WWE Raw returned to Knoxville on Monday night with fallout from WWE Backlash dominating the show from the opening moments to the chaotic closing scene. Roman Reigns arrived demanding answers and respect; Seth Rollins attempted to regain control of his increasingly unstable faction; championships were defended; rivalries escalated; and Jacob Fatu left destruction in his wake during a wild final segment that closed the broadcast.
Last night’s episode of WWE Raw opened with a video package highlighting key moments from WWE Backlash before Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcomed viewers to the broadcast. Cameras quickly cut backstage where Roman Reigns stormed into Adam Pearce’s office, demanding the World Heavyweight Championship. Reigns insisted that Jacob Fatu was his problem to deal with because he was the one who brought Fatu into WWE. Pearce attempted to calm the situation, but Reigns made it clear he intended to handle it personally before walking away.
Back inside the arena, The Vision made their entrance, led by Paul Heyman. Heyman introduced himself, then sarcastically claimed that WWE Raw usually opens on a high note. He praised Bron Breakker’s performance at Backlash and declared Seth Rollins’ leadership of the faction should effectively erase any need to mention Rollins again.
Heyman then handed the microphone to Austin Theory, who immediately targeted The Street Profits and Joe Hendry. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins interrupted and headed to the ring. Ford fired back by mocking Theory and Logan Paul, saying Bianca Belair might no longer be able to handle the bills by herself because he had arrived on Raw to deal with both of them personally. Ford made it clear that The Street Profits were focused on capturing the World Tag Team Championship and warned The Vision that they still “want the smoke”.
Logan Paul dismissed the group as old news and mocked Ford for recently throwing Belair a baby shower. Paul bragged that The Vision was “born ready”, but Joe Hendry interrupted the exchange by appearing and singing a mocking song directed at Paul.
Joe Hendry & The Street Profits vs. The Vision
Joe Hendry, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins battled Austin Theory, Bron Breakker and Logan Paul in the opening match of the night.
During the commercial break before the bell officially rang, Hendry stood on the announce desk, continuing his song until Theory attacked him from behind. Once the match officially began, Ford and Theory started things off with Ford controlling the pace using a side headlock.
Breakker tagged in after the break and immediately changed the tone of the match with a thunderous suplex on Ford. Logan Paul entered next and teamed with Breakker for an impressive Gorilla Press and right-hand combination before covering Ford for a near fall.
Hendry eventually received the tag and shifted momentum with a Fallaway Slam on Paul, followed by his signature pose. Theory attempted to blindside him during the celebration, but Hendry spotted him in time. Paul rushed in with strikes before Breakker re-entered and flattened Hendry with brute force.
The Vision maintained control throughout another commercial break. Theory and Breakker connected on a double suplex while Logan Paul repeatedly targeted Hendry with right hands. Back from the break, Ford exploded into the match with a crossbody from the top rope and a flurry of offence. He knocked Breakker onto the apron and launched himself over the ropes to wipe him out on the floor.
The finish arrived in chaotic fashion. Breakker was prepared to spear Dawkins on the outside, but Seth Rollins suddenly appeared and levelled Breakker with a clothesline. The distraction opened the door for Dawkins to roll up Theory inside the ring for the victory.
Winners: Joe Hendry and The Street Profits
After the match, tensions within The Vision continued to grow. Theory attacked Dawkins after the bell, and Rollins dumped Theory out of the ring before helping Dawkins back to his feet. Breakker attempted to spear Rollins, but Rollins moved, and Breakker accidentally crashed into Ford instead. Ford shoved Rollins in frustration as the situation quickly deteriorated.
Backstage, Adam Pearce met with OG El Grande Americano, Bruno and Julio before Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan interrupted the meeting. Pearce announced Dominik would defend the AAA Mega Championship later in the evening against OG El Grande Americano. Los Garza later approached Pearce in search of opportunities of their own.
Penta then headed to the ring for an in-ring confrontation centred around the Intercontinental Championship picture. Penta addressed Ethan Page directly and said he had heard Page talking about his title the previous week. Penta insisted he was a fighting champion and invited Page to face him.
