Double Champion, Side Character? – WWE Raw 2/9/26 Review

0:00 History is repeating itself. Instead of Dominic Mysterio being the focus after his return from injury, the focus is now on Liv Morgan. He's now just the boyfriend, just like he was with Ria Ripley years ago. The more garlic thing is now Dom is a double champion. So instead of being out there to drive his own stories and feuds, he was out there giving Liv roses and an amazing call back to Eddie Guerrero and acting as a translator between Stephanie and Liv. Don went from looking confident in AAA on Saturday to just being there on Raw. And while Don will be in the Elimination Chamber qualifier next week, he still feels like a body with no purpose.

0:40 Meanwhile, Raquel was reduced to playing darts and getting interrupted when she wanted to talk to live. The fall off is unbelievable but at least when the Lord stepped up and got himself a magic and seeing Punk elimination chamber, too bad it it feels like a stopgap for Punk and Roman and they don't. And they didn't even hint at a future feud with Dom at all. But hey, at least Dom is back, right? So welcome, welcome. My name is Ryder Maven. I am the host of SMCS podcast. I cover all things Judgment Day, Don Blair, Raquel, then JD, Roxanne, Por Carlito, El Grande Americano, Most Americanos, El Grande Americano, Dejanal and AEW 2.

1:21 Even though I'm falling off on that. Tonight's review is entitled boyfriend mode again. I was really hoping Don would have some sort of agency here, but no, he's just the boyfriend who gets hits by his girlfriend opponents. Again, the only saving grace is that we're getting a lot of parallels to 2024, and you all know what happened then. So let's get into it. First, stop. Why was Dom even there last week? Why did he need to be on Raw last week? Everything Liv did could have been done without him. She could have been introduced by Adam Pierce, kind of like how she was introduced by Nick Aldis on Smackdown. She and Raquel could have had their little talk. Liv could have caused precaled the match by herself. Dom was not needed after the introduction. He barely did anything else.

2:11 Dom should have returned on the AAA show and then showed up to Raw this week. Some people will say that this was established re establishing Liv Dom, but Liv didn't even mention Dom on Smackdown and if it wasn't for social media we wouldn't even know that Liv called Dom before the triple-A show. A segue into Roman Reigns schedule. Rome added. Roman added his scheduled appearances and it looks like Finn will just be used as filler to face CM Punk and Chicago. Eliminate change in living. Change the chamber as we found out last night, we knew this was going to happen but it sucks because it just looks like Fit Roman will just be gone for a whole another month. Have been had this view with with CM Punk and then he's tossed to the side so they can get to their main event viewed at WrestleMania.

2:58 Next up we got some social media shenanigans. The WWE posted live with the caption she holds the power, not Lib and Dom just live. As I keep saying this does not feel like a Bonnie and Clyde or Natural Bun Born Killers run at all. This is just focusing on live live live. And then like I said the parallels to 2024 and how Ria Ripley started gaining momentum is striking. Also Dom and Liv has some new merch dropped and it was very basic in my opinion. This one, just this merch just says that hot girls love Dominic Mysterio, but it's just it's basic.

3:39 It's a crop top, but it's just basic to compare their shirts that I thought had a lot more character and a lot more entrance was the Dom and Lib inspired Chucky and Tiffany shirt, which I actually have. And then there's another Dom of those shirts where they were just, you know, their jail and they had their jailhouse size. Like, you know, Dom is from the 619 and lives area code, which was was hers, the 214207, something like that 204. I forgot her zip code, but I mean her area code. But she you know, those were more interesting shirts. This one just feels really, really basic. And I just said like, Hey, you know, it would it be me? You know, is it just me or is this just the thumbs tippy and Chucky shirt had a lot more character like it it like I said, it's just very, very basic. You know, if you're going to be promoting this couple, you know, that's just really basic story.

4:39 And even with this new merchandise, this is just still something that focuses on live pretty much. I mean, yeah, Don has some, you know, has some role in it, but it's still like a more live focus shirt. Like in like I was saying, you know, the new merch just feels like Dom's a side character it and it just feels this is a lip, you know, it's just nothing there that screams Dom. Like all Dom's other shirts, like his king of the luchador shirts that, you know, that's Dom. This one is just more feeling like Liv and they just toss Dom into it just to make it like a livid Dom shirt. I'm also on that note, Dom reposted Liv's Hot Girls Unite post which features the merchandise like really quickly.

