Category: RAW

Bayley Brings Back The Hugger In WWE RAW Return, But Still At War With Herself

WWE fans got a dose of nostalgia on this week’s Monday Night RAW when Bayley made her return — and she wasn’t alone. The “Hugger” persona that first made her a fan-favorite came back in full force.

The moment unfolded after Lyra Valkyria scored a big win over Roxanne Perez, only to be ambushed by Perez and Raquel Rodriguez. Just when the numbers game looked too much, Bayley charged down to the ring to even the odds.

What made the save even more impactful was Bayley’s demeanor. Throughout recent vignettes, WWE has shown her at war with herself — haunted by past versions of her character and conflicted over the damage she’s done, especially to Valkyria. That inner struggle spilled out live on RAW, but ultimately, Bayley leaned into her most beloved side.

After clearing the ring, she stepped back into her old shoes — Bayley then cheerfully got out of the ring and hugged Joe Tessitore and Corey Graves on commentary before embracing ring announcer Alicia Taylor. She gave some love to a few fans at ringside, as well as referee Jessika Carr and a security guard before racing back up the ramp, giving high fives to everyone she could

Bayley’s return adds another intriguing wrinkle to the women’s division. Will this rekindled Hugger energy mark a true shift in her character, or is this just one chapter in her ongoing battle with identity? Either way, Valkyria couldn’t have asked for a better ally.

Despite her earlier jovial self, Bayley lashes out at Lyra Valkyria backstage. Bayley still appears to be at war with herself. Which one of these personas will win out in the end?

WWE Raw Preview 9/15/2025

WWE Raw will have a special start time of 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT on Netflix from the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

  • CM Punk and AJ Lee will go face-to-face with Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez
  • El Grande Americano vs. Dragon Lee
  • Penta vs. Kofi Kingston
  • John Cena will appear live

AJ Styles Drops “Shoot-Style” Promo During RAW Break – Subtle Shot at Triple H?

AJ Styles made some waves on this week’s episode of WWE RAW—and not just for what aired on TV.

Before his match with El Grande Americano, “The Phenomenal One” grabbed a mic and let loose with a fiery promo that had more of a worked shoot flavor than the usual scripted WWE dialogue. Styles told the live crowd (and Netflix viewers tuning in internationally) that he feels someone inside WWE is actively working against him.

Styles pointed to the recent departures of his longtime allies, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, as well as the fact that Michin (Mia Yim) is tied up on SmackDown. He essentially claimed the deck has been stacked against him, leaving him without backup for the first time in years.

In one of the most eyebrow-raising moments, Styles broke from the usual “commercial break” routine and told fans:

“I’m gonna tell you something you’re not supposed to hear, but somebody doesn’t want me here. So tonight, you’re going to beat the piss out of Grande Americano for me, so that person feels some of this pain too.”

Styles went on to score a much-needed win over Americano, snapping a two-week skid and possibly putting management on notice in the process.

While AJ never dropped names, fans immediately began speculating that his words were aimed at Triple H, given The Game’s role in WWE’s creative direction. Whether this was a fully scripted moment or Styles venting some real frustrations remains to be seen—but it definitely added some intrigue to his current storyline.

One thing is clear: “The Phenomenal One” isn’t staying quiet, and if this leads to a bigger push or even a heel turn, we might be seeing AJ Styles entering a very interesting new chapter.

WWE Raw Preview 9/8/25

WWE Raw tonight live on Netflix at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

  • We’ll hear from AJ Lee who made her return to WWE this past Friday on SmackDown
  • IYO SKY and Stephanie Vaquer Wrestlepalooza contract signing
  • The Usos will address Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Judgment Day’s Raquel Rodriguez
  • AJ Styles vs. El Grande Americano

Report: AJ Lee Set For WWE Return, Possible Tag Match With CM Punk At WrestlePalooza

It looks like the long-awaited return of AJ Lee is finally on the horizon. Nearly a decade after her WWE retirement, the former Divas Champion is rumored to be lacing up the boots again—this time teaming with her husband, CM Punk, at the upcoming WrestlePalooza event.

According to Fightful Select, WWE has penciled in Lee’s comeback for September 20, when the company launches its first premium live event on ESPN’s new streaming platform. Sources indicate her on-screen return is “imminent.”

Speculation caught fire this past weekend at Clash in Paris when Becky Lynch got involved in Seth Rollins’ World Heavyweight Championship match, delivering a low blow to Punk. Things escalated further on Raw, where Punk warned Lynch she’d “regret putting her hands on him.” That storyline direction points strongly toward a mixed tag showdown: Punk and Lee vs. Rollins and Lynch at WrestlePalooza.

