During the August 4, 2025 episode of WWE RAW at the Barclays Center, Sheamus and Rusev’s heated feud continued with a match that neither could claim victory in. For the third time since Rusev’s WWE comeback, the two battled fiercely, but the referee called a double countout after both competitors brawled at ringside, failing to return to the ring in time. This finish added more fuel to their ongoing war, as neither man gained momentum, keeping the rivalry very much alive and unresolved. Sources close to WWE insiders suggest that creative is building toward a big payoff for this bitter rivalry, likely culminating in a no-disqualification or specialty match to settle the score definitively[1][2][3].
In one of the night’s more surprising moments, WWE revealed a third masked character under the moniker El Grande Americano, joining the existing two familiar luchadores. This new entrant made a significant impact during Dominik Mysterio’s match against Dragon Lee, where all three El Grande Americanos interfered to help Mysterio secure the pinfall. This tactic drew mixed reactions from the audience and commentators alike, sparking curiosity about the role these three mysterious figures will play in WWE’s midcard storylines. Fightful and WWE.com have noted this development as an intriguing way for WWE to refresh ongoing story arcs, potentially setting up multi-man tag matches or further interference angles that revitalize the Intercontinental scene[3][4].
The women’s division also saw notable drama as Lyra Valkyria, a rising star, publicly disowned Bayley on raw, signaling possible friction within the locker room or a storyline turning point. Valkyria’s rejection of Bayley could foreshadow an upcoming rivalry or a shift in her character alignment, possibly moving toward a more independent or anti-hero persona. Reports from wrestling podcasts and backstage interviews indicate this split might stem from creative’s effort to shake up the women’s roster following SummerSlam and create fresh matchups in forthcoming WWE pay-per-views[4][5].
Additional highlights on RAW included WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss successfully defending their titles against Judgment Day’s Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez, reinforcing their dominance in the division. Seth Rollins, after his shocking Money in the Bank cash-in at SummerSlam to claim the World Heavyweight Championship, appeared but ended his match against LA Knight via disqualification, hinting at ongoing tensions and potential rematches. Meanwhile, Dominik Mysterio continued his momentum with the assistance of the newly expanded El Grande Americano trio, further complicating the Intercontinental Championship landscape[1][3].
According to WWE insiders speaking with Fightful, the Sheamus vs. Rusev rivalry is being strategically paced for a climactic showdown on a major upcoming event, with plans for a no-disqualification match or a stipulation bout designed to prevent escapes like double countouts. Meanwhile, backstage sources reveal the introduction of a third El Grande Americano is part of a larger collaboration with lucha libre styles to diversify WWE’s storytelling techniques and attract a wider fanbase to the cruiserweight and midcard scenes.
This week’s WWE RAW demonstrated the company’s commitment to evolving storylines and character dynamics post-SummerSlam, balancing long-term rivalries like Sheamus and Rusev’s with emerging angles involving mysterious new characters and complex relationships within the women’s division. Fans can expect these threads to develop further as WWE prepares for its next wave of events.
For continuous updates on WWE RAW and detailed coverage of ongoing rivalries, follow WWE.com, Fightful podcasts, and official post-show interviews.