WWE RAW Live Coverage - February 23rd, 2026
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WWE pays tribute to the phenomenal career of AJ Styles
WWE celebrates the phenomenal career of one of the greatest Superstars of all time, AJ Styles.
:raw:
— Michael Cole and Corey Graves greet audiences at home from inside the ring. GUNTHER cuts off Graves and makes his way through the crowd to the ring, dismissing Cole and Graces. He says he understands that the fans aren't happy to see him as they're gathered to celebrate the career of AJ Styles, then says he thinks it's disgraceful to hold a celebration for a loser.
GUNTHER says he understands that the fans love losers like John Cena and Goldberg, then says he's killed both of their careers and Styles' as well. He says that he should be the one who's being celebrated, but Adam Pearce makes his way out and tells GUNTHER to leave as security flanks him.
GUNTHER agrees to leave, but as he does so, Dragon Lee blindsides him on the entrance ramp. Security pulls Lee off GUNTHER and holds him back as Pearce and one of the guards force GUNTHER to leave the arena. Lee breaks free and attacks GUNTHER once again backstage, but security gets them separated.
— GUNTHER passes Cody Rhodes in the backstage area, and Rhodes makes his way to the ring.
Rhodes tells Atlanta he knows what they want to talk about, then says everyone is in the building for AJ Styles. Before he can continue, The Vision makes their way out.
Paul Heyman hands the microphone to Austin Theory and Theory says he can't stand Atlanta. He admits to being ashamed from Atlanta, and Logan Paul says the one person who isn't ashamed to be from Atlanta is Rhodes because he has no common sense. He says Bronson Reed will win his Men's Elimination Chamber Triple Threat Qualifier and the 2026 Men's Elimination Chamber, then says The Vision will take over SmackDown tonight up next.
Rhodes says there's pretty sure someone would disagree with Paul saying Reed will win his Elimination Chamber Triple Threat Qualifier, and Jey Uso makes his way to the ring along with Jimmy Uso.
WWE Men's Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Bronson Reed vs. OG El Grande Americano vs. Jey Uso
The bell rings and all three men exchange right hands with one another. OG Grande delivers a moonsault off the middle rope to level Jey and Reed on the outside, then sends Reed crashing into the ring post face first along with Jey.
During the commercial break, OG Grande fires off right hands on Reed and begins wearing down Jey's arm in the ring. He tangles it up in the ring ropes and lands a kick on it, then sends Reed crashing off the apron with another kick to him. Jey delivers an open palm strike to OG Americano back from the break and sits him on the top rope, but Reed gets both Jey and OG Grande up on his shoulders before he lands a double Samoan Drop on him. Reed then wears down Jey with a submission hold and follows it up with a powerslam to him.
OG Grande connects with a German suplex on Jey and lands a diving headbutt on him off the top rope. He goes for a pin, but Reed kicks out. OG Grande then catches Reed with a German suplex and pins him, but Reed kicks out.
Jey and OG Grande stare one another down during the commercial break, but OG Grande fires off stomps on Jey in the corner as Reed is being checked on by medical officials. Jey ascends to the top rope, but OG Grande trips him and joins him on the ropes. Jey then trips OG Grande and looks for the Uso Splash, but OG Grande catches him with a roll up. Jey kicks out.
OG Grande cinches in an Ankle Lock on Jey, but Jey fights him off and rocks him with a superkick. He follows it up with a spear and an Uso splash for the win.
Winner: Jey Uso
— CM Punk comes out of a race car with Tyler Reddick after doing donuts in the parking lot and they enter the arena.
— Back at ringside, Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio come out to the ring and when we come back from a commercial break we will find out who she will choose to challenge at WrestleMania.
Dominik says Atlanta is in the presence of the greatest Intercontinental Champion and AAA Mega Champion, and the greatest Royal Rumble winner of all time in Morgan. He says Morgan will finally choose who she faces at WrestleMania 42, then calls Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer and WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill to the ring.
Vaquer and Cargill both make their way out, and Morgan says she knows that Vaquer and Cargill are both waiting. She says she has something to get off her chest, then tells Vaquer that her words got to her last week. She admits that Vaquer was right in saying that she's been selfish and how privileged she's been as a WWE wrestler, then says she didn't know much about Vaquer's story to get to WWE and apologizes to Vaquer for judging her.
Morgan opts to clock Vaquer with the microphone across her head, then rains down right hands on her as Cargill leaves the ring. Morgan rocks Vaquer with a codebreaker, then connects with Oblivion on her and holds up the Women's World Championship.
— Byron Saxton talks to Je'Von Evans. Saxton talks about what Evans had to do to get in The Chamber match and asks him his thoughts going into the Elimination Chamber. Offset comes up to Evans and they shoot the shit. The New Day (Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston & Grayson Waller) come by and Woods and Kingston are pissed that Offset never comes out RAW when they invite him. Evans says they can battle in the ring and it sounds like Evans will take on Kingston.