Page made his entrance, mocked Penta for hiding behind paint and a mask, and then proudly reminded fans he represented Canada. He pointed out that he pinned Penta during last week’s tag team match and claimed that made him the rightful Number One Contender for the Intercontinental Championship. He also accused Penta of potentially being afraid to defend the title against him.
Penta immediately challenged Page to fight for the championship right then and there, but Page backed away from the idea. Instead, Page requested his title opportunity take place at Saturday Night’s Main Event on May 23. Penta accepted without hesitation.
Before the segment could end, Rusev interrupted. Rusev argued that Page only pinned Penta because of his involvement and said he should be the one receiving an Intercontinental Championship match. Page claimed he had actually tried convincing Adam Pearce to give Rusev a title shot until Je’Von Evans interrupted the meeting.
Evans immediately came to the ring and accused Page of lying. The confrontation erupted into physicality with Penta clotheslining Page over the top rope while Evans sent Rusev to the outside and wiped him out with a dive. During the commercial break, Pearce officially announced a match between Evans and Rusev.
Je’Von Evans vs. Rusev
Rusev dominated early once the bell rang, unloading strikes and stomps on Je’Von Evans in the corner. Back from the break, Rusev continued methodically targeting Evans and even drove his throat into the middle rope.
Rusev climbed to the top rope with Evans, but Evans managed to knock him down with a right hand before soaring through the air with a dive. Evans followed with a springboard hurricanrana and a dropkick that sent Rusev tumbling to the floor.
Evans attempted another high-risk move to the outside, but Rusev intercepted him with a huge right hand before launching him onto the announce desk with a devastating Fallaway Slam.
During another break, Rusev sent Evans crashing into the ring post. Evans continued fighting back after returning from a commercial, connecting with several right hands and a kick before attempting another aerial attack. Rusev countered with a chokeslam and the Machka Kick for a dramatic near fall.
Evans refused to stay down. He launched himself over the top rope to take out Rusev on the floor, rolled him back into the ring and connected with the OG Cutter to score a huge upset victory.
Winner: Je’Von Evans
A quieter backstage moment followed as Asuka spoke with Iyo Sky. Asuka emotionally admitted she had spent years searching for someone capable of taking her place in professional wrestling and said she was happy that person turned out to be Sky. Sky responded by saying that, regardless of competition, they would always remain family. Asuka then departed the Food City Center carrying a suitcase as Sky watched on.
Back in the arena, Paige and Brie Bella made their entrance for a tense confrontation involving the Women’s Tag Team Championship picture.
Brie explained that Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez had called them out and invited the pair to the ring. Rodriguez mocked Paige and Brie for taking a break from their “nostalgia tour”, while Perez revealed she grew up admiring both women. Perez specifically referenced Brie once, telling her she could carry on the Bella legacy, but claimed she later realised Brie had set the bar low.
Brie responded by saying Perez was confusing her for Liv Morgan and clarified she meant Perez should create her own legacy rather than copy someone else’s. Rodriguez then accused Paige of repeatedly wasting opportunities before demanding Paige and Brie simply hand over the Women’s Tag Team Championship belts.
The situation quickly became physical. Paige struck Rodriguez with a forearm while Brie brawled with Perez. Liv Morgan suddenly attacked Paige with a Codebreaker before hammering away with punches. Brie attempted to help her partner, but Perez intercepted her with a vicious knee strike while Rodriguez held Brie in place. Rodriguez and Perez then delivered a Russian Leg Sweep and big boot combination to Paige before posing with the Women’s Tag Team Championship belts as Morgan raised the Women’s World Championship high above her head.
Backstage, Jimmy Uso informed Roman Reigns that Jey Uso was waiting outside, attempting to talk Jacob Fatu out of participating in the evening’s planned Acknowledgement Ceremony. Reigns questioned why Jey was interfering, but Jimmy warned him that Backlash should have ended the issue between Reigns and Fatu. Reigns insisted that Fatu acknowledge him out of respect for the family, though Jimmy admitted he had a bad feeling about the unfolding events.
Iyo Sky vs. Sol Ruca
Iyo Sky later faced Sol Ruca in one of the night’s most athletic matches.
Ruca impressed immediately by countering Sky with a head scissors and a spinning slam before literally surfing on Sky’s back. Sky answered by catching Ruca with a dropkick while Ruca balanced in a handstand position.
