WWE Raw Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights After AAA Worlds Collide

On the heels of AAA Worlds Collide, WWE Raw hit the Netflix airwaves, live from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee with a jam-packed broadcast.

What went down when LA Knight, Oba Femi, Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer, and other to red brand Superstars were in the building?

Find out with this recap of the September 28 show, including grades, reaction, and highlights from each match.

Lineup

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

Announced in advance of the night's show were:

• Appearances from Knight, Femi, and Vaquer
• Dragon Lee vs. Big Cass
• Lola Vice vs. Roxanne Perez

The Bloodline Opened Raw

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: The Usos fought LA Knight and Solo Sikoa to a no contest (Raw, August 24); Jacob Fatu defeated Royce Keys in a Street Fight (Raw, August 3)

A fired-up Bloodline kicked off the show, with Jacob Fatu and The Usos addressing 946's kidnapping of Solo Sikoa on last week's show.

Jimmy said they may have their differences, but Sikoa is still his brother. Fatu said he was wrong to hold back the twins in recent weeks, and now their issues with 946 are on-sight.

Jey issued their warning shot before all three took off backstage to the parking garage, ready to confront Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, and Lucian Price. Instead, they were met by NXT's Jaida Parker, who said she was there to meet with Adam Pearce.

Grade

A

Top Takeaways

• The fire shown across the board here was excellent. Jimmy told the story expertly, reminding the audience that blood trumps all, despite the intense rivalry they have had with Sikoa over the years.
• Parker showing up, and the awkward exchange with Jey, was a nice touch and plays on rumors and innuendo that everyone is already aware of.

Lola Vice vs. Roxanne Perez

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Lola Vice defeated Kelani Jordan and Raquel Rodriguez (Raw, September 14); Roxanne Perez defeated La Catalina and Iyo Sky (Raw, September 21)

Vice and Perez will battle in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Before they do, they squared off in a one-on-one bout Monday night.

Late in the match, Perez cut off Vice's comeback attempt, delivering a lionsault for two and immediately segueing into the crossface. The babyface fought out and transitioned into an armbar.

Perez fought free but ultimately walked into the MIA spinning backfist as Vice scored the win.

After the match, Raquel Rodriguez attacked until Sol Ruca made the save. Perez halted her momentum, though, and the Judgment Day left the babyfaces lying to close out the segment.

Result

Vice defeated Perez

Grade

B

Top Takeaways

• The match itself was good and highlighted the chemistry between Perez and Vice that was forged in the rings of NXT.
• The post-match beatdown was the right call and helped re-establish Perez's momentum, which was unnecessarily damaged by the loss. Could Rodriguez not get there in advance to cause a disqualification and spare The Prodigy the loss?
• Ruca desperately needs new theme music. Like, yesterday.

Oba Femi Promo

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Oba Femi defeated Bron Breakker via DQ (Sunday Night's Main Event, September 6)

The Ruler hit the ring, dressed in casual wear and carrying a contract.

He said there was business to attend to and called out Bronson Reed.

The Auszilla answered the challenge, coming to the ring sans The Vision. Unintimidated by the big man, Reed said that each time they have shared the ring, he has left Femi lying.

He signed the contract for a match at Money in the Bank in New Orleans.

Grade

B

Top Takeaways

• "I know, I know...he sucks," was a great bit from Femi and hinted that the big man has charisma and natural mic abilities that will get him over far more organically, not to mention quicker, than sticking to a script.
• Reed was great on the mic. He wasted no words, got his point across, and sold the match.

Dragon Lee vs. Big Cass

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Dragon Lee lost to Penta (Raw, September 21); Big Cass defeated Josh Briggs (Raw, September 24)

Seeking revenge after finding himself on the receiving end of a Big Cass beatdown, Lee took the fight to the giant right from the opening bell.

Big Cass dominated the action through the commercial break, however, and was in a good position to earn a win late. Lee showed tremendous resiliency, though, and fought his way back into the match.

He launched himself through the ropes, wiped him out at ringside, and countered a fireman's carry into a modified octopus. From there, he set up for Enter the Dragon, but Cass countered and tried for a chokeslam. Lee countered it, stacked his larger opponent up, and scored the win.

Result

Lee defeated Cass

Grade

B

Top Takeaways

• This was the best Cass has looked yet since returning to WWE. He has repeatedly been tested against smaller, quicker opponents and here, against Lee, he was right there with the luchador at every spot and never looked out of place.
• Lee is one of the most dynamic, exciting young stars on the roster, he is finally getting the spotlight and is making the most of it.
• Backstage, Stephanie Vaquer announced a No. 1 Contender's Match next week between Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan for a shot at her Women's World Championship.

