WWE Monday Night RAW July 13, 2026 Results & Recap: Seth Rollins Stomps Roman Reigns, Chad Gable Wins SummerSlam Gauntlet

Tonight’s WWE Monday Night RAW had all the pieces needed to deliver a strong episode on the road to Saturday Night’s Main Event and SummerSlam. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins were signing the contract for their World Heavyweight Championship match, Brock Lesnar was returning to confront Oba Femi, IYO SKY battled Roxanne Perez, Bayley finally confronted Lyra Valkyria and seven men competed for an Intercontinental Championship opportunity.

Somehow, WWE still found a way to turn most of that into a three-hour show that felt significantly longer.

The opening confrontation between Lesnar and Femi was easily their weakest segment together and immediately killed much of the limited excitement surrounding tonight’s show. IYO and Roxanne worked through a match buried beneath interference, The Vision continued to drift without a meaningful identity, and the final hour was swallowed by a nearly 40-minute gauntlet that produced some impressive individual performances without maintaining enough momentum to justify its length.

There were still bright spots. Lyra delivered some of the strongest character work WWE has produced in years, Je’Von Evans showed exactly why the company should invest in him, Solo Sikoa continued becoming one of the company’s most compelling characters, WWE aired a vignette announcing Big Cass’ return for the August 3 episode of RAW and the closing contract signing allowed Reigns and Rollins to speak honestly about their careers.

Unfortunately, WWE continues to confuse history with storytelling, interference with complexity and excessive match length with importance.

Here are the full results

• IYO SKY defeated Roxanne Perez
• Royce Keys defeated Jimmy Uso by disqualification after Jacob Fatu attacked Keys.
• Chad Gable won the Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contender’s Gauntlet Match to earn a SummerSlam title opportunity against Penta.
  
  
  • Dominik Mysterio eliminated Joe Hendry.
  • Je’Von Evans eliminated Dominik Mysterio.
  • Je’Von Evans eliminated Dragon Lee.
  • Rusev eliminated Je’Von Evans.
  • Chad Gable eliminated Rusev.
  • Chad Gable eliminated Ethan Page by submission to win the match.

Breakdowns & Reactions

Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman and Oba Femi opened RAW with fake police officers

Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar opened tonight surrounded by supposed Dallas police officers. Heyman claimed Oba Femi had become dangerously obsessed with Lesnar after rejecting a guaranteed SummerSlam championship match, describing Oba’s pursuit as stalker-level behavior.

Heyman then revealed that he had obtained restraining orders against both Oba and Lesnar. The idea was that neither man could touch the other before their Hell in a Cell match, protecting Heyman’s investment while keeping Lesnar and Femi separated.

Oba interrupted, entered the ring and demanded an explanation. When the officers attempted to arrest him, he destroyed all of them while Lesnar and Heyman stood outside the ring. Oba explained that accepting a championship match would have been pointless because Lesnar would have interfered anyway. He promised that Lesnar would have nowhere to run inside Hell in a Cell.

Later, Adam Pearce confirmed that the restraining order and police officers were fake. Oba said he already knew and interpreted Heyman’s stunt as proof that Lesnar and Heyman were afraid of him.

This was easily the weakest segment Lesnar and Femi have produced since their rivalry started.

A Hell in a Cell match between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi should not need comedy police officers, fake restraining orders or another segment built around Lesnar standing behind Heyman while Oba destroys disposable extras. These are two of the most physically imposing wrestlers in WWE. The attraction should be the possibility that they could tear each other apart, not whether Oba can defeat five actors dressed as police officers.

The later explanation removed the obvious question of why Oba was not arrested for attacking actual officers, but it did not make the opening any more exciting. It only confirmed that the entire segment was an elaborate prank.

Lesnar also continues to feel strangely passive in this rivalry. Oba is supposed to be proving that The Beast no longer controls WWE, but repeatedly having Lesnar retreat risks making him look less dangerous instead of making Oba look stronger.

Grade: D+

What worked

• Oba finally explained why he rejected a championship opportunity.
• The crowd remained firmly behind Oba.
• Oba’s physical presence still feels believable opposite Lesnar.
• The fake-police explanation prevented an obvious storyline hole.

