WWE Monday Night Raw Review – 02.02.26

Happy Groundhog Day! The groundhog saw his shadow today which I believe means we get six more months of Vision main events on Raw. We’re coming off of Saturday’s Royal Rumble (review from me here). Now we begin the ROAD TO WRESTLEMANIA with tonight being the first of eleven Raws on the way and the Elimination Chamber in the middle of it all. Hope you like that Aerosmith song, we’re going to hear it at FEIN levels between now and then.

Have you been keeping up with my journey through the early days of SmackDown? You should. Last week, Mideon asked The Godfather about the availability of farm animals. Wait, don’t leave! This Thursday, we have Fabulous Moolah vs Mae Young for the WWF Women’s Title. No, really, don’t go!

The last week: Raw / NXT / Evolve / Impact / SmackDown / Royal Rumble

Then, Now, Forever, TOGETHER.

We start cold with Bron Breakker approaching the announce table, Michael Cole and Corey Graves running. Bron tosses Corey’s chair and flips the table before threatening Cole and yelling for a mic. “Adam Pearce, you want to ruin my moment in the Royal Rumble?” The rest of The Vision (Logan Paul, Big Bronson Reed, Austin Theory and WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman) run down to try to intervene and Bron yells no, he’s going to ruin the show. Paul grabs a mic and says this isn’t Bron’s fault, it is Adam Pearce’s fault. Paul argues about Adam having to approve the visa of every man – the mask man included – who had to go to Saudi which doesn’t SEEM like it would be Adam’s job. Bron threatens to count to three and wants Adam right now.

Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and a sea of security come out. Adam says Bron drew his number and he doesn’t know who the masked man was, and in fact the last one was Theory. Adam says he has a gift for Bron, letting him keep his job “after that piss poor performance in the Royal Rumble.” Bron charges for Adam, the music of L.A. Knight interrupts and Knight attacks the rest of the Vision boys in the ring. As Knight taunts, Bron looks increasingly frustrated on the ramp and asks Paul what they’re even doing now.

We are live in Philadelphia in the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Netflix and presented by DoorDash. Here’s a look back at the Rumble.

Tonight, Roman Reigns is here. Will he pick his Mania opponent tonight? Probably not. Arrivals! 2026 Royal Rumble Winner Liv Morgan is here. Will she make a choice? Probably not! WWE Women’s World Heavyweight Champion Stephanie Vaquer is in the makeup chair. Tonight, she’ll defend her belt in a Philly Street Fight against Raquel Rodriguez. Gunther walks in smirking.

WWE Fact of the Night from Papa Johns: Je’Von Evans lasted 40:58 in his Royal Rumble debut, making him the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble iron man.

Je’Von Evans vs El Grande Americano (with Bravo & Rayo Americano)

We begin with the match we tried to have a few weeks ago before a match stoppage. Americano is hammered in the corner as Cole and Graves discuss the appearance of the other El Grande Americano at the Royal Rumble. Je’Von dropkicks Americano and dives – taped shoulder first – right into the ring post. They fight outside as Graves explains that sometimes there are multiple versions of a wrestling including La Parka. Je’Von nails Americano with an elbow and then springboards over the top rope onto him. “Evans from the heavens,” notes Cole. That’s a good one. Rayo trips Je’Von, Je’Von tries to unmask him but El Grande dropkicks him back to the outside. Americano throws Je’Von shoulder-first into the ring post and then back into the ring. Americano chops Evans and gives him a big back body drop, blowing a kiss to the camera to send us to break.

Back from that break, Americano is in control and still working the shoulder. The men trade chops and Americano runs into a kick. Evans nails a satellite DDT and a superkick. Evans hits a corkscrew kick and chops away at Americano some more. Lots of chopping here. Americano hooks on a backbreaker, Je’Von gains his footing and places Americano on the second rope, kicking him back down with a kick. Je’Von gets a look in his eye and climbs the opposite rope, flying across the ring and grazing Americano with a coast-to-coast Swanton. Evans climbs again and Rayo distracts the ref as Bravo knocks Evans down. Rayo passes the metal plate to Americano as the music hits and Original El Grande Americano joins us. Chad Patton takes away the metal plate; Evans hits the OG Cutter and gerts the pin. Original Americano gives the peace sign pose on the ramp.

Je’Von Evans pins El Grande Americano. A very good match, though a bit slow in the chop-fest portion. We probably could’ve cut two minutes out of this but it’s worth watching. Evans waves across the arena at Original Americano.

Here’s a look at the Orlando Eye as we promote the NXT Title ladder match tomorrow night on NXT before we go through a video package of recent newcomers and NXT names impressing during the Rumble matches last night including Royce Keys, Sol Ruca, Jordynne Grace and Trick Williams. This was a really good package that hyped up about ten people at once.

