WWE Raw Just Got More Interesting After Shocking Vision Turn on Rollins, More Fallout

WWE delivered an action-packed Crown Jewel followed by a dramatic October 13 edition of Raw on Netflix at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

CM Punk defeated LA Knight and Jey Uso to earn the next World Heavyweight Championship opportunity against Seth Rollins.

However, it is the aftermath that will be the talking point for WWE going forward after Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed turned against The Visionary, seemingly aligning with Paul Heyman against Rollins.

Dominik Mysterio successfully defended his Intercontinental Championship against Penta with the help of the ring-bell hammer and found out he would defend against Rusev next week.

Roxanne Perez stepped up to women's world and Crown Jewel champion Stephanie Vaquer, setting up a non-title match between them next week.

These were the strongest moments of a wild Raw that could have revealed an exciting fall season for WWE.

Shocking Ending Will Change the Course of Raw for the Better

At WrestleMania 41 and the Raw after 'Mania, WWE set up a strong story for the future, putting Seth Rollins at the top of the business and backed by Paul Heyman and Bron Breakker.

Heyman's betrayal of Roman Reigns and CM Punk set the stage for The Oracle to make Rollins his new top client, raising his stock to challenge those two men and Brock Lesnar.

Instead, The Visionary's heel run may have ended just six months later following a shocking betrayal at the hands of Breakker on Monday.

Bronson Reed has also aligned with Heyman over Rollins, putting these two monsters at the head of WWE's heel roster.

It is hard to say if Heyman will add more names to the group. He did align with Lesnar again when The Beast Incarnate fought John Cena at Wrestlepalooza.

The Oracle could also look at a bloated babyface main event scene and try to turn Punk, LA Knight or Jey Uso.

Questions mount with few obvious answers. This is a great spot for WWE as Raw especially had grown too stale and predictable with the repeat focus on The Vision every week.

Even if this means the faction remains the weekly main event of Raw, Breakker will be the central heel over Rollins, and he has never had that kind of spotlight.

The Triple H creative era has often taken too long to move forward, and while this heel turn feels early, it is better to see the company jump for a moment than lose the heat entirely by waiting.

Raw was great this week, and the drama should carry the brand through the rest of the year without too much repetitive booking.

WWE Doesn't Need Rollins vs. Punk Right Now

CM Punk will face Seth Rollins next for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Excluding their WrestleMania Triple Threat with Roman Reigns and the SummerSlam cash-in, this will be Punk and Rollins' third singles match in 2025.

Despite this, it feels like these men have been feuding for too long. WWE has delayed this singles match throughout the year, building anticipation.

While there is eagerness to see that contest, it also feels like the ending of a chapter between Rollins and Punk. The Visionary has too much going on to keep feuding with The Best in the World past their next clash.

LA Knight and Jey Uso have awaited their championship opportunity. The OTC vs. The Visionary is still one of WWE's biggest rematches to come.

Bron Breakker just laid out his own challenge, setting up the most intriguing option to fight Rollins. Bronson Reed would also make sense to face The Visionary.

Rollins has been positioned as WWE's top champion and may have just turned face due to Breakker, Reed and Heyman's betrayal.

His feud with Punk already feels secondary and will lose even more interest past their next collision for the gold.

If anything, a more interesting direction from here would be Punk and Rollins teaming up after significant tension in order to combat Heyman's latest power play.

Time to Unite The Lucha Brothers in WWE

Penta lost again in his bid for the Intercontinental Championship on Monday, and it looks unlikely he will be the one to dethrone Dominik Mysterio.

This leaves the luchador in an awkward position awaiting a clear direction despite his popularity.

The World Heavyweight Championship picture is overstuffed with talent. WWE has not set up strong rivals for Penta outside either title picture.

It may be time to consider making a move and aligning Penta with his brother, Rey Fenix.

While Penta has grown popular on his own, Fenix is struggling to find his identity on SmackDown without his brother.

Both could use a reset, aided by their natural chemistry. Fenix especially is already positioned as a tag team wrestler, but he has hopped between partners on the blue brand.

This does not need to be a downgrade for Penta, especially if Fenix helped his brother take the World Tag Team Championships from The Judgment Day.

The Lucha Brothers holding the gold is a recipe for success that can help get the tag division on Raw back on track.

A long run with the tag team gold would solidify both men's reputations, and they could return to singles competition once their tag run is complete.

Penta has potential to be a major singles champion in 2026 or 2027, but the stars are not aligning at present. Fenix needs help getting off the ground and highlighting his talent.

The Lucha Brothers would make each other better at a time when great tag teams are at a premium in WWE.

Roxanne Perez is Perfect 1st Challenger for Stephanie Vaquer

Roxanne Perez has mostly lost in recent weeks, so she doesn't make sense as an immediate challenger for Stephanie Vaquer based on credibility.

However, wins and losses have never been WWE's biggest focus. The Prodigy is looking to talk her way into a Women's World Championship opportunity.

WWE should push that direction further.

Next week, when The Prodigy and La Primera collide, Perez must find a way to win. That will set the stage for a great match on a future PLE.

Vaquer should be champion at least into WrestleMania 42, so she needs talent that can work well with her and lose.

Perez has shown time and again she will perform in any spot. Few will give Vaquer a better match on the current roster.

This can also set up Raquel Rodriguez as a challenger to La Primera, giving her plenty of strong wins through the end of 2025.

Erratic Time Changes Make it Tougher to Be a Fan

With the move to Netflix, WWE has gained the freedom to air Raw early on many weeks.

However, it was a jarring viewing experience this week when Monday's show began airing around the time the sun rose in the Midwest at 8 a.m. ET.

While this has made past PLEs in Australia difficult as well, at least that was on a weekend.

On a weekday, Raw aired through the morning, leaving many to miss the live show entirely, when its official live airing could have been delayed for a more usual start at 7-8 p.m. ET.

The experience of watching professional wrestling live is ideal for this medium, and there is a noticeable difference when the event is taped first and aired later.

Wrestling is driven by engagement not just with the stories but also the talent. It is a unique experience to watch top names live in action.

Taping the event allows for editing that can break the flow and takes away the initial magic of watching as it plays out, especially if major events are spoiled before viewing. This is true of any major sport.

However, an early start on a workday is not a good experience for fans, who either need to change their schedule for the week or miss the live experience.

Fans may never know the true viewership numbers from WWE on Netflix, but switching times for Raw this often cannot help the company's viewing figures.

Raw used to consistently air at 8 a.m. ET for two to three hours, which allowed fans to set aside time each week to experience the show together.

In this new era of WWE, that communal experience has suffered in many ways, including this loss of live consistency for the flagship show.