Kat Reviews Monday Night Raw — page 2

Monday means Raw and we’re hopping right into it tonight. Elimination Chamber qualifying triple threat matches continue. If I learned anything from the Money in the Bank and King & Queen triple threat qualifiers last year, it is that Michael Cole is going to tell us that triple threat means no disqualification and the match will end with something that would have been a disqualification.

Let’s catch up on the last week: Raw / NXT / Evolve / Impact / SmackDown

Then, Now, Forever, Together

This is Cleveland, Ohio for the 31st time in Raw history and this is the Rocket Arena. We are live on Netflix and brought to you by DoorDash.

Arrivals! WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk is here… and so is AJ Lee! Behind them is a distraught WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are hanging out in the cheap seats. Rhea is in a qualifying match tonight. 2026 Royal Rumble Winner Liv Morgan is playing darts with Raquel Rodriguez as WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio plays 2K. Will she make a choice tonight?

Michael Cole and Corey Graves greet us from ringside with breaking news. Bron Breakker was injured while training and has had surgery, putting him out of action indefinitely.

WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch is our first entrance of the night and she is storming down to the ring. “There is only so much disrespect that one woman can take. I came out here with a big announcement that we were going to overthrow the corruption at the Royal Rumble but who do I see has come back to my show?” The fans chant for AJ Lee and Becky scowls. “Yeah.”

“Light It Up” brings out a skipping AJ Lee, the first time we’ve seen her on Raw since November. AJ says she isn’t here for Becky, she’s here to support her girl Maxxine. Becky insults AJ’s eyebrows and tells her she is yapping in Becky’s ear and keeping her awake. AJ calls her dramatic and says she hasn’t done anything to her personally besides beating her at Wrestlepalooza and also at WarGames and costing her the Intercontinental Title. Becky asks AJ what it will take to get rid of her, suggesting ruining her life in Chicago at Elimination Chamber. AJ feels a nervous breakdown or that Becky wants a one-on-one. AJ remembers she hasn’t had a singles match in over a decade and it would have to be really worth it. “You are one of the greatest of all time. If I beat you, what does that make me?” AJ goads Becky into a title match at Elimination Chamber.

Big Bronson Reed, Austin Theory, WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman and Logan Paul are here. You know who else is here? The Usos, who are now in your city.

WWE World Tag Team Championship: WWE World Tag Team Champions The Usos (Main Event Jey Uso and Big Jim Uso) vs Alpha Academy (Otis & Akira Tozawa)

The Usos yeet through the crowd and an entire commercial break. This is the first defense of the titles since the Usos won them in December and Big Jim’s first match since the title win, having been out with his wife. On the other hand, Alpha Academy have won their last four tag team matches, thrice against American Made on Main Event and the #1 contender’s match against American Made, Los Americanos and New Day back in January.

Jey and Otis start it off with the handshake of honor before Otis shoves Jey to the ropes. Tozawa hits a rana on Jimmy and a nice spin kick for a two count. Jimmy rolls out and Jey gets a kick as well. Tozawa considers a dive, Otis stops him and gorilla presses him onto the Usos on the outside instead to send us to break.

Back from it, Tozawa makes the hot tag to Otis while Jey gets to Jim. Otis bulldozes both Usos and drops Jimmy awkwardly over his shoulder. Jimmy jumps into a slam but kicks out at two. Jimmy is splashed in the corner and Jey tags in, Otis not seeing it. Otis Catepillars towards Jimmy but runs into Jey’s knee instead. The Usos double superkick Otis who roars back with a double clothesline and a tag to Tozawa. Akira missile dropkicks both Usos and rips the shirt, suicide diving onto Jey on one side, Jimmy on the other, and back to Jey before running it back and hitting a fourth on Jimmy. He tosses Jimmy in and Sentons Jim for a two as the fans chant “this is awesome.” Otis tags back in and is shoved into the post. Jey tags and they hit Otis with a double spear and the 1D for the pin.

Jey Uso pins Otis, The Usos defeat Alpha Academy to retain the WWE World Tag Team Titles. There were a few rough and sloppy bumps early, but the Tozawa hot tag was very hot. I dig “Tozawa wants to wrestle” and would like to see more of it outside of Main Event. I liked this.

