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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: Lilian Garcia
Attendance: WrestleTix reports as of showtime thta 6,659 tickets were distributed; arena set up for 7,004. The arena has a capacity of 16,980 spectators when configured for concerts. The previous visit on May 2, 2025 drew 7,164.
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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.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Raw. We’ll read your emails live during the post-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 match 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 that 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 instead of him answering, he sent his dogs at him. He said the last time they 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 they 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 megastar 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 beat a top contender. He said you don’t get to become a no. 1 contender 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, Knight 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,” Knight 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 factory 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. I think it’s pretty clearly cutting into positive fan reactions for their top babyfaces. On the bright side, I think Knight has earned a main event match against Reigns with the top level fan support he’s received in recent months.)
-They showed the arrivals of Oba, Chad Gable (looking like the IC Title win went to his head with sunglasses and a strut), and The Judgment Day. 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 hyped 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. They cut to a double-box break at 4:00 with Evans in control. [c/db]
Ethan took over and taunted Evans with trash-talking and kicks to the head. Evans fired up and went on the attack against Ethan in the corner. When Evans tried to springboard off the middle rope, Evans knocked him off balance and then landed a back suplex. He set up an EgoPlex, but Evans countered with a small package for a two count. Evans threw a charging Ethan to the floor. Evans dove into Ethan in the time keeper’s area.
When Ethan rallied, he used the ropes for leverage on a cover, but the ref caught him. Ethan landed the Confidence Breaker for a two count seconds later. The ref caught Ethan trying to remove a turnbuckle pad. As the ref scolded Ethan, Evans leaped over both of them and then springboarded off the top rope with an OG Cutter for the win.
WINNER: Evans in 13:00.
-As Evans celebrated, Big Cass showed up in the ring. He gave Evans a big boot as soon as he turned around. Cole said it has been eight years since Cass has been in a WWE ring. Cole said Evans just went through a grueling match and now he’s getting attacked by Cass. Cass gave him an East River Crossing wind-up sideslam.
(Keller’s Analysis: I was an advocate for Cass getting a bigger push in AEW, but this felt sort of flat or just basic.)
-They went to Cole and Graves at ringside. Cole wondered why Cass went after Evans as the start of what he’s calling his redemption tour. Then they commented on a clip of Knight pinning Jey Uso after a BFT in the six-man tag match at SummerSlam.
-Backstage, Reigns told Jacob Fatu that he isn’t trying to go back to his old ways, but it doesn’t work if they lose. He said they’re family. He said Knight disrespected him and then said Royce Keys is a stupid name and asked Jacob why he keeps hearing he is family. He said he’s just one of the boys and they’re the only Bloodline. He said not to let the circus acts confuse him. “Trust no one,” he said. Jimmy said if he gives them the word, they’ll go get Knight. Reigns said they had their chance against Knight, so leave it to Fatu. He closed with “Don’t touch me.” Jey looked at Fatu and said, “Yeah, don’t touch him.” Reigns walked away and then Knight walked up to them and asked if he just heard them instructed not touch him. He said he doesn’t want their daddy to put them over his knee if they disobey his orders. He laughed and walked away.
(Keller’s Analysis: I mean, this seems like a journey to Reigns being reframed as an actual heel after all based on how he acted there, but who knows if WWE Creative knows what constitutes a heel anymore. Reigns seemed to be testing Fatu’s patience.) [c]
-Keys walked up to Fatu and asked how often they are going to go through this. He asked how often they had fought in Oakland, Sacramento, and LA. He said they’re still family. Fatu stood and snarled that he isn’t his family. “You’re just one of the boys,” he said. He said he wants a street fight and he’ll “dog walk his ass tonight.”
-Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Roxanne Perez made their entrance. They showed a clip of Morgan beating Iyo Sky at SummerSlam. Liv, sporting a black left eye like Nick Aldis, told everyone they are in the presence of the greatest women’s champion of all time. She sang the words and extended “all” into about ten seconds. She said she defeated one of the best in the world. She said if the fans are mad, they can stay mad. Liv looked around and said she doesn’t see any challengers, so that means she’ll be the longest-reigning World Champion of all time.
