By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,734)
Buffalo, New York, at KeyBank Center
Streamed live August 17, 2026, on Netflix
[Hour One] Raw opened with a recap of last week’s segments involving Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa… Michael Cole and Corey Graves were on commentary. Cole hyped Jey Uso delivering Solo Sikoa to Roman Reigns. Cole narrated backstage and arrival shots of Chad Gable, Sol Ruca, and Oba Femi… Cole said there were over 11,000 fans in attendance…
Powell’s POV: Two hours before showtime, WrestleTix listed the venue as being set up for 10,594, with 10,250 tickets distributed. The total number of seats on the map is 18,594. The last time WWE ran the venue, 9,046 tickets were distributed for the January 2, 2026, Smackdown episode.
Stephanie Vaquer made her entrance while ring announcer Alicia Taylor introduced her. Vaquer called out Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, who walked onto the stage with Women’s Intercontinental Champion Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez.
Morgan said she had a lot on her mind. She mentioned comments that Becky Lynch made about her last week and said she doesn’t care. Morgan said she’s a champion for herself and doesn’t care about the women who came before her or those who will come after her.
Morgan laughed at the idea of being fearful of Vaquer. Morgan, Rodriguez, and Perez walked closer to the ring and stopped in the entrance aisle. Vaquer questioned why Morgan was so far away if she wasn’t afraid of her. Morgan and her crew walked to ringside and entered the ring.
Vaquer dropped Morgan with a punch, but Rodriguez and Perez double-teamed her. Vaquer battled back and cleared Rodriguez and Perez from the ring. Vaquer got the better of Morgan until Rodriguez and Perez returned and attacked Vaquer from behind.
Becky Lynch made her entrance and helped Vaquer clear Morgan, Rodriguez, and Vaquer from the ring. Vaquer spun Lynch around, and they exchanged words. Lynch went to leave, but Vaquer spun her around again. Morgan pulled Lynch to the floor and ran her into the ring post. Morgan hit a Codebreaker on Vaquer, and Perez followed up with her Pop Rox finisher. The Judgment Day trio stood over Vaquer…
Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso were clowning around in a hallway backstage. They called for Solo Sikoa, who entered the picture and walked with the Usos while they continued to ham it up. LA Knight was seated in a chair in the hallway. The Usos and Sikoa stopped. Knight and Solo looked at one another before the Usos escorted Solo into The Bloodline dressing room before a commercial break… [C]
Powell’s POV: Vaquer is coming off pigheaded for not being grateful for Lynch helping her, especially since her pride allowed the Judgment Day trio to get the better of them.
1. Je’Von Evans vs. JD McDonagh (w/Dominik Mysterio). The match was joined in progress. Cole said that during the break, McDonagh was out with Dominik Mysterio, who was complaining about not being included in the tournament for a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship, and Evans called out Big Cass, which somehow led to this match.
Evans dove over the barricade and hit McDonagh, who was in the timekeeper’s area. Evans came up checking his left leg. Evans tossed McDonagh back inside the ring and then went to the apron. Evans went for a springboard move that McDonagh avoided. McDonagh tripped Evans and slammed his ankle into the ring post twice before a picture-in-picture break [C]
Evans battled back and performed a springboard clothesline that led to a near fall. Evans sold his leg and then played to the crowd before going for the OG Cutter, but McDonagh moved. McDonagh headbutted Evans and then put him down with a brainbuster for a near fall.
A short time later, McDonagh went for a moonsault that Evans avoided. Evans came right back with the OG Cutter and then covered McDonagh for the three count.
Je’Von Evans beat JD McDonagh in 9:15 of television time.
Afterward, Big Cass attacked Evans from behind and put the boots to him. Cass performed the East River Crossing. Cole noted that it was the third straight week that Cass “destroyed” Evans.
As Cass was walking to the back, Evans spoke over a microphone while lying in the ring. “Hey, Big Cass, is that all you got?” Evans asked. Cass returned to the ring and tried to climb over the top rope, but Evans hit and knocked him off the apron before hitting him with a suicide dive.
Dominik Mysterio ran Evans into the ring post and then ran away with JD McDonagh. Cass picked up Evans and tossed him into the barricade. Cass ran him into the barricade again before tossing him in the ring. Cass entered the ring and hit Evans with a big boot. Cass exited the ring…
Powell’s POV: Joining the match in progress was odd because television viewers didn’t see how it was set up, but the match was entertaining. Big Cass’s weekly attack on Evans was solid. They’ve established this enough that one can only hope that they will have an actual match soon.
Cole said next week’s Raw will start at 5CT/6ET (they are taping a Smackdown episode after the live Raw)… Cole and Graves recapped Penta and La Parka winning first-round matches in the tournament for a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship on September 14 in Mexico City. Cole said Penta will face La Parka in a semifinal match on next week’s Raw…
A video package aired on the first of the two tournament matches on tonight’s show, and then Rey Fenix made his entrance for it… [C] Rey Mysterio was shown warming up backstage for his Intercontinental Title match…
2. Rey Fenix vs. El Fiscal in a first-round tournament match for a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. Fiscal’s entrance was not televised. Both wrestlers fought on the ropes a few minutes into the match. Fenix headbutted Fiscal, who fell onto the apron. Fenix ran across the ropes and kicked Fiscal, who fell to the floor. Fenix went up top again and hit a crossbody block on Fiscal. Fenix tossed Fiscal back inside the ring. [C]
Fiscal performed a discus clothesline and covered Fenix for a near fall. Fenix came back and hit a springboard moonsault on the standing Fiscal, which led to a near fall of his own. Fenix performed a somersault, but Fiscal caught him before he could perform whatever he was going for. Fiscal went for a spinning piledriver, but Fenix rolled him into a pin for a two count. Fenix hit the Mexican Muscle Buster and scored the pin.
Rey Fenix defeated El Fiscal in 9:05 to advance to the semifinals of the tournament for a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.
The updated brackets were shown. Fenix will face the winner of tonight’s Dragon Lee vs. El Hijo de Dr. Wagner match in the semifinals…
Powell’s POV: The match was entertaining despite there being zero mystery regarding the outcome. The tournament will get more interesting in the semifinals.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed Stephanie Vaquer. Kelley said Vaquer would have her first match back next week when she faces Roxanne Perez. Vaquer spoke about Liv Morgan
Lynch said she’s Vaquer’s biggest problem as long as she’s going for the championship.
A Lyra Valkyria promo video aired. She said she could fly around like Sol Ruca, but she chooses not to because she knows that bad things happen when you fly around just to show off. Valkyria said she would get the Women’s Intercontinental Title back…
Sol Ruca made her entrance for her match against Valkyria… [C] Cole hyped a Zuffa Boxing event…
3. Sol Ruca vs. Lyra Valkyria. Valkyria’s entrance was not televised. Ruca was on the apron when she kicked Valkyria, who was on the floor. Ruca followed up with a moonsault. Back in the ring, Ruca went for a springboard move, but Valkyria kicked her legs out from under her. Valkyria was in offensive control before a commercial break.
[Hour Two] [C]
What’s with this Code Raw thing?