By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw Hits
World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns and LA Knight: There was only so much Knight could do to build to the match without Reigns present for previous episodes, so this tense verbal exchange served as the best build their match has received since it was announced. They both delivered some good zingers, and it was good to see Knight get the last word.
World Tag Team Champions Bron Breakker and Austin Theory vs. Penta and Je’Von Evans in a non-title match: This match kept the momentum from the opening segment going. One can only assume that Penta and Evans winning this match means they’ll eventually get a shot at the tag team titles. The only negative is that Breakker is starting to feel like just another guy, not the strong rival of Oba Femi in the battle to become the face of the company. It’s bad enough that Oba always seems to get the better of him, but Breakker and Bronson Reed looked weak when Oba took turns hitting them with running uppercuts in opposite corners. I’m all for Oba being featured strong, but the company also needs to protect guys like Breakker and Reed so that it seems like Oba has strong competition. Hopefully, the idea is that Oba could get the better of both men on Monday, because big things are in store for Breakker and Reed at Money in the Bank.
The 946 vs. The Usos and Solo Sikoa announced for next week: The follow-up to Jaida Parker running over Jacob Fatu with a car left a lot to be desired, but announcing the first match between 946 and the Bloodline for next week’s show made up for some of it. It’s not uncommon for WWE to not announce anything a week out if they have a premium live event between the two shows. I prefer this approach, as it gives Raw a big hook that can be promoted during Smackdown and Money in the Bank.
AAA Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix vs. Ethan Page in a non-title match: WWE is trying to get the AAA Cruiserweight Championship over now that it’s been announced that it will be defended on all brands. As such, there was not much mystery regarding the outcome, but Fenix and Page still put together a quality match. There’s so much more the creative forces could be doing with Page.
Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice and Sol Ruca: A soft Hit for a solid match with a finish that created tension between Vice and Ruca heading into the Money in the Bank ladder match.
Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh vs. Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee: A soft Hit for the heels stealing a win with help from Big Cass. Dom and McDonagh didn’t get much out of the win, as the focus shifted to Cass, who destroyed both babyfaces afterward. It will be interesting to see if this leads to a more consistent push for Cass. By the way, if WWE won’t move on from Judgment Day, can they at least bring back Carlito for some comedy relief? I’ll take Carlito’s one-liners over Joe Hendry songs and McDonagh Funko Pops any day.
WWE Raw Misses
Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan for a shot at the Women’s World Championship at Money in the Bank: The presentation was solid, with both wrestlers being featured in a pair of promo videos, and they produced a good match. The reason the match fell into the Miss section was the weak finish of Stephanie Vaquer attacking both wrestlers to end the match in a no-contest. I get that the company has a lot of television time to fill, but they took the long path back to the Triple Threat match at Money in the Bank that everyone expected from the start.
(Jason Powell, founder and editor of ProWrestling.net, has covered pro wrestling full-time since 1997. He hosts the weekly podcast, Pro Wrestling Boom, and appears regularly on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast. Reach him via email at dotnetjason@gmail.com and on social media via @prowrestlingnet.bsky.social or x.com/prowrestlingnet. For his full bio and information on this website, click here.)
