Cook’s WWE Raw Review 9.28.26

Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the latest edition of WWE Raw on Netflix! We’ve got two big matches booked for tonight’s show, with Lola Vice taking on Roxanne Perez & Dragon Lee facing off against Big Cass. We’ll hear from LA Knight, Stephanie Vaquer, Oba Femi & many more, and apparently the Bloodline wants some of the 946 tonight. We’ll see how that goes!

In Memoriam: The entire wrestling world was shocked by the passing of Benjamin Satterley yesterday, one day after what would be his final match at AEW All Out. Known throughout the world as The Bastard PAC, Satterley worked for WWE in the mid-2010s under the name of Adrian Neville, shortened to Neville when he was called up to the main roster. He won the NXT Championship at NXT Arrival, the first live event held on the WWE Network & the NXT brand’s first major event. After getting called up, Neville would take part in feuds with the likes of Stardust & Bad News Barrett before becoming King of the Cruiserweights and a two-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion. Neville left WWE in 2017 and The Man Gravity Forgot would move on to other pastures. During his time with WWE, fans were wowed by his incredible moves and fellow wrestlers were wowed by his kindness & professionalism behind the scenes. I’ll have more to say about this subject later, but for the sake of this live report it’s best we move onto the action.

Cook’s WWE Raw Review 9.28.26

A graphic honoring Benjamin Satterley precedes the traditional opening video.

Then. Now. Forever. Together!

Last Monday, the 946 ended up kidnapping Solo Sikoa and taking him out to the middle of nowhere. Solo was told to keep walking until he felt the grass.

Jacob Fatu, Jimmy & Jey Uso make their way to the ring. Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett are our hosts. Jey tells us the Bloodline is in their city, which is Milwaukee. Jimmy says that for the past month the Bloodline has had this 946 issue to take care of. One week they got their car bashed in. Another week they got a whole whip blown up. Solo is still their little brother despite all their issues. Jacob has been telling them to lay low & play it slow, their first move isn’t their best move, and telling them not tonight. Jacob says it’s his bad, tonight everything is out the window and they’re going to dog walk 946’s asses. The Bloodline is all gas, no brakes, you know what he means. Jey says this is their warning shot.

We see a car pulling into the arena, and the Bloodline runs backstage. It turns out that it’s Jaida Parker! She’s here to talk to Adam Pearce! Jey looks stupefied, which I hear is his usual reaction to Miss Parker.

We’re in Milwaukee! Oba Femi is WALKING! Dragon Lee & Rey Mysterio are WALKING! Stephanie Vaquer is WALKING! Penta daps up Je’Von Evans and they talk about being ready for Money in the Bank. Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh appear and Dom makes excuses about his loss. Doesn’t Penta care about Solo getting kidnapped? (I mean, fair question from Dom.) Je’Von says Dom has a big heart and JD has a big head. Penta says that Dom & JD can take on Je’Von & him in a tag team match tonight.

Lola Vice vs. Roxanne Perez: Tieup into the corner, Lola shoves Roxanne down. Headlock by Lola, shoulderblock, some dancing, back to the headlock, takeover, Perez rolls through, Lola back to the headlock. Roxanne with a headlock, hip toss by Lola. Roxy with a kick, back to the headlock, Lola works into an armbar, Roxanne floats over back into a headlock, Roxanne cartwheels over Lola and slaps her! Lola takes Roxanne down, hits some knees, kick to the gut, another one, Roxanne rolls outside to recover. She walks up the aisle and Lola takes her back down to the ring. Chops by Lola, Roxanne fights back and stomps Lola before punching her on the mat. That’s why she’s the Prodigy! Whip into the corner, Roxanne with a running uppercut, tries again, Lola goes for a choke, Roxanne turns it into a pin attempt, they roll outside and Roxanne breaks it by backing into the steps. Northern lights suplex on the floor by Roxanne! We go to commercial!

