WWE Monday Night Raw Review – 5.04.26

After the long drag of the Road to WrestleMania, we’re on the quick road of three big WWE-branded shows in one month, with Backlash, Saturday Night’s Main Event and Clash in Italy all happening before the month ends. We have a lot to build, so let’s see what kind of building we have.

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

Then, Now, Forever, Together.

This is Omaha, Nebraska, and this is Raw live on Netflix and presented on DoorDash.

Arrivals! Oba Femi! Original El Grande Americano and Los Americanos Hermanos! Sol Ruca! Je’Von Evans and WWE Intercontinental Champion Penta! WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, being interrupted by Raw General Manager Adam Pearce!

Roman storms through the gorilla position and Pearce tells him Jacob Fatu is not here. However, Seth Freakin’ Rollins is and tells Roman that he is in his way before the music hits and Seth heads down the aisle to the singing. Bron Breakker ambushes Rollins from behind, saving us all from the fifteen minute opening talk. They brawl around, Breakker tosses a few security guards and Pearce yells at Bron to stop. He does not, instead storming the ring with a big spear and standing over Rollins as the fans chant “one more time.” He does not oblige but it is a hot opening segment.

Corey Graves and Michael Cole greet us from ringside and send us to a video package on the Judgment Day’s issues from last week.

We head to the Judgment Day Clubhouse. Liv Morgan questions what Finn was doing in the clubhouse last week and says JD will take care of Finn. Liv is worried about Rox and why she thought it was okay to talk to Finn. Rox pledges her loyalty and Liv tells her to promise not to keep any more secrets from the family.

Finn Balor vs JD McDonagh (with AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio)

JD attacked Finn last week, pushing this match to this week. This is the second singles match between the two, the first being at TakeOver: Blackpool in 2019. After some back and forth, Dom trips up Finn and JD dropkicks him to the outside. Roxanne Perez walks to the ring and we take a commercial break, helping us not have to slice another talent’s check in half. Did you know there are He-Man pancakes at Denny’s?

After that educational break, we come back to Finn fighting back against JD when WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez also walk their way to ringside as Cole wonders if they’re out here to keep an eye on Rox. Finn hits a Slingblade and Dom hops on the apron, Finn knocking him down and JD rolling Balor up for a two. Finn runs into a Spanish Fly and JD gets his own two count. Balor heads up and Dom knocks Finn down as Jessika Carr is distracted by Raquel. Carr tosses Dom. Finn lands another Slingblade and tries to head up, Liv distracting the ref this time. Rox smacks Balor with the bell hammer, JD hits a headbutt and Finn can’t overcome the odds.

JD McDonough pins Finn Balor. Lots of shenanigans here and they made things a lot of fun.

Michael Cole recommends you watch Hulk Hogan: Real American. Hey, I watched that.

Jackie Redmond catches up with Seth Rollins. Rollins says he’ll be fine for Backlash and Bron didn’t finish the job. “I ain’t dead yet.”

Here’s a look at last week’s edition of The Bloodline Saga. Cole gives us an in-depth history of the Tongan Death Grip as well, telling us how it works and how it can harm you.

And now, our Morgan & Morgan Highlight of the Night: Joe Hendry sings about Logan Paul and is saved by the Street Profits.

The Vision (Bron Breakker and WWE World Tag Team Champions Logan Paul and Austin Theory) do bad Seth impressions before being joined by WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman. Heyman tells Logan to keep his hands off Hendry tonight, Hendry getting Theory instead. Lucky us!

WWE Intercontinental Champion Penta & Je’Von Evans vs Ethan Page & Rusev

Another shocking twist as last week’s angle led to this inevitable tag team match. Evans and Page start things off, Penta tagging in and dropping the corner boots onto Page (Cole: “Vintage Penta!”). Evans ranas Rusev outside and leaps on him while Ego tries for Twisted Grin, Penta turning it into the Penta Driver for a two count and a commercial break.

Rusev and Page have isolated Penta, Rusev smashing Penta in the corner. Penta tries for the hot tag but Rusev pulls Evans off the apron. Page tags in and blasts Penta as Evans dodges Rusev on the outside, Rusev running into the stairs instead. Evans gets the tag and Stunners Ethan, suplexes him and leaps out onto Rusev before springboarding onto Ethan for a two count. Evans hits the Red Dot and tags in penta who tornado DDTs page for a two, Rusev breaking the pin. Je’Von dives onto Rusev and gets a look in his eyes, going to the top as Rusev is prone on the announce table. Ethan shoves Je’Von off and Rusev drives Penta onto the table before tossing him in for Page to hit the suplex and the pin.