What didn’t work

• The fake restraining order felt more comedic than threatening.
• Beating up fake police officers did nothing to increase interest in Hell in a Cell.
• Lesnar barely contributed beyond standing beside Heyman.
• The segment made both men feel less serious.
• This was a terrible way to open an already low-energy show.

WWE’s multiweek Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins history series

Throughout tonight, WWE aired the first portions of a multiweek series examining the complete history between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Predictably, the first installments focused heavily on The Shield and Rollins’ betrayal of Reigns and Dean Ambrose.

The Shield is obviously important. It shaped both men’s careers, and Rollins turning against Reigns remains one of the defining moments of modern WWE. That does not mean every Reigns-Rollins storyline needs to return to the same footage.

WWE has far more relevant material available.

Rollins cashed in Money in the Bank during Reigns and Lesnar’s WrestleMania 31 main event. Reigns spent years becoming the company’s unquestioned centerpiece while Rollins was constantly positioned one level beneath him. Rollins has historically held the advantage in their direct meetings. Their 2022 Royal Rumble match ended when Reigns refused to release the Guillotine and intentionally got disqualified. Rollins defeated Reigns and CM Punk in their WrestleMania Triple Threat Match and took Paul Heyman away from Reigns.

Their rivalry is no longer simply about The Shield breaking up. It is about two men who took completely different paths toward becoming the face of WWE.

A short video package establishing their history would have been effective. A multiweek documentary series risks repeating everything the audience has heard for more than a decade.

Grade: D

What worked

• The footage established their shared history for newer viewers.
• Rollins’ betrayal remains an important part of their rivalry.
• WWE has an incredible archive available for these packages.

What didn’t work

• WWE continues using The Shield as a substitute for developing a current story.
• A multiweek series feels excessive for history that has been covered repeatedly.
• Dean Ambrose was largely reduced to background footage.
• The packages contributed to the episode’s slow pacing.

IYO SKY defeated Roxanne Perez before Judgment Day overwhelmed her and Sol Ruca

Roxanne Perez entered with Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, immediately placing IYO SKY at a three-on-one disadvantage.

Liv grabbed IYO’s leg while the referee was distracted, allowing Roxanne to take control. IYO eventually recovered with a missile dropkick before Roxanne countered the Bullet Train into a leg submission. IYO escaped, applied a crossface and fought off more interference from Liv and Raquel.

Roxanne attempted to steal the victory with a rollup, but IYO reversed the pin and scored the three-count.

The match lasted slightly more than 10 minutes, but the constant involvement from Liv, Raquel and eventually Sol Ruca made it feel less like a meaningful singles match and more like another setup for a future tag team match.

Roxanne did not have her best night. Several transitions looked loose, her positioning was inconsistent and there were moments when IYO appeared to be waiting for Roxanne to complete the next sequence. Roxanne is talented, but she still needs more main-roster repetitions before WWE asks her to work this quickly against someone operating at IYO’s level.

After the match, Judgment Day attacked IYO. Sol attempted to make the save, but Raquel launched her into the barricade and ring post. Liv then struck IYO with the Women’s World Championship while Raquel and Roxanne held her in place.

The obvious direction is IYO and Sol against Liv and either Raquel or Roxanne. That match was not officially announced, but WWE could not have made the setup much clearer.

The larger problem is that WWE keeps using the same interference formula for the women’s division. Instead of allowing Liv and IYO to develop a personal championship rivalry, every segment must include Raquel, Roxanne, Sol and another post-match attack.

Grade: C

What worked

• IYO remained smooth and explosive whenever the match was allowed to breathe.
• Roxanne’s leg submission created a convincing near-turning point.
• Raquel’s attack on Sol looked brutal.
• Sol has a logical reason to continue opposing Judgment Day.

What didn’t work

• The match had far too much interference.
• Roxanne looked sloppy during several sequences.
• IYO and Liv’s championship rivalry remains buried beneath secondary characters.
• The finish and post-match attack followed WWE’s usual formula.
• The segment existed primarily to tease another tag team match.

The Vision and Alpha Academy produced a painful relationship segment

Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, Austin Theory and Maxxine Dupri entered together, with Logan introducing Maxxine as The Vision’s queen.

