{"id":222661,"date":"2026-09-22T11:11:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T16:11:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=222661"},"modified":"2026-09-22T11:11:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T16:11:46","slug":"wwe-raw-hits-misses-9-21-penta-reacts-to-losing-to-reigns-last-week-in-mexico-city-did-breakker-sell-too-much-for-jevon-did-knight-deliver-on-important-promo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/09\/22\/wwe-raw-hits-misses-9-21-penta-reacts-to-losing-to-reigns-last-week-in-mexico-city-did-breakker-sell-too-much-for-jevon-did-knight-deliver-on-important-promo\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE RAW HITS &#038; MISSES (9\/21): Penta reacts to losing to Reigns last week in Mexico City, did Breakker sell too much for Je&#8217;Von, did Knight deliver on important promo"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-4280098262\" 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><em>(Note: Jon Mezzera is on vacation, so PWTorch contributor Derrick Hubbard is filling in with this week\u2019s column.)<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Opening segment: Penta promo &#8211; HIT<\/h3>\n<p>Two lingering questions came out of last week&#8217;s Raw, which featured the World Heavyweight Title match between Roman Reigns and Penta. First, would WWE elevate Penta coming out of the match? Second, what would be next for Penta?<\/p>\n<p>The opening segment answered one of those questions. The decision to put Penta on Raw to open the show, combined with the way the announcers highlighted him and the crowd&#8217;s reaction, told me that last week&#8217;s match did help elevate Penta. He felt like a bigger deal coming out of the match, which is exactly what should happen when a wrestler is given that type of high-profile platform.<\/p>\n<p>As for the second question\u2014what&#8217;s next for Penta?\u2014I don&#8217;t think this segment was necessarily an indicator of the next step. The Judgment Day appeared to function more as foils, giving Penta an opportunity to overcome them and generate a crowd reaction rather than establishing them as his next opponents or signaling a new feud.<\/p>\n<p>All in all, I thought WWE did a good job of underscoring the significance of last week&#8217;s match. Rather than simply moving on from Roman Reigns vs. Penta, they allowed Penta to explain his journey and reflect on what the opportunity meant to him. It reinforced the idea that last week&#8217;s match mattered and, more importantly, that Penta mattered coming out of it.<\/p>\n<h3>Women&#8217;s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Iyo Sky vs. Roxanne Perez vs. La Catalina &#8211; HIT<\/h3>\n<p>Some have been critical of the soft launch WWE has used with NXT and AAA competitors, giving them opportunities in qualifying matches for various tournaments. I don&#8217;t see it as a soft launch as much as I see it as a sample. I don&#8217;t see much harm that can be done if the competitor fails to impress. People will simply forget about them, with no real harm done, when they eventually arrive on the main roster for good. But if people like what they see, perhaps the sample will entice them to follow the wrestler on WWE&#8217;s sister brands.<\/p>\n<p>As for Catalina in this match, I think she made a good accounting of herself. She has a unique look, and while her wrestling is not based on outstanding moves, it is solid and energetic. This was a very good match with solid, clean action. At times, it may have looked a little too clean and rehearsed, but it was good nonetheless.<\/p>\n<p>I also commend the fact that Iyo Shirai acted like a babyface, Catalina acted like a babyface, and Roxanne Perez acted like a heel. It sounds simple, but that type of clear character work can make a multi-woman match much easier to follow. I also liked the idea of Roxanne getting the victory. It does nothing to hurt Iyo, and it gives Perez a little more credibility heading into the Money in the Bank match.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-716592135\" 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>I like the way the women&#8217;s Money in the Bank field is shaping up. There are a lot of fresh faces who have an opportunity to elevate their careers with the briefcase, which adds some intrigue to the match.<\/p>\n<p><em>ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Podcast weekly Tuesday Flagship: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/new-flagship-keller-fann-with-eyewitness-report-on-in-ring-death-of-the-butcher-snme-reaction-dynamite-preview-takahashi-wwe-radio--75016895\">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=\"NEW FLAGSHIP: Keller &amp; Fann with eyewitness report on in-ring death of The Butcher, SNME reaction, Dynamite preview, Takahashi, WWE Radio\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=75016895&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\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>LA Knight Promo &#8211; HIT<\/h3>\n<p>LA Knight continued with his truth teller promo style. He also borrowed from the time-tested playbook of building up your opponent rather than tearing them down. By making the mountain you need to climb seem higher and more challenging, you make the eventual conquest feel more significant.<\/p>\n<p>I thought there was a little too much rambling in the middle of the promo, but he brought it home strong with some nice finishing lines. The mention of Roman Reigns\u2014and even LA Knight giving Roman credit\u2014seemed to generate a more negative crowd reaction towards Reigns than I anticipated. If this is further pushing Roman towards a heel, I support it.<\/p>\n<p>This wasn\u2019t a home run, but it was definitely a double.<\/p>\n<h3>Je\u2019Von Evans vs. Bron Breaker &#8211; MISS<\/h3>\n<p>This segment was very much a mixed bag, with some good-to-great elements mixed in with others that felt lazy and somewhat puzzling.<\/p>\n<p>As for the action in the match, it was very good, and Je&#8217;Von continues to show a level of toughness that separates him from being just another &#8220;flippy guy.&#8221; However, on the negative side, Je&#8217;Von delivered roughly 80 percent of the offense. To Bron&#8217;s credit, he made Je&#8217;Von look very good, but at this stage, when WWE is still attempting to present Bron Breakker as a force of nature, I don&#8217;t understand why he was selling for the majority of the match. Moreover, if Je&#8217;Von is supposed to be working underneath, which is the typical babyface story, you can&#8217;t effectively work from underneath while delivering the majority of the offense.