Liv said she wanted to talk about her best friend, Raquel. She said she is so proud to call her the new Intercontinental Champion. She said Perez was going to beat Sol Ruca next.
-Sol Ruca made her entrance. [c]
(2) SOL RUCA vs. ROXANNE PEREZ (w/Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez)
The match was joined in progress after the break 57 minutes into the hour. Cole said Sol wants to settle some scores since Perez and Raquel interfered to cost her the IC Title.
[HOUR TWO]
When Perez rolled to ringside, Sol did a flip onto the floor that had almost zero impact in any way on Perez, but Perez went down. They cut to a break seconds later at 4:00. [c]
(Keller’s Analysis: Like so much of Sol’s offense, that was just a stupid fancy move that looks awful almost always and therefore shouldn’t be done. Dives aren’t special anymore, and bad ones that miss like that just turn the craft of pro wrestling into a fake-looking joke.)
Both were down in the ring and slow to get up. Sol landed a released German suplex and then kipped up and let out a yell. She followed with a running Shining Wizard knee strike for a two count at 12:00. Sol lifted Perez onto her shoulders. Perez countered into a roll-up for a two count. Perez blocked a face-plant and kicked toward Sol. Sol ducked but it looked like she was selling a bad miss and the annoucners had to cover for her. Sol countered a Pop Rocks and landed an X-Factor. Perez stood on the ring apron. Sol knocked her down. Liv yanked on her leg and the ref DQ’d Prez.
WINNER: Ruca in 14:00 via DQ.
-Perez gave Sol a Pop Rocks afterward. Perez then added a Tejana Bomb. The heel trio stood over Sol. Then Becky Lynch walked out. Liv got wide-eyed. Fans cheered. “Oh my God, Cole, did you know about this?” Graves asked. Cole said he didn’t, but said it’s the first time they’ve seen Becky in over two months. She entered the ring and told Liv, “I came for you, sweet cheeks, to be sure it’s not another hundred days before you defend that title again.” She said she has become a glorified valet. She said a champion should be fighting, not just flirting. She mocked Liv’s voice and said it’s her worst title reign of all time. She said it’s not just her saying it, it’s everybody saying it. She said things are about to get a whole lot worse.
Liv said this is very typical of Becky. She said she should be at home being a mommy to her daughter. She said instead she’s in her face because she’s jealous of her. When Liv left, Becky laughed at Liv and said she’s not even the best champion in her group or even the best champion who “slept with Dom Mysterio.” Then Stephanie Vaquer came out. “She’s back!” exclaimed Graves. Cole said they hadn’t seen her since WrestleMania. Fans chanted, “Holy shit!” Becky and Vaquer had a tense exchange afterward.
-They went to Graves and Cole at ringside. Graves hyped the Fatu vs. Keys street fight later. He said their friendship “has completely imploded.” (That seems like an overstatement.) Cole said Hell in a Cell at Summerslam didn’t disappoint. He said if it is Lesnar’s last time in a WWE ring, he’s given them so many memories. Then they played a Lesnar retrospective video package.
-Backstage, they showed Paul Heyman watching on a monitor. Oba Femi walked up to him and said he never got to say thank you to Brock for all the nice things he said about him. He told Heyman that when he sees Lesnar, tell him thank you. Heyman congratulated Oba. [c]
-SummerSlam highlights aired.
-Oba made his entrance. He said he passed the test against Lesnar “and The Beast can finally rest.” He said now his destiny feels clearer than ever, but that’s sometimes when men miss their path. He said with the torch that has been passed on to him, he will lead a new generation and a new crop of talent, and the old guard will fall. He said if any man has a problem with the man who holds the torch, you will answer to The Ruler, The Destroyer, The Bringer of War, Oba Femi.
