Oba Femi SHOCKS the WWE Universe... and Brock Lesnar | Raw Recap

Summary

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WWE Now – Raw Recap: March 17, 2026

"Oba Femi SHOCKS the WWE Universe... and Brock Lesnar"

Hosts: Sam Roberts, Megan Morant
Special Guest: Bayley

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Overview

This episode of WWE Now recaps a monumental edition of Monday Night Raw on the road to WrestleMania 42. Sam Roberts and Megan Morant break down high-stakes confrontations between Roman Reigns and CM Punk, Oba Femi's shocking challenge to Brock Lesnar, and major developments in the women's division, featuring a candid interview with Bayley. The excitement and tension are palpable as storylines escalate toward the year’s biggest event.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk: Mind Games and Family Ties

Segment Focus: Roman’s Response to Punk’s Provocation and the Mental Chess Game

• Roman's Uncharacteristic Early Arrival

  • [03:00-04:00] Roman Reigns arrives early to Raw, immediately exuding tension with The Usos as Bloodline dynamics come into play.
  • [04:14] "He smiled at the Usos. He said, they did what they needed to do." — Sam

• The Bloodline Narrative

  • Roman directly addresses Punk's disrespect of his late father, the Bloodline, and draws a clear boundary regarding family ([04:19–05:20]).

• Criticism of Roman's Part-Time Status

  • Roman reframes criticism: “To me, being part time is one of the biggest flexes you can have.” — Megan ([06:22])
  • Sam elaborates that Roman controls his narrative, making criticism of being a ‘part-timer’ about devotion to family instead of ambition.
  • "[Roman is] owning the narrative... reshaping it into the truth that benefits you the most." — Sam ([07:08])

• CM Punk Matches Roman in Manipulation

  • Both are dubbed "master manipulators... they understand the psychological game of professional wrestling" — Sam ([11:52])
  • Punk intentionally crossed a line by disrespecting Roman's family, fully aware of the consequences ([10:12–11:48]).

• Climactic Verbal Exchange: The ‘You're Old’ Trigger

  • [15:03–16:41] Roman’s comment, “You can’t do it because you’re old,” finally gets under Punk’s skin, causing Punk to strike first — a reversal in the psychological war.
  • Memorable moment:
    • “‘You can't do it because you're old.' And that was it.” — Sam ([16:41])
    • Punk’s punch was Roman’s intended result, triggering a knowing smile from the Tribal Chief.
  • “Roman knew what he did. He said, I got you. I got you right where I want you.” — Sam ([17:32])

• Aftermath and Analysis

  • Roman wins the mental battle by making Punk act out of emotion.
  • "The person who resorts to physical violence first loses." — Sam ([18:58])
  • Roman, ever the strategist, shows he’s in Punk’s head, not the other way around ([18:03]).

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2. Oba Femi Answers Brock Lesnar’s Challenge

Segment Focus: The Next ‘Big Thing’ Emerges

• Dream Match Becomes Reality:

  • [22:07] Official for WrestleMania 42: Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi.
  • “Oba vs Brock in Las Vegas at WrestleMania. An unbelievable reality that we are in right now.” — Sam ([22:48])

• Heyman’s Vulnerability & Brock’s Rare Fear

  • Paul Heyman, physically and emotionally battered from recent attacks, returns still reeling ([24:08-25:14]).
  • Oba Femi confronts Brock, powerbombs him in an unprecedented display:
    • “Oba picks up Brock Lesnar... and power bombs Brock Lesnar down like I don't know that I've ever seen before.” — Sam ([29:13])
  • Hot Dog’s text (off-screen humorous reference): “When’s the last time Brock had fear like this?” — relays a rare moment where Brock looks genuinely intimidated ([30:47–31:19]).

• Seth Rollins’ Role and Oba’s Calculation

  • Discussion on whether Seth Rollins, watching from the sidelines, orchestrated Oba’s arrival as he’s not medically cleared ([32:20–32:39]).
  • “Oba arguably has more to lose than anyone. This is a huge gamble for Oba Femi.” — Sam ([33:22–34:11])

• Oba as a Heir to Brock’s Meteoric Rise

  • Sam and Megan draw parallels between Oba’s ‘I belong here now’ attitude and rookie Brock Lesnar’s career-defining debut ([35:58–36:15]).
  • “Obafemi is not here to be humble... Obafemi is here to take it now.” — Sam ([35:55])

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3. Bayley Reflects: Chasing Wrestling’s ‘Magic’ and Tag Team Gold

In-Studio Interview with Bayley

• Full Circle with AJ Lee

  • Wrestling AJ Lee was “emotional”:
    • "Her last match on Raw, she was wearing my hugger shirt... now, full circle." — Bayley ([38:00])

• Veteran Drive and New Challenges

  • Driven to new heights, Bayley still wants more:
    • “It doesn't make me want less because I have, I've achieved all these things. If anything, it makes me want more.” ([40:11])
  • On partnership with Lyra Valkyria:
    • “She's doing all these things for the first time, and I feed off that, and that's what keeps me going.” ([41:28])

• Tag Team Division Grows Fiercer

  • Noted strength of the division: “When you're at the top, you have to find ways to stay there, and you have to find ways to reinvent and make it to WrestleMania.” — Megan ([42:03])
  • Bayley calls out Arena Pearce for tag title opportunities being denied, vowing to "kick the door down, Jackie!" ([44:09])

• Belief in Wrestling’s Magic

  • “This business is magic. I don't care what anybody says. I'm built on magic, and I fight for the magic.” — Bayley ([45:24])

• Crossover with AAA (Mexico)

  • Bayley shares excitement over competing at AAA, emphasizing wrestling’s global appeal:
    • "No matter what, everywhere in the world, people recognize how much and what I feel about this... I will always give my whole heart to them. They will always get the real me." — Bayley ([48:09])

• On Michael Cole (Comic Relief)

  • Bayley maintains their playful rivalry:
    • “I wish he had a full cup of coffee in his hand that I can spill in his face.” ([50:46])
    • “He is [an idiot]. Well, I don't need to call him. He is like, it just says it on his head, right?” — Bayley ([51:37])

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4. Becky Lynch, Tag Team Picture, and WrestleMania Stakes

• Becky Lynch Title Feud and Megan’s Fandom
  • Megan heaps praise on Becky for her “miraculous recovery,” sparking banter with Sam:
    • “Doesn’t it look right? Doesn’t it look right?” — Megan ([56:26])
    • “That looks right. Yeah, it looked right.” — Megan ([55:59])
    • Sam counters the narrative, critiquing Becky’s antics vs. AJ Lee ([56:28])
• Bayley/Lyra Dynamic
  • Lyra's rising influence revitalizes Bayley’s resolve post-defeat ([59:14–59:49]).
  • Segment closes with questions about Kabuki Warriors and the ever-shifting path to WrestleMania.

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5. Randy Orton: Cryptic Promos and WrestleMania Foreshadowing

Segment Focus: Teasing Unpredictability Ahead

• [59:49–62:25] Recap of Randy Orton’s puzzling backstage promo:
  • “He’s talking in clues. And I mean, this is like Da Vinci Code or something like that. Randy Orton, who I guess... said, Michael Cole, I'm a killer.” — Sam ([61:14])
  • “Wrestling has more than one royal family,” referencing a larger theme in his current feud ([61:16–63:32]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “To me, being part-time is one of the biggest flexes you can have.” — Megan Morant ([06:22])
• “The person who resorts to physical violence first loses.” — Sam Roberts ([18:58])
• “Oba picks up Brock Lesnar... and power bombs Brock Lesnar down like I don't know that I've ever seen before.” — Sam Roberts ([29:13])
• “This business is magic. I don't care what anybody says. I'm built on magic, and I fight for the magic.” — Bayley ([45:24])
• “Wrestling has more than one royal family, right?” — Randy Orton ([61:16])

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Important Timestamps

• Roman Reigns & CM Punk Segment: 03:00–19:50
• Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar Announcement & Fallout: 22:07–37:12
• Bayley Interview: 37:12–52:29
• Becky Lynch, Tag Division, WrestleMania Talk: 54:52–59:49
• Randy Orton Mystique: 59:49–63:39

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Closing Thoughts

This episode crystalizes the tension, emotional stakes, and future-shaping moments defining the road to WrestleMania 42. Roman Reigns cements his status as a master of mind games while Oba Femi delivers a star-making moment by upending the indomitable Brock Lesnar. With the women’s division thriving, icons like Bayley and Becky Lynch prime themselves for new battles, all as Randy Orton looms cryptically in the background, signaling further shocks to come.

