to tie him in the Tree Of Woe for the double stomp but Mysterio is back with a 619. The frog splash hits knees though and Operation Dragon gives Lee the clean pin at 10:23.

Rating: B-. Well that was surprising. I wasn’t expecting the AAA World Champion to lose a thrown together match, but hopefully this isn’t due to reports of Mysterio being unhappy with his booking on Raw. It’s hard to believe that Lee is in line for a big push, but Mysterio losing isn’t something that should be happening in a spot like this.

Post match Big Cass comes in to lay Lee out. Je’Von Evans runs in and gets a few shots on Cass, who knocks him out of the air. The big boot (that looked great) leaves Evans laying. That doesn’t make beating Mysterio look much better.

Sol Ruca is ready for revenge on Judgment Day and has a partner. Danhausen comes in to offer to do it for a…..well a little discount. Ruca says she has this covered and leaves, with Danhausen asking Byron Saxton for money. That’s a no as well so Danhausen leaves too. Wacky as usual.

LA Knight says he can get a lucha mask to enter the tournament but Adam Pearce turns him down. Once the tournament is over though, they’ll find a way for Knight to earn a title shot. With Pearce gone, Jacob Fatu pops up to threaten Knight, who tells Fatu to go get a permission slip to fight from Roman Reigns. Fatu hits his catchphrase and leaves.

Judgment Day vs. Sol Ruca/???

The mystery partner is…Iyo Sky, which is probably better than a random NXT debut. Ruca ducks Rodriguez out of the corner to start but a headlock is easily shoved off. Rodriguez sends her into the corner for the elbows to the face so Perez comes in to hit Ruca in the face. It’s off to Sky for a basement dropkick into an elbow as everything breaks down. Rodriguez catches Sky’s dive so Ruca dives onto them, with Perez adding one of her own.

We take a break and come back with Ruca still in trouble but she reverses a suplex into an X Factor (well close enough). Sky gets to take over on Perez, with a shotei knocking Perez silly. The Bullet Train to Perez sets up a great looking missile dropkick as everything breaks down. Rodriguez has to save Perez before being knocked outside, leaving Perez to kick Ruca down. Sky reverses Perez’s Shining Wizard and hits the Bullet Train in the corner but Rodriguez is back to break up Over The Moonsault. That earns Rodriguez an Asai moonsault so Ruca flips out of Pop Rox, setting up the Sol Snatcher for the pin on Perez at 11:51.

Rating: B-. This got rolling near the end as it was a bunch of flying around and saves until Perez got caught with the Sol Snatcher. The ending felt like it was a question of when the Sol Snatcher would connect rather than when, which is ok. Hopefully Ruca gets to move on from now, though I’m not sure what is next for Sky.

Bron Breakker comes up to Paul Heyman (Why is he here?) and talks about the showdown with Oba Femi. Breakker asks Heyman who he thinks the future of WWE is, with Heyman saying he respects both of them. That’s not what Breakker asked and he gets a bit more serious before asking it again.

Heyman says he’s starting to think Breakker is starting to think Femi is the future, which is the problem. Heyman is going to keep respecting Femi until Breakker says Heyman that Femi isn’t worthy of that respect. That has Breakker thinking and he walks away, with Heyman realizing he dodged a bullet.

Rey Mysterio praises Penta for his match earlier and Chad Gable comes in to do the same. Penta leaves and Gable says he wants to defend the Intercontinental Title against Mysterio. Works for Mysterio and Gable will talk to Adam Pearce.

Sol Ruca and Iyo Sky are happy with their win but run into Lyra Valkyria (who is looking more and more like a….whatever she is right now). She thinks Ruca is getting close to the Women’s Intercontinental Title, with Valkyria bringing up Bayley. Valkyria tells her to stay out of the way of her title. Sky isn’t sure what Valkyria is at this point and I can’t help but agree.

Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa

If Uso wins, Sikoa is back in the Bloodline. After a rather lengthy Uso entrance, they shove each other around a few times until Sikoa clotheslines him out of the corner. A running headbutt gives Sikoa two and he elbows Uso down to cut him off. Sikoa sends him crashing out to the floor and we take a break. We come back with Uso sending him outside for the suicide dive and Sikoa is in trouble for a change. That’s cut off with a clothesline out of the corner and they’re both down.

A kick to the face just annoys Sikoa, who grabs a Samoan drop. The running Umaga Attack in the corner gets two but another Samoan drop is countered into the sleeper. That’s broken up and a spinwheel kick breaks up Uso’s spear attempt. Cue Jimmy Uso for a distraction though and the spear gives Jey two. Sikoa fights back but goes after Jimmy, allowing Jey to hit another spear. The Superfly Splash sends Sikoa back to the Bloodline at 12:06.

Rating: B-. This was a match that felt like it should have been a bit deal but instead it just came off like a thing that happened. At the same time, having Sikoa be in the Bloodline against his will could be interesting if they go that way, but odds are it’s just business as usual again. That’s not a great thing, and the result here was kind of disappointing.

The Usos celebrate to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show was a good use of a bunch of stuff that didn’t feel the most important. You had one tournament match and a bunch of people talking about what they’re going to do later. Next week feels like the show where some more top level stuff happens, but I’ll take a show that does a lot with only so much.

Results
Penta b. Laredo Kid – Mexican Destroyer
Austin Theory b. Akira Tozawa – Off Switch
Dragon Lee b. Dominik Mysterio – Operation Dragon
Sol Ruca/Iyo Sky b. Judgment Day – Sol Snatcher to Perez
Jey Uso b. Solo Sikoa – Superfly Splash

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: August 3, 2026
Location: Casey’s Center, Des Moines, Iowa
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re done with Summerslam and the big Raw story is the end of the Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins feud, as Reigns beat Rollins and they made peace after. Reigns is going to need a new challenger and we might be finding out more about that this week. Other than that, we’re coming up on…geez is there a PPV in September? Let’s get to it.

Here is Summerslam if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Roman Reigns retaining the title over Seth Rollins.

Here is Reigns, with the fans loving him, to get things going. He talks about how he has called various shots and been right every time, including beating Rolling last night. Reigns says he can only acknowledge so much but the fans can do it for him. They sing his song but here is LA Knight to interrupt, leaving Reigns unimpressed.

Knight admits that Reigns did it himself last night, but Reigns is still a fraud. Knight wants to face Reigns one on one and he can do it anytime. Reigns thinks Knight is the real fraud for wearing a Wal-Mart watch while pretending to be a megastar. He holds up the kind of watch a champion wears and asks what Knight has done besides winning a six man tag. Reigns mocks him and says that’s not enough before going to leave.

Knight says he’s realized that Reigns’ aura goes away when he’s standing in front of Knight, with Reigns always needing help take Knight out. He mocks the Shield introduction and leaves, suggesting he’s still ready for a title match. Knight feels like a B show challenger but it needs to happen at some point.

We look at Oba Femi beating Brock Lesnar at Summerslam, with Lesnar endorsing him after the match.

Je’Von Evans vs. Ethan Page

Page shoulders him down to start but Evans knocks him to the floor for the big dive. Back in and Evans hits a heck of a high crossbody and we take a break. Page sends him into the corner though and we take a break. We come back with Page kicking him in the head but Evans escapes for a springboard clothesline.

Page breaks up a springboard and hits a kind of fisherman’s Russian legsweep for two. They go outside with both of them being sent into various things, allowing Evans to hit a heck of a dive over the barricade and into the timekeeper’s area. Back in and Page grabs a Codebreaker for two so let’s take off a turnbuckle pad. The referee isn’t having that and it’s an OG Cutter to give Evans the pin at 12:41.

Rating: C+. As usual, Evans is rather skilled at being able to make a great comeback and he got to do it again here. Page was beating him up a few times and flying through the air to make his comebacks. I liked this well enough, with Page getting pretty well locked into his spot around here.

Post match here is Big Cass to lay Evans out, including with the East River Crossing (bearhug swung into a side slam). This is the serious Cass who worked well in other places over the last few years.

We look at LA Knight/Royce Keys/Solo Sikoa beating the Bloodline at Summerslam.

Roman Reigns yells at the Bloodline for their loss and seems to want Jacob Fatu to take care of Royce Keys, who is NOT part of their family. The Usos volunteer to go after LA Knight but Reigns calls them off, saying leave him alone. Reigns leaves and Knight shows up to mock the Usos for having to follow “daddy’s” rules.

Post break Royce Keys comes up to see Jacob Fatu and says no matter what, they’re still family. Fatu says they aren’t because Keys is just one of the boys (what Reigns said to him) and wants a street fight tonight.

Here is Judgment Day for a chat. Liv Morgan (sporting a black eye) brags about beating Iyo Sky and doesn’t think she has any challengers at the moment. Morgan praises Raquel Rodriguez for her title win as well and knows Roxanne Perez will take out Sol Ruca.