-Cole and Graves speculated on what was next for Oba, with Graves noting he is entitled to a title match and said perhaps CM Punk or Reigns is coming up. Then Austin Theory, Maxxinne Dupri, and Bron Breakker walked onto the stage and eyed Oba. Breakker and Oba had a staredown. [c]
-Cole hyped WWE Unreal.
(3) BRON BREAKKER vs. JOE HENDRY
Cole noted Breakker hadn’t taken his eyes off the stage where he confronted Oba. The bell rang and Breakker kept his back turned, with his attention still locked on Oba. Still no Paul Heyman, by the way, with The Vision. Graves asked if Breakker was okay. Breakker turned and knocked Hendry down. Theory got in Hendry’s face at ringside. Hendry popped up and shoved Theory into the ringpost and then clotheslined him. Breakker charged at Hendry, but Hendry leapfrogged him. Breakker crashed into the ringside steps. Hendry threw Theory into the announce table as Breakker recovered in the ring. When Hendry re-entered the ring, Breakker speared him and pinned him. Cole said Oba claimed he was there to lead the place, but Breakker clearly took offense to that.
WINNER: Breakker in 2:00.
-Breakker returned to the back, still looking like he was focused on Oba and his words. Meanwhile, Theory attacked Hendry in the ring. Akira Tozawa jumped Theory and kicked him out of the ring. Maxxine held Theory back. Theory yelled at Tozawa that he’s lucky Maxxine was holding him back.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good presentation of Breakker, establishing that he still sees himself as the leader of the new generation.)
-They went to Cole and Graves at ringside. They reacted to the previous segment, then commented on Big Cass’s return earlier in the show.
-Jackie Redmond interviewed Big Cass backstage. She asked, “Why Je’Von?” He took the mic and said: “Eight years, I was left for dead in the dirt. Eight years it took me to get back here from rock bottom.” He said it wasn’t personal, Evans was just in his way. He said he is there to stack bodies and Evan was the first. He said he surely won’t be the last. His eyes were wide and intense.
-They showed Fatu doing push-ups backstage. [c]
-Cole threw to a clip of Chad Gable’s IC Title win.
-Gable made his entrance, clapping his hands above his head as his song played. He said he doesn’t see himself as someone who deserves anything, but someone who earns it. He complimented Penta and then thanked the fans for sticking with him for ten years. He said they stuck with him when he was Shorty G. He said he made a promise he’d win a singles title, and he delivered by busting his ass and crawling through a river of crap. Penta made his entrance. Gable nodded. Penta entered and told Gable he earned his respect.
JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio interrupted. JD insulted Gable and Penta. Dom said they’d fight them anytime. Gable asked, “Anytime, Dom? Anytime?” He suggested “right here, right now in Des Moines sounds pretty great. How about that?” Penta said they are ready for them right now. [c]
[HOUR THREE]
(4) CHAD GABLE & PENTA vs. DOMINIK MYSTERIO & JD MCDONAGH
The match was joined in progress after the break at the start of the hour. The heels took over against Penta early. Penta hot-tagged in Gable at 4:00. Penta did a running flip dive onto JD and Dom at ringside seconds later. Penta threw Dom into the ring where Gable gave him an Angle Slam for a two count. JD head-butted Gable at ringside and then gave him a suplex on the floor. They cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, JD landed a standing moonsault on Gable for a two count. When Gable made a comeback, both JD and Gable tagged out to Dom and Penta. JD broke up a cover by Penta on Dom. (Really good break-up of the cover!) Gable went for a top rope moonsault, but Dom blocked him with his boot. Gable turned it into an anklelock. JD interfered. Penta knocked him to the floor and then kicked him and delivered a Mexican Destroyer.
Dom had a hammer at ringside and slipped it into his boot. He then went for a 619. Gable blocked it and pulled out the hammer. The ref took it. Dom snapped Gable’s head over the top rope. Penta hit Dom with the IC Title belt. The ref didn’t see it. Gable then gave JD his Chaos Theory for the win.
