WWE Raw Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights Before Wrestlepalooza

WWE Raw hit the Netflix airwaves Monday night for the final, go-home episode of the flagship show before Wrestlepalooza takes over Indianapolis and ESPN this Saturday night.

John Cena's final appearance before his marquee match-up against Brock Lesnar and one last face-to-face featuring CM Punk, AJ Lee, Seth "Freakin" Rollins, and Becky Lynch headlined the broadcast.

What went down, how did it affect the upcoming premium live event, and how did each match and segment grade out? Find out in this recap from the September 15 show.

Match Card

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Announced in advance of the broadcast were:

• John Cena appearance
• CM Punk and AJ Lee face-to-face with Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch
• Penta vs. Kofi Kingston
• Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez
• Dragon Lee vs. El Grande Americano

John Cena Comes Home

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Last Time in Action: Fought Sami Zayn to a no contest (SmackDown, September 8)

John Cena fed off the energy of his hometown crowd in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Monday night, kicking the show off with a fiery promo directed at Brock Lesnar and their match Saturday night at Wrestlepalooza.

He admitted to fearing Lesnar, added that he could very well fail, but exclaimed that he will never back down or quit.

He founded Suplex City, "and I'm still standing," he warned Lesnar before wrapping his promo up to the delight of the WWE Universe.

Grade

A+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• The people in Springfield feel appropriately negatively about Lesnar and that means plenty of cursing and a "whoop his ass" chant.
• Nobody does the match-hyping promo like John Cena. There may be better, more consistent promos, but when it comes to putting the final bow on the build to any premium live event match, Cena is tops in the industry. Take it all in because that, as much as anything about him, will be truly missed.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez

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Last Time in Action: Lyra Valkyria lost to Raquel Rodriguez (Raw, September 8); Roxanne Perez and Finn Bálor lost to Mr. Iguana and Lola Vice (AAA Worlds Collide, September 12)

One week after Perez provided the distraction that cost Valkyria her match against Rodriguez, the NXT exports wrote the latest chapter in their rivalry when they squared off in singles competition.

Early on, Rodriguez was barred from ringside after getting caught interfering on The Prodigy's behalf. It did not have a negative effect on the heel, though, as Perez targeted the injured back and neck of her opponent.

Valkyria, ever resilient, absorbed everything Perez threw at her, recovered, and delivered Nightwing for the win.

The Judgment Day duo attacked the victor after the bell, though, punishing her for the win until Bayley made her return and cleared the ring of the heels.

She incorporated elements of her NXT persona before appearing to hesitate momentarily. Shaking it off, she hit the ringside area, hugging anyone and everyone around, even kissing Corey Graves on the head.

Result

Valkyria defeated Perez

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

• This one should have gone longer, but the chemistry between Valkyria and Perez is so strong that the match was good despite its length. Not quite the Stand and Deliver match from 2024, but it accomplished what it needed to.
• This Bayley character is going to be a blast. She's clearly invested in it, and as long as it does not veer too far off course, it will have a real shot at reinvigorating The Role Model.
• Backstage, a confrontation between Stephanie Vaquer and The Kabuki Warriors ended with Asuka volunteering Kairi Sane for a match with La Primera.

Penta vs. Kofi Kingston

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Last Time in Action: Penta lost to Rusev (Raw, September 8); Kofi Kingston and Grayson Waller lost to Pagano and Psycho Clown (AAA World Collide, September 12)

The latest in the rivalry between Penta and The New Day saw the masked luchador square off with former WWE champion Kingston. Interference early from Waller and Xavier Woods at ringside allowed the heel to seize control of the match entering the commercial break.

Back from the timeout, Penta rallied, taking the fight to Kingston as chants of "New Day sucks" rained down from the stands. The back-and-forth continued until Penta knocked Woods off the apron and, as Graves put it on commentary, "reaggravated the neck injury."

Seconds later, Cero Miedo delivered the Mexican Destroyer for the definitive, crowd-pleasing victory.

