Roman Reigns' Return Changes Everything, a WWE SummerSlam Main Event, More Raw Takes
Following up on one of the best shows of the year at Evolution, the July 14 edition of WWE Raw on Netflix was a hot night of action from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
After CM Punk defeated Bron Breakker at the end of a Gauntlet match to earn the next shot at Gunther at SummerSlam, Roman Reigns returned to take out Breakker and Bronson Reed.
Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley both confronted new women's world champion Naomi, setting the stage for a highly anticipated Triple Threat at MetLife Stadium on August 2-3.
Lyra Valkyria defeated Bayley in a 2-out-of-3 Falls match to earn the next shot at women's intercontinental champion Becky Lynch.
Nikki Bella made her singles return to WWE and defeated Chelsea Green. Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez continued to lead The Judgment Day to success, defeating The Kabuki Warriors.
It was a night heavily focused on the women's division, playing off all the great action from Evolution, while delivering big-match announcements for SummerSlam.
Roman Reigns Return Rescues WWE After Seth Rollins Injury
1 of 5
Roman Reigns is back, and the timing could not be more critical. Seth Rollins is out with a likely major injury, leaving a void at the top of the card.
While it would have been ideal for The OTC to return to feud with The Visionary, he is needed all the more with Rollins gone.
Reigns is the biggest star on Raw right away and will maintain excitement at the top of the men's division.
This story will also keep Rollins' group of Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed relevant as they can push up the card to make up for a missing leader.
Roman Reigns Can Level Up Bron Breakker
2 of 5
Bron Breakker continues to deliver highlight-reel moments week after week, and he was the complete focus of the main event Gauntlet on Monday's Raw.
It was a statement moment for the 27-year-old, who looked unstoppable against multiple potential World Heavyweight Championship challengers in the main event 5-Way match.
It would have been genuinely believable for him to finish the contest with a victory and challenge Gunther at SummerSlam.
This is especially true with Rollins likely sidelined for a while as he recovers from the injury he suffered at Saturday Night's Main Event.
Breakker is stepping into the top role while Rollins is gone and seems to be the rival for a returning Roman Reigns going into The Biggest Party of the Summer.
The best option would be to lean into this story and let Breakker genuinely push The OTC to his limit.
Breakker could feud with Reigns for the rest of the year while he is around, even if it ends with a definitive loss.
By the time Rollins is ready to return, Breakker can look like an equal to The Visionary, perhaps one who is even more dangerous.
Women's World Triple Threat Must Main-Event SummerSlam Night 1
3 of 5
Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley had a limited build going into Evolution, but it managed to blow away all expectations and delivered, arguably, the WWE match of the year.
Moreover, it stands as one of the greatest women's matches the company has ever produced on the perfect stage for such a performance.
At the end of the match, Naomi cashed in Money in the Bank and won the Women's World Championship, creating the biggest story in the division right now.
Outside of John Cena's retirement tour, the Triple Threat to come between Naomi, Sky and Ripley feels like the hottest angle in wrestling.
Even with Gunther vs. CM Punk and a possible big Roman Reigns match as well, this Triple Threat needs to be the main event of Night 1 at SummerSlam.
Sky vs. Ripley vs. Bianca Belair was the match of the weekend at WrestleMania 41 and could have easily main-evented Night 1.
This is not the time to make the same mistake at SummerSlam, especially when looking to keep momentum and good will after Evolution.
Raw after Evolution Delivers Welcome Change to the Status Quo
4 of 5
It has been too long since the women's division has stood as the focus of WWE programming. Even in the build to Evolution, it still felt like an afterthought.
However, the Raw after Evolution was almost entirely focused on delivering the aftermath of Sunday's excellent PLE.
Every bout other than the main event was a women's match, and multiple segments helped set up two SummerSlam contests with more teased.
While WWE cannot always focus primarily at this level on the women's division, there is no reason the female members of the roster cannot be treated as this big a deal more consistently.
The Women's World Championship scene should feel special, treated like an equivalent to the men's heavyweight version.
At least three women's matches a week on Raw over two-and-a-half hours does not seem like a major commitment.
A similar focus should continue to SmackDown, making Evolution a turning point in delivering the best possible product in WWE.
Get Ready For Lengthy CM Punk vs. Gunther Feud
5 of 5
CM Punk has earned his shot at Gunther and the World Heavyweight Championship, giving him a second chance to win a world title since he returned to WWE in November 2023.
This is a story Raw will need to rely on more than just about anything else in the coming months, and the SummerSlam match should only be the beginning.
Similar to SummerSlam 2024 where Punk fought Drew McIntyre for the first time, this should be the start of a rivalry that defines the rest of the year in WWE.
Whether The Best in the World ultimately dethrones The Ring General or falls short, this is a rivalry with fresh legs.
Punk is the perfect man to keep rebuilding Gunther after a tough submission loss at WrestleMania 41 hurt his tough-guy credibility.
It will also allow The Ring General to stretch himself more on the microphone than he ever has, needing to keep up with a talker who is still one of the best ever.