<\/p>\n<p>The finish was also lazy. I have no idea why Bron couldn&#8217;t have simply won the match, especially if he was going to do the majority of the selling throughout the contest anyway. A decisive victory would have done more to reinforce the presentation of Breakker as a dominant force while still allowing Je&#8217;Von to come out of the match looking good.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2964496867\" 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>On the positive side, Oba Femi&#8217;s return was very well done, and the crowd was fully invested. The action during Oba&#8217;s return was especially effective, with each member of The Vision doing his physical part to make Oba look great.<\/p>\n<p>As I said, this was very much a mixed bag, but I lean more toward the negative.<\/p>\n<h3>Judgement Day \/ Women\u2019s Title Talking Segment &#8211; MISS<\/h3>\n<p>JD McDonagh started the promo by saying the Funko Pop music video was not funny, and he&#8217;s 100 percent right. The Judgment Day started the promo by generating heat, which was effective in front of the San Antonio crowd.<\/p>\n<p>Becky Lynch interrupted the promo, and I thought the segment descended from there. Becky is in a weird place because she is still using the &#8220;I&#8217;m the smartest person in the room, love me because I&#8217;m right&#8221; promo style that she used to generate heat when she was a heel, but now she&#8217;s using it to get over as a babyface. The presentation feels contradictory.<\/p>\n<p>Stephanie Vaquer then came out and claimed that she won the title and that the title belongs to her, but she failed to tell the truth about how she won the title. I don&#8217;t like the aspect of the story where the person who is being the most honest and telling the truth is also the annoying heel in Liv Morgan.<\/p>\n<p>I understand what each individual performer was trying to accomplish, but there are too many mixed signals and broken pieces in this segment for it to be successful.<\/p>\n<h3>Bailey vs. Lyra Valkyria &#8211; MISS<\/h3>\n<p>The segment and match started on the right foot. They had a nice video package reviewing the history and feud between Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and Bayley started the match aggressively, which fit the tone of the story.<\/p>\n<p>On the negative side, despite the grudge between the two and Bayley&#8217;s recent return, the crowd just wasn&#8217;t that invested in the match. Moreover, interest in the match waned as the contest dragged on. As the match continued, the wrestling quality also seemed to deteriorate, becoming increasingly sloppy and less aggressive.<\/p>\n<p>I understand the story they were trying to tell with Lyra using Bayley&#8217;s aggression against her to steal the victory, but I don&#8217;t think that story was effectively portrayed to the audience. The idea made sense on paper, but the execution didn&#8217;t make the intended story clear enough to make the finish feel effective.<\/p>\n<h3>Lola Vice contract signing &#8211; HIT<\/h3>\n<p>Simple, short, and effective. Introducing Lola Vice in front of a receptive crowd and treating her like a notable addition by having her sign a contract was a good move. Adding a heel in Roxanne Perez as the party crasher, who gained some credibility with her Money in the Bank qualifying victory earlier in the show, lays the groundwork for a potential rivalry in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n<h3>Men&#8217;s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Dragon Lee vs. Dominic Mysterio vs. Penta &#8211; HIT<\/h3>\n<p>Prior to the match, they cut backstage where 946 had attacked and abducted Solo Sikoa, making Solo unable to compete and furthering the ongoing story between The Bloodline and 946. Penta was then announced as the last-second replacement, allowing him to capitalize on the momentum he built last week.<\/p>\n<p>The match itself had some really awesome moves and sequences. A lot of the stuff in between getting to those moves and spots was a little lacking or awkward, but the high-impact moves were executed well and got the desired reaction from the crowd.<\/p>\n<p>When Penta was announced as the last-second replacement, it was obvious that he was the fans&#8217; choice. On this night in San Antonio, the fans received exactly what they wanted with a feel-good victory for Penta. Dragon Lee also accounted for himself well, and I continue to be hopeful about the more serious manner in which Dominik Mysterio is being presented.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wade Keller Post-show (9\/22) - WWE Raw w\/Keller &amp; Machado\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iNjxu-ko87Q?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-1953639516\"><div id=\"pwtor-1388764643\"><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>(Note: Jon Mezzera is on vacation, so PWTorch contributor Derrick Hubbard is filling in with this week\u2019s column.) Opening segment: Penta promo &#8211; HIT Two lingering questions came out of last week&#8217;s Raw, which featured <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/09\/22\/wwe-raw-hits-misses-9-21-penta-reacts-to-losing-to-reigns-last-week-in-mexico-city-did-breakker-sell-too-much-for-jevon-did-knight-deliver-on-important-promo\/\" title=\"WWE RAW HITS &#038; MISSES (9\/21): Penta reacts to losing to Reigns last week in Mexico City, did Breakker sell too much for Je&#8217;Von, did Knight deliver on important promo\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":222662,"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_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,28,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-222661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists_hitsandmisses","category-specialists"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2026-09-22-at-11.06.52-AM.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222661","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=222661"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222661\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":222665,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222661\/revisions\/222665"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/222662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}