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WWE RAW RESULTS
AUGUST 3, 2026
DES MOINES, IOWA AT CASEY’S CENTER
STREAMED LIVE ON NETFLIX
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reports today that 5,855 tickets were distributed so far; arena set up for 6,539. The arena has a capacity of 16,980 spectators when configured for concerts.
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch’s Joshua White to review WWE Raw LIVE. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Raw during the show.
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[HOUR ONE]
-Michael Cole introduced the show as they showed an aerial view of Des Moines, Iowa, the host city for Raw tonight. He threw to a two minute recap of the Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins which he called “an instant classic.”
-They cut to the backstage area where Reigns was handed his title belt by a worker. He nodded and made brief eye contact and then put the belt over his shoulder. He looked around and smiled, presumably reflecting on his big win the night before. He headed to the ring to his music, smiling and slapping some hands. Cole called it “one of the great main event stories in Summerslam history.” He said Reigns “finally exorcised his demon.” Graves called it “an absolutely amazing main event to cap off an incredible weekend in Minnesota.”
(Keller’s Analysis: I appreciate that the job of announcers and the promotion is to reenforce a strong point in the product they offer, but this continues to feel to me like a high-pressure car salesman trying to convince me something that I like is actually even much better than I realize to the point I kind of resent the strong-armed approach. It feels like overcompensation for cold ticket sales for a show headlined by that match, a sense that fans didn’t care about Seth facing Roman as much as the way it was framed in the storyline, and the match itself ended up hitting its strike after a while but it got off to a needlessly slow start and wasn’t any more special than many other WWE-style main events build around signature moves and constant kickouts.)
Reigns asked the fans to acknowledge him. An “OTC” chant eventually broke out with some gusto. He said he is a man of his word and he beat Seth Rollins. He said he knows “in these parts, that stings a little bit.” He added, “He is your boy and he is my little brother.” He said they might’ve found some peace. He held up the mic and let fans sing Seth’s song. LA Knight’s music then played and Reigns sneered. “I don’t think this is going to sit well,” said Cole.
Knight entered the ring and looked at Reigns and said, “Let me talk to ya’.” He congratulated him on his win at Summerslam and still being the World Champion. He said he and Seth both said he couldn’t do it by himself, but he did. He said he is eating crow, “but you’re still a fraud.” He said he’s been calling his name for months and isntead of him answering, he sent his dogs at him. He said the last time the wrestled one-on-one, “it wasn’t so one on one.” He said he wanted what he gave Seth, a one-on-one match with no b.s. He said the could do it tonight, next week, at Money in the Bank, or at WrestleMania if he wants to wait that long. He said the only right answer is “Yeah!”
Reigns said he only sees one fraud. “I don’t come out here and call myself a megstar and wear a Walmart watch on my wrist,” he said. “A mega-star? Zoom in. This is what a mega-star wears on his wrist; understand me?” He said Knight won a six-man match, but asked what else he has done. He said he hasn’t won a battle royal or a tournament or a top contender. He said you don’t get a no. 1 contender shot by bitching and moaning. “We ain’t gonna sit here and complain anymore,” he said. He said it applies to everyone. He said he has wasted his and his cousins’ time, so get to the back of the line.”
As Reigns was leaving, he told him to stop. Reigns looked back at him. “First of all, your aura, you are so much cooler when you’re not standing right in front of me,” he said. “You stand here and make your little scrunchy faces and you talk about you haven’t earned it.” He said it took him and 38 people to beat him. He said he’s a fraud. He said Reigns isn’t on his level. “I’m lighting in a bottle,” he said. “I’m everything you wished you could be, but couldn’t.” He said he’ll smack him back to family settings and closed with his catch phrase. Knight left. Reigns yelled down at Knight. Knight said if he has a tournament for him, he’ll win it.
-They went to Cole and Graves at ringside. They reacted briefly and then threw to a video package on Oba Femi beating Brock Lesnar.
(Keller’s Analysis: Reigns saying my watch is more expensive than yours is not going to seem all that relatable as a trait worth cheering for most viewers, although some viewers like that level of materialistic bravado as they like to latch onto someone else’s success or live vicariously through it. Knight making fun of Reigns’s “crunchy face” was quite a moment, as that really is his go-to reaction to so many things in his promos. I’m kind of surprised Reigns okayed drawing attention to that. Knight gave Reigns credit for winning clean, but it was a backhanded compliment that drew attention to how many times Reigns has needed and invited help from his family to win, including previously against him. Ultimately, we’re back to babyfaces tearing each other apart verbally, and I just don’t agree with WWE going there this often rather than saving it for a true dream match once every year or two.)
-Cole hyped that Oba would be out later.
-Je’Von Evans made his entrance. [c]
-Cole plugged a Zuffa Boxing angle with two boxers and nhyped the fight next month.
(1) JE’VON EVANS vs. “ALL EGO” ETHAN PAGE
Cole said this is their fifth one-on-one match going back to NXT. The bell rang 25 minutes into the hour.
Advertised Matches & Appearances
- Big Cass returns
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