Monday Night RAW rolled into Fresno, California, with three women’s matches advertised, a World Championship opportunity on the line, and Crown Jewel rapidly approaching. By the time the evening ended, we’d witnessed two championship defenses, an outstanding No Disqualification Match, a surprise change to the advertised lineup, and yet another main event ruined by outside interference.
And if that last part sounds familiar, welcome to professional wrestling in 2026.
The evening began with General Manager Adam Pearce announcing that Stephanie Vaquer had not been medically cleared to compete against Becky Lynch. Rather than cancel the championship implications entirely, Pearce decided to give Becky an immediate opportunity against Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan.
That was certainly an interesting development, but it wasn’t the only surprise of the night.
Sami Zayn unexpectedly defended the Undisputed WWF Championship against Je’Von Evans, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria attempted to settle their increasingly bitter rivalry, and the Vision found themselves with new challengers for Crown Jewel.
Let’s head to the ring.
Sami Zayn vs. Je’Von Evans — Undisputed WWF Championship
Winner: Sami Zayn — Retains the Championship
The evening’s first major confrontation began when Sami Zayn interrupted Adam Pearce and launched into a lengthy complaint about the lack of respect he’s received as WWF Champion.
Zayn took exception to the attention Roman Reigns continues receiving, insisting that he deserved recognition for his accomplishments and his contributions to the Bloodline’s success. According to Sami, the fans have been too busy acknowledging Roman to appreciate the man actually holding the championship.
Je’Von Evans eventually interrupted, and the young wrestler wasn’t particularly interested in listening to the champion congratulate himself.
The confrontation escalated until Pearce announced that Evans would receive an immediate championship opportunity.
And just like that, RAW had an unexpected title match.
Evans gave an impressive account of himself, using his speed and athleticism to challenge the champion. He connected with several spectacular maneuvers and came close to scoring a major upset.
At one point, Zayn attempted to retreat, only for Penta to appear and interfere with his escape plans. Bron Breakker subsequently attacked Penta, creating a distraction outside the ring.
Back inside, Sami eventually connected with the Helluva Kick to secure the victory and retain his championship.
Unfortunately for Evans, his problems were only beginning.
Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Logan Paul attacked Evans and Penta after the match, leaving both men battered following a series of devastating attacks.
Stinger’s View: First of all, I enjoyed Sami’s opening promo. His increasingly inflated opinion of himself is becoming one of the more entertaining aspects of his championship reign, particularly when he starts complaining about Roman Reigns receiving all the attention.
Evans also deserves credit for a strong performance against the champion. He looked competitive without making Sami appear weak, which is exactly what you want when showcasing a promising young wrestler.
I wasn’t thrilled with the ringside distractions, but at least the match itself ended with a legitimate pinfall. And that’s apparently something we should celebrate these days.
Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria — No Disqualification Match
Winner: Bayley — Submission
Well, ladies and gentlemen, somebody apparently forgot to tell Bayley and Lyra Valkyria that this was supposed to be a wrestling match.
Because these two women went to war.
Their increasingly personal rivalry finally erupted into a No Disqualification Match, and neither competitor wasted much time introducing weapons into the proceedings.
Steel chairs, kendo sticks, tables, a broom, and even a trash can became part of the action as the two former friends attempted to beat the living daylights out of each other.
Bayley sent Valkyria crashing through a table with a suicide dive, while Lyra responded with several devastating attacks of her own. The punishment escalated as the match progressed, with both women taking increasingly dangerous risks.
One brutal sequence saw Valkyria crash into a collection of steel chairs after missing a moonsault. Later, Bayley powerbombed her opponent into a trash can before delivering a diving elbow drop through a table on the floor.
Somehow, the match continued.
The finish came when Bayley trapped Valkyria in a crossface submission, using a kendo stick to increase the pressure until Lyra was forced to submit.
Bayley had finally secured the victory, but neither woman was going to forget this encounter anytime soon.
Stinger’s View: THAT, ladies and gentlemen, was a fight!
I’ve been looking forward to this match since it was announced, and Bayley and Valkyria delivered exactly what their rivalry needed.
The violence wasn’t simply there for shock value. These two women have been growing increasingly hostile toward each other for weeks, and the No Disqualification stipulation gave them an opportunity to express that animosity.
I appreciated that the match had a decisive finish. No outside interference, no surprise disqualification, and no mysterious third party appearing to ruin the conclusion.
Just two wrestlers beating the hell out of each other until one couldn’t continue. Imagine that!
