In short
WWE Raw Recap focused on Roman Reigns vs Penta in Mexico City for the World Heavyweight Championship, plus quick rundown of other title changes and major matches from the weekend.
Guest backgrounds
Hosts Sam Roberts and Megan Morant (WWE commentators/recappers). They discuss the matches as studio analysts, emphasizing crowd reactions and match psychology.
Key claims
Penta’s tournament win earned him the Mexico City main event, and his performance “took Roman to the limit,” elevating Penta’s status globally. Roman Reigns adapted to an enemy crowd and used experience and facial storytelling; his mid-match mic demand was framed as a “reminder” to the crowd that he’s greatness. Roman retained cleanly after a Superman Punch and Spear sequence.
Notable examples
Penta’s “sacrifice” spot that visibly unsettled Roman; Roman favoring his arm; Penta hitting a Penta Driver and Mexican Destroyers (including a springboard); Roman kicking out of near-falls. Also discussed: LA Knight’s post-match BFT on Roman; Sami Zayn winning the WWE Championship from CM Punk on SmackDown; Stephanie Vaquer becoming Women’s World Champion in Chile (with Becky Lynch as referee).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOWWE Raw Recap Introduction
0:05 to 1:09
Overview of the exciting highlights from WWE Raw including key matches.
“Is my phone gonna ring off the hook with sales calls now?”
WWE Raw Recap Introduction
2:22 to 3:02
Overview of the exciting highlights from WWE Raw including key matches.
“An incredible main event for the World Heavyweight title featuring Roman Reigns and Penta, an unbelievable intercontinental title match between Chad Gable and Dragon Lee, a weekend full of new champions and so much more.”
Penta vs. Roman Reigns: Build Up
3:02 to 4:29
Discussion on the build-up to the main event featuring Penta and Roman Reigns.
“and more specifically the main event that was advertised for a couple weeks but you could smell it coming for, I don't know, a month, month and a half?”
Match Analysis: Penta vs. Reigns
4:29 to 9:00
In-depth analysis of the match dynamics between Penta and Roman Reigns.
“talking about what's going on on SmackDown with the WWE Championship.”
Penta's Entrance and Performance
9:00 to 10:00
Exploration of Penta's impressive entrance and performance during the match.
Roman Reigns' Adaptation in the Match
10:00 to 12:15
Insights on Roman Reigns' ability to adapt to crowd reactions during the match.
“And I kept thinking back as I'm watching the entrance and as he's making this headdress, you know, still look cool with his strut.”
Final Thoughts on Match Impact
12:15 to 14:03
Discussion on the lasting impact of the Penta vs. Reigns match on future events.
“And there's a plane A, B, C, all the way down to.”
Penta's Sacrifice and Roman's Reaction
14:03 to 17:18
Explore how Penta's moves created tension and surprise during the match.
“So the next time that Penta hits a sacrifice on somebody, the next time that somebody sets up for it, that's another thing that's instilled in our brains.”
The Build-Up: Resetting the Match
17:19 to 22:43
Understand the pivotal reset moments that set the stage for the finale.
“now it's like okay we've almost gotten that out of the way both men are on the ground it's time for a reset and now we're headed home now it's now it's the last lap it's the sprint now we're ready to sprint.”
Roman's Mic Moment and Its Implications
22:44 to 25:36
Analyze Roman's request for the mic and how it reflects his character.
“And I think, you know what that does when he reminds them and they boo him?”
Show all 22 chapters
LA Knight's Interruption: A Controversial Appearance
25:37 to 27:47
Discuss LA Knight's appearance after the match and its impact on Roman.
“We get those two Jacob matches, one of them Tribal Combat.”
Roman Reigns and LA Knight Showdown
28:00 to 30:50
Discussion of the confrontation between Roman Reigns and LA Knight leading to a championship challenge.
“What you're saying doesn't make any sense.”
Miz's New Merch and Penta's Style
30:50 to 33:06
Overview of the Miz's 20th anniversary merchandise and Penta's new T-shirts.
“You didn't even, you know what I'm saying?”
Championship Matches Recap
33:14 to 35:56
Recap of recent championship matches and the new champions crowned.
“and enjoy every night out to the fullest.”
Dominic Mysterio's Controversial Victory
35:56 to 42:00
Analysis of the Mysterio family dynamics and the implications of Dominic's recent championship loss.
“It was a weekend full of new champions, three new world champions crowned in three days.”
Sami Zayn's Shocking Championship Win
42:00 to 48:00
Discover the details and reactions surrounding Sami Zayn's unexpected title win at SmackDown.
“Well, I mean, since I did help you, I'd love to have that championship.”
Analyzing the Mixed Tag Match
48:30 to 49:33
A detailed discussion on the mixed tag match featuring Stephanie Vaquer and its implications.
“ChatGPT can do more than answer questions.”
Analyzing the Mixed Tag Match
49:37 to 56:01
A detailed discussion on the mixed tag match featuring Stephanie Vaquer and its implications.
“And we're the hosts of the Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists podcast.”
Judgment Day's Resilience
56:01 to 1:00:10
Explore how the Judgment Day remains strong despite setbacks.
“Wouldn't that be like, this is a really complicated thing going on here?”
Chad Gable vs. Dragon Lee Match Recap
1:01:10 to 1:06:20
A detailed recap of the thrilling Intercontinental Championship match.
“For my personal collection, I got a set of the WWE Topps Decades, which are a set of 90s base cards.”
Javon Evans and Money in the Bank
1:06:21 to 1:10:04
Discussing Javon Evans' journey and his impact on the Money in the Bank match.
“But you know who else is one of the best on the planet?”
Javon Evans and Lola Vice: Rising Stars in WWE
1:10:04 to 1:12:40
Explore the promising storylines of Javon Evans and Lola Vice's impactful debuts.
“And obviously, Javon comes up and he makes a splash, both literally and figuratively, right away.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00How to sell your car. First, go to CarMax.com, then...
0:04Sam Roberts:Wow, this offer's great. But is this just an estimate? Nope. It's worth real money. Oh, I like that. Hold on. Is my phone gonna ring off the hook with sales calls now? Not at all. You have a week to think on it, pressure-free. Okay, but then I have to drop it off? Or you can just schedule an at-home pickup. That is kind of amazing. Get a real offer today at CarMax.com. Offers are good for seven days. At-home pickup not available in all locations. Distance restrictions and a fee may apply. Hey, it's Bobby from the Bobby Bones Show. Between the radio show and the podcasts and just constantly being on my phone, when I say the internet matters at my house, it really matters at my house.
0:43It runs it. That's why having fast, reliable internet can keep up what really matters and why you need Optimum's famously fast fiber internet. This is elite stuff. Optimum fiber blows flaky 5G out of the water and keeps it cool with the fastest and most reliable speeds that don't slow down when things heat up. This stuff is amazing, so don't wait. Call 888-4-OPTIMUM. Visit optimum.com or stop by your local Optimum store today. Famously Fast Fiber. For$30 a month for five years, you cannot beat it. Terms apply. See optimum.com for details. Some people use ChatGPT to answer questions. Others use it to get real work done.
1:28With ChatGPT Work, you bring the goal, plus real inputs like briefs, notes, files, feedback, data, and project plans. It can help turn them into an analysis, tracker, deck outline, prototype, or workflow you can review and keep shaping. You stay in control, giving direction and choosing the final output. Put ChatGPT to work on your most ambitious ideas and projects. Get started at ChatGPT.com by selecting Work Mode. Available on Plus and Pro Plans. kitchen and bathroom professionals know what goes behind the tile matters that's why trade pros trust fiber cement hardy backer board to keep tile firmly in place resist cracking and help block moisture chosen in over 40 million kitchens and bathrooms hardy backer board what the best build on shop now at participating home depot lowe's and floor and decor stores for more information visit jameshardy.com slash hardybacker.
2:25An incredible main event for the World Heavyweight title featuring Roman Reigns and Penta, an unbelievable intercontinental title match between Chad Gable and Dragon Lee, a weekend full of new champions and so much more. This is the Raw Recap on WWE Now at WWE and Fanatics Original Production.
2:52Oh, Megan Morant. Don't you just love it when things live up to the hype? I do.
