‘WWE Raw’ Review (Apr 13th 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: Lyra Valkyria def. Charlotte Flair
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After Charlotte Flair threw Lyra Valkyria into Bayley at ringside, Bayley came back to grab The Queen and cause her to fall down as she was attempting a pin. Lyra quickly used the momentum of that fall to pick up the pin heading into the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way Match at The Show of Shows.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: The Usos & LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa, Tonga Loa and JC Mateo
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
When Tama Tonga showed up at ringside, LA Knight took advantage of the commotion to hit Tonga Loa with a BFT to give himself and The Usos a huge Six-Man Tag Team victory heading into their WrestleMania match against Logan Paul, Austin Theory and IShowSpeed on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Kairi Sane def. IYO SKY
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
When Asuka repeatedly interfered in Kairi Sane’s match against IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley emerged to attempt to neutralize The Empress of Tomorrow. Before she could, though, Women’s World Champion Jade Cargill attacked The Eradicator, and IYO SKY leaped through the ropes and into the ringside commotion in order to stop The Storm. When SKY returned the ring, however, Asuka again interfered to help Sane pick up the pin.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Dragon Lee & Je’Von Evans def. Rusev & JD McDonagh
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Moments after Je’Von Evans leaped over the top rope to take out Rusev, Dragon Lee used a Styles Clash to pick up the three-count on JD McDonagh. After the bell, however, an irate Bulgarian Brute destroyed his five Intercontinental Title Ladder Match opponents in a ruthless beatdown.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This week’s Raw felt like it was going through the motions rather than building any real excitement heading into WrestleMania. There’s no denying the show was packed with talent, but almost every match leaned heavily on interference, distractions, or post-match chaos rather than delivering anything truly memorable bell-to-bell. Lyra Valkyria picking up a win over Charlotte Flair should feel huge, but the finish made it feel more like a setup than a statement. The six-man tag was pure noise over substance, while Kairi Sane vs. IYO SKY had the potential to steal the show but got bogged down in overbooked nonsense. Even the tag bout featuring Dragon Lee and Je’Von Evans only really came alive after the bell, thanks to Rusev’s rampage. There’s progression here, sure, but it’s messy, unfocused, and rarely satisfying. For a WrestleMania go-home stretch, this should be hitting harder than it is.
