Last night’s WWE Monday Night RAW was the red brand’s final stop before this Saturday’s Backlash PLE, and it was a show filled with important pieces that did not always come together cleanly. Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu closed the night with the strongest final image heading into Backlash, IYO SKY and Asuka delivered the best storyline across WWE right now, Bron Breakker continued to target Seth Rollins, Oba Femi started his open challenge run, Judgment Day’s drama pushed Finn Bálor further out of the group, and Sol Ruca officially arrived on RAW opposite Becky Lynch. The issue is that RAW still felt too commercial-heavy, too recap-heavy and too stop-start for a go-home show that needed urgency. There were strong moments, but the pacing and creative direction around certain acts made the night feel more uneven than it should have been.
Here are the full results
- JD McDonagh def. Finn Bálor
- Ethan Page & Rusev def. WWE Intercontinental Champion Penta & Je’Von Evans
- Joe Hendry def. WWE World Tag Team Champion Austin Theory by disqualification
- Oba Femi def. Otis (Oba Femi Open Challenge)
- “Original” El Grande Americano & Los Americanos Hermanos def. El Grande Americano & Los Americanos
Breakdowns & Reactions
RAW opened with Roman Reigns looking for Jacob Fatu, but before WWE got to the World Heavyweight Championship contract signing, Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker stepped into the frame. Bron jumping Seth early in the show was a smart visual because Bron does not need long monologues. He needs impact. He needs destruction. He needs to look like a human weapon. The problem is that the Seth vs. Bron build still feels weirdly predictable. WWE is trying to heat it back up now that everyone is cleared from injuries, but the story feels like it lost momentum and is being forced back into place because Backlash needs the match. Bron looked great. Seth sold the danger well. Creatively, though, this feud should feel hotter than it does.
The Judgment Day drama continued with JD McDonagh defeating Finn Bálor, but the match was another example of WWE taking a simple idea and overcomplicating it. Finn beating Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania just to end up losing to JD in a messy TV match makes the direction feel backwards. The point was clearly to show that Judgment Day has moved on from Finn and that Roxanne Perez is now willing to cross the line to protect her spot, but the finish was too convoluted. Dom got involved, Raquel and Liv played their parts, Roxanne used the hammer, and JD won. The match itself took too long just to get to a finish that made JD’s win feel less like a statement and more like a prop in Roxanne’s loyalty test. Roxanne hitting Finn with the hammer was the story, but the execution made the whole thing feel more cluttered than impactful.
Penta and Je’Von Evans vs. Ethan Page and Rusev was one of the better-booked TV ideas of the night because WWE at least showed why Rusev and Ethan were coming together. That matters. It gave the tag match purpose instead of making it feel like a random “can they coexist?” segment. Ethan Page continues to feel like someone with serious main-roster upside. He carries himself like a star, talks with confidence and understands how to make small moments feel bigger. He is the person in this orbit who feels like he can actually grow from the Penta story.
Rusev is the harder sell. He has done almost nothing since returning to WWE, so it is fair to ask why fans should suddenly buy him as a credible challenger or contender for Penta’s Intercontinental Championship. The name has history, the look is still strong and the physicality is there, but WWE has not rebuilt him enough. If Rusev is supposed to matter again, he needs more than nostalgia and a tag win. He needs a real story.
Joe Hendry beating Austin Theory by disqualification should have been a stronger showcase, but the production hurt him before the match even got going. Coming back from commercial in the middle of Hendry’s song was strange because his whole act is the entrance, the timing and the crowd response. That is the presentation. When WWE cuts into it halfway, it makes the moment feel smaller. Then Logan Paul’s interference, The Street Profits’ involvement, Bron Breakker’s attack and Seth Rollins’ return turned the whole thing into another pile-up. It furthered stories, but it also added to the feeling that RAW was leaning too much on interruptions instead of letting matches breathe.
