WWE Monday Night Raw Review – 02.23.26

Monday! Tonight, we find two more Elimination Chamber entrants and bid farewell to AJ Styles. No time to waste, let’s get into another phenomenal Raw.

The last week: Raw / NXT / Evolve / Impact / SmackDown / Lucha Libre AAA

Then, Now, Forever, Together.

We start with Michael Cole and Corey Graves center-ring in the State Farm Arena, live from Atlanta on Netflix and presented by DoorDash. Corey tries to hype up AJ Styles a bit when we’re interrupted by The Ring General Gunther, walking through the crowd and kicking them out of the ring. After he waits out a “you tapped out” chant, he tells us that he thinks it is disgraceful to have a celebration for a loser but this crowd knows losers such as Bill Goldberg. He suggests a celebration for himself instead.

Raw General Manager Adam Pearce interrupts, yelling his way down the aisle and cursing into the microphone that he isn’t sure is working. He sends security to escort Gunther out of the building. “I am disgraced by what is going to happen here tonight,” he says as he walks through the security. Dragon Lee attacks on the ramp, having no less of a chance to beat Gunther than he ever has. Lee attacks again backstage, security trying to separate the two men. Pearce yells at Gunther and up walks Cody Rhodes to confront Gunther before walking towards the arena. Here, let me give you the formal introduction.

“Kingdom” brings us Atlanta’s own Cody Rhodes through the pyro and into the arena, in full suspenders and tie mode tonight and introduced by the great Alicia Taylor. After the fans sing “Cody, Cody Rhodes,” Cody ponders what Atlanta would like to talk about tonight. He knows that the answer is AJ Styles and then we’re hit with the arrival of The Vision (Logan Paul, Austin Theory, Big Bronson Reed and WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman) because it wouldn’t be the start of Raw without them. Theory is ashamed of being from Atlanta, but Logan knows Cody isn’t because he has no common sense. Logan tells us that Big Bronson is winning his Elimination Chamber qualifier right now and Cody suggests a man who might disagree as WWE World Tag Team Champions The Usos (Main Event Jey Uso & Big Jim Uso) yeet through the crowd.

Men’s Elimination Chamber Triple Threat Qualifying Match: WWE World Tag Team Champion Main Event Jey Uso vs Big Bronson Reed vs Original El Grande Americano

This is a triple threat, which means no disqualification and no count out. Big Jim and The Vision have disappeared during the break. Uso and Americano team together to try to take down Reed, Reed clotheslines them both. Americano moonsaults onto his opponents on the outside and rams Reed into the ring post.

After a break, Uso and Americano continue to battle in the ring. Reed headbutts Uso and picks both Uso and Americano on his shoulders, marching around and slamming them both to the mat. Things slow down as Reed works over Uso for a while. Americano leaps in with a headbutt on Reed. He tries to suplex Reed and doesn’t, he rolls Uso through for a successful suplex and heads up top. Americano somewhat hits a headbutt from across the ring but mostly misses, then bounces up and German suplexes Reed into a bridge for a two for another commercial break-leading moment.

Back from that break, we’re fighting on the outside and going to a replay to see Reed diving to break up a pin and then pointing to his wrist. As the ringside medics check on him, Uso tosses Americano back in. Americano tries for a superplex, Jey headbutts him down and tries for the Uso Splash, landing on Americano’s knees. Americano hooks the ankle lock, Uso rolls through, but Americano keeps the hold locked on. Uso gets out with a second roll-through. Uso spears Americano and heads up again, this time nailing the Uso Splash and getting the three count.

Jey Uso pins Original El Grande Americano to qualify for the Men’s Elimination Chamber match. The match was a bit long – probably about a segment too long – but was going along well until the Reed injury threw a wrench into things. He joins Orton, Knight, Rhodes, Evans and Williams in the Chamber.

AJ Styles moment: the 2016 Royal Rumble debut. “Can it be?”

Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode are talking backstage, possibly about AJ Styles.

Tyler Reddick does some parking lot donuts – something bored guys do in Georgia all the time – in his race car. WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk pops out of the car. We’ll talk to Punk tonight.

2026 Royal Rumble Winner Liv Morgan is our next guest in the arena, entering with a sad face and clutching onto the arm of WWE Intercontinental Champion & AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio. Will she make a WrestleMania decision? Yes. Maybe. Dom tells us that it is indeed the moment and Liv is making her decision, asking for the champions to come out so she can make the decision face-to-face. WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer and WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill both get introductions. I’d like more Jade on Raw, please. Liv says she has made her choice but wants to talk to Stpehanie first. She isn’t used to feeling vulnerable and Stephanie was right, she didn’t realize how selfish she’s been. Now it is time to focus on her story and she clocks Vaquer over the head with the mic. Liv pounds away on Stephanie and Cargill exits, watching Liv hit Oblivion and pose with Stephanie’s belt. Well, at least we’ve finally figured that part out. Cole reminds us that we are *54* nights away from Mania.