Sol Ruca vs. Roxanne Perez

We’re joined in progress with Ruca working on the arm and they trade rollups for two each. Perez cartwheels away and slaps her in the face before stopping to pose. Ruca whips her into the corner and grabs a surfboard, followed by a moonsault to drop Perez on the floor. Back in and Perez breaks up the cartwheel DDT and we take a break. We come back with Perez hammering away and, eventually getting an X Factor. Ruca goes up but gets grabbed by Morgan for the DQ at 10:27.

Rating: C+. This was kind of a weird one as you would have thought Ruca was going to get some revenge on the team but instead gets beaten up again. Ruca hasn’t had the best run of success as of late and I’m not sure where she’s going next. At the same time, Morgan needs a new challenger and I was thinking Ruca was on her way there but apparently not so much at the moment.

Post match the beatdown is on but here is the returning Becky Lynch to interrupt. The Man has come back around because she doesn’t want Morgan to go another 100 days without defending her title. Morgan has the worst title reign of all time and it’s not just her saying it. That has Morgan annoyed so she says that Lynch should be back raising her daughter while Morgan is the best Women’s Champion of all time.

Morgan goes to leave but Lynch says Morgan isn’t even the best Women’s Champion to sleep with Dominik Mysterio. That gets a huge OOOO but Stephanie Vaquer is back to run through Judgment Day while Lynch watches on. Lynch and Vaquer stare each other down but don’t come to blows. It’s cool to have Vaquer back but Lynch returning at the same time is going to make Vaquer look smaller by comparison.

We look at Brock Lesnar’s career, including the UFC days, set to I Stand Alone. Unless they have another career highlight package for him set to the same song, this is the same video that aired the night after Wrestlemania, though it does include some clips from his Summerslam match with Oba Femi.

Paul Heyman is watching the video when Femi, in all white, comes in to say he never got to thank Lesnar for his kind words. Femi would like Heyman to thank Lesnar for him, with Heyman saying it would be a pleasure and offering what appears to be a sincere congratulations.

Here is Femi for a chat. He talks about the respect that he and Lesnar have for each other after Summerslam. Femi thought Lesnar knew that he was different after Wrestlemania, but then Lesnar came back and insulted him. Now Femi knows that it was just a test to see if he was that good.

We have an answer to that question and now we have gone from “can Femi swim” to “how long can Femi hold his breath?”. Femi won at Summerslam and passed the test and now the Beast can finally rest. So what’s next? If anyone has a problem with him, they will have to answer to the Ruler. And that’s that, which is good as he doesn’t need to start his new feud immediately. As Femi leaves, the Vision comes out, with Bron Breakker and Femi having a staredown, much to the fans’ interest.

Bron Breakker vs. Joe Hendry

Breakker stares at the entrance with his back to Hendry, who wants to get going. Hendry goes after him but gets dropped with a clothesline. Breakker’s spear hits the steps so Hendry takes out Austin Theory and throws Breakker inside…where the Super Spear finishes for Breakker at 1:39. Yeah that had to happen for Breakker, but dang that’s a bad look for Hendry.

Post match Theory hammers on Hendry until Akira Tozawa runs in for the save.

We look back at Big Cass’ return.

Cass talks about how he’s been gone for eight years and he was left in the dirt. It was nothing personal for Je’Von Evans because Evans was just in the way. Cass is here to stack bodies and Evans won’t be the last. Cass channeling Sid has worked for him before and it can work here again.

Here is new Intercontinental Champion Chad Gable for a chat. Gable wants to thank people who have believed in him over the years. He also wants to thank Penta for their match last night, along with the fans who have stuck with him. Even when he was Shorty G. Gable had promised himself that he would win a singles title here and he is proud to be the Intercontinental Champion.

This brings out Penta to interrupt, as he offers respect to Gable and calls him a true luchador. Gable is touched but here is Judgment Day to interrupt. They don’t like the idea of Gable being called a luchador when Dominik Mysterio is the AAA Mega Champion. The challenge is thrown out so get the referee out here.

Judgment Day vs. Penta/Chad Gable

We’re joined in progress with Penta taking over on Mysterio, who takes him into the corner for the tag off to McDonagh. The beating doesn’t last long as Penta is back up for the tag to Gable. House is quickly cleaned and Penta hits the big flip dive, leaving Gable to Olympic Slam Mysterio for a near fall. McDonagh gets in a headbutt though and a suplex puts Gable down on the floor as we take a break.

We come back with McDonagh’s standing moonsault getting two. Gable gets up again and brings in Penta for the Penta Driver on Mysterio for two more. Gable’s moonsault hits raised boots but he reverses into the ankle lock. McDonagh breaks that up so Mysterio loads up the hammer. Gable cuts that off and takes the hammer away, leaving Penta to hit Mysterio with the belt. The rolling Chaos Theory finishes Mysterio at 10:27.

Rating: B-. Gable gets to celebrate his big win and then win again here, which is a good thing to see. He had an awesome moment in winning the title and following it up was kind of a question mark, as he doesn’t have anything to do at the moment. Judgment Day losing again is hardly a surprise, but Gable vs. Mysterio again in the future could be an option.

We look at CM Punk retaining the Smackdown world Title over Cody Rhodes at Summerslam, thanks to the returning Randy Orton.

Bron Breakker asks Paul Heyman if he should do something about Oba Femi. Breakker also asks where Femi is, but Heyman doesn’t know. That doesn’t work for Breakker, who thought Heyman and Femi were best friends. Heyman knows this isn’t good. As this was going on, Lyra Valkyria and Adam Pearce could be seen arguing in the background.

Jacob Fatu vs. Royce Keys

Street Fight. They slug it out to start until Fatu misses a charge into the post. Fatu shrugs that off and clotheslines Keys out to the floor, setting up the suicide dive. Keys sends him into the steps but Fatu is right back with some rams into the announcers’ table. Fatu’s charge is cut off with a clothesline, followed by a running powerslam through the barricade for the huge crash.

Keys loads up a table, which takes too long as always, allowing Fatu to throw him over the announcers’ table. Some chairs are thrown in, with Keys diving off the announcers’ table with a clothesline. More chairs are throw inside and Keys beats him down with a kendo stick. The table is set up in the corner but Fatu grabs a choke with the kendo stick.

A suplex sends Fatu through some chairs for two but he comes back with the inverted DDT for two more. Fatu goes up but Keys catches him with the super powerslam for a very near fall and we keep going. The USB connects but Fatu pops up again with a Samoan Drop through the table in the corner. The triple jump moonsault sets up a flying….Tongan Death grip to finish Keys at 13:18.

Rating: B. This was designed to make Fatu look like a killing machine again and that’s pretty much what he did, as Fatu kept popping up after everything Keys threw at him. It was quite the smashing with Keys fighting him as hard as he could not but being enough. That’s not great for Keys’ future, but this was Fatu being more like the old monster that got him over in the first place.

Post match Fatu puts it on him again and then hits the running Umaga Attacks in the corner. Fatu wraps the chair around Keys’ throat and hits another Umaga Attack, with Adam Pearce and agents having no way to stop him. Cue Roman Reigns to pose, with Fatu posing back. Reigns leaves and runs into Rey Mysterio, who says he’s the GM of AAA. Mysterio wants to run something by Reigns, who goes with him. I have no idea what that’s going to be, but the fact that the upcoming AAA Worlds Collide event is taking place in the same city on the same day as AEW All Out makes me think we might be getting a guest star.

Overall Rating: B. This show felt similar to the Raw After Wrestlemania, with things wrapping up at Summerslam and moving on to a bunch of new stories. Throw in some returns with Cass, Vaquer and Lynch and this show felt rather strong. The wrestling got better in the end and that made things even better. Good show here which felt like a new start to a lot of things.

Results
Je’Von Evans b. Ethan Page – OG Cutter
Sol Ruca b. Roxanne Perez via DQ when Liv Morgan interfered
Bron Breakker b. Joe Hendry – Super Spear
Penta/Chad Gable b. Judgment Day – Rolling Chaos Theory to Mysterio
Jacob Fatu b. Royce Keys – Tongan Death Grip

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: July 27, 2026
Location: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the last Raw before Summerslam and that means it is time for the final push to the red half of the card. In this case that means an official weigh-in between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi, along with something else between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. The Alpha Academy get to face the Vision as well so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The Cell is lowered and Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman), flanked by police, come to the ring for the weigh-in. HHH and Adam Pearce are in the ring waiting as Femi comes in first. Femi weighs 302lbs and here are Heyman and Lesnar, but the Cell is locked with the two of them outside. Heyman says it’s a bad idea for Lesnar to be inside that Cell and lists off Lesnar’s resume.

We hear about how great Lesnar is in the Cell and Femi is promised a beating. Oh and Lesnar weighs 303lbs. Femi is ready to fight anyway but Lesnar will see him at Summerslam. Femi says Saturday is coming and he’ll be ready for Lesnar. With Lesnar and Heyman leaving, Femi wrecks security. Unless I missed it, HHH didn’t say anything here. This wasn’t a great segment, but it’s also a story where there is nothing left to say.

We look at Seth Rollins beating Roman Reigns via DQ at the 2022 Royal Rumble (hey I was there).