Sol Ruca’s contract signing with Becky Lynch was a solid segment and a smart way to introduce Sol as more than just a call-up. Becky being dismissive and arrogant gave Sol something real to push against, and Sol standing up to her made her feel immediately relevant. The Sol Snatcher slip hurt the final execution, but it did not ruin the segment. The important part is that WWE put Sol across from one of the biggest women’s stars in the company and let her leave Becky laying. That is a strong first RAW impression.
The biggest and brightest spot of the entire show was the sit-down between IYO SKY and Asuka. This is the best storyline across all of WWE right now, and it is not close. The Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu story has the spectacle, the family drama and the main-event presentation, but IYO and Asuka have the emotional depth. This feels personal in a way that most WWE stories do not. It is rooted in history, respect, betrayal, jealousy, pride and generational tension. It is not just “two great wrestlers are going to have a great match.” It feels like a relationship breaking in real time.
That history matters. Before WWE, IYO SKY and Asuka were not just two names from the same country. They came from the world of Japanese women’s wrestling, where reputation, influence and legacy carry real weight. Asuka became an international force before WWE, building her identity as Kana with an aura that felt violent, creative, strange and dangerous. IYO, then known as Io Shirai, became one of the defining stars of STARDOM, building her own legacy as one of the best wrestlers in the world before she ever stepped into NXT.
Their WWE paths then became two different versions of greatness. Asuka arrived as a destroyer, built an undefeated streak, became NXT Women’s Champion, won the Royal Rumble and became a main-roster champion. IYO went from NXT standout to Damage CTRL member, Money in the Bank winner and WWE Women’s Champion. This feud works because both women have earned the right to speak from a place of pride.
That is why the sit-down hit so hard. IYO framed Asuka as someone she respected, admired and looked up to. Asuka twisted that respect into disappointment and resentment. When Asuka called IYO her biggest disappointment, it landed because it did not feel like a throwaway insult. It felt like a mentor figure rejecting the person who once saw her as a measuring stick. Then the visual of Asuka spraying the blue mist into IYO’s face looked incredibly cool. It was one of the best shots of the entire show. The blue mist exploding across IYO’s face gave the segment a dramatic, almost cinematic final image and made the feud feel even more dangerous heading into Backlash. WWE did not need a brawl. It did not need ten people involved. It just needed two elite performers, a personal issue and one unforgettable visual.
Oba Femi’s open challenge is where WWE deserves real criticism. Oba retired Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. That should have made him one of the most protected and aggressively pushed stars in the company overnight. Instead, WWE has him doing open challenges against people like Otis. The match was fine, and Oba looked dominant, but where are the real storylines? Why is he not chasing titles already? Why is he not confronting champions, calling out main-event names or being positioned as the most terrifying man on RAW? Open challenges can work when they are attached to a championship or a larger purpose. Right now, this feels like WWE knows Oba is special but does not know what story to give him.
The WWE NOW: RAW Recap podcast breakdown from Sam Roberts, Big E and Megan Morant did not help that feeling. Their discussion treated the open challenge like a positive showcase, and yes, Oba looked strong, but that misses the bigger issue. The question is not whether Oba can beat Otis. Of course he can. The question is why WWE is cooling him down into weekly attraction matches instead of pushing him toward something worthy of the man who retired Brock Lesnar. Oba should not be floating. He should be hunting.
The Maxxine Dupri situation is another frustrating creative miss. Maxxine went from feuding with Becky Lynch, beating Becky for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship, losing it back, and having a built-in emotional story with Nattie to suddenly sliding back into a valet role around Alpha Academy. That is a huge step backward. WWE spent months trying to make Maxxine feel like an underdog who was growing in the ring, gaining confidence and proving she belonged. Then once the Becky and Nattie story lost steam, she was casually reattached to a role that makes her feel less important.