2:58Sam Roberts:I love it. I love it. I love it. Welcome to the Raw Recap. Sam Roberts, Megan Morant here coming immediately off of Monday Night Raw and more specifically the main event that was advertised for a couple weeks but you could smell it coming for, I don't know, a month, month and a half? Going back to when they announced this torment. Back to when Rey Mysterio pulled Roman Reigns aside and he said, Hefe, he said, tribal chief. He said, let me ask you, let me talk to you about business. Let me bend your ear a little bit. That's the night Roman Reigns found out he was general manager of AAA. He called him Hefe?
3:36Rey did? It was implied, I believe. It was a paraphrase.
3:39Sam Roberts:You weren't there, but, you know. No, I wasn't there, but it was a paraphrase. That was the spirit of the conversation, anyway. and we find out there's going to be this luchador tournament involving stars from Raw and SmackDown and AAA and we watch the semifinals and the quarterfinals and the final all going out across Monday Night Raw, SmackDown and AAA. And it was an incredible tournament. Unbelievable tournament. La Parca, Psycho Clown, everybody was there. And it boils down to Penta and his brother Ray Phoenix and Penta wins and the announcement is made that with that tournament victory, Penta headlines Monday Night Raw in Mexico City wrestling Roman Reigns in the main event for the World Heavyweight Championship.
4:28I mean, we talk about the differences and we will spend some time tonight talking about what's going on on SmackDown with the WWE Championship. But there are big differences with that championship and the way CM Punk carried himself as a champion versus the World Heavyweight Championship and the way Roman Reigns carries himself as a champion. Roman Reigns feels that just being in a match with Roman Reigns is a prize into and of itself. And therefore, he asked that question of challengers. What have you done to even be in this conversation? what have you done to deserve getting the time of day from me that was the first thing he asked
5:12Sam Roberts:Seth Rollins when Seth Rollins stepped up to him it was also the first thing he asked LA Knight when LA Knight stepped up to him but it's not what he said to Penta just last week going in no he said Penta and Ray whoever won that match he talked about how that's what we should be focused on yes we should be talking about guys like Ray Phoenix we should be talking about guys like Penta who have earned the right. Do you think just stepping into the ring with Roman Reigns in this context elevated Penta? Of course. Of course it elevated Penta. I mean, we sat here in the studio speculating wildly as we do after Penta advanced in the tournament.
5:53Sam Roberts:Punches ticket to the main event of Mexico City Monday Night Raw and we talked about will he hit a Mexican Destroyer on Roman Reigns? I mean, even if he didn't, just that entrance alone in being in the spot, the main event of Raw against Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship. Yes, Penta's stock is elevated, but the performance we saw tonight on a totally different level. And I think, you know, and I've said this for a long time. I think that while you will have certain cities react to superstars in certain ways, this is a global platform. And just because something happens in a city, once you see it, once you hear the reaction, it becomes contagious wherever you are.
6:39When the clip of Stephanie Vaquer winning the Women's World Championship from Liv Morgan in Santiago, Chile, went out there, everybody heard how they reacted to Stephanie Vaquer in her hometown. And it drove the enthusiasm for Stephanie. Going back, you know, just say 11, 12 years at this point when Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble in Philadelphia, booed him out of the building. That had an effect on every other building that Roman Reigns went to because wrestling fans to a degree, and I say this as one, we're Pavlovian. We answer to cues. We understand the assignment. and tonight first of all Roman Reigns walked in to an enemy crowd for maybe the first time since Wrestlemania 40 I think so I think that's right yeah he walked in not the guy that the crowd wanted to cheer but I think and I know I felt it myself and I believe that that everybody around the world watching Monday Night Raw on Netflix tonight, they heard that reaction that Penta got.
7:50And I think that that's going to be contagious. I think that, yes, it elevates Penta to see him in this performance with Roman Reigns. And yes, it elevates Penta to see the fact that he took Roman Reigns all the way to the limit. And we got that moment that you want to have in championship matches where for a second you thought maybe, just maybe. For a second you thought Roman's not going to kick out of this. But I think going back to the entrance that you brought up, the minute you hear this is the man that people bought tickets to see. This is the superstar that is the nucleus of this entire show.
8:26And that was Penta tonight. And I think that that is the emotion that he drew out of this crowd in Mexico City is going to be contagious to cities all across the world.
8:37Sam Roberts:I think Penta moving forward is a completely different superstar after this match with Roman Reigns and not because he wasn't capable of doing the things he did in the ring before but because of the response he got from others and because of the place he took Roman Reigns tonight. I mean and I pointed this out when we were watching it together we see Penta and we're looking at the photo now of Penta walking out with that incredible headdress on a nod to the culture that surrounds Lucha and especially performing in front of an audience for an episode of Monday Night Raw for the first time in 15 years in Mexico City but the fact that like that Penta was still able to look cool in that headdress the fact that like he still had a bit of a swagger a bit of a strut wearing that giant headdress like a lot of people and this is just the the facts like when when even if you're a superstar when you're wearing something that big and something that elaborate and such a show piece there are times in the history of this industry where the entrance attire has worn the superstar if you know what i mean like it looks like they're almost overcome by this loud, huge presentation.
9:56Wasn't the case with Penta. Not at all. He owned the moment himself.
9:59Sam Roberts:Not at all. And I kept thinking back as I'm watching the entrance and as he's making this headdress, you know, still look cool with his strut. It looked cool with or without the strut, but then Penta added his own Penta flair to it as well. But I was thinking back to the Penta that WWE was introduced to on Netflix. And we knew there was something so special in that moment. and it's grown and grown and grown and grown. But to get to this place tonight in the main event of Raw, when he walks out, it was on a different level. And you hear the crowd reacting accordingly to it as well. I mean, you know that he pulled it off when I'm sitting there looking at it going, I wonder if I could pull off a headdress like that.
10:43Sam Roberts:No, you can't. I don't know. I don't know. I'd love to find out the haberdashery that Penta visits to get a piece like that. You don't think? No, I don't think you should try that. No, I think there are certain things you should sit out from. And this is one of them. I thought they look cool, and I like looking cool. So, okay, well, okay, well, then I won't try it then. But all right, fine. I think you have a better chance getting an ulafala. Well, that you have to earn. And Roman Reigns earned every bit of it. Roman Reigns is the tribal chief. And he walked in. And this is a tribal chief that is experienced.
11:16This is a tribal chief that has seen it all. This is now a tribal chief that has been in front of every crowd you could be in front of. You're not going to throw this guy off his game. And this guy is going to adapt. One of my favorite things to see is a superstar, not 100 % known. Like we knew the crowd was going to favor Penta. There was speculation as to where the crowd was going to go in terms of Roman Reigns. I think I said on the radio today, I didn't think he was going to get booed.
11:42Sam Roberts:I didn't either. I thought they were still going to acknowledge him. Yeah, because it's an exciting thing. He's a big star. It is a big deal to see Roman Reigns, especially to see Roman Reigns wrestle on Monday Night Raw. It's a huge deal. But they booed him. They did. They booed him. And Roman said, okay, whatever you've got for me. And you could feel his presence was adapted. His style was adapted. The way he wrestled was adapted. The way he interacted with the audience was adapted. He's ready for any mission. This is not a Roman Reigns that's going to be thrown off his game because things didn't go exactly according to plan.
12:15And there's a plane A, B, C, all the way down to.
12:18Sam Roberts:There's levels to this. Yeah. Yeah. Levels are in place. It goes all the way down. So we watched this match begin. And it really was such a fun thing to just sit back and observe. Penta starting off strong. And I mean. Trying to dictate the pace, really, which is kind of what we talked about, right? Yeah, quick. Yes. But I mean, like, this is one count Roman Reigns. You know, Roman Reigns, there are stages in this match where it's like it goes, it's one count Roman, then two count Roman, then near fall Roman. And depending on how deep in the match you go and how much of the match you get all to your own, that's the Roman that you end up getting.
13:00So, like, Roman did, of course, end up starting to take over. But fairly early on within the first, you know, I don't know, 30 % of the match, penta hit that sacrifice and it switched things up for a while yes and you could see the look
13:17Sam Roberts:on roman reigns's face when penta hit that sacrifice just i mean the face that roman reigns made as penta hits the sacrifice my arm hurt watching this i mean roman was he was watching the penta footage before this match and you do you look at that and it's like roman looks like he's in terror and you don't know if he's in terror because of what he's feeling right now or because he knows where this is going Roman will wear those emotions on his face I love that that I mean it's one of the many things that Roman will take you on a story just using his facial expressions if you don't believe that getting put in that position where Penta is looking around to the crowd and everybody knows he's about to hit that sacrifice if you don't think that's a dangerous spot to be in look at roman's face in the face was so effective in the way that roman reacted to the sacrifice that every time roman went to to go for a superman punch you and i as we're watching it we go oh the arm yeah i just i just love the idea that we just went over the like the fact that like roman has now been in every position conceivable so he's prepared for whatever, but he's not prepared for something like that for that moment.
