WWE RAW

Seth Rollins Confronts Bron Breakker, Backlash Match Made

The show opened with a tense in-ring promo from Seth Rollins, who directed his frustration squarely at Bron Breakker. Rollins reminded Breakker that he was the one who brought him into the spotlight — only to have Breakker repeatedly cost him opportunities. Breakker, accompanied by Paul Heyman, was quick to oblige the confrontation. Rollins wanted answers; Breakker’s answer was essentially that he sided with Heyman to accelerate his own ascent. The confrontation set up a match between the two at Backlash. It’s a logical programme, though the history between them feels a little thin given Rollins’ injury absence. Still, both men are capable of making it work.

Penta def. Rusev (Non-Title Match)

Ethan Page came to observe the match at ringside as the first contest of the evening got underway. Rusev connected with the Machka Kick, but it was not enough to put away the champion. After a back-and-forth thriller, Penta caught the Bulgarian Brute with a rollup to get the victory. The Bulgarian Brute jumped his opponent post-match, and Page joined the action. The champion was in trouble until Je’Von Evans evened the numbers to end the segment. A solid TV match that did its job building both a future IC title feud and the Penta/Evans alliance. The rollup finish protects everyone, even if it’s a little unsatisfying.

Joe Hendry’s Raw Debut Concert

Joe Hendry’s concert was a song about joining the Raw roster and hoping Adam Pearce fires Logan Paul. Paul came out with Austin Theory, fuming, saying that Hendry can’t be fired and that they would make it his last night. The Street Profits ran out to help Hendry fight them off. Hendry’s crowd connection was immediately evident — a fun debut segment that gives him an instant feud with real star power behind it. If WWE commits to it, this could be a genuinely enjoyable programme.

Becky Lynch def. IYO SKY to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship

Lynch issued an open challenge, which was answered by IYO Sky. Lynch declined the match, claiming Sky is washed up, among other personal digs. After a smack to the face, The Man tried to escape; however, GM Adam Pearce appeared to make the match official. The match had a natural flow, including multiple believable false finishes. IYO SKY’s match with Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch got upended by Asuka, who cost Sky the match and then choked her out post-bell. A good showing from both women, and Asuka’s involvement keeps Sky protected in defeat while setting up what should be an intriguing next programme for the title.

Rey Mysterio def. El Grande Americano

El Grande Americano was accompanied by Los Americanos (Bravo and Rayo). Americano was in control and went for the steel plate he’d been putting into his mask, but the Original El Grande Americano showed up to put an end to it. The commotion allowed Mysterio to regroup and hit a 619 to win the match. Plenty of moving parts here for what was ultimately a short match. The mask versus mask angle continues to build, and the Original El Grande Americano’s involvement adds an interesting wrinkle, even if it all feels a little cluttered on TV.

Oba Femi def. Grayson Waller

Grayson Waller complained to Adam Pearce about his lack of opportunities, calling Oba Femi “Oba-rated.” Femi was standing behind him. Femi won within seconds, before taking a microphone to announce the introduction of the “Oba Femi Open Challenge.” A squash, essentially, but it served its purpose. Femi looks dominant, Waller gets to be funny, and the Open Challenge concept is a smart way to keep Femi active and looking strong heading into Backlash.

Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez def. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria

Judgment Day’s Raquel Rodriguez blindsided Stephanie Vaquer backstage ahead of the match, with Roxanne Perez driving a road crate into Vaquer’s body. Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan watched on. The tag match itself was a decent enough TV bout with Judgment Day picking up the win. The pre-match attack on Vaquer did the heavier narrative lifting, reinforcing Morgan and company as ruthless heading into Backlash.

Jacob Fatu Attacks Roman Reigns — Backlash Match Official

Roman Reigns told Jacob Fatu he had given him a week to decide whether he wanted a title match or to unite the family. Jacob said he knew exactly what he wanted — while the Bloodline was running the show, he was out there grinding. Roman continued to berate Jacob until Fatu snapped and applied the Tongan Death Grip, putting Reigns to the mat. Jacob screamed at Roman that he would take everything from him and threw the title at him. A genuinely gripping segment. Fatu’s babyfire is real and the Tongan Death Grip spot was a perfect moment of controlled chaos. The Backlash main event has been made the hard way, and it feels earned.