WWE Raw Winners, Grades and Reaction After Night of Champions 2026

On the heels of Night of Champions, WWE Raw rolled into Atlantic City, New Jersey's Boardwalk Hall with a show headlined by an appearance from world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns and the new King of the Ring, Oba Femi.

What went down, how did the night's biggest matches and moments grade out, and why?

Find out with this recap of the June 29 broadcast.

Lineup

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Announced in advance of Monday's show were:

• Roman Reigns appearance
• Rey Mysterio vs. "All Ego" Ethan Page
• LA Knight vs. Jimmy Uso
• Chad Gable vs. JD McDonagh
• Iyo Sky appearance
• Live musical performance from Joe Hendry
• Oba Femi appearance

Brock Lesnar Interrupted Oba Femi

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The Beast and The Ruler are headed for Hell in a Cell.

Lesnar made a shocking appearance at the top of Monday's show, interrupting Femi. He cut a promo about not being much of a promo guy, then called the 2026 King of the Ring out for calling him names "behind his back."

"Talk s**t, get hit," he said before dropping Femi with a low blow and F-5. The new king recovered quickly, called his rival a "bitch," and issued a challenge for one last match at SummerSlam.

Lesnar accepted with one stipulation: Hell in a Cell.

The reaction to the announcement was enormous, but there was plenty not to like about this segment, beginning with the portrayal of Femi. Here he was, fresh off of winning the King of the Ring tournament, and he stood idly by and let Lesnar cut a promo on him, then let his guard down enough to catch a low blow.

Based on everything we have seen out of Femi to this point, none of that rang true to the character. This is the guy who posed in the ring but kept one arm free in the event of a sneak attack.

Add to that what feels like an unnecessary match stipulation, and you have a show-opening segment that succeeded only in the sense that it felt like a major development, featuring a top star.

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

• Lesnar claiming not to be the best promo might be true, but when he turns it on, few are better. He was having fun here and it was an effective promo. The exchange with Paul Heyman afterward ("now that was a hell of a promo") was equally as good.
• After the commercial break, Raw general manager Adam Pearce caught up with Femi, who said there would be championship opportunities in the future and when he wants one, he will take it. For now, he is sure he wants Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell at SummerSlam.
• Also of note, Austin Theory told Heyman backstage that he did not know The Wise Man was in the building. "Now you know," the Hall of Famer said, hinting that his involvement with The Vision may be nearing its end.

Rey Mysterio vs. "All Ego" Ethan Page

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Last Time in Action: Ethan Page defeated Dragon Lee (Raw, June 22); Rey Mysterio lost to Penta (Raw, June 8)

The rivalry between Page and, well, everyone continued Monday night when he battled Hall of Famer Mysterio in singles action.

A good match saw the babyface overcome a focused attack on his back, down the heel, and score the win with a top-rope splash.

Michael Cole put over the win on commentary as a big one, against a red-hot Page. While All Ego is, in fact, red-hot, losing an inconsequential match to Mysterio feels like a significant step back for a guy who was three seconds away from the Intercontinental Championship at last month's Saturday Night's Main Event.

Losing to one of the greatest of all time is hardly a bad thing. The follow-up will be of the utmost importance if Page is expected to maintain his main roster credibility, especially after losing his big IC title opportunity to Penta.

Result

Mysterio defeated Page

Grade

B

Top Takeaways

• Mysterio and Page had strong chemistry and the match benefited exponentially.
• Backstage, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh broke into Danhausen's laboratory and stole something related to the New York Knicks from the wall, setting up more shenanigans later in the show.

Joe Hendry and The Street Profits' Celebratory Concert

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Last Time in Action: Joe Hendry and The Street Profits defeated The Vision (Raw, May 11); The Street Profits defeated Austin Theory and Bron Breakker (Raw, June 22)

New world tag team champions The Street Profits joined Joe Hendry in the ring for a special celebratory concert that turned into a typical promo-that-sets-up-a-match.

Austin Theory took exception to the babyfaces having fun at his expense and came face-to-face with the trio. He issued a challenge to Hendry for a match and the beloved songbird accepted.

This was an extra-large nothingburger of a segment that accomplished nothing, did not really highlight the Profits on the mic, and really only existed to set up a match.

Grade

D

Top Takeaways

• The only thing worth noting here was Theory's revelation that Bron Breakker will be back and healthy next week, where they will get their rematch against Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins for the world tag titles.
• Hendry brought up Theory getting smoked on the mic by John Cena, to which the heel responded by reminding him that he defeated Cena at WrestleMania. Touche.