Congratulations to Bad Bunny and Jelly Roll, both of which won Grammy Awards last night.

The music of AJ Styles plays and out marches Gunther, doing AJ’s entrance. It goes from cheers to boos really quickly and it is great. Great heeling. “Career Killer” has been added to the sides of Gunther’s entrance trons and his entrance chyron. A fan’s sign: “I miss AJ and Cena but not Goldberg.” After a minute of “Fuck you Gunther” and then “you tapped out” chants, the big man has some words. “Just like Bill Goldberg, just like John Cena, AJ Styles found out that when you step in the ring with the Career Killer, your career and your legacy dies.” Out runs Dragon Lee, very upset over the career ending of the man who teamed with him for two months, and attacks Gunther. Lee springboards over the top onto Gunther and ranas him into the ring post. Lee springs at Gunther and is smacked with the ring bell. Gunther hooks a sleeper on Lee on the outside and the officials run out to break it up. Gunther grabs Lee from inside of the ring and hooks the sleeper again as Lee hangs over the side of the ring, Lee going limp and hanging from Gunther’s arms before he drops him. Great segment and the image of Gunther holding Lee’s limp body by the head was quite the good one.

Pearce is texting with a smile when Heyman walks up. Heyman demands Breakker vs Knight. Pearce says he can’t do it because he just walked Knight out of the building for disrupting his show and tells Heyman he should do the same with Bron. Pearce tells Heyman to tell Reed to get ready because he has a match against Penta. Heyman questions if Adam knows who he is talking to and in which city.

After breaks, Bron is throwing stuff around.

The War Raiders (Erik & Ivar) vs…

We’re told it is a tag match, but we get the music of Oba Femi and a shocked look on the Raiders’ faces instead. Oba’s entrance with the Goldberg-like “Oba” chants is already epic and they’ll have to try really hard to mess up his rise. Cole notes Oba is still a free agent as Oba tosses both Raiders around like they are nothing. The fans chant “Oba” and what a debut. He dances over the body of Erik.

The next video package looks at Finn Balor. He says he’s always given respect but it is never returned. He wants more, he wants the World Heavyweight Championship and he’s willing to do bad things for it.

WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella is walking and comes across WWE Hall of Famer Brie Bella. The Bella Twins, next on Raw!

WWE Hall of Famers The Bella Twins (Nikki & Brie Bella) join us to some high-pitched screaming and camera shots of some very happy female fans across the arena. Nikki makes fun of the Eagles and feels like this is a very full-circle moment as they haven’t been together on Raw in seven years. She thinks we’re all on the same page and happy that Brie Mode is back. Yes, she’s definitely been reading the comments section on Blog of Doom. Brie says she’s finally home and she says she’s not back because Nikki was getting her butt kicked every week but because they were the original tag team and the division is better than it has ever been. “Nikki and I, we want in. It is time for the Bella Twins to go for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.” Listen, I know a lot of you are mad at it but I’m fine with it. There’s a lot going on in the tag division and if a popular legacy team wants in, why not.

Here’s a look at all four covers of WWE 2K26, including three with the center of our universe Triple H, and some gameplay footage.

Alpha Academy (Otis and Akira Tozawa) meet up backstage with Bert Kreischer to give us some big man bonding and cross-promote some Netflix. Maxxine Dupri walks up and Bert can’t wait to see her get revenge on Nattie. Maxxine yells that she is breaking Nattie’s ankle next week. Bert and Otis touch bellies to finish the segment as Corey wonders how Tozawa has the best grasp on the English language out of the three men.

Penta vs Big Bronson Reed (with WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman, Logan Paul and Austin Theory)

I have a sneaky feeling this doesn’t end in a clean manner. Cole implies that Penta is in trouble because Lee was destroyed earlier tonight and Rey Mysterio was injured at the Rumble. Penta should make more friends. Reed takes down Penta with elbows. Penta’s able to rana his way back into things for a minute, knocking Reed to the outside and leaping onto him, giving us the Penta strut to take us to break.

After the break, Reed has a headlock on Penta in the ring. Penta dodges a running Reed and runs right into his fist. Reed sentons Penta for a two and then pounds away on him. We get a few minutes of Reed pounding on Penta before Penta finally battles back, chopping and super kicking Reed. Penta hits a flying DDT for a two count. Reed powerslams Penta for a two, then Penta offers more chops and a backstabber for his own two count. Theory creeps up on the apron and is super kicked off, Legan is knocked down and the ref is knocked in the crossfire. Penta leaps on Theory and Logan on the outside, then sets up a Destroyer but falls into the Jagged Edge. Reed hits the Tsunami but the referee is still down. Reed decides to grab a chair and L.A. Knight returns, hitting a BFT on Reed and escaping through the crowd again. Man, Pearce is bad at throwing people out of the building. The referee recovers and counts Reed out.