Vision vs. Alpha Academy

Non-title. Theory runs from Otis to start and it’s Breakker coming in to circle Otis instead. A big shoulder drops Breakker and it’s off to Tozawa, who gets sent into the wrong corner. Maxxine Dupri grabs Tozawa’s foot and a big boot knocks him outside as we take a break. We come back with Breakker’s gorilla press gutbuster dropping Tozawa for two. Tozawa flips away from Theory though and it’s Otis coming in to clean house. The Caterpillar hits Breakker and Tozawa’s suicide dive takes Theory out on the floor. Otis gets posted though and the Super Spear finishes Tozawa at 8:30.

Rating: C+. Hopefully this wraps things up for the Academy as a serious threat as it’s pretty much the only match they needed to have. Otis probably has something else to do and that makes sense as the fans are behind him. At least Tozawa took the fall here, which is how the thing should go as he’s just kind of along for the ride.

Post match the Vision stays on them but Otis is back up. Dupri offers a distraction though and it’s a double powerbomb out of the corner to plant Otis. Theory cracks Otis with a chair to leave him laying.

LA Knight has been accused of being paranoid but look at how things have been going with the Bloodline. The goal is to put them in a hole at Summerslam and the BFT is just a fact of life.

Raquel Rodriguez and Sol Ruca are both ready for the title match tonight. I have no idea why they’re looking off to the side as they talk about the other, as they’re in different rooms.

Various celebrities are here, including Jimmy Hart.

We get a video of Chad Gable in Minnesota, where he promises to win the Intercontinental Title. He spent a long time doing everything he could to gain success and it didn’t work, but then he lost himself as El Grande Americano. Now though, he needs to win the title because he’s ready to represent himself, his friends, his family and his state as he did in the Olympics, but he’s doing it as the man he was always supposed to be. Heck of a vignette here, as Gable is on fire here and pretty much has to win.

Iyo Sky is ready to prove Liv Morgan wrong again by taking the title at Summerslam.

Je’Von Evans vs. Rusev

Rusev drives shoulders into the ribs to start and then drops him with a clothesline. Back up and Evans kicks him in the head, setting up a springboard hurricanrana. That earns Evans a fall away slam out to the floor, where he kicks Rusev in the face. A charging crossbody is tossed over the barricade but Evans is right back with a shot of his own. That’s enough for Evans to send us to a break (“We’ll be right back!”) and we come back with Evans fighting out of a chinlock.

Rusev drops him with a shot to the face but Evans unloads with right hands in the corner. The big no hands dive takes Rusev down again so they go back inside, where Rusev gets in a Machka Kick. The Accolade is escaped but the OG Cutter is reversed into the Accolade, with Evans diving over to the rope. A Stunner staggers Rusev though and the OG Cutter finishes him off at 10:55.

Rating: B-. This was a back and forth match and Evans bounced off of Rusev rather well. That’s about all you can expect from Rusev these days, as it’s not like he’s doing much of anything else. At the same time, Evans got to survive the Accolade and beat Rusev clean. He’s getting something out of this and I want to see how far he can go, as he’s won me over in recent months.

We look at Seth Rollins costing Roman Reigns the World Title at Wrestlemania XL.

Here are Joe Hendry and Danhausen for a concert, starting with a song about Judgment Day wanting Danhausen’s human monies. Then they sing about believing that you are cursed and here are the Minihausens as well, followed by a bunch of dancing girls. The dancing girls start a conga line and boxer Ryan Garcia jumps the barricade to sing with them.

Then he guitars Hendry in the back and Judgment Day runs in for the big beatdown. The Minihausens get beaten up too and Judgment Day clears out the ring. I actually fell asleep watching the show and woke up during the concert with the Minihausens dancing. It was clear that more sleep was needed.

Various celebrities are here, including Ashton Kutcher (the Farm Hand), who is holding an NXT Tag Team Title of all things.

Big Cass is back next week.

Rey Mysterio vs. Ethan Page

They go technical to start until Page runs him over with a shoulder. A quick hurricanrana looks to set up the 619 but Page is back up with a pull into the corner. Page powerbombs him onto the apron and we take a break. We come back with Page going for the mask but Mysterio fights out and hits a top rope moonsault. Page boots him in the face but gets sent into the post, allowing Mysterio to hit some right hands in the corner.

The Eddie Dance looks to set up…something off the top, only for Page to reverse it into a powerslam. Page is sent outside for a top rope hurricanrana, sending Page hard into the announcers’ table (OUCH). Back in and the 619 is loaded up but Page grabs the ring skirt of all things to block it. Page posts him and gets the Egoplex for the pin at 11:43.

Rating: B-. This was another nice win for someone on the way up as Page gets what is probably the biggest win of his main roster career. He’s not someone who is coming up with anything amazing or new but he does his thing rather efficiently. It’s similar to Robert Roode and that’s not a bad place to be.

Liv Morgan thinks Iyo Sky doesn’t know who she’s facing at Summerslam. Morgan is the girl who worked so hard to make it through NXT and now she’s here, as champion. She cares about Sky, who already beat her once, but Sky isn’t in her head. Morgan is so much stronger than Sky and now it’s time to remind everyone who she is. Good, to the point promo here.

Danhausen and the Minihausens are banged up so Adam Pearce comes in to say give Judgment Day the money back. Danhausen has an idea (uh oh): Human Monies On A Pole! Pearce: “HUMAN MONIES ON A POLE???” Danhausen: “Haven’t you ever watched wrestling?” It’s official for Summerslam and Pearce needs a drink.

Here are the Usos for a chat, albeit after running it back. They issue a warning shot to LA Knight/Solo Sikoa/Royce Keys at Summerslam but here is Sikoa, through the crowd, to say they don’t have a chance at Summerslam. Jimmy mocks Sikoa for suggesting he doesn’t want to come back to the Bloodline because it was the best thing that ever happened to his career. Sikoa: “Or what, you’re going to YEET for thirty minutes?”

Sikoa isn’t worried about Roman Reigns and here is Knight to join things. Knight wants things fixed up after Summerslam because it’s time to pay penance. He’ll see them this weekend…..or we can do this right now, LA style. The brawl is on so here is Jacob Fatu, who wrecks both of them until Keys it on for the save. Sikoa breaks up the Tongan Death Grip and Fatu gets dropped with a trio of finishes. Perfectly fine brawl to preview the match.

Video on the violence of the Cell.

Women’s Intercontinental Title: Sol Ruca vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Ruca is defending and spins around her into an X Factor to start. A sunset flip is blocked but Rodriguez avoids an elbow drop as Lyra Valkyria is watching backstage. Rodriguez strikes away but gets sent outside for a heck of a moonsault. Back in and Rodriguez pulls a high crossbody out of the air for a reverse suplex. A slam gives Rodriguez two and she teases an armbar but just punches her in the head instead. We hit the chinlock, allowing the referee to wipe some blood off of Rodriguez’s face.

Back up and Ruca hits a Backstabber (albeit with feet), followed by Sliced Bread for two. Ruca’s running knee gets two, followed by a top rope cartwheel DDT for the same. Cue Roxanne Perez for a distraction so Liv Morgan can trip Ruca, meaning it’s a big boot to give Rodriguez another near fall. Cue Iyo Sky to brawl with Morgan and Ruca gives Rodriguez a Codebreaker. Perez breaks up the Sol Snatcher though and the Tejana Bomb gives Rodriguez the title at 10:23.

Rating: C+. There was a lot going on here with Sky vs. Morgan feeling like the bigger story than the title match going on here. That being said, Rodriguez needed to win something of her own at some point and this worked. Ruca seems to have gotten around some of her yips in the ring and that is great to see, as she can be outstanding when she is hitting on all cylinders. Not a classic here, but I like the title change.

And Rodriguez is very emotional over her win. Fair enough.

Video on CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes.

Summerslam rundown.

We look at Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns (vs. CM Punk) last year at Wrestlemania.

Here is Reigns for the big wrap up. After standing around for a bit, Reigns loads up the catchphrase but here is Rollins to interrupt. Rollins wants to be acknowledged so Reigns calls him an a******. Rollins: “Guilty!” He’s fine with being the bad guy between the two of them because he wasn’t born on third base. Reigns has a lot of advantages over Rollins but the one thing he will never be better at is pro wrestling.

No matter how Reigns looks at it, Rollins owns him. How is Reigns getting out of it this time? Get disqualified? Maybe call in the Bloodline? Reigns may need to beat him but Reigns doesn’t have a chance. Reigns calls himself the only real superstar and true champion around here. The whole industry needs Reigns to win, which has Rollins talking about what they need.

Reigns needs the redemption, so Rollins says Reigns needed his family there to see it. This has Rollins thinking back to Wrestlemania XXXI, when Rollins cashed in and sent Reigns’ family home in tears. Rollins wants to see them cry again on Sunday, including Reigns’ children. The fight is on and Reigns beats him up, including the spear. Reigns goes outside and grabs the chair (oooh) and goes for the big shot but gets Stomped onto the chair to end the show.