14:39So the next time that Penta hits a sacrifice on somebody, the next time that somebody sets up for it, that's another thing that's instilled in our brains. We understand.
14:49Sam Roberts:Remember what this did to Roman Reigns. Exactly. And how Roman Reigns, even before it was hit, how dangerous Roman was aware that it was. So, I mean, now we get to the point where, yeah, Roman is favoring the arm. Roman is starting to get like, okay, I wasn't supposed to, that wasn't supposed to happen. Like it's the point in the match where Roman is going, he shouldn't be doing this well. I don't like this. I know I told you, I walked in saying I respected him. I don't like how well he's doing. And we see, we see, and now we see a lot of back and forth, right? We see that table, the commentary table gets smashed and you go, okay, now it's back on Roman's side but right after that when they both get back in the ring Penta he's starting now now we start to see those moments that you and I were talking about last week those moments where it's like win or lose this is stuff that we never thought we'd see seeing Roman get hit with a Penta driver you just don't see like watching Roman's body flip upside down and land like you don't see Roman doing stuff like that.
15:57Sam Roberts:You don't. And it's like you're going, that's what makes this different. That's what makes this special. And the fact that Penta hits it after Roman puts him through the table too. Right. Right. It was that point in the match where I thought, oh no, Roman's taking over. I don't know if we're going to see any of that from Penta. Right? I don't know if we're going to get the Mexican Destroyer. I don't know if we're going to get a Penta driver. And then Penta hits one after going through the table. Yeah. Game of. Okay. Okay. what are we doing here now we're locked in yes and then we do i mean i mean that one sort of like like penta hits a mexican destroyer which is something we were waiting for and he and i think that he was going for a mexican destroyer and roman was on the apron but that's when roman was able to kind of back body drop him off onto the floor to avoid it yes but then when they're in the ring he hits it he hits that mexican destroyer roman lands but kind of rolls into the turnbuckle and then just uses adrenaline to go boom spear one two but then there's a kick out and now both then it's one of those classic reset moments where it's like okay now we've seen it we've seen the penta driver we've seen roman spear we've seen the mexican destroyer but i wanted another one of course you want another one i'll take all of the above once more please do it again but that's to say that like you're no longer in that moment just waiting for spectacular moments now it's like okay we've almost gotten that out of the way both men are on the ground it's time for a reset and now we're headed home now it's now it's the last lap it's the sprint now we're ready to sprint.
17:40Now it's time to go like, okay, we're both laid out. This is officially anyone's match. We know who each other are. The feeling out process has been completed. And now we go, okay, who's going to be the one that hits the move? That's what we're waiting for now. The move that ends this thing. And Roman is getting either frustrated or wants to get a psychological advantage because he asks for a mic.
18:10Sam Roberts:I know in this to me, while all of Mexico City is booing Roman Reigns, and as you said, different reactions from different crowds. But when Roman asked for the mic, I said, that's poor to me. What? That's poor to me. Here he is in the middle of a match with Penta, who's hit a Penta driver. He's hit the sacrifice on him. He's hit a Mexican destroyer, two of them. Not yet. Not before the mic. Well. I don't think. I don't know if it was before or after the mic. But regardless. You're still on. He had taken a Mexican destroyer from Penta and he asked for a mic mid-match to ask the crowd to acknowledge him?
18:54To demand that the crowd acknowledged him.
18:56Sam Roberts:I was. That was poor. You died de Mexico.
19:03Acknowledge me.
19:04Sam Roberts:Poor. poor to me listen that's right i i'm i'm up there with that fan booing that little girl yeah that's that's me i don't know i might put her with the belgium kid oh you know what i mean that's not me no that's not me my one's up in the air at that point i don't think so that's our tribal chief i know this is a wonderful moment and i love penta just as much as the next guy and i was thinking about while i was watching that match i was thinking about penta sitting in this studio with us pointing at the WWE championship on the wall and saying that's why I'm here I'm here to win all the titles and when he did we said I don't know if you know let's see if you can get the IC title I don't know if you're gonna get the world championship and here he is potentially one move away from the world championship I'm with it I'm with it but I'm ready Mike though yeah me that's the moment where I said okay Penta kick his butt Come on.
19:59And that's when Roman's saying, yeah, kick my butt. Because you forgot I'm the tribal chief. Look, sometimes a leader's benevolency can be mistaken for weakness. And that's what Roman won't have. Roman has been a benevolent leader. Roman has been putting food on people's tables. But the minute, the minute that you mistake kindness for weakness, the last thing that you want our tribal chief to do is to have to remind you don't make me remind you who i am and that's what he did oh you're all having fun boo boo yay penta boo acknowledge me
20:44Sam Roberts:i didn't see anything poor about it at all oh disgusting i said and i love that he won't leave that that chip on his shoulder oh it won't it'll never get knocked off hey we're in the sprint to the finish but let me grab a mic acknowledge me yeah no poor to me and you know what i think it does i think it charges him up because they boo him more and he goes how dare they you know what i mean remember when michael jordan looked at that ipad in the last dance took that personally that's right i took that personally you know what i mean roman's the type of guy to put the american flag over his tracksuit because he doesn't want to represent the brand you know what i mean roman does things his way just like Michael Jordan did and it was there was some little chip on Michael Jordan's shoulder he's got to craft the scenario so he's still the underdog so no it was this it was here's the under not the underdog not the underdog but this idea of like how dare in Michael Jordan's case I don't think it was necessarily the audience I think it was players on the court the players on the court in on the opposing team that did not want to acknowledge listen I know we're competing but let's not forget you're playing with the greatest of all time and by the way still to this day the greatest of all time okay you know who I'm talking to I know who you're okay yeah I think Roman Reigns is going like wait wait wait wait I know we're all having fun booing I know we're all having fun seeing this moment with Penta, but let's not for a second forget that you are lucky enough to be in the presence of greatness.
22:19Let's not for a second forget that you are witnessing something that is once, not in a lifetime, as John Cena said about Brock Lesnar, once in a genre, okay? This is the tribal chief. There's never been one before that will never be one again like Roman Reigns. So let's just take a second right now. And I think that occurred to him mid-match. I think mid-match, it occurred to him, wait a minute. Have they all forgotten? Let me remind them. And I think, you know what that does when he reminds them and they boo him? It gives him that thing, that thing, that thing that lives inside him that led to a 1 ,316-day reign, okay?
23:02It feeds it like blood to Audrey 2 in Little Shop of Horrors. It feeds him and it allows it to grow. You understand?
23:12Sam Roberts:I understand. I don't like it, but I understand it. Charlie likes musicals. He gets it. I understand. Yeah. And I think that that's why he grabbed that microphone. And that's why he did it. Okay? No poor. No poor. You're witnessing greatness. I didn't like it. And I don't think Mexico City liked it. Okay. And it also led to Penta being able to hit another Mexican destroyer. This time, springboard. Oh, a springboard Mexican destroyer. And Roman just goes to the ground. Such an incredible moment. We get a very, very near fall. Very near fall. But Roman kicks out of it. Then Penta hits him with one super kick.
23:57Nah. Two super kicks. No. three super kicks uh-oh now penta goes for what could be maybe third times the charm again on the mexican destroyer but penta goes for a springboard gets met with a superman punch and what did you say you know what megan said to me she said sam she said sam this match is so good how does it
Read the full transcript
24:22Sam Roberts:even end and what did i say when you said you said superman punch spear that's it she said how are you even going to end this match with everything that's been in it? I said, Superman punch and spear is how you end this match. And you said, no, I don't think so. I don't think so. I don't want it to end like that. That's not how I want this to end. That doesn't sound right. And then you saw that Superman punch and I said, okay, that's it. And you went, no. And then boom! Spear. And the spear is so sick. Just the way he hits it. I'll tell you this about Roman Reigns spear. Goldberg could never. I'll say that.