I had predicted Valkyria would win, so Bayley proved me wrong. But after a performance like this, I’m certainly not complaining.
Match of the Night. And an early contender for Match of the Week.
IYO SKY vs. Raquel Rodriguez — Non-Title Match
Winner: IYO SKY — Pinfall
IYO SKY faced Women’s Intercontinental Champion Raquel Rodriguez in a non-title encounter, hoping to build on her recent success against the champion.
Rodriguez immediately attempted to impose her considerable size and strength advantage, overpowering SKY with several punishing maneuvers.
IYO countered with her familiar combination of speed, aerial offense, and technical creativity, repeatedly finding ways to escape Raquel’s power-based attacks.
The champion appeared close to securing the victory on several occasions, but SKY refused to stay down.
The decisive moment came when IYO countered a powerbomb attempt into a victory roll, catching Rodriguez off guard and securing the three-count.
Unfortunately, the victory celebration didn’t last long.
Roxanne Perez attacked SKY afterward, joining Rodriguez in a two-on-one assault that left the winner laid out.
Stinger’s View: I enjoyed this match, especially the contrast between Rodriguez’s power and SKY’s athleticism.
IYO is one of the most entertaining wrestlers on the roster, and she doesn’t need to overpower somebody like Raquel to win. Using her speed and ring awareness to secure a surprise pinfall makes perfect sense.
Of course, the post-match attack was entirely predictable. Apparently, nobody in Judgment Day can accept losing a wrestling match without immediately recruiting somebody to help beat up the winner. Nevertheless, SKY has now strengthened her claim to a Women’s Intercontinental Championship opportunity. Hopefully, she’ll receive one sooner rather than later.
Chad Gable & Dragon Lee vs. Ethan Page & Big Cass
Winners: Ethan Page & Big Cass — Pinfall
Intercontinental Champion Chad Gable teamed with Dragon Lee against Ethan Page and Big Cass following last week’s attack on Gable, Lee, and Rey Mysterio.
Gable and Lee relied on their technical ability and speed, while Page and Cass attempted to control the match through their considerable size advantage.
The action featured several impressive exchanges, including Gable demonstrating his remarkable strength against the much larger Cass and Dragon Lee delivering a series of spectacular aerial attacks.
Despite their efforts, the combination of Page and Cass eventually proved too much.
Big Cass connected with a devastating big boot against Dragon Lee, allowing Page to follow with the Ego-Plex and secure the pinfall.
Stinger’s View: This was a solid tag team match, and I particularly enjoyed seeing Gable and Dragon Lee working together after competing against each other last week.
Page and Cass make an interesting combination. Cass provides the size and intimidation factor, while Page brings the personality and technical ability necessary to make the partnership work.
I also appreciate that the villains won without needing somebody from ringside to interfere.
Ethan Page is clearly positioning himself for an opportunity at Gable’s Intercontinental Championship, and this victory should help strengthen his argument.
I’d be perfectly happy to see those two meet in a proper championship match.
The Bloodline and 946: Solo Sikoa Accepts the Challenge
The continuing conflict between the Bloodline and 946 advanced through another confrontation, with Solo Sikoa responding to Royce Keys’ challenge.
Solo made it clear that he wasn’t intimidated by the rival faction and accepted the challenge, setting up a singles encounter between the two men.
The rivalry has continued escalating over recent weeks, particularly following Roman Reigns’ involvement in last Monday’s confrontation.
Stinger’s View: I’m glad we’re finally moving toward an actual match between members of these factions.
I’ve enjoyed some of the confrontations, but there are only so many times two groups can attack each other before the audience starts expecting somebody to settle the matter inside the ring.
Solo against Royce Keys should provide a physical encounter, and I’m interested in seeing whether the match can advance the larger rivalry without immediately dissolving into another enormous brawl.
Of course, given the people involved, I’m not holding my breath.
Penta & Je’Von Evans Challenge the Vision at Crown Jewel
Following the attack by Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Logan Paul, Penta and Je’Von Evans approached Adam Pearce with a request.
They wanted a shot at the Vision’s tag team championships.
Pearce agreed, making the championship match official for Crown Jewel on November 7.
The Vision later accepted the challenge, although the champions made it clear that they didn’t consider Penta and Evans serious threats.
Stinger’s View: I like this development, particularly because it gives Evans something meaningful following his impressive performance against Sami Zayn.
Penta has also been involved in several major storylines lately, and teaming him with Evans creates an exciting combination of athleticism and unpredictability.
