WWE Raw Results: Roman Reigns Chooses Violence And CM Punk For WrestleMania 42

You know that feeling when you’re watching a horror movie, and the teenager opens the door to the basement? You know exactly what’s down there, but you still scream when the monster jumps out. That was Monday Night Raw in Philadelphia. We all knew, or at least we hoped we knew, where Roman Reigns was going with his Royal Rumble victory.

But watching him actually pull the trigger? That’s why we watch this silly, wonderful sport. The Road to WrestleMania 42 has officially kicked off, and if Monday night was any indication, the pavement is going to be cracked, blood-stained, and covered in high-drama debris.

The Tribal Chief was in the house, the Philly crowd was losing its collective mind, and the main event for the biggest show of the year was set in stone.Here’s the breakdown of what went down at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, and why I’m already saving my pennies for a flight to the showcase of the immortals.

Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk: A Match Made in Hater Heaven

Let’s be honest: Drew McIntyre is great. He’s a warrior. But nobody, and I mean nobody, wanted Roman Reigns to choose Drew McIntyre. We wanted the drama. We wanted the baggage. We wanted the guy Roman Reigns legitimately seems to despise.

Closing out the show, Reigns didn’t just cut a promo; he performed an exorcism on his own history. He talked about Philly being the place where he won his first title and lost his last one. It was poetic. But when CM Punk walked out, the air in the arena changed.

Punk, being the master manipulator he is, tried to goad Reigns into picking him by calling himself the “hard path.” He basically dared the Head of the Table to take a seat. And Reigns? He didn’t blink.

He didn’t pick Punk because of the World Heavyweight Championship. He didn’t pick him because it’s the “main event” choice. He picked him because of hate. Pure, unadulterated, professional hatred.Reigns said beating Punk would make WrestleMania the best night of his life.

This is the storytelling hook we needed. It’s not just about a belt. It’s about two massive egos that have circled each other for years, finally colliding. This is the right call. It’s the money match. And judging by the reaction in Philadelphia, the fans are ready to eat it up with a spoon.

Bron Breakker Is Mad as Hell and Not Taking It Anymore

If Roman Reigns provided the drama, Bron Breakker provided the destruction.Let’s pour one out for the ringside area, which was absolutely decimated by Breakker to open the show. The guy was furious about getting the No. 2 spot in the Rumble and subsequently getting jumped, and honestly? He has a point.

He blamed GM Adam Pearce, who, in classic middle-management fashion, tried to spin it back on Bron. Here is the thing about Bron Breakker: he is terrifyingly good at this. He’s not in the main event picture for Mania just yet, but he’s hovering around it like a shark smelling blood in the water.

While LA Knight got the better of the exchange this week, Breakker’s unhinged energy is the best thing happening in the mid-card right now. Whether he gets a title shot post-Mania or forces his way in sooner, he is the future of this company, and he’s screaming it loudly enough to break eardrums.

Stephanie Vaquer Survives the Philly Street Fight

The wrestling world can be hit or miss with “Street Fights,” but Stephanie Vaquer and Raquel Rodriguez brought the goods on Raw. This was easily the best in-ring action of the night on Raw. It had tables, it had chairs, and it had the confusing chaos of Liv Morgan.

Liv, fresh off her own Royal Rumble win, tried to play 4D chess by “helping” Rodriguez, but it backfired spectacularly. Vaquer retained the Women’s World Title, and now we have a clear trajectory: Liv Morgan vs. Stephanie Vaquer at WrestleMania.

The dynamic here is fascinating because Liv is playing mind games that even she might not fully understand. But credit to Vaquer, she looked like a champion who can survive a war, which is exactly how you need to book her heading into April.

The Best of the Rest from Monday Night Raw

The rest of Raw was a bit of a mixed bag, serving mostly as connective tissue for the big angles.

• Gunther being Gunther: The Ring General choked out Dragon Lee because, well, that’s what he does. It was a solid reminder that even when he’s not in the title picture, Gunther is the scariest man in the room.
• The Tag Division: Oba Femi wrecking the War Raiders was a nice touch to establish dominance, and the Bella Twins popping up to announce a run at the tag titles gave the show a nice hit of nostalgia.
• Penta vs. Bronson Reed: A bit of a messy finish with the count-out, but it keeps both monsters strong and continues the LA Knight feud.

The Verdict: A B+ Start to the Road to WrestleMania

Was it a perfect Raw? No. The middle dragged a bit, as Raw often does. But they nailed the landing. The closing segment between Punk and Reigns was electric, giving us exactly the main event we craved with a fresh emotional coat of paint.

We have our “Big Bad” match. We have a rising monster in Breakker. We have a Women’s Title feud that’s getting personal. The chessboard is set for WrestleMania 42, and for the first time in a while, I genuinely can’t predict checkmate.