We return to Lola hitting a suplex and some spin kicks on Roxanne. Kicks into the corner, then it’s time for the hip attack! Another one, and some more hip in the corner. Back suplex gets a two count for Vice. Perez kicks Vice away, then into the ropes, an uppercut to the back, then the Perfect 10 moonsault gets two. Roxanne locks in a crossface, Lola’s close to the ropes but Roxanne rolls away, Lola rolls out of then and locks in an armbar, Perez turns it into a pin attempt for two! Forearms exchanged, Roxanne with an uppercut on the ropes, Lola with a kick to the head! Roxanne with another nearfall, Lola misses a kick, but not the spinning backfist! The MIA gets the 1-2-3!

Winner: Lola Vice (7:19 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/4
Really fun match here, both these ladies can flat out go in the ring. I think Lola & Roxanne have excellent chemistry and I hope this is the first of many matches between them. I have to admit today was a bit of a downer, but this match got me in a pretty good mood for the rest of the night.

Lola’s celebration is cut off by a Raquel Rodriguez attack. Sol Ruca runs down to fight Raquel off, she hits a springboard crossbody. A missile dropkick sends Raquel down, but the Sol Snatcher is cut off by Roxanne. Raquel hits a Tejana Bomb on Sol, then holds Lola for a kick. Roxanne hits the Pop Rox on Lola, and it’s Roxanne & Raquel standing tall to end the proceedings.

JACKIE REDMOND is with Dragon Lee & Rey Mysterio. Dragon says he’s feeling great and hasn’t forgotten what Big Cass did to him. Rey says that Lee has been putting on some great matches. Cass arrives and says he’ll stomp Lee’s fire out. Rey holds Lee back.

Oba Femi is WALKING! We’ll hear from him next.

The 946 posted a video from somewhere, they knew the Bloodline were going to call that play tonight and nobody’s safe. I can’t tell where they were, but if they were in Milwaukee that can’t be a live video. Too sunny.

Oba Femi struts to the ring while the fans chant his name. We see clips from last week when Oba attacked the Vision and threw Je’Von Evans at them like Colossus tossing Wolverine at the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The fans chant Oba’s name and bark. The Ruler is not dressed for combat, though that can easily change. He’s here for business. He’s had some issues with the Vision for the past couple of months. The temperature changed with the return of Bronson Reed. He sucks. He’s one disrespectful SOB, and if you give him an inch he takes a mile. Bronson wasn’t around when he shocked the world at WrestleMania or when the torch was passed to him or he became King of the Ring. Oba is the captain now. He has a contract for a one on one match at Money in the Bank approved by Adam Pearce & Triple H, and his signature is on it. Contracts are how business is done. A wise man taught him that. He tells Bronson to come out and sign the contract and make things official.

Bronson Reed makes his way to the ring, looking rather stylish in a black overcoat. Oba hands Bronson the contract. Bronson says that Oba has some balls. They’ve been in the same ring twice and Bronson put him down twice. Oba beat Brock Lesnar twice, but Bronson is not Brock. He’s not here to compete, he’s here to dethrone the Ruler. Bronson signs the contract and hands it back to Oba before leaving the ring. Oba says Bronson has some balls sealing his fate tonight. Heyman is playing games because he sent Bronson to stop the one man he knows can’t be stopped. Oba wishes Bronson good luck, he’ll need it. I’m not sure how I feel about Oba’s obsession with contract signings, but it’s an interesting character trait.

Earlier today, a conversation between IYO SKY & Adam Pearce was cut off by Lyra Valkyria, who is mad she’s second in line for a conversation. Lyra says IYO’s career is headed down. Pearce makes the match between them for tonight. IYO tells Pearce that Lyra has issues.