Otis and Akira Tozawa interrupted and attempted to convince Maxxine that Theory was using her. Tozawa appealed to the person they believed Maxxine used to be, while Otis explained that Theory was bad news.

Theory mocked Otis, questioned whether he was about to confess his feelings for Maxxine and repeatedly insulted his appearance. Otis eventually attacked Theory and briefly fought off Breakker.

Maxxine stepped between them and appeared ready to kiss Otis, only for the moment to be a setup. Theory struck Otis with a low blow, Maxxine handed Theory brass knuckles and Breakker destroyed Tozawa with a Spear. Theory then punched Otis with the brass knuckles while Maxxine watched.

The crowd gave Maxxine legitimate heat, but that does not automatically make the segment good.

The Vision has done practically nothing since forming. The group does not terrorize the roster, control RAW or pursue championships through a coordinated plan. Its members rarely feel connected unless they are standing together for an entrance. Injuries have repeatedly changed the direction, Paul Heyman has already moved his attention back toward Brock Lesnar and Bron Breakker’s world championship trajectory has been replaced by a tag team reign that feels like a contingency plan following Logan Paul’s injury.

Breakker once looked like WWE’s next unstoppable world champion. Tonight, his primary responsibility was helping Austin Theory defend his girlfriend from Otis and Tozawa.

Theory now appears to have taken the leadership role through his relationship with Maxxine, while Breakker has become the group’s muscle. That is a staggering decline for someone who was recently chasing the World Heavyweight Championship.

The funniest part of the segment was Breakker’s complete lack of respect for Otis and Tozawa while they attempted to speak with Maxxine. Beyond that, this was cringeworthy television that lasted too long and made almost everyone involved feel less important.

WWE needs to either give The Vision a defined purpose or break the group apart.

Grade: D

What worked

• Maxxine received genuine heel heat.
• Otis and Tozawa were sympathetic.
• Breakker’s disrespect toward Alpha Academy was occasionally funny.
• Theory looked comfortable playing an arrogant and insecure heel.

What didn’t work

• The dialogue was painful.
• The Vision still has no meaningful mission.
• Breakker continues moving further away from the main-event level.
• Logan Paul contributed almost nothing.
• Maxxine looked uncomfortable during parts of the segment.
• The entire angle revolved around Theory’s relationship instead of championships or control of RAW.
• Heyman’s absence has exposed how directionless the group is.

Paul Heyman effectively abandoned The Vision

After The Vision’s attack, Heyman congratulated the group backstage. He praised Breakker, Paul, Theory and especially Maxxine.

Theory asked whether Heyman’s approval meant they were reunited. Heyman responded by asking why they needed him anymore before walking away.

The message was clear: Heyman has moved back toward Lesnar and no longer considers The Vision his primary responsibility.

That leaves Theory and Maxxine as the emotional center of the group, Breakker as the enforcer and Logan Paul as an injured member who occasionally appears to speak.

It is difficult to call this progress. Heyman was the connection that made The Vision feel important. Without him, the group is just four people with separate stories sharing an entrance.

Grade: C-

What worked

• Heyman’s dismissal confirmed that The Vision must survive without him.
• Theory’s desire for Heyman’s approval fit his insecure character.
• The segment potentially established Maxxine or Theory as the new leader.

What didn’t work

• The Vision spent months seeking Heyman’s approval only for him to casually move on.
• No member looked prepared to fill the leadership gap.
• Breakker again felt secondary.
• The faction’s future is less clear than ever.

Royce Keys defeated Jimmy Uso by disqualification as Solo Sikoa rejected The Bloodline

Royce Keys and Jimmy Uso began fighting before the broadcast returned from commercial, leading Adam Pearce to make an impromptu match.

Keys controlled much of the early action, but Jimmy eventually caught him outside the ring and drove him onto the announce table with a Samoan Drop. Keys answered with a Sky High for a near fall.

Jacob Fatu then arrived and attacked Keys, giving Keys the disqualification victory.

Fatu grabbed a chair and told Keys that he never wanted their situation to reach this point. Before Fatu could do further damage, Solo Sikoa entered and claimed he finally understood that blood was thicker than water. Solo raised his finger and appeared ready to rejoin Jimmy and Fatu.

Instead, Solo struck Jimmy with the Samoan Spike.