Subscribe, comment, and stay tuned each week as WWE Now tracks the pulse of the WWE Universe.

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Transcript

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[Sam Roberts]

Rated T for Team

[Grainger Sponsor Announcer]

My career has been a fight. A long, brutal but necessary fight. I was told no more times than I can count. Every single time, I proved them wrong. WWWE 2K26 available now.

[Sam Roberts]

The shoe is on the other foot, as it looks like now. Roman Reigns is in CM Punk's head. Obafemi answers Brock Lesnar's challenge. And we have another WrestleMania match. Bayley is on today's show. Randy Orton has something up his sleeve and so much more. This is Raw recap on WWE Now, A WWE and Fanatics original production. I don't even know where to begin. Megan Morant we're on that road to WrestleMania. Can you feel it now? It happens every WrestleMania. People go, oh, it doesn't feel like WrestleMania. Doesn't feel like WrestleMania before. It's because it's not WrestleMania. And then all of a sudden we find ourselves on this road to WrestleMania. And the feelings, they hit us all like a sledgehammer to the back of the head.

[Megan Morant]

We're seeing that in January. It doesn't feel like the road to WrestleMania. Well, guess what? WrestleMania is in April. And on this 316 day, I'm feeling ready.

[Sam Roberts]

Happy 316 indeed. And what a night. We're going to talk about Oba, Femi and Brock Lesnar. One of my favorite opening segments of a Monday Night Raw in recent memory. But before we get to how we begin, we should get to how we ended.

[Megan Morant]

I like that.

[Sam Roberts]

Now, Roman Reigns showed up to Monday Night Raw tonight in uncharacteristically timely fashion.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

Now, the show had already started, but it was still within the first hour of the show being on the air

[Megan Morant]

when the car pulled up and our tribal chief got out of the car. I said to you, it's early.

[Sam Roberts]

It's early for Roman. Usually it's like out of the car to the ring.

[Megan Morant]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

He doesn't get paid by the hour. Okay. He gets. He's. He's there for business, but I think he had business to attend to, you know, starting by. By. By walking out of his car and approaching the USO's. And there's that, oh, that tension we became so familiar with when we were in full bloodline mode where you weren't sure if Roman was happy, if Roman was angry, if Roman was satisfied, if he was dissatisfied. And he smiled at the USO's. He said, they did what they needed to do.

[Megan Morant]

There was that brief pause, oh, 100%, where we all said, oh, no.

[Sam Roberts]

Oh, no. He said, they did the right thing. But then he looked right at the camera and he said, you know what? I'm gonna speak to all of my family out there. Because the bloodline doesn't only travel within WWE locker rooms. It travels across. I mean, it goes wide and far.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

And Roman Reigns was saying in no uncertain terms that when CM Punk disrespected Roman Reigns, disrespected his father, the late great Sikh of the Wild Samoan. He disrespected the entire bloodline family, the entire Samoan dynasty, and Roman Reigns in the most Roman Reigns way possible, said, you all need to do whatever you need to do before and after WrestleMania. But that weekend, CM Punk is all mine. I mean, and he said, look, I didn't ask anybody to do anything. I simply gave permission.

[Megan Morant]

I think that's a key distinction, though. It is, because it's one of the things that people have been critical of Roman Reigns, and he can't do the job by himself.

[Sam Roberts]

Which is a ridiculous criticism, because if it were that easy that anybody could do that job, then somebody else would have been able to do what Roman Reigns has done. If all it took was having a couple friends, if all it took was bringing some cousins to ringside. Roman's not the only wrestler who has cousins. He's the only wrestler who's done what Roman Reigns has done. I think Roman putting it out there, I think it does put it out there for Punk that, you know, you cross a line with the intention of getting to a match at WrestleMania, but realistically, you have to be accountable to everybody that you crossed. And then we see Roman Reigns a little bit later on Monday Night Raw and he's in that dressing room and he's kind of explaining his own way of looking at things, his own way of looking at his career and his legacy.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah. And he was talking about, you know, how people often call out, you know, you work a part time schedule, right. And he paid his dues. He looks at his cousins and says, how often did you guys get to see your fathers? We paid our dues. To me, being part time is one of the biggest flexes you can have.

[Sam Roberts]

And it is, it is. If you can, if you get paid more for being there less days, hell yeah. That's what I mean, that, that, that's what it makes you a top tier person. It makes you an attraction. That thing that, that, that is almost unattainable. That thing that makes you bigger than life. But he said, anybody can call me a part timer as long as my wife and children don't call me a part timer. And that's. And honestly, it's an honorable thing to do.

[Megan Morant]

Of course.

[Sam Roberts]

You know, now, look, as wrestling fans, we're possessive of our superstars. You know what I mean? Part of being larger than life, part of being a superstar means that as a fan, I don't look at wrestlers as people who have families. I don't look at wrestlers as people who have lives. I look at wrestlers as like, hey, every time I turn on the tv, every time I go to an arena, I, I want to see him and I want to see him more and more and more and more. But Roman is saying, that's great, that that's what you want, but that costs a lot of money. And some things you can't buy. Because I have this family that I'm going to be a father and husband to. And if you're going to sit here and tell me that that's the wrong thing to do, I think what it does is because Roman is so good. And again, it goes back to the bloodline of owning the narrative of taking whatever the truth is. And I think that's something that he learned from Paul Heyman, when Paul Heyman was his wise man, is taking that truth and kind of reshaping it into the truth that benefits you the most. Because what that does is in just a single. And he's just backstage, not even in the ring, not even talking to the audience. But what it does is real. Subtly. It tells the world who's watching on television, that every time you hear somebody criticize me for being a part timer in the ring and you go, yeah, that is worth criticizing. You're criticizing someone who's choosing to be a husband and a father, and that's. That's not good. That doesn't make you a good person.

[Megan Morant]

He spends so much time with his family. He's a bad guy.

[Sam Roberts]

See how quickly Roman reshaped that narrative? I mean, it's brilliant. It's genius in one sentence, to the point where it's.

[Megan Morant]

It's really hard to criticize anybody who wants to spend more time with their

[Sam Roberts]

family, which is why you reshape it and go, hey, what if you looked at it from this perspective and all of a sudden it just takes so many. It takes the bullets out of the gun. It takes so much ammo out of that statement that the next time somebody says it, it doesn't carry the same weight.

[Megan Morant]

It does stop you in your tracks. Because just like you and just like everybody else who loves seeing Roman Reigns on their TV screens, sometimes when I think about Roman Reigns not being on my TV screen, I get upset, Right? Oh, Roman. But now he needs time for himself. Oh, Roman. Why can't he just show up to work like everybody else?

[Sam Roberts]

You don't want his kids to have a dad.

[Megan Morant]

Well, when you put it like that,

[Sam Roberts]

Roman is a genius.

[Megan Morant]

All right, Roman, go off, take your kids to school. You know what? Be a chaperone on that field trip.

[Sam Roberts]

Give us what you can give us.

[Megan Morant]

Can you imagine?

[Sam Roberts]

It'd be so cool. I go on every field trip. Oh, I'd be so.

[Megan Morant]

Being a kid in the class.

[Sam Roberts]

I know. I'd be so bad if one of my kids was in the class, I'd be like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I volunteer, too. And they'd be like, what? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll take more time off work. I volunteer for that, too. You'd be like, why is Sam not doing the pike? I don't know. He volunteered for another kid's field trip.

[Megan Morant]

If you start missing work, we're going to have to find out, you know, who's in your kid's class.

[Sam Roberts]

100%. You better check on that because I would not be here.

[Megan Morant]

He's definitely a wrestler.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah, exactly. I would not be here. I'd be at the Museum of Natural History. Going like, I think it was a good match. It was a really good match. I know. No, I know, I know, I know. But then we get to the ring, right? And I think. And people, this has been a topic of conversation for the last couple of weeks because the question ever since CM Punk said what he said about Roman's father, the question has been, where do you go from here? You've already crossed that line. Where do you go from here? And I think that it told a massive story when it happened, because of the look on Roman Reigns face, it was obvious that CM Punk had purposely crossed a line that involved family. Something that roman and the Usos and the entire bloodline, the entire dynasty, has been very, very clear as to how dear they hold family and how that's the thing that you don't mess with. And CM Punk is well aware of that. And CM Punk knows that he did it on purpose. He knew this was the line to cross to get the reaction. And when he crossed that line, you saw it all over Roman's face. He was broken in the mom. He didn't know how to react. He couldn't believe that somebody was crossing a line that is so well known, that somebody's being so disrespectful, and that somebody is going after family, which you can go back two years to WrestleMania 40 and see what happens when that family line gets crossed. So now Roman has to come back and say, okay, how do I deal with this? Right? We saw last week on Raw, Jimmy USO punched CM Punk in the face. And you pointed out on this podcast, CM Punk looked happy with himself.