Dragon Lee vs. Big Cass: Lee kicks Cass while Cass tries to enter the ring and dives onto him on the floor. In the ring, Lee jumps over Cass before running into a big boot. Lee picks Lee up by the mask and smacks him down. Cass places Lee on the turnbuckle and smacks him on the back. Stinger Splash onto Lee sends him to the floor. Lee avoids a big boot and Cass hits the ringpost. Lee jumps into a goozle and gets chokeslammed on the apron. Another one by Cass. We go to commercial!

Lee slips out of a Snake Eyes and strikes Cass some before being sent into the corner and bounced off the turnbuckle. Lee with a big kick, Cass goozles him and throws him outside. Cass tosses Lee back into the ring. Short arm clothesline by Cass gets two. Cass locks in a modified chicken wing. Lee kicks his way out, rocks Cass with a superkick, Cass charges and misses in the corner. Dropkick in the corner by Lee, another one, another one. Lee kicks and punches Cass in the corner. Cass charges and goes over the top rope. Dragon rana into the cameraman on the floor! Tope suicida to Cass! The fans want another one, Lee kicks Cass on the apron and goes up top. Cass catches him, puts him on his shoulders, Lee turns it into a octopus hold! Cass misses a clothesline, Lee doesn’t miss the DDT. Lee removes the elbow pad and hits a running elbow strike for two. Operation Dragon is blocked, Cass goes for a chokeslam, Lee goes over Cass’s shoulders and rolls him up for the three count!

Winner: Dragon Lee (9:11 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: **3/4
Good win for Dragon Lee here, who did a pretty good job in getting the best out of Cass. They seem to have plans for Lee since they keep putting him in these spots.

Jimmy, Jacob & Jey are backstage talking about how it’s all gas & no brakes tonight. Jacob says that they have to stick together tonight since they’ll try to separate them. Jacob calls Jey a punkass, not sure how that works into the whole sticking together thing.

Penta & Je’Von warm up for their match later tonight.

Jackie is with Stephanie Vaquer! Stephanie is ready to fight and defend her title, and Becky Lynch & Liv Morgan will have a match next week to determine the #1 contender. The winner will face Stephanie at Money in the Bank. Works for me!

Joe & Wade talk about Becky & Liv, then throw it to an LA Knight video package. LA talks about how he became the fastest rising star in history without being anybody’s guy. For three years he was held back by politics. He’s bullet proof and the last of a dying breed. This might be his last shot. LA never needed anyone and is the most self-made man in this game. He’ll rise because he has to. He’ll make himself the man you call World Champion.

IYO SKY vs. Lyra Valkyria: Tieup, go-behind into a wristlock, into the ropes. IYO seems very hesitant here. After a kick, IYO is less hesitant. IYO trips Lyra up and hits a dropkick. Lyra flips IYO, IYO lands on her feet. Lyra blocks a rollup and goes to the rocking horse! Lyra keeps the hold in and stomps IYO’s knees. Lyra yanks IYO down, IYO ducks a clothesline, flips around and hits a dropkick sending Lyra outside. On the floor, IYO misses a slide but hits a superkick. IYO gets some assistance to stand on the barricade and crossbodies Lyra! Lyra blocks a springboard move, IYO is draped on the ropes and Lyra kicks her to the floor. We go to commercial!

Both women are down in the ring as we returh. We see a replay of both trying a crossbody. IYO takes Lyra over with a faceplant. Missile dropkick by IYO, crazy pose, and Bullet Train Attack! Well, never mind, Lyra hits a kick and a powerbomb for two. IYO blocks the tornado DDT, Lyra blocks the double underhook and goes for the Nightwing, IYO rolls through and double stomps her! Kick to the head by IYO, double underhook backbreaker gets two. IYO snaps Lyra’s throat off the ropes, but Lyra trips her up on the apron. Lyra hits a fisherwoman’s buster on the apron! The hardest part of the ring by gawd! Lyra misses a dropkick to the floor, then her spin kick misses wildly. IYO with the Asai moonsault! Back in the ring, Lyra rolls in the corner and IYO hits the Bullet Train Attack. IYO up top, Lyra crotches her on the turnbuckle! Backbreaker off the top turnbuckle gets a two count for Lyra. Lyra kicks the ropes in anger and yells at IYO before going up top. Bayley (with a black armband honoring Ben) is standing on the announce table! The distraction allows IYO to dropkicks Lyra on the way down! Over The Moonsault ends it!