Byron Saxton is standing by with Je’Von Evans. Evans is interrupted by Offset who in turn is interrupted by The New Day (Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston) and Grayson Waller. Offset suggests that New Day sucks and Evans challenges Woods for tonight.

Penta, L.A. Knight, and Stephanie Vaquer… sing Wilson Phillips’ “Hold On” in a TurboTax commercial.

The WWE Highlight of the Night, brought to you by Cricket 5G: AJ Styles wins the WWE Title from Jinder Mahal.

Michin and the MFTs are talking when god save us all, The Good Brothers appear for hugs.

Maxxine Dupri vs Nattie

The women brawl outside. Maxxine slings Nattie into the barricade, Nattie shoves her right into the ring post. Cole notes Maxxine not moving since hitting the post, Nattie jumping on her and attacking before referee Eddie Orengo pulls her off. Nattie hops on for the attack again and the referee calls for the bell.

Nattie defeats Maxxine Dupri due to referee stoppage. Well, that was a thing. I’m not sure I’d do an injury angle after an actual injury, but these one-minute matches aren’t doing Nattie and Maxxine any favor in getting over.

We’re in the Judgment Day clubhouse and Raquel Rodriguez says she has a plan to win. JD McDonough apologizes to Finn Balor for being a hothead last week.

Celebrities! They love Raw! Tyler Reddick, Daytona 500 Winner is here. 2 Chainz is here. Lil Yachty is here. Celebrities!

Here’s another look at Oba Femi.

The Crate is backstage with Adam Pearce. Pearce tells them to put it back on the truck and they’ll figure out what it is at the Chamber. Rusev pops in and wants to talk business as Oba Femi walks up. Rusev says that he talks too much for a rookie and Pearce tells them tonight is for AJ as if he didn’t make a match between two other men twenty minutes ago.

Brock Lesnar and WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman have joined us, Brock doing his entrance without slipping or ripping his pants. The reaction is pretty quiet tonight. Paul reminds us that he is the advocate for Brock and gives us a history lesson on the streak. Paul says the only dead man walking left in WWE will be the one who walks the aisle to face Brock. The fans chant for Oba. He gives us a countdown of Brock’s appearances between now and Mania with five remaining after tonight and invites someone to come get in Brock’s face. And then he takes another five minutes to say nobody will come take the challenge. The apathy of the fans towards Brock is certainly something.

Here’s a vignette for WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch with some words towards AJ Lee, saying she’ll be the least talented AJ to retire this year.

What a week it is on the WWE Podcast Network. Undertaker interviewing Michael Hayes sounds like a nightmare in every way.

Je’Von Evans (with Offset) vs Kofi Kingston (with Xavier Woods and Grayson Waller)

Evans clotheslines Kofi outside and threatens to leap on him, Kofi running down the aisle instead. A smart man. Kofi sneaks back in and still feels a knee to the head, Evans getting a two count. Kofi calls for a time out. Kofi offers a handshake, Je’Von falls for it and is tossed to the outside. Kofi nails Je’Von with a kick and we head to break with Offset checking on the Young OG.

After the break, Evans drops Kingston with a kick and a spinning splash kick for a two. Evans goes up top and misses a flippy jump, landing almost on his feet but not quite. He dodges a kick by Kofi and rolls him up for a two, then spins into a Red Dot kick. Evans leaps onto Kofi on the outside and limps him back towards the ring, Waller nailing Evans as the ref checks on Kofi. Kofi drops a leg and gets a two, Waller gets into it with Offset who tosses him over the announce table. Je’Von hits the Cutter amidst the distraction for the pin.

Je’Von Evans pins Kofi Kingston. This was good and Je’Von continues to be a highlight of the show, often on episodes like tonight where nothing else has stuck out thus far. Kofi’s always a good dance partner.

A Tribute to AJ Styles: Bayley, Rey Mysterio in a hot tub, Nattie, The Miz, Robert Roode, Chris “Abyss” Park, Booker T, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, and CM Punk share kind words about AJ.

Frankie Kazarian (!) is walking and finds a boiler room, opening it and finding Abyss (!!). Well alright.

Here’s a promo from Finn Balor to hype his Chamber match against CM Punk.

WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk joins us in the arena as it’s already 9:40 with another Chamber qualifier and the AJ ceremony to go. Run though this, Punk. Celebrities! Dwight Howard is here. Jermaine Dupri is here, a man who fumbled Janet Jackson. Funny Marco is a person and he is here. Bow Wow is here. Celebrities! They love Raw! Remember when AEW was promoting Jade Cargill confronting Bow Wow? What a moment in time.

Anyway, Punk finally talks and wonders if tonight will be his last Raw as champ. He wonders what if Roman was here tonight (he isn’t, but Bow Wow is). He says he doesn’t work in “what ifs” because he is the champion. He is the champion and he is CM Punk. This could have been an e-mail.

Petey Williams and Jeremy Borash are talking backstage before being interrupted by Omos. What a show.