5:25 And I have a theory on this. He was added in this message. So you have Liv and Dom added in the message. So Dom replied really quickly. It was like around 10 minutes this time. But on the contrast, the power post that I was mentioning earlier, he had not reposted that post. Liv reposted it and I was wondering if Dom would reposted it. But at the time of this recording and by the time I was writing my notes before RAW, he had reposted that post and that was an hour. So you see how the striking the difference is. Yeah, he when he got at it, he replied really quickly. But when it comes to like Liv's power post, like where you think Dom would be reposting something like this, he didn't. It's a large gap.

6:10 Like right now, I don't think he has reposted it and I don't think it has it coming across my feet. And I have a scraper that scraped a lot and that's how I get the time stamps. And I don't think he's reposted that. Go ahead and go on and get into Monday night. Rao Shari. Let's talk about pre raw, or at least for all starting off. Raquel and Liv were showing dart shown playing darts in the Judgment Day clubhouse all smiles and Dom is playing a video game. There was no sign of Roxanne or Finn starting. Stop booking strikes again with the Judgment Day. Why are Raquel and Liv all smiles here and Dom is all playing video games? Raquel was wearing the Hot Girls Love Dominic Mysterio merge and if we ever get a switcheroo and whoever called like Dom and Raquel, I'm cackling if that ever happens because you know she's wearing that shirt. But it also contradicts the tension we're supposed to feel with Live and Raquel.

7:07 JD McDonough shirt, the ice shirt that Mikael was wearing on Smackdown on Friday, that was on the Reaper. It's blinking. You missed it. So if you go back and watch the beginning of Raw and look at the Judgment Day segment, you see JD shirt on that Reaper. And we couldn't see who Don was playing on the PS-5, but we find out what who he was playing later on. Next up is an in ring segment with Liv, Dom and Tiffany. Liv and Dom come to the ring and immediately the framing is interesting. Dom is announced only as accompanying Liv Morgan. There was no announcement that he was the Intercontinental or Mega Champion. Michael Cole and Corey talk about Dom's championship on commentary, almost like they forgot.

7:51 Liv starts to speak but Dom interrupts her and hands her red roses and candy. Cute moment on the surface but it instantly pushes him back in full boyfriend mode. Liv declares she is the greatest Royal Rumble winner of all time and she put Jade and Stephanie on notice and that they're afraid of her. Don finally looks like he's about to talk and then he gets interrupted by Stephanie who scares the crap out of him because of her pyro. Stephanie tells Liv to shut up, switches to Spanish and lives and myths that she doesn't understand Dom you know she went down to to translate. Dom says he doesn't want to so Dom starts speaking Spanish to Stephanie.

8:33 I mean Stephanie kind of cuts him off and by saying like he's a bitch. Liv fired back calling Stephanie a liar says if Stephanie's so obsessed with her man she can wear the hot girls love Donna mysterious shirts but she's not good enough to pull it off. Stephanie says that she hope Liv chooses her so she can kick her ass. She starts to leave and that's when Liv calls her a puta. Stephanie snaps but tries to rush back into the ring. Dom gets in between them and then Dom gets slapped. The visual we end on is Don being comforted, comforted by Liv while Stephanie holds the title up high. And the notes from this? Dom is really completely back into that boyfriend role. He's a heater for a few that does not have natural heat yet the same job he had for Rhea versus Becky. Go all the way back to 2024.

9:21 It's the exact same thing. This isn't Liv versus Rhea, this is Rhea versus Becky. Go back and watch how Dawn was used to heat up that feud. He's also being used as a translator and that puts Stephanie in a role similar to EO Sky where she had her limited English skills. This is what I brought up the last time. Like when you have these limited skills, you just always so much. You can say promo wise, Stephanie's getting better, but it's she's still limited. And let's be real, Dom is a double champion. He shouldn't be reduced to flowers, candy and being a language assistant. And he should not keep getting slapped.

