Roman Reigns returns to Raw in Buffalo; Solo Sikoa may rejoin Bloodline as Chad Gable defends Intercontinental title
Roman Reigns is scheduled to return to Monday Night Raw on August 17, 2026, when the show broadcasts from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, and Solo Sikoa is expected to rejoin the Bloodline. The episode will also continue the tournament to determine Reigns' next challenger and features Intercontinental Champion Chad Gable in a title defence.
Lyra Valkyria has adopted a more aggressive persona and will face Sol Ruca on Raw, with the report suggesting Valkyria is likely to win. Dragon Lee meets El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. in a #1 contender match for the World Heavyweight Championship, and El Fiscal will face Rey Fenix in another tournament pairing. Both lucha libre-style matchups are being promoted as standout bouts for the night.
The write-up included the line: "Lyra Valkyria seems to be getting more and more unhinged! 😬 pic.twitter.com/Oxt3Q61w79" and states she has crossed paths with Sol Ruca ahead of their Raw meeting. The coverage projects that Valkyria will "unleash her fury on Ruca and emerge victorious," repeating the expectation that she will win the encounter.
Dragon Lee versus El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. is described as an "explosive bout" in the #1 contender tournament, with the report noting "RAW’s Dragon Lee could walk away with the win." That match is presented as part of the tournament to determine a challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship.
In the other tournament pairing, the preview says fans can expect a classic display of lucha libre when El Fiscal takes on Rey Fenix and suggests "Rey Fenix might emerge victorious" from that contest. The piece frames both the Dragon Lee and Fenix matches as key steps in the #1 contender bracket.
Intercontinental Champion Chad Gable has extended an invitation to WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio for a match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, a pairing the report calls "one of the top showdowns on the card." The preview adds that a title change is unlikely on the show because "WWE might want to continue Gable‘s singles championship run."
The report says World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns will return to Raw and that Jey Uso will hand-deliver his younger brother, Solo Sikoa, to the OTC; Sikoa lost a singles bout to Uso and "could see him return to the Bloodline as an official member, but not of his own will."
The August 17 edition of Monday Night Raw will air live from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The preview also lists two upcoming WWE events: Sunday Night’s Main Event on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia — described as WWE’s first-ever Sunday Night’s Main Event — and Money in the Bank on October 10, 2026, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.