Fatu and Jimmy overwhelmed Solo, while Keys attempted to help his childhood friend. LA Knight finally entered with a chair and repeatedly struck Fatu until The Bloodline retreated.

Knight then challenged Fatu, Jimmy and Jey Uso to face himself, Solo and Keys at SummerSlam.

The match itself was secondary, but the angle delivered important progression. Solo did not simply refuse The Bloodline again. He used their obsession with family against them and embarrassed Jimmy for believing he would return.

Solo has every tool necessary to become a credible monster heel and eventual world champion. He has improved his promos, developed a stronger presence and become more comfortable operating without Roman Reigns standing above him. WWE has waited years to fully pull the trigger.

The same applies to LA Knight. The crowd still reacts to him like a major star, but WWE keeps inserting him into temporary alliances rather than giving him a sustained championship program. Knight does not have unlimited time remaining in his career, and treating him as a convenient third man in Bloodline stories wastes one of the company’s most naturally popular performers.

Grade: B-

What worked

• Solo’s fake reunion was executed well.
• Royce’s history with the family gave the attack emotional weight.
• Knight received a strong reaction and immediately changed the balance.
• The SummerSlam six-man has clear personal motivations.
• Solo continues developing beyond his former Bloodline role.

What didn’t work

• The actual match was interrupted before it could become meaningful.
• Jey Uso was added to the SummerSlam challenge without appearing.
• Knight remains trapped in another group storyline instead of pursuing a championship.
• Royce still needs more individual character development outside his family connection.

Is this leading to WarGames?

Nothing tonight officially confirmed a WarGames match involving these wrestlers. WWE only announced that Survivor Series: WarGames will take place in Houston on November 28.

However, the pieces are available.

Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso and Jacob Fatu currently give The Bloodline four potential members. LA Knight, Solo Sikoa and Royce Keys give the opposition three.

If WWE carries this story through November and uses five-person teams, Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes would make the most narrative sense alongside Knight, Solo and Keys. Both men have extensive history fighting Roman’s Bloodline, and both could give the team enough star power to stand opposite Reigns.

The Bloodline would still need a fifth member unless WWE uses four-on-four teams. WWE has several months to add someone, force another family member into the group or completely change direction.

For now, SummerSlam is the only confirmed destination.

Bayley and Lyra Valkyria delivered the best character segment of the night

Bayley invited Lyra Valkyria to the ring hoping they could finally speak honestly and potentially apologize to each other.

Lyra entered looking emotionally exhausted and immediately rejected the idea that Bayley deserved an apology. She accused Bayley of making every broken friendship about herself and constantly presenting herself as the victim.

Lyra admitted that much of what she had previously told Bayley was a lie. She called Bayley a doormat instead of a locker-room leader, said Bayley dragged down everyone around her and described her as the worst member of the Four Horsewomen.

Bayley responded by listing her accomplishments and announcing that Adam Pearce had approved a match between them for Saturday Night’s Main Event at Madison Square Garden.

Bayley stopped Lyra’s initial attempt at a cheap shot, but Lyra quickly regained control, stomped Bayley and dropped her with Bayley’s own Bayley-to-Belly.

This was outstanding character work from Lyra.

She did not suddenly become another smiling babyface who turned evil for no reason. Her appearance, body language and delivery communicated someone who had spent months suppressing resentment before finally breaking. Lyra sounded like she believed every word, even when some of her accusations were unfair.

The story has also been allowed to develop. Bayley and Lyra spent months chasing the Women’s Tag Team Championship, defeated established teams and repeatedly came close to winning the titles. Lyra finally snapped after their June 22 loss to Paige and Brie Bella. Bayley attempted to reach her emotionally, but every conversation pushed Lyra further away.

WWE has struggled to create layered characters, especially in the women’s division. Lyra’s current transformation is one of the rare exceptions.

Grade: A-

What worked

• Lyra delivered the best promo of her main-roster career.
• Her appearance and body language supported the character change.
• The insults were personal and based on Bayley’s history.
• Bayley did not simply accept the abuse and stood up for herself.
• Using Bayley’s own move made Lyra’s attack more disrespectful.
• Saturday Night’s Main Event now has a genuinely personal match.