Ethan Page pins Penta, Page & Rusev defeat Evans & Penta. A hot little tag match once we got past the obligatory opening moments-to-commercial moment. Good teamwork from Page and Rusev.

Cole and Graves tell us all about Club WWE before John Cena tells us about it in a commercial.

Sol Ruca walks as we see Austin Theory and Maxxine Dupri having another background conversation, something that could lead to something eventually or could just keep happening for another four months.

Raw General Manager Adam Pearce is in the ring and sends us to a video package on Sol Ruca before Sol Ruca joins us for this contract signing that’ll definitely not be interrupted. Sol says it’ll feel so damn good when she signs this contract and joins Raw. WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch marches down the aisle to interrupt and snatch a mic, telling Petty Pearce she’s been looking for him and she was told this was her allotted time. Sol tells Becky that everything isn’t about her and Becky tells her that actually, it is. Sol calls Becky a rude, big-headed bitch and it’s not just her saying it. Sol signs the contract as the fans chant “Ruca”. “I’m Sol Ruca and if you ever interrupt me again, not only will I kick your ass, I’ll smash your soul.” Becky swings and Sol dodges, Becky punching Pearce instead. Pearce yells at her and Sol hits the Sol Snatcher after almost missing it all on Becky. A good segment for Sol on the mic and there are worse ideas than give her some time with Big Time Becks. I imagine the botched Sol Snatcher will be less remembered than the big-headed bitch insult, especially with WWE’s video packages.

Here’s a look at SmackDown and that night’s episode of The Bloodline Saga.

The Usos are walking and come across Jackie Redmond, who is surprised to see them at the show they work at. Big Jim Uso says they wouldn’t miss the contract signing while Main Event Jey Uso says this is family business and they’re here in case something pops off.

Joe Hendry vs WWE World Tag Team Champion Austin Theory (with Logan Paul)

This is Hendry’s in-ring debut on Raw. We come back from a break with Hendry singing the Logan Paul song again. Theory and Paul interrupt, including Paul saying that TKO can’t fire him because it would be bad business. To the credit of Hendry, the fans are singing the song as the match starts. Theory gets some holds on Hendry and the fans are absolutely booing the hell out of Paul and Theory. Hendry rallies and hits a big fallaway slam before springing up for the big spin to the camera and Logan attacking for the disqualification.

Joe Hendry defeats Austin Theory by disqualification. The fans LOVE Hendry and Paul & Theory are doing a great job of bouncing off that energy as big heels.

The champs attack Hendry and the Street Profits run out for another save. Bron runs in and suplexes Ford over the top rope and Dawkins across the ring before setting up the spear, Rollins coming for the save and the brawl continuing. Ford leaps OVER Rollns to take out the rest of the Vision before Bron spears Seth again. A very hot segment top to bottom with this Omaha crowd. Hot, hot segment. Bron and Seth will battle in the first hour of Backlash that’ll air on ESPN2.

Jackie has caught up with the Judgment Day, asking for their focus moving forward. Liv says it is getting all the gold including Raquel and Rox going for the tag gold and ending Brie & Paige’s nostalgia tour and inviting them to her show. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria interrupt.

Oba Femi Open Challenge: Oba Femi vs Akira Tozawa (with Otis & Maxxine Dupri)

Oba: still very over. Oba laughs in the ring as Tozawa stomps up the stairs. Tozawa steps up to Oba then changes his mind, walking over to Otis.

Oba Femi Open Challenge: Oba Femi vs Otis (with Akira Tozawa & Maxxine Dupri)

Cole remembers these two colliding on NXT. Otis shoves Oba, Oba shoves back and sends Otis flying with a running uppercut. Oba picks up 330-lb. Otis and tosses him across the ring and signals for his finisher. He lifts Otis onto the second rope and ducks under, lifting him up,carrying him across the ring and hitting a huge Fall From Grace.

Oba Femi pins Otis. Oba is a BEAST. The rise continues. Worth it just to watch the things Oba can do.

Seth meets up with the Profits and Hendry, the Profits telling him that nobody trusts him because of his past with the Vision. Seth says it doesn’t matter and they’re all in the same battle.

