WWE Raw Recap: AJ Lee Return, New Champs & Reigns Punk Face Off 03.02.26

Respect to Heyman for taking a legitimate chair shot before his head was stomped into the mat. The visual after the commercial break was striking, as he was bloodied up in the back of an ambulance. Jimmy Uso surprised Theory once he left Heyman’s side, which is when fans learned it was actually LA Knight in the driver’s seat.

WWE Raw Recap – Gunther Vs. Dragon Lee

“The Ring General” Gunther was on his way to the ring for his match when Dragon Lee rushed him from behind. This backfired, as he was quickly outpowered, taking stiff chops and powerful slams. The match looked over after Lee was the victim of back-to-back powerbombs, only for his opponent to pick up his lifeless body.

Gunther threw Lee to the outside, powerbombed him on the apron and announce table, before going to the ring for a count-out. Not happy with the count-out, his eagerness was countered by the Luchador on the outside, leading to a neutral start in the ring.

Gunther executed the ultimate sign of disrespect on his Luchador opponent by removing his mask. This commotion led to a sleeper hold for this finish. This was a physical, back-and-forth affair, an entertaining opening match.

New WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion

New Women’s WWE Intercontinental Champion, AJ Lee, was up next with an in-ring promo. The woman with zero singles matches in over a decade declared herself a fighting champion, and “your favorite wrestler’s favorite wrestler.” All of that said, the next opponent is still a mystery.

WWE Raw Recap – Mid-Card

The Original El Grande Americano versus Rayo Americano was next. The athleticism and talent of these wrestlers are starting to get lost in the prolongation of the gimmick. El Grande was victorious.

Rusev jumped on the announcer’s desk to call out Oba Femi, who quickly obliged. There was a short back-and-forth before Femi knocked him out of the ring to end the segment.

Austin versus Uso followed. It didn’t take long for Paul to rush the ring, causing the match to be thrown out. Uso was saved by his brother and fellow tag team champion, Jey Uso.

Women’s Elimination Chamber Winner Rhea Ripley

Ripley, fresh off winning the Elimination Chamber match, was interviewed at the top of the entrance ramp by Jackie Redmond. The prize for winning the match was a championship opportunity against Jade Cargill at WrestleMania. It was an awkward moment involving Iyo Sky, where the tag team seemingly split up, with only Sky remaining on Raw.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match

“Dirty” Dominik Mysterio had to defend the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Penta. They moved at a quick pace and made smooth reversals, leading to numerous tense false finishes. Finn Balor stopped JD McDonough from interfering in the finish, which led to a Mexican Destroyer and a new champ.

WWE Raw Recap – Reigns & Punk Face-To-Face

Roman Reigns grabbed the mic for the final segment, only to be immediately interrupted by WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk. After winning the Royal Rumble, Reigns earned a shot at that title at WrestleMania. Their verbal joust got personal, and both men had their moments.

Reigns had an edge in the personal attacks. That is, until Punk ended the show with, “I’m going to bury you with your father.”

• Click here for an opinion piece on why AJ Lee is a bad choice for champion.

End Of My WWE Raw Recap Rant

The final road to WrestleMania is off to a hot start. The WWE Universe has witnessed numerous new champions crowned over the last few days, and the title pictures are coming together nicely. Stay tuned to Stadium Rant for the next WWE Raw recap.