[Megan Morant]

He did. He got what he was asking for. And he even admitted that tonight.

[Sam Roberts]

Wow. Again, we're reshaping narratives tonight. He said, I deserved it. There's a difference between, yeah, yeah, yeah, I deserved that punch. And no, I wanted him to punch me. Are you playing a mental game or are you taking ownership? That's two totally different things. But you can shape it to mean whatever you want. If you're being manipulative, which you're dealing with. CM Punk and Roman Reigns, who are two master manipulators, Master, they're masterful with it. They understand the psychological game of professional wrestling better than most understand any game of anything. And so I was sitting there. This is the mental giant that I am. I said, here's what Roman Reigns has to do. Show up on Raw and just beat CM Punk into oblivion. Just let his fist do the talking. You could put the mics away, pack up all the audio Equipment, we don't need it because it's just Roman Reigns beating that guy down already.

[Megan Morant]

This is what you wanted to see.

[Sam Roberts]

I said, he's already crossed the line now. That's what happens now. Now I have to physically annihilate you. There's nothing else to be done. But that's why I'm not the tribal chief. That's why I watch the tribal chief.

[Megan Morant]

I found it interesting that backstage before Roman even went out, and we had the moment at the end of Raw with CM Punk and Roman Reigns, I thought it was interesting that Roman said, I don't need to hear an apology

[Sam Roberts]

from CM Punk, because why would Roman Reigns on The Road to WrestleMania Want CM Punk to make it better? Do you think Roman Reigns wants to go to WrestleMania and fight a guy that is like, no, we're cool. We're just fighting tonight. No, no. Roman Reigns. And I don't think that Roman Reigns thinks an apology from CM Punk, he's

[Megan Morant]

gonna take back what he said.

[Sam Roberts]

I don't think he would find that to be an authentic apology. No, I don't think he would think it was heartfelt. That's not what he's after. So I go, I know what he's after. Beating him down. Again, I was incorrect because he goes out there. And I felt like within that conversation with CM Punk face to face, he was looking for the thing. Looking for the thing. And Punk was too. Punk's whole thing was, I'm in your head. And not only does Roman want to prove that that's not true, he wants to be the one. It's just a game of mental chess that we're seeing go back and forth, and it's like, okay, what's going to get you? Is it. Is it CM Punk bringing up Roman Reigns real name or. Or. Or Samoan lineage or anything like that? Well, okay, no, that wasn't it. I thought Roman Reigns had a tremendous time. First of all, even CM Punk and the amount of time it took him to get to the ring.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, yeah, he was sauntering, taking some time on the announce table.

[Sam Roberts]

I mean, I thought he was going to get some kind of, like, calloused hand with the amount of high fives that he gave out on the way to the ring. He finally got to the ring, making Roman Reigns wait. Who at this point in the game makes Roman Reigns wait?

[Megan Morant]

No one.

[Sam Roberts]

No one, Punk. CM Punk becomes the answer. Okay, well, that didn't get him. That didn't fully knock him off his game. Okay. The other thing didn't Knock him off his game. Now it's Roman Reigns his turn. You know, talking about being a part time Roman Reigns at a. This is my favorite, an incredible line. When he said, when he said, why don't you start paying attention to what the top dollar players do in the wwe? Why don't you ask your wife?

[Megan Morant]

And I went, oh, shit, she is a part timer.

[Sam Roberts]

Oh, geez. Yeah, because she's an attraction. It's AJ Lee. Did you hear that audience?

[Megan Morant]

And every time she comes out, she has a new T shirt.

[Sam Roberts]

And she should because we're buying them. But she's a top dollar player. And all of a sudden, you know, CM Punk goes from a guy. Because look, the truth is if CM Punk wanted to show up four times a year, he could. Of course CM Punk is that guy. Yeah, he doesn't, he doesn't because he, he would tell you, I think, because he loves the game. You know what I mean? That he's here to do this. But that didn't even do it. That wasn't the thing. I don't think CM Punk liked that. CM Punk stopped Roman from leaving. Roman didn't like that, but it wasn't the thing. And when Roman started saying like, you know, like Punk said, I'm beat. I'm gonna beat you. I'm going to beat you at WrestleMania. You know I'm going to do it. I'm going to put you up on my shoulders. I'm going to raise you up over this beautiful head of hair and I'm going to split your ego. He said, across my knee and I'm going to beat you 1, 2, 3, at WrestleMania. And Roman said, you know that's not true. Roman said, you know that I'm. You're not faster than me. You know, you're not stronger than me. You know, you're not this, you know you're not that. And he goes, you know, you can't do it because you're old. And that was it.

[Megan Morant]

That was the thing.

[Sam Roberts]

Immediately. That was it. That was the Achilles heel. That was what he didn't want to hear. Boom, snap punch. Roman Reigns right in the face. Because you're old and you're going, I mean, look, it's a rough thing to hear. You don't want to hear that. Especially when you're, when you're in this game of physicality, of athletics. You don't want to hear that. Especially when you're CM Punk. You're the voice of the voiceless. You're this Punk that's here. You don't want to hear Roman Reigns saying that.

[Megan Morant]

But he said, you're the World Heavyweight Champion.

[Sam Roberts]

You're the World Heavyweight Champion having some

[Megan Morant]

of the best matches that you've ever had in your career.

[Sam Roberts]

You're the top of the roster. You're main eventing WrestleMania as the world Heavyweight Champion do.

[Megan Morant]

When he was younger, right?

[Sam Roberts]

But he said, you're old. And when Roman Reigns went down and when Roman Reigns, his shoulders were draped across that bottom rope.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, he had the biggest smile on his face.

[Sam Roberts]

He was smiling. Those beautiful, pearly teeth, smiling bright. Roman knew what he did. He said, I got you. I got you. I got you right where I want you. Roman did not play into the emotions of what was going on. Roman Reigns did not say, oh, he made me so mad, I have to use that anger to get him back. Nope. Roman went home, cooled down, cooled out, came up with a strategy. I mean, look at Roman Reigns. He looks like he's in heaven.

[Megan Morant]

He does.

[Sam Roberts]

He goes, look what I did, Phil. He called him Phil in his head. Look what I did, Phil. That's what you did. You're in my head. You're in my head. You're the one resorting to violence. And CM Punk. If you looked at CM Punk's face as he was leaving, he knew he had made a mistake.

[Megan Morant]

Yes. Because last week, CM Punk was the one who was on those ropes making that exact same face to the USO's.

[Sam Roberts]

And you know, Roman was watching that.

[Megan Morant]

Of course, he was going, okay, okay,

[Sam Roberts]

I see the game. Let's find where you're at. Let's find your thing. I bet I can get there.

[Megan Morant]

I love the jabs. Back and forth, back and forth, wondering the entire time, who's going to get to who. And now you're, what's the line going to be?

[Sam Roberts]

That's right. Because you asked me who's going to strike first in terms of physicality. You asked me that like a week or two ago, and I said what? I said. I think I said, roman Reigns.

[Megan Morant]

You said roman Reigns.

[Sam Roberts]

But what I didn't realize was we were going to play this game of one upsmanship, where the. It's like in sales, they say that the rule of sales is whoever talks first loses. When you're playing this game of who is mentally stronger, who is the person who is actually in control of this situation, the person who resorts to physical violence first loses. And CM Punk, who started this whole thing, I've already won because I'm in your head. He's been saying that from the very beginning. He's the one that struck first. And I think he sees how lethal Roman Reigns is when it comes to creeping up into that brain. Creeping up in there and just messing around. Messing around with everything. It was remarkable.

[Megan Morant]

We won't see Roman Reigns now until Madison Square Garden.

[Sam Roberts]

No, I don't think. I think he's.

[Megan Morant]

He's back next week.

[Sam Roberts]

I don't know if he was advertised for next week. I think. No, I have no idea. Okay, look, don't ask me. I don't make Roman schedule. You know who makes Roman schedule?

[Megan Morant]

His family.

[Sam Roberts]

Yep. Roman. And he checks in with his family. Does this week work for us? We'll see. We'll see. But I will tell you that I actually do get to spend most days with Roman Reigns in my household. You know why?

[Megan Morant]

Why?