The action quickly spilled outside. Ruca connected with a boot that knocked Sky from the apron before attempting a dive, but Sky avoided it and delivered a hurricanrana off the apron. Ruca recovered moments later with a spectacular springboard Tornillo to the floor.
During the commercial break, Ruca applied a bow-and-arrow submission as she continued frustrating the former champion. Sky eventually regained momentum with a flapjack and a near fall.
The two battled on the top rope before Sky delivered a breathtaking Spanish Fly. Ruca kicked out and answered with a sit-out powerbomb before knocking Sky from the ropes and planting her with a cartwheel DDT from the top rope for another close near fall.
Sky regained control by draping Ruca over the middle rope and delivering consecutive meteoras. She climbed to the top rope for Over The Moonsault, but Ruca got her knees up and attempted the Sol Snatcher. Sky countered at the last possible second by trapping Ruca in a pinning combination to secure the victory.
Winner: Iyo Sky
An unexpected confrontation with Oba Femi followed. Femi arrived for his advertised open challenge, but Adam Pearce announced the match was cancelled because nobody was willing to face him.
Femi stormed backstage, furious at the decision, and accused the entire locker room of cowardice. He soon encountered Los Garza and immediately attacked them, throwing Angel into a wall before dragging both men toward ringside.
Oba Femi vs. Los Garza
Femi demanded that the referee ring the bell, and the impromptu handicap match officially began.
The dominant powerhouse overwhelmed both Angel and Berto with uppercuts in opposite corners before slamming each man to the mat. Moments later, Femi connected with Fall From Grace on Berto and secured the pinfall victory in decisive fashion.
Winner: Oba Femi
Backstage, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh walked through the arena before Finn Balor suddenly attacked McDonagh from behind. The assault left Dominik to head to the ring alone for his upcoming title defence.
AAA Mega Championship Match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. The Original El Grande Americano
OG El Grande Americano started aggressively by trapping Dominik in an Ankle Lock and targeting the champion’s arm. Dominik escaped and sent his opponent crashing into the top turnbuckle.
During the commercial break, Dominik controlled the pace with stomps and strikes. He climbed to the top rope, but OG Grande followed and delivered a superplex.
Back from the break, Dominik attempted the 619, but OG Grande countered with an Angle Slam and a moonsault for a near fall. Both men exchanged pinning combinations before Dominik landed a Michinoku Driver, only for OG Grande to kick out again.
Chaos soon erupted outside the ring. El Grande Americano appeared alongside Rayo Americano and Bravo Americano. Rayo and Bravo distracted the referee while Grande attacked OG Grande. Julio and Bruno ran down to neutralise the outside interference.
OG Grande attempted to remove Grande’s mask on the apron, but the distraction allowed Dominik to connect with the 619. He followed with a Frog Splash to retain the AAA Mega Championship.
Winner: Dominik Mysterio
The closing segment centred around Roman Reigns’ planned Acknowledgement Ceremony. Reigns and Jimmy Uso headed to the ring as Reigns demanded Knoxville acknowledge him. Before he could continue, footage aired from backstage showing Jey Uso attempting to calm Jacob Fatu down in the parking area.
Fatu ignored Jey’s pleas to think carefully and instead attacked him in the Gorilla Position. Fatu then marched toward the ring while Jimmy desperately tried to stop him on the entrance ramp. Fatu launched Jimmy into opposite barricades before entering the ring to confront Reigns.
The two immediately traded punches. Fatu gained the early advantage by driving Reigns into the turnbuckles and knocking him to the floor with a clothesline. Reigns responded by grabbing a steel chair from under the ring and repeatedly smashing Fatu across the back.
Reigns prepared for a spear, but Fatu exploded with a superkick before applying the Tongan Death Grip. Fatu then clotheslined Reigns over the ropes and launched himself onto Reigns at ringside.
The chaos escalated further as Fatu drove Reigns into the ring post and dismantled the announce table. Reigns managed to fight back briefly with a Superman Punch, but Fatu responded with a devastating powerbomb through the announce desk.
Officials and Adam Pearce flooded ringside, attempting to restore order as Fatu continued the assault. WWE Raw ended with Jacob Fatu standing tall, holding the World Heavyweight Championship over his head while Reigns lay broken among the wreckage.
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