{"id":212217,"date":"2026-02-18T17:03:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T23:03:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=212217"},"modified":"2026-02-18T17:03:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T23:03:39","slug":"wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-raw-edition-a-bouncy-star-is-born-cm-punk-crosses-the-line-knights-an-alpha-morgan-cries-respect-for-pearce-nattie-needs-a-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/02\/18\/wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-raw-edition-a-bouncy-star-is-born-cm-punk-crosses-the-line-knights-an-alpha-morgan-cries-respect-for-pearce-nattie-needs-a-win\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE RISING STARS &#038; FADING STARS: Raw Edition &#8211; A Bouncy Star is Born, CM Punk Crosses the Line, Knight\u2019s an Alpha, Morgan Cries, Respect For Pearce, Nattie Needs a Win"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-4202740223\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>Although Smackdown enjoys an equal share of the roster, Monday Night Raw remains the flagship program of WWE.<\/p>\n<p>Raw boasts an average of three million viewers worldwide on Netflix, far more than Smackdown.<\/p>\n<p>Raw benefits from its ability to tailor the length of the show to fit its content, while Smackdown needs to fill precisely three hours.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, it\u2019s fitting that we focus this week\u2019s Rising Stars on the most important wrestlers in WWE: The stars of Monday night.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Rising Star of the Week: Je\u2019von Evans<\/h3>\n<p>Je&#8217;Von Evans\u2019s triple-threat match with Dominick Mysterio and Gunther was nothing short of excellent. The contrast in styles between the fearless, high-flying Evans, the cowardly cheat Dominik, and the powerhouse Gunther made for a thoroughly enjoyable encounter. Interference by Dragon Lee was unnecessary, as Gunther would have been similarly protected had Evans and Dominik teamed up temporarily to take him out. Fortunately, Lee\u2019s involvement did not play directly into the finish, so it did little to cheapen Evans\u2019s win.<\/p>\n<p>In the process, the Young OG executed yet another remarkable performance, wowing the crowd with feats of \u201cbouncy\u201d athleticism like only he can. The audience continues to find Evans\u2019 earnest enthusiasm easy to root for.<\/p>\n<p>The difference: This week was that Evans was rewarded with his first major win on the main roster, earning a spot in the men\u2019s Elimination Chamber match in the process.<\/p>\n<p>Evans\u2019 talent, popularity, and potential are clearly being recognized by WWE creative who booked him for his highest-profile match to date. Although Evans is very unlikely to win at the PLE, he\u2019s rub shoulders with the likes of main eventers Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and L.A. Knight.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3621017297\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>If Evans continues to perform at such a high level, can a singles main event program be far behind?<\/p>\n<h3>Runner-up: L.A. Knight<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cLet me talk to ya&#8217;!\u201d LA. Knight continues to overperform in promos. He comes off as a larger-than-life alpha male, earning the support of fans in a manner that belies his win-loss record.<\/p>\n<p>Knight\u2019s in-ring performances are nothing special, but are good enough, above those of top stars like Cody, Orton, and Jey Uso.<\/p>\n<p>Knight has little more chance of winning the Elimination Chamber than Evans, but his continued popularity has earned him a high-profile spot at WrestleMania or soon after. Many fans would like to see what Knight could do in a role for which he remains untested: a centerpiece world champion.<\/p>\n<p>Can Knight pull it off?<\/p>\n<p>Yeah!<\/p>\n<h3>Second Runner-Up: Adam Pearce<\/h3>\n<p>After over two years as Raw General Manager, Pearce continues to check all the boxes. He\u2019s a strong, fair authority figure who does not make the story about himself. Pearce plays his role to perfection.<\/p>\n<p>Despite holding himself as a formidable figure, he weekly struggles to keep a semblance of order over a roster of out-of-control prima donnas. Pearce never gets in the way of a good story and typically enhances it.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-1920155125\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>For my money, Pearce is the best general manager either Raw or Smackdown has ever had.<\/p>\n<p>Those of us who lived through years of insufferable heel general managers should be thankful.