[Sam Roberts]

2K26. Matter of fact, this episode is brought to you by WWE 2K26. You know, we spend every week here on Raw recap dissecting the rivalries and the title hunts. But in WWE 2K26, the show never stops transforming you from an audience member into the ultimate decision maker. Yes, Step into the ring and run the world's greatest show with the largest roster in franchise history. We're talking over 400 playable characters, superstars and legends. From the rebellious Attitude era icons to today's undeniable champions, this year's game is truly unmissable. Embrace the unexpected with brand new match types like I Quit, Inferno, Dumpster and three Stages of Hell matches. Stack tables, break the rules and turn up the chaos. Control your universe, craft your legacy and show the world what you're made of. WWE 2K26 is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X and S, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. And if I can make a personal recommendation, go into brawl mode, hit up that scrapyard. It is the funnest thing that you could possibly do with your free time. I mean, the mechanics on this thing are wild. I'm having so much fun with it. 2k26 available now.

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[Sam Roberts]

Speaking of being a matchmaker, I couldn't. This was. We were. I feel like to a degree we were all matchmaker. This was a match that I think all of us have wanted at least all year. Long, if not longer. And it's no longer speculative. It's official graphic and all. WrestleMania 42, Las Vegas, Nevada. Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi. Go for it.

[Megan Morant]

I was going to say who I knew you were.

[Sam Roberts]

I can feel it building in your chest. I didn't want to take it away from you.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, my gosh. When Oba Femi's music hit tonight.

[Sam Roberts]

Oh, I mean, look at that graphic. Just so many muscles, many muscles. Oba vs Brock in Las Vegas at WrestleMania. An unbelievable reality that we are in right now.

[Megan Morant]

Well, and as soon as Paul Heyman came out a few weeks ago and talked about Brock Lesnar and how there is the Brock lesnar match at WrestleMania because it used to be the Undertaker match, but then who defeated Undertaker to end the streak? It was Brock Lesnar. So now there's the main event of WrestleMania and there's the Brock Lesnar match at WrestleMania and who was going to step up to the beast?

[Sam Roberts]

It can be a career maker, but also a career ender. Because as much as it's a big deal, it's Brock Lesnar.

[Megan Morant]

And as soon as Paul Heyman uttered those words and talked about the Brock Lesnar match, the entire crowd started chanting Obafemi's name. And it sort of planted this seed of are we going to get did

[Sam Roberts]

and, and, and, but there's, there was no guarantee because there's so many different

[Megan Morant]

roads to still a free agent.

[Sam Roberts]

He is still a free agent. And, and, and look, Paul Heyman's made a lot of enemies, you know, and everything is in this constant state of flux. Like tonight, the show even know if

[Megan Morant]

Paul Heyman was going to be there tonight.

[Sam Roberts]

We knew he wasn't going to be

[Megan Morant]

there with Brock Lesnar, though.

[Sam Roberts]

And then he showed up anyway. Yes, we knew he was out indefinitely. And then Paul Heyman showed up to Monday night Raw. Honestly not suitable to be on television.

[Megan Morant]

No. Didn't look good at all.

[Sam Roberts]

No, there was a reason.

[Megan Morant]

Bloodshot eyes, looking disheveled, hasn't shaved, the tie was a mess.

[Sam Roberts]

He didn't even get the top button up.

[Megan Morant]

He looked bad.

[Sam Roberts]

He looked bad. But also I don't blame him for looking bad because he got stomped and steel chaired two weeks ago by Seth

[Megan Morant]

Rollins and then kidnapped by La Knight

[Sam Roberts]

and kidnapped in an ambulance by La Knight to add insult to injury. I mean, we start, look, he's sitting there, one eye is puffy. That's probably the eye that made contact first with the floor marks on his nose. He's not shaving again. This Paul Heyman, I mean, his eyes kept watering.

[Megan Morant]

I haven't seen him like this since. He was losing sleep after, you know, and even wasn't answering his phone call.

[Sam Roberts]

And even then, it wasn't like this because he wasn't physically injured. He was just mentally drained here. I mean, I, I, I, I, I. It looks like he's. He might still be wearing the same suit from when he got stomped.

[Megan Morant]

Stinky.

[Sam Roberts]

It wasn't, but he said he didn't want to miss this. He wouldn't miss this for the world. Seth Rollins comes out to start raw. You got all these masked men surrounding the ring, and Seth Rollins steps up and takes the mask off, and he makes it really clear that the vision is his. He started the vision, and the biggest mistake that he's ever made, and he's made some, was attaching himself to Paul

[Megan Morant]

Heyman and letting him in his inner circle.

[Sam Roberts]

Letting Paul Heyman in his inner circle. He said, I am going to make sure that I rid this business, that I cut Paul Heyman. This is the new vision. When the vision first formed, it was based on Seth Rollins having this idea for what the industry should be, but realizing that he was so passionate about the future of the industry that he needed to be the one to control it. He has not lost that. He's just restructured what that vision is and realizing that Paul Heyman needs to be cut out of the business. It's Seth Rollins's new vision for what the future should be. And when Paul Heyman came out, I think Seth Rollins was surprised. I think most people were surprised, especially as you pointed out, after everybody saw him. But he said straight up that he's out to F with Seth Rollins because Seth Rollins effed with him. And there's a game called F a F O F a F o F A F5. After uttering the words that Seth Rollins was after, anybody who is standing next to Paul Heyman, the one man who has been standing next to Paul Heyman longer than any other. And when I say man, I mean alpha male of the species Brock Lesnar, shows up and just starts dismantling masked men like he's a ninja turtle and they're foot soldiers. I mean, all over the place. Like he's Luke with a lightsaber, and they're just stormtroopers. Just all of them getting thrown every which way.

[Megan Morant]

I mean, if I was one of those guys, I'd be happy have a mask on, because that's probably one of the most embarrassing moments of your life.

[Sam Roberts]

You don't want Your family to see you in that position. No, no, no. But Seth wasn't concerned.

[Megan Morant]

No. Not nervous whatsoever. Not breaking a sweat.

[Sam Roberts]

No. Seth was watching it happen. And then when Brock Lesnar stepped right up to Seth Rollins, Seth wasn't hiding

[Megan Morant]

behind any of the masked man or anything.

[Sam Roberts]

Well, he was standing there knowing the masked men would stop, would slow this

[Megan Morant]

down, of course, because they worked for Seth.

[Sam Roberts]

But once the masked men were disposed of, he still wasn't concerned. The lights go out. And when Oba's music hit, I mean, San Antonio went absolutely nuts for the realization of what was happening. I mean, and Oba showing up. And it's not just his physical size, it's his ability to own the moment. And I'm going to tell you right now, God bless him, I don't know if I've ever seen a worse fafo player than Paul Heyman. He did it with Adam Pierce. He lost. He did it tonight. He lost.

[Megan Morant]

I mean, what a time to continue faing and fo ing in the state that he's in.

[Sam Roberts]

He. Well, he definitely f owed. Yes, he definitely did.

[Megan Morant]

Because he might need to stop faing.

[Sam Roberts]

I would. Would if I were him.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, because. Because of the owing full timeout. Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah, a lot of that. The foing after that is. Is what's costly. Clearly, it's done a number on.

[Megan Morant]

He's finding out a lot.

[Sam Roberts]

Unfortunately. He is. Unfortunately. He is. Seth Rollins starts stepping up to Brock Lesnar. Brock Lesnar kind of goes for Seth. Seth backs away. But in that one moment, it's all Oba needs. Oba, I mean, picks up Brock Lesnar, this animal that Brock is, without hesitation, just picks him right up by the legs, throws him up in the air and power bombs Brock Lesnar down like I don't know that I've ever seen before. If you go back to the. The 2002 battles that Brock Lesnar had with the big show, I don't know if we saw Brock Lesnar handled the way that Obafemi handled Brock Lesnar on Monday Night Raw and stood over him.

[Megan Morant]

We didn't even need words from Obafemi. That was enough to say, I guess he's stepping up to Brock and accepting this challenge.

[Sam Roberts]

And here's the thing for Brock, first of all. And it reminded me when you look at him and you look at Brock having his chest stepped on, and you can see him, he's screaming in anguish, in pain, in embarrassment maybe, I don't know, just not knowing all of the above. You know, talk about jumping in headfirst and realizing maybe you don't know how to swim. Brock did not know the situation he was in. And it's very, very, very rare that you say Brock didn't know the situation that he was in. But there was also a look on Brock's face when the music started playing. I got a text. You know who the text was from?

[Megan Morant]

Who was the text from?

[Sam Roberts]

Hot Dog.

[Megan Morant]

What did Hot Dog have to say?