My only concern is that Penta already has the Money in the Bank briefcase, and I’d rather see that storyline receive some proper attention.
Still, the championship match should be entertaining, and it’s another reason to look forward to Crown Jewel.
Main Event: Liv Morgan vs. Becky Lynch — WWF Women’s World Championship
Winner: Becky Lynch by Disqualification — Liv Morgan Retains
With Stephanie Vaquer unable to compete, Becky Lynch received an unexpected opportunity to challenge Liv Morgan directly for the Women’s World Championship.
The two delivered a competitive main event, trading offense and repeatedly coming close to securing the victory.
Becky demonstrated her technical ability, while Liv countered with her usual combination of agility and opportunism. Both women survived several impressive attacks, including Morgan’s Oblivion and Lynch’s Manhandle Slam.
As the match progressed, Judgment Day’s involvement became increasingly difficult to ignore.
Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez repeatedly attempted to assist Morgan, preventing Becky from securing the championship.
Eventually, Lynch connected with another Manhandle Slam and appeared poised to win.
That’s when Rodriguez and Perez entered the ring and broke up the pinfall.
The referee immediately called for the bell, awarding Becky the victory by disqualification.
Unfortunately, championships don’t change hands on a disqualification, meaning Liv Morgan retained her title.
And then things got even more ridiculous.
Judgment Day continued attacking Becky until Chelsea Green and IYO SKY arrived to even the odds.
The resulting chaos eventually left Morgan vulnerable, prompting Tiffany Stratton to appear with her Money in the Bank briefcase and a referee.
Tiffany delivered the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and appeared ready to cash in her contract.
But before the cash-in could become official, Dominik Mysterio dragged Morgan out of the ring and helped her escape.
Once again, Tiffany’s opportunity disappeared.
Stinger’s View: Oh, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
We had a perfectly good championship match. Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan were delivering an entertaining contest, the crowd had reason to care about the outcome, and we were approaching what could have been a genuinely exciting finish.
And then Judgment Day ruined it. Again.
Look, I understand that Liv Morgan is a villain. I understand that Judgment Day are supposed to be obnoxious, underhanded, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect their championships.
But there’s a difference between effective heel tactics and making the audience feel like they’re wasting their time investing in a match.
When a championship contest repeatedly ends because somebody interferes, eventually the matches themselves stop feeling important.
And don’t even get me started on another Money in the Bank cash-in tease. Tiffany Stratton has a briefcase. We know she has a briefcase. She’s going to cash it in eventually.
At this point, I’m beginning to think the briefcase should receive its own entrance music and championship belt.
The match itself was good. The finish was frustrating. And the post-match chaos felt like another example of the company refusing to let a major women’s championship match reach a satisfying conclusion.
Sometimes, ladies and gentlemen, just let somebody win the damn match!
Stinger’s Final View: An Excellent Show With a Frustrating Finish
Monday Night RAW delivered some excellent wrestling from Fresno, particularly Bayley and Lyra Valkyria’s outstanding No Disqualification Match.
Those two women stole the show, providing a brutal, entertaining contest with a decisive conclusion. It’s exactly the kind of match that demonstrates how effective a stipulation can be when there’s a meaningful rivalry behind it.
Sami Zayn and Je’Von Evans also delivered an enjoyable championship encounter, while IYO SKY continued building momentum toward a potential Women’s Intercontinental Championship opportunity.
Ethan Page and Big Cass picked up an important victory, and Crown Jewel gained another championship match with Penta and Evans challenging the Vision.
Unfortunately, the main event left a sour taste.
Liv Morgan and Becky Lynch were having a good match before Judgment Day interfered, producing another disqualification finish and another failed Money in the Bank cash-in tease.
I’ve complained about excessive interference before, and I suspect I’ll be complaining about it again.
But that shouldn’t overshadow the positives.
Three women’s matches were advertised, and all three received meaningful attention, even if the lineup changed due to Stephanie Vaquer’s absence. Bayley and Valkyria in particular deserve tremendous credit for their performance.
Match of the Night: Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria
Biggest Surprise: Sami Zayn defending the Undisputed WWF Championship against Je’Von Evans
Biggest Development: Penta and Je’Von Evans receiving a tag team championship opportunity at Crown Jewel
Biggest Frustration: Judgment Day ruining the Women’s World Championship main event
Stinger’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5
A good episode of RAW that could have been considerably better with a satisfying main event finish.
Until next time, this is Stinger, signing off from the rafters of Titanquisitor Hall.
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