This was a good example of someone just not having the same presence as their opponent. What Rollins was saying was fine, but there is a gravitas to the way Reigns speaks that makes him feel so much bigger. It’s been hanging over Rollins the entire time, so playing up their record against each other is about all he has. Teasing Reigns finally getting the chair shot to pay Rollins back is a big thing too, as they really have turned it into something that feels monumental and started setting so many things in motion over the years. Good segment here, and it makes sense that this will be the big Summerslam headliner.

Overall Rating: B. This was the show designed to get them ready for Summerslam and yeah it worked. Reigns vs. Rollins feels a lot bigger and the six man tag got a nice push. I’m more interested in Summerslam than I was coming in and it would be great to see them pay that off this weekend. You need a show like this and if nothing else, maybe it can get them to break 30,000 tickets a night. You know, in that 60,000+ seat stadium they’re in for back to back nights. Anyway, solid effort here.

Results
Vision b. Alpha Academy – Super Spear to Tozawa
Je’Von Evans b. Rusev – OG Cutter
Ethan Page b. Rey Mysterio – Egoplex
Raquel Rodriguez b. Sol Ruca – Tejana Bomb

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: July 20, 2026
Location: Little Caesar’s Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re done with Saturday Night’s Main Event, meaning we have less than two weeks to go before Summerslam. The big stories here continue to be Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns, with the latter getting quite the focus on Saturday. We have some more building to do though so let’s get to it.

Here is Saturday Night’s Main Event if you need a recap.

Long Saturday Night’s Main Event recap.

Je’Von Evans/Dragon Lee vs. Vision

Non-title and the rest of the Vision is here too. Lee and Evans hit dives before the bell, with Lee taking over on Theory to officially start. Evans comes in for a great looking slingshot hurricanrana to Theory but Breakker is in for a double faceplant. It’s back to Lee to dropkick Theory off the apron and then superkick Breakker. Lee rolls up Breakker into a DDT for two but Breakker World’s Strongest Slams him out of the air.

We take a break and come back with Lee kicking Theory out to the floor, allowing Evans to come back in. That means the big dive to take Theory out. Evans talks to the camera and avoids a spear from Breakker, who crashes into the timekeeper’s area. Another dive cuts Breakker off and a big springboard clothesline takes Theory down. Lee gets in his top rope double stomp but Maxxine Dupri grabs the leg, allowing Breakker to hit a clothesline. Theory’s brainbuster onto the knee gets two and Breakker’s Super Spear finishes Lee at 9:42.

Rating: B. This was a rather hot opener with Evans and Lee getting to throw everything they could at the Vision but coming up short. There is a lot to be gained out of having a match like this every so often, with the fans getting the chance to enjoy a fast paced match while the champs get to win in the end. Good opener.

Post match the beatdown stays on but the Alpha Academy come in for the save. Dupri slaps Otis in the face (Logan Paul’s jaw drops in a good visual) but Otis wrecks the Vision anyway. The announcers’ table is loaded up but Breakker spears the heck out of Otis. Another Super Spear drops Otis again. Commentary again tries to make Dupri the villainess in all of this and….yeah I’m not minding seeing the Academy getting wrecked again.

We look at Fanatics Fest.

The Judgment Day jumps Danhausen, who want their money back. He has thirty seconds to go find it.

Big Cass is still coming back. Playing up that he was mostly a bust in his previous run is an interesting way to go. Now just have it be him and not Enzo Amore tagging along.

We look at Danhausen’s uncursing parade over the weekend, plus his match with JD McDonagh. This included New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns.

Here is Danhausen, with a briefcase, for a chat. This money is driving him crazy and he’s sick of it but he doesn’t want the Judgment Day to have it, so let’s give it to the Fanhausens. Cue the Judgment Day (with JD McDonagh in an old Scott Hall shirt) to say the fans aren’t getting their money so Danhausen curses them all. Joe Hendry runs in for the save but Judgment Day gets the (still closed) briefcase.

We continue the Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins history with the Wrestlemania Money In The Bank cash-in.

In the back, Joe Hendry and Danhausen yell at Judgment Day, who open the briefcase and find….fake money. JD McDonagh throws the briefcase but accidentally hits Oba Femi. McDonagh knows he screwed up, with Femi saying “you know I should kill you for this.” The match is made for right now. Dominik Mysterio protests and gets a match with Hendry later tonight as a result.

Oba Femi vs. JD McDonagh

Danhausen and Joe Hendry throw Judgment Day inside, with Femi throwing Dominik Mysterio outside. McDonagh chops Femi, earning one of the biggest backdrops I’ve seen in a long time. Some running uppercuts knock McDonagh silly and it’s a toss powerbomb into the Fall From Grace to finish McDonagh at 54 seconds.

We look at Jalen Brunson at Fanatics Fest.

Commentary is interrupted by Solo Sikoa, who says he isn’t supposed to be here but wants to talk to Seth Rollins. This brings out Rollins to welcome him to the show, but Rollins gets in the important question: are they here to talk or to fight? Sikoa says he’s just here to talk and says that Summerslam is going to be Rollins vs. the entire Bloodline. Rollins seems to accept this but Sikoa says it doesn’t have to be that way. Sikoa can have his back at Summerslam, with Rollins saying he’ll think about it.

That doesn’t work for Sikoa, who says he can be for Rollins what Rollins was for Cody Rhodes. That has Rollins thinking but here is Jacob Fatu to interrupt, with Sikoa bailing out into the crowd. Rollins drops Fatu with a superkick and leaves him in the corner. This was the dramatics portion and Rollins seems interested in Sikoa’s help. I’m mostly expecting Sikoa to join the Bloodline at Summerslam, but it’s not a lock.

We look at Chad Gable and Penta having a staredown at the Summerslam Kickoff.

Ethan Page/Rusev vs. Penta/Chad Gable

Rusev jumps Penta to start fast and a double suplex gets two. Everything breaks down and Rusev backdrops Penta onto the apron. We take a break and come back with Penta hitting a high crossbody. That’s enough for Gable to come in and roll some German suplexes on Page. The moonsault misses though and Rusev plants Gable for two, with Penta making the save. Everything breaks down and Gable gets caught in the Accolade, which is reversed into an ankle lock. Penta uses them as a launch pad for a Mexican Destroyer to Page, leaving Rusev to tap at 8:38.

Rating: B-. This was a good back and forth match and Penta getting the win gets him even closer to winning the title at Summerslam. I’m not sold on him doing it while staying completely on the side of good, though that very well may be where it goes. At least they’re making it feel important, which isn’t surprising given how well Gable has gotten over lately.

Video on Seth Rollins beating Roman Reigns at Money In The Bank 2016.

Rollins taunts Jacob Fatu in an effort to get him to break Roman Reigns’ orders. Fatu says what happened earlier tonight won’t happen again and violence is promised for after Summerslam.

Yet even more from Fanatics Fest.

Paul Heyman sits down to talk about being the advocate for Brock Lesnar. He has been asked to not use the word violence but how does he sell the Cell without it? Heyman hypes up Lesnar being undefeated in the Cell and how many people think it’s ending at Summerslam. Femi has had the greatest rookie year in WWE since Lesnar, but it comes to an end at the hands of Lesnar himself.

Then Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns got back together for a bit.

We look at Gunther vs. Nick Aldis being set up at yesterday’s Summerslam Kickoff.

Dominik Mysterio vs. Joe Hendry

Mysterio, with Liv Morgan, isn’t defending his AAA Mega Title here. Hendry gets stomped down in the corner to start but comes right back with a rather delayed vertical suplex. Back up and Mysterio sends him outside, only for Hendry to pull a dive out of the air. That earns Mysterio a quick toss but Morgan posts Hendry. Cue Danhausen to load up the Curse but Morgan hits him in the face.

We take a break and come back with Hendry muscling him up for another suplex. A discus lariat gives Hendry two but Mysterio is back with a springboard tornado DDT. Cue the Danhausenmobile with Iyo Sky, who brawls with Morgan. They go inside and Danhausen gives Mysterio a Triple D to give an appreciative Hendry the pin at 10:21.

Rating: C+. This was quite the messy situation with Danhausen showing up twice, but the good thing is that Hendry actually got a win. He has something going on and that’s more than you could really say about a lot of his time on the main roster thus far. The match wasn’t exactly outstanding, but they were focusing on almost everything but the wrestling anyway.

We look at Cody Rhodes and CM Punk getting into it at the Summerslam Kickoff event and having to be held apart.

We look at Roman Reigns and Jalen Brunson fending off Seth Rollins and Tyrese Haliburton at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Danhausen vs. Dominik Mysterio is confirmed for Summerslam.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu

Before the match, Knight isn’t sure how Solo Sikoa can be out here offering to help Seth Rollins because it’s making him sick. The fans chant for Reigns, with Knight saying he can’t even blame them for that because Reigns has begged for acceptance for years. Knight is everything WWE wanted Reigns to be for years. Now though, Sikoa is wanting to help a cross eyed goof like Rollins. The idea should have been destroying the Bloodline for good but Fatu is not going to be able to beat him, even with the Mortal Kombat music and the shaking.