25:01Goldberg. Bill Goldberg could never.
25:04Sam Roberts:Why on the Goldberg game? I'm just saying as far as Spears go. He did the spear. Roman did the spear. See, Goldberg needed a move after the spear. He needed the jackhammer. Spear was the setup move. Roman's spear is so good, he doesn't even need the jackhammer. No. He just goes straight for the spear, and that's it. Spear. Done. Done. You know? And it does deliver every time. Every time. That's why I told you. And it does hit you. Like, it hits you right here in the soul. That's why I told you. You know? And it ended just like I said it would. One, two, three. Roman Reigns retains after another, I mean, these Roman Reigns title matches, think about what we have this year, okay?
25:37CM Punk at WrestleMania.
25:38Sam Roberts:Yes. We get those two Jacob matches, one of them Tribal Combat. You have Seth at SummerSlam. You have Penta. Those are, I mean, Roman, this guy doesn't miss. No, he doesn't. And for all the Roman haters you say, oh. That was you. He doesn't show up to work. That was you. It was not me. It sounds like you. I said it before WrestleMania. After WrestleMania, I backed off. Sounds like you're doing an impression of yourself. I'm not doing an impression of myself. I have not been on Roman's case. Judgment Day's case, I have, and we can get to that later in the show, talking about the Judgment Day. But Roman's case, listen, he said he'd show up to work, and he did show up to work.
26:16Tell me if you think this is poor.
26:19Sam Roberts:You're pulling up text messages? Yeah. You have receipts saved? For every time I've texted you about Roman Reigns? I love that you think I'm throwing you under the bus No, WWE just released this video, right? You can kind of hear it through my phone Yeah, it's LA Night LA Night, this happened after Raw Oh, it did? You haven't seen this No, I haven't This happened after Raw So LA Night's coming This is when Roman was in the ring Celebrating after winning and retaining the championship against Penta There you go Okay, there you go And there he is Gets right in Roman's face Now he gets right in Roman's face Roman says I don't want Oh No Oh and they're cheering that That's what they're cheering LA and another BFT on Roman Reigns For LA night Now that's poor I don't know what that was Good thing I turned it off For LA night for LA Knight to show up after that Penta match and make it about him.
27:34I mean, these fans to cheer it is ridiculous.
27:37Sam Roberts:I mean, if it was any, but if it was Roman Reigns doing this type of thing, right? Showing up, you'd say, hey, listen, he had it well scouted. He knew the opportunity. He took advantage of the opportunity. He hasn't taken his eye off the ball. You're asking me to deal on hypotheticals? No. How could I do that? If I had wings, I would fly away. I mean, what are we talking about here? We're trying to do a show. You know what I'm saying? What you're saying doesn't make any sense. What I'm saying is it's a terrible thing. I mean, L.A. Night. What? You hit me with hypotheticals. I don't know what to, I can't make heads or tails of it to tell you the truth.
28:12But L.A. Night, I guess showing up as Roman is still standing in the ring after an incredible contest, getting in his face and then when Roman goes like what the hell are you doing here? I mean by another and I'd like to see it in full I hope they post out Club WWE or something because I'd like to see it in full with the music because I want to hear what it sounded like when Roman is sitting there holding the title and you just what'd you hear? There's nothing more irritating
28:43Sam Roberts:It's the greatest interruption that's ever existed in the industry It's so good Yeah, yeah And his timing is impeccable. I mean, it's just the worst time. It's like, I don't want to have a visitor right now. I'm not taking visitors at the moment. And LA Knight shows up, gets in Roman's face. Roman turns around to get the microphone. And then as he's talking, LA Knight sucker punches him and BFTs him. Now, I get it. LA Knight is doing whatever he can to irritate Roman Reigns enough that Roman Reigns accepts his challenge for a championship match. But it doesn't make LA Knight a good person.
29:21and it doesn't increase LA Knight's chances of taking down the tribal chief.
29:26Sam Roberts:Well, you know what Roman did say to the rest of his bloodline, that LA Knight is his problem, and clearly he hasn't handled that problem. Oh, yeah, I wonder what he was doing. What was he doing tonight? He had something. Well, there are levels to this that he does have people that he could. There was something he was busy doing. I forget Roman Reigns. Wait, doesn't he have the Usos? We just spent 25 minutes talking about what he was doing tonight. Wait, doesn't he have the Usos and Jacob Fatu that he could have assigned to watch LA Knight. But no, he said, don't do that. What were they doing?
29:53Oh, yeah, oh, yeah. There's a gang called the 946 lighting their car on fire.
29:58Sam Roberts:946 wasn't there today. We just found that out at the end. We didn't even know. We didn't know they weren't there. They said that they were there. They lie, the 946. Did you know that? They do lie. They're deceiving. But you know what's worse than lying? Arson. Okay? I can't argue that. Thank you. Can't argue that. Thank you. And what I'm saying is - Lying arson? Yeah, I'd say arson. You're sitting there going like, well, why doesn't the Usos take care of LA Knight? I don't know. Roman said, that's my problem. Don't handle my problem. And also because there's a guy and his two friends lighting their cars on fire and beating them up with baseball bats every chance they get.
30:32Maybe their plate's full. Is that fair to say?
30:35Sam Roberts:It is fair to say. But Roman has a problem, an LA Knight problem that he hasn't, clearly hasn't handled. Well, because he is busy defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Penta in Mexico City of all places. It's tough being a champion. It's tough being a champion. How would you know? I don't. You qualify. It doesn't make you a champion. You qualified to qualify. You didn't even, you know what I'm saying? Nobody even knows who you're talking about. The marathon and the Olympics. They know if they listen. If they're regulars from the now, they know. Alex and Charlie knew. I saw them.
31:10Sam Roberts:Yeah, they know. They were like, good point. Sam nailed her again is what they said in my ear. Got her again. It's about time someone took her off her pedestal. Got her. Got her. Hey, by the way, speaking of getting stuff. What's that? I'm trying to get some of these shirts. You hear about the Miz's new merch line? 20 years of being must-see. You can celebrate the Miz's incredible WWE career with the new 20th anniversary tees featuring some of his most iconic retro designs that are available now at WWE Shop and Fanatics. I love the old Raglan awesome tee and, of course, the Hello, I'm Awesome, you know, name tag T-shirt.
31:49And we've been talking about him all night. Penta Cero Miedo. Rep the fearless style of Penta with all of his newest T-shirts available now at WWE Shop and Fanatics. There's also some pretty sick solo shirts available now on WWE Shop and Fanatics. So go check that out. Chat GPT can do more than answer questions. It can help you get real work done. Chat GPT work is built for bigger projects with multiple steps. You bring the goal along with the information it needs, like briefs, notes, files, feedback, calendars, data sets, or project plans. Then Chat GPT can help turn all of that into something useful, An analysis, a tracker, a deck outline, a prototype, or a workflow you can keep shaping.
32:42It can also use approved apps, connected tools, files, and browser contexts to help move the work forward. And you stay in control. You give direction, review drafts, approve actions, redirect the work, and choose the final output. So you spend less time sorting through busy work and more time making progress on the work that matters. Put ChatGPT to work on your most ambitious ideas and projects. Get started at ChatGPT.com by selecting Work Mode. Available on Plus and Pro Plans. With the Amex Gold Card, earn four times points at restaurants and enjoy every night out to the fullest. Apply today at AmericanExpress.com slash Explore-Gold.
33:25Terms and points cap apply. Hi, this is Kylie Brakeman. Angela Geritana. Jeremy Colhane, Patrick McDonald, and we're the hosts of the Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists podcast. The Improvised Character Comedy podcast where each week a new panel of artists discuss their craft. Join us for a panel of wellness influencers. What I try to do is faux journal. I don't know. Have you guys heard of faux journaling? Yeah, it's reading. It's called reading. So we don't like to use that word anymore. Okay. A panel of New Yorker cartoonists. Have you guys done Terry Gross's Peloton class? No! I've been dying too I'm so sorry I'm seeing a reading of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes By Audra McDonald at the Wonderland Bookstore On the 14th That's crazy
34:10Sam Roberts:I went to the Wonderland Bookstore yesterday And I heard Nora Jones do a reading of Zero Dark Thirty No way We'll have to come to the last bookstore though Kim Cattrall is reading the guitar tabs of yesterday A panel of Eurovision participants And we do a little Halloween sometimes Does the Pope dress up? He winks on Halloween. It's right up next to the microphone. I hear you can almost hear the eyelashes hit each other. You've never seen Italy so quiet as when the Pope gets up to wink on Halloween. Listen to Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
34:48The new NFL season is here, and you should be listening to NFL Daily as we march along to Super Bowl 61. Last year, we had Mike McDonald. Sam Darnold on the field after the game. But that was last year. If you're a football sicko like me, NFL Daily is your kind of show. It is in the name. NFL Daily, fresh content in your feed every day, all season long. Matthew Stafford coming off his MVP season. On a dazzling dart from Matthew Stafford. Big time trades that shake up the NFL. A.J. Brown is loose. And of course, those Seahawks trying to run it back and win another Lombardi trophy. The Seahawks win Super Bowl 60.