The teams celebrate together after the match. Byron Saxton joins after a replay to get some words from the Usos. Byron asks what is next on the Road to WrestleMania for the Usos. Jimmy suggests remaining the best tag team in the game, but he needs Jey to qualify and win the Elimination Chamber, then head back to the main event. Four letters, one word, ugh ugh.

SmackDown will be on SyFy this Friday. Niz, turn to SyFy. All of you, turn to Niz’s SmackDown reviews. They’re great.

Here’s a look at the Reigns/Punk confrontation last week.

Liv Morgan and WWE Intercontinental Champion & AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio join us in the arena for some words. Dominik calls for some roses at ringside and gives them to Liv. She promises to give him his gift later and does the obnoxious Liv laugh. Liv says she put Jade Cargill and Stephanie Vaquer on notice last week and now they’re both scared. Fire explodes – very delayed – and WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer hits the ring for some words of her own. She gives Liv the “you talk too much” – paging Maffew! – and speaks Spanish, Dom saying he shouldn’t repeat what she said. Stephanie clarifies that it was calling Liv “a little bitch” and that Stephanie isn’t qualified to wear her “hot girls love Dominik Mysterio” shirt. Liv calls her a “puta” and Dom takes a big smack to the face from Stephanie. Now what did Dirty Dom do!

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Rhea Ripley, Ivy Nile and Lyra Valkyria give pre-recorded thoughts about their triple threat match and the importance of Elimination Chamber. Ivy I love you, but I don’t like your odds.

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Triple Threat Match: WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Rhea Ripley vs Lyra Valkyria vs Ivy Nile

Ivy gets the commercial break intro. Rhea gets the sea of screams as she tends to do and Lyra gets plenty of “woos.” I’m glad that took off for her. Ivy and Rhea lock up first as we have a solid “Mami” chant. Ivy leaps into a big Rhea dropkick, Lyra comes in and rolls up Mami for a two. Ivy suplexes Rhea and Lyra at the same time, following Rhea to the outside. Rhea grabs up Ivy on the outside and slams her face-first into the apron before Lyra leaps out with a rana and we go to break.

As we return, Lyra stomps Ivy, who is hanging upside down in the corner, and tries to suplex Rhea. Ivy pulls herself up and suplexes them both off the top rope. If they keep giving Ivy chances to do cool spots on Raw and not Main Event, they could just turn her into something more. Ivy unloads dropkicks on both women before running into Rhea clotheslines and a faceplant. Lyra and Rhea trade roll-up attempts before Rhea fails to muscle Rhea onto her shoulders. Lyra ends up there anyway and Rhea faceplants her, Ivy also leaping off the top over them both and missing everything. Well. Ivy suplexes Rhea almost on Lyra’s skull and gets a two count. Lyra rolls Ivy into a two and Rhea into a DDT. Ivy grabs Lyra into a Dragon Sleeper and that brings in Rhea and a headbutt. Rhea sets up Riptide, Ivy rolls it into a nasty backstabber. Lyra rolls Ivy into Nightwing and connects, Rhea breaking it with a running knee. Rhea Riptides Lyra and that’s all she wrote.

Rhea Ripley pins Lyra Valkyria and advances to the Elimination Chamber match. Friends, you know I love the women, but this was a lot of roughness. Rhea is probably the right choice, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see her and Iyo both in the Chamber.

In the Judgment Day clubhouse, Raquel Rodriguez notices a bummed Finn Balor. Dom says JD will be back soon and Finn will be tag champ again. Finn wants the World Title. Dom: “I get it, but everyone’s kind of talking about Punk and Roman at WrestleMania. Your window might be closed.” Finn shakes his head, questions the family part of Judgment Day, and leaves.

WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk is walking. He’ll talk to us when we return.