<\/p>\n<p><em>ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Raw: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/wwe-raw-post-show-2-16-keller-griffin-talk-big-win-for-je-von-evans-wrestlemania-ticket-prices-aj-lee-and-cm-punk-individual-promos--70093647\">CLICK HERE<\/a> to stream (or search \u201cwade Keller\u201d on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"WWE RAW POST-SHOW (2\/16): Keller &amp; Griffin talk big win for Je'Von Evans, WrestleMania ticket prices, AJ Lee and CM Punk individual promos\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=70093647&amp;theme=light&amp;playlist=false&amp;playlist-continuous=false&amp;chapters-image=true&amp;episode_image_position=right&amp;hide-logo=false&amp;hide-likes=false&amp;hide-comments=false&amp;hide-sharing=false&amp;hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"200px\" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Fading Star of the Week: C.M. Punk<\/h3>\n<p>C.M. Punk has been on a run of strong promo work, but this week he crossed the line from confidence to narcissism. Lines like, \u201cI think I\u2019m doing what I\u2019ve always done, and that is just make everything better\u201d show a remarkable lack of self-awareness.<\/p>\n<p>Punk\u2019s claim to \u201cdefend this championship every single chance I got\u201d was hard to swallow on a show where he has not wrestled in weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Punk\u2019s interactions with Finn Balor were much better, although a cheap shot at the size of J.D.\u2019s head doesn\u2019t seem like the actions of an honorable man, let alone a babyface champion.<\/p>\n<p>Punk\u2019s wife A.J. Lee didn\u2019t come off much better, implying she single-handedly changed the Diva\u2019s Division to the Women\u2019s Division (to Becky Lynch, of all people), capping it off with an obnoxious \u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d and even going so far as to say Lynch hasn\u2019t caught up with Lee\u2019s accomplishments (she has in fact far surpassed them).<\/p>\n<p>This Chicago couple could use a good editor \u2013 someone to run their lines by, other than each other.<\/p>\n<h3>First Runner-Up: Liv Morgan<\/h3>\n<p>This week on Raw, a cocky Liv Morgan was unexpectedly confronted by WWE Women\u2019s Champion Stephanie Vaquer. Vaquer ran Morgan down in Spanish, saying that Morgan has been coddled by WWE, hides behind the Judgment Day, and would lose if the two face off at WrestleMania. Except for the need for a translation, which Morgan received from Dominick Mysterio while we unfortunate viewers did not, this was a typical babyface promo.<\/p>\n<p>Morgan\u2019s response? Tears.<\/p>\n<p>Morgan has endured dozens of such criticisms from opponents over her career. Like other wrestlers, she has always responded with dismissal, rebuttal, or anger. Why, then would she cry on Monday?<\/p>\n<p>Morgan\u2019s inexplicable reaction likely serves a larger story of a building conflict between her and Vaquer. An explanation for her response is likely forthcoming, but it\u2019s hard to imagine it will be plausible.<\/p>\n<p>Either way, this segment didn\u2019t do much for either competitor.<\/p>\n<h3>Second Runner-Up: Nattie<\/h3>\n<p>Don\u2019t get me wrong \u2013 I like how Nattie reinvented herself as a shoot fighter, and I find her portrayal convincing enough, unlike that of her former prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Maxxine Dupri.<\/p>\n<p>However, if anyone ever needed a win, it\u2019s the former Natalya. To be taken seriously as a badass, a wrestler requires good performances and good booking. The performance is there, but the booking hasn\u2019t been. Since her return and heel turn, Natalya has not won a single match.<\/p>\n<p>Last week Nattie\u2019s match with rival Dupri ended with a double count out. Presumably this served to protect Dupri, but it also sent the message that this new version of Nattie shouldn\u2019t be taken too seriously. A loss in this week\u2019s triple threat match only furthered that impression.<\/p>\n<p>Nattie has the potential to be a good mid-card gatekeeper, but she needs some wins to make her seem credible enough.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What is the GREATEST WrestleMania main event ever? Will it be CM Punk vs Roman Reigns? What&#039;s yours?\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ssQo7KxaTPc?start=114&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-553427513\"><div id=\"pwtor-1081048781\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Although Smackdown enjoys an equal share of the roster, Monday Night Raw remains the flagship program of WWE. Raw boasts an average of three million viewers worldwide on Netflix, far more than Smackdown. Raw benefits <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/02\/18\/wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-raw-edition-a-bouncy-star-is-born-cm-punk-crosses-the-line-knights-an-alpha-morgan-cries-respect-for-pearce-nattie-needs-a-win\/\" title=\"WWE RISING STARS &#038; FADING STARS: Raw Edition &#8211; A Bouncy Star is Born, CM Punk Crosses the Line, Knight\u2019s an Alpha, Morgan Cries, Respect For Pearce, Nattie Needs a Win\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":212218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,4309,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-212217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-rising-star-fading-star","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-18-at-4.48.46-PM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=212217"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":212219,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212217\/revisions\/212219"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/212218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}