Winner: IYO SKY (11:08 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/2
Another tremendous match tonight from the Raw women’s division. Between this type of action and the talent roster set up for the Women’s MITB Ladder Match, it must be said that us women’s wrestling fans are eating good these days. This match was real good action from start to finish, the distraction finish is what it is but we don’t complain too much when Bayley gets involved.

Jimmy tells Jacob & Jey they gotta do it for Solo tonight. LA Knight appears and accuses them of creating the 946 monster. He reminds them that Solo is his boy, and Jimmy says that Solo would still be with the family if not for people like him. LA tells them to get their jackass cousin on the show next week, and he leaves. Jacob holds Jimmy back, saying they have other business to handle tonight.

Jackie is with Rey Fenix. She congratulates him on his victory at Worlds Collide and apparently he’s here to make a big announcement. Fenix says he’ll be defending the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship on all brands, including Raw. Chad Gable walks up and congratulates Fenix on his recent success. Ethan Page arrives and accuses Chad of setting up another exhibition match for his Intercontinental Championship. Fenix says that Ethan might not be a cruiserweight but he’ll kick his ass next week. Ethan accepts the challenge and says that Chad is spared for another week.

Joe & Wade run down the current card for Money in the Bank. Looks like a fun show!

Penta & Je’Von Evans vs. “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh: Penta has a white band with “Pac” around his left boot. Judgment Day attack right away, but Evans & Penta fight back. They end up outside though, and JD PKs Penta before Dom hits a crossbody onto Evans & Penta on the floor. Dom trips over Penta and falls on his ass as we go to commercial! Ah, you gotta love it when heels embarrass themselves after doing impressive things.

Dom is preventing Evans from making the tag as we return. Dom runs into a big boot, Evans does a standing backflip and tags Penta! Reverse sling blade by Penta. JD goes down in the corner for the handstand dropkick. Dom eats a tornado DDT for two. Evans & Penta chop Dom on the ropes, then hit a double superkick for two. Evans is legal again, he punches Dom in the corner. He doesn’t stop at 10, I think that’s a breach of wrestler etiquette. Wade is outraged. Penta tags in and kicks Dom’s leg out of his leg. Another kick to Dom. JD runs in, they both end up outside and Penta hits the flip dive! Back in the ring, Penta crossbodies Dom for two as we go split screen.

Penta kicks Dom down again and does his strut. Penta with some mounted punches in the corner on Dom. Penta misses a corner charge and hits the ringpost with his shoulder. Dom & JD then pull Penta’s legs into the ringpost while the referee is talking to Evans. Hilo by Dom gets two. Tag to JD, he kicks Penta down in the corner & Dom tags back in.

Dom places Penta on the top turnbuckle and tears at Penta’s mask. Penta shrugs him off and hits a crossbody. Penta is kicked into the ropes, Dom hits the 619, Penta goes for the Driver, Dom runs into a superkick. Penta runs into a superkick, then a double clothesline takes both men down. Evans & JD tag in. Dom is knocked outside, JD is punched down and kicked. Red Dot to JD’s head! Evans dives onto JD and sends him over the announce desk. Dom is sent into the timekeeper’s area. Evans runs around ringside and dives over the barricade onto Dom! Springboard crossbody onto JD in the ring gets two. JD avoids the OG cutter but not the superkick. Some back & forth leads to Evans accidentally OG cutting Penta! JD hits the headbutt, Dom hits a 619 for the two count! Here comes Joe Hendry to sing about JD McDonagh being a Funko Pop! The Funko Pop is with him! JD leaves the ring to confront Hendry, meanwhile Dom gets kicked down. JD heads back down to the ring and gets kicked by Penta! Evans dives onto JD on the floor, Penta hits the Mexican Destroyer on Dom for three!