[Sam Roberts]

Wait till you hear. Wait till you hear. And he hit the nail on you

[Megan Morant]

with this expert analysis from Hot Dog.

[Sam Roberts]

He said, when's the last time Brock had fear like this? And then you wrote, lol. Cause he's obnoxious. He writes LOL for every sentence. But, I mean, that look on Brock's face when you were like, he's. There's fear on Brock's face.

[Megan Morant]

It's the LOL that Hot Dog sends you. He's a little fearful that he was

[Sam Roberts]

wrong, but he wasn't wrong. He was right.

[Megan Morant]

No, he's right.

[Sam Roberts]

That's true. That probably is what it is.

[Bayley]

Lol.

[Megan Morant]

I mean, it was just.

[Sam Roberts]

I was just kidding. Unless I'm not kidding. But he shouldn't have been kidding because he was 100% right. Brock with fear on his face as he watched Oba come to the ring. Seth Rollins retreating. Brock Lesnar getting powerbombed. Oba using his actions to answer Brock Lesnar's challenge. And before the night is over, the graphic is made. Brock Lesnar versus Obafemi is official for WrestleMania. I mean, first of all, do you think Seth knew Oba was coming out?

[Megan Morant]

You know, when they kept cutting back and forth, it was, we saw Oba entering, and then we saw Brock's reaction, and Seth was off to the side. We didn't see any of Seth's reaction whatsoever.

[Sam Roberts]

Right.

[Megan Morant]

Seth didn't seem rattled.

[Sam Roberts]

He's standing in the corner, shocked. Nope.

[Megan Morant]

His body language didn't really deliver much of any emotion.

[Sam Roberts]

It seemed like he was in control the entire time.

[Megan Morant]

That's right. So based on that, I'm gonna go with yes.

[Sam Roberts]

I feel like he did too.

[Megan Morant]

I'm gonna go with yes.

[Sam Roberts]

And I think he knew when he was stepping up to Brock Lesnar, he was allowing Oba this opportunity.

[Megan Morant]

Yes. Because we do know that Seth Rollins is not medically cleared.

[Sam Roberts]

That's right.

[Megan Morant]

So Seth can't step up to Brock Lesnar right now.

[Sam Roberts]

Well, I don't know if anybody's gonna tell Seth Rollins what he can or can't do with all these masked men around him.

[Megan Morant]

True. But if he's not medically cleared.

[Sam Roberts]

Do you think Oba realizes it's gonna be a different scenario when Brock's full concentration is on Oba?

[Megan Morant]

Brock Lesnar, right now, Today, right now. I don't think Oba realizes that right now.

[Sam Roberts]

Mm. He's gonna have to.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, of course.

[Sam Roberts]

Because now it's like, now Brock Lesnar is. Is. Is. Wow. He's Nelson Muntz. You made me bleed my own blood. You know that's not what you want to do.

[Megan Morant]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

Brock Lesnar eating the mat like that is like. Unless you can do it hard enough that Brock's not getting back up, that can be a costly decision to make.

[Megan Morant]

And for Ober, anybody can do it hard enough where Brock's not getting back up, though. Sure it is Oba.

[Sam Roberts]

But Oba arguably has more to lose.

[Megan Morant]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

Than anyone. This is a huge gamble for Oba Femi. I think that. That Oba has the potential to benefit here tremendously. But at the same time, if Oba loses to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, you have to wonder if that aura that Oba carries will still be with him or this early. Will Oba be fighting from beneath? I mean, I saw what he did to Rusev last week. It doesn't seem like we have a lot to worry about, but this is Brock Lesnar. This is a different animal. This is the beast.

[Megan Morant]

And Oba's never been to WrestleMania before.

[Sam Roberts]

No.

[Megan Morant]

Has never been in the ring with someone like Brock Lesnar?

[Sam Roberts]

No. No, he hasn't. I mean, listen, all that said, I have yet to see Obafemi in a wrestling ring in a position that feels like he doesn't belong. You remember when we. You and I, spoke to Obafemi at John Cena's last match?

[Megan Morant]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

It's a big stage for Obafemi. He was fighting Cody Rhodes. You know, the idea that, like, oh, boy. Obafemi has never wrestled somebody like Brock Lesnar. He's wrestled Cody rhodes.

[Bayley]

Yep.

[Sam Roberts]

The WWE Champion at John Cena's last match, QB1, he was in the ring with Cody, and then he shared the ring with Drew in that same situation that he was in the ring with Cody. Like, he's. He's been there a little bit, but when we talked to Obafemi, the most striking thing to me was not just his size, but the fact that he owned the space that he was in. The fact that when I looked in that dude's eyes, he seemed ready for this. Of course, there was no sort of, gee, I can't believe I'm finally Gonna make it. I. Boy, oh, boy, can you imagine what it'll be like when I'm on the main roster? Whoo. You know, this is intimidating, but I g. I think I'm ready for it. No.

[Megan Morant]

And he certainly was happy to be there, of course, but also a sense of belonging.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah. I don't even know if it was. Yeah. To me, I felt like it was more like, hey, sure, I appreciate being here, but you guys should be happy that I'm here. Yeah, I've changed. I'm changing the whole thing right now. And in that conversation, he talked about wiping some of these people that have been here too long out and taking over. Obafemi is not here to be humble and to be, you know, one of the guys that's like, man, in three, four years, he could really be somebody. Obafemi is here to take it now,

[Megan Morant]

and that's why you. That's how you do it. You answer Brock Lesnar's challenge.

[Sam Roberts]

You know who the last rookie was that came in and said, I do not have this, like, reverence for the old timers, and I'm not here to do this over the course of several years, I'm here to take it all now.

[Megan Morant]

Brock lesnar. Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

In 02, and you know what he did?

[Megan Morant]

He did that.

[Sam Roberts]

He won the world title and he beat everybody. That was Brock. He main evented his first WrestleMania. He's a special type of person. He showed up the Monday night Raw after WrestleMania 18, and he main evented WrestleMania 19. This is Brock Lesnar. And Obafemi goes, yeah, that's. That's the type of impact that I'm looking to have now.02 Brock impact. So what do I do? If that's what I'm looking for? He's the first guy I take out. And I mean, if he does you. Tonight was a career maker for Oba. Of course, tonight was a forever moment for Oba. And it leads to this match. Win or lose, this is going to be something that is talked about for a long time in reference to Oba Femi, and it is going to shape the road that this career goes down.

[Megan Morant]

I can't wait.

[Sam Roberts]

It's going to be really, really exciting. But I'll tell you, when we talk about WrestleMania, somebody that's looking to get to WrestleMania is Bailey. She had her match with AJ Lee tonight. She had her conversation with Lyra Valkyria and the Kabuki warriors, and she's got time now to join us here on WWE Now Raw. Recap. Welcome to WWE Now, Bailey Bailey, how are you?

[Bayley]

I'm all right. I'm all right. Sam, how are you?

[Sam Roberts]

I mean, I'm. I'm great. I haven't had the. The evening that you've had. I would imagine it's a little bit complicated. On one end, it's all about going to WrestleMania. On the other end, you also shared the ring with AJ Lee, which had to be a fairly emotional experience.

[Bayley]

Yeah, I think leading up to it, it really was. I mean, who would have ever thought that we would have come this far? You know, like, I was just talking earlier how, like, her last match on Raw, she was wearing my hugger shirt. And I remember, like, I was. Had fallen asleep on the couch after a big day at the training at the PC and woke up to that of her sitting on the ropes, you know, wearing my shirt. And that was her last match on Raw. And then to come, you know, literally, like, full circle. I don't. I don't think I ever thought we'd be standing in the ring together again. So all of that aside, when it really came down to it was, you know, trying to get to WrestleMania. And maybe that's not my path, or maybe that wasn't my path, you know, but according to my tag partner, you know, we got to find a new one. And I'm okay with that because my tag partner is a little determined. You know, I think I got a little in her head. I think she's understood how my brain operates. I think she knows how strong this heart is, and it doesn't stop until we get what we deserve. And that's WrestleMania. You know, Kyrie and Oscar are going to find out soon.

[Sam Roberts]

I do. You're a strong willed human being. That's. I mean, listen, you've been here for a long time. You've been in the WWE for a long time. You've been a part of ups and downs. You've been. You've been a part of title matches at WrestleMania and then other instances where you're fighting like you are now to find the path to get to WrestleMania. You brought up AJ and wearing that, the. Your shirt on her last match on Monday Night Raw. You were in an extremely different place then than you are now, where somebody like A.J. lee wearing your T shirt on television was a big deal. I mean, AJ clearly did that on purpose to support you, knowing that. That she could do that. Do you kind of take pause at all, kind of realizing how much you've done and where you're at now and, like, the fact that maybe, you know, in the moment. Trying to figure out what you're doing this year for WrestleMania is one thing, but overall, I mean, you've kind of achieved a pretty incredible like ascension in the ranks of this women's division, especially historically.