10:02 What is it with the the WWE putting Dom into a position where he gets slapped? He's never going to get that lick back. You know, at least Eddie when he was in his full psychotic bitch rage with China, he was getting some licks in. That's what made him a psychotic character and an abusive character. If y'all remember Chyna and Eddie and how that relationship ended. But here is like he just keeps getting hit and then he just he sells the hit. And I appreciate Dom selling for the women because not a lot of guys would do that for the women. But it gets to a point he's always placed in this position and I don't like it. And also the roses and the candy. Remember that Eddie did that with China, and we all know what happened there.

10:51 And now we're going to segue into the Judgment Day clubhouse. Back in the clubhouse, Raquel is trying to talk to Lib, but then Dom walks in and interrupts. Liv immediately says check it on Don, are you OK? Don says he's fine, mentions that he has an Illumination chamber qualifier next week and that he'll have to defend the Intercontinental Championship soon. And this is like the first time like Don looks like he's recognized as a champion at this point. Raquel ships the focus and says that they should check on Finn, who's sitting by himself and just looking isolated. Dom goes over and says I know you're bummed about losing the Punkin Island, but JD is coming back and you're going to be going after the tag team titles and everything will be OK. Finn is shutting this down.

11:35 He said I thought I made it clear I'm not done with Punk and I want the world title. Dom responds that he gets it, but everyone's talking about Punk and Roman at WrestleMania and that window might be closed. And then Finn says. Finn says he's tired of being an Octodot and reminds on We're supposed to be your Family and Dom says that we are. And the segment ends on the tension. And my heart was breaking because that little we are from Dom just really pulled at my heartstrings there. What stood out in this little segment is that Dom was playing Randy Orton on the PS-5 S Either Don's going to advance in its qualifier because Randy Orton's in the Elimination Chamber or he'll be facing him soon. Something like that.

12:18 Raquel still cannot say what she actually wants to say to live. She got interrupted on on Saturday and that's Saturday on Friday and then here she's getting interrupted here and then she still didn't have a lot to do. She was just going to say something to live and they got cut off. Dom comes off a little insensitive, pushing Fin towards the tags when Finn is chasing the world titles. Dom stuff looks like it was possibly and where the spot where we're saying usually keeps hers. It may or may not. That might be a little reach there. Finn says. That I thought we were fanning and Dom replying. We are was like the first emotional beat, genuine emotional beat that we've had from Dom since his return. Like that's something where you could build something off of, but it's still Dom's just kind of circling his view, but not in his view.

13:08 You know, he's just he's talking around it. He's not confronting it. Next up, we're going to segue into Ben Punk and Adam Pierce. Michael Cole is in the ring waiting to interview CM Punk when Finn interrupts and snatches the mic and immediately the tone changes. Finn says everyone is focused on the future and everyone is focused and forgetting about what happened 2 weeks ago when he left Punk lying in a ring like a wounded dog. He says seeing Punk is hurt because I'm the one that hurt him. Then he goes straight at the Roman problem. Finn says that he's not stepping aside so Roman Reigns can slide in and take advantage of his kill and he reminds everyone that that's not wouldn't be the first time Roman took advantage of him.

13:50 He brings up the night when the top rope top rope broke when he had Roman beat in the middle of the ring and that is a nice history call back there. Finn says he's tired of being an after dog, tired of being pissed around and he wants him Punk in the World Heavyweight Championship and he wants it at Elimination Chamber. Punk beats, you know, he says Punk beat me on my home turf. Now I'm going to beat him on his scrap that. I mean scrap daddy. Adam Pierce comes out with the future world champions and shuts it down. Says Finn had his shot and it's too late and find it's like firing back saying just like the Rumble because remember he said that it was stood out of the rumble but other people are allowed to enter into the Rumble. Pierce flat out says Punk and roam another WrestleMania main event and the championship is already spoken for. He tells Finn to leave or he'll be escorted out. That's when Punk's music hits.

