Roman Reigns vs Penta Proved Raw Needs More Mexico

The Roman Reigns vs Penta main event in Mexico City did what most Raw main events cannot: it turned one simple idea into a great story. A big American champion walked into a building full of Mexican fans to face a local underdog getting his shot, and the crowd made every near-fall land. Roman retained the World Heavyweight Championship, but the real winner was the lucha strategy, and it should change how WWE books Mexico.

I called it one of the best matches in Raw history, top 50 all-time, and I meant it. Johnny North is a little more measured: he isn’t sure it is the match of the year, but for Raw, it was easily the best thing he’s seen in 2026. WWE clearly knew what it had, because the company hyped it as a match-of-the-year candidate.

Roman Reigns vs Penta: What Made the Match Work

The story was clear, and it was well built. You had a physically big, imposing American champion coming in to wrestle a smaller, local Mexican luchador in his big shot, and both men played their roles to perfection. Roman took the Penta Driver and a couple of Mexican Destroyers, the kind of moves that usually get kicked out of without a second thought, and the crowd bought every one. The finish came when Roman caught Penta mid-air on a springboard attempt with a Superman Punch, then hit the Spear.

The story was told to perfection. It was simple, but it was excellently done, and the crowd enhanced it so much by being so invested.

— Dave Simon, Wrestling Uncensored

The reaction afterward is what I will remember. People were crying when Penta lost, and not just his family members, but fans. Mexico is a hotbed for professional wrestling and always has been, and WWE deserves credit for letting the moment breathe instead of talking over it.

The Roman Effect: Why Opponents Matter

I am not saying I dislike Roman. I like other guys more, and I think a lot of his matches are a little boring: too much talky talky, too much cinematic, not enough lucha. This match was the opposite. Give me more lucha, Roman.

Johnny North has a smart explanation. Roman brings his opponent up a level, and that is what happened to Penta in this match, who looked like a main event star. When Roman wrestles a guy like Jey Uso, you get more talking because that is the best you can get out of that opponent. With Penta, you can go all out. That is the Roman effect, and it is why the Bloodline storyline has felt stuck when Roman is trapped in family drama instead of sharing a ring with someone like Penta.

The Mexico City Crowd Changed Everything

The crowd did not just help this match. It made the whole week. Johnny North pointed out that the SmackDown in Mexico City and this Raw both had fantastic crowds, and it added to the atmosphere of everything on the show. Compare that to Friday’s SmackDown in Corpus Christi, Texas, where the building was dead, and the fans chanted for CM Punk during the main event finish.

There is also a larger point about what WWE is doing with AAA and Mexico. Two of TKO’s best matches this year have taken place there, and that’s no coincidence. Johnny’s blunt assessment was that Raw was the best wrestling show he saw all week and SmackDown was just really bad. For more on how the two brands compare, see our Raw versus SmackDown roster breakdown.

Stephanie Vaquer, Gable and Dragon Lee: The Rest of the Night

Stephanie Vaquer was the other star. She won the Women’s World Championship from Liv Morgan at a live event in Chile and then came out on Raw as the new champion. Her opening promo with Rey Mysterio was in Spanish, and it was great. You could see how much more comfortable Stephanie is cutting a promo in Spanish than in English, and it was nice to watch her shine. Winning the title in her home country and celebrating in Mexico City is a great tour for her. The tag match with El Grande Americano was fun, though Johnny North called the finish lazy and terrible booking.

Johnny also asked the fair question of when WWE last changed a major title at a live event, because he could not remember. He says the title match itself is only viewable through WWE’s Club membership. I am still on the waitlist for that, and I have no idea why I cannot get in.

Chad Gable and Dragon Lee had a hell of a match in the other big bout of the night. Gable won with the ankle lock, then embraced Lee in a nice moment. I wanted Lee to win the Intercontinental Title in Mexico for the fans, but the match was very good. This was a good week of wrestling matches on Raw, and when Raw gives its wrestlers room, as it did with the Oba Femi and Bron Breakker staredown last month, it is a much better show.

What Comes Next for Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns now defends the World Heavyweight Championship against LA Knight at Money in the Bank on October 10 in New Orleans. WWE announced that match after Raw went off the air, which seems like a strange way to treat a title defense. Whatever the presentation, the challenge is clear: Roman just raised the bar, and Knight has to follow it. The full WWE Raw results are on WWE.com.

Reality Check: Mexico Should Not Be a One-Night Stand

The Reality: If two of TKO’s best matches of 2026 happened in Mexico, the lesson is not to go back once a year. It is to book Penta, Dragon Lee and Stephanie Vaquer like stars every week, in front of any crowd, and give them the time to tell a story.

Roman Reigns vs Penta Frequently Asked Questions