Penta defeats Bronson Reed by countout. This was a good match but also suffered from being about two minutes too long. I do like Knight sneaking in to keep attacking people.

Here’s a video package on WWE World Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer and Raquel Rodriguez. They’ll face off tonight.

Liv Morgan, wearing a “hot girls love Dominik Mysterio” shirt, is walking and we’ll talk to her next.

Celebrities! They love Raw! Bert Kreischer whips his shirt off again at ringside.

WWE Intercontinental Champion and AAA Mega Champion “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio has returned to grace us all. Thank god. Tonight he has glasses, overalls and his moustache styled just right and this might be his best look yet. Corey: “Do you have any idea the effect Dom’s facial hair has on the opposite sex? Hell, the same sex?” The fans serenade him with the “Dirty, Dirty Dom” song. He tells us the only reason he’s willing to show up in a place like Philly is to celebrate and introduce the winner of the 2026 Women’s Royal Rumble.

Liv Morgan joins us to a good ovation and runs out to leap into Dom’s arms. The fans serenade her with a “you deserve it” chant and they are correct. She thanks Daddy Dom for the intro and says we’re lucky to have him buck, but we’re in the presence of the greatest Royal Rumble winner of all-time. Who is she going to pick as her WrestleMania opponent? We’re going to have to wait because she says it is a big decision and she’s even going to SmackDown this week to assess her options. She knows that tonight we’re crowning a new Women’s World Champion and introduces “my best friend, my sister” Raquel Rodriguez. Raquel says it has been a big week for the Judgment Day but there is something they haven’t addressed, why Liv eliminated Raquel. Liv knows Raquel isn’t selfish and now they both have title opportunities. “A win for one in the Judgment Day is a win for all, right?” Raquel agrees and tells Liv to stay in the back tonight and she will do it on her own. Liv says to say no more and she and Dom head to the back.

WWE Women’s World Title Philly Street Fight: WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer vs Raquel Rodriguez

They have changed Stephanie’s music for reasons. The great Alicia Taylor is back this week and gives us the championship introductions. Anything goes, win by pinfall or submission only. Raquel charges Stephanie and Raquel is dressed for a street fight, jeans and all. I always appreciate that. She pummels Vaquer with elbows in the corner and the fans immediately chant for tables. Stephanie rolls up Raquel for a one count and then is clotheslined down. Cole notes Raquel’s success in a Last Woman Standing match against Rhea Ripley in the past which is a good move. Vaquer pulls Raquel to ringside and drops a knee to Raquel’s neck on the apron. Stephanie springboards onto Raquel and tosses Raquel back in. Stephanie goes under the ring for some plundah, finding the Slim Jim Table and being ran over by Raquel. Raquel tosses Stephanie into the barricade and sets up the Slim Jim Table. Stephanie leaps onto Raquel from the steps, Raquel catches her and powerbombs her through the Slim Jim Table to send us to a break.

After that break, Raquel has Stephanie’s ankle trapped between the ring post and stairs and stomps it in between. Raquel grabs a chair and swings, Stephanie ducking and smacking Raquel with a kendo stick. Raquel throws the hood of the announce table into Raquel’s face and pulls her up for a Tejana Bomb, Vaquer grabbing the ropes. Raquel tosses Stephanie face-first into the ring post and back into the ring as the chyron advertises the newest wave of Terrifier x Rhea Ripley tees. Raquel sets up a chair in the corner, it falls. Vaquer hits a home run shot with the kendo stick and tries for the Devil’s Kiss, Raquel powering her onto her shoulders and dropping her face-first into the ropes instead. Raquel rolls out and Vaquer tries to chase, Raquel knocking her in the head with a trash can. Raquel rolls out and throws six more chairs into the ring. Stephanie leaps onto her with a crossbody, Raquel catches and tosses her onto the chairs with a fallaway slam. Raquel tries for a corkscrew Vader bomb and misses, giving Stephanie the chances to Devil’s Kiss her onto a few of the chairs. Vaquer rolls Raquel out and does another Devil’s Kiss, this time on top of the steel steps to send us to a third segment.