Michael Cole, in-ring, tries to set up his talk with CM Punk when Finn Balor pops out to talk instead. “CM Punk is hurt and I know he’s hurt because I’m the one who hurt him. I’m not just going to step aside and let Roman Reigns slide in and take advantage of my kill. Wouldn’t be the first time Roman took advantage.” He remembers the rope breaking when he faced Roman. “I want CM Punk, I want the World Heavyweight Title, and I want it at Elimination Chamber.”

Raw General Manager Adam Pearce comes out, waving for security, and telling Finn they’ve already had this conversation. WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk interrupts for the confrontation, Finn rolling out. Adam tells them to relax, Punk responds by snatching the mic. “You’re not an after thought, you’re the first thought but you don’t deserve a title shot, you deserve an ass beating.” Finn says he isn’t fighting for no reason but he’ll finish what he started for a title shot. Punk offers to do it in front of the Cleveland crowd. Pearce says absolutely not because he’s not putting the WrestleMania main event in jeopardy. Punk tells Pearce to give him what he wants or he spends the rest of the show chasing Finn around. Pearce announces it as official for Elimination Chamber to the great dislike of the Cleveland crowd. As Finn leaves, Cole asks Punk why he would jeopardize one of the greatest main events in Mania history for Finn. Punk says he’s chasing greatness and being the fighting champion the crowd deserves The only way Mania ends is with the ring announcer naming him as champion. The Finn/Punk part of this was hot until Pearce shot the crowd down, but the Punk part afterwards dragged on a bit.

Pearce is with security and met by the non-injured members of the Vision. Heyman says Pearce caused Bron to train too much by pushing his buttons. Pearce knows Bron is one of the keys to the future of WWE and nobody wants him back faster, but they should concentrate on the Chamber with Theory in a qualifying tonight. Pearce suggests they don’t get involved. Well, I wonder if perhaps any masked individuals will get involved in this no-disqualification triple threat tonight. Logan stops to tell Pearce he is the biggest star to come out of Cleveland which is an insult to WWE Hall of Famer Drew Carey.

Maxxine Dupri vs Nattie

Nattie’s entrance has been tweaked a bit more and Alicia Taylor introduces her as representing the Hart Family Dungeon. Maxxine tries for an ankle lock early, Nattie counters out as Corey tells us this is the real Nattie. Dupri tries another ankle lock on the outside and Nattie boots her into the steel steps and tosses her over the announce table. Nattie pounds Maxxine on the announce table and the match ends by countout.  Nattie hooks the Sharpshooter on the table and out comes AJ Lee for the rescue, Nattie breaking it and leaving. Becky attacks AJ as she helps Maxxine out

Maxxine Dupri vs Nattie goes to a double countout. This was all window dressing to set up the AJ and Becky saves. I’d say we’re going for a tag match, but I don’t think AJ is wrestling between now and the Chamber and I don’t see how it fits in after that.

L.A. Knight has some thoughts on his Chamber qualifying match tonight.

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

Rayo has gained a golden vest. Evans has gained Original Americano as his mystery tag team partner. Graves notes that Original Americano is more popular in the States while Americano is more popular in Mexico. Lucha Libre AAA has turned into a fun little Saturday night YouTube show. Evans hits a stunner on Rayo and a bouncy rana on Bravo. Original Americano tags in and leaps from the top onto the dancing Americanos to take us to a break.

Los Americanos are double-teaming Evans as we return. Evans bounces onto Bravo and gets the hot tag to Original Americano while Rayo tags in as well. Original Americano suplexes Rayo as Cole thinks it looks familiar. Original Americano double-suplexes both Americanos and gives us the “thank you,” hooking an ankle lock on Rayo, Graves noting that he is a big Maxxine Dupri fan. Evans and Bravo tag in, Je’Von with a soaring flying clothesline. Original Americano goes up top and Modern Americano pushes him down. Bravo leaps from one corner and Evans leaps from the other with an OG Cutter. WILD. That’ll be in replays for years. Original Americano hits a flying headbutt onto Bravo for the win.

Original El Grande Americano pins Bravo Americano, Original El Grande Americano & Je’Von Evans defeat Los Americanos. This was hit or miss, but that OG Cutter is something you have to see to believe.