Cue Fatu and we’re ready to go, shockingly with Fatu hammering away in the corner to start. It’s too early for the running Umaga Attack though and Knight wraps the leg around the post. That just earns him a suicide dive but Fatu is sent knees first into the steps. A Samoan drop onto the apron cuts Knight off again, only to have him come back with a dropkick through the ropes. Knight gets in a clothesline off the apron and we take a break. We come back with Knight’s neckbreaker getting two but Fatu catches him up top.

That lets Fatu go up, with Knight running the corner for the top rope superplex. They’re both down so here is Jimmy Uso, with Solo Sikoa showing up to go after him. Fatu hits the suicide dive to cut Sikoa off but he walks into the BFT. Uso distracts the referee but here is Royce Keys to cut him off. Jey Uso runs through the crowd and fires off some superkicks to Keys until Knight is back up with a dive. Back in and Fatu gives Knight a pop up Samoan drop. The triple jump moonsault finishes for Fatu at 11:55.

Rating: B-. This was the rather wild main event to wrap up the show and that’s a good way to build up the Summerslam six man. Knight losing again isn’t the best look but he seems to be in for something a bit bigger at the moment. That being said, Fatu is still a monster and the fact that he has such a good looking moonsault makes it that much better.

Post match Sikoa runs in but gets taken out by the Usos. Keys is back in to slug it out with Fatu, with the USB putting Fatu down. The Usos superkick and 1D Keys but Knight is back up as well. That earns him a Tongan Death Grip from Fatu and a string of running Umaga Attacks. The Bloodline stands tall to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. The important thing here is that it felt like they were trying, as you could tell the vast majority of the show was built around setting up Summerslam. The two top matches are both pretty much made for Summerslam so this was about almost everything else. I’d call that a success, as you could feel the energy and effort here to make things that much better. Rather good show here, and Summerslam gets a needed push forward.

Results
Vision b. Dragon Lee/Je’Von Evans – Super Spear to Lee
Oba Femi b. JD McDonagh – Fall From Grace
Chad Gable/Penta b. Rusev/Ethan Page – Ankle lock to Rusev
Joe Hendry b. Dominik Mysterio – Triple D
Jacob Fatu b. LA Knight – Triple Jump moonsault

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: July 13, 2026
Location: American Airlines Arena, Dallas, Texas
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re on the way to Saturday Night’s Main Event and that means it is time to finalize the Raw side of the card. The show is only feeling so important with Summerslam coming a few weeks after but that is often an issue with these specials. Hopefully they can put something together here with Brock Lesnar in the house. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here are Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar, with a bunch of cops, to get things going. The fans keep chanting for Oba Femi, with Heyman explaining how obsessed Femi is with facing Lesnar. Heyman finds it interesting to see Femi being obsessed because so many people are until they get hit in the face.

This time though, Lesnar is obsessed with Femi and has been looking past hunting trips and training camp to get his hands on Femi in the Cell. Before then though, Heyman has gone to a judge and gotten a restraining order to prevent any violence. Lesnar takes his hat off because he’ll be abiding by the judge’s orders, but here is Femi (in a RUN FROM THE RULER shirt, making me picture him as the nun in the Blues Brothers) to interrupt.

Femi is here to fight so Lesnar and Heyman leave, with Femi beating up the cops. With Lesnar and Heyman on the stage, Femi says he would have gotten his title shot but Lesnar would have cost him anyway. At Summerslam, there is no more running. Not much here, but the match has already been set up.

We get the start of a series on Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins, with the formation of the Shield. This is basically “here’s the Shield, they’re awesome”.

Iyo Sky vs. Roxanne Perez

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez are here with Perez. It’s a brawl to start with Sky taking her down for some knees to the ribs. Back up and they trade some rollups for two each until Perez kicks her in the ribs. They head outside for the fight over a suplex, with Sky dropping her down to the floor. An Asai moonsault connects but Morgan offers a distraction, allowing Perez to twist the leg as we take a break.

We come back with Perez tying her in the Tree Of Woe and kicking at the knee some more. Sky gets her knees up to block a moonsault and hitting a butterfly backbreaker for another two. There’s the missile dropkick but the running knee only hits buckls. Perez grabs a Haas Of Pain, with Sky reversing into a crossface. That’s broken up as well so Judgment Day offers a distraction, only for Sky to roll through a rollup and pin Perez at 9:35.

Rating: B-. This was one of those basic steps in a long story as Sky is on her way to a title match at Summerslam but they have so long on the road to the title match. Sky beating Morgan’s friends is a good way to go and she outsmarted the Judgment Day to win here. They have a few weeks to go and at least this first part went well.

Post match the beatdown is still on until Sol Ruca runs in for the save. That earns her a swing into the barricade and a powerbomb against the post, followed by a belt shot to leave Sky laying.

We recap the issues with the Bloodline on Smackdown.

Here is the Vision, now with Maxxine Dupri, to brag about getting the Tag Team Titles back. Dupri goes to explain but here is the sad looking Alpha Academy to interrupt. They want an explanation and beg her to come back but she didn’t think it was fair that she had to pick between them. Otis told her that Austin Theory was bad news but she insists that they don’t even know Theory. As Otis seems ready to confess his feelings for Dupri, Theory gets on the apron to laugh the whole thing off.

The fight is on with Tozawa diving at Bron Breakker, who suplexes him clean over the announcers’ table. Back in and the beatdown continues but Otis fights back in the corner. Otis goes to kiss Dupri but Theory gets in a low blow. Breakker hits a huge spear to Tozawa and another drops Otis as well. This is supposed to be some big sad moment but I’m really not that mad about Dupri getting to be happy with the successful team over some comedy losers.

Survivor Series is in Houston.

The people in the gauntlet match for an Intercontinental Title shot want to win the gauntlet match for an Intercontinental Title shot.

Royce Keys vs. Jimmy Uso

This is an impromptu match and we’re joined in progress after a break, as the two got in a fight in the aisle during the commercial. Keys hammers away as we recap how the match was set up. A high crossbody gives Jimmy a breather and he enziguris Keys outside. That earns Uso some rams into various objects on the floor, only to come back with a Samoan drop onto the announcers’ table. We take a break and come back with Keys catching him in a powerslam as Jacob Fatu arrives in the back. Fatu comes into the arena and lays Keys out for the DQ at 6:53.

Rating: C. They didn’t have time to do much here as so much of the match was spent in the break. At the same time, Keys is the latest name to be pulled into the Bloodline Vortex, which might seem like a good thing but will likely only lead to a bunch of beatdowns. You really couldn’t have him pin Uso here before the big beating?

Post match Fatu wrecks Keys and wraps a chair around his neck in the corner. Solo Sikoa pops up to call Fatu off though, saying blood is thicker than water. That’s why he’s coming home to the family. They do the big pose and Sikoa Spikes Uso but the Bloodline is back up. LA Knight comes in for the real save, though a chair to the back just wakes Fatu up. Knight chairs him to the floor and says that’s not enough because he wants the two of them in this ring. Throw in Jey Uso too and let’s do that six man thing at Summerslam.

Paul Heyman applauds the Vision for their efforts but says that Maxxine Dupri was so great tonight….that they don’t need him anymore. And Heyman walks away. If that’s it for the team, fair enough, as it really wasn’t working and needs a new direction.

Video on the Cell.

Oba Femi comes up to Adam Pearce and threatens a lot of violence in the Cell.

Bayley is in the ring and invites Lyra Valkyria to join her. Valkyria does show up and Bayley asks for an apology, but Valkyria thinks she deserves the apology. If Bayley could realize her own problems, she would realize why so many people turn on her. Valkyria has always lied to Bayley to make her feel good because the reality is Bayley is a doormat. Her face shouldn’t be on the posters and she drags everyone down.

Bayley has always been the worst of the Four Horsewomen but she lists off some of her own accomplishments. She’s going to add beating Valkyria at Madison Square Garden, because their match is set for Saturday Night’s Main Event. Valkyria’s cheap shot is cut off but she beats Bayley up anyway. They were doing it there or at Summerslam so this makes sense.

We look at the Shield splitting up, with the chair shot that ultimately lead to the creation of the Bloodline.

Big Cass is back on August 3. If he’s alone, it’ll be fine. Therefore, it won’t be fine.

Gauntlet Match

Seven entries for an Intercontinental Title shot at Summerslam and it’s Dominik Mysterio in at #1 and Joe Hendry in at #2. Hendry starts fast and takes over, including a slam to put Mysterio down. They go outside with Hendry being whipped hard into the steps and the fans are all over Mysterio. Back in and the slingshot hilo connects but Hendry blocks the Three Amigos. Hendry gets in the fall away slam but JD McDonagh offers a distraction. The 619 into the frog splash gets rid of Hendry at 4:52.

Je’Von Evans is in at #3 and, after a break, is taken down by McDonagh on the floor. Evans sends Mysterio into the announcers’ table though and a spinning enziguri gets two back inside. McDonagh gets caught interfering so Evans hits him in the face, only to get 619ed. Mysterio goes up….and here is Danhausen to CURSE him. The pyro goes off in the wrong corner (Danhausen realizes he messed up) but it’s the OG Cutter to give Evans the pin at 11:10.

