Roman Reigns returns to Raw tonight as WrestleMania pressure spikes
roman reigns is set to return to Raw on Monday, March 16, 2026, with WWE billing the comeback for the live broadcast beginning at 8: 00 PM ET. The show is scheduled to air on Netflix, with WWE framing the night around building momentum toward WrestleMania. The return comes two weeks after World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk made comments about “burying Roman Reigns next to his father, ” raising the stakes for what WWE is calling a pivotal stretch on the road to WrestleMania.
Roman Reigns returns to Raw at 8: 00 PM ET as Punk feud heats up
WWE is positioning the night’s focal point around Roman Reigns’ first Raw appearance since CM Punk’s remarks, describing the moment as “The OTC returns to Raw. ” WWE also tied the return directly to the upcoming WrestleMania title match, teasing an answer to a straightforward question: how Reigns will respond as his Title Match against “The Second City Saint” at WrestleMania draws near.
WWE’s preview sets the time and platform clearly, urging viewers not to miss Raw live at 8 ET/5 PT on Netflix. No additional stipulations or segments for the return were specified in the preview beyond the promise of a response and the looming WrestleMania title match.
Major matches and Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania challenge shape the rest of the night
Beyond the Reigns-Punk build, WWE’s advertised card includes multiple featured matches and returns. Bayley is scheduled to challenge AJ Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship after winning a Gauntlet Match the prior week on Raw. WWE also announced Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer will face Raquel Rodriguez of The Judgment Day again, with Vaquer’s WrestleMania title defense against Liv Morgan “looming. ”
WWE further promoted Brock Lesnar’s return, writing that “The Beast is back” and that Lesnar will appear to see who answers his WrestleMania challenge. The preview also lists a one-on-one clash between “Original” El Grande Americano and El Grande Americano to “settle things once and for all, ” along with a match between Maxxine Dupri and Nattie after Dupri attacked Nattie last week following Nattie “badmouthing her adversary. ”
Immediate reactions inside the arena: Lesnar confronted, then dropped
In live coverage of the March 16 Raw, Michael Cole and Corey Graves were on commentary as the broadcast opened with scenes of San Antonio and shots of talent backstage, including CM Punk and AJ Lee. The night’s first major in-ring segment escalated quickly: Seth Rollins entered after masked men in black hoods jumped the barricade, then addressed Paul Heyman in a hostile exchange. Graves said on-air that Rollins was not medically cleared to compete.
Heyman appeared shaken and tearful, with a reddened right eye, as the segment continued. Moments later, Brock Lesnar came out, prompting Graves to warn Rollins to run. Lesnar began tossing aside the masked men, drawing a strong crowd reaction.
The scene shifted again when Oba Femi entered and confronted Lesnar. The standoff ended abruptly with Femi lifting Lesnar and powerbombing him, leaving Lesnar selling the impact on the mat while Femi stood over him. Graves reacted to the moment on commentary, calling Femi “The Ruler” while describing the takedown of “The Beast. ”
Quick context
WWE is building the March 16 Raw around multiple WrestleMania-related threads, led by Roman Reigns’ return and Brock Lesnar’s advertised challenge. Several matchups on the card are framed as continuations of recent Raw events, including Bayley’s gauntlet win and the Dupri-Nattie altercation.
What’s next at 8: 00 PM ET
All eyes now turn to how the live crowd and the rest of the roster respond once roman reigns is back on Raw at 8: 00 PM ET, with WWE directly tying the moment to the approaching WrestleMania title clash with CM Punk. With multiple major angles in motion—Lesnar’s challenge, the Women’s Intercontinental Championship bout, and the Vaquer-Rodriguez rematch—Monday night is positioned as a pressure-test episode that could clarify which rivalries take control heading into WrestleMania.