What didn’t work

• The match could have benefited from another week of build.
• Bayley announcing that she had already spoken with Pearce made the confrontation feel slightly prearranged.
• WWE must maintain Lyra’s character development after the match instead of treating this as a temporary change.

Chad Gable won the Intercontinental Championship Gauntlet Match

Dominik Mysterio and Joe Hendry started the gauntlet.

Hendry used his power and fallaway slam, but JD McDonagh’s distraction allowed Dominik to connect with the 619 and Frog Splash for the first elimination.

Je’Von Evans entered next and immediately increased the pace. JD attempted another distraction, but Evans knocked him from the apron. Dominik prepared to capitalize until Danhausen arrived in a small vehicle and attempted to curse him. The distraction allowed Evans to hit the OG Cutter and eliminate Dominik.

Dragon Lee entered fourth and produced the strongest wrestling stretch of the match with Evans. Lee used his speed, tornado DDT and double stomp, while Evans answered with a dive over the barricade and several explosive counters. Evans eventually caught Lee with a pinning combination for his second elimination.

Rusev attacked Evans before he could fully recover. Evans repeatedly escaped the Accolade and even powered to his feet before falling backward onto Rusev. He attempted the OG Cutter, but Rusev blocked it and reapplied the Accolade until the referee stopped the match.

Gable entered and attacked Rusev with German suplexes. Rusev eventually applied the Accolade, but Gable escaped, drove Rusev into the turnbuckle and caught him with a victory roll.

Rusev attacked Gable after being eliminated, giving Ethan Page an enormous advantage as the final entrant. Page repeatedly told Gable to stay down and attempted to finish him with a second-rope powerslam. Gable escaped and trapped Page in the Ankle Lock for the submission victory.

Penta entered after the match, shook Gable’s hand and raised the Intercontinental Championship between them.

From an in-ring perspective, the gauntlet had several good stretches. Evans was the clear breakout performer. He eliminated two opponents, survived Rusev’s offense longer than expected and received one of the strongest reactions of the match.

The problem was everything surrounding those moments.

Hendry and Dominik felt included because WWE needed names rather than because either man had earned a SummerSlam championship opportunity. Hendry has done little on RAW in recent months. Dominik’s involvement was mostly an excuse to continue the Danhausen feud. Dragon Lee produced a strong sequence but remains without a consistent storyline. Ethan entered last, received a massive advantage and still lost within minutes.

The match also consumed nearly 40 minutes of the final hour. Long matches are not automatically great matches. WWE has become increasingly comfortable asking wrestlers to perform dangerous, exhausting sequences on weekly television without giving those matches enough story to justify the physical cost.

Evans and Lee wrestled as though they were trying to steal a major PLE. Evans then took repeated Accolades from Rusev. Gable was attacked before facing Page. All of that happened for a predictable result because SummerSlam is taking place in Gable’s hometown.

Gable winning was the correct decision, but WWE took an unnecessarily long route to get there.

The larger question is whether Evans will receive meaningful character development after this “breakout” performance. WWE has repeatedly used young wrestlers to create exciting television before returning them to the background the following week.

Grade: C+

What worked

• Je’Von Evans delivered the best in-ring performance of the night.
• Evans and Dragon Lee produced an excellent sequence.
• Rusev looked dangerous.
• Gable survived a believable disadvantage.
• Gable challenging for a singles championship in Minneapolis is a logical story.
• Penta and Gable already share history from Penta’s WWE debut.

What didn’t work

• The match lasted far too long.
• Hendry and Dominik had weak claims to the opportunity.
• Danhausen’s interference made the gauntlet feel less serious.
• Several eliminations relied on distractions or quick pins.
• Evans and Lee took PLE-level risks on weekly television.
• The final result was extremely predictable.
• Penta remained a supporting character in his own championship story.

Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins signed their SummerSlam contract

Adam Pearce introduced World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, who entered and demanded that Dallas acknowledge him.

Seth Rollins interrupted, signed the contract immediately and told Reigns that the only guarantees in life were death, taxes and Seth Rollins defeating Roman Reigns.

Reigns responded that Rollins should have made the crowd sing last week instead of boring everyone. He described Rollins as his number one hater and promised to show him the difference between being number one and number two at SummerSlam.

