The tournament to find Roman Reigns’ next challenger begins tonight on Raw from the Norfolk Scope Arena, with Penta facing Laredo Kid in the first of four opening-round matches.
Raw starts at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT, live on Netflix. Three matches are announced.
The tournament is Rey Mysterio’s doing. He announced it last week in his capacity as AAA General Manager, having taken the idea to Reigns first, and it puts eight luchadores from Raw, SmackDown and AAA into a bracket. The winner challenges Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship on the September 14 Raw from Arena CDMX in Mexico City, WWE’s first television from the country in fifteen years.
Laredo Kid, the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champion, has never wrestled on Raw before. He is 39.
The full bracket
- Tonight, Raw: Penta vs. Laredo Kid
- August 15, AAA: Psycho Clown vs. La Parka
- August 17, Raw: Dragon Lee vs. El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.
- August 17, Raw: Rey Fenix vs. El Fiscal
- August 24, Raw: both semi-finals
- September 14, Raw in Mexico City: the winner faces Roman Reigns
One round takes place on AAA television rather than on WWE’s, which is the clearest indication yet of how closely the two are being run together since the acquisition.
Stephanie Vaquer talks
Becky Lynch and Stephanie Vaquer both returned on last week’s Raw, in a segment that started with Judgment Day laying out Sol Ruca and finished with the two of them staring at each other in the middle of the ring. Lynch spoke then. Tonight it is Vaquer’s turn, with Adam Pearce granting her a promo segment to address the audience for the first time since April.
Vaquer lost the Women’s World Championship to Liv Morgan at WrestleMania 42 and has been out injured since. Lynch is also on the show. Nothing has been announced between them.
Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez vs. Sol Ruca and a partner
Ruca has had a rough few weeks. She lost the Women’s Intercontinental Championship to Rodriguez after interference from Perez, then took a three-on-one beating from Judgment Day the following Monday. She has been given a match and the freedom to pick her own partner, who has not been announced.
Austin Theory vs. Akira Tozawa
Tozawa made the save last week after Theory attacked Joe Hendry following Hendry’s loss to Bron Breakker, and he was already owed one after Theory wrapped a chair around Otis’ head the week before. Maxxine Dupri is expected in Theory’s corner.
Liv Morgan, Dominik Mysterio, Oba Femi, Seth Rollins, Jacob Fatu and The Usos are also advertised.
