WWE Raw Unleashes Chaos: Asuka Betrays, Rhodes-Rollins Set Stage

Asuka’s Ruthless Turn Rocks the Women’s Division

WWE Raw on September 22 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, didn’t just follow up the high-octane drama of Wrestlepalooza—it detonated its own. The main event, a singles clash between Asuka and Rhea Ripley, was set against a backdrop of mounting tension and shifting alliances. For weeks, Asuka had grown more vocal and aggressive, especially toward her Kabuki Warriors teammate IYO SKY. The locker room buzzed with rumors that Asuka, frustrated with SKY’s perceived lack of bite, was ready to take drastic action.

The match itself was electric. Ripley and Asuka—two of WWE’s fiercest competitors—went at each other with relentless energy. The crowd, initially subdued after a lackluster opening promo, finally came alive as the action reached its fever pitch. Kairi Sane, Asuka’s longtime partner, tried to tip the scales in Asuka’s favor, but in a twist of fate, Asuka’s aggression backfired. Ripley capitalized, rolling up Asuka for the pinfall. Then, as the referee raised Ripley’s hand, Asuka unleashed a torrent of blue mist, blinding Ripley and sending shockwaves through the arena.

But the chaos didn’t end there. Asuka demanded Sane join her in attacking Ripley—a moment of hesitation shattered when IYO SKY rushed in, pleading for Asuka to stop. Asuka feigned reconciliation, then struck SKY with a brutal backfist. Sane, emotionally torn, joined Asuka, marking a definitive heel turn for the Kabuki Warriors. By the end of Raw, Ripley and SKY lay battered, their futures uncertain, while Asuka and Sane stood united in villainy. The women’s division hadn’t seen an upheaval this visceral in months.

Rhodes vs. Rollins: Champions Collide, Crowd Unmoved

The show kicked off with a segment many expected to be a highlight: WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins facing off to hype their upcoming Crown Jewel match. On paper, it was a blockbuster—champion versus champion, two men at the top of their game. But something was missing. The Evansville crowd, usually fervent, was eerily silent as Rollins tried to stoke excitement. Even after Rollins and Rhodes traded pointed words, the energy lagged. Rollins declared himself “the alpha” and the future of WWE, but Rhodes countered with reminders of their past battles and questioned whether Rollins could stand alone. The tension was real, but the audience’s response was anything but.

Some insiders, including USA Today, speculated that fans might be fatigued with Rhodes’ championship run, or perhaps the stakes felt too abstract—a “meaningless ring” up for grabs, as one commentator put it. Regardless, the segment ended with Rhodes shoving the mic into Rollins’ chest and exiting, leaving the promise of Crown Jewel looming but not quite igniting the crowd’s passion.

Tag Team Turmoil and Judgment Day Fractures

The night wasn’t short on wild action elsewhere. In a six-man, no-disqualification tag match, The New Day and Grayson Waller squared off against the War Raiders and Penta. What looked like a filler bout became one of the evening’s most thrilling spectacles. Kofi Kingston delivered a devastating leg drop through a table, but the real highlight was Penta’s avalanche Mexican Destroyer from the top rope—an audacious move that sealed the win for his team. ESPN praised the bout for its creativity and risk, noting that Penta continues to innovate week after week.

Meanwhile, the Judgment Day faction showed cracks. Jey Uso, still nursing wounds from Wrestlepalooza, took on LA Knight. The match saw interference from The Vision (Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed), but Jey exploited the chaos, landing a spear and the Uso Splash for the win. Afterward, Jimmy Uso tried to persuade Jey to help Knight against an impending attack, but Jey refused—forcing Jimmy to grab a chair and fend off The Vision himself. The Judgment Day, particularly Dominik Mysterio, is facing mounting pressure, especially as Rusev bulldozed JD McDonagh in a submission victory and earned a shot at Mysterio’s Intercontinental title next week.

Vaquer’s Triumph and Bayley’s Identity Crisis

Stephanie Vaquer, fresh off her historic title win at Wrestlepalooza, took a victory lap in the ring. As the first South American-born woman to hold a WWE championship, Vaquer’s heartfelt promo resonated—her father Hector, present in the crowd, added a layer of emotion. Vaquer declared she would be ringside for Friday’s SmackDown triple-threat match, ready to face the winner at Crown Jewel.

Bayley, meanwhile, continued her unpredictable descent into duality. After defeating Roxanne Perez, Bayley oscillated between celebration and aggression, shoving Lyra Valkyria to the mat when Valkyria tried to congratulate her. Bayley’s behavior drew attention on social media, with her mocking both Ripley and SKY after Asuka’s attacks, referencing her own history of betrayal with Damage CTRL. The women’s division, it seems, is rife with shifting alliances and unresolved tensions.

The Road to Crown Jewel: Uncertainties and New Alliances

With Crown Jewel fast approaching, WWE Raw set the stage for rivalries and alliances that could redefine both the men’s and women’s divisions. Asuka and Sane’s heel turn positions them as formidable antagonists, likely prompting SKY and Ripley to join forces—a potential superteam that could dominate storylines for months. Rhodes and Rollins, meanwhile, have unfinished business, and their champion versus champion showdown remains a focal point, even if the crowd needs more convincing.

Across the roster, the sense of unpredictability is palpable. The Vision’s interference, Judgment Day’s fractures, and Bayley’s erratic conduct suggest that nothing is settled. If Monday’s Raw was any indication, the road to Crown Jewel will be paved with betrayals, alliances, and moments that test the boundaries of WWE storytelling.

WWE Raw’s September 22 episode was more than a collection of matches—it was a crucible of shifting loyalties and simmering tensions. Asuka’s turn on SKY and the crowd’s indifference to Rhodes-Rollins reveal a landscape in flux, where old rivalries are reborn and new alliances are forged in the fallout. The next chapter promises even greater upheaval, demanding that both fans and superstars adapt to an ever-evolving wrestling world.