Hall’s WWE Raw Review 10.19.26

Monday Night Raw
Date: October 19, 2026
Location: Pechanga Arena, San Diego, California
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

It’s a big show as Roman Reigns is back, likely to help deal with the even bigger 946. Last week saw Carmelo Hayes join the team, giving them a new weapon to use in their war against everyone. In addition, we’re coming up on Crown Jewel so it’s time to pretend that the big matches on that show matter in the slightest. Let’s get to it.

We open with a long recap of last week’s big six man, with 946 taking out the Usos and Solo Sikoa thanks to the introduction of Carmelo Hayes.

Roman Reigns arrives and is handed his belt. Sami Zayn arrives, carrying his belt, and Reigns isn’t pleased.

Here is Zayn to get things going. He hears some haters in the crowd but asks how many are here to ride or die with him…and here is Reigns to interrupt. They have a bit of a moment talking about what it means to be champion and the pressures that come from it but we pause for ACKNOWLEDGE ME.

Zayn says this is like old times and nothing has changed. Reigns thinks it’s interesting that Zayn is on his show and Reigns has an opportunity for him. The most important title that Zayn has ever had is Honorary Uce. So are they here to discuss the titles or the 946? Is Zayn here out of love or to serve the Bloodline? The fans show off their memories by calling this UCEY and Zayn praises his time in the Bloodline.

The thing is though, now he’s the head of his own table and the Undisputed WWE Champion. Reigns: “That’s a title. This is the title.” Zayn asks why the title that he’s currently holding was THE title for 1400+ days and thinks maybe it’s the arrogance of the person holding it. Reigns says that title hasn’t meant s*** since Wrestlemania XL and THIS is the title now.

Zayn gets serious and calls the title one in a billion, because he’s the only one holding it. What bothers Zayn is that Reigns isn’t treating him like a threat for Crown Jewel. Reigns says he’s sweating Zayn, who might not even be champion by the time they get to Crown Jewel. As Reigns goes to leave, here is Penta for the big staredown with both champions.

Bron Breakker vs. Penta

Breakker powers him around to start and gives him a big running clothesline. A spinning headscissors gets Penta out of trouble and he kicks away at the leg. That’s enough to send Breakker outside, where he….kind of catches a dive, but falls down while trying. Breakker is fine enough to drop Penta onto the announcers’ table and we take a break.

We come back with Breakker knocking Penta down again. Penta comes up with some running shots, including a clothesline, before going back to the legs. Breakker catches him on top though and the running Frankensteiner gets two. The Super Spear is countered with a superkick though and the Penta Driver gives Penta two of his own.

Cue the Vision for a distraction but Penta fires off the superkicks, only to get speared out of the air….for two, with the fans being WAY into the kickout. Austin Theory goes for the briefcase but Je’Von Evans runs in to take it away and clock Breakker. The Mexican Destroyer gives Penta the pin at 11:55.

Rating: B+. The kickout on that spear was excellent and actually got me on the false finish. What matters the most here was having Penta get the pin here, as you need to do that if he’s getting built towards the title. As usual, Penta can have an exciting match with anyone, including Breakker, who needs to do something with the Tag Team Titles already. I keep forgetting the team even holds the things.

We look back at Judgment Day cheating Chelsea Green out of a match last week.

Roman Reigns goes to leave and is asked about having everyone come after him from so many directions. Sami Zayn turned him down but it’s time to go back to the drawing board. And he leaves.

Chelsea Green/Iyo Sky vs. Judgment Day

Sky works on Perez’s arm to start so Perez cartwheels away and gets in a slap. Green comes in to help take Sky down but Rodriguez runs Green over without much trouble. It’s quickly back to Sky for a running crossbody but Rodriguez gets away from the Bullet Train. Sky is sent hard into the barricade and we take a break. We come back with Sky slugging away at Perez, who kicks her in the head.

Rodriguez misses a running boot and gets kicked in the head as Perez is sent outside. Sky FINALLY dives for the tag but Green is pulled to the floor (that was a terrible sequence, as there were multiple times where Sky could have easily tagged and just didn’t for no logical reason). Back up and the tag brings in Green to take over on Perez but Liv Morgan crotches Green on top. Sky is up for the save and Green dives onto Judgment Day, leaving Sky to hurricanrana Rodriguez for the pin at 12:10.

Rating: C+. The match was fine, but it reminded me just how annoying the Crown Jewel stuff has to be. It’s going to see a pair of champions facing off with one of them losing for a prize that everyone has been firmly established as worthless. That’s all we’re going to hear about for the next few weeks and good night I do not care, much like WWE, about what they’re fighting over.

946 says they didn’t miss last week.

JD McDonagh vs. Joe Hendry

Dominik Mysterio is here with McDonagh and they’re fighting because of a fake Funko Pop. Hendry comes out with the walking Funko Pop and a guitar so McDonagh jumps him before the bell. They get inside where Hendry knocks him into the corner for the right hands. McDonagh fights out and throws the boxed Funko Pop at the human Funko Pop, the latter of whom eats up Mysterio on the floor. Hendry hits a big dive to take both of them down and we take a break.