14:41 Pierce tries to stop him but Punk gets in the ring anyway then backs off to the announce table. Punk tells Finn he's not off to the thought, he's the first thought and says Penn doesn't deserve the title shot, he deserves an ass beating. Penn refuses to fight without state. He says put the title on the line and I'll finish what I started. Punk acid that he'll beat. He beat been in Ireland and he'll beat him in Chicago. Pierce is panicking about jeopardizing WrestleMania, but Punk forces the issue. Either give him the match or he'll spend the night chasing fan to kick his teeth down this throat. Pierce relents and the match is official for Elimination Chamber between CM Punk and Velour now. I gotta say that Finn's promo work is amazing. I love this for him.

15:25 I'm actually loving that he's able to do this and just be able to talk and do much more than just being a demented demon. He is in his element here. The Roman top rope reference was a perfect use of long term history. Anybody knows how they're in the Pandem era then you know the top rope broken. That's how dot Finn lost. Seriously, it was bad. Like that was bad for Finn and it kind of shunted Finn all the way down the card. But I'm glad that they that Finn referenced that. This still feels like a stop gap because Roman can't be bothered to show up until March and Mania season, but at least Finn is going to be going for the title instead of being shoved to the side. And here's a key contrast.

16:06 Finn actually sounded like a main main character. Finn was stepping up. Finn was calling his shot. Finn is wanting the title. Compare that to Dom, who is just just doing basic stuff here, boyfriend stuff here. Like he, he's a champ, but he's not, you know, he's not getting you like saying he was any kind of challengers or avoiding challengers because he to heal. You know, he's not focused on his championship. It's just periphery stuff right now. Now it could come more in the future when he gets next week but still he had he. This is the second week of his return. He should be doing much more rock wickets. AJ Lee return baited Becky Lynch into a women's IC title match.

16:48 The Usos both beat Akira, Tazara and Otis and their entertain their tag team championships and people's need to stop sleeping on Akira. Ria Ripley qualified for Elimination Chamber and Lyra was done filthy by getting pinned by Bria when Ivy now was there. I don't like Ivy now getting pinned here either but why are you pinning Lyra here? That was just filthy. Natty and Maxine no contest. Because Natty was beating Maxine's ass and when AJ came out to help Maxine, Becky came up. Becky came up and blasted AJ Von Evans and El Grande Americano Original when Yvonne against Los Americanos and Javonne Evans.

17:31 Mid Air Center was crazy. And how the hell is El Gande Americano Original a face in WWE and a heel in AAA but El Gande Americano Ludwig Edition is a heel in WWE and a face in AAA? That is crazy and my head hurt. It's unbelievable play night advanced after a math man attack theory and that's when Lyle and I was able to pin theory to advance in the Elimination Chamber qualifier. And I'll put some final raw thoughts. Roxanne was not there. Hopefully she's OK and I injured and she's just taking a night off. I really hate how Raquel was reduced to nothing. From main title to background is just sickening. Like she should be doing a little bit more. Maybe going to sneak and go to Adam Pierce to get into one of these qualifiers?

18:19 I don't know but she should be doing other than just playing darts. Dawn is fully in boyfriend mode again. The parallels to the Rea era is glaring. You cannot ignore those parallels. Double chance but still no personal feud. At least during the Rio era. Dawn was going after his dad again and while it was him going to the well a little you know one too many times, at least he had a feud that was for him and was centered on him. And he was forging some alliances with other people like Santos and Andrade before Andrade turned on them. Finn and finally feels legit even though he's a stopgap and there was no hints to Dom if it to Finn's future.

19:02 Like, yeah, we get the emotional beat beats what Dom and Finn, but we don't see nothing that can. It's going to start the feud. Like how? How is this feud going to start? Yeah, we have a lot of history here where it should have started already. But the feud needs to get going. You know, why wasn't Dom allowed to call out Finn for allowing CM Punk to call him garbage? Like start on that. Like, why wasn't that brought up? You see what I mean? It's just things like that that should have been addressed by Dom. What you could, you know, he doesn't even have to go at it. So hardly like he doesn't have to be super accusatory. Just bring it up casually. And like I said weeks ago, the Living Stephanie feud is heatless. They have to use other people and it shouldn't be like that. At least with Rhea and Charlotte, there was some history there.