[Bayley]

But it's same thing is what makes the greats great is that we don't stop, you know, like, there's always something more to chase. And that's when what I mean, where I really wanted to win that championship match, I've never held the Intercontinental Championship. It wasn't only about getting to WrestleMania. I'm a grand slam women's champion, but I've never had that title. I've never had the United States Championship. And now I have a new, you know, I have a new friend and a partner in Lyra Valkyria, who, like last year, I let her down because I was jumped and didn't get to make it to WrestleMania, although she went on without me. She had to pay for it too. You know, if I was with her in that ring and we won the tag titles together, she would have never had to go through that crap that she did with Becky Lynch. So the way that I feel about this business and the way that I feel about the division, there's no stopping. You know, it doesn't get easier. It doesn't. It doesn't make me want less because I have, I've achieved all these things. If anything, it makes me want more because I've had a taste of what it's like. And now being in, in a partnership with Lyra, she's doing all these things for the first time, and I feed off that, and that's what keeps me going. I want to do these things with her. I want to become a tag team champion with her. You know, like, you can't be up here forever, and I understand that. But when you get knocked down, like I always say, a true testament to who you are and to your character is what you do when your back. Back is against the wall. You know, someone like Becky lynch, who just did what she did to. To my friend AJ Lee out there, she's up here, but she's never, she's never been where I've been, you know, she's never been kicked off of WrestleMania. Maybe I should do that to her this year, huh? Or maybe I just follow Elra says, but if someone is down here, you have to. That's really a test of who you are. And I ain't gonna. I'll be damned if I let someone tell me, like, that's where you Belong, because I'm gonna prove them wrong every time, and Lyra is gonna help me do that.

[Megan Morant]

I think the strength in the division is really illustrated when you look at the women's tag division, because you talk about Asuka, you talk about Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss, you talk about yourself in the tag division. With Lyra Valkyria, the Bella twins returning on smackdown. And just like you said, Bailey, it's. When you're at the top, you have to find ways to stay there, and you have to find ways to reinvent and find ways to make it to WrestleMania or become a tag team champion. But now that you're standing next to Lyra and there's all of those names that I just threw out at you, do you feel a little bit rejuvenated knowing that you're entering maybe a situation with. With someone who. Who hasn't. Who hasn't been there before?

[Bayley]

As in with Lyra?

[Megan Morant]

Yes.

[Bayley]

You know, it's weird because it seems like being in a tag team with someone, it's somebody that it should be somebody that you've known a long time and that you've earned and you've gained this trust with each other. But we were thrown into this tag team last year. I had no idea who she was. But, you know, like, it's one of. What I'm just saying is, like, okay, what are you going to do? Whatever they give you that's. I'm going to make it the best you want. We're going to be in this tag team, then we're going to make it the best. And we won that Gauntlet match last year to get us that opportunity at WrestleMania. We went through five tag teams together for a tag team that had the least experience together, and we won that match. We earned that WrestleMania title shot, and then it was taken away from us, you know, and since that. Since that match and I got taken out from WrestleMania and she still went on and she showed me that I can do this, and I'm going to do it for you, and it didn't work out. Since that night, we've been pushing and we've been pushing and we've been pushing, and Adam Pierce has been ignoring and ignoring and ignoring. NYA and Lash got tag team championship matches before us against Rio. We've never even got to step in the ring with them. So Adam Pierce, this is towards you. Then you got the Bella twins in a championship match before us. Are you kidding me? I don't know what we're doing. I know I had all this other Stuff going on with Rob. But me and Lyra have been in a tag team since last WrestleMania. So, you know what. What are we gonna do? We gonna kick the door down, Jackie. That's from Chris Tucker. A rush hour.

[Sam Roberts]

That's right. That's what you have to do. But you also know, I mean, and you're right. It goes back to your point when you responded to the last question that I asked you, that regardless of what you've done, regardless of what your history has been, you know that you have to do that. And I feel like everything that you've done and everything that you've accomplished, that's kind of always been. The story is. Is. It's forcing. Forcing the hand.

[Bayley]

Yep. But I'm still here, you know, if all of those things. If things that kept happening and that's wrestling, that's wwe. If all of these things kept trying, if they stopped me, you know, or stopped Lyra, if she gave up after her hero turned her back on her, I wouldn't be here right now because she helped me get through this whole year. I wouldn't have been here without her. And if all those times where I tripped over something or all those times that I got told, like, not, sorry, not today, not today, not today. I wouldn't have been in the ring with AJ Lee on Raw. Eleven years later, when she returned to WWE as the Women's Intercontinental Champion, none of those things would have happened. So if we were to stop right now and be like, well, our road to WrestleMania is done, then what would it. Maybe in five years, we're going to be the tag team champion. Maybe we're going to win the tag team championships, and maybe we're going to be the tag team champions for five years.

[Megan Morant]

You know what?

[Bayley]

If there's a tag team that's watching us right now and they're like, oh, my God, that could be us. And we've been champions for five years, and they come in and they get a title shot and they win. Big moment for them. But what if we would have given up today? Then they would have never had that opportunity. This business is magic. I don't care what anybody says. I'm built on magic, and I fight for the magic. And I won't stop fighting for the magic until we get what we deserve. And, Adam Pearce, you're going to pay for it. You know what? When we have these matches and we get what we want, you're going to be right there to raise our hands and give us a big old hug.

[Sam Roberts]

I could not agree with you, more about the magic. And maybe Adam Pierce does need to get reminded of that. And I feel like, I mean, I think this is why people love you, Bailey, is because you've always, I mean, as, as. As cheesy as it sounds, believed in this magic of professional wrestling. It's how we got to know you from the very beginning. I think it's how you've carried yourself throughout your journey in the WWE and beyond. And I say beyond because on Saturday, my phone starts going off, going like, are you watching aaa? Bailey just showed up on Triple A. Bailey's on Triple A right now. For you, who believes in that magic of professional wrestling, to step into AAA and to. To. To experience that, to answer that challenge, what was that like for you?

[Bayley]

That was the best. You know, I love wrestling in Mexico, but I love. That's the thing is, like, you can't ever be content or comfortable or like, I just want to do more, and I want to meet more people. I want to perform in more in front of more people. And the fact that I got asked to do that, I was an honor for one thing. It's one of their biggest shows of the year and against one of their, you know, the women's champion who just, like, broke a record and became the longest reigning women's champion. To me, that's a huge honor and is a little tip of the cap to me. But to be able to, you know, it's hard in this business to actually keep it a secret. So I was very excited to be able to hide from everybody and really show up where literally nobody knew I was there. And I was personally very overwhelmed by the response. And it just made everything, like, everything so worth it. You know, I could be upset about the loss and those little cheaters who I'm not going to let them get away with. I have their numbers. But that is what was the most important to me, that no matter what, everywhere in the world, people recognize how much and what I feel about this and that. I don't care if I do it here. I don't care if I do it there. I don't care if I do it in tna. I care about this. And I will always give my whole heart to them. They will always get the real me.

[Sam Roberts]

Are you surprised at all? Like, you know, there's one type of wrestling fan that watches every different type of wrestling there is and watches wrestling from all over the world. And, you know, if this were, I don't know, 25 years ago, would be trading VHS tapes with people that they meet online and everything. But there's another type of wrestling fan that really only watches wwe, and this is the world that they're exposed to. And for me, as a fan of all of it, I think it's been amazing watching so many WWE fans not only get exposed to aaa, but embrace it and be like, oh, my God, this is. This is the coolest thing.

[Bayley]

It was so fun.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah.

[Bayley]

Like, sorry. Sorry to cut you off. But it was. It's one of those things where I love lucha libre. I've always been a fan of aaa. One of my trainers from back home, his name's Jason Styles, is a huge fan, like, would constantly reference AAA as we were training. He was a very, very into lucha. And so when he found out that I was on it, he really freaked out. So for, like, my old trainer to freak out about me being able to wrestle for this company and to see how it's mixed into, you know, now that WWE is a part of it as well, to watch them keep this true spirit of lucha libre and what that company means to Mexico, but also bring in the WWE audience and the Superstars and the people backstage and give that little spin on it. I couldn't talk about it enough. You know, I was in the back. Like, this is just the perfect combination of what I love. You know, the stories, the characters, the physicality, the crowd. The real thing was, like, them, the audience getting so excited for every little thing and not overthinking what wrestling should be. They were with. They were in the experience with us, and with them, it was beautiful and so refreshing. And I just want to go back, like, now, like, every. Every time Kelsey Green text me afterwards, she's like, is it your cup so full? AAA is the best. It's infectious, and I'm so honored that I got to be a part of it.