Dragon Lee is in at #4 and sends Evans outside for the big running flip dive as we take another break. We come back with Evans winning a slugout and taking it outside. Lee is sent into the timekeeper’s area, where a big dive takes him down again. They get back inside where Lee plants Evans for two, only to get rolled up for the pin at 15:36. Rusev is in at #5 and we take a break.

We come back with Rusev unloading on Evans, at least until he knocks Rusev outside. The big no hands dive gives Evans two back inside but Rusev slams him down. The Accolade goes on, with Evans making the rope. That’s not acceptable for Rusev, who pulls him back in, only to have Evans stand up (!) and drop down for the save. Rusev pulls him right back in though and Evans is out at 27:15.

Chad Gable is in at #6 and the rolling suplexes have Rusev in trouble. Rusev is able to catch him with a release Rock Bottom though and we take a break. We come back with a superplex and Angle Slam being blocked. Instead Rusev superkicks him into the Accolade but Gable slips out for a German suplex into the corner.

A victory roll pins Rusev at 34:26 but Rusev Accolades Gable again. Ethan Page is in at #7 and Page’s running big boot gets two but he’s caught in the ankle lock. That’s reversed into a Confidence Breaker for two, only for Gable to reverse an Egoplex into the Angle Slam for two. The ankle lock gives Gable the win at 38:18.

Rating: B. This worked well as I wasn’t sure who was going to win. Gable going forward is the right way to go, as he is long overdue for some singles success of his own. I’d assume he wins the title, but the question would seem to be how. For right now, he’s having good matches and the fans are behind him so you can only ask for so much more than that. This was rather long but flew by and that’s a nice feeling for the big featured match designed to eat up a bunch of the show’s time.

Post match Penta comes in for the staredown.

We look at the recent Smackdown World Title issues, leading to a tag match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Roman Reigns arrives.

Saturday Night’s Main Event rundown.

It’s time for the contract signing with Roman Reigns coming to the ring (already containing Adam Pearce) first. After the catchphrase, here is Seth Rollins to interrupt and join in. Rollins signs before his music finishes playing and says him beating Reigns is one of those things you can’t avoid. With his feet on the table, Rollins tells Reigns to get on with this but Reigns says he wishes Rollins that last week.

Last week Rollins proved himself to be Reigns’ #1 hater (the fans like that one) and Reigns doesn’t like that because it has people believing they’re on the same level. Reigns will prove the difference between the two of them at Summerslam, where he’ll show Rollins what #1 looks like. That’s enough for Reigns to sign and we’re officially set. Rollins is rather pleased with him for keeping the title warm and he’ll see Reigns the next time he wants to show up for work.

Reigns cuts him off and asks what happens if Rollins does win. Is he going to hold the title for a few months and then get hurt again? It’s what happens every single time because some people just can’t handle the pressure of being the top guy around here. That brings Rollins back inside to tell Reigns to just say something. Reigns says he knows Rollins is #2 because after all of these years, he still needs Money In The Bank and a fake injury to win the title. If there was ever a time to be #1, Rollins’ work daddy HHH is basically running the place!

They gave Rollins all of Reigns’ stuff but he still couldn’t walk in Reigns’ shoes. Reigns will always be #1 and Rollins will always be #2 so just acknowledge it b****. Rollins asks if that’s all he has, and says that they’re not doing the same thing. He’s glad that he isn’t Reigns and the fight is on, with Rollins beating him down. The Stomp is countered with a Superman Punch but Rollins uses a microphone to get out of a powerbomb. Now the Stomp connects and Rollins stares down at him to end the show. This went on for a bit and Reigns basically destroyed him on the mic, as Rollins didn’t have much to respond to him.

Overall Rating: B. They were in a rough spot (again) because they’re trying to build to a few things at once. Saturday Night’s Main Event does feel bigger this time around, but when you already have Summerslam mostly set, the Saturday special only matters so much. The wrestling was a big different here too, with one scheduled match, an impromptu match (that’s not a bad thing) and then a very long six fall match. It worked out fine, but this was definitely something a bit different and I’m not sure how often they could pull it off.

Results
Iyo Sky b. Roxanne Perez – Rollup
Royce Keys b. Jimmy Uso via DQ when Jacob Fatu interfered
Chad Gable won a gauntlet match last eliminating Ethan Page

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Backlash 2026
Date: May 9, 2026
Location: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Michael Cole

We’re already up to the next pay per view after Wrestlemania and in this case, there is only so much to be seen here. There are five matches announced for the show and one of them involves a mystery partner and a cloning machine. The main event is Roman Reigns defending the Raw World Title against Jacob Fatu. Oh and John Cena will be here for some announcement. Let’s get to it.

The opening video mainly focuses on Reigns vs. Fatu, which is the pretty clear main event for the whole show.

Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker

Paul Heyman is here too. Breakker misses the spear at the bell to start and Rollins sends him outside to hammer away. Back in and Rollins takes too much time going to the top and gets suplexed out to the floor. Breakker sends him inside again for a suplex, followed by a second, and we hit the chinlock. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker has Rollins in more trouble and Breakker insults him while putting the chinlock back on.

Back up and a heck of a running clothesline drops Rollins, followed by a German suplex. A release German suplex sends Rollins flying and the super Frankensteiner does it again. Rollins is sent outside, where he cuts off Breakker’s charge with a superkick. They both dive in to beat the count and Rollins hits a running knee to the face (looked like it was supposed to be the Stomp but Breakker wasn’t looking down) for two. Rollins kicks him down and blows Heyman a kiss, but the Stomp is grabbed instead.

A gorilla press gutbuster connects and they….I’m not sure what happens, though Rollins lands on the back of his head. Breakker hits a standing moonsault for two but gets caught in a Buckle Bomb. Breakker pops right out of the corner with a running clothesline and Rollins bails out to the floor. The diving clothesline knocks Rollins over the announcers’ table and they head back inside. Rollins runs the corner to catch Breakker with the superplex but Breakker reverses into a Falcon Arrow for two.

They go up again where Rollins rakes the back, only to get caught with another super Frankensteiner. Breakker tries a third but Rollins sticks the landing and hits a Pedigree. The Stomp connects so Heyman gets on the apron, and even the bottom rope. Rollins grabs a chair and cuts off the rest of the Vision as they run in for the attempted save. Back in and the Super Spear gives Rollins two but another is countered into the Pedigree (ala Roman Reigns). A super Stomp is loaded up but Breakker spears him out of the air and hits another Super Spear for the pin at 21:28.

Rating: B. This was a good enough fight but it had some sloppy moments and never got to that next level. What matters here is that Breakker won though, as it’s the biggest victory of his career. After being gone for so long, Breakker needed the big victory and they made it work. It’s not a great match, but they did what they needed to do.

US Title: Sami Zayn vs. Trick Williams

Williams, with Lil Yachty, is defending in a Wrestlemania rematch after they got in a fight over a Gingerbread Man (who had a funeral). Zayn tries to jump him to start and fires off the chops in the corner. Williams is back up with chops of his own and Zayn bails to the floor, where he gets clotheslined from behind.

Another shot puts Williams down again and Zayn hammers away back inside. Williams grabs a jumping neckbreaker but the Trick Kick is blocked. A Rock Bottom gives Williams two but a super version is broken up. Zayn’s Blue Thunder Bomb gets two but he seems to have hurt his knee. The goldbricking allows Zayn to roll him up for two but Yachty gets on the apron.

That’s enough for Zayn to get in the kendo stick shot for two more so Zayn loads up the Helluva Kick. Yachty hits Zayn in the back of the head with the kendo stick, setting up the Trick Kick for two. They head outside with Zayn DDTing Williams on the steps and beating up Yachty with the kendo stick. A Helluva Kick knocks Yachty silly again but the Helluva Kick misses Williams. The Trick Shot retains the title at 12:25.

Rating: B. The main question I have coming out of this is why Yachty isn’t the US Champion. He was the big focal point of the match and got most of the attention. That doesn’t make for the most thrilling result, but at least Williams won. He can move on to something else now, though it really doesn’t need to be the Open Challenge. I’m not sure about Zayn, but Kevin Owens has to be coming back for their latest reunion right?

We recap Miz/Kit Wilson vs. Danhausen/???, with the preview seemingly made by Danhausen. He wanted Miz to mentor him but got turned down, earning Miz a curse instead. Bad things started happening to Miz, who got Wilson to help him out. Miz jumped Danhausen, who wound up stealing $40,000 from Miz, along with Miz’s daughter’s bike. Either way, Danhausen will now have a mystery partner, which might be his clone (yes he has a cloning machine.

Miz/Kit Wilson vs. Danhausen/???

Danhausen comes out in the Danhausenmobile and has his cloning machine on the stage. It’s a big crate and we have a Mini Hausen. Wilson kicks Mini Hausen down as Barrett wonders if it’s a thing or a child. Mini nips up and strikes away, including a springboard spinning shoulder. Wilson cuts him off but gets sent outside, where Danhausen helps with a dive.

