‘WWE Raw’ Review (Mar 9th 2026)
Welcome to our review of this past Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, right here on Nerdly! Let’s see what went down on this week’s show…
Match #1: Women’s Intercontinental Championship Gauntlet No. 1 Contenders Match – Winner: Bayley
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
IYO SKY def. Lyra Valkyria with Over the Moonsault. IYO SKY def. Raquel Rodriguez. After Stephanie Vaquer emerged to halt a disruptive Liv Morgan, SKY leaped off the top rope and locked Rodriguez in an inside cradle for the pin. Ivy Nile def. IYO SKY with a quick pin after Raquel Rodriguez’s post-match attack. Bayley def. Ivy Nile with a Bayley-to-Belly. Bayley def. Asuka with the Rose Plant after Lyra Valkyria neutralized Kairi Sane. Bayley won the right to challenge AJ Lee.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Intercontinental Championship – Penta def. El Grande Americano
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After El Grande Americano found a way to mysteriously replace “Original” El Grande Americano to challenge Penta for the Intercontinental Championship, Penta overcame his challenge with a beautiful Springboard Mexican Destroyer.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Oba Femi def. Rusev
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The hottest free agent in WWE, Oba Femi conquered Rusev with a Fall From Grace in an absolute slugfest.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
This week’s Raw was a solid but uneven show that leaned heavily on in-ring action to carry the night. The opening Women’s Intercontinental Championship gauntlet match was easily the highlight, delivering plenty of drama, star power and storyline movement. Bayley running the gauntlet to secure the No. 1 contender’s spot felt like the right payoff, and the involvement of names like IYO SKY, Asuka and — always welcome on any WWE show — Stephanie Vaquer added a sense of importance to the bout. Elsewhere the show dipped slightly in quality. Penta vs. El Grande Americano was entertaining enough, with Penta’s springboard Mexican Destroyer providing the kind of flashy finish fans expect from him, but the match itself felt more like a fun TV defence than something particularly memorable. Meanwhile Oba Femi vs. Rusev had the makings of a hard-hitting clash on paper but never quite reached the level you’d hope from two powerhouses, ending up as a decent but ultimately underwhelming bout. All told, Raw delivered a good opening match and some serviceable wrestling throughout, but nothing that truly elevated the show into must-see territory.