19:52 Yeah, it the build was lackluster, but they had established history on their own. Becky and Bria needed Dom to heat it up because it was just so dry. And the same thing happened with Charlotte and Tiffany. They had to get super personal to get any kind of heat on that match. And that was outside Cafe. That wasn't even in Cafe. It only heated up because they went outside of Cafe to heat it up. So this is what's happening with Stephanie. Stephanie has limited English. They're going to bring in Dom. He's a translator. They're probably going to have Stephanie talk about how he's a cheater and all the typical things they go against Dom about. He's a cheater, he's a scumbag, he's greasy, yadda yadda yadda. And that's how you build a feud because you keys got that proximity to live.

20:41 And if they bring Raquel into that, then you got Raquel's history with with Liv to heat up the feud. And then Stephanie doesn't have this connection with Lib, Stephanie has this connection with Raquel. So it's the heat the the feud isn't set properly between Lib and Stephanie. This is something that should have been building probably since they've returned. Yeah, they hinted at it, like right after they returned, but then they dropped it and then only now bringing it back. So it's heedless. And now everybody else got to build this feud up. And like I said, I don't really like how Raquel was done filthy here. Like, she should be doing more. You know, as much as I complain about Nom, Raquel should be getting some of this stuff, too.

21:24 She's had, she had a rough week where she lost on Monday, she was eliminated at the Royal Rumble, she lost on Monday, she lost on Friday here he could barely have two sentences put together and that was raw. Next week we do have Dom in the Elimination Chamber qualifier against Gunther and Devon Evans. I'm wondering if Dragon League cost Gunther here because Dragon Lee was choked out by Gunther and I'm wondering if Dragon Lee takes out Gunther. It remains to be seen if Devon will win or Dom will win. It'll be interesting here. Also, McHale needs to get into one of these qualifiers.

22:07 It looks like there's going to be 6 spots for the qualifiers and right now we're only up to for next week we're going to be at 2 for the women. So Raquel needs to get slipped into one of those slots some kind of way. If she's not in this Elimination Chamber, I am going to be sick to myself because you know, you're going to fill it up and then Raquel's just going to be standing there being interrupted from telling Liv how she feels until I guess she cost Liv. But you see what I mean? This is one of those pathways where I was saying like every path that I see for Raquel, she's losing. And here they seems like they're changing what Triple H said for the Elimination Chamber because they say whoever the Royal Rubber member chooses opposite, like what Liv chooses opposite goes to the opposite title.

22:50 So what are they going to do? Like, is Raquel is going to get in there? Like, is OK, think of it this way. Is Liv going to put off choosing who she was to fight until Elimination Chamber? And maybe that's how Raquel, like, decides to choose to be. Raquel chooses Stephanie, and then this is when Liv chooses Stephanie. And then she throws her weight around because she's a World Rumble winner. And that breaks what The thing is. You see what I mean? Like that's the only pathway I kind of see now. Hopefully we get some more build with CM Punk and Finn. Like they need to start brawling it out. Things like that get more heat to it. So it does you know, even because even if it is a stop gap, you know, it needs to be a showing out moment for for Finn. Hopefully Roxanne is back.

23:39 Hopefully she's not injured. I haven't heard anything. I haven't seen anything. I haven't seen anything from Sean Ross Sapp or any of the more legit people. I don't even think like they melt or said anything regarding Roxanne. Everything was like focus more on Braun Breaker, who has that hernia and had his had that certainly more legit people. I don't even think like they melt or said anything regarding Roxanne. Everything was like focus more on Braun Breaker who has that hernia and had his had that certain. So prayers get better and Chelsea Green who has a bruised ankle and hopefully she gets better. Just hopefully now that we don't keep Dom stuck in into the boy because like I said, we Don fans, we've been there plenty of time with Don being the boyfriend role and he doesn't need to be that. He's a double champ and he's probably not going to be a double champ for much longer.

24:33 So he know this should be a firming up. He's shoring up his legacy as a before they start taking it and that was wrong. Let me get into some questions and some comments. Some questions and some comments.