35:33They are bringing the Lombardi back to the Northwest. If it's happening on a football field, NFL Daily will cover it. Listen to NFL Daily on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We had two, I want to say, championship matches tonight on Monday Night Raw. But before we get to any of the other ones, It was a weekend full of new champions, three new world champions crowned in three days. And it led to a lot of people going, I mean, this is going to they're going to go around the basis.
36:10Sam Roberts:It's going to be for anything could happen. Exactly right. So we, of course, yesterday or yeah, on Sunday, we got Grande Americano winning the Triple A Mega Championship. Against? Well, it was against Dominic Mysterio Odd that Rey Mysterio had a referee's mask waiting for him I mean, can you imagine, like, you're running a marathon And it's like, oh, it's neck and neck It has nothing to do with me No, it's competition, watch this It's neck and neck, right? And it's like, oh, it could go either way Oh, don't worry, we have a guest judge It's your dad, and he says the other lady won Would you be like, thanks, dad Thanks a lot for nothing is that what you would say hey thanks for nothing i mean when you just present it that way like father son and you don't go into the depths of their relationship and what has happened between dominic mysterio i don't think i don't think ray would want me to bring up their past i don't think ray would want me to bring i mean yeah the way that you frame it it makes it seem pretty legend i'm not gonna call him a deadbeat i'm not gonna call him a deadbeat i'm not gonna bring up the past i'm just gonna say what it is i mean the way you frame it makes it seem pretty unfair but with a little context about the relationship.
37:26Imagine your dad clapping for the marathon winner that's not you. Way to go. Way to beat, Megan.
37:31Sam Roberts:Again, without context, yes. Oh, you're so much faster than Megan. See, I knew you were very hostile today. And I think it's because you just are still processing the fact that Dominic Mysterio is no longer the AAA mega campeon. Yeah, well, he's not. Grande Americano is. And people were really happy about it. I was pumped. Oh, you were? You're happy about that? Yeah. Ray was pumped. Yeah. Really happy about it. Great dad. I mean, listen, this is a guy who credits AAA for a lot of what he's accomplished in his career. Hooray. He never won the mega championship. No, he hasn't, but he credits AAA.
38:06Sam Roberts:Dom did. And so now as the general manager, he feels pretty happy. Crooked general manager. Pretty happy that, you know, the champion. Can you imagine your dad gets chokeslammed on a stretcher and somehow finds the will to get out of his hospital bed with a neck brace on just to be like, hey, Megan, I'm just here to make sure the other lady wins. You'd be so upset. You'd be incredibly upset. Wouldn't you? Yes. When you put it just that way. Okay, all right. That's all I'm saying. Yes, I would be. So then on Saturday. But now when you, okay, nevermind. On Saturday in Chile, we find out on Friday that the live event on Saturday is now they're adding a match to it.
38:47Adam Pearce announces that it's going to be Liv Morgan versus Stephanie Vaquer in a rematch for the Women's World Championship. And this time, Becky Lynch is going to referee, which do you think that she is trying to take Jessica Carr's job?
39:02Sam Roberts:I hope so. Right. Who do you think is a better referee, Becky Lynch or Jessica Carr? Becky Lynch, for sure. One match in. One match and already iconic. Wow. Yeah. I mean, did you see the moment, the moment of the weekend? Well, I don't know if is the moment of the weekend, but it was a great moment. For me, it was. I think we're talking about the same thing. Yes, absolutely. When Liv got in Becky's face and Becky didn't like that. And then Liv was still able to hit oblivion. Cover Stephanie Vaquer. One, two, and then Becky Lynch stopped the count and gave Liv Morgan the old stone cold salute. Double birds, baby.
39:40Flipped her the double bird and said, uh-uh, said no. And Liv Morgan could not believe it. But I'll tell you this, that hand gesture, the reaction that that hand gesture got in Chile was unbelievable. One, two, double bird. Liv is freaking out, and maybe she shouldn't have been freaking out because that's all the time that Stephanie Vaquer needed to throw her up in the air, drop her on her knees, and then climb to the top rope. Corkscrew moonsault. I still don't know the physics behind it. One, two, three, Stephanie Vaquer is the new women's world champion. Now tonight on Raw, Becky Lynch at the end of the night confronted Stephanie Vaquer, who I guess they're friends because she kept calling her amiga.
40:30Sam Roberts:I think that does mean friend, right? Yes, it does. It does. It's the feminine side. Well, they should be friend because Becky helped her win the championship. She said you wouldn't have won that without me. She wouldn't have. And so she'd like to go ahead and take the take whenever Stephanie Vaquer is ready. Becky Lynch would like to have the match. Do you think that Becky Lynch has been helping Stephanie Vaqueria throughout the way just because she's trying to weasel her way into a match? I don't like that you use the term weasel. Why? Because I think that's inappropriate. It's not. It's completely appropriate.
41:01Sam Roberts:It doesn't describe. I mean, if Dominic Mysterio was employing a similar tactic, you would say, oh, you're so smart. Look at that Dom. So savvy. You love hypotheticals. But when Becky does it, she's a weasel. I don't know anything about Dom doing anything. He didn't do that. He would never. I don't think Dom would do that. Of course he would. Okay. Well, again, it's like woody, could he, should he? Like, what are we even talking about? I just don't appreciate the way that you characterize some of Becky's behavior as a weasel. Weaseling. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel.
41:33Sam Roberts:Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel. Weasel.
41:45Sam Roberts:Weasel. opportunity, right? And I think she deserves one. Why? So whatever it takes. What do you think makes her deserve one? I think she deserves one because she's the reason that Stephanie Vaqueror became the women's world champion. That's why. Feels orchestrated. Just feels pretty orchestrated. Very manipulative. Very manipulative. Oh, I'm helping you. Oh, we're friends. Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, since I did help you, I'd love to have that championship. Orchestrated. You know, that's all. Very manipulative. Sit back and wait until she gets handed an opportunity no i just figured that's not what the man does she doesn't wait for anything just a lot of people goes out there to want a tournament i mean she's earned pretty much everything in her career not really but uh on friday we had a wwe title change sammy zane wins the wwe championship i would say you know i 70 of a care winning the championship was shocking because we didn't even know the match was going to happen i know when i woke up and people were like, I text on my phone.
42:45Sam Roberts:Did you see from the live event? I can't even believe this. Right. But I think Sami's win was probably the shock win of the weekend. Yeah. I don't think that people thought that Sami, justice for Sami Zayn, was going to go into SmackDown and beat CM Punk for the WWE Championship. Especially the way, I mean, it all went down. With everybody, I mean, you want to talk about people looking for shots at championships. SmackDown is littered with it. You have Finn Balor, Gunther, Kevin Owens, Johnny Gargano, who has woken up from his slumber and is right in the mix. Randy Orton. Who knows what Cody Rhodes is going to say next week.
43:22I would imagine that CM Punk is going to want his title back. And Sami Zayn is looking at all of them going, well, you can't have it. I mean, it's pretty remarkable where we're at. We're in that match. And again, Johnny Gargano is being honest about it. He's doing what Becky Lynch is accused of doing. he's saying I'll help you but I want the first shot and Sami Zayn's like no no no
43:47Sam Roberts:I'll help you I'm getting it and so we get to the match and there's Johnny there's Candice, Candice is distracting the referee Johnny brings the belt in the ring CM Punk sees him coming boom drops him with the go to sleep Johnny is laid out in the middle of the ring as if he's lying down on a travel crate the referee is now checking Johnny which I mean it's nice that the referee wasn't knocked out, but he might as well have been unconscious. The stuff he wasn't seeing in that ring. Then here comes Kevin Owens. Now that Johnny Gargano is laid out, Kevin Owens picks up that belt. He's aiming to hit Sami Zayn.