After both men signed, Rollins attempted to leave. Reigns called him back and questioned what would happen if Rollins became champion. Would he hold the title for two months before getting injured again? Would he once again prove incapable of carrying the responsibility of being WWE’s top star?

Reigns then attacked the foundation of Rollins’ career. He pointed out that Rollins still needed Money in the Bank to defeat him and had most recently needed to fake an injury to use the contract successfully. Reigns referenced Triple H as Rollins’ “work daddy” and argued that WWE had given Rollins every advantage without allowing him to replace Reigns.

Reigns finished by telling Rollins that he would always be number two.

Rollins admitted that Reigns’ insults were nothing he had not already told himself. He acknowledged that they were not running the same race but said he could look in the mirror and remain proud of who he was. Rollins declared that he was grateful he had never become Reigns before punching the champion.

Rollins overwhelmed Reigns with punches and repeatedly asked where The Bloodline was. Reigns attempted a comeback with the Superman Punch and prepared to powerbomb Rollins through the table. Rollins used a microphone to escape, hit the Pedigree and finished Reigns with the Stomp.

The segment contained valid points from both men.

Reigns correctly attacked Rollins’ history of injuries, reliance on Money in the Bank and inability to permanently surpass him as WWE’s biggest star. Rollins correctly emphasized that Reigns’ success came with sacrifices he would never want to make.

The problem is that WWE has already made the destination feel obvious.

Rollins stood tall tonight, which strongly suggests Reigns will win at SummerSlam. The championship has only recently returned to Reigns, The Bloodline has reunited around him and WWE appears committed to rebuilding another long-term reign.

The match could still be excellent, but the result currently feels telegraphed.

Grade: B

What worked

• Reigns delivered sharp and believable insults.
• Rollins acknowledged his own insecurities instead of avoiding them.
• The segment focused on their different careers and philosophies.
• Reigns referencing Money in the Bank and Rollins’ injuries added substance.
• The physical fight gave Rollins momentum entering SummerSlam.

What didn’t work

• The contract-signing brawl was predictable.
• Rollins’ visionary and revolutionary catchphrases felt forced during a personal argument.
• WWE continues returning to The Shield instead of fully developing the present conflict.
• Rollins standing tall made the SummerSlam result feel even more obvious.
• Another extended Reigns championship reign already appears to be the direction.

Road to Saturday Night’s Main Event

CM Punk and Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther and Sami Zayn

This match exists because of the chaos surrounding the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Sami Zayn defeated Cody Rhodes and Gunther at Night of Champions to win his first WWE Championship. Cody then defeated Jey Uso to earn a championship rematch.

Before Cody could challenge Sami on RAW, Gunther attacked him and left him unable to compete. CM Punk replaced Cody and defeated Sami, ending Zayn’s reign after only nine days.

Cody confronted Punk on SmackDown and challenged him to a championship match at SummerSlam. Punk accepted, creating the unusual situation where Saturday Night’s Main Event partners will become SummerSlam opponents two weeks later.

Gunther confronted Nick Aldis over being excluded from the championship picture while Aldis was already speaking with Sami. Aldis responded by booking Gunther and Sami against Punk and Cody. Gunther then attacked the general manager.

The central question is whether Punk and Cody can coexist knowing they will fight for the championship. Gunther and Sami have just as much reason to distrust each other because their Night of Champions Triple Threat Match ended with Sami taking the championship from both men.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Paige and Brie Bella vs. Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid

Paige and Brie Bella won the Women’s Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 42 and have since retained the titles against The Irresistible Forces twice, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria and Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez.

Fatal Influence now receives the next opportunity, with Jacy Jayne expected to accompany Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid.

The champions have an established run, but the challengers have received very little main-roster storyline development. The match currently feels like an attempt to place the titles on the card rather than the conclusion of a meaningful rivalry.

Danhausen vs. JD McDonagh — No Disqualification Match

Danhausen has spent months tormenting Judgment Day by stealing Dominik Mysterio’s money, electrocuting JD McDonagh and supposedly cursing Liv Morgan.

Judgment Day retaliated by destroying Danhausen’s laboratory and stealing the New York Knicks jersey that had been given to him.

McDonagh eventually demanded a match, and Adam Pearce approved the No Disqualification stipulation.

