WWE RAW

WWE stuck around in Las Vegas for the Raw After WrestleMania 42, moving from Allegiant Stadium to the T-Mobile Arena for what is traditionally one of the most anticipated episodes of the year. This year’s edition was a solid, if unremarkable, table-setting exercise — heavy on storyline development, lighter on in-ring action, and consistent with what the post-Mania episode usually delivers when the company decides to let the big weekend breathe.

Oba Femi opened the show to a massive reception. Fresh off his WrestleMania victory over Brock Lesnar — which also appeared to mark Lesnar’s retirement, with commentary noting he removed his boots and gloves in the ring — Femi took in the adulation of a Las Vegas crowd that refused to let him speak for several minutes. When he finally did, he kept it short: *”The Ruler has arrived.”* Four words, dropped the mic, exited. It was a confident, character-defining moment, and the crowd ate it up. A video tribute to Brock Lesnar’s career aired later in the evening, with Paul Heyman subsequently appearing alongside Logan Paul and Austin Theory to declare Lesnar belongs in the Forever — not the Now.

The first match of the night saw Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky — branded as RHIYO — take on The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane). The pre-match promo from Asuka was effective, criticising Sky for choosing her “fake family” over her real one and pointing out that Ripley is a champion while Sky is “nothing.” The match itself was a decent opener with outside interference attempts and several near falls, before Ripley hit the Riptide on Sane, allowing Sky to follow up with a moonsault for the pin. The crowd was reportedly somewhat subdued, and the match was described as feeling about the length of an average WrestleMania bout. A bittersweet backstage segment followed later in the show, with Ripley informing Sky she would be heading to SmackDown as its champion and that Sky would need to hold things down alone on Raw. The two embraced, closing a chapter on one of the better female tag partnerships of recent years.

A CM Punk promo segment was one of the emotional highlights of the evening. Punk reflected on his WrestleMania loss to Cody Rhodes, acknowledging the pain of losing the title but noting that there are bigger losses in life. He promised he would stay ready. Cody Rhodes then interrupted for a respectful face-to-face exchange — one that ended with Punk clearly eyeing the Undisputed Championship and Rhodes responding simply: “Just say when.” It’s a natural programme that should resonate well into the summer.

The midcard saw several notable roster additions. Ethan Page arrived as Raw’s newest main-roster signee and immediately inserted himself into the Intercontinental Championship conversation, leading to a debut match against Je’Von Evans. Page won via pinfall following interference from a returning Rusev, who attacked Evans post-match and locked him in the Accolade. Penta, the Intercontinental Champion, made his presence felt in a backstage segment but did not compete. Later, Rusev placed the IC title on his own shoulder in a pointed visual — setting up what looks to be a title programme. Sol Ruca also made her main roster debut, only to be attacked by Zaria during a Liv Morgan celebration promo, allowing Morgan to pick up a cheap win. Stephanie Vaquer appeared on the entrance ramp post-match, signalling that her rivalry with Morgan is far from over.

The Vision storyline carried on with a chaotic segment involving Paul Heyman, Logan Paul, and Austin Theory. Seth Rollins** attacked Bron Breakker with a steel chair, prompting a brawl in which the returning Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) made the save for Rollins. However, the numbers game ultimately prevailed, and Breakker put Rollins down with multiple spears, leaving him bloodied and beaten. A statement of intent from The Vision ahead of what looks to be a continuing feud.

In the evening’s final match, Finn Bálor defeated JD McDonagh in a physical contest, securing the win with the Coup de Grace. Post-match, Dominik Mysterio attempted a sneak attack but was fought off by Bálor, who sent both Judgment Day members packing. Backstage, both Gunther and LA Knight made their intentions clear regarding the World Heavyweight Championship — two credible contenders being seeded for the next cycle.

The show closed with a strong segment. Roman Reigns — the new World Heavyweight Champion — appeared alongside Jimmy and Jey Uso to speak about family unity, telling the Usos he didn’t want them to serve him but to stand with him. Before the trio could raise their fingers to the sky, Jacob Fatu interrupted and directly challenged Reigns for the title, making clear he wants everything Reigns has. Reigns responded by questioning whether Fatu could handle the pressure of the top spot, before telling him he’d deliver an answer next week. A compelling final image to close a very transitional show — and with Backlash on the horizon, the Reigns vs. Fatu direction appears confirmed.

Next week’s Raw is set for Laredo, Texas, and will feature the return of Becky Lynch and a Joe Hendry concert.

Overall, Raw After WrestleMania 42 did its job. It planted seeds for the next chapter, introduced new faces, and gave the Las Vegas crowd some moments worth remembering — even if the in-ring action was kept deliberately short. The Reigns-Fatu closing and the Punk-Rhodes exchange were the standout segments.