Danhausen gets sent into the post though and Mini gets planted back inside. Mini gets put in the Tree Of Woe but sits up to avoid a charge. Wilson is taken down and it’s off to Danhausen to clean house. Danhausen gets a bit winded but Hulks Up, setting up a pump kick to Wilson. Miz steals a rollup for two but Mini tags himself back in and knocks Miz out of the corner. A top rope hurricanrana sends Wilson outside and there’s the suicide dive, with Mini taking a nasty landing.

Mini chases Wilson up the aisle but gets sent into the cloning machine….which restarts. The door opens and it’s an army of Mini Hausens, with the original (the one without a cape) grabbing an airplane spin into Wasteland (Barrett: “THAT’S MY MOVE! DON’T YOU DARE DO THAT YOU DIRTY LITTLE GOBLIN!” Wilson blocks the curse with a mirror and the Skull Crushing Finale hits Mini, with Danhausen running in for the save. Miz knocks Danhausen outside but a fire extinguisher….only sprays himself in the eyes. Wilson is blinded too and Mini dives onto him, leaving Danhausen to hit a pump kick for the pin at 11:55.

Rating: B+. If you do not like this stuff, I won’t argue with you at all. I’ll accuse you have having a terrible sense of humor, but I get that it’s not for everyone. This was goofy, silly fun and that’s all it was supposed to be. Sometimes you need to just have a good time and they went insane with goofy stuff. I had a good time with this and Danhausen is still a blast. Of all the matches that I’ve seen involving a cloning machine, this had to be in the top four, with Barrett’s overreaction making it even better.

TripleMania is now two nights, but not consecutive nights for an odd change.

Asuka vs. Iyo Sky

This is basically mentor vs. mentee, with a bit of a twist as the mentor (Asuka) is going too far instead of the mentee for a change. They flip each other around to start and then trade forearms, with Sky sending her into the corner. Sky sends her into the ropes and kicks her into the apron, followed by more kicks to the face. Asuka grabs a Boston crab in the ropes before starting in on the arm.

Sky strikes back and hits a missile dropkick, allowing her to flip up into the crazy pose. Back up and Asuka goes for the arm again before hitting a jawbreaker. Asuka’s armbar is countered into an Asuka Lock from Sky, sending Asuka over to the ropes. They head outside with Asuka loading up the announcers’ table. Sky gets smart though and uses a laptop to block the mist, setting up a crossbody off the table to drop Asuka again.

Back in and Sky knocks her down again but Over The Moonsault is blocked. A cross armbreaker into the Asuka Lock has Sky in even more trouble but she rolls out for the break. The release German suplex sets up the Bullet Train Attack and now Over The Moonsault can connect for the pin at 18:08.

Rating: B+. Yeah shockingly enough, two incredibly talented wrestlers had a heck of a match, but dang this needed Kairi Sane to really complete the story. Sky had to win here, as otherwise Asuka is just a jerk who was right in the end. They can both move on to something else, if nothing else possibly as partners again. For now though, heck of a match and probably the best thing on the show thus far.

Post match respect is shown and everything seems to be ok again.

Here is John Cena for his big announcement. Cena seems rather thrilled to be here and says it’s fun to be able to be in the ring without having to get in a fight. The fans chant ONE MORE MATCH and Cena says he was expecting that. He talks about the last night of his career and how he wanted it to be about an opportunity. That night we saw people like Sol Ruca, Je’Von Evans and Oba Femi (pause for chant). Cena hopes Femi is listening because that’s what this is all about.

It worked so well that we can do it again, with the John Cena Classic. The best of today vs. the best of tomorrow in a one night event for a brand new championship. Cena has said before that the biggest stars are the WWE Universe and for the first time in history, the fans’ voices will be heard louder than ever before. The fans will vote to crown the first champion and every participant qualifies. Just because you don’t win your match, you could still win the fans’ vote and win the competition.

Cena thanks everyone for giving this a shot and it’s main event time. This was quite the rambling announcement (no date or participants were given) and while the last thing they need is another belt, if it’s something you win and then it’s not defended in any way, it’s not nearly as bad.

We recap Roman Reigns defending against Jacob Fatu. It’s another battling family thing, with Fatu saying Reigns didn’t help him up when he was on top. Now Fatu wants to win the title to boost his own family up and has brought back the Tongan Death Grip. Fair enough.

Raw World Title: Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu

Fatu is challenging. Reigns shoulders him down to start so Fatu grabs a headlock. Fatu knocks him outside for the suicide dive and the Tongan Death Grip goes on, with Fatu sending him into the post. For some reason Fatu lets go and Reigns is in trouble as he gets tossed back inside. A neck snap across the top gets Reigns out of trouble but Fatu shoves him out of the corner.

Reigns’ arm gets trapped and Fatu drops him with a clothesline before sending him into the post. Fatu tries a big charge but hits the post, allowing Reigns to nail the Superman Punch for…one. Back up and Fatu knocks him into the corner for the running Umaga Attack, only for Reigns to come back with the Superman Punch for two. They head outside where the announcers’ table is loaded up, only for Fatu to powerbomb him through it instead.

Back in and a spear gives Reigns two but he charges into a pop up Samoan drop. The triple jump moonsault gives Fatu a VERY close near fall but his Swanton hits raised knees. The slugout goes to Fatu, who sends him into the corner for the running Umaga Attack. Fatu gets the Death Grip but Reigns stops at two arm drops. The referee gets bumped but Reigns hits a Superman Punch into another spear for two (with the referee stopping a bit early on the near fall). Fatu gets the Death Grip on again but Reigns rips off a turnbuckle pad and sends Fatu face first. Another spear retains the title at 18:04.

Rating: B+. These two beat the heck out of each other and there were some very nice near falls. Reigns basically had to go desperation to win and the ending felt like Fatu got pinned because he went a bit too nuts. It’s a heck of a main event and it wouldn’t shock me if we see these two run it back, which wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Post match Fatu lays Reigns out again and gets another Tongan Death Grip, even as agents come down. One of them is sent outside and Fatu Grips him again, with Reigns foaming at the mouth. Fatu comes back in and does it again before posing with the title to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. Heck of a show here, with five matches all delivering at worst and overdelivering in some spots. What mattered here was allowing some of the matches to actually go somewhere rather than cramming in a bunch of short matches like at Wrestlemania. This wound up being rather good and FAR better than I was expecting, which is a very nice surprise.

Results
Bron Breakker b. Seth Rollins – Super Spear
Trick Williams b. Sami Zayn – Trick Shot
Danhausen/Mini Hausen b. Miz/Kit Wilson – Pump kick to Miz
Iyo Sky b. Asuka – Over The Moonsault
Roman Reigns b. Jacob Fatu – Spear

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: May 4, 2026
Location: CHI Health Center, Omaha, Nebraska
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the last Raw before Backlash and we have a main event set with Roman Reigns defending the World Title against a rather ticked off (as in more than usual) Jacob Fatu. Other than that, Oba Femi is issuing an open challenge and Sol Ruca is officially joining the roster this week. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Roman Reigns arrives and starts walking to the ring rather quickly, mostly ignoring Adam Pearce on the way. Pearce finally stops him and says that Jacob Fatu isn’t here yet, meaning the contract signing has to wait. Since Reigns isn’t going to the ring at the moment, he can pause to see Seth Rollins, who says reigns is in the way.

Rollins heads into the arena…and Bron Breakker jumps him from behind. Breakker drops Rollins onto the barricade and sends him into the steps until security and referees break it up. Well for all of five seconds that is as Breakker gets inside to spear Rollins. The fans want to see it again but Breakker leaves instead.

We recap Roxanne Perez ignoring Finn Balor’s warnings about the Judgment Day and telling him to leave the clubhouse.

We go to the Judgment Day clubhouse, with Liv Morgan wanting to know why Balor was here last week. Perez doesn’t know why he was here but Morgan asks why she wasn’t told about this. Why does she need to watch Netflix to know what is going on around here? Perez insists she is loyal to the team and Morgan seems to believe it, though she does brow beat Perez a bit. With Morgan gone, Perez doesn’t seem thrilled.

Finn Balor vs. JD McDonagh

Dominik Mysterio is here with McDonagh, who gets taken down with an early headlock. Balor backs McDonagh up against the ropes but gets distracted by Mysterio so McDonagh can chop away. A Russian legsweep gives Balor two and he glares down at Mysterio. That’s enough for McDonagh to start in on the leg and here are the rest of Judgment Day as we take a break.

We come back with Balor making a comeback but having to deck Mysterio. A Spanish Fly gives McDonagh two but Balor knocks him down again. Balor loads up the Coup de Grace, allowing Mysterio to crotch him on top. That’s enough for Mysterio to be ejected, leaving McDonagh’s moonsault to hit raised knees for two. The Sling Blade connects so Morgan gets on the apron and throws a timekeeper’s hammer to Perez. The cheap shot knocks Balor silly and the headbutt gives McDonagh the pin at 10:55.