Result

Penta defeated Kingston

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Too much of the match took place during the commercial break for it to really make an impact. Penta getting the win felt like a foregone conclusion before the bell rang, no matter how much backup Kingston had. The heels are a ton of fun but from a credibility standpoint, unfortunately, they do not have much to speak of.
• Backstage, Jimmy Uso took exception to his brother, Jey, telling him he could not team with LA Knight against Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker later tonight. He told the former world champion that he did not see an ula fala around his neck, continuing to reference Jey's turn to the dark side and his recent similarities to "Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns.

CM Punk, AJ Lee Face-to-Face with Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch

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Last Time in Action: Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch defeated Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans (Extreme Rules, July 14, 2019); CM Punk and AJ Lee have never officially teamed together

Ahead of their colossal Mixed Tag Team Match Saturday at Wrestlepalooza, world champion Seth Rollins and women's intercontinental champion Becky Lynch came face-to-face with their rivals, CM Punk and AJ Lee.

The latter duo interrupted the heels to a big ovation and chants of "AJ's husband" poured from the stands as Punk took a backseat to his wife. The Best in the World questioned whether the champions would set their egos aside and present a United front.

Rollins told Punk that Lee is the best decision he has ever made in his entire personal life. Inserting her in the feud, though, was the worst thing he has ever done professionally.

Lee said she would not be there if Rollins had not used Lynch as his personal bodyguard, to which The Man questioned how healthy her previously injured neck was. "How are you going to feel when I pummel her face in?"

"What you should be worried about is not even I know what I'm going to do next," Lee said. "I'm a Puerto Rican from New Jersey, sometimes I shank a chick."

Rollins tried to plant the seeds of tension, telling Lee of her husband, "he has a habit of leaving when things let him down." He ate a slap for that, and his eyes bulged in disbelief. Lynch refused to fight Lee, walking out on Rollins and leaving the world champion to flee from Punk.

Lynch re-entered the ring, delivered a Manhandle Slam to Lee, and slapped Punk to wrap up the segment.

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• The crowd is super into Lee. With her having been gone for 10 years, and WWE acquiring new fans during that time, there was reason to wonder if her return would be as big a deal as so many die-hard fans who remembered and appreciated her contributions made it out to be. It absolutely has been and the reactions for the former Divas champion have not disappointed.
• This was a strong segment that may have gone on a touch too long, but the crowd ate it up. Now there is just enough tension to play with on Saturday to keep fans emotionally invested, even if the outcome feels rather obvious.

Dragon Lee vs. El Grande Americano

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Last Time in Action: Dragon Lee lost to El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. in a Fatal 4-Way Match also involving Ethan Page and JD McDonagh (AAA Worlds Collide, September 12); El Grande Americano lost to AJ Styles (Raw, September 8)

Americano controlled Monday's match with Lee in the opening moments, wearing him down and attempting to keep him grounded. The latter, though, launched himself through the ropes and into his opponent, landing both men on the commentary table, entering the commercial break.

The combatants traded chops, tearing into each other's chests before Lee delivered a Liger Bomb for a near-fall. He added a double stomp but was unable to keep Americano down. Moments later, a second Americano appeared and delivered a kick that nearly cost the babyface the match. AJ Styles hit the ring and fended the imposter off, only to fall prey to a second.

The first doppelganger appeared, shoved Lee off the ropes, and the real Americano secured the submission win.

Result

Americano defeated Lee

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• The third Americano delivered a hard right hand that looked oddly like a certain right hand that a certain Tyler Bate used to throw. Come to think of it, the other looks sorta like Pete Dunne. Hmmm...
• The match itself was excellent. Ludwig Kaiser is, against all odds, better at this gimmick than Chad Gable, and that is saying something. He worked well with Lee and had the fans in Springfield living and breathing on the spots and near-falls.
• Backstage, Valkyria overheard a shouting match involving Bayley, only to walk in on The Role Model in her locker room by herself. Now sporting a half black, half white shirt, Bayley unloaded verbally on her former friend, leaving Valkyria aghast at the irate version of the future Hall of Famer she just encountered.