WINNERS: Gable & Penta in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: There was almost no pop when Gable got the hot-tag early in the match. Gable seems nice enough and he’s not doing anything wrong, but he’s having to work very hard to get crowd responses and it feels like a struggle. They did clap to his song after the match, so that’s good. It still doesn’t feel like it’s living up to its presentation yet.)
-A clip aired of Randy Orton interfering in the CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes match leading to Punk getting the win after a GTS.
-They went backstage to Heyman when Breakker walked up to him. Breakker asked where Oba was. Heyman said, “How would I know where Oba Femi is?” Breakker laughed and said, “You’re right, I’m sorry. I thought that was your new best friend.” He turned and left. Heyman let out a big breath of frustration.
(Keller’s Analysis: It’s tough to tell where this is all going. It almost feels, structurally, like a set up for a double-turn with Breakker and Oba, but I don’t think that’s what they’re actually doing.)
-Fatu made his entrance. [c]
-A clip aired of Kevin Owens winning at Summerslam.
(5) ROYCE KEYS vs. JACOB FATU – Street Fight
The bell rang 20 minutes into the hour. Keys told Fatu that he chose this. They swung at each other. Graves talked about their background during their early years training together and sleeping on each other’s couches. Graves said the closest bonds in the business were often forged on long car rides to indy shows through blizzards for 50 dollar paydays.
Fatu clotheslined Keys over the top rope and then dove through the ropes and knocked him into the announce desk. Keys reverse-whipped Fatu over the ringside steps. Fatu clutched his ankle afterward. Keys then began pulling a table out from under the ring. Fatu recovered and jumped him. He rammed his head into the announce desk. Fatu yelled, “I had no choice; I had to do this!” Cole said Fatu is indebted to Reigns. Fatu then charged, but Keys surged with a clothesline. He yelled, “You’re supposed to be my brother!” He then landed a running powerslam through the ringside barricade into the time keeper’s area.
Keys pulled a table out from under the ring. Fatu rammed Keys into the ringpost and then over the announce desk. Fatu threw some chairs into the ring. Keys recovered and leaped onto Fatu at ringside. He threw him into the ringpost. Keys threw more chairs into the ring and then threw Fatu into the ring. Fans chanted “One more chair! One more chair!” Fatu recovered enough during the chair-throwing to punch Keys and take over. He lifted a chair and fans cheered. Keys hit Fatu with a kendo stick repeatedly.
Keys leaned a table in the corner. Fatu bashed him with a kendo stick. Cole asked how it could get to this point between them. Fatu yelled that he should have stayed out of the Bloodline business. Keys countered Fatu with a suplex through two chairs he had set up in the ring leading to a two count at 9:00. Keys threw a chair into the face of Fatu as Fatu climbed to the top rope. Keys then delivered a turning powerslam off the top rope onto the stack of chairs for a two count.
Keys threw some chairs out of the ring to open up space for his next move. Fatu superkicked him, but Keys came back with a spinebuster. Keys lowered his straps (to near zero response). Fatu recovered and then gave Keys a pop-up Samoan Drop through a table propped in the corner. He followed with a Mighty Moonsault and a Tongan Death Grip. Keys passed out.
WINNER: Fatu in 13:00.
-Fatu released the Tongan Death Grip, but then re-applied and said it was family business. He then gave Keys two hip attacks. Keys was bleeding from the mouth. Cole said Keys might have internal injuries. Fatu put a chair around his neck. GM Adam Pearce and other officials ran in. Pearce told him he needed him to calm down. Cole asked how he could do this to his former best friend. Fatu teased leaving, but then returned and delivered a hip attack. Cole called for paramedics.
Reigns’s music played and he walked out. Cole said, “A sickening scene has developed in the ring.” Reigns nodded at Fatu. Cole said it was a nod of approval. “Bloodline business just got as nasty as ever,” he said. Graves said, “Mission accomplished.”
-The camera followed Reigns to the back. Rey Mysterio said, “You know I’m the general manager of AAA, right?” Reigns said, “I do now.” Rey said he wanted to run something by him.
(Keller’s Analysis: So Roman is a heel now, right? Right??)
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOW
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.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Raw. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
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