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Jacob Fatu confronted Roman Reigns to call the first shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images

Roman Reigns' Next Feud and More WWE Raw After WrestleMania Fallout Including NXT Call-Ups

Kevin BergeApr 21, 2026

Live from the T-Mobile Arena, WWE delivered an eventful Raw after WrestleMania 42 complete with multiple NXT call-ups and some unforgettable championship challenges.

Roman Reigns celebrated his return to the top of the mountain with Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso only to be interrupted by Jacob Fatu, who wanted the first shot at the new World heavyweight champion.

CM Punk tried to process his loss to The OTC, only to be interrupted by Cody Rhodes, who advised that he wanted to face The Best in the World in the future.

Sol Ruca and "All Ego" Ethan Page arrived from NXT to immediately compete against top names on Raw, hoping to make their name.

The Street Profits, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins, made their long awaited return to help Seth Rollins fight off The Vision.

This was the foundation of a dramatic and action-packed episode of Raw that set the stage for WWE going forward.

Jacob Fatu is the Perfect Opponent For Roman Reigns at Backlash

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WWE only has a few weeks to build a compelling card for Backlash 2026. The end of Raw may have immediately established the main event of that show.

While Roman Reigns did not formally accept Jacob Fatu's challenge yet, there is no time but the present to give fans this career-defining contest.

Since he first arrived in WWE, The OTC has put over The Samoan Werewolf in front of and behind the camera.

This is a man that has quickly established himself amongst the top stars in the company.

While he looked poised to face Cody Rhodes or Randy Orton instead as a member of the SmackDown roster, WWE pivoted to allow fans to see a wild first-time-ever singles match.

It is highly unlikely The Samoan Werewolf will win, but that is true of anyone facing Reigns right now. This is an important test, the biggest match of his career.

If Fatu delivers as expected against Reigns, The Samoan Werewolf should be WWE or World heavyweight champion by the end of the year.

If it does not go well, he may have to settle for midcard gold for another year.

CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes Dream Match Must Happen at SummerSlam

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Monday Night RAW
Despite both hurting after WrestleMania 42, Cody Rhodes and CM Punk met in the ring to discuss their futures.

There is no match WWE can deliver right now that is as big as Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk.

This is a contest the company has teased for years, multiple times on the roads to WrestleMania where they were not fighting one another.

While there is still plenty of time to deliver that match, WWE should be careful to wait too long given both men are past 40 years old.

With the latest tease, WWE should start to build toward Punk vs. Rhodes at SummerSlam.

Much can change before SummerSlam, but all signs point to Oba Femi winning King of the Ring and challenging Roman Reigns.

That will leave The American Nightmare in need of a fresh challenger, and Punk is the best option, especially over Rhodes vs. Randy Orton extending all the way to SummerSlam.

Punk and Rhodes will not need to do much to sell this match. It is about two men that have hovered around each other for decades finally colliding.

SummerSlam has no bigger match it could feature for either night's main event.

Sol Ruca is Just What the Raw Women's Division Needs

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Monday Night RAW
Sol Ruca made a major statement, arriving on Raw to immediately challenge Liv Morgan.

Both Raw and SmackDown need fresh names in their women's divisions, and there was not a bigger name to bring up from NXT than Sol Ruca.

While Ruca never won the NXT Championship, she stole the show time and again in NXT and got on the radar of the biggest names in WWE when she fought Bayley at Saturday Night's Main Event.

Her athleticism is second to none, highlighted especially by a finisher, the Sol Snatcher, that has captured the hearts and minds of fans like no move since Ember Moon's Eclipse.

She showed it off against Liv Morgan in her Raw debut, and once she faces Zaria at NXT Revenge on Tuesday, she should start hitting it regularly on familiar names each week on Raw.

Ruca is not the best mic worker yet, but she has the athletic traits to quickly take over the midcard scene, feuding with Becky Lynch sooner than later.

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"All Ego" Ethan Page Will Be World Champion in 2027

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While Oba Femi, Trick Williams and Je'Von Evans stole the headlines in early 2026 when they arrived on the main roster, "All Ego" Ethan Page has potential to be the best NXT call-up of them all.

That is a high bar, but All Ego was the most important man on NXT throughout his run. His consistent in-ring and mic work helped elevate both Trick and Je'Von to the next level.

It was no wonder that Page fought The Young OG in his first Raw appearance as the two have proved their chemistry multiple times over in NXT.

A win over Evans, even by interference, shows that Page has a strong direction in his immediate future. He could quickly rise the ranks to challenge Penta.

However, 2026 will be a trial run for Page, who has the talent to prove himself at the highest level by the time 2027 rolls around.

As WWE begins to build its new foundation of top stars, Page has the upside of Jacob Fatu due to his experience outside WWE to be a world champion.

He will make the most of that potential and rise up the ranks even faster than Evans and Trick to challenge for the world championship and win it.

The only man that may beat him to the podium is Oba, but even second place against a loaded NXT class is hardly anything to scoff at.

Finally, It's Time For a Big Street Profits Push

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Monday Night RAW
The Street Profits returned to help Seth Rollins fight The Vision.

It has been too long since Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins graced WWE television screens, but hopefully it is the last absence for the two men for a while.

The Street Profits seemed to be benched for no particular reason down the stretch in 2025.

This was especially baffling during a time that WWE struggled to book any men's tag team division.

Returning to fight The Vision and back up Seth Rollins is a massive spotlight and could lead to Ford and Dawkins reclaiming tag team gold.

However, regardless of championship aspirations, this is a team that should always be featured on TV. Even if one man gets injured, the other can easily go after singles gold.

Let The Street Profits fly as high and as far as possible in what could be the last chance for them to define their legacies.

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