44:24He misses. Hits CM Punk in the side of the head. CM Punk's now laid out. Kevin Owens didn't mean to, but he's not broken up about it. And then he turns around to hit Sami, but it's too late. Boom. Low blow. as CM Punk is struggling to get to his feet. Haluva kick.
44:42Sam Roberts:He's in the perfect spot. Haluva kick, is it actually going to happen? One, two, three. Sami Zayn is the WWE champion. And it is crazy, the reaction, because it wasn't that long ago, right? Like a month and a half ago. I don't know how. Two months maybe. Two months since Sami was the champion for nine days. Yes. Everybody cheered in Saudi Arabia when he won the championship. What was the reaction on SmackDown? In Mexico City, it was booze. Lots of booze. And I think it would have been booze anywhere. Yeah, I agree with you. Based on who Sami Zayn is right now. And who he's become since losing that championship.
45:16But I'll tell you, I mean, look, fool me once. Well, fool me twice, you can't fool me again, I think is the old phrase. But I think Sami Zayn's got to show up to SmackDown and be like, I am not defending this title for anything, for nobody. You got me after nine days last time. You're not going to fool me. You can't get fooled again. There's no way. There's no way. I think Sami Zayn should take that title and go hide somewhere with it. Hold on to it for as long as possible. Kind of take the Liv Morgan strategy.
45:47Sam Roberts:Yeah, get in that convertible and just keep driving. Just keep driving. Just don't stop anywhere. No. Keep driving, top down. Are you excited to see what Sami Zayn does as champion? I am looking forward to seeing what Sami Zayn does as champion. I'm excited to see where Johnny Gargano goes from all of this because it was only a couple weeks ago where we thought, is he ever going to wake up from this crate? Is he ever going to get off the crate and do anything? And then he has this unbelievable championship match with CM Punk. And now he's inserted right into the WWE championship picture. He's theoretically in line for a championship match again.
46:23Sam Roberts:I mean, I'm interested to see the Kevin Owens of it all. Yep. I'm interested to see, you know, where Randy Orton goes with all of this. How about the fact that Finn Balor just punched Gunther in his face on SmackDown? Nuts as well. Knocked him right back down on the sofa. It's very crowded over on SmackDown as it relates to the championship picture. Yeah, I don't know if Sammy is going to welcome challengers per se, but he's got a lot of people coming after him. Well, I've got to tell you, I love it. And I love the crowded nature of it. I love the unpredictability of it. I also love that there is a brand new WWE podcast we've got to tell you about.
47:02It's WWE Now, but it's in Spanish. It's WWE Ahora, and it's hosted by Andrea Bazarte, who a lot of people are calling the Sam Roberts of Latin America, and Eduardo Bates. I cannot wait to hear what these two have to say about everything that's going on in the WWE every Thursday on WWE Espanol, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure, you know, you let Andrea know. Andrea
47:33Sam Roberts:That she's the Megan Morant No no no That's not what anybody The Sam Roberts of North America Shout out to the Sam Roberts of Latin America Andrea I mean it's just a cool cool connection That we're doing here at WWE No there's no Megan Morant in Latin America And I'm the Andrea Bazzarte of North America Yeah okay This week
48:03they'll be covering all the action from Mexico City and South America this past week. And they'll even have an interview with Stephanie Vaquer.
48:12Sam Roberts:You champ, baby. After winning the championship. So definitely go check out WWE Ahora for all our Spanish-speaking listeners and viewers and everything. If Andrea's more like Sam or Megan, let us know. I mean, it's clearly. She already has been kind of developed that reputation in a very, very positive way as the Sam Roberts of Latin America, which, you know, as far as broadcast goes, could not be a higher compliment. ChatGPT can do more than answer questions. It can help you get real work done. ChatGPT work is built for bigger projects with multiple steps. You bring the goal along with the information it needs, like briefs, notes, files, feedback, calendars, data sets, or project plans.
48:58Then ChatGPT can help turn all of that into something useful. An analysis, a tracker, a deck outline, a prototype, or a workflow you can keep shaping. It can also use approved apps, connected tools, files, and browser contexts to help move the work forward. And you stay in control. You give direction, review drafts, approve actions, redirect the work, and choose the final output. So you spend less time sorting through busy work and more time making progress on the work that matters. Put ChatGPT to work on your most ambitious ideas and projects. Get started at ChatGPT.com by selecting work mode.
49:37Available on Plus and Pro Plans. Hi, this is Kylie Brakeman. Angela Geritana. Jeremy Colhane. Patrick McDonald. And we're the hosts of the Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists podcast. The Improvised Character Comedy podcast, where each week a new panel of artists discuss their craft. Join us for a panel of wellness influencers. What I try to do is faux journal. I don't know. Have you guys heard of faux journaling? Yeah, it's reading. It's called reading. So we don't like to use that word anymore. Okay. A panel of New Yorker cartoonists. Have you guys done Terry Gross's Peloton class? No! I've been dying to.
50:14I'm so sorry. I'm seeing a reading of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Audra McDonald at the Wonderland Bookstore on 14th.
50:22Sam Roberts:That's crazy. I went to the Wonderland Bookstore yesterday and I heard Nora Jones do a reading of Zero Dark Thirty. No way. We'll have to come to the last bookstore, though. Kim Cattrall is reading the guitar tabs of yesterday. A panel of Eurovision participants. And we do a little Halloween sometimes. Does the Pope dress up? He winks on Halloween. He gets right up next to the microphone. I hear you can almost hear the eyelashes hit each other. You've never seen Italy so quiet as when the Pope gets up to wink on Halloween. Listen to Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
51:00The new NFL season is here, and you should be listening to NFL Daily as we march along to Super Bowl 61. Last year, we had Mike McDonald, Sam Darnold on the field after the game, but that was last year. If you're a football sicko like me, NFL Daily is your kind of show. It is in the name. NFL Daily, fresh content in your feed every day, all season long. Matthew Stafford coming off his MVP season. On a dazzling dart from Matthew Stafford. Big time trades that shake up the NFL. AJ Brown is loose. And of course, those Seahawks trying to run it back and win another Lombardi trophy. The Seahawks win Super Bowl 60.
51:45They are bringing the Lombardis back to the Northwest. If it's happening on a football field, NFL Daily will cover it. Listen to NFL Daily on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Brett Coleman. And I'm Trevor Sikama. Have you ever watched a game and wondered what really made the difference beyond the final score? That's exactly why we created NFL Pro. Got a man wide open. touchdown Seahawks every week we use exclusive next gen stats insights and NFL content to break down the biggest stories matchups and moments from around the league we go beyond the box score to uncover the numbers the tendencies and details that help explain what actually happened on the field fires it out in the flat to Barkley who beats one man spins past another leaps over a third and don't worry this isn't just a show for stats experts.
52:41We use advanced analytics to help tell the story behind the game, turning the numbers into insights that every fan can understand and enjoy. So whether you're a casual fan learning more about football or a hardcore fan who can't get enough analysis, our goal is to help you see the game in a whole new way. If you've ever wanted to know why a play worked, how a matchup was won, or what most fans missed on Sunday, NFL Pro delivers insights you simply can't get anywhere else. Listen to NFL Pro on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
53:19So congrats to Andrea. I mean, you, you, that was crazy what you said. But speaking, speaking of Stephanie Vaquer, not only did she have that confrontation with Becky Lynch, but we started the show with an impromptu mixed tag match. Stephanie Vaquer and Grande Americano versus Dominic Mysterio and Liv Morgan.
53:47Sam Roberts:I love the way that this kicked off the show, right? Because, you know, Rey Mysterio's out there with Adam Pearce. Oh, yeah, just celebrating. Oh, I love the new champion. So much better than my son. Well, first he was calling out Stephanie Vaquer. Sure. It had nothing to do with his son at all. Right. I love the new champion better than my son's girlfriend. That's real cool, Dad. Thanks, Dad. They were there to celebrate. Shout out, Dad. They were there to celebrate Stephanie Vaquer and her victory. And then here comes Liv and Dom. Nice. And there is something special. And I know you love Dominic Masserio so much.
