WWE RAW 9/14/2026: 3 Things We Hated & 3 Things We Loved

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s weekly review of "WWE Raw," the show that saw Roman Reigns successfully defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Penta! The WINC staff has lots of thoughts about that match, as well as thoughts about both Je'Von Evans and Lola Vice advancing to the Money in the Bank ladder matches.

If you missed the show, feel free to catch up by going to our "WWE Raw" 9/14/26 results page, which includes all the action we're not going to comment on here — Chad Gable vs. Dragon Lee for the Intercontinental title, for example, which was good, but didn't engender any strong feelings for the WINC crew. And strong feelings — one way or the other — are what this column is all about, as we provide our subjective opinions on the matches and segments that stood out to us the most. So without further ado, here are three things we hated and three things we loved about the 9/14/26 episode of "WWE Raw!"

I know that the opening segment from this edition of "Raw" was meant to be a means to an end in order to set up the mixed tag match pitting Stephanie Vaquer and El Grande Americano against Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio. However, I would argue that the opener didn't really need to be used for that purpose and could've been television time that was dedicated to something else instead.

Vaquer just dethroned Morgan as Women's World Champion two days ago, and Americano just dethroned Dominik as AAA Mega Champion at AAA Triplemania. There's already enough tension between all four individuals given their respective storylines for it not to have needed anything other than a brief verbal in-ring confrontation a bit later on in this show instead of whatever that opener we got instead was.

I also didn't understand why Rey Mysterio was the one who introduced Vaquer when she could've just come to the ring on her own or why Adam Pearce was really needed in the ring when he could've just appeared at the end to make this all official. The presence of both men unfortunately distracted me to the point of finding it hard to concentrate on what everyone else in the ring was saying, and it felt a little like WWE was trying to smush what should've been two separate segments into one (especially to give Rey a bigger moment in front of the Mexico City crowd). I did enjoy watching the reaction of the fans in attendance, but nothing about this opener outside of that really clicked for me.

Written by Olivia Quinlan

There was little else to celebrate from the triple threat match between Je'Von Evans, Big Cass, and Austin Theory to qualify for Money in the Bank. But at least the correct decision was made and Evans will be headed to get bouncy in a match that likely holds the claim to being the bounciest on the calendar.

Money in the Bank requires both compelling potential winners and those who can work around the match type. Evans offers both. He's a blue-chip prospect on Monday nights that has yet to truly find his footing, while also being someone sure to be daring and creative in the match itself.

Were he to win, it would be a significant step forward for Evans and would put him on the path to likely winning the world title. That would be wild and exciting considering he is just 22. But even if he doesn't, he is one of the ingredients that will undoubtedly work to elevate the dish.

Over the years there has been one constant in ladder matches: those who soar the highest heights steal the highlights. Evans appears to have no equal on the roster when it comes to soaring, and it's frankly exciting just thinking about the different things he can do. Even more exciting is the fact that he could do something that hasn't already been thought of.

But without flowing too far downstream on the river of speculative excitement, this very column changes immeasurably if he does not pick up the win tonight. Theory is the worst Money in the Bank winner to actually successfully cash in. Cass moves like a conveyor belt with an elephant sat on it. Evans, fortunately, is going to Money in the Bank, and this writer is reveling in the sheer idea of it.

Written by Max Everett

While I understand tonight's "Raw" was kind of a special event, with luchadors taking the main stage with Penta facing Roman Reigns and Dragon Lee fighting Chad Gable for the Intercontinental title, I wasn't given any indication that it wasn't a canon episode. I say that because it didn't take me long to realize Oba Femi and the rest of The Vision, outside Austin Theory, were not on the show.

The "future of WWE" storyline wasn't furthered, or really even mentioned by commentary at all tonight. It felt strange, as the Bloodline and 946 storyline, while it wasn't necessarily furthered, was at least mentioned, and got both a backstage segment with the Usos and Jacob Fatu, and a pre-recorded promo from Royce Keys and OTM. While both rivalries are hot on "Raw" right now, one getting acknowledged and not the other, especially with Theory on the show, was kind of weird.

Je'Von Evans getting the victory to advance to the Money in the Bank ladder match was absolutely the right choice, but I thought Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker may have come out to interfere on Theory's behalf. I guess Breakker doesn't want Theory involved in the MITB match after he qualified last week. But, that would have been a good way to get the rest of The Vision on the show, which could bring out Femi. They could have hit his music to pop the white-hot crowd, then Femi could have come out to chase Reed and Breakker to the back, leading Theory to fend for himself and Evans to get the win.

After Reed's big return, and even the online discourse about Femi knocking Reed's boot off of him to end last week's segment, I thought we'd see at least something from Femi tonight. He's such a big star, even if he's not a luchador, he would have done well in a physical segment, rather than a promo, tonight.

I thought this was a pretty good show overall, it just felt glaring that The Vision and Femi weren't featured. I'm sure we'll get right back into next Monday, however, and this will feel nit-picky, but after getting invested in this even more so with the return of Reed, it just felt odd to step back from it for a week.

Written by Daisy Ruth

Lola Vice made her "WWE Raw" debut after a few weeks of video vignettes announcing her impending call-up, and she made a big impact, both by qualifying for the women's Money in the Bank ladder match, as well as infuriating the Women's Intercontinental Champion by getting the quick pin on her. I was slightly worried about this one, as I wasn't sure why WWE was bringing up NXT Champion Kelani Jordan, albeit briefly, for a match when they had advertised Vice's debut so heavily, but it all ended up working out in Vice's favor.