El Grande Americano attacks Original El Grande Americano, Original Americano tries to unmask him but fails. I’m even confused after typing the word “Americano” approximately 85 times.

Here’s a video package on Oba Femi. He says that people fear change but it is inevitable. Change is here and you will hear his drums, see his strut and know he is here.

Here’s a look back at Gunther gloating last week and then trying to decapitate Dragon Lee.

Gunther laughs backstage and is joined by Saxton. “I couldn’t care less” about Lee, says Gunther. Gunther is in a qualifying match next week and tells Byron that the result will be the same and he’s leaving WrestleMania the new WWE Champion. That match will be against Je’Von and Dominik. Also, next week we have Bayley, Asuka and Nattie trying to qualify and AJ Lee will join us.

Elimination Chamber Triple Threat Qualifying Match: Penta vs Austin Theory (with WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman) vs L.A. Knight

Penta rolls up Knight quickly and then they team up on Theory. Penta dives onto Knight as Heyman yells at the announce team. Theory pulls Penta out and dropkicks Knight before rolling back out to throw Penta into the steps and send us to break.

We’ve slowed down to a Theory beatdown of Penta as we return. Penta chops Theory but runs into a big boot. Knight springs in and clotheslines Theory to the outside. Knight bounces both men off the announce table before throwing Theory back in, setting up a BFT that Theory counters into a rollup. This is plodding along, honestly, almost as disjointed as the women’s triple threat. Knight takes Penta to the top and is shoved off. Theory tries and is shoved off as well. Knight leaps up and Knight superplexes them both because that has to happen in every triple threat match. Theory misses the stomp on Knight, Knight turns it into an inverted DDT but doesn’t cover. He drops a top rope elbow and sets up the BFT again as Logan Paul runs out, being knocked off the apron. Knight dropkicks Logan and Bronson Reed splashes him, throwing him in for the Tsunami. Adam Pearce runs out and yells. Theory stomps Knight and Penta pulls him out of the ring, superkicking him. Theory backdrops Penta onto the announce desk as The Masked Man appears and superkicks Theory and stomps him at ringside. He tosses Theory in and runs off. Knight gets the BFT on Theory and advances.

L.A. Knight pins Austin Theory and advances to the Elimination Chamber match. Much like the women’s match earlier in the show, this was a bit sloppy. The ending was hot at least, but I didn’t feel much from this one.

Heyman and Pearce staring each other down at ringside.

We end with a graphic in loving memory of Jim Shank, January 28, 1966 – February 6, 2026. Jim was a 26-year veteran of the WWE production team who lost his battle with cancer last Friday. Cancer sucks.

Most of this episode didn’t hit for me. The opening was really good, and AJ and Becky bounce off each other well. I don’t think I have a “you have to watch this” match this week, but there are little fun highlights like Tozawa’s surge and of course the wild OG Cutter. Nothing notable you can’t catch in the “Raw Highlights” video that the company will post on YouTube tomorrow.

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.

Good evening and welcome to another edition of Monday Night Raw. This week, we’re making a trip to Canada before boarding the plane for the big weekend of SmackDown and the Rumble in Saudi. We have no football AND Raw is airing at its usual time tonight, so maybe it’ll be an interesting one.

Happy Monday to you! We’re on the road to the Royal Rumble with very little announced, but before that we have this international tour, early start times and Saturday Night’s Main Event ahead of us. With two weeks to the Rumble, you’d think tonight would start some heavy build to the show and give Raw a little more to do on SNME.

Schönen Montag and welcome to another edition of the Raw Review. After Friday’s SmackDown in Berlin, the road to the Royal Rumble continues with exclusively international shows through the big event (excluding NXT). This week, Raw comes to us very early in the U.S. with a trip to Düsseldorf,  Germany. Düsseldorf, of course, has brought us Kraftwerk.

Tonight, it is the one-year anniversary of Raw moving to Netflix. It’s also Stranger Things Raw, a crossover between WWE and the biggest hit of Netflix and one of the biggest hits of the modern times in Stranger Things. Will Vecna be revealed as the real Tribal Chief? Will Delightful Derek join Judgment Day?

