What to Expect on WWE Raw Tonight: Roman Reigns Returns as Money in the Bank Looms
WWE has one final Monday Night Raw before Money in the Bank.
And there's quite a bit to settle before everyone heads to New Orleans.
Raw comes to the Enterprise Center in St. Louis tonight with Roman Reigns returning, a Women's World Championship No. 1 Contender's Match, an AAA championship defense and several Money in the Bank competitors crossing paths just five days before the ladders come out.
Here's what to expect.
Roman Reigns Returns to Raw
Roman Reigns is back.
The World Heavyweight Champion returns to Raw tonight as his collision with LA Knight at Money in the Bank gets closer.
Reigns successfully defended the championship against Penta when Raw visited Mexico City last month, only for Knight to drop him with a BFT afterward.
Meanwhile, things surrounding The Bloodline haven't exactly gotten quieter.
Last week's Raw saw the ongoing issues with The 946 escalate considerably, including Jacob Fatu being struck by a vehicle driven by Jaida Parker and subsequently taken away in an ambulance.
There are now multiple fires burning around Reigns at once.
There's LA Knight and the World Heavyweight Championship.
There's The 946.
There's The Bloodline.
And there's Money in the Bank looming five days away.
Reigns doesn't wrestle every Monday anymore, which means when WWE specifically advertises his return, there's usually a reason.
Tonight we find out what it is.
Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan — Winner Gets Stephanie Vaquer
This might be the match with the clearest immediate consequence.
Becky Lynch faces Liv Morgan tonight with the winner advancing to challenge Stephanie Vaquer for the Women's World Championship at Money in the Bank.
And neither woman exactly arrives without history attached to this.
Vaquer defeated Morgan for the championship in Chile last month, with Lynch serving as special guest referee.
Since then, both Lynch and Morgan have made it very clear that they believe they belong at the front of the line.
Tonight, one of them gets to prove it.
I like matches like this because there isn't much explaining necessary.
Win.
Get a championship match.
Five days later, potentially leave Money in the Bank as champion.
Simple.
Rey Fenix Brings AAA Gold to Raw
One of the more interesting things happening across WWE right now has been the increased movement between WWE and AAA.
Tonight, that continues.
AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix will defend his championship against Ethan Page.
Fenix announced last week that he had received permission to defend the championship across WWE's brands, and Page didn't waste much time stepping forward.
Now we've got an AAA championship being defended on Monday Night Raw.
That alone is still pretty wild to type.
But I'm interested in more than simply seeing AAA gold on WWE television.
If WWE is going to continue presenting AAA championships across its programming, these matches need to feel like they matter. The championship should be more than a prop that happens to be around someone's waist.
Fenix and Page have an opportunity tonight to help establish exactly what these cross-promotional title defenses are going to feel like.
Penta & Je'Von Evans vs. Bron Breakker & Austin Theory
This one has chaos written all over it.
Penta and Je'Von Evans team against Bron Breakker and Austin Theory, with three of the four men — Penta, Evans and Breakker — already headed into the Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match on Saturday.
That's what makes tonight interesting.
You're putting several men who will soon be climbing the same ladders and fighting for the same briefcase into the ring together five days beforehand.
Nobody needs to win Money in the Bank tonight.
But everybody wants momentum.
Breakker has already made his intentions toward Penta and Evans pretty obvious, including spearing both men last week.
Now they get him in a match.
And with Money in the Bank this close, I wouldn't expect everyone to politely wait until Saturday before things start getting out of control.
Sol Ruca & Lola Vice vs. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez
The women's Money in the Bank picture gets its own preview tonight.
Sol Ruca teams with Lola Vice against Roxanne Perez and Women's Intercontinental Champion Raquel Rodriguez.
Ruca, Vice and Perez are all scheduled to compete in the Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match, meaning this is another situation where temporary alliances exist only because the bell hasn't rung in New Orleans yet.
That's always one of my favorite parts of the build toward matches like Money in the Bank.
Tonight you're partners.
Saturday?
You're climbing over each other.
Ruca and Vice have both made significant moves on Raw recently, while Perez continues establishing herself on the brand. Throw Rodriguez into the middle of that and there's a lot of different wrestling styles sharing one ring.
It's also another opportunity for WWE to give the women's Money in the Bank field some personality before the match itself rather than relying solely on the stipulation to create excitement.
One Last Stop Before Money in the Bank
Go-home shows have a pretty straightforward job.
Make me want to see Saturday more than I already did.
Tonight WWE has championship stakes, an AAA title defense, several Money in the Bank competitors sharing the ring and Roman Reigns returning with multiple problems waiting for him.
That's plenty to work with.
The ladders come out Saturday.
Tonight is about giving us reasons to care who climbs them.
WWE Raw airs live tonight from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Netflix.