[Sam Roberts]

That's awesome. Speaking of your cup being full tonight, there was a moment in your match with. With AJ Lee where you were on the outside of the ring and you crawled up that commentary table, and you looked up and Michael Cole was talking about what you're fighting for in WrestleMania and everything with this history that you have with Michael Cole, I couldn't tell if this was another bit of that tension or if maybe just for a moment, you were motivated by Michael Cole.

[Megan Morant]

You know what?

[Bayley]

Speaking of cup being full, I wish he had a full cup of coffee in his hand that I can spill in his face. Like, obviously, I know what's going on. Michael Cole, the WrestleMania side is right in front of me. AJ Lee is right behind me. And the tag and the title is right to the side of me. I know what's going on. That's why we're here right now. It's WrestleMania season. You don't have to say it to my face. I know you're doing your job, but maybe you could wait till I turn back around to like say that. But maybe I didn't need that. You know, Michael Cole, he really did push me in the Pandemic era. He really did push me to the edge and kind of made me irritated. And maybe that's why I was a double champ. Who knows? Maybe he's the secret weapon. Maybe that's something I can use. But we're not going to let him know, okay? There's, there could be. No, he can, he cannot, you know, be any more cocky. All right, let's just leave that between us.

[Sam Roberts]

That's smart.

[Megan Morant]

I'm surprised you didn't call him an idiot.

[Bayley]

He isn't. Well, I don't need to call him. He is like, it just says it

[Megan Morant]

on his head, right?

[Bayley]

You know? Yeah, yeah, that's just his name.

[Sam Roberts]

Well, I'm glad, I'm glad you're fighting to make sure that that ego doesn't get any bigger, but I'm also glad that you're fighting to make sure that you get on WrestleMania. And we hope.

[Bayley]

You know what Michael Cole also thinks. He, he's, he's, he talks a big game when it comes to WrestleMania because he's undefeated.

[Sam Roberts]

Oh, God.

[Bayley]

So you know what, Michael Cole, if you want to go to WrestleMania, this has been built for six years now. He keeps trying to say, let's go to WrestleMania. I'm undefeated. I'm undefeated. I don't have a match.

[Grainger Sponsor Announcer]

Whoa.

[Bayley]

So, you know, there it is.

[Sam Roberts]

Put the streak.

[Megan Morant]

Let's go.

[Sam Roberts]

Put the streak on the line. Michael Cole put the streak on the line. Let's get to one and one. Coward. Bailey, thank you so much for being so generous with your time. You're the best.

[Bayley]

Thank you guys. I appreciate it. Let's go to WrestleMania.

[Megan Morant]

All right. A big thank you to Bailey for coming on the show. But I want to talk to you guys about what we're celebrating right here today on WWE Now RAW. RECAP. It is Austin 316 Day. You can celebrate three decades of raising hell and bone shattering stunners with new stone cold Steve Austin 30 year Signature Series title belts. You got one of those?

[Sam Roberts]

Not well, I've ordered one. I don't have it yet, but yeah,

[Megan Morant]

they're featuring Superstars iconography including rattlesnakes and smoking skulls. These are must have collectibles for any stone cold fan. Get yours today at WWE Shop and Fanatics. Spring is almost here and WWE spring gear brings fresh styles and bold colors just in time for the new season. Letting fans show their superstar pride with lighter comfortable apparel perfect for warmer weather. Gear up for spring today at WWE Shop and Fanatics. We got our Austin316 stuff on.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah, that's right on the money. I went blood from a stone for 316 day. You know my with the but is my hoodie because it's not spring weather yet. But when it's time for spring weather, I got the classic, arguably the greatest wrestling shirt ever made Austin316t shirt. When I get thirsty, I got my stone cold Steve Austin Texas Venom Cop. Of course I got my. You know why I got this? You know I got the stone cold figure from Fanatics so he and little Sam can hang out.

[Megan Morant]

Oh, you gotta put him in the bathtub together.

[Sam Roberts]

Cause he comes with the Steve Weiser.

[Megan Morant]

It's the best cooler.

[Sam Roberts]

So he and Little Sam. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They'll share a cooler.

[Megan Morant]

I got my classic stone cold Steve Austin 316 shirt on. But. But I cut mine crop top.

[Sam Roberts]

I love it. I love it. You did a great thing. You know what's great about this is that it's a soft goods T shirt with this stone cold figure so little Sam can wear. Hey Stone Cold, can I borrow your shirt? And you know it'll be a whole thing. It'll be a whole thing. But I'm for you guys.

[Megan Morant]

I'm very excited.

[Sam Roberts]

That's for when I get home. That's for later on. Today we talked to Bailey. AJ Lee, successful in her title defense against Bailey. Really a remarkable thing to see AJ Lee versus Bailey on Monday night run 2026. So much fun. Such a great match. Your big homie who you never mentioned when the guests are on.

[Megan Morant]

What?

[Sam Roberts]

You don't talk about Becky lynch at all when Bailey's on. When we have anybody that doesn't agree with her. You just, you're real. You love the yap yap yap, yap, yap when the guests go away about Becky lynch. But she, for whatever reason she doesn't come up when the guests are on. Which is weird because you had won an award. I thought for your.

[Megan Morant]

Well, I just wanted to say I think it was absolutely remarkable. And I think this probably should have been our lead story today on the Raw. Recap. Becky Lynch's miraculous recovery from what? She was out with an illness last week. It was a terrible illness. Very bad.

[Sam Roberts]

What was the illness?

[Megan Morant]

A lot of people. Most people would have missed a week, maybe even a month.

[Sam Roberts]

She did miss a week.

[Megan Morant]

Weeks, maybe even a month. Would have missed weeks for what? For an illness. But not Becky Lynch. She was out last week. There was no flog, Nothing dealing with an illness. So I just think the miraculous recovery is not something that we're talking about enough. And I think every time that Becky is on our screens, we are just witnessing greatness. That happened again tonight with her recovery. And I also have to say, yeah, when she was holding up that title, it looked right. Yeah, it looked right.

[Sam Roberts]

How come you didn't bring that up with Bailey?

[Megan Morant]

Didn't come up.

[Sam Roberts]

It didn't.

[Megan Morant]

No, it didn't come up.

[Sam Roberts]

She literally.

[Megan Morant]

About the tag team. I mean, Becky.

[Sam Roberts]

She literally.

[Megan Morant]

Tag title.

[Sam Roberts]

She literally brought Becky lynch up.

[Megan Morant]

I mean, she talked about how she got jumped, that A.J.

[Sam Roberts]

lee got jumped. She brought up Becky Lynch. It did come up.

[Megan Morant]

I don't remember. I don't remember.

[Sam Roberts]

Literally just happened.

[Bayley]

But.

[Megan Morant]

Okay, I just. I just hope we get a vlog next week. I've really been missing the vlog.

[Sam Roberts]

And you like that? You like that? You think it's good that you know A.J. lee.

[Megan Morant]

Doesn't it look right? Doesn't it look right?

[Sam Roberts]

No, no, she hasn't won the. No, it's not her title. I mean, the idea that AJ Lee has a great match, by the way, only her second singles match in a decade, has a great match with Bailey, is just, you know, trying to leave the ring and then gets sucker punched, attacked from behind, gets beaten down after just wrestling from behind. And then what? Becky lynch holds up the title as if she's won anything. When you go, oh, that looks right. I don't understand.

[Megan Morant]

I think it would. It would. It would just be an absolute sin and disgrace if we had WrestleMania without Becky Lynch.

[Sam Roberts]

That's like running 18 miles and then still getting the award at the marathon.

[Megan Morant]

Some people did that.

[Sam Roberts]

I forgot.

[Megan Morant]

Some people did that.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah.

[Megan Morant]

Not Becky Lynch.

[Sam Roberts]

No, no, she doesn't run marathons.

[Megan Morant]

No, she doesn't. She's not a marathon girl. But that's neither here nor there. You can't spell WrestleMania without the man, and Becky lynch knows what time of year it is without man.

[Sam Roberts]

You can spell without the.

[Megan Morant]

All right, we need to get all technical. You can't spell it without man.

