Weekly Wrestling Recap: From Raw to SmackDown, a Week of Shocking Twists

This past week in professional wrestling was one for the books. Across WWE, NXT, AEW, and TNA, fans were treated to emotional farewells, chaotic brawls, surprise returns, and matches announced that could change the landscape of the industry. With Clash in Paris, NXT Heatwave, AEW Forbidden Door, and Bound For Glory all looming, here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know.

Raw: Naomi’s Emotional Goodbye & Clash in Paris Heats Up

On Monday Night Raw, Naomi (Trinity Fatu) stunned the WWE Universe with her announcement that she is pregnant and relinquishing her Women’s World Championship. The crowd gave her a standing ovation as she tearfully addressed her journey, leaving behind a wide-open title picture for the women’s division.

Meanwhile, the men’s main event scene is looking massive. WWE confirmed a Fatal 4-Way World Heavyweight Championship Match for Clash in Paris, featuring:

• Seth Rollins – the defending champion determined to prove his era isn’t ending.

• CM Punk – back with vengeance and eager to reclaim the spotlight.

• LA Knight – the fan favorite finally breaking into the world title scene.

• Jey Uso – carving his own path after breaking free from The Bloodline.

This match is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable world title bouts in recent memory.

NXT: Heatwave Builds Momentum

NXT continues to deliver on the road to Heatwave (Aug 24, streaming on Netflix).

• Je’Von Evans scored the biggest win of his career by pinning Trick Williams, earning himself a shot at Oba Femi’s NXT Championship.

• Josh Briggs went to war in a Philadelphia Street Fight against Yoshiki Inamura, showing his darker side.

• The women’s division shined as Fatal Influence defeated The Elegance Brand, with Masha Slamovich serving as the special referee.

With the influx of TNA talent crossing over, Heatwave is shaping up to be one of NXT’s most unpredictable cards in years.

AEW: Chaos Before Forbidden Door

On Dynamite, AEW delivered a wild go-home show before Forbidden Door.

• Will Ospreay revealed that he’ll need neck surgery but promised his recent Lights-Out Steel Cage Match was worth the risk. His fighting spirit drew thunderous respect from fans.

• MJF escalated his feud with Hangman Page to terrifying levels by kidnapping Mark Briscoe and threatening to burn him alive unless Hangman accepted his stipulation-filled challenge. Page reluctantly agreed, setting up a match with unique conditions: Hangman can win by count-out or DQ.

• Bryan Danielson added extra star power, appearing on commentary and confirming his role on the Forbidden Door Zero Hour panel.

The storytelling leaned dark, violent, and personal—perfect fuel heading into one of AEW’s biggest shows of the year.

TNA: Williams is playing Tricks

TNA had huge matches this week with Frankie Kazarian taking on Jake Something. The woman’s gauntlet match and The Order 4 battle The System and Matt Cardona

Elsewhere, Trick Williams was challenged by Mike Santana. However, Williams had an escape plan. He invoked a clause that allows him 50 days without a mandatory defense, effectively postponing Santana’s request. TNA authority figure Santino Marella attempted to push the match , but Trick refused to budge.

SmackDown: Dublin Drama & Orton’s RKO

SmackDown went international this week with a hot crowd in Dublin, Ireland, and it delivered headline-making moments.

• Becky Lynch shocked her home country by turning heel, blasting Irish fans as unworthy of her greatness.

• Tiffany Stratton & Jade Cargill picked up a huge win over Lynch & Nia Jax, cementing themselves as a dangerous pairing.

• Piper Niven scored the upset of the night with a victory over Charlotte Flair.

• The tension between John Cena and Logan Paul boiled over, with Cena calling Logan a “parasite” before Logan silenced him with a knockout punch.

• And to cap it all off, Randy Orton returned and delivered a vicious RKO to Drew McIntyre, setting up a huge rivalry heading into fall.

This episode of SmackDown had everything—betrayals, shocks, and a crowd reaction that will be remembered for years.

Final Thoughts

Wrestling right now feels electric. WWE is setting the stage for one of its biggest international shows ever with Clash in Paris, NXT is pushing fresh talent with TNA crossovers, AEW is doubling down on intense storytelling for Forbidden Door, and TNA is leaning into nostalgia while also building new stars.

The only real question left is: Who walks out of Paris with the World Heavyweight Championship? Rollins, Punk, LA Knight, and Jey Uso all have strong cases—but only one will leave the City of Light on top of the world.