The story is intentionally ridiculous, but the stipulation gives Danhausen and McDonagh the freedom to turn the match into a chaotic fight rather than pretending this is a traditional wrestling rivalry.

Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria

Bayley and Lyra spent months attempting to reach WrestleMania together through the Women’s Tag Team Championship.

They defeated The Kabuki Warriors, challenged The Irresistible Forces and continued pursuing the titles. Lyra even helped Bayley steal victories at different points, showing that their partnership was already becoming unhealthy.

Their final title opportunity came against Paige and Brie Bella on June 22. When they lost, Lyra attacked Bayley and ended their friendship.

Lyra later explained that she was tired of being dragged down and blamed Bayley for their failures. Bayley attempted to reach her through an emotional message, but Lyra rejected the apology tonight and attacked her again.

Their match at Madison Square Garden is now the most personal contest on the card.

Roman Reigns and Jalen Brunson

Roman Reigns is also advertised to appear alongside New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

No match has been announced for either man. The segment will likely promote Reigns’ SummerSlam championship defense while using Brunson’s connection with the New York crowd.

Road to SummerSlam

World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

Reigns and Rollins began as brothers in The Shield before Rollins destroyed the group in 2014.

Rollins later cashed in Money in the Bank during Reigns and Lesnar’s WrestleMania 31 main event, creating one of WWE’s most famous championship moments.

Their rivalry continued through championship matches, faction wars and repeated arguments over which man truly became the defining star of their generation.

Their last one-on-one championship match occurred at the 2022 Royal Rumble. Rollins pushed Reigns psychologically by entering to The Shield’s music, and Reigns ultimately retained the Universal Championship by intentionally getting disqualified when he refused to release the Guillotine.

Rollins later defeated Reigns and CM Punk in their WrestleMania Triple Threat Match and temporarily took Paul Heyman away from Reigns.

Reigns now holds the World Heavyweight Championship, while Rollins continues insisting that he has always been the one opponent Reigns could never completely conquer.

Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes

Cody entered Night of Champions as WWE Champion but lost the title to Sami Zayn in a Triple Threat Match also involving Gunther.

Cody immediately earned a rematch by defeating Jey Uso, but Gunther attacked him before the championship match could take place.

Punk replaced Cody and defeated Sami to become champion.

Cody returned on SmackDown and challenged his friend. Punk accepted, setting up their first one-on-one match in nearly 18 years.

The relationship is currently respectful, but Saturday Night’s Main Event gives WWE an obvious opportunity to introduce tension. A mistake, accidental strike or disagreement over who deserves the championship could completely change the SummerSlam dynamic.

Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi — Hell in a Cell Match

Lesnar and Oba have spent months attacking each other, with Lesnar already holding a victory over The Ruler.

Oba won the 2026 King of the Ring tournament and earned the right to challenge a world champion. Instead, he chose to pursue Lesnar, believing The Beast would interfere in any championship match anyway.

Lesnar responded by raising the stakes and demanding Hell in a Cell in his home state of Minnesota.

The match should represent Oba’s opportunity to replace Lesnar as WWE’s most dangerous attraction. Unfortunately, tonight’s fake-police segment did very little to increase its importance.

Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan vs. IYO SKY

IYO defeated Liv in the Queen of the Ring Final at Night of Champions, earning a championship opportunity of her choosing.

She immediately selected Liv and the Women’s World Championship.

Rather than building the rivalry around IYO already proving that she can defeat the champion, WWE has surrounded it with Roxanne Perez, Raquel Rodriguez and Sol Ruca.

Tonight continued that direction. IYO defeated Roxanne, but Judgment Day overwhelmed her after the match until Sol attempted to intervene.

The championship match has enormous in-ring potential. WWE needs to stop cluttering the story long enough for Liv and IYO to carry it themselves.

Intercontinental Champion Penta vs. Chad Gable

Penta’s first WWE match came against Chad Gable in January 2025, giving this match an existing foundation.

Penta defeated Dominik Mysterio to win the Intercontinental Championship in March and has since defended the workhorse title against several challengers.

Gable has spent years coming close to winning a major singles championship without completing the journey. He has challenged champions, produced memorable matches and repeatedly been positioned as someone capable of winning without receiving the defining victory.