We return to Raquel crotch chopping the crowd. She unstacks another set of the steps and runs at Stephanie who kicks her and bounces Raquel’s head off the steps. Stephanie dragon screws Raquel and limps over to a trash can, favoring her injured ankle. She sticks the can over Raquel’s head and double knees her, still only able to get a two count. “This is awesome,” chants the crowd. Raquel lariats Vaquer and grabs the trash can, bouncing it into Stephanie’s arms and kicking her down for a two. Rodriguez goes for more plunder and finds a second Slim Jim Table, sliding it into the ring and kicking the chairs out. Raquel tries to Tejana Bomb Stephanie through the table, Vaquer wiggles out as Liv Morgan appears. Liv grabs the Women’s World Title and hands it to Raquel, Vaquer appears from behind to drive Raquel into a chair and onto the table. Roxanne Perez appears to try to knock Stephanie off the top rope, Raquel headbutts her through a Slim Jim Table at ringside. Raquel pulls Stephanie to the top rope, Stephanie ranas Raquel through the table and hits a corkscrew splash, getting the three.

Stephanie Vaquer pins Raquel Rodriguez to retain the WWE Women’s World Title. This might have been Stephanie’s best match since winning the belt (which isn’t saying much with as little as they’ve done with her) but really, this was an another good performance for Rodriguez. She’s done a great job of reminding people of how much she has improved, but this might be the match to show people to take her seriously. Keep going with her. Opinions seem to be varied on this match, but I dug it.

Liv attacks after the replays, hitting an Oblivion on Vaquer and celebrating over her with Stephanie’s belt.

Here’s another look at Orlando. We’re hyping NXT hard. You can catch Niz’s great review right here on the Blog of Doom. Here’s a look at Finn’s years in NXT as well.

Next Monday, we’re in Cleveland. Maxxine Dupri faces Nattie and the WWE World Tag Team Champions The Usos defend against Alpha Academy. Qualifying matches begin for Elimination Chamber as well.

A Range Rover pulls up and out walks OTC1 Roman Reigns. We walk with him from the vehicle to his thunderous entrance, Roman throwing something towards Bobby Roode on his way through Gorilla. Fingers are raised. The fans sing “Roman, Roman Reigns” and he asks Philly to acknowledge him. He won his first WWE Championship here on his daughter’s birthday but also lost his last one here. He won his first Royal Rumble here too and the fans cheer. “It didn’t sound like that,” he laughs. Now having won his second Rumble, he’s back in Philly and he has a decision to make. Does he go after the title that he made – the fans chant for CM Punk – “so you don’t want me to go after Drew McIntyre or do you prefer CM Punk?” Punk gets the loud ovation of course.

“Cult of Personality” brings out WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk. Punk addresses the camera and Finn Balor, Roman looking at him confused. “You must have rung your bell or something, you’re coming out here interrupting my segment talking to Finn Balor?” Punk notes that Roman is a visitor on his show and he calls the shots. Punk asks the fans about Reigns vs McIntyre and they boo. They cheer the idea of Reigns vs Punk. He tells Roman to go ahead and take the easy way out and pick Drew.

Roman says he doesn’t like the guy, but Punk is talking crazy. “Hey Phil, I don’t know if you realize this, but Drew is like four times bigger than you and I’m pretty sure last time y’all fought he had you crying over a little plastic bracelet.” Punk says he beat Drew in Hell in a Cell and put him in the dirt. Roman: “I beat Drew for like three years straight.” Roman reminds Punk that his family is the only reason that Punk had a show and company to come back to and to keep them out of his mouth. He heard Roman go on McAfee’s show and that nobody has stepped up into his shoes. Punk remembers being champion for 434 days with Paul Heyman by his side, something Roman also did (but longer). Roman chooses to be a part-timer and Punk chooses to go to ten countries in three weeks. He chose to bring Roman into the company with the rest of the Shield and he’s proud of Roman for learning from the best.

Roman says Punk is making all these towns because he took a ten-year vacation. “I’d be trying to get it in as much as possible too.” Roman laughs about the idea of learning from Punk, saying the only thing he learned was what not to do. “Two years ago, or whatever that was when they wanted to sign you back, who do you think they came to?” “I’ll never forget ten years ago when you went on your little best friend’s podcast running your mouth, making my life harder than it ever should have been.” He came back and took his Wiseman and almost brainwashed him, mocking Zebros – rude – and saying he could pick Punk because he’s the biggest star and on Netflix. “I hate you, I’ve always hated you and WrestleMania’s going to be the best day of my life because in the main event you will acknowledge me.” Mic toss and that’s how we end things as the credits roll. Hell of a promo on both men’s part. It didn’t exactly do much to build up Drew, but that’s something they will hopefully do on SmackDown.

A really, really good show tonight. The Women’s Title was the best match by a good stretch, but the others weren’t bad either. Roman/Punk immediately feels like a giant deal, they made Oba Femi look like a megastar and continued to make Gunther look like a killer. I recommend watching the majority of this one. Best episode in a while.