Bron Breakker Promo
- Bron Breakker opened Raw by destroying the announce table and verbally attacking Michael Cole and Corey Graves before grabbing a microphone and calling out Adam Pearce, declaring that he was going to ruin Monday Night Raw.
- The Vision attempted to calm him down, but Paul Heyman was cut off when Breakker ripped the mic away and demanded Pearce come to the ring before the count of three.
- Pearce came out, blamed Breakker for drawing #2 in the Royal Rumble, and continued to antagonize him, leading to Breakker charging at him.
- LA Knight’s music hit at the perfect moment, and Knight ambushed The Vision with a chair before escaping through the crowd.
Grade: A-
Notes:
- This was a hot and unconventional opening that immediately set the tone for the show and advanced the Bron Breakker vs. Adam Pearce storyline while reintroducing LA Knight in a meaningful way.
- Breakker staring down Austin Theory after Pearce referenced a masked attacker felt intentional and hinted that someone within The Vision may be responsible for the assault on Breakker.
Jevon Evans vs. El Grande Americano
- Following a Royal Rumble recap, Jevon Evans entered heavily taped, selling the damage from lasting over 40 minutes as the Iron Man of the Men’s Royal Rumble.
- El Grande Americano targeted Evans’ injured right shoulder early, using distractions from Rayo and Bravo to maintain control heading into and coming out of the commercial break.
- Evans mounted a comeback with forearms, a satellite DDT, and a barely connected coast-to-coast Swanton Bomb before being knocked off the top rope by Bravo while the referee was distracted.
- Americano attempted to use a metal plate, but the original El Grande Americano’s music caused a distraction, allowing Evans to hit the OG Cutter and score the win.
Grade: C+
Notes:
- There was an awkward moment where Americano appeared to think the show was going to commercial, leading to a brief lull in commentary.
- Despite the hiccup, Jevon Evans continues to look like one of the best high flyers in WWE, and this match appears to set up a Grande vs. Grande feud.
- Hopefully, this allows Evans to move into a higher-profile singles program soon.
Gunther Promo
- AJ Styles’ music played to a massive reaction, only for Gunther to come out mocking the entrance and drawing nuclear heat from the crowd.
- Gunther claimed that AJ’s career ended just like Goldberg’s and John Cena’s, which finally allowed him to be heard over the chants.
- Dragon Lee ambushed Gunther in defense of his former tag partner, but Gunther quickly regained control by throwing a chair and locking in a devastating sleeper, reapplying it from inside the ring as Lee was draped over the apron.
Grade: A-
Notes:
- Gunther’s heat was off the charts, especially with the use of AJ’s music, and Dragon Lee sold the sleeper extremely well.
- After the year Gunther has had, he needs a massive WrestleMania-level feud to maintain momentum.
Backstage:
- Paul Heyman demanded that Adam Pearce give Bron Breakker a one-on-one match with LA Knight, but Pearce refused and escorted Knight out of the building.
- Pearce instead informed Heyman that Bronson Reed would be facing Penta later in the night.
Oba Femi Raw Debut
- The War Raiders made their entrance for a scheduled match, only for Oba Femi to interrupt and destroy both men in dominant fashion.
- A pre-taped promo from Finn Bálor followed, in which he claimed he has been disrespected for too long and is now focused on capturing the World Championship.
Grade: C-
Notes:
- Commentary noted that Oba Femi has not officially signed to either brand yet, but his spinebuster already looks like a future highlight.
- The segment lacked explanation, particularly regarding who the War Raiders were originally supposed to face.
- Finn Bálor teasing a serious title run is something fans have been waiting a long time to see.
Bella Twins Promo
- The Bella Twins returned to a mixed reaction, with Brie Bella explaining their return and positioning them as the original women’s tag team.
- They announced their intention to challenge for the Women’s Tag Team Championships, but the crowd response was minimal throughout.
- Brie attempted to start “YES” chants that never caught on, making the segment feel uncomfortable at times.
Grade: D
Notes:
- While it’s nice to see the Bella Twins back, the promo felt awkward and disconnected from the audience.
- Nikki Bella’s current alignment remains unclear.
Penta vs. Bronson Reed
- Bronson Reed started the match in dominant fashion, while Penta competed without Rey Mysterio at ringside due to Rey’s Royal Rumble injury.
- Penta rallied with a hurricanrana and suicide dive before the break, but Reed regained control afterward with power offense and near falls.
- Interference from Austin Theory and Logan Paul led to chaos, with Penta wiping out everyone at ringside, including the referee.
- Reed hit a Jagged Edge and Tsunami but could not secure the pin, and when he grabbed a chair, LA Knight ambushed him with a BFT onto the steel.
- The referee recovered and counted Reed out, awarding Penta the victory.
Grade: B-
Notes:
- The match was solid and action-packed, though interference from The Vision was predictable.
- LA Knight’s involvement was the highlight and continued to build his feud with the group.
Judgment Day Promo
- Dominik Mysterio returned to Raw to loud “Dirty Dom” chants and introduced the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble winner, Liv Morgan.
- Liv called herself the greatest Royal Rumble winner of all time and said she had not yet decided who she would challenge at WrestleMania.
- She then introduced Raquel Rodriguez as the future Women’s World Champion, prompting Raquel to question Liv about eliminating her from the Rumble and ask her to stay backstage during her upcoming title match.
Grade: B
Notes:
- The promo did a good job of subtly teasing tension between Liv and Raquel without revealing too much too early.
Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Street Fight – Women’s World Championship
- Stephanie Vaquer debuted a new entrance theme that failed to fully connect with the crowd as the match began at a fast pace.
- Raquel dominated early, powerbombing Vaquer through a table before the break and continuing to target her knee afterward.
- The match featured heavy weapon usage, including chairs, trash cans, and multiple tables, with Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez both briefly getting involved.
- Vaquer ultimately turned the tide, hurricanrana’ing Raquel through a table and hitting a Spiral Tap to retain the championship.
- Liv Morgan attacked Vaquer after the match with Oblivion, further escalating the storyline.
Grade: B
Notes:
- The entrance music change for Vaquer felt unnecessary.
- The street fight had strong pacing and creative spots but could have benefited from more time.
- The Judgment Day tension continues to build heading toward WrestleMania.
Roman Reigns Promo
- Roman Reigns returned to Raw following his Royal Rumble win and was warmly acknowledged by the Philadelphia crowd.
- He reflected on his history in the city before teasing his WrestleMania opponent, which led to loud CM Punk chants.
- CM Punk entered to a massive reaction and immediately went toe-to-toe with Roman, trading verbal shots about Drew McIntyre, family involvement, part-time status, and past comments.
- Roman ultimately chose Punk as his WrestleMania opponent, telling him that he would acknowledge him on the grandest stage.
Grade: A+
Notes:
- Roman’s connection with the Philadelphia crowd was undeniable.
- Punk vs. Roman is a true WrestleMania main event-level matchup.
- The promo was electric and set the stage for what could be an all-time great build.
Overall Show Grade- B