Joe Hendry vs. Austin Theory

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Last Time In Action: Joe Hendry and The Street Profits defeated The Vision (Raw, May 8); Austin Theory and Bron Breakker lost to The Street Profits (Raw, June 22)

Hendry vs. Theory featured some perfectly acceptable professional wrestling from two talented performers. There was not much to it, and no one will confuse it with a great contest, but there did not have to be.

The match-up did nothing to advance the story in any measurable way, and if anything, only served to further hurt Theory's credibility one week before a tag team title rematch.

Still, the action was solid, and the crowd was into Hendry, two positives.

Result

Hendry defeated Theory

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

• Theory and Hendry are similar in that both are technically sound wrestlers, who do the fundamentals really well, and never embarrass themselves between the ropes. With that said, they do not necessarily wow anyone between bells, either.
• Backstage, Adam Pearce talked to Raquel Rodriguez and made a match between her and Maxxine Dupri for later tonight, amid the championship aspirations of both.

Liv Morgan Sent a Message to Iyo Sky

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Last Time in Action: Iyo Sky defeated Liv Morgan (Night of Champions, June 27)

Just 48 hours after winning the Queen of the Ring tournament by defeating women's world champion Liv Morgan, then announcing her plans to challenge for the title at SummerSlam, Iyo Sky hit the ring to address the WWE faithful.

Instead, Morgan interrupted and reminded her of all that she has done to those who have crossed her, naming Finn Balor, Stephanie Vaquer, and Rhea Ripley.

Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez surrounded Sky, and despite a valiant effort by the babyface, the numbers game proved to be too much. Morgan downed Sky and trapped her in a half Boston Crab, forcing her to tap out until referees and producers made the save.

A quality segment that highlighted Morgan's mean streak and built sympathy for Sky entering a high-profile title match, this was a great way to create doubt that the best wrestler in the women's division can overcome the villainess in Minneapolis.

Grade

B+

Top Takeaways

• Morgan has worked hard to elevate every element of her performance but her promo skills are easily the best part of her arsenal. She was intense and serious here, speaking with confidence while portraying a woman experiencing desperation after losing to her No. 1 contender just two days earlier.
• Sky is so good at every aspect of wrestling and that was on full display here in her selling, in which she created great sympathy for herself by selling the damage done to her left knee.

LA Knight vs. Jimmy Uso

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Last Time in Action: LA Knight defeated Jimmy Uso (Raw, June 22)

Jimmy Uso got his win back from last week, benefiting from interference from his brother Jey to roll up LA Knight and secure the victory.

The match was solid, if unspectacular, and continued the narrative of Knight trying to do things on his own in the midst of a Bloodline war. After the match, Solo Sikoa appeared and delivered a Samoan Spike to Jimmy, and Knight dropped Jey with Blunt Force Trauma. He stared down Sikoa, whom he still refuses to side with, to close things out.

The idea of Bloodline enemies teaming up to fight a common enemy, even if they do not like each other, is nothing new, but it at least makes sense within the confines of the story.

Result

Uso defeated Knight

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

• The crowd is struggling mightily to figure out who the narrative good guys are and who the heels are in this Bloodline mess, with audible boos directed at The Megastar, despite him being the only Superstar involved who is clearly the babyface.
• Michael Cole and Corey Graves announced that, due to his physical confrontation with Gunther Saturday after Night of Champions, SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis was put on administrative leave and Adam Pearce will run both brands.
• Backstage, Jacob Fatu told The Usos he is on his way to SmackDown to confront Solo Sikoa. Jey told him he would go with him because Sami Zayn is the new WWE champion.

Maxxine Dupri vs. Raquel Rodriguez

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Last Time in Action: Raquel Rodriguez lost to Iyo Sky (Raw, June 15); Maxxine Dupri lost to Roxanne Perez (Main Event, June 11)

With a shot at the Women's Intercontinental Championship on the line, Maxxine Dupri squared off with Raquel Rodriguez, whom she had never previously defeated.

Big Sexy dominated early, using her size and strength advantage against the outmatched former IC champ. Dupri fought back and appeared to be rolling late, but Rodriguez caught her leg, hoisted her up, and delivered the Tejana Bomb for the win.

A match that felt like a foregone conclusion from the moment it was announced due to Dupri's status on the show compared to Rodriguez's, it did not disappoint. The heel now has a chance to bring more gold to The Judgment Day by challenging Ruca.

This did nothing to heat either woman up.