Pearce is chatting with Roman Reigns about the contract they’ll be signing in the ring later tonight as Jacob Fatu arrives.

Earlier today: Pearce gives Asuka and Iyo Sky some time to sit down and talk with dramatic lighting and music. Iyo says she’s avoided this fight for years and has the ultimate respect for Asuka. Iyo says Asuka has changed and Asuka tells Iyo the Iyo she taught no longer exists. “I’m done with Iyo Sky. At Backlash, I’m going to cut you out of my life for good.” Iyo says she is ready for Asuka and Asuka mists her.

Corey takes us back to Lucha Libre AAA and the contract signing between El Grande Americano and Original El Grande Americano.

Jackie is with Original El Grande Americano y Los Americanos Hermanos. Americano says the no-contact rule only counts in Mexico and the boys helped him out, taking inspiration from the lead of his close, personal friend Chad Gable.

Trios Match: El Grande Americano, Rayo Americano and Bravo Americano vs Original El Grande Americano, Bruto Creedo and Julio Creedo

If you missed this week’s AAA, it’s on YouTube and the Americano saga was maybe the best piece of television WWE has put on this year. We have a big masked man brawl. Bruto and Bravo start us off proper before Julio and Rayo tag in. Julio suplexes Rayo multiple times before tagging Original EGA in. EGA is tagged in and we have a Grande Americano face-off, though this crowd just isn’t as into it as the Mexican crowd.

After a break, the Grande Americanos both tag in again and brawl. Original EGA hits an Angle Slam (sorta) on EGA before he suplexes both Bravo and Rayo and flips on the outside onto EGA. Julio leaps up and grabs Rayo, Bruto moonsaults, and EGA comes for the save. Lots of fun stuff here as the fans chant that “this is awesome.” Original EGA hits the Chaos Theory on Bravo and gets the pin, celebrating with Los Americanos Hermanos.

Original El Grande Americano pins Bravo Americano, Original EGA & Los Americanos Hermanos defeat El Grande Americano & Los Americanos. A lot of fun, really, though not nearly the heat this all gets in AAA. The fans really got into it though as it went on.

Cole and Graves run down Backlash and announce the breaking news that John Cena tweeted many hours earlier in the day, announcing his appearance in the first hour on ESPN2.

WWE World Heavyweight Champion OTC Roman Reigns joins us for his long entrance and our main event contract signing, our second in-ring contract signing of the program. We come back from the break to find Pearce in the ring, who introduces Jacob Fatu to the festivities. Unlike Sol signing her contract, they could afford to bring out a table for this signing. Roman tells Jacob that he was the one in the company holding the door open for Solo and he’ll be damned if Jacob doesn’t have respect for him. He thinks their family should have a code, perhaps a system of conduct. “The Tongan Death Grip. You disrespect me with something you save for desperate measures? You don’t do that to family, you don’t do that to your Tribal Chief!”

Jacob tells Roman that he is desperate and his back is against the wall so he has no other choice but to take Roman out and take his title and everything that comes with it. “Then I’m gonna put a chokehold on this game and I’m gonna squeeze out every dollar and every cent just the way this company been doing our family for decades.” He says he’s desperate to do anything for his household including running through his own blood. Roman interrupts, signs the contract, and tells Jacob that he has been grinding for the 170 kids in their family and generation and generation of higher education because he’s the one that can do it. “I told Brock a long time ago this is ALL MINE. This is my ring and yes, in our family, we’re equals, of the same blood, but in this ring Jacob you’re beneath me.” Jacob tries for the Death Grip and Roman tosses a chair at his head. Jacob tries for the Death Grip again and Roman fights out, pounding on Jacob on the ropes before Fatu hooks it again. Reigns tries for a Superman Punch, Adam Pearce tries to break things up again and Jacob slamming Roman through the table. Jacob signs and slams the contract down, standing over a choking Tribal Chief. Noticeable by their absence once again are Jimmy and Jey.

A good go-home segment for the match. Roman is Roman but Jacob getting to continue to show fire is good. I liked it.

Overall, it just felt like a regular Raw. There was some good stuff, particularly the trios match and Oba smashing Otis. Outside of the botch that most people will forget in two weeks, it was a good appearance for Sol, Ethan and Rusev continue to grow as a team, and of course the Bloodline Saga rolls on. Seek out the Oba/Otis stuff.