CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns Fizzles Out, More WWE Raw Fallout Including Oba Femi's Star-Making Moment

On the final episode of Raw on Netflix before WrestleMania 42, WWE hyped the major matches for the red brand.

CM Punk and Roman Reigns met once more in the ring and admitted their jealousy of one another. Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar finally signed the contract for their match at 'Mania.

Liv Morgan looked for a fight with Stephanie Vaquer following her brutal injury last week. Asuka cost Iyo Sky a match with Kairi Sane.

This and more highlighted a night focused on selling The Show of Shows in Las Vegas this weekend.

CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns Has Lost Its Luster

Before any other match, CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns was set as the one true match to watch at WrestleMania 42.

Since then, the two have delivered decent but steadily more forgettable promos on the road to their contest.

While they got a little personal along the way, neither man did anything to deliver a memorable highlight for the buildup.

It was all talking and pull-apart brawls while other matches got far more creative stories.

Even the much-maligned build of Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton and the involvement of Pat McAfee have overshadowed Punk vs. Reigns.

Fans are talking about that match in a way that has made Punk vs. Reigns fall further into the background.

At this stage, it feels like WrestleMania Night 1 will deliver the real talking points of the weekend while Punk and Reigns will try to sell their hatred through in-ring action.

This is far from the weakest-built match for 'Mania, but it certainly did not help this year's show that Punk and Reigns did not do more to get fans talking.

Oba Femi Has Talked His Way Into Post-WrestleMania World Title Scene

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Oba Femi

Oba Femi has been the central rising star of Raw over the past month, and he seems almost untouchable going into WrestleMania.

Brock Lesnar has a knack for winning matches he shouldn't, but The Ruler comes across as a star who can easily bounce back if he does lose.

Femi has so much behind him at the moment that it would not be surprising to see him enter the World Heavyweight Championship scene after The Show of Shows.

The Ruler has the size and talent to compete, and the fans are completely behind him as WWE's next big monster.

Whether the champion is CM Punk or Roman Reigns after Sunday, they should be looking to Femi for the next big challenge.

Stephanie Vaquer Needs to Prove Herself at WrestleMania

Stephanie Vaquer's rise in 2025 was a massive story for Raw, culminating in an early Women's World Championship victory.

La Primera has done her job well since, but she has lacked a cohesive direction due to messy booking.

This WrestleMania 42 build was the clearest angle of her title reign but also allowed Liv Morgan to take the spotlight.

A lack of in-ring time means Morgan has stood out due to her more pointed promos and greater experience.

Vaquer needs to find a way to highlight her own talent at 'Mania and elevate her standing with a memorable match.

This could be the last chance for a while that the Chilean star will have to prove herself, assuming Morgan takes the title.

This is where La Primera must look like one of the best in the world, which was the reason she was signed and quickly rose up the ranks in the first place.

Asuka vs. Iyo Sky Must Be Added to WrestleMania Sunday

WWE has built Asuka vs. Iyo Sky as a feud worthy of the WrestleMania 42 stage, yet neither woman has been booked on The Show of Shows.

This may be due to uncertainty with the Women's Tag Team Championship match in which Nikki Bella has still not been cleared to compete.

If The Bella Twins are pulled from the match, The Kabuki Warriors could fit as a new fourth team.

However, that is simply bad storytelling. Asuka vs. Iyo is the clear direction and deserves the spotlight.

The Women's Tag Team Championship match can be a Triple Threat tag or add a different last-minute team missing from the card like Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez or Giulia and Kiana James.

Last year, The Genius of the Sky stole the show and delivered the best match of 'Mania weekend. There is no reason she should only stand in Rhea Ripley's corner for this year.

Penta Must Retain in Ladder Match

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Penta

Penta defeated Dominik Mysterio to win the Intercontinental Championship in a much-deserved moment on Raw.

As he approaches 50 days as champion, Penta has yet to receive a serious spotlight. His championship is under threat in the ladder match he announced for himself.

While Je'Von Evans or Dragon Lee could make sense to take the gold at WrestleMania, it would be a waste of all the time spent to build up Penta if he lost his gold so quickly.

It is time to double down on the popular luchador and let him defeat the field challenging for the Intercontinental Championship.

This would set up multiple one-on-one title challenges in the future from Rusev, JD McDonagh, Lee and Evans beyond this weekend.

That is good business for all involved and would allow Penta to prove himself all the more as a workhorse.