In fact, the pre-taped video package that showed off a new side of Lyra Valkyria following her shocking betrayal of Bayley last Monday night did more to make me interested in her as a potential contender than either Rodriguez or Dupri.

Result

Rodriguez defeated Dupri

Grade

C

Top Takeaways

• Rodriguez is probably underrated at this point, but another championship match that she is unlikely to win does not feel like the best usage of her at this point.
• Dupri tried to apologize to Chad Gable for her delivery of her words last week, she she emphasized she still meant, prior to the match.
• Speaking of Dupri, did WWE drop the partnership she was forming with Austin Theory in recent weeks?

Chad Gable vs. JD McDonagh

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Last Time in Action: Chad Gable defeated Rusev (Raw, June 15); JD McDonagh lost to Finn Balor (Raw, May 18)

Backstage, Danhausen returned to his laboratory to find it trashed and vandalized by The Judgment Day. Liv Morgan rubbed it in and said this is what the very nice, very evil Superstar gets for what he has done to them.

In the arena, the faction's JD McDonagh battled Chad Gable in singles competition.

A competitive match, the best of the show to this point, featured a Spanish Fly attempt from the top rope that featured a scary landing. Gable kicked out at two, though, in time for Danhausen to distract Dominik Mysterio.

Back in the ring, the heel countered Chaos Theory, but Gable grabbed an ankle lock for the submission win.

After the match, Danhausen nearly regained his Knicks jersey, but Raquel Rodriguez laid him out and repossessed it.

Taking two talented wrestlers like Gable and McDonagh, letting them have a longer match, and watching them work their magic sounds like the perfect way to eat up television time. That it furthered Judgment Day's war with Danhausen only enhanced the whole thing.

Result

Gable defeated McDonagh

Grade

B+

Top Takeaways

• Gable is great, that much we know. McDonagh does not get nearly the credit he deserves for being a consistent workhorse on Monday nights. He is a great professional wrestler and has enhanced more episodes of Raw than one might think based on his in-ring performances.
• Backstage, Austin Theory took exception to Maxxine Dupri's interaction with Chad Gable. When she said it was complicated, he suggested "maybe this isn't working out" and walked off.

Seth Rollins Challenged Roman Reigns

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Last Time in Action: Roman Reigns defeated Jacob Fatu (Clash in Italy, May 31)

World heavyweight champion Roman Reigns made his way to the ring, flanked by Jacob Fatu, for Monday's main event promo segment. Before he could say anything of note, "Burn It Down!" exploded over the PA system, and Seth "Freakin" Rollins made his way to the ring.

Noting that a win over him is the only thing missing from Reigns' Hall of Fame resume, and that time was running out for them to have that iconic main event, Rollins pitched his former Shield teammate on a world title match at SummerSlam.

"I need to beat you," Reigns said before accepting to close out an exceptional promo segment.

"SummerSlam...we close the door on The Shield," The OTC was overheard saying as the show came to an end.

This was fantastic. Rollins wrapped up over a decade of story in one promo, setting the stage for an epic encounter that has not been overdone. It feels fresh and meaningful, and should easily headline night two of the summertime spectacular.

Expect one of the best matches of either man's career, as long as the run-ins and chicanery are kept to a minimum, or eliminated.

Grade

A+

Top Takeaways

• You just know Rollins had this promo in his back pocket, waiting for the inevitable showdown with Reigns. He was fantastic here, focused and articulate. There was no laughing, he was locked in and he delivered big time to create genuine excitement about the SummerSlam main event.
• Reigns is always at his most vulnerable around Rollins and it showed here. Rollins called on their past, hat-tipped Father Time, and got him to accept the challenge. This was expert storytelling.

MVP and Overall Grade

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MVP: Rollins

When WWE needed him to deliver a big-money promo to sell his match with Reigns at SummerSlam, Rollins stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park. He was phenomenal and brought a gravity to his words that had the audience hanging on every word he said, whether they agreed or not.

An antagonist without having to be a heel, he poked and prodded Reigns with reminders of their history together, masterfully working the mic until The Tribal Chief gave him what he wanted. It was a brilliant performance from a guy who knows the story, his character, and the intended endgame.

Great stuff.

Overall Grade: B

This was an interesting show in that it was very much a sum of its parts.

Individual matches may not have amounted to much, but the high-profile segments that helped sell SummerSlam were mostly very good. The Oba Femi-Brock Lesnar segment was less than wonderful.

Still, the announcement of their third and final showdown, coupled with the other matches for the premium live event announced Monday, helped elevate the significance of what felt like an otherwise afterthought on paper.