— Maxxine Dupri makes her way to the ring. Nattie follows.
— Michin, Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa hang out backstage. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows come by and hug and the Bullet Club is here for AJ Styles' tribute.
Nattie vs. Maxxine Dupri
The bell rings and Nattie fires off right hands on Dupri. Dupri responds with a dropkick on Nattie, then sends her crashing out of the ring with a pump kick and lands a kick on Nattie's head. She follows it up with a crossbody to her off the barricade, then sends her crashing into the barricade midsection first. Nattie sends Dupri crashing into the ring post with a kick, then rains down right hands on her. The referee then checks on Dupri, but Nattie continues firing off right hands on her. The referee pries her off Dupri and calls for the bell in an effort to protect Dupri.
Winner: Nattie (via referee stoppage)
— The Judgement Day (Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan, Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh) are backstage. Rodriguez says she's ready for her match tonight and Morgan celebrates what she just did in the ring. McDonagh apologizes to Balor and Balor tells McDonagh that brother's fight and sometimes they have to do things on their own. Mysterio disagrees and says he was left high and dry and that's why he lost last week and he doesn't want to do this alone and asks if he can count on Balor for his match against Penta. Balor tells Mysterio to grow up and leaves. McDonagh says he'll talk to Balor.
— We come back to RAW, and we get a video promo for Oba Femi who is still a free agent.
— Adam Pearce is standing by the wooden box/crate and he asks why it's here. A WWE employee is told to ship it to The Elimination Chamber and he and Nick Aldis will open it together. Rusev asks Pearce for his time and Pearce says he has another engagement and Rusev asks who is more important than him. It's Oba Femi and he enters the frame. Rusev and Femi get in each other's faces and Pearce says they'll settle this at another time and date because tonight is for AJ Styles.
— Back at ringside, Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman makes their way out.
Heyman introduces himself and says while he's a "Wise Man" and an "Oracle", but says most of all, he's "The Advocate" for Lesnar and says the only dead man walking in WWE is the one who comes down the aisle to face Lesnar at WrestleMania 42. He says he doesn't have a prediction or a spoiler because when himself and Lesnar walk through the locker room, no one would step up to Lesnar for the beating they have coming their way.
Heyman indicates to the Titan Tron that Lesnar will be appearing on the March 16, March 23, March 30, April 6, and April 13 episodes of "Raw", then says he doesn't think anyone will answer Lesnar's Open Challenge for WrestleMania 42.
— A video promo plays and it's Becky Lynch calling out AJ Lee ahead of their match this weekend.
— Je'Von Evans and Offset then make their way to the ring. New Day and Grayson Waller follow, with Xavier Woods taking a seat at the announce desk.
Je'Von Evans (w/ Offset) vs. Kofi Kingston (w/ Xavier Woods and Grayson Waller)
The bell rings and the two lock up. Kingston gets in Evans' face, but Evans levels Kingston with a superkick and goes for a pin. Kingston kicks out, but Evans clotheslines him out of the ring. Waller hops up on the apron to distract Evans, and when Evans looks to fly, Kingston has the opportunity to escape by running halfway up the entrance ramp.
Kingston slides back into the ring, then sends Evans crashing into the announce desk face first back on the outside and dumps him back in the ring during the commercial break. He fires off stomps on Evans in the corner, but Kingston flies off the top rope and levels Evans with a right hand. Evans looks to respond with a moonsault on Kingston off the top rope, but Kingston moves out of the way back from the break and rolls up Evans, but Evans kicks out and flies over the top rope to level Kingston.
Waller clocks Evans on the outside while the referee is distracted, opening the door for Kingston to land a Famouser on Evans and go for the win. Evans kicks out, then connects with the OG Cutter on Kingston for the win.
Winner: Je'Von Evans
— We see Frankie Kazarian and Abyss walk backstage.
— We get a video promo from Finn Balor where he says he has something to prove and that's why he has to beat CM Punk and become the champion and main event WrestleMania.
— CM Punk then makes his way to the ring.
Punk says tonight isn't about him because he's in Atlanta to celebrate AJ Styles. He says there's a few things he needs to address, then says it's great to be alive on a Monday night in Atlanta and ponders the possibility of Finn Balor not attacking him in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He says Balor wouldn't have his World Heavyweight Championship match at Elimination Chamber, then says people keep asking him what he's doing with his title. He says he's still fighting on behalf of all of the fans.