Rating: C+. There was a lot going on in this match and it dragged things down a bit. The idea is that Balor was fighting against a numbers advantage, but it only has so much of an impact when it keeps going this long. Balor is going to need some help dealing with them, though I’m not sure why the feud needs to keep going.

Seth Rollins is going to be ready for Backlash, where he will finish the job.

Video on Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu from last week, with Fatu bringing back the Tongan Death Grip.

Commentary actually explains the Tongan Death Grip and talk about Haku passing it down to Fatu, though it can only be used in certain circumstances.

We look back at the Street Profits saving Joe Hendry from the Vision last week.

The Vision make fun of Hendry when Paul Heyman comes in. Heyman asks if Rollins is still breathing but Logan Paul cuts them off to threaten Hendry. Heyman says no because if Logan faces Hendry, he’ll be put in jail. Therefore, Austin Theory can do it instead. Logan is still rather on edge about this whole thing.

Penta/Je’Von Evans vs. Ethan Page/Rusev

Rusev pounds Evans into the corner to start and it’s off to Page, who doesn’t have the same success. Evans ducks a kick to the head and brings Penta in to strike away at Page. Everything breaks down and Evans hits a dive to the floor, leaving Page to get hit with the Penta Driver as we take an early break.

We come back with Penta knocking Rusev off the apron but he pulls Evans off the apron to break up the tag attempt. Penta blocks the Twisted Grin attempt and hands it back to Evans to pick up the pace. A dive hits Rusev and a springboard clothesline gets two on Page. Evans misses a heck of a moonsault but scores with a kick to the back of the head.

Penta comes back in as everything breaks down, with Penta hitting a suicide dive on Rusev. The big dive through the table is cut off and Penta gets tripped down on the apron. A Rock Bottom onto the table plants Penta and Page hits a release fisherman’s suplex for the pin at 10:41.

Rating: B-. That should set Page up for a title shot down the line and that is a good thing to see. Page has done rather well on the main roster thus far and it’s nice to see Rusev and Evans getting a chance to do something as well. This was a rather nice midcard match and it should set something up for later on, with the gold on the line.

Here is Adam Pearce in the ring for a chat. He talks about how much fun it was to work with a can’t miss prospect in NXT. That’s what he is getting to do again and we see a video on Sol Ruca. This brings out Ruca and she’s looking a bit nervous. Pearce presents her with a contract and she knows it is going to feel good to sign. Cue Becky Lynch to interrupt (ok that’s quite the starting point) saying a very reliable source told her this was her spot. Lynch goes into her usual Sports Illustrated rant but Lynch cuts her off, saying not everything is about her.

Ruca says Lynch is everything everyone says she is: a crude, bigheaded b****. Ruca: “It’s not just me saying it!” Lynch is incensed and Ruca signs her contract. Ruca says if Lynch ever interrupts her again, she’ll snatch her soul. Lynch swings and hits Pearce by mistake, which means a Sol Snatcher (after Ruca missteps a bit to start). If they’re putting her with Lynch to start, they pretty clearly think something of her and that’s a great sign for her future. Now just live up to it.

We look at Jacob Fatu smashing the MFT’s on Smackdown.

The Usos are on their way to see Roman Reigns but stop to talk about how this is a family thing. Fatu is swimming in deep water and swinging for the fences, but the Bloodline has been drawn. He’ll figure out what he’s doing at Backlash.

Joe Hendry vs. Austin Theory

Before the match, Hendry sings about Logan Paul, who is talented but a piece of trash. This brings out Paul, who says he can’t be fired because it would be bad business. Hendry is glad Paul is here, because he’s up to the part of the song with the apology. It’s not much of an apology, but Theory charges in to start fast.

Hendry knocks him outside but gets distracted by Paul so Theory can hammer away. A whip into the corner sets up a suplex to drop Hendry, who is back with a bigger suplex. The fall away slam sends Theory outside and Hendry strikes his pose…and Paul runs in for the DQ at 3:17.

Rating: C. This didn’t have time to go anywhere but Hendry was making a nice comeback when it ended. The numbers game is getting to Theory and he has the Street Profits, though I’m curious where that leaves Hendry. Paul could be fighting Hendry on his own and the Profits as a team, but that’s kind of a weird way to go. It’s working well enough for now though and this wasn’t bad despite being short.

Post match the beatdown is on with the Street Profits running in for the save. Bron Breakker is in to take the Profits out but Seth Rollins is here to break up the Super Spear. Montez Ford hits the big dive but the distraction lets Breakker Super Spear Rollins instead.

The Judgment Day is ready to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria come in to say they want a shot instead but Liv Morgan makes fun of them.

Here is Oba Femi for his open challenge.

Oba Femi vs. Otis

Akira Tozawa teases taking the challenge but it’s Otis instead. Otis and Femi trade running shoulders until Femi elbows the heck out of him. A toss sends Otis flying and the Fall From Grace finishes for Femi at 1:49. The toss and powerbomb both looked good and this was effective.

Seth Rollins isn’t happy with getting speared again but the Street Profits aren’t sure why they should trust him. Rollins says they’re fighting the same fight but they’ll stay out of each others’ way. Joe Hendry doesn’t look pleased either.

We get a sitdown interview between Asuka and Iyo Sky before their match at Backlash. Sky says she has avoiding this fight for years because Asuka is her mentor. Despite everything Asuka has done, Sky still respects her and never wanted it to come to this. Asuka has changed though and the old Asuka is gone. Asuka calls this disrespect and that she doesn’t know this disrespectful Sky. That is Asuka’s biggest disappointment and she is done with Sky, who will be cut out of her life at Backlash. Sky says she is ready for Asuka, who mists Sky to blind her.

We look at the Creed Brothers attacking El Grande Americano last weekend on AAA.

The Original El Grande Americano and Los Hermanos Americanos (Bruno/Julio Creedo) don’t like how Original was treated in Mexico. They’re friends with Chad Gable, who is still certainly sidelined with an injury.

El Grande Americano/Los Americanos vs. Original El Grande Americano/Los Hermanos Americanos

Julio suplexes Rayo to start and it’s off to the Original for two off a hiptoss. Americano comes in for a lockup and sends Original outside for a baseball slide. We take a break and come back with everything breaking down and Original cleaning house. A double German suplex drops Los Americanos but Grande is back in with the headbutts. Bravo’s top rope splash only gets two and the Original hits Rolling Chaos Theory. A top rope headbutt connects for the pin on Bravo at 8:24.

Rating: C+. The action was fine, but there is a reason that this feud has shifted over to AAA for the most part. Down there, this feels a lot more important and it’s a main event feud. Up here, this felt like a comedy match you would see at an early 90s Survivor Series. It’s a nice six man tag, but the two teams being in masks didn’t make this more interesting, as it just made it feel sillier.

John Cena will be at Backlash for some big announcement.

Backlash rundown.

Here are Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu to join Adam Pearce for a contract signing. Instead they just sit there and stare at each other for a bit until Reigns hits his catchphrase. That gets him a rather strong OTC chant, which Reigns says is the sound of love and respect. That respect was earned over the last twelve years and Reigns was the one holding the door open for Solo Sikoa. Fatu got in because of Reigns and he isn’t standing for this lack of respect.

Now Fatu is bringing out the Tonga Death Grip? That’s the kind of thing you bring out when you’re surrounded by eight people at a bar at 3am. You don’t do that to your TRIBAL CHIEF! Fatu says that is where Reigns has it all wrong, because yes he is desperate and he has no choice but to take Reigns’ title. He’s going to put a chokehold on the business and squeeze out every cent, just like this company has been doing to their family for decades.

Fatu brings up his household, which has Reigns cutting him off and signing. While Fatu talks about having seven kids, Reigns has spent twelve years looking after the 170 kids in their family and taking care of several generations. They’re the same blood but in this ring, Fatu is beneath him. Fatu jumps at him and tries the Tongan Death Grip but gets knocked away (with Graves being there for the save by saying Fatu didn’t have it all the way on).

The belt shot misses and Reigns hammers away in the corner but the Superman Punch is countered into the Tongan Death Grip. Reigns’ eyes but out and he grabs Pearce until Fatu chokeslams Reigns onto the table. Reigns is gasping for breath as Fatu signs and the fans chant for Fatu to end the show. They’re making Fatu feel like a threat and while I don’t think he’ll win the title, this is making the possibility seem stronger.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a show about getting us more ready for Backlash and that went well enough. Backlash has two big Raw matches and those both enough of a build this week. Other than that, Asuka vs. Sky is already set and should be fine, which pretty much covers the red side of Backlash. The wrestling here was ok enough, but it was more about the final push and I liked the main event segment fairly well. It’s not a great show, but it did what it was asked.

Results
JD McDonagh b. Finn Balor – Headbutt
Ethan Page/Rusev b. Penta/Je’Von Evans – Release fisherman’s suplex to Penta
Joe Hendry b. Austin Theory via DQ when Logan Paul interfered
Oba Femi b. Otis – Fall From Grace
Original El Grande Americano/Los Hermanos Americanos b. El Grande Americano/Los Americanos – Swan Dive to Rayo

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