Women’s Elimination Chamber Triple Threat Qualifying Match: WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Iyo Sky vs Raquel Rodriguez vs Kairi Sane

Triple threat, no DQ and no count out. Raquel boots Kairi out and Sky flips over Raquel who slams her into the corner. Iyo and Kairi team up for a few to take down Raquel, high fiving and then giving each other a look. Kairi slams Iyo down and tries for a pin. Raquel scoops both opponents up and hits a double fallaway slam which looks impressive. Kairi is tossed outside, Raquel is tossed out by Iyo. Kairi leaps into Raquel’s arms, Iyo moonsaults onto both of them and sends us to our 5848th commercial break of the night.

After break, Iyo lands a missile dropkick on Kairi and points to her face as she does. Raquel shoves Iyo mid-Bullet Train and tries for a Tejana Bomb on Kairi, Iyo breaking it up. Iyo dives outside onto Raquel, Iyo drops an elbow to the outside on Raquel. Raquel is dropkicked into the timekeeper’s area and Kairi hits the Cutlass, tossing Iyo back in and heading up top. Iyo dodges and drops Kairi on her knee, springing up and nailing the Over the Moonsault for a two before Raquel pulls Kairi to the outside. Iyo hits a missile dropkick and the Bullet Train on Raquel, going up again for the Over the Moonsault and Raquel grabbing her for a Tejana Bomb attempt, Iyo fighting out. Iyo leaps with a beautiful DDT from the top rope and goes up top, Kairi shoving her off the top and trying for the elbow, Raquel catching her for a Tejana Bomb and a pin.

Raquel Rodriguez pins Kairi Sane to qualify for the Women’s Elimination Chamber. You know what? This rocked. The Kairi-Iyo hints were fun and all three women brought their A-game. This tops every other match on the show by a good stretch.

Cole and Graves give us an update on Bronson Reed. He has a bicep tear and will be out indefinitely. That sucks for him.

A video package set to Creed’s “Higher” airs which I’ll insert here as soon as it gets to YouTube because I’m not too cool to love “Higher.” It’s a great video, as you’d expect from the WWE production team.

AJ Styles is here for one last chat, already about to cry. Uncle Allen is going to make me cry tonight, isn’t he. The fans chant “thank you AJ” and this man is not going to be able to hold it together for this. He says if he gets choked up, it isn’t because he is sad. He’s grateful for tonight and understands this doesn’t happen often. He’s still the kid from Gainesville, Georgia, that fell in love with professional wrestling. He wrestled in Gainesville, the Asylum, the Tokyo Dome, and the lights of WrestleMania. “Man, I wrestled some OGs. In TNA, Daniels, Joe, Frankie Kazarian, we made a mark in wrestling.”

“I left TNA and I went to Japan. I met some Good Brothers over there. These guys, Gallows, Anderson, showed me what it’s like to have fun in professional wrestling.” He says he’s done almost everything – almost – but the one thing he hasn’t done is be a full-time father as we see his family watching from ringside. He tells us about missing birthdays, anniversaries and games and “that sucked.” He says his flex isn’t winning all the championships he has but it is having the best wife in the world. “You never slowed me down, you’ve never told me to stop.”

He knows things didn’t go the way people wanted it to go against Gunther at the Rumble and it isn’t how he thought it should have went either, but he went out the same way he came in, at the Rumble. He mentions not leaving his gloves in the ring. “I am a man of my word and at the end of the day, all we have is our word.” He takes off his ring vest and puts it on the mat. He wanted to come to Atlanta and leave his gloves at home.” He takes the P1 gloves off and tosses them on his vest. “From the bottom of my heart, I would have been nothing without you. Thank you for your love and I love you right back. Thank you.”

The credits roll as the fans give AJ a standing ovation. We end our show with the roster and special guests on the ramp, clapping as the fans chant “Thank you AJ.” Rhea cries, CM Punk salutes him and the gong hits and the lights go out.

When the gong hits again, “American Badass” plays and Undertaker rides his bike to the ring. He grabs a mic and looks down at the vest and gloves. “So what? You’re just gonna leave your stuff here and leave? Me and you, we’ve got unfinished business. AJ, did you ever hear the phrase ‘if you see me coming, you’re already gone?’ I changed that phrase a little bit because if you see me coming, that means you’re going. AJ, it is my esteemed honor to inform you that you are the newest inductee into the 2026 class of the WWE Hall of Fame.” AJ mouths “holy shit” and is all smiles, hugging Taker. The fans chant “you deserve it” and of course he does. AJ’s family joins him in the ring and it’s all hugs to end the show. Beautiful segment. Hell of a run.

We end with a graphic. “In loving memory of Kerwin Silfies, 1950-2026.” Kerwin was a longtime WWE director who was with the company for over 35 years.

This was a tale of two shows, the one before the women’s Chamber match and the one after. It was a slog of a show prior to the women’s triple threat that felt six hours long. Then Kairi, Iyo and Raquel lit things up and it ended with a hell of a segment for AJ. I’d recommend watching both of those for sure. Je’Von vs Kofi was good as well and a teaser for something a little more.

Thank you, AJ.