The Nattie part is just as confusing. Natalya betrayed Maxxine, cost her a shot at Becky and had a story that should have led somewhere more meaningful. Then it just seemed to fade. Where is Nattie? What happened to the feud? If the story was supposed to be about Maxxine outgrowing her mentor and Nattie resenting that growth, WWE should have paid it off properly. Instead, Maxxine feels reset, Nattie feels absent, and the whole thing now looks like another women’s midcard storyline WWE started without a strong finish. To be fair, Maxxine’s character also did not seem to fully connect with the WWE audience at the level WWE probably hoped, but that is exactly why the follow-through mattered. You either commit and help the audience get there, or you do not start the story in the first place.
The Creed Brothers returning under the Americano umbrella with Chad Gable is another example of WWE putting talented people into a bit instead of putting them where they can actually thrive. Julius and Brutus should be in the tag division wrecking teams, not hidden behind masks as side pieces in the El Grande Americano story. Chad Gable is good enough to make ridiculous material entertaining, but the Creeds are being wasted if this becomes their main direction. WWE needs fresh, credible tag teams. The Creeds should be one of them. Instead, they are being used to add bodies to a comedy-adjacent AAA crossover angle. That may help the segment, but it does not help them.
The main event contract signing between Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu gave RAW the closing image it needed. Roman telling Jacob they share blood but that Jacob is beneath him was exactly the kind of arrogant champion line that makes Roman’s character work. Jacob does not need to out-talk Roman. He needs to shut him up. That is what he did. Fatu catching Roman with the Tongan Death Grip and driving him through the table made him look dangerous, desperate and believable as a challenger. Fans chanting for Fatu during the closing stretch said a lot. WWE has built him as a monster, and last night protected that aura.
The Late Night Crew Wrestling livestream reaction to last night’s show fits the bigger takeaway: RAW had strong individual segments, but the show as a whole was held back by pacing, ads, recaps and uneven creative. Fans on X were reacting to the same things during the show — the coolness of the Asuka mist visual, the frustration with Finn/JD being overbooked, the commercial-heavy structure, the confusion around Oba’s direction, and the feeling that the Bloodline remains WWE’s safety net. That is the truth of last night. WWE can still land big moments, but too often, it takes the long way around to get there.
Current WWE Backlash Card
- Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu — World Heavyweight Championship
- Trick Williams (c) vs. Sami Zayn — United States Championship
- Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker
- IYO SKY vs. Asuka
- Danhausen & a mystery partner vs. The Miz & Kit Wilson
- John Cena is advertised for a “history-making” announcement
Final Thoughts
Last night’s RAW was not a bad go-home show, but it was not as sharp as it needed to be either. Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu ended the night with the right final image. IYO SKY and Asuka delivered the strongest story on the entire brand and arguably the best storyline in WWE right now. Sol Ruca had a strong arrival. Ethan Page continued to show main-roster upside. Bron Breakker looked dangerous.
But the problems were obvious. Finn Bálor vs. JD McDonagh was overbooked. Oba Femi feels directionless when he should be chasing gold. Maxxine Dupri has been cooled off for no reason. The Creed Brothers are being wasted outside the tag division. Rusev still needs rebuilding. Joe Hendry’s presentation was hurt by the commercial structure. And the show had way too many ads and recaps for something that was supposed to sell Backlash with urgency.
RAW gave Backlash enough heat, but it did not make every story feel essential. Roman and Jacob did their job. IYO and Asuka went above and beyond. The rest of the show had moments, but WWE needs to stop mistaking movement for momentum.
I’m the quiet one until the bell rings then I’ve got takes. I live for WWE NXT and TNA, I want every promotion to succeed, and I will absolutely roast the bad decisions on sight (because someone has to). Anime taught me to respect long-term storytelling; wrestling taught me that sometimes the plan is “we panicked” and called it “unpredictable.” The Miz got me into all of this, so yeah I appreciate confidence, commitment, and the art of talking like you’re already the main event. Now I bring that same energy to the page as the main writer for Late Night Crew Wrestling because if you’re not here to be must-see and tell the truth, why are you here?!