We come back with Hendry fighting out of a chinlock and dropping backwards for the escape. The fall away slam sends McDonagh flying but Hendry’s back is banged up. Hendry sends him head first into the post and gets two off a DDT. The Funko Pop cuts off Mysterio’s interference and Hendry grabs the guitar, which McDonagh takes away. McDonagh destroys the Funko Pop with the guitar and gets clotheslined by Hendry back inside. Mysterio holds McDonagh away from the ropes though and the jumping headbutt finishes Hendry at 9:20.

Rating: F. This is one of the dumbest feuds I have seen in wrestling for a long time and it’s making me actively hate this show. Hendry and McDonagh both deserve better than what feels like an idea designed to entertain Vince McMahon. Get rid of whomever came up with this stupid idea and make the show a better place.

Earlier today, Lyra Valkyria thought Bayley was following her and accidentally hit Lola Vice. A match was made.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Lola Vice

Vice tries to wrestle her down to start but gets reversed into a rocking horse of all things. With that broken up, Vice hits a spinebuster and starts slugging away. Back up and Valkyria chokes her in the ropes and they head outside, where Valkyria gets in a nasty backbreaker. We take a break and come back with Vice getting out of trouble, including ducking an enziguri.

Vice kicks her down for two and trade some rollups for two each. Nightwing is reversed into a rear naked choke, which is broken up rather quickly. They head outside where Valkyria gets in a shot of her own but Bayley pops out from underneath the ring to grab Valkyria’s foot. Vice gets in a running seated senton off the apron and the spinning backfist finishes Valkyria at 10:53.

Rating: C+. This was all about waiting for Bayley to pop up to do something, which she finally did at the last second. Valkyria being all crazy about Bayley is working well enough, though I’d take anything after that Funko nonsense. Vice got the win here, though there’s only so much to gain when the focus was on Bayley vs. Valkyria.

Post match Valkyria goes after Bayley, who sends her into the timekeeper’s area to send Valkyria running. Bayley says she wants to finish this once and for all next week in a No DQ match.

We look at the Agents Of Shadow or whatever this nonsense is called series.

Stephanie Vaquer is told to stay off her ankle for another week so Becky Lynch comes in to mock her. Lynch tells Adam Pearce she should get the first shot at Liv Morgan. Pearce tries to calm things down and suggests they can fight each other later.

Intercontinental Title: Rey Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee vs. Chad Gable

Gable is defending and is knocked outside rather quickly, leaving Lee and Mysterio to forearm it out. Lee knocks him down in the corner and cuts off Gable on the way back inside. Gable is back up to German suplex both of them at once and we take a break. We come back with Gable slipping out of a powerbomb but getting caught in a Styles Clash attempt.

Mysterio breaks that up with a springboard crossbody and Lee is knocked outside. The ankle lock is broken up as Lee comes back in and gets his ankle locked as well. Mysterio sends Gable outside but gets knocked down again. Lee comes back in and Gable takes him down by the leg. Back up and Lee snaps off a running hurricanrana to the floor but Mysterio hits both of them with a dive as we take another break.

We come back again with Lee hitting his top rope double stomp to Mysterio’s back and getting his feet up to block Gable’s moonsault. Mysterio sends both of them into the ropes, where Gable blocks the 619. Lee cuts Gable off and powerbombs Mysterio for two and then does the same thing to Gable for two more. Mysterio is back up with a pair of 619s and the frog splash hits Lee, with Gable diving in for the save. Lee is sent outside, leaving Gable to sunset flip Mysterio to retain at 15:49.

Rating: B. I did like the match and they were all working hard, which is far from a surprise, but my goodness I am sick of triple threats. Just seeing the match announced as one took away so much of the interest and that’s a bad thing. Do Gable vs. Mysterio in Mysterio’s hometown and let them do their thing without Lee being involved. You know, as has been done forever in wrestling.

Post match Ethan Page runs in to lay Gable out. Then he does it again.

The Usos arrive and come to the ring with weapons in hand. Post break they get right to the point in calling out 946, who come into the arena. Royce Keys says no one is safe but here is Solo Sikoa from the crowd to take him out. The brawl is on but Carmelo Hayes saves Keys from the Samoan Spike. The Usos and Sikoa are laid out and Keys says he’s coming for Roman Reigns…who is here to join the festivities.

We get the big staredown and the brawl is on, with 946 being easily dispatched. The spear drops Nima and 946 runs off to end the show. This was the best thing on the card as WarGames awaits these guys, which should be more than good enough. Reigns alone just makes it feel more important, though I’m not sure if the 946 lineup is enough to be a threat to the Bloodline/Sikoa.

 

Results
Penta b. Bron Breakker – Mexican Destroyer
Iyo Sky/Chelsea Green b. Judgment Day – Hurricanrana to Rodriguez
JD McDonagh b. Joe Hendry – Jumping headbutt
Lola Vice b. Lyra Valkyria – Spinning backfist
Chad Gable b. Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio – Sunset flip to Mysterio

 

 

Head over to my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com with thousands of reviews from around the world and throughout wrestling history.

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

The main event segment helped this show a good bit but my goodness there were a lot of things on here that dragged it down. The Crown Jewel stuff does nothing for me, just like it didn’t when it was called The Battle For Brand Supremacy for all those years. Throw in the run away leader for worst angle of the year with the Funko stuff and I was miserable for a good chunk of this show. The opener, which was very good, was forgotten rather quickly for the sake of stupid and I could not stand way too much this week. Unfortunately the focus is going to be in the same place for a few weeks and that’s not going to make the next month or so very easy.