54:21Sam Roberts:But even you, Sam, you have to admit that when a crowd boos Dom out of the building, doesn't it make you smile a little? There's something so magical about it. I love Dominic Mysterio's ability to evoke extreme reaction. Yes, there we go. That's what I love to see. And I feel like it's been a while since we've heard that loud of a reaction for Dom. I mean, think back to, I mean, it was like a couple years ago when Dom couldn't speak into the mic because crowds were booing him so loud. That was the type of reaction we got tonight in Mexico City. Yeah, coming right off of, of course, TripleMania.
54:59but I mean Dominic Mysterio keeps that laser intense focus with his guarita by his side. And listen too, I mean the idea that Grande Americano and Stephanie Vaqueror as great as they are individually think that they can just team up and have the team chemistry of I mean the it couple of the decade Dominic Mysterio and Liv Morgan is preposterous.
55:27Sam Roberts:Do you think Dom was upset that his dad was, well, Ray was wearing a shirt with his dad on it? Eddie? Yeah, I think it was a little salt in the wound. Yeah, I think, yeah. It bothered him a little bit? I mean, imagine that. Imagine if little Megan Moran is sitting in the front row and you're just sitting there and your dad is fighting another gentleman and you're like eight and they're having a ladder match for custody of you. It would probably be like, this is not a normal childhood. and then as an adult, not only is your dad not supporting you, he's supporting the people that beat you, and he's wearing a t-shirt of the guy who you watched him fight for your custody at eight.
56:04Wouldn't that be like, this is a really complicated thing going on here?
56:07Sam Roberts:Yeah, it sounds like trauma with a capital T, you know? Trauma, trauma. That's Dom. Yeah, and I get it. I get it. That should be his music. Liv needs to remix it. And it's really not right what Ray has done to Dom. But Ray was at ringside for this tag match. And listen, I think a lot of people have said a lot of things. Oh, the Judgment Day doesn't have any titles left. The Judgment Day, once again, what happens? And I want you to say this without bias. Every time the Judgment Day gets counted out, every time the discussion of whether or not this is the end of the Judgment Day starts, what ends up happening?
56:46Sam Roberts:The Judgment Day is stronger than ever. Yes! just today i was i was texting a friend about money in the bank and it was like oh maybe a friend yeah right about money in the bank and and it's like maybe roxanne wins money in the bank the judgment day breaks up and blah blah that was the narrative of the conversation because that's what people say once the judgment day starts to lose championships right we saw this past weekend. But right when Raw kicks off, we see JD and that Funko Pop head coming to use. Right? Yeah. Putting that Funko Pop head to good use. Stop saying it. Stop calling it that.
57:26He wouldn't like that. He doesn't call it that. Joe Hendry did.
57:29Sam Roberts:Mom fell in love with a Funko Pop. Has that been stuck in your head? You do for a whole week? Yeah. I wonder if it's on the album. I don't know. If it's one of the album cuts. I hope it is. Just around the house doing chores. Fell in love with a Funko Pop. I mean, it was really good but but he wouldn't like that being described i mean to to he would keep he used his head well tonight he did you know and at the end of the night how about that how about dominic mysterio going like enough is enough and grabbing his dad by the neck brace that was just it was tough it was tough but dominic's got to remind again it was a night of reminding people this is not all fun and games here okay we're gladiators see what happened to ray over the weekend Yeah, he got put on a gurney and chokeslammed through an announce desk.
58:15Yeah. Well, what are you going to do when it's like, okay, I'm going to fight a giant? You know? I'm not going to fight a giant. You know why?
58:22Sam Roberts:I wouldn't come anywhere near him. Because I'd probably end up getting beat so badly I'd be strapped to a gurney. And then you know what he'd do? He'd pick up the gurney with me on it. He'd chokeslam it through a commentary desk. It's the last thing I need. I got enough on my plate. No thank you. Yeah, that happened to Ray. But look, Ray was at ringside. Ray was clearly rooting for one of the teams. Ray was, I mean, he's not innocent in this whole thing. And at the end of the night, at the end of the segment, at the end of it, Grande Americano is on the ground. Stephanie Vaquer is on the ground.
58:57Ray Mysterio is on the ground. And once again, the judgment day stands tall and they're holding those belts in the air as if to say the championships that we are holding will be ours again. I mean, look at that sight.
59:11Sam Roberts:They look unstoppable. Unstoppable once again. There's something that happens with the Judgment Day where a little setback ends up being just the thing that they need to get their motor all revved up. Because Grande Americano doesn't look like the champion there. He doesn't. And then they threw the championships back at Stephanie Vaqueran Grande. Take him. Take him. Go ahead. I mean, that said, what a weekend for Grande Americano. that's pretty awesome i mean i i think they should make a movie where grande americano is the hero coming in to save a village like it's it's incredible the the aura that that guy has especially as that music is playing oh hey oh hey oh hey oh hey and then he just comes in and his shoulders are back and he just looks like the hero that we need it's it's it's awesome but the Judgment Day was too much for Grande Americano tonight.
1:00:08I do want to tell you about Topps Universe. You hear about this? Topps Universe WWE 2026 returns for year two, and it's available right now at tops.com. Inspired by the larger-than-life personalities that make the WWE unforgettable, Universe WWE blends bold, cosmic-inspired artwork with immersive storytelling that celebrates legends, current champions, and the next generation of talent. This year builds on everything fans loved about the debut set, expanded new inserts, the return of fan-favorite designs like tag team relic autographs, and an incredible mix of talent spanning every era of WWE.
1:00:47Collectors can chase premium autographs, authentic relics, vibrant parallels, and eye-catching inserts, making every single pack feel like a celebration of WWE's biggest moments and most iconic superstars. Whether you're ripping your first pack or you've been collecting for years, Topps Universe WWE 2026 has something worth chasing. Available now at Topps.com. You know, I took my son to the local trading card store over the weekend.
1:01:15Sam Roberts:What'd you get? For my personal collection, I got a set of the WWE Topps Decades, which are a set of 90s base cards. I don't think you can get them anymore because they didn't have Universe yet. So I got the Decades. I got a box. You know what I got? What'd you get? Sean. I'm sorry. Bret Hart and British Bulldog. SummerSlam, 92 out of five. No way. That was probably the best pull. Out of five. And it's always great when you look on the box and they guarantee one autograph, three numbered cards. Except the autograph was also a numbered card. And it didn't have three numbered cards. It had four numbered cards.
1:01:55So I ended up getting five numbered cards and one of them was autographed. You know by who? Norman Smiley.
1:02:00Sam Roberts:Oh. Oh, Norman Smiley autographed out of 10. Out of 10. What? That's crazy. That's right. That's right. It was a great, great weekend in the Roberts household. I saw on Topps social media, they found the biggest Becky Lynch Topps card collector. I got a little jealous. Did you? I did. I was like, I had texted the group today. I said, I need this photo of Becky Lynch right here for the studio. I want it autographed and put up right behind me. I'm surprised they don't make a Topps Now card out of that photo, to tell you the truth. I hope they do. Wouldn't that be great? Yeah, you got to start a Becky Lynch Tops collection for sure.
1:02:35Sam Roberts:Yeah, I got to compete now. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You love competing. I know. You love a competition. Speaking of competition, Intercontinental title on the line tonight. What a match. Chad Gable versus Dragon Lee. I mean, expectations, I think, were sky high, and they were still beaten. It did not disappoint on any level. We saw reversals. We saw finishes getting kicked out of. I mean, when Dragon Lee hit that Styles Clash, I think everybody thought, oh my God. This is it. Again, that's my favorite part of these title matches. That moment where even if you go in and you're thinking, well, I know who's going to win.
1:03:17Or you're feeling like, okay, he might win. And then if he wins, then he could fight him, which could turn into them fighting them. And you're thinking about all this stuff. but then there are sometimes these moments in these matches where all that goes out the window and it's just raw emotion it's just whatever you're feeling and it's dictating oh my god and that's what happened i think when he hit that styles clash and went for the cover right before
1:03:43Sam Roberts:gable rolled through absolutely there's this moment when you're like oh gable wouldn't actually lose the title tonight during oh my gosh dragon lee oh my gosh can you imagine oh my gosh it's gonna happen right you don't have to imagine it's gonna oh he kicked out and then you start thinking like oh my god like he's having this match with dragon lee because he talked about how much he respects dragon lee but what goes on in his mind if he goes oh i gave this guy this match because i respected him so much and the reason i respected him so much is because he could beat me because he just beat me like you know what i mean and then what where does chad gable go from oh it's only two all that's going through i feel like our eyes have really been open also to what dragon lee is capable of over the last few months.