Iyo Sky vs. Lyra Valkyria

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Iyo Sky lost to Roxanne Perez (Raw, September 21); Lyra Valkyria defeated Bayley (Raw, September 21)

Born of a backstage confrontation, two of the best wrestlers in WWE squared off as Valkyria clashed with Sky.

After the commercial, Sky looked to turn the tide in her favor with a Bullet Train atack, only for Valkyria to rock her with an enzuigiri, followed by a gut-wrench suplex, and cover for two.

Sky countered the Nightwing and delivered a delayed underhook backbreaker for another new-fall.

Valkyria recovered and threatened to win the match, but Sky weathered the storm and set her up for the Over the Moonsault. Valkyria met her up top and brought her down for another near-fall.

As the heel neared a win, Bayley appeared, standing on the commentary table. The distraction allowed Sky to catch Valkyria with a dropkick. The aforementioned moonsault earned her the win while the Role Model stared her down.

Result

Sky defeated Valkyria

Grade

B+

Top Takeaways

• Two great in-ring workers delivered a quality match here that did not necessarily need the Bayley appearance in the closing moments to enhance it. With that said, the finish extends the rivalry between the Role Model and her former tag team partner, which has been very good.
• It is somewhat surprising that Sky does not have a clearer creative direction at this point. She is, arguably, the very best the company has to offer from an in-ring perspective, yet seems to be without direction. It is almost unforgivable.

Penta and Je'Von Evans vs. Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Penta defeated Dominik Mysterio and Dragon Lee (Raw, September 21); Je'Von Evans lost to Mini Vikingo (AAA Worlds Collide, September 26); JD McDonagh, Mysterio, and Omos lost to CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, and El Grande Americano (AAA Worlds Collide, September 26)

A well-timed appearance by Joe Hendry and the Funko Pop proved to be the difference in Monday's tag team main event, pitting The Judgment Day's Mysterio and McDonagh against Evans and Penta.

Just as it looked like the heels might take advantage of two miscommunication spots and pull off an upset, WWE's resident songster interrupted, drew McDonagh's attention, and allowed the opposition to fight back into the match.

Ultimately, Penta delivered the Mexican Destroyer to Mysterio to secure the win and build on the momentum that he has enjoyed over the last month.

After the match, Bron Breakker attacked the victors, sending a message ahead of the Money in the Bank premium live event.

Result

Penta and Evans defeated Judgment Day

Grade

B

Top Takeaways

• A hellishly fun main event with a ton of energy and some great spots, this was a great way to wrap up the in-ring portion of the show. Not only was it a good match, but it also continued the hype the upcoming Money in the Bank premium live event and namesake ladder match.
• Evans is getting more talkative and expressive in his in-ring performances. It has helped him evolve his game and is the sort of thing that separates "main eventers" from "good hands."

The Bloodline and 946 Explode

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

A massive brawl between the Bloodline's Usos and Jacob Fatu and 946's Bronco Nima, Lucien Price, and Royce Keys wrapped up Monday's broadcast.

The fight carried from the arena to the floor, backstage, and into the parking garage, with the Usos pairing off with Price and Nima while Fatu and Keys rekindled their rivalry.

In the closing moments of the show, Keys and Fatu fought through the back window of an SUV when the former busted the Samoan Werewolf's head through the glass.

From there, a speeding car hit Fatu, bouncing him off the roof and onto the floor below. It was revealed to be Jaida Parker behind the wheel, and the NXT export feigned concern before revealing that she was part of the 946.

She left with Keys as the show went off the air.

Grade

A

Top Takeaways

• This is how you deliver a show-closing angle. A huge brawl that keeps the fans interested in the chaos of it all, then a shocking betrayal set up by both internet expectations and foundational storytelling earlier in the show. They setup Parker arriving earlier in the night to talk to Adam Pearce as a means to get her on the show, then pulled off a successful heel turn later because it had already been established that she was in the building.
• Nothing felt forced, everything worked within the context of the show-long storyline, and the crowd ate it up.
• And, whether it was Fatu or a stunt double, whoever took the hit-and-run bump was incredible. It was one of the damnedest bumps in recent Raw history.

MVP and Overall Grade

WWE/WWE via Getty Images

MVP: Jimmy Uso

There were a few choices here but Uso set the stage for the show and gave the entire Bloodline story arc purpose. In true sibling fashion, he can battle Solo Sikoa and beat him up, but he will be damned if anyone else puts hands on his brother. He showed great fire in his brief promo work at the top of the show, and it had a lasting impression on a show with plenty of performances to love.

Overall Grade: B+

Some strong in-ring work, great story advancement, and a phenomenal show-closing angle that propels the Bloodline vs. 946 storyline forward combined to make this an excellent edition of the flagship.

It is still not quite the Mexico City show, but it will be incredibly difficult to replicate that one anytime soon. This was a good, old-fashion story-building broadcast and it stuck the landing.