The June 16 episode of WWE RAW became somewhat chaotic, partly by design and due to some unfortunate events. It aimed to set up not only Night of Champions, but also Evolution, Saturday Night's Main Event, and even next week’s RAW, leaving a lot to balance within just two and a half hours.
Two semifinal matches for King and Queen of the Ring headlined the in-ring action, along with a major return, the comeback of a prominent wrestling name from the past three decades, and more.
It was a packed night in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Let’s look at what stood out.
Best: Iyo Sky makes Liv Morgan fight for her title
It almost goes without saying how impressive Iyo Sky's run as Women’s World Champion has been since her surprise title win ahead of WrestleMania 41. Her match at the Show of Shows was terrific, she’s delivered strong performances since, and she’s been getting consistent promo time. Oh, and she’s clearly over with the fans. That’s a big plus.
Her appearance on Raw tonight only reinforced that momentum. She was given ample mic time to fire back at Liv Morgan, who took issue with Sky’s comment about Nikki Bella paving the way for her (however true that may be) and demanded the long-awaited title rematch. Sky agreed, tossed the title at Morgan, and dropped her with a kick, throwing one in for Dominik Mysterio too, just for good measure.
Worst: Liv Morgan suffers a freak injury
Unfortunately, Liv Morgan's night took a sudden turn. Just seconds into her match with Kairi Sane, she appeared to suffer an injury, putting her arms out to brace herself during a takedown. The match cut to commercial as medical staff checked on her, and when the broadcast returned, the match had been called off. Michael Cole later announced that Morgan sustained a dislocated shoulder.
Freak injuries like this are an unfortunate reality in wrestling, and even more so in this case, as it halts Morgan's momentum just as she was seemingly entering a program with Nikki Bella for Evolution II. It’s also not her first shoulder injury, which makes the situation even more concerning.
If Morgan’s injury sidelines her long-term, it will obviously shake up the Evolution card and put her status as Women’s Tag Team Champion in flux. WWE could insert Judgment Day stablemate Roxanne Perez into her spot, but that would impact the storyline involving her tension with Raquel Rodriguez. Perhaps that leads to Perez and Rodriguez teaming up against the Bella Twins at next month’s all-women’s premium live event, or maybe someone else ends up facing Nikki in a singles match.
Best: Asuka is back
Before the injury, Asuka had just returned from her own setback, an ailment that kept her sidelined for over a year. It was a welcome sight to have one of the women’s division’s top in-ring performers back, and she remains hugely popular with WWE fans.
Asuka made her return in a Fatal Four-Way qualifying match for the Queen of the Ring Tournament against Stephanie Vaquer, Raquel Rodriguez, and Ivy Nile. While the rising Chilean star Vaquer seemed like the favorite to advance, it was the returning Asuka who pulled off a somewhat surprising victory.
It’s a major win for Asuka, who now advances to the semifinals and moves one step closer to the finals at Night of Champions. She’s set to face Alexa Bliss for the opportunity to compete in Saudi Arabia, a match that would mark one of the biggest moments of her career in years.
Worst: The optics of Goldberg's return
This isn't a criticism of Goldberg being back, but rather the optics surrounding his return.
It was clear that WWE set up Goldberg vs. Gunther months ago during an in-ring segment where The Ring General mocked the WCW legend and his family. However, the path to that match required taking the World Heavyweight Championship off Jey Uso. While the title change itself isn’t the issue, as Gunther has proven he’s more than capable of being a top guy year-round, taking the belt off him for a match that doesn’t need a belt feels like an odd decision.
Even if WWE’s intent is to undercut AEW, since this match is set for Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 12, the same day as All In Texas, the logic behind that move remains questionable.
It’s hard not to think back to the days when Goldberg and Brock Lesnar clashed. Goldberg never needed a title to sell a fight then, and he certainly doesn’t now. Yet here we are in 2025, with another title needlessly tied to the WWE Hall of Famer. No surprise Uso's been placed in the King of the Ring Tournament, a consolation prize of sorts after getting the short end of the booking stick.
Goldberg deserves a proper retirement match, but the way it’s happening leaves plenty to be desired.
Best: Jey Uso gets a win back
Now that it’s clear why Jey Uso lost the title last week on Raw, his place in the King of the Ring tournament makes more sense. He’s likely to pick up a win or two as a form of make-good after being moved aside, and it’s evident WWE is throwing him a bit of a bone.
Enter Jey Uso’s King of the Ring fatal four-way match on RAW, where he picked up a win over Bronson Reed, Sheamus, and Rusev after a chaotic finish filled with run-ins and interference. Despite others in the match having more to gain, the 2025 Royal Rumble winner always felt like the favorite. This was clearly a chance for Uso to rebuild some momentum, and that’s exactly what happened.
Now, Uso faces Cody Rhodes in the semifinals. It would be quite the story for Uso to head to Saudi Arabia and earn another shot at Gunther, or even John Cena, but this feels like The American Nightmare's story to at least get to Saudi Arabia.