Jey Uso Wins WWE Raw Battle Royal to Challenge CM Punk for WWE World Heavyweight Title at Saturday Night's Main Event

The main event of Monday Night Raw from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California ended in chaos and controversy, as “Main Event” Jey Uso outlasted 19 other Superstars to win the Over-the-Top-Rope Battle Royal, officially earning his spot against CM Punk for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 1st, live on Peacock.

Despite the high-energy match and raucous crowd reaction, many fans — and even some within WWE’s own creative ranks — have already voiced their frustration with the outcome.

How the Battle Royal Unfolded

The match opened with an all-out brawl featuring powerhouses like Otis, Rusev, and Ivar trading heavy shots early. Chaos reigned as alliances crumbled and eliminations came fast, highlighted by Rusev eliminating Otis, and Dominik Mysterio sneakily tossing both Penta and Rusev after a ringside scuffle.

As the field thinned, Sheamus, AJ Styles, LA Knight, and The Usos emerged as the fan favorites. Styles survived multiple close calls, even skinning the cat to stay alive before ultimately eating a mid-air superkick from Jimmy Uso and being sent packing by his brother, Jey.

The final four — Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, LA Knight, and Dominik Mysterio — gave Sacramento a thrilling finish. After eliminating both Knight and his own brother, Jey stood alone against a conniving Dominik Mysterio. “Dirty” Dom attempted a 619, but Jey countered mid-swing, launching Mysterio over the top rope to secure the win.

CM Punk, who had been on commentary for the match, stepped into the ring afterward for a tense staredown with his Saturday Night’s Main Event opponent as the crowd erupted in mixed chants of “Uce-O!” and “CM Punk!”

Industry Reaction & Criticism

While the win solidifies Jey Uso’s position as a top singles competitor again, the decision has been met with a wave of backlash backstage. According to multiple sources within the WWE Creative Camp, this outcome was described as “predictable,” “uninspired,” and “a missed opportunity to shock fans” — especially given the growing buzz around stars like Bron Breakker, LA Knight, and Rusev.

Many insiders reportedly expected WWE to push Jacob Fatu heading into this week’s Raw, particularly since the show took place in his hometown of Sacramento. However, with Fatu sidelined due to his recent backstage attack on SmackDown, plans clearly shifted — but critics say this was not the right replacement move.

Jey Uso’s previous title run earlier this year was largely viewed as underwhelming, drawing lukewarm fan engagement and minimal viewership spikes. With Raw’s numbers already hovering near all-time lows, many feel this booking decision only underscores WWE Creative’s current struggles under Triple H’s leadership.

“CM Punk vs. Jey Uso feels too easy to predict,” one veteran producer reportedly said after the show. “Everyone knows Punk is winning, and that kills the drama before the bell even rings.”

🗣️ Wrestling.news | Backstage Take

This booking reeks of safe storytelling at a time when WWE needs bold creative risks. Fans were ready for something unexpected — a shock return, a dark horse victory, or a rising star moment. Instead, we got a feel-good but overly familiar winner in Jey Uso, whose underdog story has been told many times over.

If WWE’s goal is to re-spark fan interest heading into the final stretch of 2025, they may need to rethink how “Main Event” Jey fits into that vision. CM Punk vs. Jey Uso has potential, but only if it’s used to springboard something bigger — not as another predictable pit stop on Punk’s inevitable road to another world title reign.

#WWENews #WWERaw