Wrestling journalist Bryan Alvarez also backed up the report, noting WWE has indeed been planning the match. Fightful added that creative pitches for AJ’s return have been floating around for some time. Punk himself hinted at something brewing when he teased GM Adam Pearce on Raw about this week’s SmackDown being in Chicago—the couple’s hometown.

Perhaps the biggest note: insiders stress that Lee’s comeback might not be a one-time deal. WWE reportedly has bigger hopes for her beyond WrestlePalooza. While many on the roster haven’t seen AJ since her 2015 exit, there’s no bad blood between her and the company, and word is several of today’s top female stars—who grew up as AJ fans—are thrilled about the possibility of finally sharing the ring with her.

If the reports hold true, WrestlePalooza could mark one of the most talked-about WWE returns in years.

WWE Raw Preview 9/1/2025

WWE Raw live today at 2 PM ET on Netflix from the La Défense Arena in Paris.

  • Fallout from Clash In Paris
  • An update on Roman Reigns
  • Adam Pearce will address the WWE Women’s World title situation
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles
  • The Kabuki Warriors vs. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez
  • The New Day vs. The War Raiders

WWE Raw Preview 8/25/2025

WWE airs live globally today live on Netflix from the bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham, England, beginning at 3:00 pm ET/12:00 pm PT.

  • Roman Reigns to kick off the show
  • Rhea Ripley vs. Judgment Day’s Roxanne Perez
  • Penta vs. The New Day’s Kofi Kingston

Naomi Announces Pregnancy, Steps Away from WWE Women’s World Championship on RAW

This week’s episode of WWE RAW delivered one of the most emotional and surprising moments of the year when Raw GM Adam Pearce introduced Women’s World Champion Naomi to the ring.

Naomi didn’t waste any time addressing the WWE Universe, turning everyone’s attention to the big screen for a special reveal. A clip from Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast aired, featuring Naomi alongside her husband Jimmy Uso. In the video, Jimmy proudly announced that the couple is expecting their first child together.

The live crowd erupted with cheers, and Pearce congratulated Naomi on the huge life update. But the champion made it clear she wasn’t about to quietly hand over her gold. With her usual fire, Naomi told Pearce she wasn’t “giving him the title back” before demanding he leave the ring. Pearce wisely obliged, allowing Naomi to address the women’s division directly.

Naomi reminded the locker room that they should be grateful to Jimmy Uso—because without him, she would still be running through the competition week after week. She then turned her focus to the future, saying The Bloodline legacy would continue, and placed her custom Women’s World Championship in the center of the ring.

With a confident smile, Naomi announced that she’s giving the division “nine months to do what you want with it”—but promised she’ll be back to reclaim her spot at the top. Her parting words were a warning to whoever rises to champion in her absence: proceed with caution.

Naomi’s announcement now leaves the Women’s World Championship picture wide open. Will Pearce declare the title vacant and crown a new champion through a tournament, or will someone step up immediately to claim it? One thing is certain—when Naomi returns, the entire division better be ready.

Back in April during a heartfelt conversation with The Bella Twins, Naomi revealed that she’s preparing for life after wrestling as she hopes to start a family soon.

WWE Raw Preview 8/18/2025

WWE Raw airs live globally today on Netflix from the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, beginning at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT.

  • WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Natalya
  • WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins to appear
  • WWE Women’s World Champion Naomi to appear
  • IYO SKY vs. Judgment Day’s Raquel Rodriguez
  • Penta vs. The New Day’s Xavier Woods
  • Bron Breakker vs. Jey Uso

Backstage Update: Naomi’s Absence Forces WWE to Fast-Track Asuka Heel Turn on Raw

WWE had to pull a last-minute audible on this week’s Monday Night Raw after Women’s World Champion Naomi was unexpectedly ruled out of her scheduled title defense against IYO SKY. The company announced just hours before the show that Naomi wasn’t medically cleared to compete, though no reason has been publicly revealed for her absence.

The change didn’t just affect that night’s lineup — it also reshaped a major storyline. According to PWInsider Elite, WWE had been building toward a slow-burn heel turn for Asuka against her Damage CTRL partner SKY. That confrontation was originally planned to happen further down the road, but with Naomi out, WWE decided to move up the split. Fans saw the seeds planted after SKY’s loss to Roxanne Perez, when Asuka walked out on her partner in frustration.

Interestingly, the Perez vs. SKY match itself wasn’t the original plan either. WWE reportedly considered booking Perez and Raquel Rodriguez against SKY and Rhea Ripley in tag action. It’s unclear why the singles match was chosen instead, or whether Asuka’s heel turn would’ve still happened in a tag scenario.

The accelerated breakup angle could hint that Naomi will be out of action for at least a short while longer. She is, however, scheduled to appear alongside her husband, Jimmy Uso, on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast this Thursday. That appearance might provide some answers about her status — and the fate of the Women’s World Championship picture.