Winner: Penta & Je’Von Evans (13:53 shown via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/2
This was pretty awesome stuff and I’ll probably get yelled at for underrating it as usual. The finish had a couple of problems. First, we just had the heel getting distracted in the previous match, and I didn’t care for the repetition. I also don’t like faces always causing distractions, that should really be more of a heel move. Then there’s the whole Funko Pop of it all. I don’t like it, some people probably do but it’s not for me. Other than the finish, this was great.

Bron Breakker is here, and he spears Penta! Evans tries to attack Bron, but gets the super spear for his trouble.

Byron Saxton is with Becky Lynch (w/black armband)! Becky talks about how it’s been a long time since she’s got a shot at the World Championship. Liv Morgan appears and she says she’s the one that makes the title interesting, she’s the one that deserves the match. Becky says if she deserves it so much she’ll have no problem beating Becky next week…but not even Liv believes she can do it.

Next Week: Roman Reigns! Sol & Lola vs. Roxanne & Raquel! Fenix vs. Page! Becky vs. Liv!

946 enters the arena!

When we return from commercial, Royce Keys, Bronco Nima & Lucien Price walk down through the crowd to the ring. Security runs down from the entrance to try and keep them from going over the barricade, but they’re as effective as most wrestling security is. The Uso music hits, and Jimmy, Jey & Jacob make their way towards the ring. The fight begins! I don’t think this is an official match, but Jey is Yeet punching Nima in the ring. Bronco comes in to break it up, Jimmy & Jey hit some superkicks. Jimmy dives onto Price, Jey dives, but Bronco catches him and throws him into the ringpost! Price drives Jimmy into the ringpost. They fight into the crowd. Meanwhile, Jacob may have injured his knee at ringside and Royce rolls him into the ring. Jey is worked over by OTM and drug towards the back. Adam Peare is yelling at them to no effect. In the ring, Royce works Jacob over with a chair. Jacob blocks a chair shot with a super kick and another one takes Royce down. Jacob punches Royce in the corner. Jacob hip attacks Royce, then grabs the chair. He places the chair around Royce’s head, but Royce tosses the chair off and rolls out of the ring. Jacob follows him and continues attacking with the chair. They go to the back. OTM & the Usos are fighting at the loading dock. Price is thrown into some cases. Jimmy is tossed into some cases as well. Jacob & Royce are fighting in a hallway. They’re in the parking lot, Royce is thrown over some tables and has a chair thrown at him. Royce tosses Jacob head first into a case, then gets into an automobile. Jacob continues punching him until Royce bounces his head off the door and then slams it into him. Then another car drives up and runs Jacob over! Jaida Parker was driving! She didn’t see him! After about 30 seconds of that act, Jaida says nobody’s safe, and she gets in the car with Royce! Royce uses Jacob’s catchphrase and drives off as our live event comes to an end! So long for now!

If you’d like to chime in with your own thoughts on tonight’s show, feel free to join your fellow 411 Maniacs down in the comment section! As the legendary Larry Csonka always said: Have fun and don’t be a dick. When I’m not here you can catch me on social media from time to time. To be honest, e-mail is a better option and you can reach me at [email protected]. I’ll be more likely to respond there.

8.8

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

This was one of my favorite episodes of Raw in a long time, which was much appreciated after a depressing couple of days in the world of wrestling. The matches all delivered good entertainment, and everybody knows that attempted vehicular homicides are more appropriate for wrestling shows than kidnappings. I don't make the rules. Money in the Bank is looking like a real interesting show, and next week's Raw should be a good lead up for it. See ya tomorrow for NXT!