[Sam Roberts]

There's no H in Pennsylvania.

[Megan Morant]

Thank you so much. Thank you so much.

[Sam Roberts]

Western.

[Megan Morant]

There's no H. But you can't spell it without man. Oh, you cannot spell wrestlemania without man. And it would be very disrespectful to have WrestleMania without Becky Lynch. We couldn't have it last year. People were so excited that Becky was back at WrestleMania last year. There was. There were fans crying. Crying.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah. They didn't know. They didn't know that she jumped Bayley.

[Megan Morant]

A lot of people said that Becky lynch saved WrestleMania last year. Who's a lot of people who tons all over.

[Sam Roberts]

Okay. You could name one or no.

[Megan Morant]

Me. I'm saying it. I am saying it. And I'm not the only one who's saying it.

[Sam Roberts]

You're not?

[Megan Morant]

No.

[Sam Roberts]

Okay.

[Megan Morant]

Sports Illustrated, espn.

[Sam Roberts]

No, they're not saying that. Okay.

[Megan Morant]

By the way, did you see Rudd?

[Sam Roberts]

Rudd?

[Megan Morant]

Rudd, Rudd. Sophia Rudd.

[Sam Roberts]

Sophia. I don't know who Sophia Rudd is.

[Megan Morant]

I believe it was. She was talking about her favorite wrestler.

[Sam Roberts]

I don't know who this person is.

[Megan Morant]

I'll send you the clip.

[Sam Roberts]

Oh, good.

[Megan Morant]

I will send you the clip.

[Sam Roberts]

Anyways, if my notifications are on silence, don't bother.

[Megan Morant]

Anyways, right, Becky lynch back. I hope we get a vlog out of this.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah.

[Megan Morant]

And I'm just miraculous. It's been miraculous watching her recovery.

[Sam Roberts]

You would throw a deliver anyway if you saw that my notifications were silenced, wouldn't you?

[Megan Morant]

Of course I would.

[Sam Roberts]

All right, that says it all. That says it all. What do you think of the. Of Bailey's pivot into the tag team championship realm? Kabuki's obviously not thrilled, but Bailey and Lyra kind of reconnecting after a couple weeks.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah. I think Lyra has awoken something within Bailey. It's been an up and down year for Bailey, and I feel like when Bailey is at her lowest losing a match against AJ Lee, Lyra is the one who kind of gives Bailey a little bit more of a pep in her step.

[Sam Roberts]

Sure.

[Megan Morant]

And gets Bayley back to focusing on the task at hand. And instead of staying down too long, Lyra reminds her, hey, maybe there's another path and maybe there's another way we can get to WrestleMania. So I do like that dynamic between the two of them.

[Sam Roberts]

Speaking of WrestleMania, who is Randy Orton talking to? Randy Orton? He is talking in riddles. This guy. I know he's talking and he's a spellbinder, this Randy Orton. I don't know what he's saying anymore. All of these. He's talking in clues. And I mean, this is like Da Vinci Code or something like that. Randy Orton who I guess first of all, I don't know where he was. He was outside somewhere, it looked like to me, in front of some kind of gate that didn't have great cell reception.

[Megan Morant]

I was gonna say the reception was a little question.

[Sam Roberts]

It was not great. I think he was on that flip phone that LeBron had when he went to the WWE show back in the day. But he said, michael Cole, I know I promised you this interview, but I changed my mind. Which doesn't feel like the greatest excuse in the world. But then he was on the phone, right? And I tried to pay attention to everything that he said, cuz he goes, especially once I realized he was talking in riddles and conundrums. He said something to the effect of it was good seeing you a couple weeks ago. Who do you see a couple weeks ago? Who's he talking to a couple weeks ago? Is he talking about elimination chambers? He talking about Smackdown? Is he talking about something we didn't even see? Who's he talking to a couple weeks ago? And then he says, luckily, I just talked to somebody that reminded me of who I am, that reminded me of why I did what I did on Friday night.

[Megan Morant]

And then he says, michael Cole, I'm a killer.

[Sam Roberts]

He says, I'm a killer. I go, yeah, that is Randy. That's 09. Randy, baby, we're back. And then he says, hey, wrestling has more than one royal family, right? And then that was it. And I'm like, well, what family is he talking about? Are we getting Cowboy Bob back? Is he talking about the Ortons? I mean, we've seen Randy and his father act cohesively together way in the past. Is it a different family? Is it something to do with the roads? Is it. I mean, and Randy has done it all in his career. Randy has cashed in on the Orton name. He's done things with his father. Randy has gone after other families. Randy has. Well, he's done breaking and enterings. Randy has done it all. There is no line that Randy Orton won't cross. And that was a point that I kind of made on the Not Sam podcast when I was talking about this match, that for some reason in the same breath, Cody asked for the old Randy and said that that will happen once the bell rings. But the old Randy would never wait for the bell to ring.

[Megan Morant]

Nope.

[Sam Roberts]

The old Randy would never wait to get the match in the ring. The old Randy would wait until that name is inked onto a piece of paper. And now the war's begun. That's what the old Randy would Do. The old Randy would honestly do exactly what he did on Smackdown. And so now the fact that, like, it's almost like what's done is done. There's no taking it back. This is where we are now. Randy has no choice but to accept, this is who I am. I'm the old Randy. Now. Let me act accordingly. The old Randy doesn't just do one thing on one episode of Smackdown and then just kind of lay in the cot for the next four or five weeks. Right.

[Megan Morant]

This is just the beginning.

[Sam Roberts]

Now it's like, what does Randy do from here?

[Megan Morant]

And we've been waiting for this Randy to be unleashed. I mean, we've seen the looks that he was giving Cody Rhodes in that championship for over a year and a half. Yeah, over a year and a half

[Sam Roberts]

staring at that title. Yeah. Do you have any idea what the. What do you who he was talking to?

[Megan Morant]

The wrestling has more than one royal family. It was a line that really stood out to me.

[Sam Roberts]

That's got to be a clue.

[Megan Morant]

It has to be. But, I mean, which family is he talking about?

[Sam Roberts]

There's many families, especially in wrestling.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

I have no idea. Look, I do know that you'll be able to be a part of the bigger wrestling family this summer. WWE Universe talking to you. We've got some huge news because your favorite WWE podcasts are recording live at Fanatics Fest in New York City this July 16th through the 19th at the Javits Center. Go to Fanatics Fest four days this year, by the way, in New York City, and you can catch live episodes of what do you want to talk about with Cody Rhodes. You can catch live episodes of Impulsive with Logan Paul. And apparently there are rumors going around what? That you can catch live episodes of WWE now, what with Megan Morant and the last professional broadcaster, Sam Roberts. That's all going down at Fanatics Fest. And that's not all. WWE Superstars are going to be in the building all weekend long, signing autographs, taking photos, making surprise appearances. Who knows who's going to pop up on these podcasts? Tickets are on sale now@fanatics fest.com. grab yours today and we will see you there. I cannot wait. It is always so fun.

[Megan Morant]

We're going, baby.

[Sam Roberts]

We're going.

[Megan Morant]

Let's do it.

[Sam Roberts]

We will be there next week. It's official. The Vision had a meeting with disheveled Paul Heyman. And Paul Heyman stayed on task. When the Vision was first formed, a big part of it was, we need to get the championship because the championship holds power. It holds political power. It holds. It gives us leverage. And Paul Heyman looked at Logan Paul and Austin Theory right in the face and said, you don't have leverage. You can't go after Seth Rollins. We don't have it. You need to get those tag team championships. So apparently it's already happened. Austin Theory, Logan Paul the vision go two on two with the USO's next week on Monday Night Raw. I can't imagine what these Raws are going to be like leading up to Wrestlemania if, if, if we're just starting to get cooking right now.

[Megan Morant]

Well, and don't forget, after that interaction with both Logan Paul and Austin Theory, Logan Paul leaned in and said to Paul Heyman that just because he loves him so much, he's going after La Knight too.

[Sam Roberts]

He said, I don't get LA Night too. Who knows? The Vision could be Tag Team Champions within the next seven days. Wild, wild thoughts. Well, whatever happens, we will be here on Raw recap on WWE now. To recap all of it, make sure you're subscribed across all audio platforms. Make sure you're tuning in on the WWE's YouTube channel hitting like leaving comments and we'll see you next week for another Raw recap on WWE now.

[Megan Morant]

Early birds always rise to the occasion for summer vacation planning because early gets you closer to the action. So don't be late. Book your next vacation early on VRBO and save over $120. Rise and shine average savings $141 select homes only.