Tonight, Gable survived Rusev and Ethan Page to win the gauntlet.

SummerSlam takes place in Minneapolis, Gable’s hometown. That makes this the most obvious possible setting for WWE to finally give him his first major singles championship.

The problem is that Penta has barely been given a story as champion. He appeared only after the gauntlet, shook Gable’s hand and raised the title. WWE needs to ensure the championship does not become a prop in Gable’s hometown redemption story.

LA Knight, Solo Sikoa and Royce Keys vs. Jacob Fatu, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso

Knight and The Usos were once allies, teaming at WrestleMania 42 to defeat The Vision and iShowSpeed.

That alliance collapsed when Jimmy and Jey realigned with Roman Reigns and helped rebuild The Bloodline.

Jacob Fatu was forced into the group after losing Tribal Combat to Reigns. Jimmy, Jey and Fatu then attempted to bring Solo back into the family.

Solo repeatedly refused, insisting that he hated his family and wanted nothing to do with their reunion.

Royce grew up with Solo, Fatu and The Usos in the Bay Area but has been rejected by The Bloodline because they do not consider him family.

Tonight, Solo pretended to return before attacking Jimmy. Knight then saved Solo and Royce before issuing the SummerSlam challenge.

The match has a strong emotional foundation. Knight wants revenge against a group he thought he had escaped. Solo is fighting against the family that once controlled him. Royce is fighting people who grew up beside him but now deny that he belongs.

Best Match and Segment of the Night

Best Match: Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contender’s Gauntlet Match

The gauntlet was too long and damaged the pacing of the final hour, but it still contained the strongest wrestling of the episode.

Je’Von Evans was the standout. His stretches against Dominik, Dragon Lee and Rusev demonstrated his athleticism, resilience and connection with the audience.

The responsibility now belongs to WWE. A breakout performance is meaningless if Evans returns next week without a storyline, character development or a clear direction.

Best Segment: Bayley and Lyra Valkyria

Nothing else came close.

Lyra looked, sounded and behaved like someone undergoing a genuine emotional collapse. Her insults targeted Bayley’s identity, history and reputation rather than relying on generic heel dialogue.

This was some of the best character work from anyone in WWE in years.

Current Saturday Night’s Main Event Card

• Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk and Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther and Sami Zayn
• Paige and WWE Hall of Famer Brie Bella (c) vs. Fatal Influence (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
• Danhausen vs. JD McDonagh (No Disqualification Match)
• Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria
• Roman Reigns will appear alongside New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson

Current SummerSlam Card

• Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins (World Heavyweight Championship)
• CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Championship)
• Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi (Hell in a Cell)
• Liv Morgan (c) vs. IYO SKY (Women’s World Championship)
• Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable (Intercontinental Championship)
• LA Knight, Solo Sikoa and Royce Keys vs. The Bloodline

Final Thoughts

Tonight’s RAW was a frustrating episode because the talent was not the problem.

Oba Femi, Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, IYO SKY, Roxanne Perez, Je’Von Evans, Chad Gable, LA Knight, Solo Sikoa, Bron Breakker, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria were all available. WWE had two major events to build and several championship stories requiring attention.

The company still delivered a show with only three matches, one of which lasted nearly 40 minutes, while several champions remained secondary to relationship drama, interference and faction confusion.

WWE’s midcard remains dangerously empty. Penta appeared only after someone else’s match. Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch was absent. The World Tag Team Champions were involved in an angle about Austin Theory’s girlfriend. Liv Morgan’s championship rivalry continues being crowded by the rest of Judgment Day. LA Knight remains popular without a championship direction. Solo Sikoa is developing into a potential main-event star but is still trapped beneath another Bloodline reunion.

The company has champions, factions and talented wrestlers. What it lacks is a commitment to giving those people focused stories.

The final contract signing was good. Lyra and Bayley were excellent. Je’Von Evans delivered when given an opportunity. Solo continued proving that he deserves more.

Those moments were surrounded by an opening segment that killed the atmosphere, an interference-heavy women’s match, a painful Vision segment and a final hour that became a chore to finish.

RAW did enough to move SummerSlam forward. It did not do enough to make the road feel exciting.

Overall Grade: C-

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