Stephanie Vaquer vs. Kairi Sane

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Last Time in Action: Stephanie Vaquer, Nikki Bella, Iyo Sky, and Rhea Ripley defeated Naomi and The Green Regime (Raw, July 28); Kairi Sane and Asuka defeated Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez (Raw, September 1)

Two of the most celebrated women's wrestlers of the last decade squared off as Vaquer clashed with Sane, just five days before squaring off with Iyo Sky for the vacant Women's World Championship at Wrestlepalooza.

La Primera controlled the action entering the commercial, downing The Pirate Princess with a double stomp on the apron. Afterward, the No. 1 contender continued her attack, delivering the Meteora in the corner and setting her up for the SVB.

Sane escaped and took down her opponent, driving an elbow into her chest in the corner. Vaquer cut off an In-Sane Elbow attempt but ate a double stomp for her troubles.

The Babyface rallied with a dragon screw leg whip, added a tope to the floor that wiped out both her opponent and Asuka, then followed up with the Devil's Kiss. The SVB followed as Vaquer secured the victory.

After the match, Asuka teased entering the ring but Iyo Sky interjected herself. She argued with her friend until The Empress of Tomorrow exited, then stood face-to-face with her opponent at Wrestlepalooza.

Result

Vaquer defeated Sane

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Graves put over Vaquer as one of, if not the, best women's wrestlers in the world. She is clearly a priority for WWE, even if her booking (or lack thereof) over the last month or so has been baffling.
• What looked to be a one-sided showing coming out of the break developed into a strong match that highlighted the level of worker that Sane is, despite being presented as the sidekick or middle woman in the ongoing saga of Sky and Asuka. She was excellent here, as was Vaquer, whose ascension is nothing short of remarkable.

LA Knight and Jimmy Uso vs. Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker

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Last Time in Action: Jimmy Uso and LA Knight have never teamed together; Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker defeated Knight and Jey Uso (Raw, September 1)

Knight and Uso fared as well early on in Monday's main event as one would expect for a duo teaming for the first time, as Breakker and Reed dominated the action into and out of the commercial break.

Big Jim, on the defensive for most of the bout, finally created separation and made the tag to Knight. The Megastar exploded into the match, drawing a huge ovation as he took the fight to his opponents.

Knight delivered a top rope elbow drop and Uso followed with a big splash to Reed but Breakker broke up the referee's count to save the match.

The Badass added a shoulder tackle on the floor that wiped Knight out, allowing Reed to deliver the Jagged Edge to earn the win over Uso.

After the match, Breakker delivered a spear that grounded Jimmy, just before Jey hit the ring with a steel chair to make the save.

He cleared the heels out of the ring and checked on his brother before Knight re-entered the squared circle, grabbed the chair, and feigned hitting him. He dropped it and shook Jey's hand before dropping him with the Blunt Force Trauma, revenge for his rival's spear a week ago.

Result

Reed and Breakker defeated Knight and Jimmy Uso

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Backstage, Bálor and McDonagh grilled Dominik Mysterio about his relationship with Americano and what the masked man expects in return for his assistance. Rusev interrupted and announced himself as the next Intercontinental champion.
• The match was good, but not remarkably different than any other incarnation of the same tag team match we have seen involving several of these competitors in recent weeks. For a show that, at its height, delivered fresh new match-ups and limited the repetitiveness, that is one area where Raw has faltered for months now. Even if Jimmy and Knight had not partnered before, we have seen some version of the same handful of stars in the same tag matches for too long.

Overall Grade

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This was a fairly strong go-home show ahead of Wrestlepalooza.

Cena, Punk, Lee, Rollins, Lynch, The Usos, Breakker, Vaquer, and Sky all have high-profile matches on the show, and all were appropriately featured in this episode.

Both big promo segments were hits, the in-ring action was solid across the board, and the fans in Springfield were thoroughly engaged.

A show that effectively creates intrigue, such as the ongoing drama between The Kabuki Warriors and Sky or the budding rivalry between Uso and Knight, and drums up interest for a potentially historically significant premium live event, is always a win.

Grade: B+