The crowd was hot for Vice, who has been working in AAA and was once a mixed tag team champion alongside Mr. Iguana. The match overall was pretty good and entertaining, and I thought all three women played their parts in it well. Jordan still played a heel, her current role in "NXT," but she didn't try to out-heel Rodriguez. She was more of a chicken s*** heel, sliding out of the ring to start the match, but then tried to showcase her gymnastic ability against Rodriguez later on.

I think Vice is going to work really well up on the main roster, as her style, influenced by her actual MMA background, is unique. Jordan is going to be a workhorse, and hopefully a big star, as well, once she's finally called up, which I hope is soon. Vice had some really good moves in this one, at one point catching Jordan's 450 splash and countering into a triangle choke, which I don't believe I've seen from her before. She also dodged the Tejana Bomb into another submission, but Rodriguez was too powerful for that to end well.

I'm usually not for champions taking the pin, but I thought this was fine with Rodriguez being distracted by Jordan and Vice getting a quick roll-up to advance. And really, what are you going to do other than that, with the NXT Women's Champion in the match as well as the woman making her debut on the main roster?

I don't think Rodriguez looked bad here at all, and she looked absolutely furious as Vice celebrated on the ramp. It makes me hopeful that Vice will be inserted immediately into the Women's Intercontinental title picture if she's not walking out of New Orleans with the MITB briefcase. This was a solid bout to have on tonight's "Raw," all three women looked solid, and it gave me hope Vice's "NXT" call-up will be a successful one.

Written by Daisy Ruth

WWE returned to Mexico City for the first time in 15 years, so naturally the World Heavyweight Champion should be featured. WWE's big idea was to have a tournament stretching over several weeks that included talent from WWE and AAA; however, it was obvious who would win as soon as the participants were revealed. Penta was the clear choice, but the tournament still provided some great matches. Penta defeated his brother, Rey Fénix to advance.

And where was his opponent during this tournament? Dealing with Bloodline business from afar. His last match before tonight was when he defeated Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. Reigns wants to be acknowledged, yet he can't take the time to acknowledge his own opponent beyond a staredown. He acted as if the match was beneath him. There was nothing to give the hint that Penta might even have a chance of dethroning "The Tribal Chief."

There was a stark difference in their presentation tonight. Penta arrived at the arena on horseback. He had an elaborate head dress and came out with an entire month's worth of pyro that continued once he got in the ring. The fans chanted his name so loudly. Reigns, on the other hand, came to the ring like it was just another match. He had his normal pyro and was booed in a way he hasn't been in years. To Penta and the fans, this match meant the world. To Reigns, it was just another title defense.

The first half of the match was Reigns going through the motions. Penta is typically quick in the ring, but had to slow it down to work the champ's style. They eventually picked it up, especially in the last few minutes of the match. That part of the match was great. Penta was able to hit the Penta Driver and two Destroyers. While most fans at home knew there was no way that Reigns was losing, the fans in the arena were living and dying with every finisher and every kickout. Reigns had the audacity to grab a mic and demanded to be acknowledged. As expected, Reigns connected with a spear to retain.

While the closing minutes of the match were awesome, it doesn't make up for the fact that the match came off as meaningless to Reigns. It would've felt more important if Reigns had taken the time to do more than stare him down. This match should've felt like a bigger deal beyond Penta's awesome entrance.

Written by Samantha Schipman

It happened as it always was going to happen, Roman Reigns retaining his World Heavyweight Championship over Penta in the main event of "Raw" in Mexico City. But if anything can be taken away from tonight it should be that Penta is more than worthy of the spotlight.

It should be abundantly clear that WWE had Mexico City on its schedule and thus needed a home national fans could root for against Reigns, while ultimately never standing a chance of unseating the "Tribal Chief." That's what this match was. It was never going to be Penta's crowning moment. There was no feud or storyline outside of "WWE is coming to the land of lucha libre and needs a luchador to challenge unsuccessfully. "

But Penta is popular — the most popular luchador on the roster that's both a real luchador and not named Rey Mysterio. Anyone that's watched him over the years would likely turn around and say, "Penta? WWE Champion? Duh." But that's not always a given and it takes moments like these to prove that to those who feel they need it proved to.

Penta exceeded that as far as this writer is concerned. He is the only man on the roster in 2026 that has managed to turn an entire venue against Reigns, purely because he was the sheer favorite with the crowd. And that heat behind him actually created an atmosphere that was arguably better than the match itself called for.

Reigns took two Mexican Destroyers. That in itself feels insane to write, but when in lucha land, do as the luchadors do. That's what Penta brought out of a man who works just a handful of slow-burning, lore-intensive, interference-laced wrestling matches per year. It elevated the bout to more than just a TV title defense, even if that is what it was when all was said and done.

The crowd felt he could do it, cheering and wishing him on with every minute bit of progress. The Penta Driver was an explosive pop, as were each of the Destroyers. When Reigns finally beat Penta, the crowd went silent. Like COVID-era Tokyo Dome silent. They were there for Penta. They want to see him succeed and wanted to be a part of ushering that success in.

The match was fun. Reigns had a presence that juxtaposed with Penta really well simply in terms of aura. The result was disappointing but obvious. But it was Penta's work as the babyface, an underdog challenger, that really shone through. If this is how popular he can be opposite Roman Reigns, far and away the biggest active name in the sport, then Penta seems to have proven he warrants the main event.

Written by Max Everett