Punk addresses Roman Reigns and says Reigns will be on "Raw" next week, then ponders not waiting to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against him at WrestleMania 42 and says he'll let both Balor and Reigns asks themselves what if. He says he doesn't have to say what if because he's the World Heavyweight Champion, then says he doesn't have to ask what if he isn't good enough because he's "The Best In The World" and says he doesn't have to think about what if when it comes to WrestleMania 42 because he's the main event.
— Jeremy Borash, Petey Williams and Omos are show backstage who are here for AJ Styles' Tribute.
— IYO SKY makes her way to the ring. Kairi Sane and Raquel Rodriguez follow.
WWE Women's Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Iyo Sky vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Kairi Sane
The bell rings and Rodriguez whips SKY into the corner. Sane and SKY fire off chops on Rodriguez in the corner, then send her crashing out of the ring with a boot. Sane then delivers a hair whip to SKY and stomps on her before she mocks SKY by hitting her signature pose.
SKY sends Sane crashing into the mat, but Rodriguez connects with a Fallaway Slam on SKY and Sane. SKY then delivers Over The Moonsault to take out Sane and Rodriguez on the outside, but Sane pins SKY back in the ring during the commercial break. SKY kicks out, but Rodriguez lands a pair of elbow drops on SKY and sends her face bouncing off the ring apron.
Back from the break, SKY lands a flapjack on Sane. She follows it up with a dropkick to her off the middle rope, but Rodriguez takes out SKY. SKY flies through the middle rope to level Rodriguez on the outside, and Sane follows it up with an In-Sane Elbow off the top rope. SKY then sends Rodriguez crashing over the barricade and into the timekeeper's area, but Sane rolls up SKY. SKY kicks out and delivers a Butterfly Backbreaker to Sane, then follows it up with Over The Moonsault and goes for a pin. Rodriguez pulls Sane out of the ring to break the fall and runs over her with a clothesline on the outside, but SKY lands a jawbreaker on Rodriguez using the top rope and connects with a missile dropkick on her off the top rope. She follows it up with a meteora and sets up for Over The Moonsault, but Rodriguez gets back up on her feet. SKY fights off Rodriguez and delivers a diving DDT to her. Sane sets up for the In-Sane Elbow on SKY, but Rodriguez sees her coming and lands the Texana Bomb on Sane for the win.
Winner: Raquel Rodriguez
— We find out that Bronson Reed has a bicep tear from his match earlier today and will be sidelined indefinitely.
— We then head over to a video highlighting AJ Styles' career in TNA Wrestling and WWE as several legends reflect on Styles' impact.
— AJ Styles makes his way to the ring.
The live crowd thanks Styles as Styles says he was going to wear a suit tonight. He decided against it after faking his retirement with a suit to trick Cody Rhodes, then says he might get a little choked up and not because he's sad. He says he's grateful to be in Atlanta and says he grew up in nearby Gainsville, Georgia, then says he's still the same kid who grew up loving professional wrestling.
Styles lists some of the places he's wrestled in throughout his career across the globe and says the likes of himself, Christopher Daniels, and Samoa Joe made their mark in TNA Wrestling. He says he went to Japan after leaving TNA and met Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, then says The Good Brothers taught him how to have fun and says he's done almost everything. He says the one thing he hasn't done is be a full time father, then says he's missed birthdays, anniversaries, and games which is quite tough. He says his biggest flex should be all the World Championships he's won across the globe, but it's actually having the best wife Wendy in the world and says Wendy held their family together. He thanks Wendy and three of his children for being in the crowd.
Styles says he knows things may not have gone how the fans wanted at Royal Rumble, then says he didn't think it should've gone either. He says it was poetic that he retired at the same Premium Live Event he debuted at in 2016, then says he's a man of his word and takes off his vest. He lays it down in the ring and says he didn't take off his gloves at Royal Rumble because he wanted to come to Atlanta and leave his gloves at home.
Styles takes off one of his gloves and places it on his vest, then takes off the other and does the same. He says he would've been nothing without the fans and thanks them for their love as he takes a deep breath in.
Styles poses on the middle turnbuckle as various members of the WWE roster and backstage personnel appear on the entrance ramp to applaud Styles. Styles begins to tear up as the roster, backstage personnel, and fans continue to applaud for him and cheer him on.
The Undertaker's gong hits, and the lights go out. When they come back on, The Undertaker drives down the entrance ramp on his motorcycle and gets in the ring. The Undertaker looks at Styles' vest and gloves, then asks Styles if he's just going to leave his stuff and head to the back. He tells Styles that they have unfinished business with one another, then asks Styles if he's ever heard the phrase "if you see me coming, you're already gone". He says he changed it a little bit because if you see him coming, that means Styles is going. He then informs Styles that he'll be inducted into the 2026 Hall Of Fame and hugs Styles.
Styles' family joins him in the ring, and Styles hugs Wendy and children. Wendy holds up Styles hand and celebrates the big news with him as the show goes off the air.
