Roman Reigns beat Penta in the main event of WWE Raw after cutting him off with a Superman Punch and finishing Penta with a Spear. Penta came close to what would have been a monumental upset, but in the end, Reigns slayed another hometown hero in hostile territory.
Both the Bloodline and Royce Keys’ stable 946 appeared in backstage segments, teasing their involvement in the main event. Neither got involved and Roman was successful in yet another solo world title match in 2026.
WWE Raw Mexico City: Penta Beating Roman Reigns Was The Right Choice
WWE Raw emanated from Arena CDMX in Mexico City, and had all the makings to instantly become the most memorable Raw of 2026, if not ever.
That decision was solely up to WWE. And even if they don’t make the “right” decision, Raw: Mexico City could still end up becoming memorable for all the wrong reasons.
WWE Raw’s high-stakes main event featured hometown hero Penta challenging Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and the realistic possibility of a shocking upset of the oft-insurmountable Tribal Chief. Sami Zayn and Stephanie Vaquer each scored surprising world title wins during WWE’s international tour of Mexico and Chile, respectively, this past weekend. Lucha Folk Hero El Grande Americano completed the hat trick with his defeat of Dominik Mysterio at TripleMania 34. The babyface wave of success has some fans encouraged, while another, more cynical crowd is convinced that WWE is just buttering up fans before a letdown in its Mexico City climax. This sentiment became stronger after Chad Gable defeated lucha libre standout Dragon Lee for the Intercontinental Championship.
Roman Reigns was a strong favorite to retain against Penta, but Penta winning was the better business decision for many reasons, many of which were discussed in my coverage of Raw: Mexico City this morning. To add to this case, Nielsen’s recent change in viewership methodology (one of many in the past several months), now focuses on Spanish-speaking and Hispanic households. Early returns have seen positive inflation for pro wrestling viewership after previous changes hurt viewership under the now-dubious analytics company.
Penta winning the world title would turn an already popular lucha libre superstar into a pro wrestling deity in Mexico. These are the type of wins that have built some of pro wrestling’s biggest draws. Penta’s win will make him a powerful chess piece and a ratings-mover on television shows like SmackDown and NXT. Penta could also be a a valuable asset in the ongoing war for Mexico as WWE and AAA seek a TV deal while WWE rival AEW continues its partnership with AAA rival CMLL.
WWE Raw goes head-to-head with the first Monday Night Football game of the season, and it is in position to be every bit as newsworthy, if not more. WWE had far more gain from Penta beating Roman Reigns tonight, whether it’s from a booking standpoint, business reasons or, most importantly, emotional satisfaction.
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