1:04:23Yes, I would agree with that 100%.
1:04:25Sam Roberts:Not to say that we were sleeping on Dragon Lee, but... No, but I think we saw, I think Dragon Lee came into WWE right before this kind of wave of Lucha came over WWE. Just before, yeah. Yeah, it was Penta, and then it was Rey Fenix, and then it was everybody coming in from AAA and all this stuff, and Dragon Lee had already been there. Yeah, he was in NXT. I actually remember doing an NXT countdown show or a kickoff show with you. And this was back when Dragon Lee was getting opportunities because of his friendship with Rey Mysterio. And you said that Dragon Lee was only in the position he was in because of nepotism.
1:05:05I believe he was fighting Dominic Mysterio. He was.
1:05:08Sam Roberts:Yeah. And I said Dragon Lee was in this match because of nepotism. Well, I think Rey Mysterio, I think, you know, there's probably, I can't go back in time, but I think there's probably a lot. I wouldn't have said it if there wasn't a lot of truth in that statement. I wouldn't have said it. A lot of my quotes age pretty well. But to your point, he's there before this current era. And I think that... Lucha really came over. Exactly right. And I think that now we're seeing that not only does he fit in, but I think what commentary was putting forward while that match was on, that when he first got there, Rey kind of announced him, this is the future of Lucha.
1:05:42This is what it's all about. And I interviewed Dragon SummerSlam weekend.
1:05:48Sam Roberts:Yeah, I saw that. And like it was, and he's very much, everything about him is ready for it and doing it on this platform. Like being the guy who is the spotlight. Because I think that's what we forget. With all the excitement going on right now with so many different stars, that Dragon Lee is one of the best. Yeah, he is. One of the best on the planet. And matches like tonight remind us that. Absolutely. Absolutely. But you know who else is one of the best on the planet? Chad Gable. A hundred percent. And I love, too, just the sheer reality, right? That it's not fancy. There's no flips to it.
1:06:35There's no rolling around. He locks that ankle lock on, and he puts all of his body weight onto that leg. He drops down to the ground with it. And Dragon Lee is within inches, inches of grabbing that rope. But he's not going to make it. Chad puts all of his weight behind Dragon Lee. So there's no more stretching. Dragon Lee has to tap out. And Chad Gable retains the Intercontinental Championship. But to your point, I definitely think if people didn't already have their eyes open to Dragon Lee, this makes him impossible to ignore.
1:07:12Sam Roberts:Yeah. You know? Yeah. I mean, it was an incredible match. Yeah. We have two new Money in the Bank qualifiers. Okay, the first is Javon Evans, who now joins Braun Breaker in the men's Money in the Bank ladder match. Javon Evans won the triple threat against Big Cass and Austin Theory. Yeah, hard-hitting match, too. And I was just, I mean, we always talk about the high flying nature of Javon Evans. And I think that's very interesting when you have him in a match with big calves, right? Yeah. Because it doesn't matter how high you can fly when you're going up against a seven footer. Well, that big is big calves.
1:07:58Sam Roberts:And it took Javon, you know, a lot, three OG cutters in order to, to get to big calves, but eventually he was able to do it. Yeah. That's the thing. like yeah when you're fighting Big Cass who is 7 feet tall that's where your jumps have to start 7 feet that's how high the minimum requirement for jumping is 7 feet because most of these jumps this guy's going to be waiting up there that's right remember when Bane grabbed Batman and he says you think the shadows are your friend I was born in the dark Look, you know, Javon Evans is jumping up there. And Big Cass is like, you learned about the skies up here.
1:08:44I was born up here. I'm like, you were born seven feet tall?
1:08:48Sam Roberts:I believe it. I do, too. Look at that guy. He's a big baby. Yeah. Yeah. No, and you're right. It took everything Javon Evans had, but he was able to nail it. He goes on to Money in the Bank. Can you talk about the aerial moves of Javon Evans? That's going to be unbelievable in that Money in the Bank ladder match. Him in a ladder match? Yeah. It's the best. Especially, and it's not just a ladder match for Money in the Bank, because Javon Evans is the type of guy that I think going into this, people were like, okay, like, what's next for Javon? Right? Where is he going? But that question, the beauty of the Money in the Bank ladder match is, it's not just a ladder match.
1:09:29It can answer that question.
1:09:30Sam Roberts:Yeah. Because all of a sudden, if Javon Evans gets that air, and ends up in the sky and gets that briefcase down, then that's not a question anymore. What's next for Javon Evans? He's going to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase whenever he wants and get a shot at either the World Championship or the WWE Championship or whatever title he wants, hopefully at the most opportune time. Yeah, and I think it's so interesting because, obviously, Braun Breaker has the match for Who's the Future against Obafemi, and we've seen what the vision did to Obafemi last week, And there's been a lot of talk about the new faces in WWE.
1:10:07Sam Roberts:And obviously, Javon comes up and he makes a splash, both literally and figuratively, right away. But we've kind of been waiting for a story for Javon Evans, right? And now he's inserted into the Money in the Bank ladder match. And again, everything that we could wonder about where Javon is going could be answered in one night. And what happens when his back is up against the wall? What happens when there's a seven-foot monster that's out to utterly decimate him? He still figures out a way to get through it and to be in this position. So Javon Evans goes through. And then we saw these teasers.
1:10:42They were going for weeks. We figured out Lola Vice was on her way to Monday Night Raw. Lola Vice has been dominating NXT. I mean, Lola Vice is such a unique performer in the sense that she has all this charisma, I would say, is able to distract just with her aesthetic. Yes. And then make you forget that she has an absolutely outrageous MMA background with professional fights under her belt.
1:11:17Sam Roberts:She's a black belt. I mean, it's incredible what this woman is capable of. and the fact that like she not only has her Monday Night Raw debut on a huge Monday Night Raw in Mexico City, but the first match is a Money in the Bank qualifier against Kalani Jordan. Who she knows very well. NXT champion. Yes. And Raquel Rodriguez, who a lot of people are looking at this as like, yeah, you talk about the future. She's the intercontinental champion. I think Raquel's name comes up a lot in that conversation, but it's not either of them. It's Lola Weiss rolling up Raquel and I think sending a message to the entire division that she is here.
1:11:59And you talk about, you know, what a shift it would be if Javon Evans had that Money in the Bank briefcase.
1:12:05Sam Roberts:Oh my gosh, Lola? It's like, hey, who is this Lola Weiss? Doesn't matter. She's got the briefcase. She's about to be your champion. That's who she is. Yes. Raquel looked like she saw a ghost when Lola was able to roll her up and get the pin. Yeah. Looked like she saw a ghost. And that's what Lola Vice brings to Monday Night Raw. I think that she gets underestimated a lot. I think she got underestimated a lot in NXT up until towards the end when people realized like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We're in trouble when she shows up. Yeah, the mommy from Miami. Yep. And I think now it's time for Monday Night Raw to learn that same lesson.
1:12:41Well, I can't wait.
1:12:42Sam Roberts:I'm excited. It was a great episode. I can't wait to see what lessons are learned next week on Monday Night Raw. Who knows who will even be holding these titles a week from now? Whoever it is, we will be here to recap it all. Don't forget to subscribe across all audio platforms. Listen to us on WWE Radio, on SiriusXM. Watch on YouTube. Like, comment. We'll see you next week here on WWE Now.
From the publisher
Penta returns home to challenge Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Title, Chad Gable defends the Intercontinental Championship against Dragon Lee, and two more Superstars qualify for Money in the Bank. Sam Roberts and Megan Morant bring you WWE Now: Raw Recap, A WWE & Fanatics Original Production.
The Miz 20th Anniversary Merchandise: https://shop.wwe.com/en/the-miz/o-3422877004+t-4589445956+z-9-3010202051?_s=bm-WWEShop-WWEcom-The_Miz_Anniversary-Podcast-2026
Penta Merchandise: https://shop.wwe.com/en/penta/o-8944547059+t-943604509+z-8-3628141441?_s=bm-WWEShop-WWEcom-Penta-Podcast-2026
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