Tonight, for the final time in 2025, Raw is War! It’s a big show from Orlando tonight with two title matches and, as always, The Vision. So much Vision.

Happy Monday to you! It’s a taped edition of Raw this week as the talent is on Christmas break, so let’s give this the ol’ taped Raw energy.

Almost 24 hours after John Cena’s Final Match, the wrestling world moves on with another Monday night and another edition of Monday Night Raw. Tonight, Gunther gloats, a classic tag rivalry is renewed, and I imagine we have a tribute or two to the leader of the Cenation.

We’re a week away from the last Saturday Night’s Main Event, so we have one more Raw to knock out on the road. Next week, we’ll be in a post-Cena Rawverse.

It’s the first of the month – go pay rent!  Monday night has rolled around again, this time hot off the heels of a Survivor Series that some have called “not good” (Scott) and others have said “I’ve only watched half of it” (me).  Triple H promises that tonight’s Raw will be “epic.” Has he ever lied to us before? (Yes.)

It’s the last Raw before Survivor Series. We’ll find two more winners in the Last Time is Now Tournament, the men battle for the WarGames advantage, and perhaps we’ll have a women’s match after not having one on SmackDown.

It is being billed as the final Raw appearance ever for John Cena.  That’s all the intro this review needs.

Your time is up, Raw’s time is now. Tonight, Monday Night Raw is in Boston. My part of the country is under a freeze warning tonight, but you’ll never catch me in the next man’s sweater.

It is Monday and that means we’re here for Raw once again as we do every Monday night. Today on social media Triple H has promised a new landscape. I wonder if that landscape will include the members of each Judgment Day tag team having singles matches for two weeks before facing both competitors in tag matches the third week. Nah, that would never happen.

Tonight, it’s another exciting edition of Monday Night Raw! The Women’s Tag Team Champions are around for a rare Raw defense, we have some Saturday Night’s Main Event last minute building to do, plus there have been a lot of videos of shoes posted on social media by WWE.Is a superstar returning? Is this all hype for a PLE promo? Do we have a new Men’s Wearhouse crossover?

Happy Monday night to you! It’s time for yet another edition of Monday Night Raw. Last week we had a show that aired bright and early in the morning and had a big surprise in Bron Breakker and Bronson Lee attacking Seth Rollins. Can they follow it up well tonight?

It’s time for Raw again. Wait, it is Monday morning?  Monday Morning Raw? Well, at least when this aired it was 8 a.m. ET in the U.S. We’re still running on Australian time after Crown Jewel, so we’ve flipped to twelve hours earlier than our usual ET start time.  Now that we’re in the Netflix era, we get it when it happens.

Good Monday evening to you!  On Mondays we watch Raw.  It hasn’t been the most consistently entertaining show lately, though it has been very consistent in that it feels like the same show every week.  This week, we have Roman Reigns and CM Punk announced as appearing and two women’s matches announced.

First, a quick programming note – next week, Raw will air live from Perth, Australia at 8 a.m. ET on Netflix. Friends, I will not be watching Raw at 8 a.m. on a Monday morning because I have a job and I have no desire to watch a Vision match with breakfast.  I’ll have the review up Monday night, probably a little earlier than usual but still in the actual evening.

The last week in WWE through the words of the Blog of Doom writers: Raw / NXT / EVOLVE / SmackDown / LFG

Then, Now, Together, FOREVER. Sorry, they removed the “dun dun dun” in the new version.  I’ll have to find a new joke.

Happy Monday! We’re back with another Raw and we’re starting an hour early again this week.  It’s 7 p.m. on the East Coast and it’s still daylight out there.  Last week, Rhea Ripley was practically turned into a Smurf, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins set their sights on each other, and the saga of The Usos and L.A. Knight rolled on.  Last week was a good episode that broke up a lot of the recent boring repetitveness of Raw – will this week keep that going?  Let’s find out.

First though, here’s a look at what has happened in the last week of WWE TV through the eyes of the Blog of Doom team: Raw / NXT / EVOLVE / SmackDown / NXT No Mercy

Then, Now, Forever, TOGETHER. Dun dun dun.