WWE Raw delivered a volatile and storyline-heavy episode on March 23, with multiple rivalries intensifying and WrestleMania 42 implications taking centre stage throughout the night. From Brock Lesnar’s confrontation with Oba Femi to a chaotic closing segment involving CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and The Usos, the show balanced in-ring action with significant angles across the card.
Several feuds moved forward in meaningful ways, with new matches teased, tensions boiling over backstage, and key alliances beginning to fracture as the road to WrestleMania continues to take shape.
Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcomed viewers to last night’s WWE Raw as Brock Lesnar made his way to the ring alongside Paul Heyman. Heyman immediately took control of the microphone, introducing both himself and Lesnar while attempting to address the growing buzz around Oba Femi.
With the crowd chanting for Femi, Heyman claimed the audience was disrespecting Lesnar and argued that Femi’s previous attack was only possible because Lesnar had been distracted by Seth Rollins. He dismissed Femi as “overhyped” and compared him to a list of past opponents, including Goldberg, Braun Strowman, Dean Ambrose, Bobby Lashley, and AJ Styles, all of whom he said were labelled the “next big thing” before ultimately falling to Lesnar.
Femi interrupted, walking to the ring and locking eyes with Lesnar in a tense staredown. Lesnar struck first with a boot to the midsection and attempted to hoist Femi onto his shoulders, but Femi escaped and countered, sending Lesnar to the outside. Lesnar regrouped on the floor, warning Femi that his luck would soon run out.
The Vision (Austin Theory and Logan Paul) vs. The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso)
Momentum quickly shifted into tag team action as The Vision, Austin Theory and Logan Paul took on Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso.
Jey and Theory began the match, with Theory briefly gaining the upper hand before Jey responded with a Sling Blade and brought Jimmy into the match. Logan Paul entered soon after, changing the tone, sending Jimmy over the barricade, and asserting control during the commercial break.
The Vision worked effectively as a unit, isolating Jimmy with frequent tags and double-team offence. Paul even taunted Jimmy mid-match, sticking gum in his hair while maintaining control with a submission hold.
The tide turned when Jimmy created separation and tagged Jey, who entered with pace and energy. Jey delivered a spear to Theory and appeared poised to secure the victory. However, chaos unfolded when Paul attempted to introduce brass knuckles into the match.
LA Knight intervened, attacking Paul from behind and sliding the knuckles into the ring. Jey used them on Theory, but the referee spotted the illegal weapon.
Winner: The Vision (via disqualification)
After the bell, Jey vented his frustration by striking Paul with the knuckles, adding further heat to the situation.
Becky Lynch followed, delivering a pointed promo that targeted both the fans and AJ Lee. Lynch criticised the audience for supporting Lee despite her long absence, contrasting it with her own time away.
She reflected on losing the Women’s Intercontinental Championship to Lee at Elimination Chamber and expressed frustration at hearing her daughter singing Lee’s theme song. Lynch insisted she had elevated the title’s importance and accused Lee of benefiting from her work.
Lee quickly appeared, prompting Lynch to retreat through the crowd before any physicality could occur. With a microphone in hand, Lee fired back at Lynch’s comments.
“I’ve walked you like a dog every time we’ve stepped in the ring,” Lee said.
Lee then made the challenge official, confirming she would defend the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Lynch at WrestleMania 42. Lynch responded from the crowd, warning Lee that she had fallen into a trap and referencing her previous departure from WWE after WrestleMania 31.
Backstage, tensions continued as LA Knight confronted Jey Uso, accusing him of sounding like Roman Reigns. Jimmy Uso stepped in to calm the situation but warned Knight against mentioning Reigns again, hinting at deeper issues within the group dynamic.
Je’Von Evans vs. Grayson Waller
Je’Von Evans showcased his athleticism in a fast-paced contest against Grayson Waller. Evans took control early with a dropkick, a springboard hurricanrana, and a dive to the outside.
Waller slowed the pace by targeting Evans’ back and shoulder, using the barricade and ring post to inflict damage. Despite the sustained offence, Evans continued to fight back, delivering a series of strikes and a German suplex.
In the closing moments, Evans countered Waller’s offence from the top rope, executed a hurricanrana, and followed up with the OG Cutter for the win.
Winner: Je’Von Evans
Later in the night, Heyman approached Adam Pearce backstage to request a World Tag Team Championship Street Fight for The Vision against The Usos next week. Pearce acknowledged the request before reminding Heyman of his own desire to address Seth Rollins.
Heyman then returned to the ring, admitting he was having a difficult night and claiming he had no one left to hide behind. He called out Rollins, stating WWE was not big enough for both of them.
As Heyman spoke, a masked individual emerged through the crowd and climbed onto the announce desk, eventually revealing himself as Rollins. Police officers arrived to escort him out, but Heyman continued to provoke him with increasingly personal remarks.
Heyman said Rollins would end up in prison and made comments about his family, pushing Rollins to break free and attack him. Rollins was ultimately restrained, handcuffed, and escorted away through the crowd.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria vs. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane)
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria faced Asuka and Kairi Sane in a competitive tag match that saw both teams exchange momentum.
The Kabuki Warriors used frequent tags and double-team offence to isolate Bayley, while Asuka and Sane controlled large portions of the match. Valkyria provided a spark upon tagging in, delivering an enzuigiri, clotheslines, and a sit-out powerbomb.
A chaotic sequence outside the ring saw Bayley attempt a high-risk move off the barricade, but it was Valkyria who capitalised inside the ring, hitting Night Wing on Sane for the victory.
Winner: Bayley and Lyra Valkyria
After the match, the duo issued a challenge to The Irresistible Forces for next week.
Backstage, IShowSpeed declined Danhausen’s proposal for a social media show, leading to a comedic exchange which ended with Danhausen cursing IShowSpeed.
Elsewhere, tensions escalated within the Kabuki Warriors as Asuka berated Sane for taking the pin. Iyo Sky confronted Sane, suggesting she deserved better, before Raquel Rodriguez entered and exchanged words with Sky, further complicating the situation.
At ringside, Liv Morgan was attacked from behind by Stephanie Vaquer, sparking a brawl that spilled into the Gorilla Position. Officials attempted to separate the two, but the confrontation underscored the growing intensity of their rivalry.
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Dominik Mysterio
Dominik Mysterio attempted to gain an early advantage by attacking Penta before the bell. Once the match officially began, Dominik maintained control with targeted offence, including a series of suplexes.
Penta rallied with a Penta Driver, but Dominik stayed in the match. As Dominik prepared for a 619, Finn Balor’s music hit, shifting the momentum.
Balor attacked JD McDonagh at ringside, creating a distraction that allowed Penta to roll up Dominik for the victory.
Winner: Penta
After the match, Balor continued his assault, delivering a Coup De Grace to Dominik as tensions within Judgment Day intensified.
CM Punk closed the show with a promo targeting Roman Reigns and the Anoa’i family, claiming they relied too heavily on each other and could not succeed alone.
Jey Uso confronted Punk, with Jimmy attempting to de-escalate the situation. Roman Reigns then made his entrance, asserting control and instructing Jimmy to remove Jey from the situation.
The confrontation quickly turned physical. Punk struck Jey, Reigns responded with a Superman Punch, and officials flooded the ring in an attempt to restore order.
Reigns ultimately delivered a spear to Punk before powerbombing him through the announce desk. He stood tall as the show came to a close, leaving Punk laid out and tensions at an all-time high heading toward WrestleMania 42.
